There has been little reported on the search for Boston College A.D. Gene DeFilippo's replacement, with only Mark Blaudschun floating lists of candidates who may be ... could be ... possibly interviewing for the position. Over the last week or so, the Jerseyguy has mentioned no shortage of candidates for the position, even posting his own odds for DeFilippo's replacement.
Here are the recently listed candidates for the position, according to Blaudschun.
Tim Pernetti, Rutgers Athletics Director
Blaudschun has name-dropped Pernetti's name multiple times for the position. Pernetti is the current Rutgers A.D. and former CBS Sports Network nee CSTV executive. A Rutgers grad, he's one of the youngest athletic directors in the country.
Given the amount of times Blauds has dropped his name, I've got to think Pernetti is genuinely interested in the position despite what Rutgers bloggers think.
Boo Corrigan, Army Director of Athletics
Boo Corrigan is the current Director of Athletics at the U.S. Military Academy. A 1990 Notre Dame grad, Corrigan's career has taken him to Florida State, Navy, Notre Dame and Duke before taking the top job at West Point. Corrigan is the son of former ACC Commissioner Gene Corrigan, who served as conference commissioner from 1987 to 1997. Gene Corrigan also served as Athletic Director at Notre Dame from 1981-1987 and Virginia from 1971-1981.
The family has numerous ties to both the ACC and a Catholic university (Notre Dame), but running the West Point football program and an ACC football program are two very different things. There are also unique aspects to serving as one of the academy's A.D.'s that I'm not sure translate at the BCS level.
Jim Fiore, Stony Brook Director of Athletics
Fiore is Stony Brook University's Director of Athletics, recently finishing his ninth year as head of the Seawolves Athletics Department. SUNY-Stony Brook is an athletics department on the rise. The baseball team is coming off a Cinderella College World Series appearance while the football program will move to the CAA in 2013. The relatively new football program has quickly climbed the ranks in Division I, going from the NEC to Big South and now the CAA in only a few short years. The program has won the Big South three years running. BC football will host Stony Brook in 2013, a deal that Fiore and DeFilippo put together. He's also known as a strong fundraiser.
A Hofstra graduate, Fiore made previous career stops at Fordham, Dartmouth and Princeton. Given Fiore's lack of experience at the BCS level for football, I don't expect him to be a serious candidate for the position.
Mike Bobinski, Xavier Athletic Director
Bobinski is the current Athletic Director at Xavier University, serving in his current post for 12 seasons. A Notre Dame grad, Bobinski is also the current Chair of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Committee. He actually came to collegiate athletics from the business world and is a licensed C.P.A. Prior to Xavier, Bobinski served on the staffs at Notre Dame and Navy as well as serving as Akron's A.D.
Xavier hoops has been a powerhouse A-10 program over the past few years, making the Sweet 16 in four of the last five seasons. Still, despite the Jesuit school background and Catholic schooling, I think the lack of experience managing a football program is a deal breaker for Bobinski's candidacy. Going from managing 18 varsity programs to 29 is a pretty significant jump in responsibilities too.
Chris May, Saint Louis Director of Athletics
May has served as Saint Louis University's Director of Athletics since 2008. The Billikens Athletics Department recently hit a high for athletics fundraising in 2010 and the men's basketball program has enjoyed a bit of a resurgence over the past few years. Prior to serving as Saint Louis' A.D., May spent 22 years at the University of Colorado. May holds a BS degree from Iowa State and an MBA from Colorado.
While May does have some experience at the BCS level at Colorado and the Jesuit Catholic school background as Saint Louis' A.D., I would be surprised if May is a serious candidate for the position.
Mike Cragg, Duke Senior Associate Director of Athletics
We previously took a look at Cragg when his name first surfaced a few weeks ago. The priority is likely to hire a current A.D. but short of that, Cragg has some quality experience that could translate well at the Heights. I don't think Cragg will be a serious candidate.
Notice a pattern here? Notre Dame educated? (Jesuit) Catholic school / private school experience? ACC ties? All fits a nice, neat narrative.
I don't have a reason to doubt Blaudschun's list and I'm sure all of these candidates have either expressed an interest or will interview for the position. But I also wouldn't be shocked if a candidate not listed here emerges and is hired as the school's next A.D. Something tells me Blauds isn't as plugged into this process as he'd like to be and this list is a mix of actual candidates and others who are using Blaudschun's new platform to get their name out there.