Interview with Ohio State Athletic Director Gene Smith – Ohio State Buckeyes
10/6/2015 12:00:00 AM | General
Oct. 6, 2015
Football has been a part of the life of Gene Smith for nearly five decades. Smith won a national championship as a player and as a coach at Notre Dame, and has also won a national title as an athletic director at Ohio State. His life and his professional career have been shaped by the game that he loves, but it almost didn’t happen. In this exclusive interview with FootballMatters.org, Smith discusses the impact the game had on him and what lessons from football he still uses today.
Football Matters: When you look back on your career in football as a player, what are some of your earliest memories about why the sport was special to you?
Gene Smith: I actually didn’t start until I was in the 10th grade. I played pickup football where I grew up in Cleveland and I just loved the game. We would get some guys together and there was a field about 10 minutes away and we would just go up there and play. We had such a good time. But I didn’t play organized football until I got to high school. We didn’t have it in the public school system I was in.
I love the relationships, I love the ability to be in a locker room with guys and get to know one another. You would become real close to your teammates. I remember the bus rides to and from contests in high school, particularly after you won, were great. The camaraderie was great, I loved it all. I loved the fact that it taught me how to physically take care of myself. I didn’t truly understand what it means to work out, but once I got in organized football, it changed my perspective on my body and how to work out.
FM: Did you have a mentor for your football career, and can you talk about what that person meant to you?
GS: I really didn’t have a “mentor”, so to speak. When I got to college, my position coach, Joe Yonto, he was an unbelievable man. He cared about you, more than just being a football player. In my sophomore year, I was dealing with an injury and I almost quit school and he talked me into staying. I owe so much to him.
One of my roommates, a guy named Ross Browner, I was inspired by his abilities, we had so much fun. My other roommates were Al Hunter and Jimmy Browner, Ross’ brother. The four of us lived together and the camaraderie we had together was phenomenal. We helped each other study, and it was a good experience for me.
FM: What is the main difference between the game of football today and the game when you played?
GS: I played from 1973-77. The speed of the game today, the size and the athleticism of the players is totally different. And the time demands, the time players put into the sport today is more time than what we did. We had a lot more time off. We didn’t have the structured workouts that they have today. Today, there are more athletes that are more athletic and bigger than when I played. The elevation of the game and the skill is totally unreal. It’s totally different.
FM: You have the distinction of having won national championships as a player, as an assistant coach and as an athletic director. Which of those is the most special to you?
GS: Probably the first one, my freshman year in 1973. I was blessed to be on the team with some great athletes (at Notre Dame). We beat Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. It was a great contest, we won 24-23. We were not picked to win and it went down to the final minutes of the game. It was a phenomenal contest. The whole experience of that year and ending up in New Orleans for the first time in my life was great. Each one of them was great, 1977 was great and obviously here (at Ohio State) was awesome. But that first one I have some fond memories of and it’s probably because of the guys I was with.
FM: What lessons that you learned in football do you still use every day in your current job?
GS: My whole philosophy on how I try to lead the athletic department here has been about total student-athlete development. It’s not just about their athleticism, it’s about them as a person. That passion is directly tied to my personal experience. I was in an environment where I was cared for at Notre Dame. The coaches, Ara Parseghian I had for two years and Dan Devine I had for two more, they took care of you. We had an environment where I learned the value of relationships and how important it was to be appreciative of relationships and be respectful of other people. I also learned to manage my time and to be effective with my time. I learned a deep understanding of hard work. To win at this level, you have to put in the work and I learned that. I learned to deal with people from all walks of life. I went to Notre Dame and met lots of people from different walks of life, from different economic backgrounds, rural, urban and for all of those to come together and to learn to deal with people, it was invaluable. It was a great experience.
Today, I never forget that. The coaches I hire, I make sure they focus on not just developing the athletes, but developing the person and helping that person be the best person they can be. And also to help them learn what they are learning from a sport besides executing on the court or in the pool. It all ties back to my time playing ball at Notre Dame.
FM: In a few sentences, can you tell us how much football has meant to you and your life?
GS: That’s easy for me. I would not be where I am today were it not for the sport of football. I aspired to go to a two-year school in Cleveland to be an electrician, and then football became a part of my life in an organized way. Through football, I had the opportunity to get a scholarship to a four-year institution and get my degree and learn invaluable life lessons. Football provided me the platform I have today. I would not be here today if it was not for football.
Reprinted with the permission of the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame, courtesy FootballMatters.org
