Jake Diebler took to the microphone with a vast array of emotions behind his words on Friday.
He cares deeply for Chris Holtmann and feels for the now-former Ohio State head coach after he was fired on Wednesday. But, in stepping up for the team as interim head coach, he felt no hesitancy. Diebler said the best way he can serve the program is to be the "best version of himself," not Holtmann or someone else.
Bruce Thornton followed Diebler at the presser and went through how he and his teammates are processing the emotions of the coaching change. He added that he enjoyed the pace and energy of the first practice under Diebler on Thursday.
Jake Diebler
- While Diebler has always wanted to be a head coach, this isn't the way he wanted it to happen. "We've talked about my desire to be a head coach, and in recent years, I've gotten more excited to do that. These are absolutely not the circumstances I would have ever imagined. ... The hardest part was my heart and mind immediately went to (Holtmann), Lori and their family. ... That was hard."
- Diebler said that stepping into the coaching role wasn't a tough decision, however, because it was what was needed for the players after Holtmann was let go.
- After news broke, Diebler said there was a staff meeting, a players meeting, and then a staff and player meeting. He made sure to reach out to at least one family member for each of the players and talk them through what was going on.
- On what's been the hardest part of the transition: "Just maintaining focus on the task at hand when you're hurting for (Holtmann)."
- Diebler feels like the team is off to a good start recovering from the circumstances, having an energetic practice on Thursday. "I'm excited about what's left in the season. What's in front of us is certainly going to be challenging. ... In my opinion, it felt like we won yesterday with a good practice."
- While there's no massive overhaul of the program occurring midseason, Diebler did say that Ohio State switched up the structure of practice to match his coaching style. "With six games left, it's hard to make these wholesale changes. ... The best thing I can do to serve this program is be me. Not to be Holt or someone else, but to be the best version of myself."
- For Diebler, being himself means pushing the pace in practice and attacking the tasks ahead with passion. "I think guys will probably tell you I operate with an urgency and passion and pace to things."
- Former Buckeye guard Aaron Craft stopped by practice after Holtmann's firing, which Diebler said shows the true family nature of Ohio State basketball.
- While Diebler said he's not motivated by proving anyone wrong about the Holtmann termination, he reiterated that he is motivated greatly by his duty to the players. "I do have an edge in that regard, to do that really well. ... Holt has helped me a ton, and I'm a much better coach today than I was when I came here to work for him. He's an excellent coach and an even better person. ... But there's a job to be done."
- Diebler said his past experiences filling in for Holtmann due to illness or ejections have prepared him to lead on gameday. "I feel really comfortable about the game, and those experiences certainly helped with that."
- There were little details that cost the team a shot at victory but Diebler liked the way many of his players, Thornton particularly, responded at Wisconsin. "I thought that Wisconsin game was revealing to the character for some of our guys. ... Rebounding is an area we have to get better in, especially for Sunday. ... If we rebound better and we can get to free throw line a couple more times, keep them off the free throw line a couple more times, we probably win that game."
- On advice he's gotten from friends and family: "I think the common theme is just, 'Be yourself.'"
- Diebler said it isn't in the best interest of the program to focus on recruiting at this very moment, but as things settle down the next few days, he'll see what direction to take in that regard. "Right now it's all about the guys in that locker room."
- On Gene Smith calling him a "warrior" and entrusting him with this role: "I haven't had time to think about a lot of things, but I did take some time to think about what it means that he would ask me to do this. ... It's quite a compliment that he would say that, but I feel and understand what he's asking."
Bruce Thornton
- Thornton found out in a meeting with Smith that Holtmann had been fired. "It's way beyond my concern because as a player, you need to be focused on your academics and your work to be the best player we can be. ... Feel like we still have things to accomplish."
- On how he's handled the news personally: "I just take it one day at a time. Things happen. College basketball is a business. ... Yesterday, we had a great practice."
- On the energy of Thursday's practice: "It was highly intense yesterday. ... Lot of fast pace, a lot of urgency trying to get a lot of stuff accomplished in a short amount of time."
- Craft's visit to practice showed the bond between former players and the program, Thornton said. "It shows a lot. ... It was very good for our team."
- The team's motivation, Thornton said, isn't to prove people wrong about firing Holtmann but rather to win for each other and their pride. "Just do it ourselves, do it the Ohio State basketball way. ... We're doing it for the guy next to us at the end of the day."
- Thornton said that the tempo and urgency that Diebler presents could be a benefit in helping the team win games. He also appreciates the coach's youth and ability to relate to players.
- "It's a business now. It just is what it is now. ... We've just gotta lean on each other more now than ever."
- Thornton was enthused by the pace of Ohio State's practice. "It reminded me of back in high school, how fast we used to play. ... It was just great and great energy. It's a way to get your conditioning up. ... The pace and the energy that (Diebler) brings, I feel like we needed that right now."
- Thornton said that Holtmann met with each player one-on-one after he was let go. "Holtmann's a great guy, a great dude, he gave me an opportunity ... I'm forever grateful for that. ... He was a big family guy ... I really respect that as a man. He was growing us as more than just basketball players."
- On why he didn't enter the transfer portal: "I just never felt like it was OK to go separate ways on something I started. Especially as a captain. ... At least finish it out and see what happens after that."
- Thornton said that Diebler wanted to make sure he was in a good mental space before he tried to help others with theirs. "He was just being straight-up with me, 'This is new for everybody.'"
