Eric Boggs
Gene Smith, the longtime and highly respected former athletic director at Ohio State, is once again putting his decades of experience to good use—this time as a consultant for the University of Maryland’s athletic department. According to The Columbus Dispatch, Smith is assisting Maryland’s new athletic director Jim Smith, a familiar face to Buckeye fans who served as Ohio State’s associate AD for marketing and communications from 1995 to 2000. Though Gene Smith officially stepped away from his AD role at Ohio State earlier this year, his deep well of knowledge and leadership is proving valuable as Jim steps into this prominent Big Ten position.
The professional connection between the two Smiths runs deep. In addition to their early years at Ohio State, the two worked closely from 2016 to 2020 when Jim Smith returned to Columbus to lead Ohio State’s alumni association. Jim, who also brings experience from the professional sports world—most recently with the Atlanta Braves—is beginning a new chapter at Maryland and will be relying on Gene’s wisdom as he settles into the complexities of leading a major college athletics program. The mentorship includes scheduled bi-monthly Zoom calls, with additional meetings as needed. As Gene put it, “You have to have something to keep you mentally active, and the consulting and board work keeps me mentally active. Obviously, I’m not working 80-plus hours a week.”
For Ohio State fans, it’s encouraging to see Gene Smith continuing to shape the future of college athletics even in a limited role. His 40 years of NCAA leadership are too valuable to be shelved completely, and his support of a fellow Buckeye in a major Big Ten role reinforces the strength and reach of the Ohio State network. While Buckeye Nation is firmly focused on what lies ahead in Columbus, there’s a certain pride in seeing a legend like Smith continue to elevate others within the collegiate sports landscape.
