ASU Athletic Director Gene Smith formally announced Saturday he would leave his post at ASU to take the same job at Ohio State.
Smith, who has led the athletic department since 2000, will continue his duties at ASU until April 15, at which time he will become Ohio State's first black athletic director.
ASU President Michael Crow wasted little time in announcing the University's desire to replace Smith with a top-tier candidate.
"We are not going to dillydally. We will move immediately to find a new athletic director," Crow said at a press conference held at Wells Fargo Arena prior to Saturday's men's basketball game.
"[Smith] indicated to me that this was a life dream of his to be an athletic director at an institution with the heritage and tradition and success of the Ohio State athletic program," Crow added. "Gene is a man of high honor and high ability. He is one of the great athletic directors in the United States and I think he will do a great running that program."
Smith said Saturday at a separate press conference held in Columbus, Ohio, he was excited to have the opportunity and to return to work in his home state.
"These student-athletes are very special," Smith said. "Obviously, being from Ohio, I can't be more excited about coming home."
In addition to returning home, Smith's base salary will reportedly jump from $290,000 to $450,000 with incentives that could add up to $600,000.
Smith's contract is at least 60 percent higher than that of Ohio State's out-going athletic director Andy Geiger and figures to rank among the nation's top-five salaries for the position.
Smith's colleagues at ASU said he might be a tough act to follow.
"I wish him nothing but luck. It's a great opportunity for his family," said Mike Gallagher, chairman of the board of directors for the ASU Sun Angel Foundation.
"We want someone who can work well with the community," Gallagher said. "Gene has done a good job of bringing some discipline financially into the department and I think he has been a real asset all the way around."
Smith is the second consecutive athletic director to leave ASU for a higher profile position. In 2000, Kevin White left the University for the same spot at Notre Dame.
Crow, who said he had knowledge of the decision facing Smith since early last week, said there would not be an interim athletic director named in Smith's absence.
Senior Associate Athletic Director Don Bocchi said there was no immediate need for a replacement.
"We don't need anything for Monday morning or Tuesday morning," Bocchi said. "We, the people in the athletic department, know what our jobs are. In time there is going to be a voice because somebody has to be in charge, someone has to be responsible."
Crow said he does not want to limit the scope of the search to the status quo and will look both internally and externally for Smith's replacement.
"I am not interested in a manager as athletic director. I'm interested in a leader," he said.
Senior Associate Athletic Director Tom Collins, whose name has surfaced as a possible candidate for the position, said Smith's successor does not have to be an ASU alumnus.
"If you find someone who has been here and knows the tradition and history it can only help, but it is not the most important thing," Collins said.
With three of ASU's premier sports falling short of a new NCAA academic standard released last week, Crow said the school is looking for a replacement who is committed to academics.
"At least within this conference I want three schools uttered in the same syllable, Stanford, Berkley and ASU," Crow said. "I want the schools to operate at the same level athletically and to operate at the same level academically."
While ASU was left looking for answers this weekend, one Ohio State alumnus who graduated with Smith in 1973 from Chanel High School in Bedford, Ohio, said the Sun Devils' loss is the Buckeyes' gain.
Dave Vascek said he hasn't talked to Smith in years but has followed his career closely.
"You knew he was going to go places," Vascek said. "He was a hard worker and didn't climb on people's backs and you just knew good things were going to come his way and obviously they have."
Reach the reporter at mark.saxon@asu.edu.
ONLINE EDITOR'S NOTE: A portion of this story was erroneously omitted from the online version of this story and was restored March 10.
