Possible. But not preferred for budgeting reasons I’m sure. Academic and budget year begins 1 July.I wonder if they can name a replacement AD and replace Rick sooner especially if he is given one of those “consulting” jobs where nothing is required for several months after retirement.
Assuming the above is true:Pete Muther and Kortne Gosha are slated to interview.
What ORU has built the last few years in athletics is really remarkable considering they probably have fewer alumni than TU and most of them are penniless missionaries. They do tap into the evangelical church support who have no other affiliation with the university other than they remember Oral Roberts and liked to listen to him preach. Success in basketball and the CWS run last year are big deals though and contribute to the momentum on that side of things. When I worked there they were always talking about cutting this and cutting that and cutting depts. and outsourcing. It sort of sucks. I left just before all of that growth.Sometimes the best solution is right in your own back yard. In TU's case, at 81st & Lewis. Scoop has been touting their AD, a guy named Tim Johnson, heavily. A look at his resume has convinced me. An Arkie grad, he spent several years as an assistant to Terry Don Phillips at Clemson and has been at ORU since 2015. Fundraising and enrollment (in part due to sports success) have increased a ton under this guy, while sports such as hoops, baseball, track, golf & soccer have won league championships. He also directed the renovation of the Mabee and construction of the new athletic center.
Haisten may be on to something here.
ORU has 61.000 alumni roughly spread across the globe. TU has approximately 50,000. Nearly all of whom live within 300 miles of campus.What ORU has built the last few years in athletics is really remarkable considering they probably have fewer alumni than TU and most of them are penniless missionaries. They do tap into the evangelical church support who have no other affiliation with the university other than they remember Oral Roberts and liked to listen to him preach. Success in basketball and the CWS run last year are big deals though and contribute to the momentum on that side of things. When I worked there they were always talking about cutting this and cutting that and cutting depts. and outsourcing. It sort of sucks. I left just before all of that growth.
If Johnson has been there since 2015, then he was working under Mike Carter and Mike is absolutely one of those good to know handshake guys. And he closed fundraising deals like no one I've ever seen. His work was largely underappreciated and he and Wilson (ORU Pres) did not get along privately. Mike disagreed with the decision to let Scott Sutton go, he disagreed with the decision about the tattoos that Wilson wanted to put on the books. I had a conversation with him just before leaving ORU and he was so pissed about all that stuff. Obviously Johnson has found working at ORU and under Wilson OK and ORU's athletic dept. is in a much better place than what he came into. I think he would be a HR hire here if we can lure him away.
It is my understanding that Muther has built quite a reputation and career in the KU Athletic Department and at least one higher up at TU is close to him.Assuming the above is true:
Muther played tight end for Rader. I’m unsure of other qualities and experience necessary to be successful.
Gosha likes to build things. He’s a facilities manager. He got sideways with FAMU and his conference for arguably exceeding his authority and violating conference agreements by licensing his own streaming programming. Arguably.
If only we had alumni who were the CEO of multi billion dollar companies like a Walmart or a QT......KU & TU are completely different situations. TU can’t operate its athletic department like a P5 state university. We can’t rely solely on alumni, like a large state university. We need to model our athletic marketing, at least partially, like a professional sports franchise.
I was at that bowl I was amazed how many fans we had a long ways from Tulsa. We whipped San Diego State pretty good. Probably one of our top teams ever along with the 1964 team. I didn’t see the teams in late 40’s and early 50’s
I was in the band at that time and had the privilege of attending. Rick clearly was the only reason we ended up in the bowl that the establishment wanted to keep us out of. Every part of that experience was first class, be it the coverage, rally, parties, accommodations, etc.. He was successful in making that part of TU history happen, obstacles be damned, and something that I don't believe would be possible in today's environment. He was exactly what we needed during both stints and deserves a well deserved requirement and every bit of appreciation we can give.We had a few San Diego St. students sitting near us. Of course, they thought we were nobodies from nowhere. The "Nobodies" inflicted a classic display of smashmouth football that night. Ron Jackson was a battering ram, 211 yards on 46 carries.
TU held a pregame party at a facility close to the stadium. It was packed. Dickson worked his tail off to get us that bid.
So many of those guys, Rubley especially, took a beating during the ‘88 and ‘89 seasons. It was pretty sweet seeing it pay off for them in the end.I was in the band at that time and had the privilege of attending. Rick clearly was the only reason we ended up in the bowl that the establishment wanted to keep us out of. Every part of that experience was first class, be it the coverage, rally, parties, accommodations, etc.. He was successful in making that part of TU history happen, obstacles be damned, and something that I don't believe would be possible in today's environment. He was exactly what we needed during both stints and deserves a well deserved requirement and every bit of appreciation we can give.
San Diego St. and the pundits had no idea what was coming, and they got a major arse kicking through raw physical domination. Loved every minute of it, though it would have been nice if the temperatures weren't unseasonably cold, and it wasn't raining and cold during the Disney parade/rally.
TU brought a ton of fans to the 05 Liberty Bowl. That was a hell of a game and a super fun trip all around.Same thing happened with that first Liberty Bowl game. Every other car on the highway was from TU. An exciting team will bring fans particularly if it has been a long dry spell before it.
Still haven’t figured out why we didn’t even try on our last possession. Standing in the stands at the end of that game was the only time I ever had an inkling of disappointment in Kragthorpe.we had a pretty dang good crowd at the armed forces bowl when we played utah.....i think utah had maybe 10 fans on their side of the field and 6 of those were from ft. worth........
Those Charlie Stubbs bubble screens were so predictable.Still haven’t figured out why we didn’t even try on our last possession. Standing in the stands at the end of that game was the only time I ever had an inkling of disappointment in Kragthorpe.
Hell yes it was!TU brought a ton of fans to the 05 Liberty Bowl. That was a hell of a game and a super fun trip all around.
That game featured two of my all-time TU favs in QB-Paul Smith and RB-Tarrion Adams.TU brought a ton of fans to the 05 Liberty Bowl. That was a hell of a game and a super fun trip all around