Scarlet Sunrise: Ohio State president Kristina Johnson announces resignation

IMG_7408by:Andy Backstrom11/29/22

andybackstrom

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Ohio State president Kristina Johnson announces resignation

Kristina Johnson is stepping down as president of Ohio State University. She confirmed Monday that she will move on from her role at the end of the academic year after a Columbus Dispatch report broke the news.

The university Board of Trustees asked Johnson to resign following staff concerns about her and a subsequent investigation about those undisclosed concerns, which was run by an outside firm, according to Sheridan Hendrix of the Dispatch.

Johnson, 65, will have served as the university’s president for less than three years. She replaced Michael Drake in June 2020.

Johnson’s stay as president will be the second-shortest tenure of any full-time Ohio State president.

“I am writing to you to let you know that I have made the difficult decision to step down as president following commencement at the end of the academic year,” Johnson wrote in a statement Monday. “This will allow a search for the next president to proceed and adequate time for me to assist with a seamless transition.”

Taking a closer look at Buckeyes loss to Michigan

Ohio State is going to have to wait a while before it can get the bad taste of its second consecutive loss to Michigan out of its mouth. The Buckeyes fell to their Big Ten East rival in Columbus for the first time since 2000 and now have to wait and see about their postseason fate.

The 45-23 defeat saw Ohio State allow a season-high 530 yards and a single-game, program-worst 8.83 yards per play. Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy accounted for four touchdowns (three passing, one rushing) and two of the Wolverines’ 60-plus yard plays. Michigan finished with four such plays after running back Donovan Edwards ripped off a pair of 75-plus-yard, backbreaking touchdown runs in the back half of the fourth quarter.

Spencer Holbrook, Andy Backstrom and Tim May broke down the Buckeyes’ second-half meltdown against Michigan with the newest Lettermen Row video: The Monday After. Every Monday following Buckeyes games, Spencer, Andy and Tim will reconvene and chat about what they saw Saturday afternoon.

Ohio State basketball cracks AP Poll for first time this season

The Buckeyes went 2-1 in the Maui Invitational, taking fifth place in the early-season tournament after recording their first win over a ranked opponent this season (versus then-No. 21 Texas Tech). Then, on Monday, they received their first AP Top 25 ranking of the 2022-23 campaign.

Ohio State is now 5-1 with a top-25, ACC-Big Ten Challenge showdown with No. 17 Duke on tap for Wednesday. The Buckeyes opened the year with three home wins over Robert Morris, Charleston Southern and Eastern Illinois. They went to Maui and lost to now-No. 24 San Diego State in first-round action before bouncing back with victories against Cincinnati and Texas Tech.

Head coach Chris Holtmann’s team, which consists of three new transfers and four impact freshmen, wasn’t ranked in the preseason AP Poll. Last year, the Buckeyes were No. 17 heading into the season. This time around, Ohio State had to prove its potential in the first few weeks of the year.

Lettermen Row has the entire Week 4 AP Top 25 Poll (Nov. 28) here, but this is the top 10:

  1. Houston
  2. Texas
  3. Virginia
  4. Arizona
  5. Purdue
  6. Baylor
  7. Creighton
  8. UConn
  9. Kansas
  10. Indiana

Counting down

Buckeyes vs. Michigan: 362 days

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