UA athletic director Greg Byrne is Alabama-bound, leaving many Arizona Wildcats fans to wonder who’ll replace him.
There’s a simple answer and a complicated one.
Erika Barnes will serve as the UA acting athletic director until a hire is made. Who that will be — and when it will happen — remains a mystery. Will university President Ann Weaver Hart hire someone with UA (or Pac-12) experience? Will she look for an up-and-comer, the way Robert Shelton did when plucking Byrne from Mississippi State back in 2010?
Will Hart, who plans to leave the UA within the next year, even make the hire? It’s unclear.
But these nine candidates all make a compelling case to replace Byrne, who announced his departure Monday. Here’s a look:
The sitting ADs
Chris Del Conte
Who he is: Athletic director, TCU
How long? Del Conte was named the Horned Frogs’ AD in October 2009.
Why he fits: Del Conte was a senior associate athletic director at the UA from 2000-2009, and was viewed by many as Jim Livengood’s eventual successor. The 48-year-old Del Conte is a master fundraiser who has overseen more than $300 million worth of construction projects to TCU’s athletic facilities. The Horned Frogs play in new (or renovated) football, basketball and baseball facilities. He was named the 2015 Under Armour Athletic Director of the Year.
Why he doesn’t: TCU has deep pockets and, as a recent addition to the Big 12 Conference, motivation to keep its AD around. Its possible Del Conte could be too expensive for the UA.
Notable: Del Conte ran track at UC Santa Barbara.
Mark Harlan
Who he is: Athletic director, South Florida
How long? Harlan was named the Bulls’ AD in March 2014.
Why he fits: Harlan is a 1992 UA grad and close friend of former Wildcats football coach Dick Tomey and his family. The two worked together when Tomey was at San Jose State a decade ago. Tomey served as an adviser to former USF football coach Willie Taggart two years ago.
Why he doesn’t: Harlan just hired former Texas coach Charlie Strong to replace Taggart, who was hired away by Oregon. He may want to stick around and see how the hire, which has been universally praised, works out.
Notable: Harlan, then a UA graduate assistant, was in the stands the night Tomey played all nine positions in a Tucson City League baseball game.
Tom Jurich
Who he is: Athletic director, Louisville
How long? Jurich was named the Cardinals’ AD in October 1997.
Why he fits: Jurich is a California native who played football at NAU and later returned as the Lumberjacks’ AD. He had to be convinced to leave Flagstaff for Louisville; he initially resisted because it was so far away from his and his wife’s western roots. Jurich hired Rick Pitino as Louisville’s basketball coach and Bobby Petrino (twice) as the Cardinals’ football coach, proving he has the salesmanship and guts to land big-name coaches. That could come in handy at Arizona .
Why he doesn’t: Jurich is well-paid and entrenched at Louisville. Pitino is one of his closest friends. And at age 60, Jurich may be closer to retirement than another job.
Notable: Jurich played in one game for the New Orleans Saints, in 1978.
Mack Rhoades
Who he is: Athletic director, Baylor
How long? Rhoades was named Baylor’s AD last July.
Why he fits: Rhoades is a Tucson native and UA grad, though he never worked full-time in the Wildcats’ athletic department.
Why he doesn’t: The 51-year-old Rhoades is on his third job in two years. He served as Houston’s AD, where he hired coach Tom Herman. From there, Rhoades spent 15 months as Missouri’s AD.
Notable: Rhoades played basketball at Rincon High School.
Hunter Yurachek
Who he is: Athletic director, Houston
How long? Yurachek was named the Cougars’ athletic director in April 2015.
Why he fits: Yurachek is a rising star among athletic directors in the West, a former No. 2 at Houston who was promoted when Rhoades went to Missouri. Yurachek oversaw the building of the $120 million TDECU Stadium and helped secure a 10-year, $15-million naming rights deal for the park. Yurachek is a skilled fundraiser and a builder of buildings, which would seem to fit perfectly with Arizona’s needs.
Why he doesn’t: The 48-year-old Yurachek has never worked west of Texas and has never been an AD at a Power-5 conference school.
Notable: Yurachek did, however, spend four years as Coastal Carolina’s athletic director. Arizona fans may remember CCU as the team that beat the Wildcats in last summer’s College World Series.
The first-timers
Erika Barnes
Who she is: Interim athletic director, Arizona
How long: Barnes, 38, was named interim AD on Monday, but has been with the athletic department in various capacities since 2005.
Why she fits: Barnes rose from the marketing department to be one of Byrne’s most trusted associates. She is a noted fundraiser and communicator who works well with the department’s largest donors. That she’s a Wildcat — Barnes played softball at the UA from 1997-2001 and is married to former Arizona golfer Andy Barnes — doesn’t hurt, either.
Why she doesn’t: Barnes has no athletic director experience.
Notable: Barnes interned at Channel 4 and with Fox Sports after college, and spent years as Brian Jeffries’ color analyst on UA softball radio broadcasts.
James Francis
Who he is: Senior associate director of athletics/internal operations, Arizona
How long: Francis, a UA grad, has been part of the athletic department for nearly two decades, first as marketing coordinator and then in external relations. He oversees ticket sales and operations, marketing, creative services and community outreach. Francis has taught in the UA Eller Sports Management Program.
Why he fits: Francis, 45, has served under both Livengood and Byrne, and knows the way the athletic department operates.
Why he doesn’t: Francis has no athletic director experience.
Notable: Francis was a walk-on defensive back on the UA’s “Desert Swarm” teams of the mid-1990s.
Marc Hill
Who he is: Associate athletic director for internal operations, Kentucky
Why he fits: Hill is a former UA trainer. His wife is former Arizona Wildcat Jenny Dalton-Hill, the 1996 Women’s College World Series most valuable player.
Why he doesn’t: Hill’s specialty is external relations, and it’s unknown whether the UA would pursue someone with no athletic director or fundraising experience.
Notable: Hill is an ex-Wildcat who used to work in the Kentucky strength department. The Wildcats recently hired Mark (with a K) Hill, another former UA employee, to work with the … strength department.
Mike Ketcham
Who he is: Senior associate athletic director for men’s basketball and football administration and major gifts, Arizona
How long: Ketcham, 51, was hired by Byrne in 2010.
Why he fits: Ketcham’s fundraising acumen and familiarity with the Pac-12 make him (along with Barnes) an intriguing in-house hire. He works closely with the UA’s two most profitable sports programs and has earned praise from basketball coach Sean Miller. Ketcham’s background is in coaching; He served as the golf coach at Scotts-dale Community College, Oregon State and Arkansas before Byrne hired him at Arizona.
Why he doesn’t: Ketcham has no collegiate athletic director experience.
Notable: Ketcham served as AD at Dowling Catholic High School in West Des Moines, Iowa, before coming to the UA. There, he oversaw a 19-sport department.
