By Mitch Sherman and Cameron Teague-Robinson
Ohio State appointed Ted Carter as its 17th president on Tuesday. Carter, the University of Nebraska system president of the past three years, will shift on Jan. 1, 2024, from one high-profile position in the Big Ten to another. Here’s what you need to know:
- The move, made official at a meeting of the Ohio State Board of Trustees, came as a surprise to Nebraska as Carter, 63, had grown entrenched in the state after his time in office began on Jan. 1, 2020.
- Carter’s involvement in athletics has been significant. As system president, he oversees four campuses, but the Nebraska Board of Regents in June voted to provide direct oversight for Carter of sports on the flagship Lincoln campus.
- On July 1, he took over for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln chancellor as the school’s representative on the Big Ten Council of Presidents and Chancellors. Nebraska athletic director Trev Alberts reports directly to Carter.
What does this mean for Nebraska athletics?
It’s a major loss. Carter, the former superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy, commanded respect at the NCAA and conference levels. His position of leadership at Nebraska also helped to calm the waters amid a coaching change in football last year. Carter played a key role in Alberts’ recruitment of football coach Matt Rhule. Rhule, Alberts and Carter created a unified front at Nebraska, set now to undergo change at the top.
In this time of instability in college athletics, Carter’s direction and experience will be missed. — Sherman
Ted Carter was instrumental in recruiting Matt Rhule to Nebraska and has served for the past several weeks on the Big Ten COP/C after the university shifted its power structure in order for Carter to provide direct oversight of athletics in Lincoln. https://t.co/3I4HYPQtSt
— Mitch Sherman (@mitchsherman) August 22, 2023
What does this mean for Ohio State athletics?
Now that Ohio State has its president, the next priority is finding an athletic director to replace Gene Smith, who is set to retire in June. Carter brings a deep background not only with experience as a university president but with his knowledge of the Big Ten and the intricacies of an athletic department. At Nebraska, Carter was put in charge as “policy director and oversight” for the athletic department and worked closely with Alberts.
It’s unknown yet if Carter will lean to hire somebody from the Smith-tree like Martin Jarmond or go his own route, but his knowledge of the Big Ten is positive for an athletic department that is looking for its next leader. — Teague-Robinson
Required reading
(Photo of Ted Carter and his wife, Lynda: Steven Branscombe / Getty Images)
