Why Mike Woodson's time at Indiana had to come to an end, and what's next?

The Mike Woodson era at Indiana will end after this season. 

The Hoosier alum, now in his fourth and final season at the helm, has agreed with the university that this season will be his last as the coach of the program, sources confirmed to FOX Sports on Thursday night.

For Woodson, a two-time All-American under Bob Knight who was an NBA first-round draft pick in 1980, the opportunity to come home to Bloomington in 2021 offered him a chance to make a splash at his alma mater. 

Instead, it’s been a tenure that has flopped. After missing the NCAA Tournament last season, the Hoosiers welcomed the nation’s No. 2-ranked transfer class. Seeing them practice in the preseason, the talent was on display, but a lack of connectivity was present. That disconnect has led to a 14-9 overall record and a disappointing 5-7 mark in Big Ten play, as the Hoosiers are tracking to miss a second consecutive NCAA Tournament, despite spending $5.5 million on the roster, sources told FOX Sports. 

To go from the No. 17-ranked team in the country to outside the top 60 in the NET and on the way to a second straight letdown season was too much for Woodson to overcome. The proverbial nail in the coffin came on Jan. 11 and 14 with back-to-back 25-point losses to a down Iowa team and Illinois at Assembly Hall. 

Woodson has now taken 15 losses by double-digits and is 0-10 against ranked teams in the last two seasons.

How did things get to this point? After 25 years as a head coach and an assistant in the NBA, Woodson decided to take a shot in the college ranks. But in a world where former pro players like Patrick Ewing, Chris Mullin, Juwan Howard and many others have ultimately failed, there was a disconnect between Woodson and his ability to translate