The news broke on Wednesday evening that USC President Carol Folt has appointed Dr. Denise Kwok, an athletic department employee (at the senior administrative level), as interim administrator for the school’s athletic department. Folt also brought aboard a transition team for the upcoming move to the Big Ten Conference. People with extensive experience in college sports administration — in various roles and conferences — will help USC navigate the move to the Big Ten.
Folt has involved a former athletic director (Sandy Barbour), a former CFO of a school (Mitch Moser), and a former conference commissioner (Steve Weiberg). Those three people have represented different conferences: Barbour has worked in the Pac-12 with Cal and the Big Ten with Penn State. Moser has worked in the ACC with Duke. Weiberg worked in the Big 12 Conference office. It’s a balanced team on multiple levels.
You might have some questions about these moves and what they mean for the athletic director search. We can give you some answers:
Q: When will the AD be hired?
A: Probably not within the next week. The search will likely take longer if all these consultants are being brought in. They’re likely to take their time and do their homework and offer a thoroughly-vetted selection. The fact that Mike Bohn’s conduct at Cincinnati — before coming to USC — was not thoroughly vetted will make USC deliberate and appropriately meticulous in this search.
Q: Any hints about whom USC will pick?
Not immediately, other than the fact that potential in-house candidate Ed Stewart, by not being given an interim position, might be in play for the permanent job. That might be the only slight clue about anything on the big board for the new AD position.
Q: Does it matter when USC hires its AD?
In terms of the next two to three weeks, not really. What matters is that USC hires the new AD before the end of June. The end of June (June 30) marks the end of the college sports cycle and the fiscal year. You’ll recall that George Kliavkoff took over as Pac-12 commish, replacing Larry Scott, on July 1, 2021. USC can, should, and will have its AD no later than June 30, probably one to two weeks earlier … but it doesn’t have to make a quick hire (the next 10-14 days).
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