Ohio State had an opportunity to hire Dusty May as its next college basketball coach just seven days before he was hired at Michigan. Athletic director Ross Bjork decided to go with interim head coach Jake Diebler instead.
Hindsight is 20/20!!
The Buckeyes have not advanced beyond the first round of March Madness in two college basketball seasons with Diebler at the helm. The Wolverines just won a national title.
Ohio State needed a new college basketball coach in 2024.
Chris Holtmann was hired to replace Thad Matta as head coach of Ohio State in 2017 after an impressive three-year run at Butler. His tenure did not go according to plan.
The Buckeyes reached the NCAA Tournament in only four of seven seasons and never advanced beyond the second round. They were a No. 2 seed in 2021 and lost to Oral Roberts in the first round.
The university ultimately decided to move on from Holtmann after a 14-11 start to the 2023-24 season. It handed the reins to Jake Diebler as the interim. He led the team to a record of 8-3 down the stretch and made a run to the NIT quarterfinals.
That left Ross Bjork with a choice. The first-year athletic director could either remove Diebler’s interim tag and give him the full-time job or go with an outside hire. Greg McDermott, Lamont Paris, Sean Miller, Buzz Williams and Mick Cronin were some of the names attached to the opening.
In the end, after a nationwide search, Bjork decided to promote from within went with Diebler.
Michigan hired Dusty May.
One of the most prominent names attached to the Ohio State coaching job was an up-and-comer at Florida Atlantic University. Dusty May had just led the Owls to the Final Four in 2022-23 and returned to the NCAA Tournament at 25-9 in 2023-24. His name was on fire in the coaching carousel. Everybody wanted him but nobody pulled the trigger right away.
The Buckeyes were one of the teams to pass.
According to a report from Adam Jardy of the Columbus Dispatch on March 15, 2025, Bjork was down to Diebler and May. (He ultimately chose the former over the latter.)
“According to multiple sources, the two known leading candidates are Florida Atlantic coach Dusty May and Ohio State interim coach Jake Diebler […] May has been on Ohio State’s radar for some time and has had multiple conversations with representatives for the program.”
Ohio State officially named Diebler as the 15th head coach in men’s basketball program history on March 17, 2024. Michigan, its biggest rival, had just fired Juwan Howard as head coach two days prior.
The Wolverines jumped at the chance to hire May when the Buckeyes passed. They officially named him as the 18th head coach in men’s basketball program history on March 24, 2024.
Dusty May made the Sweet 16 in year one. He just won a national championship in year two.
Jake Diebler missed out on the NCAA Tournament in year one at 17-5. Ohio State lost in the first round of March Madness at 21-13 in year two.
Ross Bjork singlehandedly allowed his university’s biggest rival to win a national title by skipping over May for Diebler. OOPS!