Ohio State hires Will Pantages as new Senior Associate AD for Football Strategic Communications

COLUMBUS — Ohio State has made a critical behind-the-scenes hire for its football program communications: Will Pantages will take over as the Senior Associate Athletic Director for Football Strategic Communications.

According to an Ohio State athletics release, Pantages “will oversee all aspects of football media relations, strategic messaging, and public relations planning, setting the tone and direction for how the program is presented to local, national, and global audiences. He will also be leading the football Creative Media and Branding team.”

“We are excited to add Will to our Buckeye team,” said Chris Park, Executive Associate Athletics Director for External Affairs and Chief Communications Officer, in a statement from the athletic department. “He has tremendous passion, enthusiasm and vision for his work in the communications and creative space and his experience as a high-level thought leader within college football will be valuable in this new role centered around our Ohio State Football program.”

Pantages has been the Senior Associate AD for Communications & Content at Wake Forest University for the last six years. Prior to Wake Forest, Pantages spent four seasons at the University of Florida, serving as the Assistant Director of Athletics Communications and Digital Content. He was the primary media contact for the Gators’ football program under Dan Mullen and Jim McElwain.

Before his time at Florida, he spent a year with the football and basketball programs at SMU in 2013-14.

“It is a privilege to join The Ohio State University,” Pantages said in the statement. “I’m excited to collaborate with an outstanding team to highlight all the accomplishments of our student-athletes and continue advancing one of the most respected brands in college athletics.”

Pantages is an Akron native who received an undergraduate degree in communications and economics from Baldwin Wallace University. He was a baseball player for the Yellow Jackets.

Pantages takes over the position at Ohio State from Jerry Emig, who retired on March 1 after working his 23rd year at Ohio State and 33rd year in the sports information/communications field. Emig has held department-wide oversight for the past seven years.

Now that job is for Will Pantages. A critical behind-the-scenes role for the Ohio State football program has been filled.

New communication structure at Ohio State

From an Ohio State Athletics press release

Chris Park was hired in January to serve as the Executive Associate Athletics Director for External Affairs and Chief Communications Officer. Park is leading the department’s external communications strategies, marketing, brand engagement, media relations, and strategic storytelling efforts that elevate Ohio State’s mission and impact across regional, national, and global markets.

Gary Petit, who has been a member of the Ohio State Athletics Communications office since 2014, will lead the communications unit and oversee all non-football related communication strategies. Petit is also the primary communications contact for the men’s basketball program.

In addition to Pantages’ hiring, Mike Basford will continue to help guide the media relations efforts for the football program. Basford has been at Ohio State since 2013 and has worked with the football program for the last nine seasons. He’s been instrumental in working with the student-athletes, assistant coaches and head coach Ryan Day as well as all other facets of promoting the program.