Miami Hurricanes athletic director candidates from outside program

The Miami Hurricanes search for a new athletic director is expected to move quickly according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald in a report on Tuesday. Several names have emerged both with connections to Miami and outside the program. If Miami chooses to go outside the program here are a few names to know.

Tom Jurich was the athletic director at Louisville from 1997-2017. Jurich transformed the Cardinals from a commuter school known for men’s basketball into a national powerhouse. In his 20 seasons with Louisville, Jurich secured significant upgrades for the Cardinals’ teams and facilities that led to national success.

Louisville has had a long history in men’s basketball before Jurich was hired in 1997. The Cardinals’ other programs improved significantly during his tenure. Baseball, Football and Women’s basketball all earned national acclaim during the Jurich era in Louisville. Significant facility upgrades were also made.

Louisville debuted Cardinal Stadium in 1998. The new football stadium expanded from 42,000 to 55,000 in 2010 for $55 million under Jurich. Louisville signed a 16-year, $160 million apparel contract extension with Adidas. The relationship with Adidas is important as the Miami Hurricanes are an Addidas school.

It should be noted that a scandal involving bribes and payoff with Addidas put Louisville on probation and led to the firing of Jurich and former head basketball coach Rick Pitino. Pitino led Louisville to three Final Fours and a National Championship during his tenure. Jurich agreed to a $4.5 buyout and was cleared any wrongdoing.