In case you missed the news late last evening, Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott is on the way out, a mutual agreement between he and the league’s CEO group. The move comes one-year before his current contract was set to expire and in the face of some landmark changes in the college landscape, as well as the coronavirus pandemic. Scott will remain on until June to allow for the transition of a new commissioner.
And speaking of the search for a new Pac-12 commissioner, Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith is one of the main names circulating as a potential replacement out on the left coast.
Now, all the caveats apply here. It’s only a name floated out there and we really have no idea if Smith is a serious candidate, or if he would even consider it. Heck, you couldn’t blame him for not wanting that job, especially with where the 61-year old Smith is in his career.
One name that I've heard from two people already: Ohio State AD Gene Smith.
— Nicole Auerbach 😷 (@NicoleAuerbach) January 21, 2021
We don’t see this materializing too much, but you just never know. Smith does have experience in the conference as the former Arizona State athletic director, so there’s a fit culture-wise it would seem. Also, we hear California is a tad warmer in the winter than the frozen tundra of the Midwest.
But hey, we have a better idea. I mean there’s already a guy with experience running a Power Five conference and his name is Kevin Warren. Good fit, no?
You would have to think that Smith will say something about his name coming up, and when he does, we’ll keep you informed.