The Big Ten is one of the most competitive conferences in college basketball. Every program is talented, meaning head coaches are among the biggest differentiators in how good a team will be.
Some coaches are proven elites: Tom Izzo, Dusty May, Brad Underwood, and Matt Painter. Others have room to grow and something to prove. The three coaches below fall firmly in the latter category. Whether it's the weight of a storied program's expectations, roster turnover that has led to a downward spiral, or the struggle to escape mediocrity, each faces a defining year. How they respond will go a long way toward determining whether they're building something or if they'll be searching for a new job next spring.
Coach #1: Mike Rhoades - Penn State
Mike Rhoades took over at Penn State in 2023 after leading VCU to three NCAA Tournament appearances in six seasons. He coached four top-15 KenPom defenses during his time with the Rams. This past season, his Nittany Lions ranked 230th defensively on KenPom.
When Micah Shrewsberry left for Notre Dame in 2023, Penn State also lost its six most-played players from that season. Rhoades managed the transition impressively. Led by VCU transfer Ace Baldwin Jr., the 2023-24 team finished 16-17 overall and 9-11 in Big Ten play, good for a second consecutive ninth-place finish in the conference.
While finishing in a similar KenPom range and going 16-15 overall, Penn State's 2024-25 team slipped to just 6-14 in Big Ten play. Rhoades endured a stretch of seven consecutive league losses that left the Nittany Lions at 3-12 in February before rallying to win three of their last five.
Heading into the 2025-26 season, Ace Baldwin Jr., Zach Hicks, and Nick Kern had all graduated. Penn State was picked to finish last in the Big Ten preseason media poll, which is exactly where they landed after a discouraging 3-17 effort that started 0-10.
Of Penn State's eleven highest-minute earners from last season, one graduated, nine transferred, and just one returned: Ivan Juric, a 7-footer who averaged 10.2 points per game. Rhoades also failed to land a high-major transfer this offseason. That extreme lack of retention and limited influx of talent will likely mean Penn State is picked to finish last in the Big Ten once again.
While Penn State isn't the most storied or best-funded basketball program, Rhoades cannot afford to have this team at the bottom of the league again in year four. Unfortunately, that appears to be where Penn State is trending.
What He Must Do: Rhoades needs to start turning this program around immediately. A tournament contender isn't a realistic expectation, but a finish of 6-14 or better in Big Ten play while avoiding the bottom two could be enough to buy him a fifth year. Anything short of that, and he may find himself back at the mid-major level in 2027.
Coach #2: Darian DeVries - Indiana
The head coaching position at Indiana University carries a different kind of pressure. DeVries isn't on the hot seat, but national relevance isn't just an expectation at IU; it's a requirement.
The fanbase's hunger to win has only intensified after watching Big Ten counterparts Dusty May and Ben McCollum immediately turn their respective programs around. The Hoosiers have appeared in just two of the past nine NCAA Tournaments. In a 76-team field, a tournament appearance next season is the bare minimum.
Simply staying on the right side of the bubble won't be enough to win the fanbase over, though. DeVries needs to show he's leading the program back towards national relevance.
Last season's roster, based entirely on mid-major transfers, led to the Hoosiers being outclassed by many opponents, particularly on the road. Indiana went just 3-8 in true road games last season, with two of those wins coming against Rutgers and Maryland, who both finished bottom five in the conference.
With the addition of GM Ryan Carr and lessons learned from last season, Indiana went out aggressively in the portal and flexed their financial prestige, landing six high-major transfers, including Aiden Sherrell (11.1 ppg at Alabama), Markus Burton (18.5 ppg at Notre Dame), and Darren Harris (3.3 ppg at Duke). The Hoosiers are pushing for a preseason top-25 ranking, though lingering doubts surrounding DeVries may keep them in the receiving votes category.
What He Must Do: One underrated aspect of the 2026-27 Indiana team is its youth. The Hoosiers will lose just one player- Markus Burton- to eligibility next offseason. Beyond finishing at least .500 in Big Ten play and earning a single-digit seed in March, DeVries should also prioritize retaining a significant portion of this roster for the 2027-28 season. Every program loses some players to the portal, but if DeVries can build retention alongside the stronger recruiting classes he's starting to bring in, Indiana could be on its way back to where its fans believe it belongs.
Coach #3: Jake Diebler - Ohio State
Jake Diebler bought himself some cushion with a late-season push that nearly knocked off Michigan in the Big Ten Tournament and earned the Buckeyes an 8-seed in March. That energy faded quickly in the Round of 64, however, when Ohio State found itself down 15 to TCU at halftime. Despite nearly completing a comeback, that dismal first half doesn't entirely remove Diebler from the hot seat.
While Ohio State is regarded as a football-first school, it has consistently been a respected basketball program under coaches like Thad Matta and Chris Holtmann. Diebler has not yet earned that same respect.
Ohio State was picked eighth in the Big Ten preseason media poll ahead of the 2024-25 season and finished tenth. In 2025-26, the Buckeyes were picked ninth in the preseason and finished eighth. Average does not guarantee job security at Ohio State, as seen by Thad Matta and Chris Holtmann.
Despite losing program great Bruce Thornton, Diebler has assembled an impressive group of players for the 2026-27 season, headlined by top-10 freshman Anthony Thompson and California transfer Justin Pippen, who averaged 13.9 ppg last season. The Buckeyes also retained John Mobley Jr. (15.7 ppg), Amare Bynum (9.7 ppg), and former redshirt transfer Josh Ojianwuna, who averaged 7.3 ppg and 6.3 rpg two seasons ago at Baylor.
Ohio State is currently ranked 16th on Bart Torvik's preseason projections. Similar to Indiana, though, plenty of skeptics aren't as bullish on the Buckeyes due to doubts still surrounding Diebler.
What He Must Do: Now entering his third full season as head coach, Diebler needs to give fans evidence that Ohio State is trending towards consistent national relevance, similar to the heights Chris Holtmann once had the program at. Building on last season's momentum to secure another top-8 seed in March, along with a tournament win, would go a long way toward convincing the program's decision-makers that Diebler belongs in the school's long-term plans.
Different Tenures, Different Expectations
Rhoades, DeVries, and Diebler are three coaches in different situations, each facing expectations beyond what they've met so far. The common point is clear: patience is never a guarantee in college basketball. The Big Ten will expose coaches who aren't ready, and every coach in the league knows it.
Rhoades needs to prove Penn State isn't a program in free fall. DeVries needs to prove Indiana is truly ascending, not just spending. And Diebler needs to prove that Ohio State can be more than average to avoid the same outcomes as his predecessors. The answers won't come in November. Each of these coaches must sustain success throughout an entire season while building an optimistic future, as their job security depends on it.
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