On Sunday, the Ohio State Buckeyes officially shed the interim tag from Jake Diebler, making him the full-time head coach of the program to replace Chris Holtmann, who the school fired earlier this season. It was a significant move for the Buckeyes, and it sounds like the decision caught Michigan State Spartans head coach Tom Izzo by surprise.
During a press conference this week, Tom Izzo was asked about Ohio State’s decision to name Jake Diebler their next full-time head coach, and he admitted that he was not expecting the move.
“I was surprised,” Izzo said during his press conference, according to The Spun. “Happy for him. I was a little surprised, yeah. But I’m also happy for him. I think it’s great.”
Diebler took over for Holtmann in February after Ohio State decided it was time to go in a different direction. With Diebler leading the way, Ohio State seemed to perform much better, immediately beating then-top-ranked Purdue which sparked a string of success to end the season.
Under Diebler, Ohio State finished the season with a 6-2 record and fell just shy of earning a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
We’ll have to see how the team performs under his leadership next season.
[The Spun]
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