In light of the recent interview with RA, the subsequent discussions and the focus on this topic for years, I'm curious -- especially for those who have followed ASU much longer than I have -- is there an AD in the "modern" era that is considered ASU's best?
Though my time as a fan dates back to the '90s, the farthest back I can remember being aware of the fan view of the AD were the Lisa Love days, so I've never really seen an AD at ASU who was very well received (at least not for a long time).
I did a quick skim and listed all the full-time ADs (so not including interim ADs who assumed roles between hires) dating back to when ASU joined the Pac-10 in 1978. I listed the hires and departures of "big three" head coaches during their tenures (similarly, I did not include interim HCs in this list). Obviously these hires and departures aren't the full story when it comes to analyzing ADs, but it's something.
It is pretty wild to me that RA is about a year away from being the longest tenured AD for ASU in (at least) the last 50 years, which could make him one of the longest -- if not the longest - tenured ADs in ASU history if it gets to that.
There may be some errors in what's listed below, some information isn't incredibly easy to find.
Fred Miller 1971-1/4/1980
'Big Three' Head Coach Hire: Jim Brock, Baseball (1972)
'Big Three' Head Coach Departures: Bobby Winkles (Baseball)*; Frank Kush (Football)
*-Winkles left ASU to take an MLB position
Dick Tamburo: 1980-3/27/85
Hires: Bob Weinhauer (Basketball)*; Darryl Rogers (Football)**; John Cooper (Football)
Departures: Ned Wulk (Basketball); Darryl Rogers (Football)***
*-Weinhauer was dismissed after Tamburo left his position but before Harris officially took his, so Tamburo was not responsible for the termination.
**-Rogers was hired as head football coach on 1/17/80, which was after Fred Miller’s departure, but I’m uncertain if Tamburo had assumed his role yet and if he was involved in the hire.
***-Rogers left ASU for the Detroit Lions
Charles Harris: 1985-95
Hires: Steve Patterson (Basketball); Larry Marmie (Football); Bill Frieder (Basketball); Bruce Snyder (Football); Pat Murphy (Baseball)
Departures: John Cooper (Football)*; Steve Patterson (Basketball); Jim Brock (Baseball)**
*-Cooper left ASU for Ohio State
**-Brock passed away in June 1994 while still serving as ASU’s head coach
Kevin White: 1996-2000
Hires: Don Newman (Basketball); Rob Evans (Basketball)
Departures: Bill Frieder (Basketball); Newman
Gene Smith: 7/26/2000-3/4/2005
Hire: Dirk Koetter (Football)
Departure: Bruce Snyder (Football)
Lisa Love: 7/1/2005 – 3/28/12
Hires: Herb Sendek (Basketball); Dennis Erickson (Football); Tim Esmay (Baseball); Todd Graham (Football)*
Departures: Rob Evans (Basketball); Dirk Koetter (Football); Erickson; Pat Murphy (Baseball)
*-Love was AD at the time but was not largely involved in the Graham hire
Steve Patterson 3/28/12 – 11/5/13
Hire: Todd Graham (Football)*
Departures: None
*-Patterson was not yet the sole AD at the time but was involved in the coaching hire
Ray Anderson 1/9/14-Present
Hires: Tracy Smith (Baseball); Bobby Hurley (Basketball); Herm Edwards (Football); Willie Bloomquist (Baseball); Kenny Dillingham (Football)
Departures: Tim Esmay (Baseball); Herb Sendek (Basketball); Todd Graham (Football); Smith; Edwards
Though my time as a fan dates back to the '90s, the farthest back I can remember being aware of the fan view of the AD were the Lisa Love days, so I've never really seen an AD at ASU who was very well received (at least not for a long time).
I did a quick skim and listed all the full-time ADs (so not including interim ADs who assumed roles between hires) dating back to when ASU joined the Pac-10 in 1978. I listed the hires and departures of "big three" head coaches during their tenures (similarly, I did not include interim HCs in this list). Obviously these hires and departures aren't the full story when it comes to analyzing ADs, but it's something.
It is pretty wild to me that RA is about a year away from being the longest tenured AD for ASU in (at least) the last 50 years, which could make him one of the longest -- if not the longest - tenured ADs in ASU history if it gets to that.
There may be some errors in what's listed below, some information isn't incredibly easy to find.
Fred Miller 1971-1/4/1980
'Big Three' Head Coach Hire: Jim Brock, Baseball (1972)
'Big Three' Head Coach Departures: Bobby Winkles (Baseball)*; Frank Kush (Football)
*-Winkles left ASU to take an MLB position
Dick Tamburo: 1980-3/27/85
Hires: Bob Weinhauer (Basketball)*; Darryl Rogers (Football)**; John Cooper (Football)
Departures: Ned Wulk (Basketball); Darryl Rogers (Football)***
*-Weinhauer was dismissed after Tamburo left his position but before Harris officially took his, so Tamburo was not responsible for the termination.
**-Rogers was hired as head football coach on 1/17/80, which was after Fred Miller’s departure, but I’m uncertain if Tamburo had assumed his role yet and if he was involved in the hire.
***-Rogers left ASU for the Detroit Lions
Charles Harris: 1985-95
Hires: Steve Patterson (Basketball); Larry Marmie (Football); Bill Frieder (Basketball); Bruce Snyder (Football); Pat Murphy (Baseball)
Departures: John Cooper (Football)*; Steve Patterson (Basketball); Jim Brock (Baseball)**
*-Cooper left ASU for Ohio State
**-Brock passed away in June 1994 while still serving as ASU’s head coach
Kevin White: 1996-2000
Hires: Don Newman (Basketball); Rob Evans (Basketball)
Departures: Bill Frieder (Basketball); Newman
Gene Smith: 7/26/2000-3/4/2005
Hire: Dirk Koetter (Football)
Departure: Bruce Snyder (Football)
Lisa Love: 7/1/2005 – 3/28/12
Hires: Herb Sendek (Basketball); Dennis Erickson (Football); Tim Esmay (Baseball); Todd Graham (Football)*
Departures: Rob Evans (Basketball); Dirk Koetter (Football); Erickson; Pat Murphy (Baseball)
*-Love was AD at the time but was not largely involved in the Graham hire
Steve Patterson 3/28/12 – 11/5/13
Hire: Todd Graham (Football)*
Departures: None
*-Patterson was not yet the sole AD at the time but was involved in the coaching hire
Ray Anderson 1/9/14-Present
Hires: Tracy Smith (Baseball); Bobby Hurley (Basketball); Herm Edwards (Football); Willie Bloomquist (Baseball); Kenny Dillingham (Football)
Departures: Tim Esmay (Baseball); Herb Sendek (Basketball); Todd Graham (Football); Smith; Edwards
