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Interim coach Jake Diebler coaches up first-year forward Devin Royal (21) from the sideline during Ohio State’s 84-61 win over Michigan Mar. 3. Credit: Caleb Blake | Photo Editor

Interim no more?

The Ohio State men’s basketball team is reportedly targeting interim head coach Jake Diebler as the new Buckeye full-time head coach, according to Adam Jardy of the Columbus Dispatch.

Diebler was named the interim head coach following the dismissal of former head coach Chris Holtmann on Feb. 14.

Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith had high praise for Diebler when addressing the media following the firing of Holtmann. 

“I think he’s a very good coach, I think he’s gonna demonstrate, for the kids, just at the end of the day that we just need to keep fighting all the way through, and he’s going to do that,” Smith said. 

It’s safe to say he did that and then some.

During the eight-game stretch, Diebler led the Buckeyes to six wins, including an upset win against No. 2 Purdue in his first game as a head coach.

The team’s performance through those games left a sizable argument as to why Ohio State should keep Diebler at the forefront of the program.

Diebler started his journey in Columbus when he was brought onto the Buckeyes’ staff as a video coordinator in 2013. That role lasted until 2016 when Diebler left Ohio State to become an assistant coach at Vanderbilt. Three years later, Diebler returned to the Buckeyes as an assistant coach under Holtmann.

Diebler, an Ohio native, will likely get the opportunity to lead Ohio State to the NCAA tournament, however, pending his official hiring, it’ll have to wait until 2025 as the Buckeyes fell to Illinois Friday night in the Big Ten Tournament.