Ohio State Hires Will Pantages As Next Football Communications Director​

Ohio State has found its next football communications director.

Following Jerry Emig’s retirement on Friday, Ohio State announced Monday that it has hired Wake Forest’s Will Pantages to oversee the Buckeyes’ football media and public relations efforts, along with their creative media and branding teams.

“It is a privilege to join The Ohio State University,” Pantages said in an OSU press release. “I’m excited to collaborate with an outstanding team to highlight all the accomplishments of our student-athletes and continue advancing one of the most respected brands in college athletics.”

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A native of Akron, Pantages played baseball for four years at Baldwin Wallace — the alma mater of Ohio State legend Jim Tressel — while earning a degree in communications and economics.

After graduating, Pantages joined SMU’s athletic communications office in 2013. He moved to the University of Florida the following year and became the football program’s primary day-to-day media contact in 2016. Pantages arrived at Wake Forest in 2019 and spent the past six years as the school’s associate athletic director for communications and content.

While in Winston-Salem, Pantages oversaw communications, creative services, fan experience and campus partnerships for all 18 of Wake Forest’s varsity sports. He also served as the primary contact for the Demon Deacons’ football team.

“We are excited to add Will to our Buckeye team,” said Chris Park, Ohio State’s executive associate athletic director for external affairs and chief communications officer. “He has tremendous passion, enthusiasm and vision for his work in the communications and creative space and his experience as a high-level thoughtful leader within college football will be valuable in this new role centered around our Ohio State Football program.”

Ohio State’s release also detailed a new athletic communications structure. Park will lead the department’s external communications strategy, marketing, brand engagement and media relations, while Gary Petit will oversee the communications unit and all non-football-related strategies.

Mike Basford, who assisted Emig with football media relations for the past nine years, will remain in his current role.