Eric Boggs
An Ohio State legend is coming home, and for Buckeye fans, it feels like another reminder of just how far the program’s influence stretches across the football landscape. The United Football League announced that Ted Ginn Jr. will serve as the inaugural head coach of the Columbus Aviators, who are set to begin play at Historic Crew Stadium in March 2026. For a city and state deeply rooted in Ohio State football, the pairing feels both natural and symbolic.
UFL president and CEO Russ Brandon described Ginn as someone who embodies everything great about football in the Buckeye State, citing his winning pedigree, football intelligence, and pride in Ohio. From an Ohio State perspective, that praise rings true. Ginn’s journey from Glenville High School to Columbus and eventually to a 17-year playing career at Ohio State and in the NFL makes him uniquely qualified to build a new professional team in central Ohio from the ground up.
Ginn echoed that sentiment, calling the opportunity a new milestone in his football journey and emphasizing how much Columbus means to him personally. For Buckeye fans, it is easy to see this as more than just a coaching hire. It is a chance for a beloved former star to help establish a new winning tradition in a football-crazed region that has long embraced Ohio State as its heartbeat.
Football has always been part of Ginn’s DNA. As the son of legendary Glenville head coach Ted Ginn Sr., and a former first-team All-American at Ohio State in 2006, Ginn built a résumé that includes 4,106 all-purpose yards and 26 touchdowns as a Buckeye. His NFL career only added to that legacy, with more than 15,700 all-purpose yards and 42 touchdowns across stops with six franchises. Former Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel praised Ginn’s passion and character, noting that he will be a strong influence on young players and a worthy representative of both the Buckeye State and the UFL.
The Aviators’ arrival also opens another door for Ohio State players looking to extend their careers. UFL co-owner Mike Repole has indicated that Columbus will have priority access to Buckeyes who want to continue playing professionally, part of a league-wide structure that gives teams first opportunities within a 100-mile radius. That connection already showed signs of life this past season, when several former Buckeyes suited up in the league, including Damon Arnette, whose UFL performance helped him earn another NFL opportunity.
The broader theme for Ohio State fans is familiar: Buckeyes continue to shape the game well beyond campus. That reality is also evident on the college side, where former Ohio State offensive coordinator Tim Beck is reportedly finalizing a deal to become the next offensive coordinator at South Florida under head coach Alex Golesh. Beck’s coaching path has been winding, with stops at Nebraska, Texas, NC State, and most recently as head coach at Coastal Carolina, but his Ohio State tenure remains a notable chapter.
During his time in Columbus, Beck was part of an offense loaded with talent that never fully met expectations in the biggest moments, particularly during the 2015 and 2016 seasons. While the Buckeyes posted solid numbers, struggles in marquee matchups, including the shutout loss to Clemson in the College Football Playoff, defined how that era is remembered by fans.
Taken together, these developments reinforce a familiar truth for Ohio State supporters. Whether through icons like Ted Ginn Jr. returning home to lead a new professional franchise or former assistants continuing their careers across the college landscape, the Buckeye imprint remains everywhere. For fans, there is pride in seeing Ohio State figures continue to influence the sport, and in Ginn’s case, doing so right back where it all began.
