Illinois AD candidates

[Da Coach]

It is being reported that Interim Chancellor Barbara Wilson will interview 7 candidates for the open Athletic Director job at University of Illinois-

Northern Illinois AD Sean Frazier
Eastern Illinois AD Tom Michael (a former Illinois basketball player)
Division III Washington University AD Josh Whitman (former Assistant AD at Illinois, and a fomer U of I and NFL football player)
Central Michigan AD Dave Heeke
Florida Atlantic AD Patrick Chun
Maryland deputy AD Kelly Mehrtens (former Illinois grad, and former Associate AD at Illinois)
Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley (he's from South Africa and has never been involved in collegiate athletics administration. He was a tennis coach at U of I from 1992-2005)

[tornado]

Interesting that they are NOT interviewing any of the three guys who offered themselves for the job...

Rick George says "being the AD at Illinois" is "my dream job" - LINK

Doug Plank wants the job - LINK

then of course Sergio McClain also must want to be considered - LINK


but serious consideration must be given to how much FOOTBALL knowledge, connections, and background each candidate has...because if they fail there, they will not last

[Da Coach]

If and when Illinois finally hires a new AD, one item they might have to deal with eventually is Illini football. Bill Cubit, the interim head coach after Tim Beckman was dismissed a week before last season started, was named official head coach and given just a 2-year contract. That and the dismissal of Beckman resulted in a poor recruiting class, likely meaning several more years of mediocrity.
Several football recruiting sites rank Illinois' recruiting class 12th in the Big Ten.

http://www.pjstar.com/sports/20160203/illini-recruiting-class-ranks-12th-in-big-ten

[tornado]

It is being reported that Interim Chancellor Barbara Wilson will interview 7 candidates for the open Athletic Director job at University of Illinois-

Northern Illinois AD Sean Frazier
Eastern Illinois AD Tom Michael (a former Illinois basketball player)
Division III Washington University AD Josh Whitman (former Assistant AD at Illinois, and a fomer U of I and NFL football player)
Central Michigan AD Dave Heeke
Florida Atlantic AD Patrick Chun
Maryland deputy AD Kelly Mehrtens (former Illinois grad, and former Associate AD at Illinois)
Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley (he's from South Africa and has never been involved in collegiate athletics administration. He was a tennis coach at U of I from 1992-2005)

Chicago Tribune says Tiley, Mehrtens, and Heeke have been eliminated

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/college/ct-illinois-athletic-director-spt-0207-20160206-story.html

That leaves

Northern Illinois AD Sean Frazier
Eastern Illinois AD Tom Michael (a former Illinois basketball player)
Division III Washington University AD Josh Whitman (former Assistant AD at Illinois, and a fomer U of I and NFL football player)
Florida Atlantic AD Patrick Chun

[tornado]

The latest

-Chancellor kinda gripes a little about how hard it is to pick a new AD and that "leaks" are causing problems (apparently info supposedly "leaked" to the media about who has interviewed or who has been eliminated)
They're also hiring a new Dean for the College of Medicine.

http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2016-02-09/no-word-chancellor-ad-choice.html

-then more whining about how hard it is and that now, apparently new candidates (or at least candidates that had not been previously named) are being pursued... including Rick George- see three posts above

There's even a mention of Dr. Chris Reynolds' former boss - Northwestern AD Jim Phillips

http://www.news-gazette.com/sports/illini-sports/baseball/2016-02-09/tate-hiring-ad-tricky-business.html

[tornado]

U of I hopes to have their new AD selected and in place by end of February

http://www.sj-r.com/article/20160211/NEWS/160219883

[tornado]

It is being reported that Interim Chancellor Barbara Wilson will interview 7 candidates for the open Athletic Director job at University of Illinois-

Northern Illinois AD Sean Frazier
Eastern Illinois AD Tom Michael (a former Illinois basketball player)
Division III Washington University AD Josh Whitman (former Assistant AD at Illinois, and a fomer U of I and NFL football player)
Central Michigan AD Dave Heeke
Florida Atlantic AD Patrick Chun
Maryland deputy AD Kelly Mehrtens (former Illinois grad, and former Associate AD at Illinois)
Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley (he's from South Africa and has never been involved in collegiate athletics administration. He was a tennis coach at U of I from 1992-2005)

report that Illinois has narrowed to TWO REMAINING CANDIDATES..


JOSH WHITMAN (not to be confused with Whitson)& PATRICK CHUN

the reader comments are hilarious...
"not surprised they're looking for a D3 candidate since they run this program like a D3 school."

"Was the AD at Parkland unavailable?"

[tornado]

...Illinois has narrowed to TWO REMAINING CANDIDATES..


JOSH WHITMAN....& PATRICK CHUN...

Illini have chosen Josh Whitman as their next Athletic Director - announcement soon