Ohio State’s search for a new athletic director could be nearing an end as ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported on Monday that the Buckeyes had zeroed in on Texas A&M’s Ross Bjork to become its new athletic director.
The search started when Gene Smith, who has been the Buckeyes’ athletic director since 2005, announced this past summer that he would retire in 2024. A report from The Athletic in August said Smith’s retirement will be effective on June 30.
Bjork, who is 51 years old, already has more than 14 years of experience as a Division I athletic director. He started at Western Kentucky in 2010, left to take over the Ole Miss athletic program in 2012, and joined Texas A&M in 2019. He has been an athletic director since he was 37 years old.
Bjork’s tenure at Texas A&M saw him negotiate a four-year extension for former Aggies football coach Jimbo Fisher before the university ultimately parted ways with the coach just two years later. Bjork also led the new coaching search that ended with former Duke head coach Mike Elko taking over the program just last month.
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
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