By Dustin Dow
Enquirer staff writer

COLUMBUS - Thad Matta said he struggled personally during the past two weeks as he ultimately came to a decision to leave Xavier for Ohio State.

Thad Matta was announced as Ohio State's new basketball coach Friday. (AP photo)

PREVIOUS COVERAGE

• 'A no-brainer': Xavier makes Miller its coach • All done in a day's work • Matta wavered on big decision • Matta always on Geiger's 'A' list • Matta apologizes for comments • All-time XU coaches • Division I coaching changes • Fan feelings range from hurt to hope • 'We were disappointed'

MULTIMEDIA

• Haven't contacted (MP3) • Not a candidate (MP3) • WCPO video (RealVideo) • What do you think?

Matta, who turns 37 Sunday, held his introductory news conference Friday after accepting the Ohio State men's basketball coaching job Wednesday, 31 days after Jim O'Brien was fired June 8.

Matta received a seven-year contract from Ohio State, which includes a guaranteed $760,000 during the first year as well as a $300,000 signing bonus. Athletic director Andy Geiger said the bonus was to offset the $225,000 Matta had to pay to Xavier to buy out his contract, which had nine years remaining. Matta will receive a $2 million annuity if he stays the entire seven years at Ohio State.

Matta was asked Friday at what point he thought he was a candidate for the job. Geiger met with Matta at Lunken Airport June 28, and the next day in an interview in his office, Matta told the Enquirer he was not a candidate. He also said he had not been contacted by Ohio State, although he spoke by telephone with Geiger June 24.

"I don't know the exact dates, but when you go through this process, there's a lot of times when you change your mind," Matta said at Ohio State's Schottenstein Center. "You don't know for sure what you're going to do. You don't know if you're going to be offered the job. I did not want to ever demean the program that we built (at Xavier)."

Matta was faced with tough questions about how he handled being a candidate for the job and how he will strengthen an Ohio State program that went 14-16 last season and could face probation for rules violations under O'Brien.

DRIVIN'

Matta's decision took awhile; driving didn't COLUMBUS - It didn't take Thad Matta long to reap his first benefit as Ohio State's new basketball coach. Matta, formally announced as Ohio State's 13th head coach Friday, said his mind was wandering as he was driving home from the airport Wednesday after interviewing. "I was driving 58 mph in a 40 mph zone and a police officer stopped me and let me know that," Matta said. The officer asked Matta why he was driving fast and he explained that he was preoccupied because he was thinking about changing jobs. She asked what he did for a living and he told her he was the basketball coach at Xavier. "She said, 'Really? I went to Ohio State,' " Matta said, a grin spreading across his face. "I said, 'I just took the job!' And she said, 'Have a great day.' " The Associated Press

Speaking to about 100 media members, Matta said: "I deeply regret the perception of what transpired" during the search, but that "to be a part of The Ohio State University, this is the greatest day of my life."

Matta, who said in a June 30 Enquirer story that people didn't realize how happy he was at Xavier, said Friday that Ohio State was a place he could envision himself coaching for the rest of his life.

"I've always viewed Ohio State as the job that could be the greatest job for Thad Matta," Matta said. "As I look at this, I think this is the pinnacle for me."

Yet Matta said he wasn't sure Tuesday night or even Wednesday after he had received the offer from Geiger if he would take the job.

"I never pursue a job when I've got one," Matta said. "I've turned down jobs several times since I've been at Xavier. You have to look at timing and circumstances."

Matta, who went 78-23 in three seasons at Xavier, presented Geiger with an information packet about himself when they met at Lunken Airport.

Geiger said he was not concerned that Matta is taking on his third head-coaching job in five years.

With his former associate head coach, Sean Miller, now coaching Xavier, Matta dismissed the notion that Ohio State and Xavier would meet on the court any time soon.

Matta said he would consider, but not commit, to playing UC.

A more immediate issue is whether Matta will attempt to recruit Toledo St. John's senior-to-be B.J. Raymond, who gave an oral commitment to Xavier in the spring. Raymond is in Indianapolis playing in a summer camp and did not return a message left on his cell phone.

"Hypothetically, honestly, that one is strictly a tough question to answer because of the (recruiting) rules," Matta said. "Well, I think I'm just going to leave that one alone there."

All-time Ohio State coaches

D.C. Huddleson	1903-04	15-6	.714
Thomas Kibler	1909-10	22-2	.917
Lynn W. St. John	1912-19	80-69	.537
George M. Trautman	1920-22	29-33	.468
Harold G. Olsen	1923-46	260-196	.570
William H.H. Dye	1947-50	53-34	.609
Floyd S. Stahl	1951-58	84-92	.477
Fred R. Taylor	1959-76	297-158	.653
Eldon Miller	1977-86	174-120	.592
Gary Williams	1987-89	59-41	.590
Randy Ayers	1990-97	124-108	.534
Jim O'Brien	1998-2004	133-88	.602

Coach unknown from 1899-1901,1905-08, 1911-18; No team in 1902

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E-mail ddow@enquirer.com