Baseball: Mosiello To Bring Emotion And Energy As Ohio State’s Head Coach

It took two minutes for Bill Mosiello to break down during his first press conference as Ohio State baseball’s newest head coach. His passion for the sport is evident. His love for family is even greater. Mosiello brings 36 years of coaching experience to Columbus, and he’s ready to put Buckeye baseball back on the map.

Ohio State associate athletic director Shaun Richard led the coaching search after the athletic department parted ways with 12-year head coach Greg Beals following a 21-30 season. Richard identified Mosiello, who had spent the last nine years at Texas Christian. He had stints with seven different Power Five schools and was part of 16 NCAA Tournament teams and five College World Series squads.

“We set out to find an unbelievable leader,” Richard said. “We wanted someone who could elevate the sleeping giant. That’s what I heard from every single phone call throughout this process. We wanted someone who could use the national brand of Ohio State to recruit nationally but also not forget about the state of Ohio.”

Richard said Mosiello met with 30 different Ohio State representatives during the interview process. He applauded the group’s efforts, believing they helped find the candidate that would turn the program around. Mosiello thanked them, too.

“They picked a guy who has gone through a lot of things and likes hard,” Mosiello said. “It’s not lost on me how important this is and the opportunity I have. The brand here is really special.”

Mosiello knows the power of Ohio State’s brand more than anyone else. A native of Cerritos, Calif., in Los Angeles County, Mosiello grew up a fan of Big Red Machine — a nickname for the Cincinnati Reds baseball team that dominated the National League from 1970-79. He was equally a fan of the Buckeye football teams, headlined by two-time Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin.

“For some reason, I grew up in southern California, but Ohio State was my football team,” Mosiello said. “I know the reason with Archie Griffin and all these great players and watching them. For some reason, this (Ohio State) is the place I liked.”

Mosiello said it’s no coincidence that he ended up here. Since those childhood moments watching Griffin and the Buckeyes on national television and locally at the Rose Bowl, he always wanted his career to take him to Columbus, where he could be a part of something special in the scarlet and gray.

“I’m faith-driven, and God has been amazing,” Mosiello said. “He likes to humble me. In my mind, He believed Ohio State was the place. I always wanted this job or that job, but He would say, ‘Nope, one day I’ve got a place for you. It will happen on my time and not your time. One day, I will find a great place that needs you, has great kids and a great tradition.

“All the things started working out, and I had a chance to get this job. I believe this was the plan for me — this was the spot.”

Mosiello’s first challenge as head coach will be to win now. That was something he addressed during his nearly 30-minute opening statement. Mosiello believes there is an incorrect coaching ideology where a program leader can only win games with “their guys.” While he will take recruiting seriously in the following months, Mosiello believes he can win with the current roster and return the Buckeyes to the top of the Big Ten and a CWS contender sooner rather than later.

When asked what it would take for Ohio State to reach that level, especially considering the northern climate, Mosiello had a straightforward answer.

“It’s super simple — play good baseball. I don’t think it matters where you are in the country. We’ll deal with it one day at a time and play baseball.

“We’re going to talk about Omaha. We’re going to have a couple of pictures in (the locker room). We have to start dreaming from the first doggone day. If we don’t play good baseball, that’s a joke to think about Omaha. Part of the Big Ten and the allure to me is that nobody has sustained success.”

Mosiello wants to create a foundation with the current roster and build with future classes, leading to consistent success in the conference and national landscapes. He said that his staff is in place, but he awaits approval from the Ohio State Board of Trustees before he can take them on recruiting trips.

While Mosiello will seek guidance from his coaching staff daily in recruiting and during practices and games, his most crucial partner will be his wife, Janelle, whom he married 28 years ago. They have three sons: Shane, Gehrig and Helton. Helton attended the press conference last week, while his older sons will stay in Texas and work there.

“Janelle has been with me through the tough times and many great times as well,” Mosiello said. “I could have never done it without you, Janelle. What a special lady.

“It takes an absolute rock star and the greatest woman in the world, raising three kids and me making every move I’ve made, and I have to go recruit, and she takes care of everything else. She got a nursing degree while she had three kids, and I was out with professional baseball. Do you want to talk about a superstar? Man.”