Boston College on Thursday hired 37-year-old Martin Jarmond as its next AD, making him the youngest AD at a Power Five school and the "first African-American" to hold the position in the school's history, according to Julian Benbow of the BOSTON GLOBE. Jarmond, formerly Deputy AD and Chief of Staff at Ohio State, will replace Brad Bates, who announced in February he would be "stepping down after four-plus years to transition to a career as a consultant." BC will "introduce Jarmond at a news conference on Monday." Jarmond spent nine years in the athletic department of Ohio State and "built a reputation for being a strong fund-raiser." Prior to Ohio State, Jarmond spent six years working in Michigan State’s athletic department. BC chose Jarmond for the position after an "eight-week search" led by Parker Executive Search. Though BC football coach Steve Addazio has never met Jarmond, he said that he "received ringing endorsements." Addazio: "He’s coming out of a program that I’m very close to and with an AD that’s really one of the best in the business. He’s been around some of my very closest friends in football" (BOSTON GLOBE, 4/21). Jarmond was honored Thursday as part of this year's SBJ/SBD "Forty Under 40" class (THE DAILY).
A NEW ERA: In Boston, Rich Thompson notes Jarmond "inherits a program that has been noncompetitive in the ACC in the marquee sports" (BOSTON HERALD, 4/21). In North Carolina, Sammy Batten notes Jarmond attended UNC Wilmington, where he "made the basketball squad as a walk on." He went on to "become a two-time captain" for the team, even though he "was never a starter" (FAYETTEVILLE OBSERVER, 4/21). YAHOO SPORTS' Michael Sullivan noted Jarmond has been in "charge of football scheduling, and served on several executive councils both within Ohio State and nationally, such as the Rose Bowl Advisory Committee and the College Football Playoff Committee." Sullivan: "This has the potential to be the most electric hire in the history of the program." Jarmond is "widely considered one of the best young athletics administrators in the business." He helps to "break down some of BC's reputation for racial bias." BC still "lacks any head coaches of color, not to mention not a single football assistant." One of the concerns surrounding Jarmond is that he "has no experience in hiring, but this is a myth." Sullivan noted Jarmond come into a "great position in terms of facilities" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 4/20).
