Ohio State Basketball: Buckeyes Coach Thad Matta Deserves More Respect

Thad Matta has made Ohio State basketball relevant ever since he stepped on the scene in 2004.

Matta is one of the few coaches in college basketball who is actually fun to watch coach. Thad is emotional and isn't afraid to show it and his love for chewing multiple pieces of gum at a time while pacing the sideline has become his trademark.

But look closer into Thad's fiery style of coaching and you'll see one of the best and most underrated coaches in the nation—and he has the stats to prove his worth.

Matta is one of only two college basketball coaches to ever win at least 20 games in each of their first 10 seasons. Thad wasted no time foreshadowing good things to come his first year on campus by knocking off then-undefeated Illinois (29-0) 65-64 in one of the biggest upsets in Ohio State history, ruining Illinois hopes for a perfect season. The Buckeyes finished the season with a 20-12 overall record after finishing just 14-16 the previous year.

In Matta's second year on the job, he led the Buckeyes to their first outright Big Ten Championship since 1992 and a final record of 26-6.

Matta's third year was marked by the arrival of the "Thad Five," led by future No. 1 overall pick Greg Oden. Thad's team went 35-4 and made it all the way to the NCAA Championship Game where they lost to the Florida Gators.

Overall, Thad has won four Big Ten regular-season championships and three Big Ten Tournament Championships while getting his Buckeyes to the NCAA tournament five times (they were ineligible his first year). The lone year they did not make the tournament, the Buckeyes won the NIT Championship.

Matta is also known to be one of the best recruiters in the nation, as he has recruited five players who have been drafted in the first round of the NBA draft—including 2009-2010 Naismith Player of the Year, Evan Turner. Big Ten Freshman of the Year Jared Sullinger would also be a player added to this list if he decides to make the leap to the pros after this year.

From a program that had little success and was mainly known as a football school, to a program that consistently finds itself at the top of the basketball rankings, Coach Matta has built one of the elite basketball programs in the nation. In doing so, he has changed the entire perception of basketball at Ohio State University.

Thad still does not seem to get the credit he deserves in the mainstream media despite his successes as a coach. One thing missing from his resume is a NCAA tournament championship ring which he could add to his trophy case in April, as his Buckeyes are the No. 1 overall seed in this year's tournament and favorites to win it all.