The Buckeyes' athletic executive shared his thoughts on a wide collection of topics on Wednesday morning!
Ohio State athletic manager Gene Smith met with the media on Wednesday morning to converse on several subjects, comprising the changing landscape of institution football, containing name, image and likeness, Institution Football Playoff expansion, training contracts, and much more.
Here’s a bullet-point summary of what Smith had to explain:
1. “Our landscape is fluctuating significantly,” Smith said. “It’s going to be a completely new ballgame as we move onward. We have to get contented with the uncomfortable and regulate and ensure we keep our central values at the heart of what we do.”
2. Smith trusts NIL should be regulated. I don’t consider the NCAA is the reply in this case.”
3. Smith on possible changes to Big Ten partitions: “I just think Ohio State must be picked each year to go. I individually don’t have a preference, but I’m OK with dropping divisions.” He’s concerned about seeing the models but needs to see rivalry games protected.
4. Smith said the Big Ten athletic managers have discussed the opportunity of dropping to 8 conference games but he believes the desire to stay at nine moving onward. He also noted discussions must be had about the session championship game as it relates to creating the College Football Playoff.
5. On reports this offseason connecting head coach Ryan Day to NFL employments. “Why in the hell do you people do that matter? I’ve got sufficient gray hairs.” Noted he and Day haven’t had deliberations about a new agreement, but “there will be a time when we sit down and talk about his contract.”
6. Smith acknowledged there will “possibly” be a contract matter down the road given the altering market but said Day and his spouse are “very exultant here. He’s very relaxed here.”
“Those reports were reports,” Smith said. “If he was offered employment, he would have named me right away.” Notes that Day has continually been transparent with him about any job proposed in the past.
7. Smith explained he and Day had his full provision on finding a way to resolution of the issues on the defensive side of the ball next to the defeat to Michigan. “I told him, ‘Go search him. Go find that man.’” The Buckeyes are compensating new defensive manager Jim Knowles $1.9 million in 2022.