Throughout the history of sports, fans have made chants to fire the head coach when the team struggles. The Wisconsin Badgers fans are no exception, especially after last year's tournament loss to James Madison. While this year's Badger basketball squad has been successful in the 2024-25 season, the same cannot be said for the Indiana Hoosiers.
Despite starting the season ranked 17th in the AP Poll, the Hoosiers found themselves unranked with a 13-4 record going into their Tuesday game with no. 19 Illinois. After Indiana got blown out at Iowa 85-60, Hoosier fans hoped that their team would compete against a ranked conference rival. Well, while the Hoosiers were giving up 60 points in one half, the student section made their feelings known about their team and head coach Mike Woodson.
The student section has been booing throughout the first half with "Fire Woodson" chants mixed in. It looks like a chunk of the students will not be back for the second half. pic.twitter.com/fcfsgu4xGp
— Trevor Andershock (@INBBallSource) January 15, 2025
Indiana fans are chanting "Fire Woodson!"
Illinois would go on to defeat Indiana 94-69 at Assembly Hall which featured a near fight toward the end of the game. Woof.
Here's what some Badger fans thought about the game.
Things going well over in Bloomington https://t.co/aZSoUAfDOE
— Badger of Honor (@BadgerOfHonorFS) January 15, 2025
Logging on to Xiaohongshu to hear what everyone thinks about Mike Woodson
— Not A Basketball Fan (@drewhamm5) January 15, 2025
@Agency55NIL Not a good look down in Bloomington.. who knows where Mike Woodson will be coaching next season while Coach Kirk and Gard at Wisconsin are innovating and rocking a top-10 offense. https://t.co/dcQeFHifPP
— Chance Randall (@ChanceRandallUW) January 15, 2025
While Greg Gard's tenure has been filled with some ups and downs, such as the 2017-18 season and missing out on the 2023 NCAA tournament, but the Badgers have had successful stability. Gard has made two Sweet 16s, won two co-Big Ten regular season crowns, and heard zero audible chants of "Fire Gard!" at the Kohl Center, though I suspect some fans have wanted to do that or at least thought of that idea.
Indiana has not had that. Since the start of Gard's tenure in December 2015, Indiana is on their third head coach, won one Big Ten regular season crown in 2016, and has made the NCAA tournament three times during that stretch.
The Wisconsin Badgers are not perfect, but they are in a better place right now than the Indiana Hoosiers.