Posted July 2, Monday - 6:31 p.m.
Based off information and from what the latest I am hearing I think this is getting to the point where it is done. I did have a source I trust tell me they believe the final interview stages are done. Another told me they think the leading candidate is someone who hasn't been mentioned on any list by any outlet covering the search.
I'm still going off my list and have changed it somewhat based on how everything could play out.
I feel confident that Dr. Girod has not offered the job to any candidate.
IN THE MIX
Jeff Long- The former AD at Arkansas and was the head of the college football selection committee. Although Long hired Brett Bielema and it didn't work out, it was one of the biggest steals in the last five years of college football. In 2015 Long was voted the AD of the Year. Before that he was the AD at Pitt and also spent time as the associate AD at Oklahoma.
Terry Mohajir- Mohajir was at Kansas before his stop at Arkansas State. He has been at Arkansas State for five years. He played football at Arkansas State. Shortly after that he took a job on Glen Mason's staff at Kansas for four years. He has overseen several projects at Arkansas State including a Student Activity Center and is fund-raising for a football facility. He is from Overland Park and attended Shawnee Mission South. He holds a degree from KU.
Tom Burman- Wyoming. Burman has been the AD at Wyoming for 12 years and has guided the Cowboys athletics to a lot of success in winning, fund-raising, and academics. Football season ticket season sales are at an all-time high. Several sports have had winning seasons. Fund-raising is at an all-time high. They are currently constructing a new athletics facility for all students to train in. One source said Burman will be on the firm Korn Ferry’s list and has been interviewed by them in the past. Burman’s only knock is no experience at the Power Five level as an associate AD.
Jim Schaus- AD at Ohio. Schaus has a strong track record at Ohio from fund-raising to success in ticket sales to winning teams. One person told me he was in the final two as Purdue's AD. They have had record ticket sales and student attendance is up 68% at all sporting events since 2011. He hired Turgeon and Marshall at Wichita State before taking Ohio job. He's on the NCAA selection committee. His father was the former head coach of the Lakers, West Virginia, and Purdue. Also served as AD at Purdue.
Jeremy Foley- The former AD at Florida was one of the most powerful and highest-paid in the country. He was known best for hiring Urban Meyer and Billy Donovan. He also hired Becky Burleigh who won a national title in soccer and Tim Walton who won a national title in softball. But he also had hires that didn’t work out. Florida had one of the nation’s highest graduation rates at 93% under Foley. Although recently retired Foley is well-connected in the industry and hasn’t shut the door on working again.
ON ORIGINAL LIST BUT NOT IN MIX
Rick Hart- Current AD at SMU. In the last five years SMU has enjoyed success with several sports. They have built new tennis, swimming, and golf facilities and are currently building a new 67,000 square foot indoor facility. It will be accessible to all athletes and also have a banquet area and recruiting area. Hart was the AD at Tenn-Chattanooga and before that an associate AD at Oklahoma. His father, Dave, was the former AD at Tennessee.
Danny White- Central Florida. White has been a full-time AD for six years spending three are Buffalo and three at Central Florida. His hire of Scott Frost obviously played out to be a home run. Before Central Florida he spent time at Ole Miss, Fresno State, and different MAC schools. One source that follows White said it would have to be the perfect fit for him to leave because he and his wife love the area. But he makes $600,000 and someone could easily top that pay at the Power Five level. The one concern will be he has only made one proven hire and is still fairly inexperienced compared to some resumes.
Ross Bjork- The current AD at Ole Miss and spent time at Missouri, Miami, UCLA and others. Bjork was born in Dodge City and played football at Emporia State. He just went through the turmoil in the athletic department and got through it. He didn't hire Hugh Freeze at Ole Miss. Some believe Bjork would like to get back to the midwest if the chance ever came up. Someone told me today he was on the top three list at Nebraska.
Posted June 29, Friday- 6:44 p.m.
I got word that Korn-Ferry the search firm helping in the KU search is in full force at NACDA. Not sure what that means though because someone who has attended the meeting for several years said it is very common for all of the key search firms are always there.
A couple of names that you can cross off (unless something crazy changes). Both happen to be natives of Dodge City, KS.
Travis Goff, the deputy AD at Northwestern, told someone he was never contacted for the KU opening and has never been a candidate. I know Goff's name has circulated around the rumor mill a lot the last week.
Russ Bjork told a source at the NACDA convention he was never in it because he is happy as an AS at Ole Miss. I don't have any word whether he was contacted or not.
One other piece of info from NACDA is someone told me they heard Mike Bohn had been at some time on a long list and could be somewhere in the mix. But this is nothing more than a rumor. Bohn graduated from KU where he played basketball and football. He was the AD at Colorado and currently is at Cincinnati. He also spent time at San Diego State and Idaho.
Just as I hitting the submit button someone sent me this. Looks like Danny White is off the list.
And for what it is worth, no Doug Girod sighting in D.C. at the convention
Posted June 28, Thursday- 2:42 p.m.
One thing to keep a close eye on is the NACDA convention this week and weekend that started this morning. I have talked to a couple people in the college administration industry who said if you want to catch most of the top ADs and associate ADs in one place that is where you do it.
It is scheduled to last through Sunday but I hear most people leave on Saturday.
One person also told me it is where all of the top search firms are to meet candidates for current and future jobs. There are search firms who use the convention to get to know candidates so when they are hired to find a new AD they already have some people in mind.
I know some people in attendance but haven't anything of concrete news.
There have been some whispers over the last 48 hours than one name believed to be involved at least in the final stages is Rick Hart from SMU. But nobody close to Hart can confirm any of that. I spoke with one person who told me Hart has a daughter attending high school in Dallas and a son at SMU. He said for Hart to leave right now it would have to be a dream job or ideal situation.
If I hear anything of substance or from someone I believe, I will come back and report it in this thread.
Posted June 25, Monday- 9:41 p.m.
Today was a busy day for everyone from Doug Girod to Bill Self to the Williams Fund people. They started with a golf event in Hutch and then headed to Salina for an event.
At the event in Salina according to people in attendance, Girod told the crowd they expect to have an AD named in the next two weeks.
So that means that the search firm Korn Ferry's work is probably coming to an end. It is their job to move about the country and filter through candidates based off what they are told to look for.
At some point Korn Ferry will turn over a set amount of names (usually 2-3) and then Girod and the people he chooses to be involved will choose an AD.
At this point nothing is new in terms of specific names. There has been a rumor circulating that KU has their guy wrapped up. After what Girod said tonight that is bad info that the search is basically over.
Korn Ferry will be very tight-lipped and by reporting to Girod he has been able to keep the information inside with no leaks.
I have added the current list of names to follow that have been mentioned to me by people in the college industry:
Rick Hart- Current AD at SMU. In the last five years SMU has enjoyed success with several sports. They have built new tennis, swimming, and golf facilities and are currently building a new 67,000 square foot indoor facility. It will be accessible to all athletes and also have a banquet area and recruiting area. Hart was the AD at Tenn-Chattanooga and before that an associate AD at Oklahoma. His father, Dave, was the former AD at Tennessee.
Jeremy Foley- The former AD at Florida was one of the most powerful and highest-paid in the country. He was known best for hiring Urban Meyer and Billy Donovan. He also hired Becky Burleigh who won a national title in soccer and Tim Walton who won a national title in softball. But he also had hires that didn’t work out. Florida had one of the nation’s highest graduation rates at 93% under Foley. Although recently retired Foley is well-connected in the industry and hasn’t shut the door on working again.
Jeff Long- The former AD at Arkansas and was the head of the college football selection committee. Although Long hired Brett Bielema and it didn't work out, it was one of the biggest steals in the last five years of college football. In 2015 Long was voted the AD of the Year. Before that he was the AD at Pitt and also spent time as the associate AD at Oklahoma.
Danny White- Central Florida. White has been a full-time AD for six years spending three are Buffalo and three at Central Florida. His hire of Scott Frost obviously played out to be a home run. Before Central Florida he spent time at Ole Miss, Fresno State, and different MAC schools. One source that follows White said it would have to be the perfect fit for him to leave because he and his wife love the area. But he makes $600,000 and someone could easily top that pay at the Power Five level. The one concern will be he has only made one proven hire and is still fairly inexperienced compared to some resumes.
Tom Burman- Wyoming. Burman has been the AD at Wyoming for 12 years and has guided the Cowboys athletics to a lot of success in winning, fund-raising, and academics. Football season ticket season sales are at an all-time high. Several sports have had winning seasons. Fund-raising is at an all-time high. They are currently constructing a new athletics facility for all students to train in. One source said Burman will be on the firm Korn Ferry’s list and has been interviewed by them in the past. Burman’s only knock is no experience at the Power Five level as an associate AD.
Jim Schaus- AD at Ohio. Schaus has a strong track record at Ohio from fund-raising to success in ticket sales to winning teams. One person told me he was in the final two as Purdue's AD. They have had record ticket sales and student attendance is up 68% at all sporting events since 2011. He hired Turgeon and Marshall at Wichita State before taking Ohio job. He's on the NCAA selection committee. His father was the former head coach of the Lakers, West Virginia, and Purdue. Also served as AD at Purdue.
Ross Bjork- The current AD at Ole Miss and spent time at Missouri, Miami, UCLA and others. Bjork was born in Dodge City and played football at Emporia State. He just went through the turmoil in the athletic department and got through it. He didn't hire Hugh Freeze at Ole Miss. Some believe Bjork would like to get back to the midwest if the chance ever came up. Someone told me today he was on the top three list at Nebraska.
Terry Mohajir- Mohajir was at Kansas before his stop at Arkansas State. He has been at Arkansas State for five years. He played football at Arkansas State. Shortly after that he took a job on Glen Mason's staff at Kansas for four years. He has overseen several projects at Arkansas State including a Student Activity Center and is fund-raising for a football facility. He is from Overland Park and attended Shawnee Mission South. He holds a degree from KU.
Posted June 21, Thursday- 8:58 a.m.
Not that there is any accuracy to what I heard but it was interesting yesterday I had people reach out to me to give me two names to check on. I really can't verify if the info is true or even close to accurate.
One person told me Tom Jurich. The former AD at Louisville who has been cleared of all wrong-doing and in the mix for the AD job at South Florida. Was widely considered the best AD and highest-paid in the country.
The other was Robb Heineman the former CEO of Sprting KC and founder of Fan 360.
Those are what I would consider out of the box names but have some nice resumes. I'm just passing these names along so you can see how information flows. Heck these guys might not have ever heard from KU and may not ever be interested in the job.
Posted June 20, Wednesday- 10:23 a.m.
As I have said I am sticking to my story that this process is moving along faster than expected. In the beginning stages I know for a fact the timetable was having a person in place by July 31.
I still think they could be a month ahead of that.
I believe the search has been narrowed down to three people. Right now I can't confirm any of the three as a fact. I am hearing rumors and I really don't want to speculate on something that I can't confirm in detail.
But I feel strongly they have zeroed in on a few names. I do believe that one or two of them are on the list that have been updated below.
What I can't figure out is how the final process will work. I don't know if the final candidates will be flown into Lawrence and interviewed or the small group of KU people in charge will meet them somewhere. If they are brought to Lawrence I am confident we will know who they are.
One person I heard last week was contacted and talked to the reps from KU is Jeff Long, the former AD at Arkansas. This person said Long would take the job if offered but I believe there might be a candidate in front of him. I feel strongly Long is in the mix.
Also don't believe that there is no interest from ADs or successful business people. I have been told there are a lot of people that have shown interest in the position.
I also believe there is a candidate out there that has not been mentioned by any media following the search. I have a contact who is involved in the college sports administration business and he was told by someone who works with search firms that there is interest from sitting Power Five ADs. The person said the group at Korn Ferry is well known for keeping all information confidential and no leaks. And that is very important for a sitting AD to know there will be that secrecy.
Posted June 18, Monday- 11:08 a.m.
On the list below I have added Rick Hart from SMU to the potential names in the mix. I heard Hart's name early in the process then again late last week.
The one conflicting thing I am getting is time frame. I heard the goal is July 31 to have someone in place but also getting the feel they are further along in the process and there is belief it could still be before July 1.
On the last list I took off Jeff Long from Arkansas based off what I was hearing. I heard some rumblings over the weekend that I may add him back, but want to do some more checking.
So there is a candidate I have a connection to who wants to be in the mix. He told a person I know he thinks KU has already narrowed their list down to a small group. Small enough they could start conducting final interviews soon.
This person said he was contacted by the search firm but nothing more after that. This person who is a sitting AD believes there are sitting ADs at good schools who are interested. But due to strict anonymity guidelines their names have not made any lists.
Posted June 6, Wednesday- 9:05 a.m. (List updated June 18th)
There is a good chance things could be moving along faster than the late July time period some have talked about.
I want to reiterate that info I have heard has not come from anyone inside KU or the people handling the search. This comes from those tied into college administration and close to the business.
The word on the street is the final group of candidates could be narrowed down to a certain number (likely two or three) at sometime in late June.
This isn’t like a coaching search where you have school representatives flying around meeting with candidates in secret. The search firm will likely handle all of that and then recommend a group of people be brought onto campus.
One source told me this is a great time to be conducting an AD search. As I mentioned below it isn’t like a normal coaching search. Current sitting ADs don’t want their name to be mentioned as they are trying to raise money and keep good relationship with donors. That’s why AD searches are much more under the radar than a coaching search.
But conducting the search in the summer allows an AD to interview or be involved without as many people around them with school out. A candidate could easily take a few days off during the summer and use that to meet with a search firm in a different city.
One other thing to watch is a candidate that doesn’t have any athletic director experience. For example a name mentioned to me last week was Dave Dillon, who conducted the search to find KU’s last chancellor in Doug Girod. But I have confirmed Dillon isn’t interested in the job.
The other thing that won’t play a factor in the search is ties to Kansas or the area. They are going for the best candidate and if that individual has never lived in the Midwest it won’t be a factor.
A few changes to the list originally posted and all current names listed together below from previous lists…..
Rick Hart- Current AD at SMU. In the last five years SMU has enjoyed success with several sports. They have built new tennis, swimming, and golf facilities and are currently building a new 67,000 square foot indoor facility. It will be accessible to all athletes and also have a banquet area and recruiting area. Hart was the AD at Tenn-Chattanooga and before that an associate AD at Oklahoma. His father, Dave, was the former AD at Tennessee.
Jeremy Foley- The former AD at Florida was one of the most powerful and highest-paid in the country. He was known best for hiring Urban Meyer and Billy Donovan. He also hired Becky Burleigh who won a national title in soccer and Tim Walton who won a national title in softball. But he also had hires that didn’t work out. Florida had one of the nation’s highest graduation rates at 93% under Foley. Although recently retired Foley is well-connected in the industry and hasn’t shut the door on working again.
Danny White- Central Florida. White has been a full-time AD for six years spending three are Buffalo and three at Central Florida. His hire of Scott Frost obviously played out to be a home run. Before Central Florida he spent time at Ole Miss, Fresno State, and different MAC schools. One source that follows White said it would have to be the perfect fit for him to leave because he and his wife love the area. But he makes $600,000 and someone could easily top that pay at the Power Five level. The one concern will be he has only made one proven hire and is still fairly inexperienced compared to some resumes.
Tom Burman- Wyoming. Burman has been the AD at Wyoming for 12 years and has guided the Cowboys athletics to a lot of success in winning, fund-raising, and academics. Football season ticket season sales are at an all-time high. Several sports have had winning seasons. Fund-raising is at an all-time high. They are currently constructing a new athletics facility for all students to train in. One source said Burman will be on the firm Korn Ferry’s list and has been interviewed by them in the past. Burman’s only knock is no experience at the Power Five level as an associate AD.
Jeff Long- The former AD at Arkansas and was the head of the college football selection committee. Although Long hired Brett Bielema and it didn't work out, it was one of the biggest steals in the last five years of college football. In 2015 Long was voted the AD of the Year. Before that he was the AD at Pitt and also spent time as the associate AD at Oklahoma.
Jim Schaus- AD at Ohio. Schaus has a strong track record at Ohio from fund-raising to success in ticket sales to winning teams. One person told me he was in the final two as Purdue's AD. They have had record ticket sales and student attendance is up 68% at all sporting events since 2011. He hired Turgeon and Marshall at Wichita State before taking Ohio job. He's on the NCAA selection committee. His father was the former head coach of the Lakers, West Virginia, and Purdue. Also served as AD at Purdue.
Ross Bjork- The current AD at Ole Miss and spent time at Missouri, Miami, UCLA and others. Bjork was born in Dodge City and played football at Emporia State. He just went through the turmoil in the athletic department and got through it. He didn't hire Hugh Freeze at Ole Miss. Some believe Bjork would like to get back to the midwest if the chance ever came up. Someone told me today he was on the top three list at Nebraska.
Terry Mohajir- Mohajir was at Kansas before his stop at Arkansas State. He has been at Arkansas State for five years. He played football at Arkansas State. Shortly after that he took a job on Glen Mason's staff at Kansas for four years. He has overseen several projects at Arkansas State including a Student Activity Center and is fund-raising for a football facility. He is from Overland Park and attended Shawnee Mission South. He holds a degree from KU.
-------------------
I had a conversation with someone this morning who is currently in administration at a Power Five school. He told me one thing that could make the Kansas job more attractive than some is the fact that there is one major project to be built and really that's about it.
He said one thing that drives potential candidates away is going to a place where you are told a lot of fund-raising and multiple projects will need to be started and finished. Because without knowing what you are getting into some don't like the thought of the unknown when it comes to several new projects.
This person said the fact that new facilities have been built or are already under way in most every non revenue sport will be a big attraction. He is up on the building that Kansas has done from Rock Chalk Park the tennis and golf and I told him the funding is already in place to start the volleyball arena.
He said that is one thing that would make the job more coveted by a proven AD knowing they don't have to spend a lot of attention upgrading facilities.
That is something I never really thought of. The person I talked to won't be a candidate for the KU job.
--------------------
After making a lot of phone calls today and digging up info here are realistic names I think could be in the mix along the way for the AD job.
Now, let me remind you, when searches like an AD are going on they are way different than a football coach. They seek much more anonymity because of the nature of their job. Since they are directly tied to boosters and raising money they are very careful about protecting their names. If you have ever noticed a lot of AD searches stay very quiet and the final candidate(s) are at the very end of the search.
----------------------
Based off information and from what the latest I am hearing I think this is getting to the point where it is done. I did have a source I trust tell me they believe the final interview stages are done. Another told me they think the leading candidate is someone who hasn't been mentioned on any list by any outlet covering the search.
I'm still going off my list and have changed it somewhat based on how everything could play out.
I feel confident that Dr. Girod has not offered the job to any candidate.
IN THE MIX
Jeff Long- The former AD at Arkansas and was the head of the college football selection committee. Although Long hired Brett Bielema and it didn't work out, it was one of the biggest steals in the last five years of college football. In 2015 Long was voted the AD of the Year. Before that he was the AD at Pitt and also spent time as the associate AD at Oklahoma.
Terry Mohajir- Mohajir was at Kansas before his stop at Arkansas State. He has been at Arkansas State for five years. He played football at Arkansas State. Shortly after that he took a job on Glen Mason's staff at Kansas for four years. He has overseen several projects at Arkansas State including a Student Activity Center and is fund-raising for a football facility. He is from Overland Park and attended Shawnee Mission South. He holds a degree from KU.
Tom Burman- Wyoming. Burman has been the AD at Wyoming for 12 years and has guided the Cowboys athletics to a lot of success in winning, fund-raising, and academics. Football season ticket season sales are at an all-time high. Several sports have had winning seasons. Fund-raising is at an all-time high. They are currently constructing a new athletics facility for all students to train in. One source said Burman will be on the firm Korn Ferry’s list and has been interviewed by them in the past. Burman’s only knock is no experience at the Power Five level as an associate AD.
Jim Schaus- AD at Ohio. Schaus has a strong track record at Ohio from fund-raising to success in ticket sales to winning teams. One person told me he was in the final two as Purdue's AD. They have had record ticket sales and student attendance is up 68% at all sporting events since 2011. He hired Turgeon and Marshall at Wichita State before taking Ohio job. He's on the NCAA selection committee. His father was the former head coach of the Lakers, West Virginia, and Purdue. Also served as AD at Purdue.
Jeremy Foley- The former AD at Florida was one of the most powerful and highest-paid in the country. He was known best for hiring Urban Meyer and Billy Donovan. He also hired Becky Burleigh who won a national title in soccer and Tim Walton who won a national title in softball. But he also had hires that didn’t work out. Florida had one of the nation’s highest graduation rates at 93% under Foley. Although recently retired Foley is well-connected in the industry and hasn’t shut the door on working again.
ON ORIGINAL LIST BUT NOT IN MIX
Rick Hart- Current AD at SMU. In the last five years SMU has enjoyed success with several sports. They have built new tennis, swimming, and golf facilities and are currently building a new 67,000 square foot indoor facility. It will be accessible to all athletes and also have a banquet area and recruiting area. Hart was the AD at Tenn-Chattanooga and before that an associate AD at Oklahoma. His father, Dave, was the former AD at Tennessee.
Danny White- Central Florida. White has been a full-time AD for six years spending three are Buffalo and three at Central Florida. His hire of Scott Frost obviously played out to be a home run. Before Central Florida he spent time at Ole Miss, Fresno State, and different MAC schools. One source that follows White said it would have to be the perfect fit for him to leave because he and his wife love the area. But he makes $600,000 and someone could easily top that pay at the Power Five level. The one concern will be he has only made one proven hire and is still fairly inexperienced compared to some resumes.
Ross Bjork- The current AD at Ole Miss and spent time at Missouri, Miami, UCLA and others. Bjork was born in Dodge City and played football at Emporia State. He just went through the turmoil in the athletic department and got through it. He didn't hire Hugh Freeze at Ole Miss. Some believe Bjork would like to get back to the midwest if the chance ever came up. Someone told me today he was on the top three list at Nebraska.
Posted June 29, Friday- 6:44 p.m.
I got word that Korn-Ferry the search firm helping in the KU search is in full force at NACDA. Not sure what that means though because someone who has attended the meeting for several years said it is very common for all of the key search firms are always there.
A couple of names that you can cross off (unless something crazy changes). Both happen to be natives of Dodge City, KS.
Travis Goff, the deputy AD at Northwestern, told someone he was never contacted for the KU opening and has never been a candidate. I know Goff's name has circulated around the rumor mill a lot the last week.
Russ Bjork told a source at the NACDA convention he was never in it because he is happy as an AS at Ole Miss. I don't have any word whether he was contacted or not.
One other piece of info from NACDA is someone told me they heard Mike Bohn had been at some time on a long list and could be somewhere in the mix. But this is nothing more than a rumor. Bohn graduated from KU where he played basketball and football. He was the AD at Colorado and currently is at Cincinnati. He also spent time at San Diego State and Idaho.
Just as I hitting the submit button someone sent me this. Looks like Danny White is off the list.
And for what it is worth, no Doug Girod sighting in D.C. at the convention
Posted June 28, Thursday- 2:42 p.m.
One thing to keep a close eye on is the NACDA convention this week and weekend that started this morning. I have talked to a couple people in the college administration industry who said if you want to catch most of the top ADs and associate ADs in one place that is where you do it.
It is scheduled to last through Sunday but I hear most people leave on Saturday.
One person also told me it is where all of the top search firms are to meet candidates for current and future jobs. There are search firms who use the convention to get to know candidates so when they are hired to find a new AD they already have some people in mind.
I know some people in attendance but haven't anything of concrete news.
There have been some whispers over the last 48 hours than one name believed to be involved at least in the final stages is Rick Hart from SMU. But nobody close to Hart can confirm any of that. I spoke with one person who told me Hart has a daughter attending high school in Dallas and a son at SMU. He said for Hart to leave right now it would have to be a dream job or ideal situation.
If I hear anything of substance or from someone I believe, I will come back and report it in this thread.
Posted June 25, Monday- 9:41 p.m.
Today was a busy day for everyone from Doug Girod to Bill Self to the Williams Fund people. They started with a golf event in Hutch and then headed to Salina for an event.
At the event in Salina according to people in attendance, Girod told the crowd they expect to have an AD named in the next two weeks.
So that means that the search firm Korn Ferry's work is probably coming to an end. It is their job to move about the country and filter through candidates based off what they are told to look for.
At some point Korn Ferry will turn over a set amount of names (usually 2-3) and then Girod and the people he chooses to be involved will choose an AD.
At this point nothing is new in terms of specific names. There has been a rumor circulating that KU has their guy wrapped up. After what Girod said tonight that is bad info that the search is basically over.
Korn Ferry will be very tight-lipped and by reporting to Girod he has been able to keep the information inside with no leaks.
I have added the current list of names to follow that have been mentioned to me by people in the college industry:
Rick Hart- Current AD at SMU. In the last five years SMU has enjoyed success with several sports. They have built new tennis, swimming, and golf facilities and are currently building a new 67,000 square foot indoor facility. It will be accessible to all athletes and also have a banquet area and recruiting area. Hart was the AD at Tenn-Chattanooga and before that an associate AD at Oklahoma. His father, Dave, was the former AD at Tennessee.
Jeremy Foley- The former AD at Florida was one of the most powerful and highest-paid in the country. He was known best for hiring Urban Meyer and Billy Donovan. He also hired Becky Burleigh who won a national title in soccer and Tim Walton who won a national title in softball. But he also had hires that didn’t work out. Florida had one of the nation’s highest graduation rates at 93% under Foley. Although recently retired Foley is well-connected in the industry and hasn’t shut the door on working again.
Jeff Long- The former AD at Arkansas and was the head of the college football selection committee. Although Long hired Brett Bielema and it didn't work out, it was one of the biggest steals in the last five years of college football. In 2015 Long was voted the AD of the Year. Before that he was the AD at Pitt and also spent time as the associate AD at Oklahoma.
Danny White- Central Florida. White has been a full-time AD for six years spending three are Buffalo and three at Central Florida. His hire of Scott Frost obviously played out to be a home run. Before Central Florida he spent time at Ole Miss, Fresno State, and different MAC schools. One source that follows White said it would have to be the perfect fit for him to leave because he and his wife love the area. But he makes $600,000 and someone could easily top that pay at the Power Five level. The one concern will be he has only made one proven hire and is still fairly inexperienced compared to some resumes.
Tom Burman- Wyoming. Burman has been the AD at Wyoming for 12 years and has guided the Cowboys athletics to a lot of success in winning, fund-raising, and academics. Football season ticket season sales are at an all-time high. Several sports have had winning seasons. Fund-raising is at an all-time high. They are currently constructing a new athletics facility for all students to train in. One source said Burman will be on the firm Korn Ferry’s list and has been interviewed by them in the past. Burman’s only knock is no experience at the Power Five level as an associate AD.
Jim Schaus- AD at Ohio. Schaus has a strong track record at Ohio from fund-raising to success in ticket sales to winning teams. One person told me he was in the final two as Purdue's AD. They have had record ticket sales and student attendance is up 68% at all sporting events since 2011. He hired Turgeon and Marshall at Wichita State before taking Ohio job. He's on the NCAA selection committee. His father was the former head coach of the Lakers, West Virginia, and Purdue. Also served as AD at Purdue.
Ross Bjork- The current AD at Ole Miss and spent time at Missouri, Miami, UCLA and others. Bjork was born in Dodge City and played football at Emporia State. He just went through the turmoil in the athletic department and got through it. He didn't hire Hugh Freeze at Ole Miss. Some believe Bjork would like to get back to the midwest if the chance ever came up. Someone told me today he was on the top three list at Nebraska.
Terry Mohajir- Mohajir was at Kansas before his stop at Arkansas State. He has been at Arkansas State for five years. He played football at Arkansas State. Shortly after that he took a job on Glen Mason's staff at Kansas for four years. He has overseen several projects at Arkansas State including a Student Activity Center and is fund-raising for a football facility. He is from Overland Park and attended Shawnee Mission South. He holds a degree from KU.
Posted June 21, Thursday- 8:58 a.m.
Not that there is any accuracy to what I heard but it was interesting yesterday I had people reach out to me to give me two names to check on. I really can't verify if the info is true or even close to accurate.
One person told me Tom Jurich. The former AD at Louisville who has been cleared of all wrong-doing and in the mix for the AD job at South Florida. Was widely considered the best AD and highest-paid in the country.
The other was Robb Heineman the former CEO of Sprting KC and founder of Fan 360.
Those are what I would consider out of the box names but have some nice resumes. I'm just passing these names along so you can see how information flows. Heck these guys might not have ever heard from KU and may not ever be interested in the job.
Posted June 20, Wednesday- 10:23 a.m.
As I have said I am sticking to my story that this process is moving along faster than expected. In the beginning stages I know for a fact the timetable was having a person in place by July 31.
I still think they could be a month ahead of that.
I believe the search has been narrowed down to three people. Right now I can't confirm any of the three as a fact. I am hearing rumors and I really don't want to speculate on something that I can't confirm in detail.
But I feel strongly they have zeroed in on a few names. I do believe that one or two of them are on the list that have been updated below.
What I can't figure out is how the final process will work. I don't know if the final candidates will be flown into Lawrence and interviewed or the small group of KU people in charge will meet them somewhere. If they are brought to Lawrence I am confident we will know who they are.
One person I heard last week was contacted and talked to the reps from KU is Jeff Long, the former AD at Arkansas. This person said Long would take the job if offered but I believe there might be a candidate in front of him. I feel strongly Long is in the mix.
Also don't believe that there is no interest from ADs or successful business people. I have been told there are a lot of people that have shown interest in the position.
I also believe there is a candidate out there that has not been mentioned by any media following the search. I have a contact who is involved in the college sports administration business and he was told by someone who works with search firms that there is interest from sitting Power Five ADs. The person said the group at Korn Ferry is well known for keeping all information confidential and no leaks. And that is very important for a sitting AD to know there will be that secrecy.
Posted June 18, Monday- 11:08 a.m.
On the list below I have added Rick Hart from SMU to the potential names in the mix. I heard Hart's name early in the process then again late last week.
The one conflicting thing I am getting is time frame. I heard the goal is July 31 to have someone in place but also getting the feel they are further along in the process and there is belief it could still be before July 1.
On the last list I took off Jeff Long from Arkansas based off what I was hearing. I heard some rumblings over the weekend that I may add him back, but want to do some more checking.
So there is a candidate I have a connection to who wants to be in the mix. He told a person I know he thinks KU has already narrowed their list down to a small group. Small enough they could start conducting final interviews soon.
This person said he was contacted by the search firm but nothing more after that. This person who is a sitting AD believes there are sitting ADs at good schools who are interested. But due to strict anonymity guidelines their names have not made any lists.
Posted June 6, Wednesday- 9:05 a.m. (List updated June 18th)
There is a good chance things could be moving along faster than the late July time period some have talked about.
I want to reiterate that info I have heard has not come from anyone inside KU or the people handling the search. This comes from those tied into college administration and close to the business.
The word on the street is the final group of candidates could be narrowed down to a certain number (likely two or three) at sometime in late June.
This isn’t like a coaching search where you have school representatives flying around meeting with candidates in secret. The search firm will likely handle all of that and then recommend a group of people be brought onto campus.
One source told me this is a great time to be conducting an AD search. As I mentioned below it isn’t like a normal coaching search. Current sitting ADs don’t want their name to be mentioned as they are trying to raise money and keep good relationship with donors. That’s why AD searches are much more under the radar than a coaching search.
But conducting the search in the summer allows an AD to interview or be involved without as many people around them with school out. A candidate could easily take a few days off during the summer and use that to meet with a search firm in a different city.
One other thing to watch is a candidate that doesn’t have any athletic director experience. For example a name mentioned to me last week was Dave Dillon, who conducted the search to find KU’s last chancellor in Doug Girod. But I have confirmed Dillon isn’t interested in the job.
The other thing that won’t play a factor in the search is ties to Kansas or the area. They are going for the best candidate and if that individual has never lived in the Midwest it won’t be a factor.
A few changes to the list originally posted and all current names listed together below from previous lists…..
Rick Hart- Current AD at SMU. In the last five years SMU has enjoyed success with several sports. They have built new tennis, swimming, and golf facilities and are currently building a new 67,000 square foot indoor facility. It will be accessible to all athletes and also have a banquet area and recruiting area. Hart was the AD at Tenn-Chattanooga and before that an associate AD at Oklahoma. His father, Dave, was the former AD at Tennessee.
Jeremy Foley- The former AD at Florida was one of the most powerful and highest-paid in the country. He was known best for hiring Urban Meyer and Billy Donovan. He also hired Becky Burleigh who won a national title in soccer and Tim Walton who won a national title in softball. But he also had hires that didn’t work out. Florida had one of the nation’s highest graduation rates at 93% under Foley. Although recently retired Foley is well-connected in the industry and hasn’t shut the door on working again.
Danny White- Central Florida. White has been a full-time AD for six years spending three are Buffalo and three at Central Florida. His hire of Scott Frost obviously played out to be a home run. Before Central Florida he spent time at Ole Miss, Fresno State, and different MAC schools. One source that follows White said it would have to be the perfect fit for him to leave because he and his wife love the area. But he makes $600,000 and someone could easily top that pay at the Power Five level. The one concern will be he has only made one proven hire and is still fairly inexperienced compared to some resumes.
Tom Burman- Wyoming. Burman has been the AD at Wyoming for 12 years and has guided the Cowboys athletics to a lot of success in winning, fund-raising, and academics. Football season ticket season sales are at an all-time high. Several sports have had winning seasons. Fund-raising is at an all-time high. They are currently constructing a new athletics facility for all students to train in. One source said Burman will be on the firm Korn Ferry’s list and has been interviewed by them in the past. Burman’s only knock is no experience at the Power Five level as an associate AD.
Jeff Long- The former AD at Arkansas and was the head of the college football selection committee. Although Long hired Brett Bielema and it didn't work out, it was one of the biggest steals in the last five years of college football. In 2015 Long was voted the AD of the Year. Before that he was the AD at Pitt and also spent time as the associate AD at Oklahoma.
Jim Schaus- AD at Ohio. Schaus has a strong track record at Ohio from fund-raising to success in ticket sales to winning teams. One person told me he was in the final two as Purdue's AD. They have had record ticket sales and student attendance is up 68% at all sporting events since 2011. He hired Turgeon and Marshall at Wichita State before taking Ohio job. He's on the NCAA selection committee. His father was the former head coach of the Lakers, West Virginia, and Purdue. Also served as AD at Purdue.
Ross Bjork- The current AD at Ole Miss and spent time at Missouri, Miami, UCLA and others. Bjork was born in Dodge City and played football at Emporia State. He just went through the turmoil in the athletic department and got through it. He didn't hire Hugh Freeze at Ole Miss. Some believe Bjork would like to get back to the midwest if the chance ever came up. Someone told me today he was on the top three list at Nebraska.
Terry Mohajir- Mohajir was at Kansas before his stop at Arkansas State. He has been at Arkansas State for five years. He played football at Arkansas State. Shortly after that he took a job on Glen Mason's staff at Kansas for four years. He has overseen several projects at Arkansas State including a Student Activity Center and is fund-raising for a football facility. He is from Overland Park and attended Shawnee Mission South. He holds a degree from KU.
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I had a conversation with someone this morning who is currently in administration at a Power Five school. He told me one thing that could make the Kansas job more attractive than some is the fact that there is one major project to be built and really that's about it.
He said one thing that drives potential candidates away is going to a place where you are told a lot of fund-raising and multiple projects will need to be started and finished. Because without knowing what you are getting into some don't like the thought of the unknown when it comes to several new projects.
This person said the fact that new facilities have been built or are already under way in most every non revenue sport will be a big attraction. He is up on the building that Kansas has done from Rock Chalk Park the tennis and golf and I told him the funding is already in place to start the volleyball arena.
He said that is one thing that would make the job more coveted by a proven AD knowing they don't have to spend a lot of attention upgrading facilities.
That is something I never really thought of. The person I talked to won't be a candidate for the KU job.
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After making a lot of phone calls today and digging up info here are realistic names I think could be in the mix along the way for the AD job.
Now, let me remind you, when searches like an AD are going on they are way different than a football coach. They seek much more anonymity because of the nature of their job. Since they are directly tied to boosters and raising money they are very careful about protecting their names. If you have ever noticed a lot of AD searches stay very quiet and the final candidate(s) are at the very end of the search.
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