Why T.J. Otzelberger Leaving Iowa State for Big Ten School Makes No Sense

A Big Ten school has been linked as a potential suitor for Iowa State Cyclones head coach T.J. Otzelberger.

Iowa State men’s basketball head coach T.J. Otzelberger talks to media at the university Sukup Basketball Complex on June 24, 2025, in Ames, Iowa. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Recently, ESPN put out a piece highlighting the coaching carousel for men's college basketball that had Iowa State Cyclone fans skipping a heartbeat.

Jeff Borzello shared that if the Ohio State Buckeyes were to move on from current head coach Jake Diebler, beloved Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger could be the next move for the job.

I’m here to tell you that there is no way Otzelberger will leave Iowa State for a program like the Buckeyes, and here’s why.

Diebler is in his second full season as head coach after an interim year back in 2023-24, where he coached 11 games. After failing to reach the NCAA Tournament in both seasons, Ohio State is currently struggling to make the tournament once again, despite the success of Bruce Thornton as one of the top players in the country.

Can Ohio State appeal to T.J. Otzelberger?

Feb 21, 2026; Provo, Utah, USA; Iowa State Cyclones head coach T.J. Otzelberger looks on during the second half against the BYU Cougars at Marriott Center. | Aaron Baker-Imagn Images

Sitting at just 17-10, Buckeye fans are wondering if it’s time to move on from their head coach.

Ohio State is a solid program that always looks to be competitive in the Big Ten. However, they haven’t reached 25 wins since 2013-14. It’s clear that the Buckeyes are a ways away from being a top program in the nation, but a solid coach can help get them there quicker.

That’s where Otzelberger comes in. The Milwaukee native has coached the Cyclones for five seasons, reaching the NCAA tournament in all four, and is currently projected to be a one or two-seed this year.

He has reached 25 wins in back to back seasons, and is one away from doing it once again. To sum it up, Otzelberger has done a great job for Iowa State, and it doesn’t look like he’s stopping anytime soon.

Iowa State is perfect fit for T.J. Otzelberger

Iowa State Cyclones men's basketball head coach T.J. Otzelberger calls a play against Houston during the second half in the Big-12 men’s basketball at Hilton Coliseum on Feb. 16, 2026, in Ames, Iowa | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Now these reports suggest that Otzelberger could be interested in taking Ohio State back to the top. But why would he want to?

He is clearly in a perfect position with a team that is dominating college basketball and has one of the best fan bases in the country. At this current point, there are very few jobs better than with the Cyclones.

Otzelberger may be linked to the Buckeyes, but there is almost certainly a zero percent chance he makes the switch. At the end of the day, Ames is one of the meccas of college basketball, and a place where people should aim to coach at, not use as a stepping stone for another job.

As the season goes on, reports will continue, and many will wonder if Otzelberger decides that it’s his time to make a switch. However, it seems very unlikely he will decide to do so, especially if it’s for a team such as Ohio State.