Someone asked yesterday “what do you want from the new AD”

[ShadowTheHedgehog]

After thinking about it for a while, - and since I cannot find the original post - here is my list:

First of all, I don't care if the new AD is an Arkansas native or from anywhere else in the US, as long as he/she is the best person for the job.

The future AD should however, be very familiar with the peculiarities of being an AD for Arkansas. He/she should understand the culture, being at ease interacting with the highest boosters one day and  partaking in a raccoon supper in Gillette the next.

He/she should be highly non-political and ready to listen to the needs and wished of the liberal NWA as well as the conservative south.

This person should focus on building a program that goes above and beyond what we envision today. Understanding that we have severe recruitment challenges compared to other SEC schools and work at the system level to put in place 3-5 JUCO level football programs at that can act as "feeders" for the 4 year schools in the state.

Additionally, there is an obvious disconnect between the University at NWA and the rest of the state. I think that these JUCO programs as well as an emphasis in technology initiatives between the local 2-year colleges, local k-12, and the Flagship University would build better relationships and bridge the gap. This would be outside of the usual scope of the AD, but assisting in cultivating this inclusiveness could result in a revitalized fan base across the state, feeling of unity, and more in-state recruits staying in Arkansas.

At this point we need to discuss WMS. The reality is that WMS as it is today is a dump that hurts the program more than helps. It was not always so. A decision must be made. Either stop playing at WMS or renovate the station and schedule a low profile game and a high profile game there every year. Maybe a cupcake and TAMU. The novelty of playing at the NFL stadiums is over. Everyone is doing it. Why not play TAMU on a home turf every 2 years instead of always playing them in Texas?

He/she should understand that at the moment we cannot Out-Alabama Alabama. We need to hire a coach that runs a system that is effective with the talent pool that we usually recruit.

He/She should not be intimidated by the GOBN – but work with them to accomplish shared goals.

He/she should understand that the University has to be successful at all sports not just Football. As a visionary, this person should even look at eSports. Sorry to the older HV members but eSports is coming and in a decade or two it will probably be bigger business that Football. The least we can do is beat Alabama a few times in Candy Crush before they catch on.

Finally, this person should believe 100% in Arkansas. There is no reason why we should not be a top tier NCAA football and basketball school regardless of what the talking heads on ESPN/SEC Network, etc. are trying to sell you, they just want to keep the status quo. We need someone that breaks that status quo and works to get Arkansas back to national relevancy.

This should all be done with humility and integrity. This humility or humbleness should be inculcated at every level of our programs, in particular until we see better results. Bragging after winning a few SEC championships is one thing; being big mouthed when you have not won anything is just being a tool. Work hard, shut your mouth, and let the wins speak for themselves.


Well that is my list. What would you remove, change or add?