Sounds blasted from Ohio State’s athletic band, echoed with applause from a whole bunch of followers, Diebler’s family and friends members, former Buckeye greats and athletic division representatives. As Diebler embraced future Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork on stage, he took a second to compose himself, walked to the microphone arrange in entrance of some dozen gathered reporters.
“Wow,” Diebler mentioned, a smile from ear to ear.
In the future after Ohio State’s upset bid towards Illinois within the Massive Ten Match fell simply quick, Bjork formally provided Diebler the job completely after a 6-2 stretch following Chris Holtmann’s termination. Diebler accepted and finalized a five-year contract that can pay him a $2.5 million base wage per season.
Diebler is employed with the understanding that the program ought to yearly compete for Massive Ten championships.
“Ohio State is the most effective of the most effective,” Diebler mentioned Monday. “We’re going to do every thing we will to push this basketball program to align with that.”
Ohio State has a major tie to Diebler’s household, as his youthful brother Jon was a former standout sharpshooter for the Buckeyes. Diebler is 37 years previous, the identical age that Bjork landed his first Athletic Director gig at Western Kentucky and the identical age Thad Matta was coming into his first season as Ohio State’s head coach in 2004.
Bjork mentioned Monday he sees quite a lot of himself in Diebler and believes his first rent at Ohio State will enhance this system’s trajectory. Diebler has been dreaming of a possibility like this all his life.
“Ohio State is a particular place,” Diebler mentioned. “It’s my dream job. I’ve seen firsthand what it may do for these which might be related to it. I wasn’t ok to play right here, however I bought to see the impression it had on my brother and my household with him being right here. How Buckeye Nation has supported him, the care the love, it’s one thing I’ve at all times appreciated and valued.”
A local of Gibsonburg, Ohio, Diebler couldn’t assist however smile when requested about his Northwest Ohio roots. Diebler’s father, Keith, has been a longtime highschool basketball coach in Ohio, whom Jon and Jake each performed for of their prep days. Diebler is Ohio State’s first head coach from the state of Ohio since Randy Ayers, who coached the Buckeyes from 1989-97.
“I take quite a lot of satisfaction being from Northwest Ohio,” Diebler mentioned. “If our household background we moved round a bit bit. So when folks ask the place I’m from, I inform them I’m from the 419. I take quite a lot of satisfaction in that. Should you take a look at the historical past of this program, the document books are full of folks from that space.”
In considerably uncommon style, Diebler gained’t have to attend lengthy after his introductory press convention earlier than he makes his debut as Ohio State’s head coach. The Buckeyes are internet hosting seventh-seeded Cornell within the first spherical of the NIT at 7 p.m. on Tuesday and hope to proceed the momentum inbuilt Diebler’s first eight video games answerable for this system.
“We have to end this season effectively,” Diebler mentioned. “The main focus is serving these guys all over.”
Following Ohio State’s NIT run, although, Diebler shall be tasked with constructing his employees. Ohio State assistant coach Jake Owens left Columbus to affix Chris Holtmann’s employees at DePaul, creating at the least two vacancies on the Buckeyes’ bench, and there may very well be others relying on whether or not Diebler needs to retain assistants equivalent to Mike Netti and Brandon Bailey.
“Relatability to gamers, connecting with these guys and understanding what goes into making this program particular,” Dielber mentioned when requested what qualities he’s hoping to seek out in potential employees hires. “Some guys already know that, definitely. It’s going to come back all the way down to evaluating areas that aren’t strengths for me and supplementing that with people who find themselves sturdy in these areas. There’s clearly quite a lot of thought that goes into it that begins far earlier than you get this chance. However not as a lot consideration has been placed on that as it will if we weren’t nonetheless taking part in.”
Amid the NIT and staffing choices, Diebler may even have to watch the switch portal. Monday marked the start of a 45-day switch window for gamers across the nation to depart their present faculty in the event that they select. Not solely will Diebler take a look at potential additions for subsequent yr’s roster, however he’s additionally already began speaking to gamers on his present roster in hopes of retaining the bulk for the 2024-2025 marketing campaign.
“Our focus is we’ve nonetheless bought one thing to play for,” Diebler mentioned. “Our focus as a program has been on that, however conversations have been began. We’ve gotta serve these guys effectively and see this season by. However as you guys have seen, there are some nice gamers on this program proper now that care about Ohio State.”
Diebler has served as Ohio State’s essential recruiter in each the highschool ranks and within the portal for the previous few seasons, so he’ll don’t have any scarcity of expertise navigating these waters. He mentioned he hopes to stability future additions from the portal and thru the highschool ranks.
“It’s vital at Ohio State that we’re capable of recruit gifted highschool gamers, and we have to proceed to try this,” Diebler mentioned. “However we additionally want to make use of all of the assets obtainable to construct the most effective roster potential. In order that stability shall be vital and that can change to a point from yr to yr. We’ll view it because the lens of what units us as much as obtain our targets.”