It remains unclear exactly where or when Ohio State's coaching search will end. But among the serious candidates to emerge since Monday's surprising removal of Thad Matta is Creighton's Greg McDermott, with a source telling CBS Sports that he had been offered the job on Wednesday.
McDermott met with Ohio State officials Wednesday night, according to ESPN.com, and a source subsequently told CBS Sports that the offer was extended. Athletic director Gene Smith has told two current Ohio State players he plans to have a new coach in place "before the weekend," according to The Columbus Dispatch.
A source told CBS Sports Eddie Fogler is assisting with the search.
McDermott, 52, has been at Creighton since 2010 and taken the Bluejays to four NCAA Tournaments in seven years. He previously coached at Wayne State, North Dakota State, Northern Iowa and Iowa State. His team was 25-10 last season.
Earlier Wednesday, a source told CBS Sports that Chicago Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg was a serious candidate at Ohio State. And multiple sources said there was real interest on both sides. But Hoiberg effectively removed himself as a candidate later Wednesday, telling the Chicago Tribune: "Anytime your name is associated with a great job, it's an honor. But I'm [the] head coach of the Bulls [and] have no intention of leaving."
Other possibilities at Ohio State include, but are not limited to, Virginia Tech's Buzz Williams, Butler's Chris Holtmann and Ohio State assistant Chris Jent -- the last of whom interviewed with Ohio State officials Wednesday, according to The Columbus Dispatch. Arizona's Sean Miller, Indiana's Archie Miller, Xavier's Chris Mack and Oklahoma City Thunder coach Billy Donovan -- all of whom were initially listed as candidates by various media outlets earlier in the week -- are no longer candidates, a source told CBS Sports.