Tag: Ross Bjork

Ohio State Athletic Director Ross Bjork outlines issues with Woody Hayes Athletic Center upgrade

The Buckeyes new AD is already hard at work

It should come as no surprise that new Ohio State Athletic Director [autotag]Ross Bjork[/autotag] wants to make a positive mark on the Buckeyes’ athletic programs.

One of his goals is to improve the football facilities inside the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. In an interview with 10TV’s Adam King, Bjork explained that they are … “out of space. We need more efficient space. We need more room in a lot of areas. It’s really not that we’re adding a lot of bells and whistles, we’re adding functional teaching spaces that make the players better, that make the timing better.”

Bjork continues to say that this summer and fall is extremely important regarding the process in gathering information, and could make a formal announcement in early 2025.

It’s great to see that the focus on improving the Buckeyes’ facilities is at the forefront of his early tenure. Hopefully, Bjork gets all the answers he is looking for during the remainder of this year, and we find out what the plans are early in 2025.

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Ross Bjork offically begins assignment as new Ohio State Athletic Director

First day on the job! #GoBucks

As one chapter closes a new one begins. Gene Smith wrapped up his farewell tour as athletic director at The Ohio State University on June 30. Smith was the overseer of OSU athletics ending a 19-year that began in March of 2005. On Monday, July 1, the Ross Bjork era officially began.

Bjork comes from Texas A&M where he served as the Aggies athletic director since 2019. The announcement was made in January and while Bjork has been fulfilling his duties in College Station, it’s without a doubt that he has been in the mix of things happening in Columbus.

Bjork posted on X (formerly Twitter) about what Buckeye Nation can expect from him as he takes over for Smith.

“As I get started on July 1, the only promises I will make will be based on three things: 1) I will work at my maximum effort every single day for you and our student-athletes. 2) I will carry myself with a positive attitude and humble confidence about who we are, what we stand for, and how we do it. 3) I will embrace and cherish our role in supporting our student-athletes while being a great steward of the treasured assets within Buckeye Athletics and Business Advancement.”

Known as a fundraiser, it will be a huge part of Bjork’s job to increase Ohio State’s name, image and likeness (NIL) opportunities, and impact to stay competitive in this new college landscape. Gene Smith has done an excellent job of setting the table for the new A.D.

Bjork will be the ninth athletic director in Ohio State history and takes over the largest athletic budget in the nation.

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Ohio State to pay athletes maximum revenue allowed when NCAA settlement takes effect

Looks like Ohio State is prepared to jump head first into paying players when allowed. #GoBucks

The changes in collegiate athletics, namely big-time FBS football continue to make heads turn and stomachs churn just trying to keep up with it all. One more bit of news that was lobbed to the throng not too long ago was a settlement by the NCAA to allow payment of players.

It’s not mandatory, but the settlement allows member institutions that have the ability to do so, to share revenue with athletes up to a cap of 22%. With all of that in the mix, one might be wondering just how much Ohio State might want to pay to its athletes. If so, then good for those that have questions, because incoming athletic director, Ross Bjork touched on that subject with the Columbus Dispatch.

And … according to the man that will be running the athletic department beginning on July 1, we now know that OSU plans to pay atheltes the maximum.

“Absolutely,” Bjork told the Dispatch. “What we’re working on right now is what that plan looks like.”

The payments can be directly to the athletes, and under the terms of the settlement, those can begin in 2025. The 22% will increase by percentage points over the years.

“We know the percentage,” Bjork continued. “We know the rough calculation. We know there are escalators. That’s about all we know right now.”

If it’s not clear by those remarks, it should be. All that’s there is a framework right now with many things still to be ironed out. It is unknown how that money will be distrubuted and what percentage will go where. Ohio State has 36 varsity sports with over 1,000 athletes. OSU and Stanford are the two schools tied for the most varisty sports, but not all bring in the same revenue. In fact, most don’t bring in revenue at all with football and basketball really being the two main sports to fund everything else.

Bjork emphasized the role that Title IX will have for being fair to female sports and that the funds will most likely be disbursed to male and female athletes proportionate to the enrollment at the university, an arrangement that mirrors the allocation of scholarship money under the law. Currently, enrollment shows 52% female and 48% male at Ohio State during the last acadmeic year.

“We are committed to Title IX,” Bjork said. “We have to be. It’s the right thing. But it’s also federal law.”

Still, how things break down among athletes and the different sports will most likely be disporpotionate, and Bjork understands that it is a complex matter.

“There are going to be hard decisions,” Bjork said, “because it’s a recalibration of the model.”

It appears the only thing that remains constant in college sports these days is the amount of change we continue to see. Don’t be surprised if we continue to see the model change even more as we gaze out into the future.

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BREAKING: Texas A&M hires Trev Alberts from Nebraska as next director of athletics

After Ross Bjork departed Aggieland in January to become the next athletic director at Ohio State, interim AD R.C. Slocum began his search.

After Ross Bjork departed College Station in January to become the next athletic director at The Ohio State University, interim AD R.C. Slocum began searching for Texas A&M‘s next director of athletics.

According to a report on Wednesday morning from Brent Zwerneman, Aggies writer for the Houston Chronicle, Texas A&M chose Nebraska athletic director Trev Alberts as its next AD. That report was immediately confirmed by Yahoo Sports college football writer Ross Dellenger.

Sources close to ESPN college football senior writer Pete Thamel said the contract offer is pretty lucrative. The deal is reportedly for five years and would make Alberts not only one of the highest paid ADs in the SEC but also among the top 10 in the nation.

Following Zwerneman’s report, his colleague Greg Rajan shared an entertaining anecdote. Remember when ESPN senior NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper went off on the Indianapolis Colts for passing on quarterback Trent Dilfer in the 1994 draft? Well, the player they drafted was Alberts.

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Future Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork formally says goodbye to Aggieland

“Our goal was to make Texas A&M better than we found it and I am proud of what we accomplished on and off the fields of play,” he said on X.

Former Texas A&M athletic director Ross Bjork completed his tenure in Aggieland this past Friday before departing for The Ohio State University.

On the afternoon of his final day in College Station, Bjork published a statement on social media to reflect on his time and what he achieved during his time with the Aggies.

“As I serve my last day at Texas A&M, I wanted to give thanks to everyone around Aggieland,” Bjork stated on X. “It was an honor to work here the last four and a half years and for twelve years in the SEC. I appreciate the Board of Regents, Chancellor Sharp, 12th Man Foundation Board, coaches, staff, and most importantly, the student-athletes at Texas A&M. To the donors, fans and students – the 12th Man is the real deal and I know you care deeply about the Aggies and deserve success. I want to give special thanks to President Mark Welsh for his support and positive and steadfast leadership and I can’t wait to watch him propel Texas A&M University.

“Our goal was to make Texas A&M better than we found it and I am proud of what we accomplished on and off the fields of play. Our family will always love and cherish our time in Aggieland and these special bonds will last a lifetime.

“Thanks & Gig’Em

“- Ross Bjork”

Bjork was named the successor to Gene Smith as the director of athletics at Ohio State on Jan. 16. R.C. Slocum was named interim Texas A&M athletic director on Jan. 22. Bjork officially begins his tenure as Buckeyes athletic director on July 1.

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Report: Texas A&M Athletic Department begins search to replace Ross Bjork as AD

After former Texas A&M athletic director Ross Bjork departed for The Ohio State University on Jan. 16, the Aggies have officially begun their search for his replacement.

After former Texas A&M athletic director Ross Bjork departed for The Ohio State University on Jan. 16, the Aggies have officially begun their search for his replacement.

According to a report from Alex Miller of The Eagle, Texas A&M President Mark Welsh has formed a seven-member committee to find its next director of athletics within four to six weeks. R.C. Slocum was named the interim athletic director on Jan. 22.

“Texas A&M is a world-class university with a strong commitment to athletics excellence and the greatest fans in the world,” Welsh said in a statement. “We’re committed to maintaining the momentum of our athletics programs and selecting the next director of athletics is a critical part of that effort. I’m grateful to the committee members for volunteering their time for this important task and am confident that, with the help of the search firm, the committee will identify candidates who align with our core values and who are dedicated to the continued success of our student-athletes and outstanding athletic programs.”

Per Miller, the committee includes baseball coach Jim Schlossnagle, women’s basketball coach Joni Taylor, Welsh’s chief of staff Susan Ballabina, deputy athletic director Joe Fields, faculty athletic representative and professor Paul Batista and respective former chairs of the 12th Man Foundation’s Board of Trustees, Chris Cooper & David Dunlap.

“I want a great leader, man,” Schlossnagle told The Eagle. “The best athletic director I ever worked for (had a) philosophy (that was), ‘My job is to support the head coaches. No. 1, my job is to support the head coaches and the student-athletes. My job is to give the head coaches every resource they need to be successful and then hold them accountable and have a relationship with them.'”

According to Miller, Schlossnage volunteered for the role and has already received feedback from foot

ball coach Mike Elko, men’s basketball coach Buzz Williams, women’s golf coach Garrod Chadwell and women’s soccer coach G Guerrieri.

“It’s an honor to serve Texas A&M in any way that I can, and I’m filled with pride by the opportunity to lead this search committee,” Dunlap stated. “President Welsh has pulled together an incredible group of individuals who will recommend dynamic, highly qualified prospects who will serve our university, coaches and student-athletes with integrity, respect and a relentless drive for excellence. I’m eager to get to work.”

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Texas A&M hiring of Mike Elko classified as an ‘elite addition’ by 247Sports

“Not only is Elko respected on the recruiting trail, but he’s going to bring a sense of toughness and blue-collar mentality the Aggies didn’t seem to possess under the previous regime.”

The hiring of football head coach Mike Elko was the final major move by former Texas A&M athletic director Ross Bjork before departing Bryan-College Station for The Ohio State University.

247Sports writer Brad Crawford recently graded and organized the recent college football head coach hirings in tiers. Fans in Aggieland should be overjoyed with what Crawford said about Elko’s hiring, placing the move in his elite tier.

“This wasn’t rocket science for the Aggies after their initial pursuit of Kentucky’s Mark Stoops went awry down the stretch,” Crawford wrote. “The next choice was an obvious one with Elko, who transformed Duke in short order as a first-time head coach in the ACC after leaving Texas A&M’s staff previously as Jimbo Fisher‘s top assistant. Not only is Elko respected on the recruiting trail, but he’s going to bring a sense of toughness and blue-collar mentality the Aggies didn’t seem to possess under the previous regime.”

During his introductory press conference in Colombus, Bjork addressed his pursuit of Stoops.

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Report: Texas A&M has named R.C. Slocum as the interim athletic director

Legendary Aggies Head coach R.C. Slocum has been named Texas A&M’s interim Athletic Director.

According to multiple sources, including The Eagles’ Travis Brown, former Texas A&M head coach R.C. Slocum (1989-2002) will serve as the Aggies’ interim athletic director after now-former AD Ross Bjork departed for the same position at Ohio State earlier this month.

For those who have followed Slocum’s Texas A&M coaching career, he remains one of the more trusted voices in the Aggie community, and after serving as the school’s interim athletic director during the 2019 season, resuming the position while the search continues for Bjork’s permanent replacement was simply a no brainer.

To this day, barring new head coach Mike Elko’s impending success, Slocum remains on top in Aggie lore, holding an impressive 123-47 coaching record, including 78-28 in conference play in both the Southwest Conference and the Big 12.

After former Texas A&M AD Scott Woodward departed for LSU after the 2018 season, Bjork would come on board soon after seven years at Ole Miss, so without any more information regarding the continued search, experience, and progressive outlook tied to the ever-changing college athletics landscape make up the traits needed for the future permanent choice.

Note: R.C. Slocum’s employment as Texas A&M’s interim athletic director will begin on Thursday, Feb. 1.

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New Ohio State AD Ross Bjork explains interest in Mark Stoops from Aggies’ head coach search

“Mike Elko is a great coach and we’re gonna meet them in the playoffs because he’s going to build it,” Bjork said Wednesday at Ohio State.

As one chapter closes and another opens, former Texas A&M athletic director Ross Bjork had some explaining to do.

Bjork was hired as the future director of athletics at The Ohio State University on Tuesday afternoon, replacing Gene Smith who is retiring in June. Bjork held his introductory press conference in Columbus on Wednesday and answered a bevy of questions.

In Sept. 2021, Bjork gave former Aggies head coach Jimbo Fisher a 10-year contract extension, then fired him in Nov. 2023. On Wednesday, he addressed Texas A&M’s reported interest in Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops, before eventually hiring Mike Elko to lead the program.

“Here’s what people, they don’t really realize about the process,” Bjork said. “The athletic director and the team — whatever that may look like — we run a search process. We make recommendations to the president. ‘I would like to hire this person,’ or ‘I think this is the No. 1 candidate.’ That’s how it works in every institution. No athletic director has the full autonomy to say, ‘I’m absolutely going to hire this person and no one else is involved.’ That’s where it goes back to alignment, that’s where it goes back to process and communication.

“So how (Stoops’) name got out there, of course he was a candidate. But we didn’t hire him. We hired Mike Elko, Mike Elko is a great coach and we’re gonna meet them in the playoffs because he’s going to build it. So at the end of the day, who did you hire and how did you get there? That’s what matters the most. So searches in today’s world are really, really probably unrealistic because of social media, plane tracking, or whatever. And so that’s what you have to do is just go through a process and pick the right person, and that’s what we did.”

At this point, it’s time for all parties to move on — media included.

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Ohio State’s Ryan Day speaks on the Buckeyes’ new athletic director, Ross Bjork

Day seemed very pleased with the hiring of Bjork. #GoBucks

After a very successful Ohio State career, the shoes of Gene Smith were big ones to fill.

The job went to former Texas A&M Athletic Director, Ross Bjork, who was formally introduced in a press conference on Wednesday. One of the attendees, Ohio State football head coach [autotag]Ryan Day[/autotag], was listening intently about how the program will be handled now that Smith has gone.

After the introduction, Day was caught by some media members and answered a few questions regarding Bjork. With a big smile, the Buckeye football leader believes that the new AD share the same vision for the program, and looks forward to getting to know him better in the coming months.

Another interesting topic that Day touched on was the search for a new offensive coordinator. He mentioned that they are looking at everything and will update Buckeye Nation as soon as he can.

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