BU AD Ken Kavanagh hired as AD at Florida Gulf Coast University

[IlliBraves]

FGCU isn't only a new program, it's a new school. The school itself was founded in 1991, and it only first held classes in 1997, so it's been around for a total of 12 years.

[doug shank's crossover]

I'm really struggling to figure out how this would be a good career move for Ken. Nicer climate? Yes! Closer to his roots? Yes! But a career move going from the MVC to Florida Gulf Coast? No. But I wish him well, no matter...

[SFP]

I'm really struggling to figure out how this would be a good career move for Ken. Nicer climate? Yes! Closer to his roots? Yes! But a career move going from the MVC to Florida Gulf Coast? No. But I wish him well, no matter...

Football Program??? Bigger budget to work with???? Taking a program from scratch and getting them into a bigger conference would be a challange and a stepping stone to a bigger program.

[TheAsianSensation]

I would imagine FGCU's endgame is D-1 football at some point.

[doug shank's crossover]

Football Program??? Bigger budget to work with???? Taking a program from scratch and getting them into a bigger conference would be a challange and a stepping stone to a bigger program.

FGCU has a football program? Bigger budget?? If that's your rationale, then bagging the NJIT job would be optimal!

[MacabreMob]

I'm really struggling to figure out how this would be a good career move for Ken. Nicer climate? Yes! Closer to his roots? Yes! But a career move going from the MVC to Florida Gulf Coast? No. But I wish him well, no matter...

Maybe Florida Gulf Coast IS a "step down". Maybe KK has gotten enough out of what he has wanted in his career and wants "less".

Good luck Ken no matter what.

[Bradleyguy10]

I don't think its less. That school will likely be booming within a decade. I don't know how many more years he has in him, but that school has potential, and he might like that idea.

[SFP]

FGCU has a football program? Bigger budget?? If that's your rationale, then bagging the NJIT job would be optimal!

I put in question marks because I do not know and my guess is as good as any. Let's all just put another one out there that he maybe having issues with his new boss. Stuff happens! Also, what else is there for him to do at BU? The infrastructure and foundation of the sports program is in place and I doubt that there are any plans to build a new arena. He may just want a new challange. Anyway I wish him the best of luck and by all reports he seems to be a decent person who was always been there for the school and the fans.

[tornado]

AD's like college coaches have a relatively SHORT life expectancy wherever they go...
they say the average tenure of any DI coach is about 6-7 years and the average for an AD is not much more....so
I'd say KK already has helped Bradley longer than most of the AD's in the nation stay where they are.

[southpaw nothin]

I put in question marks because I do not know and my guess is as good as any. Let's all just put another one out there that he maybe having issues with his new boss. Stuff happens! Also, what else is there for him to do at BU? The infrastructure and foundation of the sports program is in place and I doubt that there are any plans to build a new arena. He may just want a new challange. Anyway I wish him the best of luck and by all reports he seems to be a decent person who was always been there for the school and the fans.

FGCU does not have football at present, but that is clearly in their designs.

[tornado]

this has already been stated several times in this thread...

in this report it is said that FGCU might want to partner in some way with the Boston Red Sox in building a stadium...

"Florida Gulf Coast University, an 11,000-student school that recently joined
Division I, also hopes to build a football stadium next to the Red Sox site,
sharing parking and perhaps working together to bring an annual college bowl
game to the complex."

http://www.projo.com/redsox/content/projo_20090326_red_sox_spring_si_03-27-09_P5D_v3.34f0d71.html

and
"a Florida Gulf Coast University football stadium could be built there.."

http://www.news-press.com/article/20090322/SPORTS02/903220416/1075

and the guy who was working on those same plans at FCGU is now doing the same and trying to start up football at University of West Florida

http://www.pnj.com/article/20090407/SPORTS/90407001/1181/NEWS01

[tornado]

Bradley isn't the only Valley school whose AD may be looking to work elsewhere...
ISU's AD keeps getting mentioned in regards to the Kansas State job

http://www.cjonline.com/sports/2009-04-09/column_mums_the_word_on_ksu_search

also from a premium article

http://kansasstate.scout.com/a.z?s=173&p=2&c=856356

"..number of former Kansas Staters as possible candidates, who are now in
the athletic administration business as athletic directors, or associates:
Sheahon Zenger at Illinois State; Jeff Schemmel at San Diego State; Bruce
Van De Velde at Louisiana Tech; Chris Peterson at Arkansas-Little Rock; Mike
O'Brien at Toledo; Kirby Hocutt at Miami (Florida); Craig Helwig at Texas;
Marc Boehm at Nebraska; and Craig Thompson is commissioner of the
Mountain West Athletic Conference."

[LG281]

...and the guy who was working on those same plans at FCGU is now doing the same and trying to start up football at University of West Florida
http://www.pnj.com/article/20090407/...01/1181/NEWS01

So what do we have to do to get football back at BU? Sheesh.

[Braves4Life]

I think KK has done a great job at BU and hope he stays. I think he is the cream of the crop among the candidates for the FGCU job. But, I can't see why a school that wants to go D-1 football would hire a guy with no football experience.

We'll see, I guess. And I can DEFINATELY see why KK would want this job. Many reasons (as already mentioned).

[tornado]

http://www.pjstar.com/sports_bu/x1092975008/Kavanagh-interviewing-at-Gulf-Coast-this-week