Ross Bjork was the athletics director who gave Jimbo Fisher a contract extension, and Fisher’s buyout late last year drew national headlines because it was for $75 million.

At Bjork’s introductory press conference, the question was raised about how it came to be, and if it is a new era in college athletics.

“As you can imagine, I pressed that question pretty hard,” Ohio State President Ted Carter said. “I had a lot of questions about that. I’ll just say right up front that Ross has owned it, as has the institution, remember these things just don’t happen in a vacuum, even though he is the athletics director, he wasn’t the original hiring authority. Yes, he did give an extension, that happens a lot. I experienced that myself at Nebraska, so I understand that.”

Carter then said as a lifelong sailor, a “calm sea never produced a good sailor.”

“So those that have been in the arena, those who have had to make those tough decisions, those that have been in it, they learn from that,” Carter said. “Those are life lessons, and he’ll bring that here. I don’t expect we’re going to get into any decisions like that here at Ohio State.”

Carter said any decision like that would be between the Board of Trustees and him so that it would work collaboratively.

Earlier, Bjork sent a message to his A&M friends and colleagues, “especially Mike Elko,” who was hired by Bjork late last year.

“I get it, the timing in all of this is not good,” Bjork said. “What we just went through and more leadership turnover at Texas A&M, it’s not ideal. I fully understand the impact. Our family loves our time in Aggieland, and we have special bonds that will last a lifetime.”

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