Who is Jake Diebler? Meet the youngest Big Ten coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes

In a short period, Jake Diebler has emerged from being one of the trusted assistants of former Ohio State coach Chris Holtmann to becoming, at 37 years of age, the youngest bench tactician in the Big Ten Conference in the 2024-25 college basketball season.

The former Valparaiso player replaced Holtmann, who was let go in February after going 4-10 in the Big Ten Conference and 14-11 overall. The change of scenery may have benefited Ohio State, with Diebler guiding the Buckeyes to an 8-3 mark, which included wins against national championship runner-up Purdue, Michigan State, and Virginia Tech in the NIT.

The sudden turnaround handed him the full-time coaching job on March 17, giving Ohio State basketball fans something to look forward to in the coming season.

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Jake Diebler was born to a basketball-loving household

Jake Diebler was born to a basketball-loving family with his father, Keith, who served as a longtime high school basketball coach in Ohio. His brother, Jon, is the all-time leading scorer in Ohio high school basketball history and played for Ohio State from 2008-2011.

The 37-year-old vividly remembers his moments with his father walking into the gym in the morning and being a son of a coach makes Jake Diebler a member of the coach's kids, an illustrious group of Big Ten coaches that also includes UCLA's Mick Cronin and Northwestern's Chris Collins.

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Jake Diebler employs a fast-paced game to create mismatches

Jake Diebler is a master of fast-paced offensive schemes and has proven effective in this area. Last season, Ohio State's offense had 73 or more possessions in five of its games with Diebler, who believes that the scheme can provide the Buckeyes distinguishable advantages on the floor.

"Out of respect for this league and the coaches, I don't want to go against a set defense over and over again. The coaching and scouting in this league is the best in the country. For us, if we can create mismatches or advantages with our pace, it's going to allow us to be more successful offensively," Diebler said (per CBS Sports).

Buckeyes assistant coach Jamall Walker attested to the concept and explained that Diebler wants every player to play with more pace and more urgency on offense and defense.

Jake Diebler's gung-ho style also connects to player recruitment. He raced to the phone to acquire Duke transfer Sean Stewart, whom he previously lost in a bidding war with the Blue Devils. Diebler was the primary recruiter for the former five-star Montverde Academy standout.

He also acquired Kentucky big man Aaron Bradshaw and welcomed back former Ohio State guard Meechie Johnson from South Carolina. The new acquisitions will join forces with Bruce Thornton in helping the Buckeyes go back to respectability in the Big Ten.

Ohio State opens its season with an exhibition game against Cincinnati on Oct. 18 and will play Texas in its first nonconference clash on Nov. 4 at the T-Mobile Arena as part of the Hall of Fame Series.