Tag: Ross Bjork

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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Ohio State names new Director of Athletics

In case you missed it, Ohio State has its man! #GoBucks

Gene Smith announced that he would be stepping down as the Ohio State University Athletic Director in August of 2023. After an extensive search, the University announced that Ross Bjork will take over the athletic department beginning on July 1, 2024.

Bjork comes from Texas A&M where he has served in the same role since 2019. Bjork will officially be introduced as the new AD at a press conference scheduled for noon on Wednesday. In the Ohio State press release, Bjork had this to say about coming to Columbus.

“I have been extraordinarily fortunate to work with so many outstanding student-athletes, coaches, staff, and university leaders throughout my career, and Ohio State represents the culmination of these efforts,” Bjork said in Ohio State’s release. “To be a part of Buckeye Nation, along with its storied traditions and long history of achievement, is a tremendous honor and a welcome challenge. I can’t wait to get started.”

Bjork will take over for Smith who has spent the last 19 years leading athletics at OSU. Known as a fundraiser, it will be a huge part of his job to increase Ohio State’s Name, image and likeness (NIL), opportunities and impact to stay competitive in this new college landscape.

At one point, it was thought that Washington State’s Pat Chun who is also an OSU alum, was the frontrunner to land the job, but ultimately, trustees felt more comfortable with Bjork. New Ohio State University President, Ted Carter, seems to be extremely excited about the new addition.

 “The bar is incredibly high at Ohio State, and we have found in Ross a highly intelligent and effective leader – not to mention a fierce competitor.”

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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BREAKING: Ross Bjork leaves Texas A&M to become AD at The Ohio State University

According to The Eagle reporter Travis Brown, the Buckeyes athletic department has hired Aggies athletic director Ross Bjork as its next AD.

With the impending retirement of Gene Smith, The Ohio State University has hired a prominent name from Bryan-College Station as its next director of athletics.

According to Travis Brown, a reporter for The Eagle, the Buckeyes’ athletic department has hired Texas A&M athletic director Ross Bjork as its next AD.

“I have been extraordinarily fortunate to work with so many outstanding student-athletes, coaches, staff and university leaders throughout my career and Ohio State represents the culmination of these efforts,” Bjork stated in an Ohio State news release. “To be a part of Buckeye Nation, along with its storied traditions and long history of achievement, is a tremendous honor and a welcome challenge. I can’t wait to get started.”

Smith, the current Buckeyes senior vice president & Wolfe Foundation-endowed athletic director, will retire on June 30. ESPN college football senior writer Pete Thamel broke the news on Monday that Ohio State was zeroing in on Bjork as the successor to Smith and planned to finalize the move this week.

“Ross is uniquely equipped to step into our Buckeye community and make an immediate impact,” Smith stated. “As I have said, Ohio State has afforded me the professional opportunity of a lifetime and I am forever grateful. My final, important project over the next several months will be to work with Ross to ensure a smooth and effective transition with our student-athletes, coaches, department staff and university leaders.”

Bjork was hired as the Aggies’ 16th director of athletics on May 23, 2019. He came to College Station with over 20 years of experience in intercollegiate athletics. Since 1995, Bjork has had previous university stops at Tulsa, Western Illinois, Western Kentucky (twice), Missouri, Miami, UCLA and Ole Miss.

When Bjork was rehired by Western Kentucky in 2010 to serve as director of intercollegiate athletics at 38 years old, he was the youngest AD among the 120 FBS schools.

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Report: Texas A&M AD Ross Bjork targeted as The Ohio State University’s next athletic director

With the impending retirement of Gene Smith, Ohio State is reportedly zeroing in on its next director of athletics per ESPN’s Pete Thamel.

With the impending retirement of Gene Smith, The Ohio State University is reportedly zeroing in on its next director of athletics and targeting a prominent name from Bryan-College Station.

According to ESPN college football senior writer Pete Thamel, the Buckeyes’ athletic department is reportedly targeting Texas A&M athletic director Ross Bjork as its next AD.

Smith, the current Ohio State senior vice president & Wolfe Foundation-endowed athletic director, will be retiring on June 30. Per Thamel’s report, the Buckeyes intend to hire their next AD this week.

Bjork was hired as the Aggies’ 16th director of athletics on May 23, 2019. He came to College Station with over 20 years of experience in intercollegiate athletics. Beginning in 1995, Bjork has had previous university stops at Tulsa, Western Illinois, Western Kentucky (twice), Missouri, Miami, UCLA and Ole Miss.

When Bjork was rehired by Western Kentucky in 2010 to serve as director of intercollegiate athletics at 38 years old, he was the youngest AD among the 120 FBS schools.

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