8:55 p.m. Monday -- Hey, just wanted to give you the latest on what we're hearing about the A.D. situation, etc. ... Gene and I have both been speaking with people throughout the day, and here is the situation as we know it:
* FSU does still plan to hire Vince Tyra from Louisville for the AD position. He emerged from a number of interviews that have been taking place in recent weeks. It sounds like this was a legitimate search, and that the new president went into it with an open mind and picked the candidate he thought was best. ... If you've seen the reports from Louisville, there is some talk about this non-compete clause in Tyra's contract there, but we haven't gotten the sense from anyone at FSU that this will be some major stumbling block. We continue to hear that FSU will be announcing Tyra's hiring in the coming days. Possibly as soon as Tuesday or Wednesday. There is another Louisville athletics board meeting in the morning. We'll have to see what comes out of that, and if there's a legit concern about this non-compete.
* We've had a lot of people express concern about what will happen with Seminole Boosters CEO Michael Alford if he doesn't get the AD job. From what we have heard from multiple sources, FSU wants to keep Alford in place and they are working on -- or have already worked out -- a solution to keep him here. There's no way to know what the future holds, but from what we are hearing, there's a good chance he stays put and works with the new AD. At least in the short term. If another AD position comes open somewhere and he can get it, then things could change. But the perception that he's out the door right away doesn't seem accurate.
* There have been several posts on the boards about this being a cheap hire or a non-football hire, but I really don't believe that's the case. To the contrary, I hear the reason FSU wants to make this hire now as opposed to waiting until the end of this academic year is that they want to get out of the cost-saving mode and start trying to grow again. That is encouraging to hear.
* There has been a lot of talk about the negative comments from Louisville fans on social media -- and even apparently from some people in the UL athletics department -- about the job Tyra has done there. I can't speak to that, other than to say that I hear FSU staffers have talked to their counterparts at UL and heard some good and some bad. I did talk to a journalist who covers Louisville who said he was very impressed by Tyra and thought he was doing good things.
We'll see what tomorrow holds, but this is what we know right now. When we hear more, we will share it as always.
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We're hearing from multiple people that Louisville AD Vince Tyra is expected to be FSU's next athletics director.
That would be a significant surprise, but we're hearing it from FSU and Louisville contacts. Will let you know if we get confirmation.
* FSU does still plan to hire Vince Tyra from Louisville for the AD position. He emerged from a number of interviews that have been taking place in recent weeks. It sounds like this was a legitimate search, and that the new president went into it with an open mind and picked the candidate he thought was best. ... If you've seen the reports from Louisville, there is some talk about this non-compete clause in Tyra's contract there, but we haven't gotten the sense from anyone at FSU that this will be some major stumbling block. We continue to hear that FSU will be announcing Tyra's hiring in the coming days. Possibly as soon as Tuesday or Wednesday. There is another Louisville athletics board meeting in the morning. We'll have to see what comes out of that, and if there's a legit concern about this non-compete.
* We've had a lot of people express concern about what will happen with Seminole Boosters CEO Michael Alford if he doesn't get the AD job. From what we have heard from multiple sources, FSU wants to keep Alford in place and they are working on -- or have already worked out -- a solution to keep him here. There's no way to know what the future holds, but from what we are hearing, there's a good chance he stays put and works with the new AD. At least in the short term. If another AD position comes open somewhere and he can get it, then things could change. But the perception that he's out the door right away doesn't seem accurate.
* There have been several posts on the boards about this being a cheap hire or a non-football hire, but I really don't believe that's the case. To the contrary, I hear the reason FSU wants to make this hire now as opposed to waiting until the end of this academic year is that they want to get out of the cost-saving mode and start trying to grow again. That is encouraging to hear.
* There has been a lot of talk about the negative comments from Louisville fans on social media -- and even apparently from some people in the UL athletics department -- about the job Tyra has done there. I can't speak to that, other than to say that I hear FSU staffers have talked to their counterparts at UL and heard some good and some bad. I did talk to a journalist who covers Louisville who said he was very impressed by Tyra and thought he was doing good things.
We'll see what tomorrow holds, but this is what we know right now. When we hear more, we will share it as always.
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We're hearing from multiple people that Louisville AD Vince Tyra is expected to be FSU's next athletics director.
That would be a significant surprise, but we're hearing it from FSU and Louisville contacts. Will let you know if we get confirmation.
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