Report: Boston College AD Brad Bates A Candidate For Michigan Job

Michigan is looking to move past interim AD Jim Hackett, and multiple news reports have listed Boston College Athletic Director Brad Bates as a possible candidate:

Via The Boston Herald:

Possible candidates, all of whom are currently athletic directors with ties to Michigan, include Arkansas' Jeff Long, Connecticut's Warde Manuel, Boston College's Brad Bates and Colorado State's Joe Parker.

The Detroit Free Press Listed "7 Strong Candidates" for the position, and Bates was on there:Brad Bates

Current job: Boston College AD.

Tie to Michigan: From Port Huron. Walk-on defensive back who played for Schembechler. Has a bachelor's and a master's in education from Michigan. Took over at BC in 2012, after 10 years leading Miami (Ohio). He has shown a strong educational focus, as BC ranked fifth nationally in Graduation Success Rate in 2013-14. Replaced Gene DeFilippo at BC; DeFilippo is part of the Turnkey firm assisting U-M with this search. U-M long believed to be his dream job.

Why it wouldn't work: May be comfortable working a private school in a major city.

Gene DeFilippo is part of the search committee to hire the new Michigan AD, which may end up being Brad Bates? Small world.

Bates came to Boston College in 2013, and has had mixed reviews about his current performance at the school. SInce coming to the school he hired Steve Addazio and Jim Christian, added new video boards to Alumni Stadium, and attempted to improve game day experience for football. However in the three years he has been at BC, he has been criticized for failing to schedule a Power Five opponent, allowing the Fenway game happen against Notre Dame, and very little change to happen in terms of tailgating.

Will Bates be a serious contender for the Michigan job? That remains to be seen. Certainly it will be a process worth monitoring.