Why Pat Kraft makes sense

BC hired Temple Athletic Director Patrick Kraft as its new AD. Although the media floated Kraft early, the process was quiet. A discreet search is BC’s preference under normal circumstance. Running a search during Corona and national civil unrest allowed the whole process to fly under the radar even more so. The fact that this hire was so matter of fact and predictable might be just what BC needs. The school is trying to replace a shooting star in Jarmond and facing incredible uncertainty with the future of college sports and the future of the college model itself. A low risk, solid hire is probably the right move. And Kraft’s track record only speaks to what BC needs and should emphasize in the coming years.

He is a football guy. If it wasn’t clear before COVID, it is certainly clear now that College Football is the only sport that truly matters in college athletic. The sports is critical to the operations, fundraising and marketing of any school playing in a Power 5 conference. (If that is a even healthy is another discussion entirely.) BC has a new coach that needs the full support of the Athletic Department. He needs an AD who can get him every resource he needs, fight every political battle in the conference and at the school, and work with him on everything from scheduling to recruiting. Kraft -- a former Big Ten Football player -- has hands on experience and success doing just that at Temple. Temple’s ability to get better under Matt Rhule and then maintain that success under successive coaches is a great sign. Few ADs have done that anywhere.

He is a fundraiser. We are in the middle of an Athletic Department capital campaign. It will be up to Kraft to help BC exceed its goal and then work to determine how the funds will be allocated. One of the things that Jarmond understood and embraced was the need for the AD to be the face of the program to donors and to be aggressive with the asks. Sales and relationships are a huge portion of the job. Given his track record and what others are sharing, it seems Kraft understands this. His short stint at Loyola Chicago should also give him some insight into raising money at a private Jesuit school versus a big state school.

He needs to fix basketball. BC Basketball is an embarrassment. Everyone has an opinion on why or how we got here, but we can all agree the last decade has been a waste and it is time to fix it. The only person who might not realize how pathetic it has been might be Father Leahy. Although he is a football guy, Kraft is an Indiana grad and worked at Loyola Chicago and Temple. All of those places are “basketball schools.” He understands the importance of basketball and how it can drive plenty of the attention and goodwill that football brings. A change was coming before the sports world got turned upside down. Kraft brings a new set of eyes, a fresh start, no attachment to Jim Christian. He is a new voice to tell Father Leahy: “this needs to be fixed.”

Smoke signals on new AD

There is a rumor going around the BC Message boards that that new AD is Memphis' Tom Bowen. I have heard it will be offered to someone else. But the point of this post is that we are all waiting and it appears the decision is coming soon. This is what I do know:

-- The Parker group and the small team of BC people have completed their interviews and made a recommendation to Father Leahy.
-- While the leading candidate's name has been mentioned, most of the finalists have not been named publicly.
-- The decision is all Leahy's and no one knows which way it will go. There has been a lot of talk and speculation about Leahy's future (I've been part of the gossip too) but those closest to him during this process see no signs that he is nearing his own retirement. This is not a situation where he will hire an AD and then walk into the sunset. Father Leahy plans on working with this AD in the years to come.
-- Many of the leading candidates brought up BC's commitment to athletics. Not just the head coaching, but some of the smaller details that hamstring our players and coaches. If we hire someone who did not challenge BC's current approach, then we are in long-term trouble.

The timing remains weird. It would make sense for BC to announce this week, yet Holy Week shortens the work week at BC.

I can't report when this will all be over. Other than the details listed above, no one knows anything. It is all in Father Leahy's hands and he is not telling anyone.

BC explains its protest vote

The New York Times featured BC and Brad Bates in Monday's article on paying college athletes. As most inferred, Bates and Father Leahy knew the initiative would pass and felt they needed to send a message with their vote. I am all for being a contrarian, but I have a problem with how BC is playing this.

College athletics is headed down a path where things are going to become more professional and more commercial. It is only fair and probably in the best interest of the athletes. BC's leadership is smart. We know they see the big picture, hence the "We clearly wanted people to pause." Who does the "pausing" benefit? The current power brokers (i.e. schools, coaches, admins). It doesn't really benefit the athletes. The oncoming changes are disruptive but inevitable and trying to stop the inevitable is wasted energy.

Instead of trying to maintain the status quo even through protest votes, BC's leadership should decide where they want to be in the new world. It is not an easy decision, but coming up with real answers is more brave and shows more leadership than an "I told you so" vote among college administrators.

AD search nearing an end

Everyone is sort of throwing darts about BC's AD search (myself included), because the only people that truly know anything are Leo Sullivan and Father Leahy. Neither are talking to media about the process. That leaves us to piece things together by who they are talking to: the candidates themselves, select faculty and Athletic Department staff and BOT and Advisory Board members.

Sean Frazier publicly withdrawing his name was the first tell that things are getting close. At that point BC had narrowed its list and Frazier wasn't on it. I think his tweet was a way to save face publicly. I was told that BC had a list of three and felt fine telling the other candidates they were no longer in the running. But who were the remaining three? The names that kept popping up were Boo Corrigan, Mike Bobinski, and Brad Bates. BC felt confident (and so do most outside observers) that all three would accept the offer and there was no risk in letting other candidates know the process was over.

As for all the talk of weeks or advisers getting to meet the finalists, I think some of that has happened. And I also think BC does want to give the new AD time to evaluate football. But if it happens early next week or takes longer, BC doesn't feel like they have to meet anyone's timetable but our own.

As for the rumored finalists...I think Corrigan and Bobinski would be fine. Not thrilled with the idea of Bates. But I will explain when the smoke finally clears.

What the "Athletic Department background" aspect of the search tells us

We don't know who the new AD will be, but as I wrote yesterday, Leahy and Sullivan have made it pretty clear that it will be someone with experience in a college Athletic Department. Initially I hoped that BC would be more adventurous in their thinking, but understand why their path is taking them in this direction.

With Notre Dame coming into the ACC, the conference situation is secure. Notre Dame will also open up the media contract, but the ACC doesn't need a BC AD to negotiate or lead those deals. What we need now is a very good leader who can fix many of the problems facing BC athletics.

Many sports need new facilities, more attention from their high ranking AD officials and financial support. Leahy and Sullivan recognize this. By focusing on someone who has direct experience in a Athletic Department, they are shortening the adjustment period and learning curve. The new leader will still have to learn about BC, but not about how to run an Athletic Department nor navigate the NCAA's minefields. The new AD will be expected to make immediate impact, first in football and then throughout the department.

BC will also need a major athletic capital campaign, but that won't be approached in the first phase of the new AD's tenure. Leahy and Sullivan have made it clear there is immediate more work to be done repairing BC athletics.

Filling in the gaps around Blauds post on Sean Frazier

Early Wednesday Blauds posted an update predicting Sean Frazier would be BC's new Athletic Director. Of course he hedged his post with this quote at the end:

Which means that while I fully expect Sean Frazier to be the next BC AD, I will not be stunned if it is someone else.

I don't think Blauds knows for sure. From what I gather, the only people that truly know where BC is in the process are Father Leahy and Leo Sullivan. This is what I do know that Blauds either doesn't know or left out:

• BC has a Board of Trustees meeting on September 28
• Representatives of the Flynn Fund met with Sullivan and Leahy and both explained that they want a new AD in place soon, so that he or she can make a full evaluation of the football program. Even if someone is not named October 1, the process will not drag on much longer.
• Leahy and Sullivan also told the Flynn Fund that the new AD will be from the Athletic Department world and have football experience. We won't be following the recent steps of Michigan, Notre Dame and USC by hiring a high-profile alum that doesn't have hands on Athletic Department experience. 

I don't know if it will be Frazier. He seems like a fine candidate and I will write more on him if and when he gets the job. But I do agree with Blauds that this process will be over soon.

One more thing...this is Sean Frazier's profile picture on Twitter:

Addressing the Corrigan rumors

Sunday night Steve Lively sent out an email to the BC Football Alumni profiling Army AD Boo Corrigan and reporting a rumor he heard regarding Corrigan as a candidate for the BC job. I was copied, as was Brian. In the past few days that email has transferred to message boards saying Corrigan is our next AD. I think this is all premature. Corrigan may end up as the hire, but I don't believe BC has made a decision yet.

Leo Sullivan is still traveling and still seeking input and feedback from friends of the program and university. At this point I don't believe we have a set group of finalists. Father Leahy has also been very busy with the start of school. I don't believe he and Sullivan have gone from still screening candidates less than a week ago to making a final decision.

Lively was a vocal critic of Gene and is likely hearing a lot of gossip (just like many of us). I do think Gene's treatment of him and some of the football alumni did impact the forced resignation. However, I don't think Father Leahy nor Sullivan are going to tip their hand to him in return during this process.

Corrigan would be a solid, conservative replacement. If his candidacy does progress, I will dig deeper into his Pros and Cons. Until then, I think we just have to be patient.

Select Football Alumni send letter and survey to Board of Trustees

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