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#10: Check out Virginia Tech's new chair back seats in the $1M makeover of Cassell Coliseum, as well as a new hoops floor design featuring iconic buildings on the Blacksburg campus. (link)
#9: On leave AD Jurich gets another round of support, this time in a published letter signed by notable donors Patterson & Lynn, as well as the widow of boxing great Muhammad Ali, who point to Jurich's highly-successful 20-year run building the Cardinals. The trio also says Jurich "took the necessary measures to ensure integrity of the Adidas deal," a topic noted in Interim Prez Postel's letter to Jurich when placing him on leave. (link); Speaking of letters, here's the one Acting AD Tyra delivered to former MBB AC Fair in breaking ties. (link)
#8: As the Virginia AD search grinds on, The Roanoke Times' Doughty notes the possible involvement of two administrators with Notre Dame ties: UCF AD White & Army West Point boss Corrigan. Another passage of interest from Doughty: "Another name mentioned in connection with the Virginia job that came open with Craig Littlepage’s retirement is Carla Williams, the deputy athletic director at Georgia, where she played on the women’s basketball team from 1985-89." (link)
#7: A full-page ad in the Omaha World-Herald, purchased by the "Committee to Thank Shawn Eichorst," rattles off a long list of accomplishments the former Nebraska AD achieved during his stay in Lincoln. 1) Worked Relentlessly to Build Competitive & Successful Teams; 2) Restored Husker Tradition, Honored Legends; 3) Academic Excellence, Increased Resources & Services for All Student-Athletes; 4) Improved Facilities, Husker Fan Game Day Experience & Grew Attendance; 5) Unprecedented Financial Growth & Stability; 6) Insisted on High Ethical Standards & Integrity; and, 7) Nationally Respected Leader. Each section comes with a thorough review, also, "...we owe Shawn and his family appreciation for a job well done and we wish him every future success." (link)
#6: USA Today's Wolken mentions Arkansas AD Long, Iowa State boss Pollard & Oregon's Mullens as those connected to the Huskers' opening. (link - scroll down)
#5: OregonLive.com's Canzano publishes text messages sent to him by former Oregon State FB HC Andersen that provide a window into how the Beavers' boss felt about his program as the season progressed. Pretty eye-opening read as Andersen expected to make a bowl game, continually noting the pressure he was placing on his staff given on-field performance, his willingness to "grind" & build a winner the fans deserved. In one text, Andersen specifically pointed to his buyout parameters, "I have them by the (expletive) for every penny, no buyout for the next four not counting this year... but that's not my style!! If it does not improve I will do some crazy (expletive) with my salary so I can pay the right coaches the right money!!" An OSU staffer to Canzano: "Most unique man in college football." More. (link)
#4: Florida AD Stricklin is pressing the gas. Instead of a renovation to Baseball's McKethan Stadium, a brand new facility is in the works to the tune of $45.9M. Timeline looks like an August of 2018 start, with completion by December of 2019. The footprint for the venue could include where a stand-alone FB building was thought to be going, so more news must be coming from Gainesville. (link); Here's a draft of the full Baseball Project facilities program submission. (link)
#3: Check out Vanderbilt's new $12M Baseball building. Pretty nice. (link)
#2: The whole message-behind-a-plane trick was circling Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium for the second consecutive week at East Carolina. Same deal aimed at AD Compher. (link)
#1: Straight from the NCAA: "A Division I Committee on Infractions hearing panel could not conclude that the University of North Carolina violated NCAA academic rules when it made available deficient Department of African and Afro-American Studies 'paper courses' to the general student body, including student-athletes." COI panel boss & SEC Commish Sankey: "While student-athletes likely benefited from the so-called 'paper courses' offered by North Carolina, the information available in the record did not establish that the courses were solely created, offered and maintained as an orchestrated effort to benefit student-athletes." More via the link. (link)
