What grade would you give Mark Coyle in his first year as AD at Minnesota?

What grade would you give Mark Coyle in his first year as AD at Minnesota?

  • A

    Votes: 31 25.8%
  • B

    Votes: 39 32.5%
  • C

    Votes: 18 15.0%
  • D

    Votes: 21 17.5%
  • F

    Votes: 11 9.2%

  • Total voters
    120
Mark Coyle's handling of this entire situation goes far beyond a 10-minute press conference, but that's all some people use as reasoning for wanting him fired.
 

Well, no one on GH must fit in your list as 90% of those on here that voted on that specific question voted that they were not happy with how MC handled it. Unless 10% is a large percentage.


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Opinions have clearly changed.
 

Mark Coyle's handling of this entire situation goes far beyond a 10-minute press conference, but that's all some people use as reasoning for wanting him fired.

You are correct that his handling of the situation goes beyond the 10 min. press conference and he mishandled the situation from the beginning. A true leader takes control of the situation when they become aware of it. He certainly did not do that, because if he would have, none of the mess that transpired from December on would have happened.
 

You are correct that his handling of the situation goes beyond the 10 min. press conference and he mishandled the situation from the beginning. A true leader takes control of the situation when they become aware of it. He certainly did not do that, because if he would have, none of the mess that transpired from December on would have happened.
Yeah there wasn't a true leader and that's why Claeys was fired.
 

Mark Coyle's constituency is far more than the football team and their coaches. There is little doubt that a large percentage of the following U of M constituencies were happy with how Mark Coyle handled the "horrible situation" involving gang sex by multiple football players, underage drinking by multiple players and a high school recruit, and the concerted effort by multiple players to cover-up their activities:

- Majority of Board of Regents (neither Coyle or Kaler were, or are, close to being fired)

- Eric Kaler (it goes without saying)

- U of M female and male athletes and students who want all U students held accountable for behavior that violates criminal laws and/or the student code of conduct.

- U of M faculty, staff, and alumni who once again have had to try to explain and defend the embarrassing behavior of student athletes at their beloved institution of higher learning with zero effort by their coach to hold them accountable in any way (including violation of team rules against underage drinking).

- Minnesota governor, legislators, and other politicians who want all U students held accountable for behavior that violates criminal laws and/or the student code of conduct.

- Minnesota citizens who want all U students held accountable for behavior that violates criminal laws and/or the student code of conduct.

- Local and national media who had to report on yet another scandal involving U of M intercollegiate sports.

Right now, there is zero evidence that Coyle (and Kaler) deviated in any way from the U's written procedures for handling student discipline matters of this kind. The U of M procedures provide far more due process protection for students and athletes than most other colleges and universities in America. Unless new evidence is uncovered by the Regent's investigation or future lawsuits, Coyle (and Kaler) have almost nothing to answer for relating to how they handled this matter. My guess is that Coyle could have done more to insure that the players understood their student code of conduct rights and their right to appeal adverse rulings. He probably assumed they were getting that information from their attorneys and coaches. That was a bad assumption by him.

I do not doubt that MC was playing to the internal constituency in this case. And he may have also followed the internal procedure beyond reproach. This may make him a good politician and manager. Leader? I didn't see it. Please don't take my questioning of this to mean TC somehow gets a completely free pass or that I'm trying to minimize the criticism and fallout from the alleged acts of a few football players back in September. They are completely separate issues. But it is rather comical that they are used to take shots at people questioning how the entire topic was handled by the University.
 


Seems as if the anti_Coyle people keep saying communication.

Evidently, while the investigation was on-going, and before the boycott, Mark Coyle was supposed to have addressed the team to tell them that he was going to fire the head coach, because as AD, he doesn't feel Claeys will ever bring us to the next level, and as AD, his success will largely be determined by the success of the football program, and that when Mark was hired, he already pretty much knew Claeys was going to be gone as soon as the convenient time was going to show up. If they had loss to Rutgers, it all would have been easier, but since they kept winning, it made it tougher to fire Claeys until at the end of the season and the end of the bowl game.

Mark should have been upfront about all of this I guess despite whatever negative actions would have come from this outward communications.

/sarcasm

I don't know how, considering the circumstances, he could have handled this any other way.

Sounds like many wanted Coyle reaching in over Claeys to manage the football players directly. But then anti-Coyles would have blamed him for having his fingers in things.

Some people just want to be negative whenever change comes.
 


Seems as if the anti_Coyle people keep saying communication.

Evidently, while the investigation was on-going, and before the boycott, Mark Coyle was supposed to have addressed the team to tell them that he was going to fire the head coach, because as AD, he doesn't feel Claeys will ever bring us to the next level, and as AD, his success will largely be determined by the success of the football program, and that when Mark was hired, he already pretty much knew Claeys was going to be gone as soon as the convenient time was going to show up. If they had loss to Rutgers, it all would have been easier, but since they kept winning, it made it tougher to fire Claeys until at the end of the season and the end of the bowl game.

Mark should have been upfront about all of this I guess despite whatever negative actions would have come from this outward communications.

/sarcasm

I don't know how, considering the circumstances, he could have handled this any other way.

Sounds like many wanted Coyle reaching in over Claeys to manage the football players directly. But then anti-Coyles would have blamed him for having his fingers in things.

Some people just want to be negative whenever change comes.

Isn't the job of athletic director to be in charge of the entire department? If he didn't like how the situation was handled at the start, then he should have stepped in and corrected it. Then maybe the EOAA only investigates and rules on the original 5 and the rest of the scandal never happens. At the end of the season he could have still let Claeys go and said he made the move because he wanted to go in a new direction. That is a leader.
 




It was a beautiful thing how well the U's student disciplinary process worked in this matter. It went exactly like it was supposed to. As required by the U.S. Dept. of Education, the EOAA completed a detailed investigative report that provided very specific evidence against each of the 10 Gopher football players. Their report was far more comprehensive then the earlier police report that failed to provide enough evidence for the Minneapolis prosecutor to bring criminal charges against the players. Once the EOAA made their recommendations and turned over their report to the U's administration, they played no further part in the student disciplinary hearing process which is set out in minute detail on the U's website.

Each of the of players was then provided a copy of the EOAA report and notified their actions could result in suspension or expulsion depending on the final outcome of a hearing in which they would be provided an opportunity to hire a lawyer and challenge the evidence against them. The players were further notified that they would be able to appeal any adverse ruling against them. And, of course, their lawyers also informed them they would be able to bring a lawsuit to sue the U in federal court if they still objected to the final rulings against them.

As we all know, after the hearings and appeals were completed the players with the most evidence against them had their punishment upheld, and the players with the least evidence against them had their punishment overturned or reduced. Unlike the criminal court system, the standard of proof against the players is a lower standard than for criminal defendants. That's the way the civil process works in America in the civil court system and in administrative hearings by public agencies and institutions.

The U's student disciplinary process worked exactly the way it was designed. Most people would call it due process. Unreasonable people would call it something else. It was unfortunate that the players names were publicly disclosed to the news media. I think most people agree that the players, their families, or their attorney's are the likely culprits. However, if it is determined during the BOR investigation or player lawsuits that a U employee was responsible for the disclosure then they should be summarily terminated. That includes Kaler, Coyle, or any member of the Board of Regents.

One final issue needs to be discussed. The U's student disciplinary process specifically gave Kaler the right to suspend athletes or students pending completion of the hearing and appeal process. It is my understanding that the large majority of colleges and universities in America give that same authority to their presidents. This right is often exercised in sexual assault and harassment cases in order to protect students and staff from further threats against them. Reasonable people can disagree if university presidents should have this kind of authority. I am not sure about it myself. However, the fact remains that Kaler did have the authority to suspend the players in this case. Coyle supported his action and they both thought Claeys also supported it. I believe Coyle when he stated that he specifically discussed the proposed suspensions with Claeys and he thought he agreed with them. At the very least, it seems Claeys failed to raise his objections to Coyle at the time he met with him and then threw him and Kaler under the bus to the news media after the players started their boycott. It didn't reflect well on Claeys as the leader of his football team and as a U employee.
 


I give Coyle a solid B in his first year. I am only speaking from the outside as a fan of Gophers athletics.

His job goes far beyond just the football program...budgeting, marketing, ticket sales, corporate sponsorships, fundraising, donors, overseeing many different athletic programs and graduation rates.

Has he been visible at the U? Is he making his rounds and appearing and being engaged with other programs outside the Big Three? How has his media availability been?

No matter who you want to believe, the whole football situation could have been handled better by both Coyle and Claeys. I still believe to this day that Coyle had Fleck in mind and simply wanted to hire his own guy regardless of the 9-win season.

He fired a long-time wrestling coach and hired a new football coach as well. I will be curious what happens with Don Lucia and Marlene Stollings after next season.

There is definitely a lot of new energy surrounding Gophers athletics, thanks in large part to PJ Fleck but you still gotta give Coyle a solid B in his first year.
 





It was a beautiful thing how well the U's student disciplinary process worked in this matter. It went exactly like it was supposed to. As required by the U.S. Dept. of Education, the EOAA completed a detailed investigative report that provided very specific evidence against each of the 10 Gopher football players. Their report was far more comprehensive then the earlier police report that failed to provide enough evidence for the Minneapolis prosecutor to bring criminal charges against the players. Once the EOAA made their recommendations and turned over their report to the U's administration, they played no further part in the student disciplinary hearing process which is set out in minute detail on the U's website.

Each of the of players was then provided a copy of the EOAA report and notified their actions could result in suspension or expulsion depending on the final outcome of a hearing in which they would be provided an opportunity to hire a lawyer and challenge the evidence against them. The players were further notified that they would be able to appeal any adverse ruling against them. And, of course, their lawyers also informed them they would be able to bring a lawsuit to sue the U in federal court if they still objected to the final rulings against them.

As we all know, after the hearings and appeals were completed the players with the most evidence against them had their punishment upheld, and the players with the least evidence against them had their punishment overturned or reduced. Unlike the criminal court system, the standard of proof against the players is a lower standard than for criminal defendants. That's the way the civil process works in America in the civil court system and in administrative hearings by public agencies and institutions.

The U's student disciplinary process worked exactly the way it was designed. Most people would call it due process. Unreasonable people would call it something else. It was unfortunate that the players names were publicly disclosed to the news media. I think most people agree that the players, their families, or their attorney's are the likely culprits. However, if it is determined during the BOR investigation or player lawsuits that a U employee was responsible for the disclosure then they should be summarily terminated. That includes Kaler, Coyle, or any member of the Board of Regents.

One final issue needs to be discussed. The U's student disciplinary process specifically gave Kaler the right to suspend athletes or students pending completion of the hearing and appeal process. It is my understanding that the large majority of colleges and universities in America give that same authority to their presidents. This right is often exercised in sexual assault and harassment cases in order to protect students and staff from further threats against them. Reasonable people can disagree if university presidents should have this kind of authority. I am not sure about it myself. However, the fact remains that Kaler did have the authority to suspend the players in this case. Coyle supported his action and they both thought Claeys also supported it. I believe Coyle when he stated that he specifically discussed the proposed suspensions with Claeys and he thought he agreed with them. At the very least, it seems Claeys failed to raise his objections to Coyle at the time he met with him and then threw him and Kaler under the bus to the news media after the players started their boycott. It didn't reflect well on Claeys as the leader of his football team and as a U employee.

Are you new here? Every point above has been debunked, deloused, and debated in excruciating detail. It's staggering to think after the reams of threads, posts, links, legal cases we still have people posting uninformed stuff like this.
 


It was a beautiful thing how well the U's student disciplinary process worked in this matter. It went exactly like it was supposed to. As required by the U.S. Dept. of Education, the EOAA completed a detailed investigative report that provided very specific evidence against each of the 10 Gopher football players. Their report was far more comprehensive then the earlier police report that failed to provide enough evidence for the Minneapolis prosecutor to bring criminal charges against the players. Once the EOAA made their recommendations and turned over their report to the U's administration, they played no further part in the student disciplinary hearing process which is set out in minute detail on the U's website.

Each of the of players was then provided a copy of the EOAA report and notified their actions could result in suspension or expulsion depending on the final outcome of a hearing in which they would be provided an opportunity to hire a lawyer and challenge the evidence against them. The players were further notified that they would be able to appeal any adverse ruling against them. And, of course, their lawyers also informed them they would be able to bring a lawsuit to sue the U in federal court if they still objected to the final rulings against them.

As we all know, after the hearings and appeals were completed the players with the most evidence against them had their punishment upheld, and the players with the least evidence against them had their punishment overturned or reduced. Unlike the criminal court system, the standard of proof against the players is a lower standard than for criminal defendants. That's the way the civil process works in America in the civil court system and in administrative hearings by public agencies and institutions.

The U's student disciplinary process worked exactly the way it was designed. Most people would call it due process. Unreasonable people would call it something else. It was unfortunate that the players names were publicly disclosed to the news media. I think most people agree that the players, their families, or their attorney's are the likely culprits. However, if it is determined during the BOR investigation or player lawsuits that a U employee was responsible for the disclosure then they should be summarily terminated. That includes Kaler, Coyle, or any member of the Board of Regents.

One final issue needs to be discussed. The U's student disciplinary process specifically gave Kaler the right to suspend athletes or students pending completion of the hearing and appeal process. It is my understanding that the large majority of colleges and universities in America give that same authority to their presidents. This right is often exercised in sexual assault and harassment cases in order to protect students and staff from further threats against them. Reasonable people can disagree if university presidents should have this kind of authority. I am not sure about it myself. However, the fact remains that Kaler did have the authority to suspend the players in this case. Coyle supported his action and they both thought Claeys also supported it. I believe Coyle when he stated that he specifically discussed the proposed suspensions with Claeys and he thought he agreed with them. At the very least, it seems Claeys failed to raise his objections to Coyle at the time he met with him and then threw him and Kaler under the bus to the news media after the players started their boycott. It didn't reflect well on Claeys as the leader of his football team and as a U employee.
Finally. A thoughtful, well articulated post that would have saved thousands of posts from others debating this issue. This post should be made into it's own thread and posted as a sticky so everyone knows how the process works.
 

Finally. A thoughtful, well articulated post that would have saved thousands of posts from others debating this issue. This post should be made into it's own thread and posted as a sticky so everyone knows how the process works.

What we witnessed transpire late last year is the result of a perfect process? Wow. I wonder what would have happened if the process and leadership had been flawed.
 


I also think the U's process worked as it should. That is not to say that the system is perfect or could not be improved. It can be improved. But, it functioned correctly.
 

Seems as if the anti_Coyle people keep saying communication.

Evidently, while the investigation was on-going, and before the boycott, Mark Coyle was supposed to have addressed the team to tell them that he was going to fire the head coach, because as AD, he doesn't feel Claeys will ever bring us to the next level, and as AD, his success will largely be determined by the success of the football program, and that when Mark was hired, he already pretty much knew Claeys was going to be gone as soon as the convenient time was going to show up. If they had loss to Rutgers, it all would have been easier, but since they kept winning, it made it tougher to fire Claeys until at the end of the season and the end of the bowl game.

Mark should have been upfront about all of this I guess despite whatever negative actions would have come from this outward communications.

/sarcasm

I don't know how, considering the circumstances, he could have handled this any other way.

Sounds like many wanted Coyle reaching in over Claeys to manage the football players directly. But then anti-Coyles would have blamed him for having his fingers in things.

Some people just want to be negative whenever change comes.

Or some people know what leadership is. I have no issue that Coyle fired Claeys. I have no issue Coyle wanted his "guy". Coyle is a lot of things, but a leader is not one of them. Look at Indiana and Michigan State as examples of what leadership from the AD looks like.

Perfect? No. Making tough decisions? Yes. Taking responsibility? Yes. Communicating and being the face of the department they run? Yes.

Coyle did none of those things well and continues to create confusion with his poor timing of communication and lack of clarity.

But if you really need to say something nice about him, he is an improvement over his two predecessors.



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But if you really need to say something nice about him, he is an improvement over his two predecessors.

Coyle is in no way a perfect AD, or even the best one the U could have hired. But if he is already better than Maturi that should be reason enough for Gopher fans to not want him fired and to support his efforts to improve the football program beyond where Kill was able to take it. Last season Claeys was the beneficiary of what his mentor Kill was able to do while he was the head coach of the Gophers. It was painfully obvious to most Gopher fans that Claeys was not head coach material and he was never going to be able to continue what Kill had only begun to try to do. And that is turn the Gophers into a competitive and relevant Big 10 football team that is able to regularly beat their trophy rivals and occasionally win the Big 10 Championship.
 

Or some people know what leadership is. I have no issue that Coyle fired Claeys. I have no issue Coyle wanted his "guy". Coyle is a lot of things, but a leader is not one of them. Look at Indiana and Michigan State as examples of what leadership from the AD looks like.

Perfect? No. Making tough decisions? Yes. Taking responsibility? Yes. Communicating and being the face of the department they run? Yes.

Coyle did none of those things well and continues to create confusion with his poor timing of communication and lack of clarity.

But if you really need to say something nice about him, he is an improvement over his two predecessors.



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I'll agree that Coyle hasn't been a very good communicator, but I don't see how anyone can say he hasn't made tough decisions and taken responsibility for them.

Also, that Michigan State AD sure isn't totally on top of his department either. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.wa...d48834-2530-11e7-a1b3-faff0034e2de_story.html
 

It was painfully obvious to most Gopher fans that Claeys was not head coach material and he was never going to be able to continue what Kill had only begun to try to do.

Priceless.


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Priceless.


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Yeah. That portion should tell you everything you need to know about Cruze's articulate, yet woefully illogical post.

I'm tired of debating the issue.

There was not Due Process for the players involved.

The fact that things worked out OK for some of them has nothing to do with Due Process. It's cool, the regressive folks who want to ignore facts will this insane narrative.
 

I'll agree that Coyle hasn't been a very good communicator, but I don't see how anyone can say he hasn't made tough decisions and taken responsibility for them.

Also, that Michigan State AD sure isn't totally on top of his department either. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.wa...d48834-2530-11e7-a1b3-faff0034e2de_story.html


It's easy when you know what leadership is, and what truly making tough decisions means and what responsibility is.

As for the MSU attack, it's sounds like you've attended the Mark Coyle school of leadership.
 


It's easy when you know what leadership is, and what truly making tough decisions means and what responsibility is.

As for the MSU attack, it's sounds like you've attended the Mark Coyle school of leadership.


This is a guy who knows what kind of leader Coyle is:


A Boise State coach gives insight into Mark Coyle

Boise State men's tennis coach Greg Patton is a man of metaphors, and as befits his last name, his vision of the Bronco athletic department comes straight from the battlefield.

The football team is the aircraft carrier. The men's basketball team is the battleship. And the rest of the sports are jets and destroyers, valuable members of the armada in their own right, but ultimately dependent on the big boats for survival.

Patton credits incoming Syracuse athletic director Mark Coyle with providing enough attention for the whole fleet to survive at Boise State. "Football was starting to sink a little, and he had to fix that," Patton said. "Our (men's) basketball coach loves him. They've improved that program a lot. I think taking care of those two were his marching orders. The revenue schools are going one way and we're fighting for our lives. … It's the job of the rest of us to protect the aircraft carrier and the battleship, even if we do have some pretty good pilots. But I never felt we weren't important. That's the sign of a good leader."

In Patton's case, the perfect example comes from a lunch Coyle shared with him and a reluctant tennis booster. Patton, Coyle and women's coach Beck Roghaar all spent an afternoon lunching with a local attorney with no interest in the game.

The man's wife was a fan, prompting the meeting, but Patton's initial impression was that the man was largely disinterested. By the time they were done with the meal, however, Coyle had the four men laughing like old friends, and the tennis budget was boosted by a generous check.

"I don't even think he was really into Boise State," Patton said.

It's the type of hands-on approach that Coyle is known for in Idaho, where he's been photographed shoveling snow before football games, takes an active role in scheduling for football and men's basketball, and is seen as often at non-revenue events as he is at Boise State's football and basketball games.

Boise State declined to make any other coaches available, referring to a statement from the school, but Patton said Coyle's approach made the prioritization of the marquee sports at Boise State palatable to an array of veteran non-revenue head coaches.

His involvement in every sport created a feeling of community within the athletic department instead of competition. When Patton had a high-priority recruit visiting campus — "one that I really need," he says — he'd call over to Coyle's office and tell him he was going to visit. The athletic director always made time. "He'd sell them on the family atmosphere and the type of people we have around here," Patton said.

Syracuse football player Sam Rodgers said two of the reasons Coyle made a good impression during his interview were his record with Boise State's football team and his devotion to student-athlete welfare.

Patton agreed Rodgers' impression of Coyle was accurate. The Boise State athletic director frequently handles even minor disciplinary issues, like citations for underage possession of alcohol, by meeting with athletes himself. "He'd meet with them, talk with them, let them know they were representing the school and the community," Patton said. "It wasn't like getting called to the principal's office. More like a counselor."

The Syracuse athletic department that Coyle walks into has plenty of its own issues. The football program is struggling with a head coach on the hot seat. The basketball team is dealing with potentially damaging NCAA sanctions and a critical decision after Jim Boeheim retires in three years. The athletic department has had public relations disasters ranging from a failed attempt to restore its No. 44 jersey to misspelling the name of Roosevelt Bouie on a ceremonial gift on a night that his jersey was raised to the Carrier Dome rafters.

Still, Patton said, it can't be more chaotic than the situation Coyle walked into at Boise State in December of 2011. With conference re-alignment swirling there was no natural place for Boise State. The Broncos briefly appeared headed for a merged MWC/Conference USA, and then to the American Athletic Conference before ultimately remaining where they were.

Coyle took charge in the midst of the game of musical chairs, replacing former athletic director Gene Bleymiaer after an NCAA investigation involving several sports."He was putting out fires everywhere," Patton said. "Everyone had just started to get comfortable. The community was just starting to know him. He had a subtle influence."

Bleymaier was "an institution" at Boise State, Patton said, and one of the four most powerful men in the state after spending 30 years as an athletic director. Coyle, in his first athletic director job, faced skepticism from coaches accustomed to the rule and reputation of one man. First Coyle listened to them. Then he worked for them. And eventually, according to Patton, he won them over.

At first glance, Coyle's resume seems an ideal fit for the Orange. Naturally, though, some will remain skeptical. Patton, for one, believes they won't remain that way for long.

"He didn't try to fill his shoes," Patton said. "I think you'll really like him. He's a really good man. He's a man of values and ethics. He's a mover and a shaker. And he's a doer. He gets the hammer and he bangs the nail."

http://www.syracuse.com/orangesport...ark_coyle_syracuse_new_athletic_director.html
 

It's easy when you know what leadership is, and what truly making tough decisions means and what responsibility is.

As for the MSU attack, it's sounds like you've attended the Mark Coyle school of leadership.

I think people define good leadership in different ways. And many good leaders have totally different leadership styles. It's not a one size fits all kind of thing.

And that wasn't a shot at MSU at all. Was more using that to point out that issues are going to come up no matter how well the department is being run. I don't know a ton about their AD, but I know that their athletic programs have been performing pretty well over the last decade or so. In my mind that is the ultimate judgment of any AD.
 

This is a guy who knows what kind of leader Coyle is:


A Boise State coach gives insight into Mark Coyle

Boise State men's tennis coach Greg Patton is a man of metaphors, and as befits his last name, his vision of the Bronco athletic department comes straight from the battlefield.

The football team is the aircraft carrier. The men's basketball team is the battleship. And the rest of the sports are jets and destroyers, valuable members of the armada in their own right, but ultimately dependent on the big boats for survival.

Patton credits incoming Syracuse athletic director Mark Coyle with providing enough attention for the whole fleet to survive at Boise State. "Football was starting to sink a little, and he had to fix that," Patton said. "Our (men's) basketball coach loves him. They've improved that program a lot. I think taking care of those two were his marching orders. The revenue schools are going one way and we're fighting for our lives. … It's the job of the rest of us to protect the aircraft carrier and the battleship, even if we do have some pretty good pilots. But I never felt we weren't important. That's the sign of a good leader."

In Patton's case, the perfect example comes from a lunch Coyle shared with him and a reluctant tennis booster. Patton, Coyle and women's coach Beck Roghaar all spent an afternoon lunching with a local attorney with no interest in the game.

The man's wife was a fan, prompting the meeting, but Patton's initial impression was that the man was largely disinterested. By the time they were done with the meal, however, Coyle had the four men laughing like old friends, and the tennis budget was boosted by a generous check.

"I don't even think he was really into Boise State," Patton said.

It's the type of hands-on approach that Coyle is known for in Idaho, where he's been photographed shoveling snow before football games, takes an active role in scheduling for football and men's basketball, and is seen as often at non-revenue events as he is at Boise State's football and basketball games.

Boise State declined to make any other coaches available, referring to a statement from the school, but Patton said Coyle's approach made the prioritization of the marquee sports at Boise State palatable to an array of veteran non-revenue head coaches.

His involvement in every sport created a feeling of community within the athletic department instead of competition. When Patton had a high-priority recruit visiting campus — "one that I really need," he says — he'd call over to Coyle's office and tell him he was going to visit. The athletic director always made time. "He'd sell them on the family atmosphere and the type of people we have around here," Patton said.

Syracuse football player Sam Rodgers said two of the reasons Coyle made a good impression during his interview were his record with Boise State's football team and his devotion to student-athlete welfare.

Patton agreed Rodgers' impression of Coyle was accurate. The Boise State athletic director frequently handles even minor disciplinary issues, like citations for underage possession of alcohol, by meeting with athletes himself. "He'd meet with them, talk with them, let them know they were representing the school and the community," Patton said. "It wasn't like getting called to the principal's office. More like a counselor."

The Syracuse athletic department that Coyle walks into has plenty of its own issues. The football program is struggling with a head coach on the hot seat. The basketball team is dealing with potentially damaging NCAA sanctions and a critical decision after Jim Boeheim retires in three years. The athletic department has had public relations disasters ranging from a failed attempt to restore its No. 44 jersey to misspelling the name of Roosevelt Bouie on a ceremonial gift on a night that his jersey was raised to the Carrier Dome rafters.

Still, Patton said, it can't be more chaotic than the situation Coyle walked into at Boise State in December of 2011. With conference re-alignment swirling there was no natural place for Boise State. The Broncos briefly appeared headed for a merged MWC/Conference USA, and then to the American Athletic Conference before ultimately remaining where they were.

Coyle took charge in the midst of the game of musical chairs, replacing former athletic director Gene Bleymiaer after an NCAA investigation involving several sports."He was putting out fires everywhere," Patton said. "Everyone had just started to get comfortable. The community was just starting to know him. He had a subtle influence."

Bleymaier was "an institution" at Boise State, Patton said, and one of the four most powerful men in the state after spending 30 years as an athletic director. Coyle, in his first athletic director job, faced skepticism from coaches accustomed to the rule and reputation of one man. First Coyle listened to them. Then he worked for them. And eventually, according to Patton, he won them over.

At first glance, Coyle's resume seems an ideal fit for the Orange. Naturally, though, some will remain skeptical. Patton, for one, believes they won't remain that way for long.

"He didn't try to fill his shoes," Patton said. "I think you'll really like him. He's a really good man. He's a man of values and ethics. He's a mover and a shaker. And he's a doer. He gets the hammer and he bangs the nail."

http://www.syracuse.com/orangesport...ark_coyle_syracuse_new_athletic_director.html

Oddly, a Boise State tennis coach is sourced in the article. But nothing from two B1G football coaches that have worked with him most recently. I call fake news.
 




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