Vanderbilt Basketball: 12 candidates to replace Jerry Stackhouse as Head Coach

Jake Diebler

It would be a bit unorthodox, but Vanderbilt should consider anyone they can get their hands on. Diebler has experience with the school and has shown himself to be a capable coach in recent weeks, though he certainly lacks the type of coaching experience that the Commodores may want in their next leader.

Diebler is a former guard and assistant at Valparaiso who followed Bryce Drew to Vanderbilt, spending three seasons as an assistant coach with the Commodores. Also a former video coordinator at Ohio State, Diebler would rejoin the Buckeyes staff after Drew’s staff was fired and was named the Buckeyes’ interim head coach last month. Ohio State is playing better basketball since Diebler’s promotion, ending the regular season on a 5-1 spurt.

First off, Diebler will likely be considered for Ohio State’s full-time job, though it’s unlikely he’s getting the interim tag removed with his lack of experience. Secondly, would he even entertain a return to a Commodores program that fired him five seasons ago? He’s an excellent recruiter who did bring Darius Garland to Nashville and he has the makings of an excellent head coach in this sport. Time will tell where that takes place, though he at least knows and understands this program.