Quick hitters from Ross Bjork introductory press conference

COLUMBUS — Ross Bjork was introduced as the next Ohio State athletic director Wednesday. On July 1, Bjork will succeed Gene Smith, who is retiring from his post after 19 years as the university’s AD.

Lettermen Row was at the Covelli Center for Bjork’s introductory press conference.

We’ve got quick hitters.

RELATED

• Ohio State hires Ross Bjork as next athletic director
• Ohio State AD Gene Smith to retire at end of June 2024

What Gene Smith said…

+ Smith offered congratulations to Bjork and everyone who was part of the search process. Smith said he and Bjork have known each other for many years. Smith noted that Bjork worked under Smith’s good friend and former UCLA AD Dan Guerrero.

+ Smith said today is a great day for Ohio State Athletics, and that Bjork inherits an athletic department that’s positioned for success now and in the future.

+ Smith: “I feel 100% at peace because I know what Ross brings to this family.”

What Ted Carter said…

+ Carter said it’s a great day for Ohio State, the Big Ten and college sports in general. Then he gave thanks to Smith, who served as the Buckeyes’ AD for 19 years.

+ Carter said this effort to find a new AD has been going on well before he got to Ohio State. He shouted out the search team and notably thanked former Buckeyes athletes Clark Kellogg and Archie Griffin for their input in this process.

+ Carter said the Board of Trustees will formally approve the hire of Bjork in February.

+ Carter: “There’s no replacing Gene Smith. We did seek someone who could build on his legacy.” Carter said he was looking for someone who could come in and be a leader in a complex place with 36 varsity programs; he also wanted someone who could understand the landscape of college athletics with NIL and conference alignment; and he wanted someone who could come in and carry “the true weight” of Ohio State University.

+ Carter said Bjork struck him as a leader and as a man “who’s been in the arena.” He also said that Carter is relatively young and has a long runway to be Ohio State’s AD.

Q&A Portion…

+ Carter said he was kept informed how the search advisory committee was put together. And then when he started as Ohio State president on Jan. 1, he was involved in the process as soon as he shifted over from his position at the helm of the University of Nebraska system.

+ The search advisory committee gave Carter finalists, not a ranking. He did consultation and then some back checking. He said if the process looks rushed, it’s actually not. He wanted whoever was hired to have some overlap time with Smith.

+ Carter was asked about his philosophy of Ohio State having influence in the college sports world. He said he’s looking for alignment. Carter noted that Ohio State is unique with 36 varsity programs. He’s confident Bjork will continue on with Smith’s legacy. “Our voice should matter,” Carter said.

+ Carter said Bjork’s 30 years of experience in college athletics, including his experience as an AD in the SEC, made him an attractive candidate for the position.

+ Carter said his leadership style is one of empowerment and collaboration.

+ Carter was asked about the Texas A&M situation, where Bjork extended Jimbo Fisher and ended up having to fire him with a $76 million buyout. He said Bjork has “owned it.” Carter noted the distinction: Bjork gave the extension but didn’t originally hire Fisher. He emphasized that “a calm sea never produced a good sailor.”

+ Carter said Ohio State has 36 varsity sports, and that’s the way he’s intending it to stay.

+ Carter emphasized that Smith is the AD at Ohio State until June 30. And Smith will be the AD at Ohio State from July 1 on. “Gene will still be the boss until he steps away,” Carter said.

What Bjork said..

+ Bjork said he will strive to provide the best athletic and academic experience as possible while adhering to the university’s mission.

+ Bjork called for a standing ovation for Smith. Bjork said he first met Smith in the summer of 1977. Back then, Smith was the AD at Iowa State. Bjork said he was star struck when he first met Smith, and he’s going to work hard to continue Smith’s legacy at Ohio State.

+ Bjork said it’s a surreal feeling to be standing up at the podium in the Covelli Center. Entering college as a football player at Division II Emporia State, he thought he was going to be a football coach and a high school teacher. He discussed that he’s a first-generation college student, and football was a reason why he got the opportunity to attend college.

+ Bjork said that even though he’s not from Ohio, he’s a product of Ohio. His mother is from Williamstown, Ohio, near Findlay. Her family first moved to Ohio in the 1850s.

+ Bjork thanked the Texas A&M leadership team and especially president Mark A Welsh III. He acknowledged that the timing of hiring Mike Elko and then taking this job at Ohio State is not ideal for Aggies Athletics, but he showed his love for his soon-to-be former school.

+ Bjork emphasized that the bus for Ohio State Athletics hardly ever stops. He said the timing probably wasn’t going to be ideal, but the stop is ideal.

+ The vision for Ohio State Athletics: maintain but grow the standard Smith and the university has set, lead in the modern era of college athletics and embrace high expectations. He said he totally gets it with “The School Up North,” and pointed to the importance of winning at a high level.

+ Bjork said this athletic department belongs to the people of Ohio.

+ Bjork finished his intro speech talking about the future of college athletics: “We need a model that looks after each individual sport.” He said its important to communicate with their student-athletes and deconstruct the antiquated NCAA structure. There has been enough lobbying, it’s time to act, he said. Ohio State and the Big Ten can lead the way, Bjork said.

Q&A Portion:

+ Bjork said Ohio State is a “championship brand.” He said it’s up there as a top athletic department.

+ Bjork said you take all your experiences as an AD and ask, “What is best for the institution?” And then you factor in data, personalities, etc. and make decisions. He said he takes ownership for the decisions he’s made in the past. Bjork said the institution wanted a long-term commitment for the football program, he executed the extension for Fisher, and he said he’s responsible for that decision.

+ Bjork said with the Hugh Freeze recruiting violations at Ole Miss, they went off facts. “There was a lot of outside forces that infiltrated,” Bjork said. Bjork said as soon as they found out about Freeze’s personal failure, they took action.

+ Bjork voiced his confidence in Ryan Day. He said Day is going to get it done and is looking forward to him winning championships at Ohio State. That drew a round of applause from the crowd.

+ Bjork said fundraising comes down to “people.” Whether it’s at Texas A&M or at Ohio State, it all comes down to relationships.

+ “If I make people mad, that probably means I made the right decision. If I make people happy, that probably means I made the right decision,” Bjork said. He said he learned from Guerrero at UCLA, it’s “never too high, never too low.”

+ Bjork said no one really knows the reality of the NIL space at a specific university unless you are part of that university, when answering a question about his NIL success at Texas A&M but also the influx of transfer departures from the Aggies’ football program. There has to be a structure around NIL and culture/team chemistry still has to matter, Bjork emphasized.

+ Bjork said he just wants to get to know the people. He’s going to study the personnel contracts, the NIKE contract, the Learfield contract and do all of his homework leading up to July 1. But, again, he’s really looking forward to connecting with the coaches and staff around the department.

+ Bjork was asked how sustainable 36 varsity teams can be in a model where revenue could potentially be shared with student-athletes. He said resources may be reallocated over time, but they have unbelievable facilities and resources that allow them to be a “broad-based” department. He noted, though, that football is “king,” and they need to recognize the importance of the revenue sports.

+ Bjork was asked if he’s in favor of football breaking away. He said they have to look at it as the highest-resource institutions are different, and he gave a nod to NCAA president Charlie Baker for getting that conversation started. He said they can clean the recruiting and transfer windows up right now where you don’t have to break away football — but they’ve got to get it done.