Last week, it was announced by men’s basketball head coach Jake Diebler that William Buford would be returning to Ohio State as a program assistant. Buford becomes the latest former Buckeye to return to Columbus after their playing days were over. Already on the men’s basketball staff was Terence Dials, who holds the position of recruiting coordinator.
The basketball program will try to channel some of the positive results the football program has seen by adding alumni to the coaching staff. Mike
Vrabel, Brian Hartline, and James Laurinaitis are just a few examples of former Buckeye players who have found success as Ohio State assistants. Vrabel recently led the New England Patriots to a Super Bowl appearance, Hartline is now the head coach at South Florida, and Laurinaitis has made a massive impact as linebackers coach.
With the news of Buford’s hiring, along with how well other former Buckeyes have fared as assistants in the past when they have returned to the program, today we want to know which former Ohio State player you’d like to see return as an assistant. Your choice doesn’t have to be limited to football or basketball, since there are a bunch of other Buckeye sports that have had players go on to have a successful career in the professional ranks. The experience and knowledge those players could teach current or future Buckeyes would go a long way in helping not only their personal skill sets, but also would help the team.
Today’s question: Which former Ohio State player would you like to see return as an assistant?
We’d love to hear your choices. Either respond to us on Twitter at @Landgrant33 or leave your choice in the comments.
Brett’s answer: Nick Swisher, Baseball
When asked to name the most famous Ohio State baseball player, the name you’ll often get is Nick Swisher, and that’s not just because his name is on the field at Bill Davis Stadium. After three seasons as a Buckeye, where he was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2000, followed by Big Ten honors the next two seasons, Swisher was selected in the first round of the 2002 MLB Amateur Draft by the Oakland Athletics. Swisher would go on to hit 245 home runs in his career, was a part of the New York Yankees team that won the World Series in 2009, and was named an All-Star in 2010.
The Ohio State baseball team made big strides in 2026, posting a 30-25 record after going just 13-37 in 2025. The program looks to be headed in the right direction, with head coach Justin Haire just finishing up his second season as head coach. With a young coach who hasn’t taken long to improve the baseball program, Swisher wouldn’t have to come in and be the head man at Ohio State, which could help lure him back to Columbus. Swisher currently has a number of irons in the fire with the Yankees, not only taking on some duties with CBS and Peacock, but he is also a Special Advisor to the New York Yankees General Manager.
Even though Swisher’s time with the team could be limited because of his other duties, it doesn’t mean he wouldn’t have a massive impact. The enthusiasm Swisher brings would be infectious and would only help the confidence of an Ohio State team that feels like it is headed in the right direction under Haire. Plus, players would definitely listen to someone who was a first-round pick, hit nearly 250 home runs, and went on to win a World Series after leaving Ohio State.
There are times when the baseball program gets lost in the shuffle in Columbus. After the football and basketball seasons are over, there are times when people check out on the spring sports, especially when they aren’t very competitive. Just the news of adding Swisher as some sort of assistant, even in a limited role, would inject some energy into the program. How fun would it be for a team Swisher is part of to celebrate wins on a field his name is on? It wouldn’t get much cooler than that.
Matt’s answer: Natalie Spooner, women’s hockey
There are very few things that Ohio State women’s hockey still needs. Under Nadine Muzerall, the Buckeyes have become a national power, a championship machine, and, at worst, one of the two best programs in college hockey. The only real question left is whether Ohio State can consistently push past Wisconsin and become the unquestioned No. 1 program in the sport.
So, how do you improve a machine that is already this finely tuned? You add someone who has lived at the absolute top of the sport. That is why Natalie Spooner would be such a fascinating addition to the Ohio State coaching staff.
Spooner is not some distant alum whose playing career exists only in record books and grainy highlight packages. She is still very much an active player, currently with the PWHL’s Toronto Sceptres, and she earned her fourth Olympic medal earlier this year for Team Canada. She also won PWHL MVP honors in 2024, when she led the league with 20 goals and 27 points in 24 games. So, clearly, she would carry a ton of cache with current players.
Ohio State already recruits like a powerhouse, develops like a monster, and sends players into the professional and international game like a marquee program. In May, six Buckeyes declared for the 2026 PWHL Draft, further illustrating that Columbus is already a pipeline to the next level.
But Spooner would give the Buckeyes something even sharper: a living, breathing bridge between where the program is and where every elite recruit wants to go.
Wisconsin’s advantage has always been history, pedigree, and the feeling that women’s college hockey royalty lives in Madison. Ohio State has spent the last several years proving that the present belongs in Columbus. Adding Spooner would help sell the future, too.
Spooner would bring the kind of offensive clarity that great players make look simple. She has long been known as a powerful, direct forward who can create offense through strength, speed, and an almost stubborn willingness to get to dangerous areas.
Her ability to communicate these types of skills and qualities to the younger Buckeyes would be invaluable. Hers is the type of game that translates beautifully to coaching because it is not built solely on flash, but on repeatable habits: body positioning, puck protection, timing, anticipation, and competitive edge.
For an Ohio State team that already has elite talent, Spooner’s value would be in sharpening the details that separate championship-caliber players from professional-ready ones. She could help Buckeye forwards understand how to turn possession into pressure, pressure into high-danger chances, and high-danger chances into the kind of ruthless finishing that wins games against Wisconsin in March.
Now, of course, you would have to contend with her playing schedule, but even as an offseason advisor while she continues her on-ice career, she would be a boon for the program, and then Muzerall could welcome her on board full-time when she eventually hangs up the skates.
