Ohio State losing Director of Player Personnel Sam Petitto to LSU

COLUMBUS — Ohio State Assistant Athletic Director of Player Personnel Sam Petitto is leaving the program to take a job on Brian Kelly’s staff at LSU, according to The Bengal Tiger’s Shea Dixon.

Petitto spent one year with the Buckeyes, winning the national title as part of the recruiting department before moving on with just a few weeks until the season kicks off.

Petitto is a Amite, Louisiana, native.

Petitto previously served as the Crimson Tide’s Director of Personnel Operations for eight years under Nick Saban before Saban retired, when Petitto headed to Ohio State to work under Ryan Day.

Petitto was the Director of Personnel Operations for Alabama, where he had been for eight years, helping the Crimson Tide routinely land top-ranked and top-two-ranked recruiting classes under head coach Nick Saban.

Prior to his time in Tuscaloosa, Petitto was the Director of Player Personnel at Georgia for two years. Before Georgia he spent time at North Carolina, Grambling State, Alabama (defensive intern), and Southeastern Louisiana after getting his start as a high school coach in Louisiana in the late 1990s. 

He was a key cog in Alabama landing fellow Amite native DeVota Smith out of Louisiana when he was recruited. Smith went on to win the Heisman Trophy as a wide receiver.

But landing Smith isn’t Petitto’s only victory on the trail. He was pivotal in helping to land many top recruits and classes while in Tuscaloosa, inclusive of playing a role in Alabama landing recent transfer and current Ohio State safety, Caleb Downs.

He has also helped the Buckeyes make inroads in the South on the recruiting trail. Ohio State currently holds a commitment from five-star safety Blaine Bradford, a Baton Rouge, Louisiana, native.

Buckeyes in search of fourth director of player personnel in as many years

Ohio State will need to find a director of player personnel for the fourth time in as many years.

Three years ago, the Buckeyes hired Zach Grant, who is a rising star in the industry. He moved on to be the general manager at Cincinnati following one year at Ohio State. The Buckeyes replaced him with Marc Votteler, the former Marshall general manager who was hired to Ohio State. He left for Mississippi State after one year with the Buckeyes.

The Buckeyes found Votteler’s replacement to work under General Manager/Associate Athletic Director for Player Personnel Mark Pantoni, hiring Salm Petitto from Alabama for the position.

Now Petitto is heading home to LSU, and Ohio State must find yet another director of player personnel to work under Pantoni.