Gene Smith (Former AD, ‘10 AD of the Year, '13 NAAC Organizational Leadership Award)

[SEREbuckeye]

Ohio State has finished in the Top 10 of the NACDA Learfield Directors Cup 15 times. Half of those have come over the past ten years, including four Top Four finishes in the past seven (excluding the aborted 2019-2020 season). Under Gene's 18 year tenure OSU athletes have won 32 team and 117 individual national championships. And don't discount OSU Athletics reported a record gross revenue of $251.6 million for fiscal 2022.

It's fair to criticize the shortcomings, public relations gaffes, and a hire here or there; but I think this is a case of, 'don't let perfect be the enemy of good.' Gene's overall scorecard is positive for his tenure, IMO.

Agreed… There’s 2 hats to wear right now: your fan hat and your business acumen hat. The fans will complain about firing Tressel, 2012 bowl ban, 2020, and NIL issues. But anyone that has served in the military or has a career with a publicly listed company understands these decisions were above his head. The board wanted Tressel out, why would he quit, ruin his career, and then watch Tress get fired next? The bowl ban felt sensible at the time, no one saw a perfect 2012 season and Covid issues were above him.

Overall he did his job as an AD, making tough decisions. He saved OSU football by hiring Urban, improved sports facilities, strengthened ties with the community, and bolstered championships under his tenure. B+ job imo.

 

[matttank]

Agreed… There’s 2 hats to wear right now: your fan hat and your business acumen hat. The fans will complain about firing Tressel, 2012 bowl ban, 2020, and NIL issues. But anyone that has served in the military or has a career with a publicly listed company understands these decisions were above his head. The board wanted Tressel out, why would he quit and then watch Tress get fired next? The bowl ban felt sensible at the time, no one saw a perfect 2012 season and Covid issues were above him.

Overall he did his job as an AD, making tough decisions. He saved OSU football by hiring Urban, improved sports facilities, strengthened ties with the community, and bolstered championships under his tenure. B+ job imo.

Good post but this is the only part I disagree with. Pretty much everyone was ready for the 2011 season to be over as soon as we felt the true Bauserman experience in the game at Miami. We all thought Gene knew something due to his connections at the NCAA and that we would not end up getting the bowl ban. Then the NCAA hammered us with it. It's doubtful we get the 2012 ban if we self-imposed one in 2011.

 

[gmen6981]

I know it's popular to slam Gene for not self imposing a bowl ban after the 2011 season, but I seem to recall that there was someone on the NCAA Infractions Committee that said it wouldn't have made a difference, they would have imposed the ban after 2012 either way.

 

[dragurd]

Agreed… There’s 2 hats to wear right now: your fan hat and your business acumen hat. The fans will complain about firing Tressel, 2012 bowl ban, 2020, and NIL issues. But anyone that has served in the military or has a career with a publicly listed company understands these decisions were above his head. The board wanted Tressel out, why would he quit, ruin his career, and then watch Tress get fired next? The bowl ban felt sensible at the time, no one saw a perfect 2012 season and Covid issues were above him.

Overall he did his job as an AD, making tough decisions. He saved OSU football by hiring Urban, improved sports facilities, strengthened ties with the community, and bolstered championships under his tenure. B+ job imo.

Essentially he was good to great at hiring and running the department.

He was pretty damn abysmal at Crisis management. I'd like to think the next in line would be better at Crisis management. But very few of us would willingly take a step back in the hiring and running the department to get it.

 

[Jake]

I'm seeing a lot of chatter on Twitter by people who want Tressel to be the next AD.

Am I the only one who thinks there is no chance of that happening?

 

[Dryden]

I’ll help you out, guessing within or Pat Chun.

I've also seen Pitt AD Heather Lyke's name mentioned. She has been in the OSU Athletic Department in the past as an Assistant AD.
I suppose the University should concentrate on hiring a President before an AD though, right?

My vBet is Martin Jarmond, presently at UCLA.

 

[SEREbuckeye]

I'm seeing a lot of chatter on Twitter by people who want Tressel to be the next AD.

Am I the only one who thinks there is no chance of that happening?

Ironically, the legalization of NIL might be the band-aid to his resume blemish.

He could easily walk into the interview and say “my boys were ahead of their time. My names Jim Tressel, I’ll see you Monday morning.”

 

[gmen6981]

I'm seeing a lot of chatter on Twitter by people who want Tressel to be the next AD.

Am I the only one who thinks there is no chance of that happening?

What a bunch of Twitter and Facebook fools want and what the University wants are two different things. I don't see it happening. For one thing, Tress is 70 years old and I would think they would want someone younger with not just a sports background, but a solid business background as well.

 

[Jake]

What a bunch of Twitter and Facebook fools want and what the University wants are two different things. I don't see it happening. For one thing, Tress is 70 years old and I would think they would want someone younger with not just a sports background, but a solid business background as well.

Some of them have now moved to Urban Meyer.

Urban makes five times Gene's salary just to talk football on Saturdays.

 

[BB73]

Who do you suggest Knowles be replaced by?

Fair question, but I think it belongs in another thread.

 

[Thump]

I'm seeing a lot of chatter on Twitter by people who want Tressel to be the next AD.

Am I the only one who thinks there is no chance of that happening?

No, you are not.

 

[RB07OSU]

While it's pretty hard to argue against his overall track record, I'm not going to miss Gene. It seems like in the biggest moments during his tenure he was always reactive or a step behind. It also seems like a lot of the big successes were due to happenstance (Urban), someone else's big hire (Thad hired by Geiger) or the sheer money that our AD has regardless of who is in charge being able to support so many sports that, while we've won big (Synchronized swimming anyone?), our competition has been limited.

Obviously the clusterfuck that was Tat-gate and the decisions made afterward, in particular not self inflicting a bowl ban in 2011 which in turn led to the bowl ban for the NC contending 2012 team, stands out the most. However the end of the Matta era was similarly fumbled when we waited until the spring when the entire 2015 frosh class transferred to move on, then had to overpay Holtman to come aboard after the coaching carousel had already stopped months earlier.

Then the COVID response and the big ten cancellation, which he seemed to not be too against until it became clear the SEC would play and the cancellation was wildly unpopular (to his credit he fought his ass off to get the season played at that point). He does get a lot of credit it in the media for the BIG's recent expansion (which was mainly brought on by USC and UCLA themselves starting the domino effect and coming to the BIG), but I haven't seen much to support that other than him being in the position he is at OSU.

We did hit our peak in a lot of programs while Gene was here though, so I do have to thank him for that. And he did keep the AD in great financial shape, though again that is probably easier than it sounds at a place like OSU. I'm excited to see what direction we go with our new hire(s).

That is the perfect augment to my thoughts, moments where he made really good decisions and others that infuriated me. I failed to mention the absolute incompetency in the Matta transition on top of not self-imposing a bowl ban and the handling of UFM. I also would agree that his initial role in the COVID season was frustrating, but then again we were dealing with an entirely new issue that an AD would ever face and his follow up to advocating for a season (along with President Johnson) was one of the biggest redeeming moves he made in my eyes.

I share the sentiment that I am not going to particularly miss him when it comes down to it, but do acknowledge some of the good things he did and I believe his heart was always in the right place for our athletics, so I am not going to exactly have a dance party over his retirement.

Good post but this is the only part I disagree with. Pretty much everyone was ready for the 2011 season to be over as soon as we felt the true Bauserman experience in the game at Miami. We all thought Gene knew something due to his connections at the NCAA and that we would not end up getting the bowl ban. Then the NCAA hammered us with it. It's doubtful we get the 2012 ban if we self-imposed one in 2011.

That was my impression at the end of the 2011 season...most fans just wanted the dog put down without any further pain and the talks with UFM had already begun. I know at least on BP many of us wanted the self-imposed ban to avoid that very scenario before we played the game (at leas that is my recollection without combing back posts from 10 years ago). There was talk that we would have still got the 2012 ban regardless, but I don't think it would have happened if Gene called the season over. Plus that season was one to forget and probably wasn't worth playing a bowl game even throwing the other considerations aside.

Ironically, the legalization of NIL might be the band-aid to his resume blemish.

He could easily walk into the interview and say “my boys were ahead of their time. My names Jim Tressel, I’ll see you Monday morning.”

"Look under your seat...you get a tattoo! You get a tattoo!" JT just goes Oprah on every recruiting visit with NIL deals.

In all seriousness, I would love it to pass the baton briefly as our board searches for a longtime hire, though we have plenty of time to do that since Gene is 1 year out from retiring. Then again, look at JT's age and the fact that he probably doesn't want the position, I just see it as very unlikely. Not that I think UFM is the pick either, but UFM was an assistant AD here for a brief stint and that move would make more sense if he wants the gig. I also think he would be able to manage the stress load at AD much better than a coach on the sidelines.

That said, my guess is we go with an outside hire though, fans online are just romanticizing the past imo. I haven't seen anything to support the notion of either JT or UFM even being considered.

 

[osuvictory1]

Smith did a great job!

If they are leaning towards a Smith trainee, my fave is Patrick Chung.

He seems to understand the financial component which is very important in this day and age. I think he will move OSU into the future, while respecting tradition.

 

[ORD_Buckeye]

The men will FINALLY get a new hockey arena!!!!

 

[ORD_Buckeye]

That is the perfect augment to my thoughts, moments where he made really good decisions and others that infuriated me. I failed to mention the absolute incompetency in the Matta transition on top of not self-imposing a bowl ban and the handling of UFM. I also would agree that his initial role in the COVID season was frustrating, but then again we were dealing with an entirely new issue that an AD would ever face and his follow up to advocating for a season (along with President Johnson) was one of the biggest redeeming moves he made in my eyes.

I share the sentiment that I am not going to particularly miss him when it comes down to it, but do acknowledge some of the good things he did and I believe his heart was always in the right place for our athletics, so I am not going to exactly have a dance party over his retirement.


That was my impression at the end of the 2011 season...most fans just wanted the dog put down without any further pain and the talks with UFM had already begun. I know at least on BP many of us wanted the self-imposed ban to avoid that very scenario before we played the game (at leas that is my recollection without combing back posts from 10 years ago). There was talk that we would have still got the 2012 ban regardless, but I don't think it would have happened if Gene called the season over. Plus that season was one to forget and probably wasn't worth playing a bowl game even throwing the other considerations aside.


"Look under your seat...you get a tattoo! You get a tattoo!" JT just goes Oprah on every recruiting visit with NIL deals.

In all seriousness, I would love it to pass the baton briefly as our board searches for a longtime hire, though we have plenty of time to do that since Gene is 1 year out from retiring. Then again, look at JT's age and the fact that he probably doesn't want the position, I just see it as very unlikely. Not that I think UFM is the pick either, but UFM was an assistant AD here for a brief stint and that move would make more sense if he wants the gig. I also think he would be able to manage the stress load at AD much better than a coach on the sidelines.

That said, my guess is we go with an outside hire though, fans online are just romanticizing the past imo. I haven't seen anything to support the notion of either JT or UFM even being considered.

Tressel (or Urban) is not going to be hired. He's not going to be hired as AD anymore than he was ever going to be considered for a second as President. GS is giving the school a year to find his successor. The only problem with that is will we have a President in place in time to hire that successor.

FWIW, Martin Jarmond from UCLA will probably get the first phone call.