What makes for a good AD?

Maddmatt87

Freshman
Mar 31, 2025
31
62
17
Do we need name recognition? Do we need someone knowledgeable in one sport? Multiple? Coaching skills? Pure business skills? A ruthless MBA with no sports background? What makes an AD truly "elite"?
 

KyKevin

All-Conference
Dec 28, 2021
1,586
2,412
113
Do we need name recognition? Do we need someone knowledgeable in one sport? Multiple? Coaching skills? Pure business skills? A ruthless MBA with no sports background? What makes an AD truly "elite"?


Making the right hire, and winning for Kentucky basketball 😜
 

UKCowboys

All-American
Oct 14, 2019
3,319
5,579
113
We need someone that will give the HC's the tools they need to win. Pope is a good game coach, get him a GM and an assistant who is one of the top recruiters in the country who consistently brings in top talent. The same could have been said for Cal, John was anything but a great bench coach, but he was the best recruiter ever. Go get him a strong assistant for tge X's and O's and have Cal divert some power to him. And make it clear its not a request, which can only be done if you don't hand out lifetime contracts. I would make Pope completely accountable, say we are giving you everything we feel you need to put a top 5 product on the floor. We have the NIL $'s, the GM will be in charge of negotiations and budgeting, you have had terrible luck with injuries so we arent going after injured players, we are bringing in a top recruiting assistant coach. You are getting us in the top 5 of the top guys but havent reeled them in, so the GM and assistant will close the deal. You coach the talent. With that support, a top 2 finish in the SEC, or SEC tourney or Elite 8 are expected. Or else
 
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BBNinSCar

All-Conference
Apr 23, 2013
1,365
2,154
81
How about Calipari for AD? It’s not as crazy sounding as it seems.
 

MdWIldcat55

Heisman
Dec 9, 2007
21,256
84,740
113
Study Mitch Barnhart's handling of men's basketball and football, the only two programs that really matter, over the past decade or so.

Do the exact opposite.
 
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Chadrock

All-Conference
Jul 12, 2004
2,989
1,966
103
Study Mitch Barnhart's handling of men's basketball and football, the only two programs that really matter, over the past decade or so.

Do the exact opposite.
Regardless of where any of us fall on the spectrum of UK sports, this statement is pretty funny!

Ideally, I would like to see an AD committed to the progress required to make the SEC championship football game and subsequently, the new playoff format.
 

The Nightman2

All-Conference
Nov 30, 2019
993
1,124
93
Regardless of where any of us fall on the spectrum of UK sports, this statement is pretty funny!

Ideally, I would like to see an AD committed to the progress required to make the SEC championship football game and subsequently, the new playoff format.
Go get Saban lol. How awesome would that be. And you're right Stoops could have been good.
 

Maddmatt87

Freshman
Mar 31, 2025
31
62
17
How about Calipari for AD? It’s not as crazy sounding as it seems.

Would a former coach be the right choice? They know their sport well, and what tools they would request for success, but how would they cross over into the other sports, foot ball for example? Would they be tempted to get too involved and meddle with their sports strategy. I’d say Rick Pitino would kill to be back involved in UK athletics and see his protégé succeed, but would he be qualified? He has name recognition, he has NBA connections, could he handle the policy work? Could he set aside Coach, and be director without trying to couch? Would we be better off trying to nab some high ranking NCAA official?
 

BBNinSCar

All-Conference
Apr 23, 2013
1,365
2,154
81
Would a former coach be the right choice? They know their sport well, and what tools they would request for success, but how would they cross over into the other sports, foot ball for example? Would they be tempted to get too involved and meddle with their sports strategy. I’d say Rick Pitino would kill to be back involved in UK athletics and see his protégé succeed, but would he be qualified? He has name recognition, he has NBA connections, could he handle the policy work? Could he set aside Coach, and be director without trying to couch? Would we be better off trying to nab some high ranking NCAA official?
CM Newton did a good job here
 
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Nov 29, 2025
249
385
63
One that doesn't let the powerhouse program mire in mediocrity. Powerhouse schools ADs are measured across the NCAA based on how well the teams do at football and basketball schools. When those teams fail, they get shitcanned. An AD who doesn't make Mickey Mouse conservative hires like ***** Barnfart.
 

mash_24

Heisman
Sep 26, 2011
9,224
26,988
108
To the President and the board it’s making as much GD money as humanly possible so they can build another building to name after themselves. Mitch has been pretty good at that.
 
Nov 29, 2025
249
385
63
No to CCC. Keep his stench far away from this program. Make a clean break in a new era with the next AD, coach and hire a GM qualified for the job.