What’s it been like to return to your alma mater and serve in this job?
I love the opportunity. You come back with football, for a track and field guy is even better. I knew a lot about Ohio State’s tradition from a track and field standpoint and from the standpoint of someone who graduated from Ohio State. But actually working with the football team, that’s when you feel the true tradition of the Buckeyes and what they stand for. You see how important it is to so many millions of people.
Has your association with football changed your view of being a Buckeye?
It has enhanced my appreciation. Also coming in under the leadership of coach Tressel has given me a different motivation and commitment. I have been challenging myself a lot with key principles of life.
You said when you were hired that you couldn’t wait to run out of the tunnel for the first time for a football game. What were you feeling when you got your chance?
Man, you know, I remember we were playing Miami and I was trying to figure it out—what to look for, where to stand. I knew I didn’t want to be in front of coach Tressel, because it is tradition for him to be first. But I was very close to running right next to him. It was definitely a thrill and a very positive experience. I couldn’t ask for a better experience coming back to Ohio State than that right there. I have to say my most touching and exciting moment was beating Michigan at Michigan. I was more excited then than when I was winning gold medals. It was such a good feeling because it was a great team achievement.
What are you most proud of in your own athletic career?
There are two races that were really satisfying. One when I broke a world record running on the Jesse Owens track inside the Horseshoe. That was one of the best moments of my life. Then breaking a 20-year-old world record—that was definitely a moment in time I will never forget.
You participated in three Olympiads. What was that experience like?
You know, the winter Olympics and the summer Olympics have one big common denominator to me—patriotism. Forget the politics, the racism, and all that other stuff. Something that stands out to me, someone who’s been on the negative side with the Olympic committee and on the positive side, is the patriotism the Olympics can bring out.
What was your most memorable Olympic moment?
One would think it was winning the medals. But in 1996 I came back from a lot of adversity. I mean, you name it—losing everything, divorce, accusations—to come back after all of that and make the Olympic team in 1996 was a statement to myself that I can live on. The opening ceremonies were special. Seeing Muhammed Ali light that torch brought everything together. He stood for some things, I stood for some things. We are two of the few athletes to ever appear before the Supreme Court, and it meant something to me to see him there. To have those parallels and knowing that he fought through things and came back to get to that point and light the torch, that gave me a lot of hope there. That’s an experience I treasure as I get older.
How have you coped with adversity, whether it was in your personal, competitive or professional life?
I think that faith is a very important component. Faith brings people to you. People like Archie Griffin, Alex Shumate, Greg Lashutka, just to name a few. Those are people who had a profound impact on me and provided me with great direction at a difficult time in my life. Those are knowledgeable and educated people. From one perspective, I was very lucky. You have to take something positive from adversity and I did. One thing I found out is I had some really good friends. I think adversity made Butch a better person.
What’s it been like working with Jim Tressel?
It’s made me more focused. I didn’t know I could even get more focused than winning gold medals and setting world records, but after being here with Tressel, you find ways to improve.
It sounds like people in your extended Buckeye family have been very helpful to you in your life. What does that mean to you?
That’s why The Ohio State University is a great place. This place has many opportunities to move ahead in life. Having those people, and now having people look up to me like I looked up to people before me is a plus.
What do you think you have brought to the football program?
I asked coach Tressel before my first interview, “What do you want me to talk about?” He said you are here for two reasons—speed and relationships. What I feel I bring is good speed training, but relationships go a little bit deeper. I like talking to young athletes who are looking to get to the next level. I can let them know, from my experiences, the positive and negative side of that because I’ve experienced both. The media builds you up, and I’ve seen the same media take you down. Someone like myself can stay in these athletes’ ears, tell them how to be positive, how to weather the storms, and keep focused. When you do that, you don’t waste time. When you get mad and lose focus, you waste time. I do what I can to help them keep their eyes open and keep them moving ahead.
On staff here you specialize in nutrition as well as speed training. How difficult is it to keep a college student on a good nutritional plan?
It is a challenge. What I’ve said is if they can drink a gallon of water a day and stay away from fried foods, I’m happy. As a team we have some guys who are very good and some guys who are very bad. When you have 107 guys, you just want to find a happy medium. For the most part we’ve done a good job about it.
What are the keys to improving your speed?
I’m a big proponent of form and technique. Form and technique will keep you fast and safe. These guys here, they come in as 18-, 19-year-old young men. Then by 20 and 22, they are men. You have more power at that time. My job is to make sure that power is balanced. Make sure that power is forward. Make sure they are focused, so the speed can come from that. With bad form and technique, you have no speed. And if you do have speed with bad form and technique, look how blessed you are.
Who is the fastest player on the team?
Oh, Teddy [Ginn] is, by far. Teddy could have been in the Olympics in 2004 but he chose to come here. If we would have started training, I could have got him on that 4-by-4(00) relay team for sure (in 2004).
Can you beat him in a footrace?
Oh, no. No, no, no. I’ll say “no” real fast—that way I don’t have to even try.