updated 2:50 p.m. ET Feb. 26, 2006

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Thad Matta insists he wants to stay at Ohio State, trying to quiet speculation he is a candidate for the Indiana coaching job.

Matta, in his second year as coach of the Buckeyes, has an $11 million, eight-year contract that runs through 2012. Hoosiers coach Mike Davis announced last week he will resign at the end of the season.

“I’ve said this before, I’m as happy as I’ve ever been, at Ohio State,” said Matta, who has lured one of the top recruiting classes to Ohio State for next season. “Our goal coming in here was to build this program into a top-20 program and we’re on the verge of doing that.”

Ohio State (20-4) is ahead of schedule. The Buckeyes are ranked No. 13 and share the Big Ten lead with Iowa with three games left. Ohio State hosts Michigan on Saturday.

Matta said his contract prevents him from discussing any other jobs before the end of the season. He was hired in 2004 after Jim O’Brien was fired. He went 20-12 in his first season with the Buckeyes.

Matta said he spoke with athletic director Gene Smith last week.

“All I can say is that Gene and I are on the same page,” Matta said. “I love that about him, the communication and the openness. It’s amazing how he came to me and we talked and we know exactly where both guys are.”

Smith said Friday he is as pleased with Matta’s performance as the coach seems to be with his situation.

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“There’s no question that Thad is just what you want in a coach,” Smith said in a phone interview. “He’s done a marvelous job in the two years he’s been here. I’m fortunate to work with lots of great coaches and Thad is one of the best. We want him to be a Buckeye forever.”

After Davis announced his resignation, Iowa coach Steve Alford — a former Hoosiers star — and Matta were mentioned as a possible successors. In Matta’s lone season at Butler in 2000-01, the team went 24-8. He then had three 20-plus win seasons at Xavier.

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This season, the Buckeyes have climbed in the polls and have been one of the major surprises in the Big Ten.

“He’d be crazy to take another job right now, especially with the class he’s got coming in next year and how bright the future is,” center Terence Dials said. “He has everything he wants here at Ohio State. I can’t picture him going anywhere else.”

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