Chris Holtmann follows Butler Bulldogs but would rather avoid playing them

INDIANAPOLIS – Twitter attacks have subsided but not vanished. He has been called “scumbag,” “sellout,” “Boltmann” . . . and worse. An envelope with the return address of “The Butler Way” arrived in the mail with a $1 bill enclosed.

Chris Holtmann has reflected on the events leading to his decision to leave Butler and coach at Ohio State, and also on the subsequent fallout. He said Monday that there are things he wished he had done differently.

In an exclusive interview with IndyStar, Holtmann elaborated on his affection for Butler basketball and the university – and his hope that the Bulldogs and Buckeyes will not meet in this week’s Nike-sponsored PK80 Invitational at Portland, Ore.

“It’s certainly in the back of my mind,” he said.

Butler (3-1) opens against Texas (3-0) at 7 p.m. Thursday on ESPN2 in the eight-team Motion bracket. On the other side is a pairing between Ohio State (4-0) and No. 17 Gonzaga (3-0).

Victory would likely send the Bulldogs against No. 1 Duke (5-0) in a semifinal at 5:30 p.m. Friday on ESPN. A loss puts Butler into a ESPNU game at 3 p.m. Friday, probably against Portland State (4-0).

Butler and Ohio State could meet Sunday.

“It would be weird, I would say,” Butler guard Kamar Baldwin said.

Butler players said they have received supportive texts from Holtmann, and they have not shown the hostility that some fans have toward their former coach. Backlash was inevitable because Holtmann was so successful – he was CollegeInsider’s national coach of the year after a 25-9 season – and he left in mid-June after the coaching carousel had seemingly stopped.

Holtmann said most of his old players have moved on and are excited about new coach LaVall Jordan, a former Butler player.

“That’s what I was hoping for,” Holtmann said. “Do I get certainly my share of negative comments my way still? I do. But any time you’re criticized, I think you should always take a step back and evaluate if the criticism is justified.”

He said he regrets sending out a June 7 tweet stating: “Team #120 arrives in 2 weeks! An important summer!”

That referred to Butler’s 120th season and suggested he was staying as Butler coach. He said that was “my mind-set at the time.”

Two days later, Holtmann agreed to an eight-year contract with Ohio State worth $3.1 million a year. Butler was prepared to pay $2 million annually but could not match the Buckeyes’ offer.

Holtmann originally rebuffed Gene Smith, the Ohio State athletic director. Smith persisted. Holtmann said he had committed to staying at Butler, then had a change of heart and resumed talks. In 48 to 72 hours, he said, he had to make a life-changing decision.

“Quite honestly, I didn’t want to leave Butler. I can’t say it any more honestly than that,” he said. “Butler may not understand it. People at Ohio State may not understand my and my family’s affinity for Butler. And I can’t worry about that. Those were three of the greatest professional years of our family’s life. I was incredibly blessed to be in that position.”

In some ways, he had changed his own job. If he was worried Butler could not return to the national relevance of the Brad Stevens era – the Bulldogs were 4-14 in the Big East in Holtmann’s one season as an assistant to Brandon Miller – he disproved that theory last season.

Butler beat No. 1 Villanova, had four wins over top-10 teams, finished second in the Big East, made its first Sweet 16 since 2011, had the makings of its top-rated recruiting class ever. Holtmann said he had “incredible” support from athletic director Barry Collier and president James Danko, and he was close to those on the board of trustees. The Bulldogs were in the process of achieving special things, Holtmann said.

“If you can finish top two, three, four in the Big East, you have a chance to make it to a Final Four, if breaks go your way,” he said.

Those were things he was pondering “in those compressed hours,” he said. “But I also don’t think these kinds of things end in a perfect way anyway. There’s always going to be some feelings of animosity.”

He hopes negative tweets directed to @ChrisHoltmann will end soon but acknowledged it’s part of the modern landscape.

Emotions betrayed him during Butler’s televised game at Maryland last week. He said he could not watch in the same room with this wife. He gets too nervous watching the Bulldogs, he said.

“They’ve got a terrific coach,” he said, “and they’re going to be fine.”

Call IndyStar reporter David Woods at (317) 444-6195. Follow him on Twitter: @DavidWoods007.

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Butler vs. Texas

Tipoff: 7 p.m. Thursday, PK80 Invitational, Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Portland, Ore.

TV/radio: ESPN2/107.5 FM, 1070-AM