It’s been exactly a year since Ohio State fired longtime coach Chris Holtmann on Valentine’s Day of 2024. The Buckeyes were 14-11 overall, and 4-10 in Big Ten play – including nine losses in the final 11 games of Holtmann’s tenure.

The final straw that led to Holtmann’s firing was a 62-54 loss to then No. 20 Wisconsin on the road. While a road loss to a ranked team is not catastrophic, it was part of a larger trend that landed Holtmann on the hot seat. The defeat marked Ohio State’s 16th consecutive loss on the road in Big Ten play.

Ohio State’s conference losing streak on the road lasted more than 400 days before it was finally snapped with a victory against Michigan State under interim coach Jake Diebler.

After fans had witnessed the struggles, it was a breath of fresh air when Ohio State finished 8-3 under Diebler and reached the NIT quarterfinals before bowing out to Georgia. It was reported that the former Kentucky coach “privately expressed significant interest in the job” for Holtmann’s position, but timing held him back.

Now, a year after the split, where do both parties stand? Ohio State has its sights set on a return to the NCAA Tournament, positioning itself as the No. 9 seed in CBS Sports’ latest Bracketology projections.

Diebler’s era started with a strong performance against Texas, and the team has maintained momentum with pivotal wins over powerhouse schools. DePaul, following Holtmann’s appointment, has experienced a transformation of its own, showing signs of improvement after years at the bottom of the Big East.

Holtmann has still to navigate a challenging road, aiming to shift DePaul from perennial underperformer to a competitive team in the conference. This ongoing saga illustrates the shared growth trajectories of both Holtmann’s and Diebler’s respective coaching careers.