Ohio State sports information director Jerry Emig will retire after the 2025 season, the school has announced.
Emig, 64, has been the primary spokesman for the Buckeyes football program since 2011. He served in a similar capacity in 1998 and ’99. In all, Emig has worked for OSU for 23 years.
“When you get into your 60s, you realize, or at least I did, that life is short,” Emig told The Dispatch. “There are things I want to do. Nothing crazy, but there are things I want to do. I feel great, and I’m thrilled about the 33-year career I had in sports information.”
Ohio State also announced the retirement of senior deputy director of athletics Janine Oman. She oversees OSU’s lacrosse and volleyball programs, as well as women’s soccer, women’s ice hockey and rowing.
Emig will retire at the end of February 2026. Emig is regarded as one of the premier SIDs in college football, handling one of the largest beats in American sports at any level. In 2017, Ohio State’s football sports information staff received the Super 11 Award from the Football Writers Association of America for SID excellence.
“He is a great man,” former OSU football coach Urban Meyer said. “I love the guy. He was great to work with and I’ll always appreciate the behind-the-scenes effort he gave to myself, our staff, and most importantly, our players.”
In a statement, athletic director Ross Bjork said, “As the leader of our communications team, Jerry has been a consistent and passionate advocate for our student-athletes, ensuring their stories are shared with authenticity and pride. His dedication to preserving and promoting the history of Buckeye athletics is truly commendable.”
A Minnesota native, Emig graduated from Murray State in Kentucky before beginning his SID career at Southern Illinois-Carbondale for three years. He spent six years at Temple University in Philadelphia before coming to Ohio State in 2007. Emig worked at a private public relations firm for seven years before returning to OSU.
Emig and his wife, Jody, have three children – daughter Shelby and sons Roman and A.J.
“I thank her for support all these years,” Emig said of Jody. “She has been a terrific wife and mother, and this wouldn’t have happened without her.”
Ohio State has been among college football’s elite during Emig’s time as SID. He listed as highlights the win over Alabama on the way to the 2014 College Football Playoff championship, last year’s playoff run to the national title, the win over Clemson in the 2019 CFP, as well as having five Heisman Trophy finalists and numerous All-Americans.
“We have worked together to try to make our very competitive, very populated environment as professional as possible for our players and coaches and also for (the media),” Emig said. “That’s been rewarding.”
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Ohio State football beat writer Bill Rabinowitz can be reached at brabinowitz@dispatch.com or on bluesky at billrabinowitz@bsky.social.
