Ohio State’s basketball program made a major coaching change last season, parting ways with Chris Holtmann on Valentine’s Day. Following his departure, Jake Diebler was appointed as the interim head coach. Under Diebler’s leadership, the Buckeyes showed significant improvement, closing out the regular season with a 6-1 record and making a strong push for an NCAA Tournament spot. Although they ultimately fell short, the team’s performance under his guidance impressed the program’s decision-makers.
As a result, Ross Bjork opted to remove the interim tag and make Diebler the permanent head coach. Early in the current season, this appeared to be a wise choice, as Ohio State seemed to thrive under his offensive system. However, the team’s fortunes have since taken a downturn. The Buckeyes have now lost four of their last five games, including three consecutive defeats, putting their NCAA Tournament hopes in serious jeopardy. Given this disappointing stretch, questions have emerged about whether Bjork made the right decision in hiring Diebler.
With just three regular-season games remaining, Ohio State holds a 15-13 overall record and stands at 7-10 in Big Ten play. If they hope to secure a tournament bid, they will need a deep run in the Big Ten Tournament. Unfortunately, Diebler has struggled to generate consistent offensive production in the latter half of the season.
One of the team’s biggest weaknesses is its half-court offense, which has been ineffective and stagnant. The Buckeyes lack fluidity in their offensive sets and struggle to create easy scoring opportunities. This falls on Diebler, as it is his responsibility to design plays that can generate high-percentage shots. Instead, Ohio State has had to labor for every basket, making it difficult for them to sustain success.
Despite these struggles, it remains too early to determine whether hiring Diebler was the right long-term move. As a first-time head coach, he still has room to grow and develop his system. Next season will likely serve as the true test of his coaching abilities, as he will have an opportunity to implement adjustments and further shape the program in his vision.
For now, the Buckeyes’ immediate focus will be on finishing the season strong. If Diebler can lead them on a late surge, it would be an impressive coaching feat. However, as things stand, the team appears lost, leaving many to wonder whether Diebler was truly the best choice for the job.
