ESPN.com's Brian Bennett wrote before Purdue AD Morgan Burke "rides into the sunset," he might "have one more major issue to deal with: the state of the football program." Burke "acknowledges that the lack of success in football 'has put an awful lot of pressure' on the entire athletic department." But he "remains confident that good times are around the bend." Burke said, "It will be kind of fun to see whether I'm right or if some of the pundits are right, but I'm confident in (coach Darrell Hazell)." Bennett noted if that is the case, Burke "might not be alone in making the call on the football coaching situation." Burke: "I'm big on succession plans. If we could get somebody in early, that person certainly could take the lever and I'd be there to support them in any way I can" (ESPN.com, 3/2).
OFFICIALLY UNOFFICIAL: In Connecticut, Neill Ostrout noted as one of the "afterthoughts from the aftershocks of conference realignment," UConn "wants a new home." As much as UConn has "established itself in the American Athletic Conference over the last three years, it obviously would love for the likes of the ACC, the Big Ten or the Big 12 to come calling and provide a significant new revenue stream." While getting UConn into a Power Five conference "is not in" new AD David Benedict's job description, "unofficially, it's what UConn fans and most of the men and women who were part of the search committee that hired him hope he’s able to do" (JOURNALINQUIRER.com, 3/2).
STARK VEGAS: In Jackson, Michael Bonner notes Mississippi State AD Scott Stricklin yesterday received the '15-16 Under Armour AD of the Year Award from NACDA. Stricklin will "officially receive the honor on June 15 at NACDA's 51st Annual Convention in Dallas." Stricklin is the first MSU AD to "receive the honor" and one of five among SEC ADs who "have been a recipient in the award’s 17-year history." Stricklin was one of four selected at the FBS level this year, joining Iowa's Gary Barta, Northwestern's Jim Phillips and San Diego State's Jim Sterk (Jackson CLARION-LEDGER, 3/3).
