Jeremy Foley is the latest addition to a growing line of multi-millionaires in the Florida Athletic Department.A steady rise in the 31 years since [he was hired] has resulted in Foley becoming the highest-paid athletic director in the country among public universities. Foley, 54, has agreed in principle to an 11-year contract extension worth an average annual salary of $1 million.Foley is considered one of the best athletic directors in the country. His hire of Urban Meyer and Billy Donovan -- both young and relatively unproven coaches at the time of their hire -- looks brilliant in retrospect. Foley's employees have been responsible for 3 national championships in the NCAA's two biggest sports in the last two years. In Foley's 11-year tenure, the Gators have won a total of 12 national championships across its spectrum of sports teams.
"Simply put, Jeremy's contract is what you would expect for the best athletic director in the nation," Florida President Bernie Machen said.
It almost seems comical now, but there was a time -- not too long ago -- in which Florida fans were calling for Foley's head. The low point for Foley's star was when Ron Zook's Gators lost to Sylvester Croom's Mississippi State Bulldogs, easily the worst team in the SEC in 2004. Foley took a lot of heat for Zook's haplessness, but to his credit, made a quick decision to axe Zook. His timing made the hire of Urban Meyer possible, and many schools have since emulated his quick-hook act to better position themselves for the post-season coaching search.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
6-23-2007 @ 9:08AM
chris said...
Foley deserved the heat for the Zook hire. You may recall that the hire was agreed upon in principal in a very short time period. Remember the flight to Denver (Shanahan refusal) and then the stop-over in New Orleans to pick up Zooker on the way back to Gainsville?
Foley did not want to be annoyed by a search committee,due diligence, or any thing else that would keep him from hiring his "man". Keep in mind that Foley had a tumultuous relationship with Spurrior (the ping-pong? incident) and he was looking for a company man. The rush to hire was a bad decision an Foley's part and he was roundly criticized for the hire.
Generally, Foley has been an excellent AD at Florida. He has been very loyal and dedicated to the University. Rumor had it that he turned down an informal offer to be Head of the SEC. I do not know if it is true but I think he started at Florida as a ticket office intern.
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6-24-2007 @ 11:16AM
Jodi said...
...Just a little addition to the Foley hiring of Ron Z. Let us not forget who recruited many of the players on the team who won that little game in Glendale last January...Yes, that would be the Zooker.
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6-24-2007 @ 10:17PM
rowefork said...
Your point is well-taken, Jodi but Zooker never would have won the SEC or NC with that team.
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6-25-2007 @ 11:47PM
Jodi said...
Agreed. I hope he finds success with the Illini~
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6-26-2007 @ 10:58AM
BigCaneFan said...
Foley worth a million dollars? Give us a break. The only good thing he has done for Florida football is make sure they don't play Miami every year. It's been over 25 years since they beat the 'Canes. They aren't even State Champions the past two years!!!!
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7-03-2007 @ 9:20AM
Jack said...
Gee,,before Spurrier came to Florida they couldn't beat Kentucky and Vanderbilt. Over time is what builds tradition. Florida has the championships in both sports. If you compare that they are the Boston RedSox compared to the Yankees. Notre Dame Football has tradition for a hundred years. Kentucky,UCLA,Duke, North Carolina, Indiana and Kansas basketball the same way. Can you really put Florida basketball in that group yet? Foley has did a great job at Florida. foley and Jurich at Louisville have did the best jobs at AD than anyone, but wait 10 to 20 years and see if anything negative shows upp on how they did it.
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