Ad Disclosure
Ohio State focusing search on SEC AD to succeed Gene Smith, per report
By Paul Harvey
Published:
Ohio State is expected to focus on an SEC leader to succeed AD Gene Smith. Texas A&M AD Ross Bjork is the reported target to move to Columbus.
According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Bjork has emerged as the target for Ohio State to succeed Gene Smith as the next AD for the Buckeyes. Thamel also reports the search in Columbus is expected to be finalized in the upcoming days.
Sources: Texas A&M athletic director Ross Bjork has emerged as the target in Ohio State’s athletic director search. Search is expected to be finalized in upcoming days.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) January 15, 2024
Smith has been the longtime AD for Ohio State, originally joining the Buckeyes in 2005. He announced in August he would be retiring on June 30, 2024.
If Bjork is the hire for Ohio State, it would be an interesting one. Bjork has overseen A&M athletics since 2019 with some promising results, but he also oversaw the Jimbo Fisher saga, including an ill-fated extension awarded to the head coach entering the 2021 season.
A native of Kansas, Bjork has stints at Miami, Western Kentucky, Western Illinois and Missouri throughout his career. He also spent time at Big Ten-bound UCLA and Ole Miss before taking the job with the Aggies.
Paul is a lifelong fan and student of all things college football. He has been covering college football since 2017 and the B1G since 2018.