Ohio State head coach Jake Diebler is entering his third season after improving the team's wins from 17 to 21 and Big Ten record from 9-11 to 12-8. The Buckeyes made the NCAA Tournament as an 8-seed, marking their first appearance since 2022.
Key points
Jake Diebler is in his third season as head coach of Ohio State.
The Buckeyes improved from 17 to 21 wins overall in two seasons.
Ohio State's Big Ten record improved from 9-11 to 12-8.
The team made the NCAA Tournament as an 8-seed in 2026.
Diebler was appointed head coach after Chris Holtmann was fired.
Mentioned in this story
Jake DieblerChris Holtmann
Ohio State BuckeyesNCAA TournamentBig Ten
EAST LANSING, MICHIGAN - FEBRUARY 22: Head coach Jake Diebler of the Ohio State Buckeyes reacts during the first half of the game against the Michigan State Spartans at Breslin Center on February 22, 2026 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) | Getty Images
EAST LANSING, MICHIGAN - FEBRUARY 22: Head coach Jake Diebler of the Ohio State Buckeyes reacts during the first half of the game against the Michigan State Spartans at Breslin Center on February 22, 2026 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Ohio State head coach Jake Diebler is entering the third year of a five-year contract that he signed in March 2024. Originally elevated to interim head coach that February following the firing of former head coach Chris Holtmann, Diebler parlayed a strong finish to the 2023-24 season into his first collegiate head coaching job.
Diebler has spoken openly about the high expectations he has for the program as well as the lofty standards that those before him have set. While the Buckeyes have not necessarily been a nationally relevant program during their first two seasons, there was incremental progress from year one to year two.
The Buckeyes went from 17 to 21 wins overall, and improved their record in Big Ten play from 9-11 two seasons ago to 12-8 this past season. After being listed as one of the first four teams left out of the NCAA Tournament in 2025, Ohio State earned an 8-seed in the NCAA Tournament ā its first trip to the big dance since 2022 ā this past season, and lost in the first round.
However, even Diebler himself will tell you that simply making the NCAA Tournament every year is not a standard that should be celebrated. The Ohio State basketball program is rich in history and has sent numerous players to the NBA. The Buckeyes have the third-most Big Ten titles to their credit (20) and have been to 11 Final Fours.
With that established, the first two years under Diebler havenāt immediately boomed the program back to the level of its heyday, but year-over-year improvement indicates that the program is trending in the right direction.
My question today: How have Dieblerās first two years stacked up against all of the other Big Ten coachesā first two years? Have most Big Ten coaches hit the ground running, or do most struggle even more than Diebler did through two seasons?
Q&A
What were Jake Diebler's win totals in his first two seasons at Ohio State?
Jake Diebler's teams won 17 games in his first season and improved to 21 wins in his second season.
How did Ohio State perform in Big Ten play under Jake Diebler?
Ohio State improved its Big Ten record from 9-11 in the first season to 12-8 in the second season under Jake Diebler.
What was Ohio State's NCAA Tournament outcome in 2026?
Ohio State earned an 8-seed in the NCAA Tournament in 2026 but lost in the first round.
When did Jake Diebler become the head coach of Ohio State?
Jake Diebler was elevated to interim head coach in February 2024 and officially became head coach in March 2024.
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To answer this question, I pulled the records (regular and postseason) for every Big Ten coach whoās been in the Big Ten for at least two seasons. Admittedly, the game has changed over the past few decades ā college basketball is different now than it was when Tom Izzo took over at Michigan State, and saber-toothed tigers still roamed the great plains. You can interpret these numbers however you like, and add your own context or explanations if you feel the need.
For this exercise, I didnāt include any coaches who have been in the Big Ten for less than two seasons, and the only postseason record I included was the NCAA Tournament.
