In Austin, Kirk Bohls noted Texas "hasn’t begun its search for a full-time" AD yet, but one candidate "could be" former Astros President of Business Operations Reid Ryan, who played baseball at UT. Ryan has the "common-sense approach and solid reputation to merit a look." A source said that his three-year contract with the Astros "technically expired in May" (MYSTATESMAN.com, 8/9).
MORE MONEY, NO PROBLEM: In Atlanta, Ken Sugiura notes outgoing Georgia Tech AD Mike Bobinski yesterday in an interview with WCNN-AM "explained that he believed that the Purdue job gave him the best opportunity to be impactful." Sugiura notes 12 of the 14 Big Ten schools "will reportedly receive" $44.5M in '17-18. That is compared to $22.5M that Tech "received in ACC distributions" for '15-16. Bobinski: "Resources will be available to do things that you need to get done." Bobinski "acknowledged later in the interview the challenge that Tech’s limited resources have placed on his plans." Sugiura notes Bobinski "didn't disagree" with Tech football coach Paul Johnson's assertion that the school "was 'way behind' other ACC schools with its facilities" (AJC.com, 8/11).
FIVE SPOT: In Athens, Jason Arkley notes Ohio Univ. has given a "five-year contract extension" to AD Jim Schaus, whose current deal runs through June 30, 2021. Schaus has "been on the job for a little over eight years," and during his tenure, the athletic department has "hit most benchmarks." Academics have "risen to strong standards," while the department has "met a revenue-expense operating budget (balanced) for eight straight years." Capital improvements also have come through "stronger fundraising" (ATHENS MESSENGER, 8/11).
SWANN DIVE: New USC AD Lynn Swann in a Q&A with the L.A. TIMES' Zach Helfand said of his lack of experience within an athletic department, "Do I think it's the only route to the job? Obviously not. I'm here." He said, "I have a long-term goal to look at the possibilities of creating a sports curriculum. ... We have some pieces to it that exist. ... But I'd like to see what we could do that would make it better.” He added, "There's all kinds of careers you can have in sports. And so a sports-centric degree curriculum would encompass all of those kinds of things." As for current issues facing college sports, Swann said, "For most of the issues it's going to be me doing a little bit of homework and coming up to speed on it. I'm probably not going to give you any of the specifics in terms of what I know or what I think at this particular time because I'm just getting started" (L.A. TIMES, 8/10).
