Welcome to the Skull Session.
Ohio State spring football is back!
Spring in The Shoe
— Ohio State Buckeyes (@OhioStAthletics) March 15, 2024
Come watch the fun April 13th of the 2024 @OhioStateFB Spring Game Parking is FREE & tickets only cost $10
Secure your tickets to see the Buckeyes in action in less than a month https://t.co/b38DAjhYfy@UnionHomeMtg | #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/3yu9SZJUpV
Have a good Tuesday.
THIS GUY GETS IT. I’m sold.
Jake Diebler, let’s ride.
On Monday, Ohio State introduced Diebler as its full-time men’s basketball coach.
While it’s not all that hard to “win” an introductory press conference (though, as we’ll get to later, Chris Holtmann did not win his), Diebler won his so hard that I left the Schottenstein Center hopeful for the Buckeyes’ future.
“This is a calling for Jake Diebler,” future Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork said in his opening statement. “An Ohio native, son of a coach… he had to work for everything he’s achieved. Hard work defines Jake Diebler.”
The past 15 years have been a testament to that statement.
A former guard at Valparaiso, Diebler’s coaching career started as a graduate assistant at his alma mater in 2009. From there, he became an assistant at Valpo (2011-13) before bouncing around to Ohio State (2013-16), Vanderbilt (2016-19) and back to Ohio State (2019-24).
When the Buckeyes moved on from Holtmann earlier this season, Diebler took over as the program’s interim head coach. He led the team to a 6-2 record, securing an NIT bid at 20-13 overall. Thirty hours before Ohio State hosts Cornell in the National Invitation Tournament, Diebler is excited for the challenge. However, he desires more for the program in the future.
“Ohio State is the best of the best,” Diebler said. “We are going to do everything we can to push this basketball program to align with that.”
What will drive Diebler to return Ohio State to its former glory?
Faith. Family. Buckeyes.
(Somebody put that on a T-shirt — it would sell like hotcakes).
“Ohio State is a special place,” Diebler said. “It’s my dream job. I’ve seen firsthand what it can do for those who are connected to it. I wasn’t good enough to play here, but I got to see the impact it had on my brother (Jon) and my family with him being here. How Buckeye Nation has supported him, the care and the love — it’s something I’ve always appreciated and valued.”
Appreciation is a word that comes to mind when I think of Diebler’s press conference. He knows how important the Ohio State men’s basketball program is to so many people, namely its alumni.
“I am so humbled to be in the position,” Diebler said to a group of former players during his opening statement. “I take so seriously the foundation that you guys have laid for this program that which we stand upon and hopefully we will honor in the greatest way to help get this thing to the heights that it belongs.”
The heights that it belongs…
Diebler gets it. This program is, to some extent, a sleeping giant. No, it’s not Duke, North Carolina, Kentucky, UCLA or UConn, but when Ohio State is at its peak, it’s in the tier behind them.
I think Diebler is a coach who can lead the Buckeyes back into that elite company.
Or so I hope.
CADE! CADE! HE’S OUR MAN! Over the weekend, former Ohio State tight end Cade Stover appeared on “The Bobby Carpenter Show” with Bobby Carpenter and Joshua Perry. In the almost 15-minute interview, Stover discussed several topics with the former Ohio State linebackers, including his relationship with Ryan Day, his expectations for the Buckeyes in 2024 and more.
Here is a YouTube link for Stover’s appearance and a transcript for parts of the Q&A:
On his relationship with Ryan Day
“We have always been very close. I give him a lot of credit — I mean, all the credit — for me trying tight end. I would have never even tried the tight end spot if it wasn’t for him coming over and saying, ‘Hey, I know you are trying to get on the field here. I think this would be a really good option for you if you stick with it.’ The dude is 100 percent for the players. He is for us. He rides for us. He looks out for what’s best for us, I feel like. I have always respected him for that.”
On changing positions several times at Ohio State
“I came out of high school as a 4-3 outside linebacker. I played the Sam. I covered the tight end everywhere, buzzed the flat and set edges. I loved the spot. But at that time, we were loaded (at Ohio State). We were loaded with linebackers. It was Pete Werner, Justin Hilliard, Brendon White, K’Vaughan Pope — we we all at that same spot. I was the youngest guy in there, so me and Tommy Eichenberg were lucky to get freaking any reps. I mean, we were holding bags the whole time. It sucked. We hated it.
“Basically, I wanted to get on the field. … At the end of my freshman year, I ended up moving to defensive end. … It was OK. I had never played that close to the ball. I played (the Sam) and free safety in high school. I was not very good. I planned on staying there with it, but I go to my offseason meeting with Coach (Larry) Johnson, the defensive line coach, and he’s like, ‘Hey, Coach Day wants to see you.’ And I’m like, ‘What did I do wrong?’ But Coach Day said, ‘I think you could be a good tight end.’ … I tried it. But COVID hits, and I did not get a spring ball with tight ends, so I’m raw as it is. You got Luke Farrell, Jeremy Ruckert, Jake Hausmann, (Mitch) Rossi — everybody is still there. But I’m gonna keep rolling through it.
“In the middle of the (2021) season, I went to Coach (Kerry Coombs) and was like, ‘Dude, I want to come back to defense. This is not for me at all. It’s not for me.’ At the end of the season, I completely made the switch to play defense in the Utah game. We played the Bear front. I played the stand-up end. I loved it. I mean, I freaking loved it. I was gonna go back to where I came from on the defensive side of the ball. But then Jim Knowles came in, and he did not play the three-down floater package that I was looking for. So… I went back to tight end and never left.”
On his expectations for Ohio State in 2024
“I think they have all the talent in the world. They brought in great talent. They already had great talent. They brought back great talent. That, to me, is the first step in doing something special. But they got to find a couple of guys that you can rally behind. Everybody at that place is so great, but then above the great guys you have your alpha dogs and your dudes. You (need to) establish those guys. When s— goes wrong, nobody wavers, you can stick together and nobody points fingers. … I feel like Cody Simon can be a good (leader), and I feel like Sonny Styles. I know he’s young, but Sonny is gonna be one helluva player. He’s a really good dude. He carries himself like a grown man does.”
You know how Stover said every team needs “your alpha dogs and your dudes”? Stover was that for Ohio State the past two seasons. He is an absolute dude on and off the field, earning the title of team captain in 2022 and 2023.
In an appearance on 97.1 The Fan two weeks ago, Day said the Buckeyes will miss his presence in 2024.
“He is a special person,” Day said. “How much being a Buckeye meant to him, what he did, the way he developed, the impact he left — I mean, this guy left so much behind. He is one of my favorite players. Man, I’m gonna miss him.”
I will, too.
Still, I look forward to seeing Stover get drafted in 2024. He will make a great impact wherever he lands in April.
MARV VS. NABERS? Brace yourself, dear reader. As of Monday, we have entered the NFL Draft Silly Season.
On Monday, Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Network posted on social media that he “wouldn’t be shocked” if LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers came off the board before Marvin Harrison Jr. at the 2024 NFL draft. According to Jeremiah, Nabers brings “a different element” than Harrison and Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze.
I wouldn't be shocked if Nabers ended up being the 1st WR off the board. I love MHJ and Odunze but Nabers brings a different element. It'll come down to preference of style but I guarantee some teams will have Nabers at the top of the list.
— Daniel Jeremiah (@MoveTheSticks) March 18, 2024
Dane Brugler of The Athletic echoed Jeremiah’s sentiment, calling the thought “100% true.”
100% true. Nabers has been viewed as WR1 for several teams since the season. And that says more about Nabers than anything else - he's a special talent. https://t.co/QEQ2tqZDqs
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) March 18, 2024
In 2023, Harrison was a Heisman Trophy finalist, unanimous All-American and Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year for his 67 receptions for 1,211 yards and 15 total touchdowns in 12 games. Meanwhile, Nabers was a unanimous All-American and first-team All-SEC honoree for his 89 catches for 1,569 yards and 14 scores in 13 games.
While Harrison loses the stats debate to Nabers, it would be good for NFL “experts” to remember that one wide receiver — *coughs* Harrison *coughs* — had Kyle McCord as his quarterback and the other had Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels.
Outside the box score, Nabers is still an excellent receiver. But better than Harrison? No. Or, as Cris Carter would yell, “C’MON, MAN!”
SHATTERED GLASS. OK… so…. basically…
I was once a Chris Holtmann apologist.
When Ohio State men’s basketball lost all those games in 2022-23, I had confidence that Holtmann would rebound with the Buckeyes in 2023-24. That, of course, did not happen. Ohio State started the years 12-2, and six weeks later, the Buckeyes were 14-11 due to a familiar January and February fallout from Holtmann-led teams. Such a collapse prompted Gene Smith to fire Holtmann and name Jake Diebler the program’s interim coach.
While Ohio State went on a 6-2 run with Diebler as its head coach and defeated teams like Purdue, Nebraska and Michigan State, Holtmann took some time off. Then, last week, the 52-year-old accepted a six-year contract to coach at DePaul, a team coming off a 3-29 season with a 0-20 record in the Big East.
In his introductory press conference, Holtmann — who has a 251-171 career record and has made seven NCAA Tournament appearances (eight, including the canceled 2020 tournament) — addressed Ohio State’s shortcomings the past two seasons. However, he didn’t take responsibility for them. Instead, he made excuses.
“Well, I mean, you’re looking at one of those seasons, and they’re in the NIT right now with a 20-win season,” Holtmann said. “Roster construction is difficult. One thing probably that I learned is (that you) gotta be a little bit older than we were. But we took great strides from starting four freshmen two years ago and now four sophomores this past season. We improved like we anticipated we would improve. But they were not the consistent NCAA Tournament teams of the previous five years.”
Coach Holtmann, I like(d) you. But you don’t get to take credit for Ohio State’s NIT bid and 20-win season. That credit goes to Diebler and the players you left behind in Columbus. Also, has better “roster construction” been the one thing you learned over the past two years? Surely, you learned more (and don’t call me Shirley).
Those are two of my grievances with Holtmann’s response. However, they are not my only grievances with Holtmann’s 45-minute press conference. The other notable one came when a reporter asked Holtmann about Diebler’s promotion to full-time head coach at Ohio State.
“It’s a great group of kids,” he answered. “It’s obviously a unique thing, but I’m really pulling for them and happy for them,”
Does Holtmann have no love for Diebler, his assistant of five years in Columbus? The reporter gave him a chance – a slam-dunk chance – to thank Diebler for his friendship and service since he hired him in 2019, and he didn’t. That, to me, is tacky.
I don’t like tackiness.
I like authenticity.
I was once a Chris Holtmann apologist.
I am a Chris Holtmann apologist no more.
SONG OF THE DAY. “Hooked On A Feeling” - Blue Swede.
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