Ohio State AD Gene Smith: I think Rutgers will bring a lot to the table

By Jack Crosby | Jul 26, 2014

Oct 6, 2012; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes athletic director Gene Smith on the sidelines prior to the game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports /

At the beginning of this month, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights officially became members of the Big Ten Conference. This upcoming football season will mark their first with the conference, and Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith seems pretty optimistic about having Rutgers as a member of his conference.

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In a recent interview with NJ.com, Smith spoke very highly of the New Jersey school, even going so far as to state that they bring a lot to the table with their arrival.

“There’s some long-term historic rivalries, like ours with that team up north, and then there’s those that emerge,” Smith told NJ.com’s Dan Duggan. “I think the Rutgers-Penn State one will probably elevate itself over time and it will be one of those contests that everybody will look forward to all the time. I think Rutgers will bring a lot to the table.”

And then of course, Smith also cited the market that Rutgers comes with. Something that is always pointed out when talking about the school.

“The East Coast, obviously from a market point of view, is huge for us,” Smith. “We have to have a presence on the East Coast and Penn State needed some partners on the East Coast. Rutgers does that.”

We should learn a lot this upcoming season about just how much they’re going to bring to the table, and see whether or not Smith is correct.

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