My two cents: USC would be blind not to consider Byrne as AD
CBS football analyst Rick Neuheisel last week told a radio interviewer that Greg Byrne would be a good fit as the next USC athletic director.
That’s not news. USC’s search firm would be blind unless it reviewed Byrne and asked if he is interested in succeeding Pat Haden.
If offered the job, Byrne would be crazy not to go to USC, with one caveat: Would he willingly sign up for a Los Angeles lifestyle, living on the freeways and mostly being incognito in the community, playing sixth fiddle behind the Dodgers, Angels, Lakers, Clippers and the Rams’ new NFL enterprise?
At USC, the athletic director doesn’t have to worry about keeping up with the Joneses financially.
The Deseret News this week reported that Utah’s athletic department enjoys $16.3 million in subsidies from its students this year. Byrne, who has spoken about establishing a $200-per year assessment for future UA students, gets virtually no subsidy from the school’s general fund.
The Utes and Wildcats both have annual budgets close to $70 million a year. Once the Utes complete the enormous scoreboard currently being built at their football stadium, they will be up to Pac-12 code in all facility aspects. They recently got a $2.3 million donation to re-do their woeful track facility.
By comparison, Arizona’s track facility, Drachman Stadium, is a relic from the 1980s and there are no known plans to bring it into the 21st century.
Even if USC’s AD situation comes and goes without Byrne’s involvement — three Trojans with extensive athletic administrative experience are available — the clock is ticking. Being the AD at Arizona is one of the most difficult jobs among Power 5 conferences.
Byrne’s we’ll-get-it-done approach belies the challenge he faces every day.
