In the B1G basketball thread, there was some disagreement by my mentioning this year's team winning 25 games. There was disappointment with the comparison to Fred Taylor, arguably the #2 coach of his era behind Rupp of Kentucky (who is alleged to have played the game by SEC rules).
I want to be clear that I did not intend to cast aspersions about Fred Taylor, who was a friend of our family. I referred to the time since he was Ohio State coach and I believe he remains the premier Ohio State coach in history.
I agree with the assertions that Ohio State played a weak OOC schedule this year and that the Buckeyes play more games now than then. I think that the quality of the OOC that Coach Taylor faced was streets ahead of the one we saw this year.
That said, anyone who thinks that this team is a failure really has to rethink that point. They remain a Top 25 team in just about any poll or power rating of consequence, despite being in a rebuilding year. That sure as hell was not the case under Matta's predecessors after Taylor. It is also fair to say that, even when Coach Taylor strode the sidelines, the Big Ten was not a juggernaut of a basketball conference then as it is now.
My point, quite frankly, is to stop the bloody whining and recognize what we have. Coach Matta isn't going to be here forever and his successor is going to find his record a tough act to follow.
Fred Taylor
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Ohio State (Big Ten Conference) (1958–1976)
1958–59 Ohio State 11–11 7–7 T–5th
1959–60
Ohio State 25–3 13–1 1st
NCAA Champions
1960–61
Ohio State 27–1 14–0 1st
NCAA Runner-up
1961–62
Ohio State 26–2 13–1 1st
NCAA Runner-up
1962–63 Ohio State 20–4 11–3 T–1st
1963–64 Ohio State 16–8 11–3 T–1st
1964–65 Ohio State 12–12 6–8 6th
1965–66 Ohio State 11–13 5–9 8th
1966–67 Ohio State 13–11 6–8 T–7th
1967–68 Ohio State 21–8 10–4 T–1st
NCAA Final Four
1968–69 Ohio State 17–7 9–5 T–2nd
1969–70 Ohio State 17–7 8–6 T–3rd
1970–71 Ohio State 20–6 13–1 1st
NCAA Elite Eight
1971–72 Ohio State 18–6 10–4 2nd
1972–73 Ohio State 14–10 8–6 T–3rd
1973–74 Ohio State 9–15 4–10 8th
1974–75 Ohio State 14–14 8–10 6th
1975–76 Ohio State 6–20 2–16 10th
Ohio State: 297–158 158–102
Total: 297–158 (.653) *prior to 1973 268-109 (.710)
Thad Matta
Season Coach Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Thad Matta (Big Ten Conference) (2004–present)
2004–05 Ohio State 20–12 8–8 6th
2005–06 Ohio State 26–6 12–4 1st NCAA 2nd Round
2006–07 Ohio State 35–4 15–1 1st NCAA Runner-up
2007–08 Ohio State 24–13 10–8 5th NIT Champions
2008–09 Ohio State 22–11 10–8 T–4th NCAA 1st Round
2009–10 Ohio State 29–8 14–4 T–1st NCAA Sweet Sixteen
2010–11 Ohio State 34–3 16–2 1st NCAA Sweet Sixteen
2011–12 Ohio State 31–8 13–5 T–1st NCAA Final Four
2012–13 Ohio State 29–7 13–5 T–2nd NCAA Elite 8
Thad Matta: 250–72 111–45
Total: 250–72 (.776)
