Ohio State’s Sam Petitto Departs Buckeyes for LSU to Lead Tigers’ Scouting and Personnel Strategy as Top Evaluator

In a significant shift within the college football personnel landscape, Ohio State assistant athletic director of player personnel Sam Petitto is set to leave the Buckeyes to join the LSU Tigers as their new director of scouting and personnel strategy. The move not only reflects the fierce competition behind the scenes of college football recruiting but also highlights the growing importance of experienced talent evaluators in shaping national championship contenders.

Petitto, long respected for his sharp eye for talent and detail-driven recruiting evaluations, played a critical role in helping Ohio State maintain its standing as a top-5 recruiting program over the past several seasons. Now, he takes his expertise to Baton Rouge, where LSU head coach Brian Kelly and general manager Derek Ponamsky are revamping the Tigers’ off-field infrastructure with an eye toward returning to the College Football Playoff.

The hiring of Petitto by LSU comes at a time when recruiting has never been more competitive, nuanced, and fast-paced. With the rise of the transfer portal, NIL negotiations, and ever-evolving scouting technology, programs are seeking experienced decision-makers who not only understand the traditional high school pipeline but also how to leverage modern evaluation techniques. Petitto is exactly that kind of figure.

His move is particularly noteworthy due to the ongoing arms race between LSU and Ohio State in recruiting. Both programs consistently pursue elite-level prospects, and the addition of a former Buckeye insider gives LSU valuable insight into Ohio State’s evaluation frameworks, strategic tendencies, and national recruiting philosophies. While Petitto won’t be directly involved in coaching, his influence behind the scenes is expected to ripple through LSU’s recruiting efforts.

Sam Petitto’s football career spans over two decades and includes various stops across the South, including a previous stint at LSU under Les Miles, where he worked in player personnel from 2007 to 2011. Since then, he’s built a reputation as one of the most trusted minds in talent identification, having served in critical evaluation and recruiting support roles at programs like Georgia and Alabama before landing at Ohio State.

During his time in Columbus, Petitto was instrumental in the identification and onboarding of key recruits, including several five-star players who would go on to be early NFL Draft picks. His meticulous approach to scouting, emphasis on character evaluations, and collaboration with coaching staffs on roster balance made him one of the most valued voices in the Woody Hayes Athletic Center.

Petitto’s work also included managing the Buckeyes’ national recruiting board, working closely with high school coaches, and helping oversee Ohio State’s recruiting camps and on-campus visits. Former Buckeye players and staff often cited his professionalism, consistency, and attention to detail as vital assets in keeping the program running at an elite level.

Now at LSU, Petitto is expected to work alongside the Tigers’ current player personnel department, bringing in a fresh structure for evaluating high school prospects, transfer portal players, and junior college talent. More importantly, his new role—director of scouting and personnel strategy—is a position custom-built to match his expertise. The title suggests a broader, more visionary set of responsibilities than he had at Ohio State, and signals LSU’s intent to lead the next evolution of football evaluation infrastructure.

Sources inside LSU’s football program say the hire is part of a larger effort to modernize scouting with an analytics-meets-football mindset. Petitto will be charged with overseeing the Tigers’ internal grading systems, building collaborative pipelines with area scouts, and integrating film-based evaluation with live-scouting feedback and data modeling. LSU hopes this model will streamline their talent acquisition efforts and give them a strategic edge in one of the nation’s most competitive regions.

For Ohio State, losing Petitto is no small blow, but the Buckeyes remain well-stocked in terms of off-field support. Still, Ryan Day and his staff now face the critical task of filling one of their most important backroom positions in a recruiting environment that demands continuity and trust. The personnel department at Ohio State is among the most respected in the nation, but replacing someone with Petitto’s experience, institutional knowledge, and network will take careful consideration.

In a statement released by LSU, athletic director Scott Woodward welcomed Petitto back to Baton Rouge:
“We are thrilled to bring Sam back to LSU. His reputation across college football speaks for itself. We’re building something special here under Coach Kelly, and Sam’s ability to evaluate talent and structure personnel strategy is going to be a cornerstone of our future success.”

Petitto, for his part, expressed gratitude toward Ohio State and excitement for what lies ahead:
“My time in Columbus has been an incredible journey. I want to thank Coach Day and the entire Buckeye family for believing in me. The relationships I’ve built here will stay with me forever. But returning to LSU and stepping into a strategic role that pushes the envelope in scouting is an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. There’s a shared vision here about building a sustainable model for excellence, and I’m proud to be part of it.”

The move could also have ripple effects on recruiting targets, especially in areas where LSU and Ohio State are direct competitors. Petitto’s longstanding relationships with high school coaches in Louisiana, Georgia, and Florida make him a valuable asset as LSU attempts to fend off SEC and national challengers for top-tier talent. His previous success at identifying developmental prospects and securing early commitments could prove instrumental as LSU builds future classes.

In the world of college football, where star power often shines brightest on the sidelines or on Saturdays, it’s often the behind-the-scenes architects like Sam Petitto who shape the foundations of championship-caliber programs. This move underscores how seriously LSU is taking that reality—and how far the program is willing to go to invest in a winning future.

With the Tigers aiming to reload quickly and return to SEC dominance, Petitto’s addition is both timely and strategic. It gives Brian Kelly a trusted football mind capable of aligning evaluation with vision. And in a world where program success hinges not just on who you recruit but how you evaluate, LSU may have just secured one of the top assets in college football’s evolving personnel game.