SCU's Next Athletics Director – Job Description

The hiring of SCU’s next Athletic Director will signal to every Bronco fan and supporter whether “We’re on a Mission” to be nationally relevant or not.

The President's Commission on Athletics, the SCU Trustees, and Executive team must have a specific vision of what they wish to build.  

Will they hire an Architect or another Project Manager to implement?

Given the magnitude of the hire, I thought it appropriate, for us, as Men’s Basketball season ticket holders and fans, to submit some of our job description ideas for the next A.D. in addition to the soon to be published University formal criteria.  (As of this date, the job is not posted on the University Careers' page, the NCAA job posting site or on the national job boards such as Indeed.com).

Just to set YOUR expectations, I’m not talking a Georgetown or Notre Dame level here.  I hope we’re shooting for a Xavier, Butler level or higher – Villanova???

Key Qualifications:  The Short Version

Make SCU a consistent WCC and National contender in major sports without compromising any of our Academic or Jesuit and Catholic identity standards.

Sound easy? 

NOT.  Unless you believe that changing a culture of “hakuna matata” pervasive for the past 20 years is easy to accomplish.  Much will need to change and the new A.D. must be the catalyst.

I’m not saying we have to go buy a “name” for the new A.D. – but maybe one of the “names” knows the next up and comer big name to be built upon the success of SCU???

Just sayin…

And, I guess I’m the lone wolf here.  I keep harping. 

It starts with communication; getting your best supporters to literally “buy in” to the plan by talking about it.  I’d bet there’s some big potential donors who think the same way and hopefully have given our University Exec team the same message….

It might be a reason that students, fans, and alums don’t feel connected – because no one has shared a reason to be connected…

Here’s the more detailed version of Key Qualifications.

Key Qualifications:   More Detailed Version

A leader committed to ensuring the SCU tradition of academic excellence in our Athletic teams as measured by GPA, Academic Progress Rates (APR), graduation rates and post-graduation career outcomes within the context of a Jesuit Catholic University.

A proven track record building a national level Athletic program as measured by NCAA tournament appearances, victories, and championships in major sports programs.  SCU will be a perennial top contender for the WCC Commissioner’s Cup.

A leader who expects and measures the performance of the Athletic staff to achieve Conference and National level results as measured by the above criterion.

Possesses an intimate knowledge of NCAA major sports and, in particular, Men’s Basketball, at a nationally recognized program.

A demonstrated ability to recruit not only top level coaches, but nationally ranked players as measured by the consistency and number of top 100 recruits playing on SCU athletic teams.

An excellent communicator who can build a community of support for Athletics among all constituents.

Of course the U will list all the other usual attributes – team player, great marketer and fundraiser, collegiality, etc...


So, at the moment, instead of being "On a Mission", we're on a "national" search for someone who can take us national, after more than 20 years of just being local.....


Next Up:  How SCU can punch its ticket to the NCAA Tournament

For more Bucking Bronco info, follow me on Twitter @Fcrary

SCU Men's Basketball Roadmap - Who's Gonna Drive?

Somewhere, inside SCU and Athletics there's a roadmap for MBB to become a contender in the WCC and a nationally recognized winning program.

I think that's great.  My biggest question is, Who's gonna drive??

In any successful venture, there has to be a "driver".  Someone who steps up and OWNS the process and the outcome. 

Like Jared Brownridge driving for the winning basket versus St. Mary's - taking the game and program on his back and delivering.

I've asked this question to several at the "U" and so far, no clear answer.... 

Being the driver is not for the faint of heart.  Particularly at SCU, given the magnitude of the challenge...

Maybe that's why we've not heard who's gonna drive "We're on a Mission" to something beyond a catchy slogan?

So, in the absence of communication, there are successful models of schools similar to SCU for us to emulate and in fact, several the President's Commission studied.

Examples: Villanova, Butler, Xavier, and Creighton.

I don't even have to introduce these programs, because most everyone "knows" who they are and what they've achieved.  Well, maybe Creighton is a little under the radar, but they have a strong MBB and Women's sports as well - in , ahem, Omaha.....

How do these schools do it?  There are many factors, but their recipe's have some similarities.

  

They each have a capable "driver" and sponsor.

The A.D's report directly to the University President, signifying Athletics is as important to the University and student life as Academics.

The University allocates significant funding to Athletics from their operating budgets.

They go public with their plans and ambitions.  Most of the A.D.'s are driving the strategic plan and are open about their goals and accountability.  

Some produce frequent "Ask the A.D." videos they share with fans.  They get fans and students on board.  At Xavier, A.D. Greg Christopher talks openly about their strategic plans and goals in his "Ask the A.D" video series. 

They have Marketing plans that build upon their Brand and get people engaged.  Some even publish an events schedule at the beginning of the season, so calendars can be coordinated.  

For example, Villanova has a Men's Basketball Banquet they offer to their fans that's a sellout.

You'll rarely find a Golden Circle type fundraiser that collides with an arch rival home game.  

Direct, Visible, DRIVEN.

IMHO, "who's gonna drive" is the most difficult part of the whole SCU potential Athletic's makeover.

We're sort of like a start up that has had some success, but needs to get to the next level and the Board of Directors has to decide if the current executive team can take us there?  

For a student, maybe it's like taking the leap from Freshman statistics directly into multi-variable calculus. Daunting....

When we have the answer to "who's gonna drive" it will signal to all SCU fans if we are really "On a Mission" or just out for a joy ride...

Next Up:  How SCU can punch its ticket to the NCAA Tournament

Follow The Bucking Bronco on Twitter @Fcrary

SCU Men's Basketball 2015 Season Recap - Ground Hog Day

I'm convinced Punxsutawney Phil transferred to Santa Clara.  

Just like our 2014-15 season and the Ground Hog Day movie, we just can't seem to break out of the "time warp" that is like Silicon Valley traffic gridlock.  

Gonzaga, BYU, St. Mary's lead the way and we are stalled with Pacific and Loyola behind us in a bumper to bumper WCC....

Some Numbers

MBB Season 14-18, WCC 7-11, tied for sixth place  

Over the past nine WCC seasons - we are sixth in number of WCC wins - W46 - L78.  "time warp."*

Pick a time period - even the last 3 years, other than the "big 3" teams, the next 4, including SCU have all won about 22 WCC games.

Needless to say, key game stats pinpoint our treading water status.  

The players' trends tell the same story.  

I looked at 10 key players since 2008 and only 2 had senior year statistics better than their sophomore or junior season.  Now, you can pick these stats apart in many ways - team mix and roles change, better WCC competition, etc, etc.  But, to me, the "trend" is compelling. 

 "Time Warp."

So, other than pull some Bill Murray outrageous antics - how do we break out???

Here are some, albeit, difficult options.

First.  Our new 2015-16 recruits have a "surprise" factor and make immediate impact.  They are, on average taller, more athletic, and have the potential to protect and yes, score in the paint.  A lot of other Freshman do this, why not ours?

Second.  We need "a breakout year" from our sophomores AND Jared to be Jared.  The Juniors need to show progression.

Third.  We need to reboot and do some creative, impact marketing. Build a "community of support" around MBB.  

How about involving the community living around SCU with incentives to come to games?  

How about some PR, getting our schedule out early in the media, other than our website, and create some programs around specific games?  We are playing Vanderbilt at home - rumor has it...

How about a "fan night" or season ticket holder rally where all the coaches press some flesh and the U makes us feel we're INcluded?

How about a Ruff Rider and Season ticket holder social mixer to build links and gain some more student support?

Maybe, be so bold as to share "the plan" for men's basketball going forward and enlist support.  Have us feel we're part of the process? I'm not talking about the usual hype, rather, be a little open about our challenges what we all have to do?  

Maybe we need to do what Phil Connors did in the film, improve ourselves, learn, involve, make changes.   Make this process a celebration of where we can go instead be stalled....

Maybe then instead of a"time warp" - IT'S OUR TIME....

*Does not include BYU and Pacific - new to WCC. 

Don't forget to follow The Bucking Bronco on Twitter @Fcrary.