The Univ. of Michigan Friday afternoon will announce the resignation of AD Dave Brandon, who "will not return next school year," according to a source cited by Brett McMurphy of ESPN.com. Brandon has been "at the center of controversy all season, including the football program's mishandling of quarterback Shane Morris' head injury and issues with students' ticket prices" (ESPN.com, 10/31). In Detroit, Angelique Chengelis reports Brandon, whose contract had been extended through June '18, "is not expected to attend the news conference." An interim AD "is expected to be named." It has been a "downward spiral for Brandon since the mishandling" of Morris' injury and the "subsequent public relations gaffes." Pressure on Brandon "became more intense this week" after UM blob MGoBlog.com "published email exchanges between Brandon and Michigan fans" that contains a "common dismissive tone in the responses" (DETROITNEWS.com, 10/31). Also in Detroit, Jesse & Snyder report it appears Brandon "has lost the support of major donors" in recent days. Dolphins Owner Stephen Ross, the "biggest donor to the athletic department, appeared to backtrack on previous comments supporting Brandon." UM President Mark Schlissel earlier this month said that he "was taking a deliberative approach to evaluating the athletic department and Brandon" (FREEP.com, 10/31).
JUST NOT A GOOD FIT: ESPN’s McMurphy notes there were a "lot of reasons why Dave Brandon's future wasn't to belong at Michigan." He had made it "more of a corporate approach at the school," including an attempt to institute shooting off fireworks at UM football games that was voted down last summer by the UM Board of Regents. He also "raised a lot of issues when he moved the student seating" and later "raised ticket prices." McMurphy: "Ultimately it just wasn't a good fit. He was trying to make it too corporate and Michigan just didn't like the way that he went about his ways" ("SportsCenter," ESPN, 10/31). Big Ten Network’s Gerry DiNardo noted the job of UM AD "has changed now through the years." DiNardo: "Has it changed enough that Michigan still is a great job? ... I think it would cause people pause to say this is a great job or this is as great a job in football as it used to be, and that impacts the AD search. The AD who is hired at Michigan has to get football going” (Big Ten Network, 10/31).
