Football World Reacts To Ohio State Athletic Director Drama
Gene Smith has been the athletic director of Ohio State since 2005, but right now, there are some fans who are wondering if he’s the right choice to lead them in this era of Name, Image and Likeness (NIL).
Smith has been publicly asking for more NIL support from Ohio State fans, but there are questions as to why the school wasn’t more prepared for this new college sports landscape sooner.
Then, on Thursday, video surfaced of four-star Buckeyes quarterback signee Lincoln Kienholz saying that he chose OSU over Washington despite the fact that the Huskies could provide “better NIL” opportunities.
Kienholz’s comments have caused a bit of a stir, with former OSU linebacker Darron Lee sharing a video clip from The Dark Knight of the Joker saying “it’s not about money, it’s about sending a message.”
“Gene Smith,” Lee captioned the tweet.
“Ohio State has to take it’s NIL Collectives to the next level,” added a recruiting editing account. “In this day an age of college football it seems wrong but NIL is the number 1 priority for most kids let’s step it up an adapt.”
Additionally, some of the responses to the Lee tweet include OSU fans calling it “deplorable” that UW would have better NIL than the Buckeyes and openly questioning whether Smith is suited for his role anymore.
Smith recently solicited help from Ohio State fans in supporting NIL collectives and providing more opportunities for OSU athletes.
“There has never been a more exciting time to be a fan of the Ohio State Buckeyes,” Smith said. “Excellence within our programs and remarkable experiences for our student-athletes will always be the standard at Ohio State, while competing for championships, academic excellence and graduating, and preparing for life after sports are our goals.
“Recent guidance updates from the NCAA clarified how schools can be involved in name, image and likeness activities of student-athletes. Many of our Buckeyes are taking advantage of this, and we are committed to supporting our current and future student-athletes while building strong, competitive programs.
“We welcome your help in keeping Ohio State at the top of the college athletics landscape. Three ‘collective’ organizations that are helping our Buckeyes maximize NIL opportunities are in operation and seeking additional support.”
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