This felt like the year that Ohio State would be able to make a splash in the NCAA Tournament. The Buckeyes have Bruce Thornton, a Buckeye for four years who had never played in a March Madness game until his final season, but it just wasn't enough in the first round of the NCAA Tournament vs. TCU.
The Buckeyes had a chance to take down the Horned Frogs, but in the end, it just wasn't enough, and it was an early exit for Ohio State. Fans are ripping head coach Jake Diebler a new one for the early exit, especially when he finally had the team to at least make it past the first round.
Some are even calling for Diebler's job. If that is the case, how much would Ohio State have to spend in order to get out of his contract early?
What is Jake Diebler's buyout at Ohio State?
Jake Diebler was named the interim head coach at Ohio State after the firing of Chris Holtmann back in 2024. The Buckeyes didn't even take much time to search for a new coach as Diebler went from interim to head coach within a matter of days after the 2024 season ended.
When Diebler signed his new deal, if the Buckeyes decided to fire him without cause before the five-year deal was up, he would be owed 65% of his remaining salary, which roughly comes out to $1.625 million a year.
If Ohio State fires Diebler before April 1, 2026, he will be owed anywhere from $3 million to $5 million, which is not too bad in terms of some coach buyouts. It certainly isn't as bad as Kansas State, owing Jerome Tang $18 million after firing him midseason.
No word has come out about whether or not Diebler will stay at Ohio State or not, but if the fans were to have it their way, he would already be out of Columbus.