[en] We present coherent optical and statistical model calculations of neutron interactions with the second isomeric state of ¹⁷⁸ Hf (16⁺) at incident energies between 10 keV and 3 MeV. As this isomeric state lie in the continuum region the level density parameters of the back-shifted Fermi gas model are employed in the statistical model calculations. The uncertainties of the theoretical calculations arise mainly from the determination of the level density spin distribution for ¹⁷⁸ Hf. The optical and statistical model parameters are then extrapolated to the calculations of inelastic acceleration of thermal neutrons by ¹⁷⁸ Hf^m2 and ¹⁸⁰ Hf^m1. New measurements are suggested to assess the validity of our predictions