APP AD search

[tarmac]

Thoughts are we will have a new AD by next weekend.

Appalachian Invites Three A.D. Candidates to Campus

by Appalachian Sports Information
April 29, 2005

BOONE, N.C. — Appalachian State University has invited three candidates for the position of athletics director to campus beginning on Monday, May 2, search committee chairperson Dr. Alan Hauser announced on Friday. The three candidates are Charles Cobb, a senior associate athletics director at North Carolina State University, Brad Edwards, a senior associate athletics director at the University of South Carolina, and Scott Secules, a senior associate athletics director at Southern Methodist University.

Cobb, who holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from N.C. State and a Master’s in sports administration from Ohio University, has served as N.C. State’s senior associate athletics director for external operations for the past seven years. Prior to his arrival at NCSU, Cobb spent time as the associate executive director of the Atlanta Sports Council and Peach Bowl and a sales manager for the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Ga.

Edwards, who holds a B.S. in business administration from South Carolina and is working towards a Master’s degree in sports administration at USC, has been with the Gamecocks since 1999. He began as an assistant athletics director for development before being named an associate athletics director for business and development in 2001 and senior associate athletics director for business and development in ‘03. Edwards was a member of the NFL’s top-rated defense with the Minnesota Vikings in 1988 and ‘89 and served as a defensive co-captain for the Super Bowl XXVI champion Washington Redskins in 1992.

Secules, who holds a B.A. in economics from the University of Virginia, has been at SMU since 1995, beginning as director of operations and assistant executive director of the SMU Mustang Club and holdings positions as director of season ticket sales (1999-2001), associate athletics director (2001-02) and senior associate athletics director (2002-present). He spent six seasons as a quarterback with the Dallas Cowboys, Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots from 1988-93.

Resumes for all three candidates can be viewed here.


Charles Cobb
Senior Associate Athletic Director
North Carolina State University
Resume (pdf)

Brad Edwards
Senior Associate Athletics Director
for Business and Development
University of South Carolina
Resume (pdf)

Scott Secules
Senior Associate Athletic Director
Southern Methodist University
Resume (pdf)

[tarmac]

I don't think her resume stacks up anywhere close to these guys.

This link will give you their resumes.

http://www.web.appstate.edu/athleticsearch/index.html

The thinking (hoping) is that she is out of the running. Maybe its a good sign that her resume is not listed.

[Hansel]

A buddy of mine always played with the Patriots on Super Tecmo bowl on Super Nintendo, at the end of the half he would always bring in Scott Secules (or Sextools as he referred to hime as) to throw up the deep lob ball hoping Marv Cook would jump up and catch it. Secules had a passing power rating of ~13 on a 100 scale on the game.

I have no idea what that has to do with your AD search :)

[WCU LawCat]

I'm not 100% sure on this but I think Cobb and Edwards were both considered for the WCU job last year.

Super Tecmo Bowl...Now that was a classic!

[SoCon48]

..and WCU chose Chip Smith over them???????
Of course Smith has something over them in that he had been an AD (at Morehead State), while these two have been assoc AD's.

Took you guys just 6 weeks. App has now taken almost 6 months.
Odd. :(

[Josh]

How does Linda Robinson (interim AD) compare?

Linda who?

Dude, told you she is not getting the job. You don't listen when I say things. Coach Moore and his boys are out after this season.

Remember that too.

[Josh]

..and WCU chose Chip Smith over them???????
Of course Smith has something over them in that he had been an AD (at Morehead State), while these two have been assoc AD's.

Took you guys just 6 weeks. App has now taken almost 6 months.
Odd. :(

One of Peacock's family members was in the hospital so that delayed it. App did not take 6 months though. Well they did but when the committee was in place it took just a little over a month of meeting to do it. Peacock's family emergency took like 2 months I think.

[WCU LawCat]

Took you guys just 6 weeks. App has now taken almost 6 months.
Odd.

When we were looking for Smith it was Mid Summer. We were trying to get an AD in place before Football and the school year started. As far as Chip Smith goes, we think hes done well so far and has shown he has a backbone. We really like our new Basketball coach Larry Hunter. Great resume. Time will tell.

[SoCon48]

Well, at this point, I don't think ASU needs to be in a hurry. After 5 1/2 - 6 months, all the big decisions have been made for a while by Linda Robinson about Football as well as basketball.
Linda and Coach Moore gave us a four home schedule and two tough I-A opponents (LSU and Kansas) for next Fall, and $700,000 to help the coffers for the next coach after the present coach gets the axe. A 3 year contract extension was given to a basketball coach who is still sub- .500 and had 6 other teams in the weak SoCon with as good or better records than his. Go figure. On the bright side, this coach has won 4 SoCon tournament games in his five years (three first round and 1 second round).
Maybe she can help Fancher with another stellar schedule in baketball before the new guy can get started. Of course the pressure is off Fancher now, so we won't have to have 5 or 6 patsies next year. We can work on getting the gate up close to respectable again.

[TexasTerror]

Three former football players, two of whom played in the NFL. That's an impressive group there for App State after reading over the resumes. Don't see how they could go wrong, though Cobb just seems to be more of the business type in terms of the various aspects of the business side of athletics that he's worked with.

[Saint3333]

New AD to be named later in the week per the MMB.

Charlie Cobb will be named the new Director of Athletics at ASU later this week. Cobb met with Chancellor Peacock over the past 48 hours and is working on a multi-year agreement now with ASU's General Counsel.

Cobb recently finished his fourth year in the NC State Department of Athletics as Associate Director for External Operations. He oversees the marketing and promotions office, the athletic ticket office, student-athlete development and is the administrator in charge of baseball and women's soccer. He is also the department's liaison with Gale Force Sports in the operation of the Entertainment and Sports Arena.

Cobb came to NC State from Atlanta, Ga., where he served as the associate executive director of the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl and the Atlanta Sports Council from 1997-98. Acting as chief operating officer for both organizations, he played a vital role in developing Atlanta's successful bid for the 2007 Men's NCAA Final Four.

From 1994-97, the West Columbia S.C., native served as a sales manager for the Georgia Dome, negotiating agreements to bring the SEC Football Championship, SEC Basketball Tournament and the ACC Basketball Tournament to the facility. He also managed the Georgia Dome's executive suites and club seat leasing program.

Cobb served as assistant executive director of the Peach Bowl and the Atlanta Sports Council from 1992-94, and was a member of the bid committee for the award of the 2002 Men's NCAA Final Four to Atlanta and the host committee for Super Bowl XXVIII.

Cobb graduated with honors from NC State in 1990 with a B.A. in business administration. In 1990, as the starting center for the Wolfpack football team, he won second-team All-ACC honors and was the recipient of the league's Jim Tatum Award. A Bob James ACC postgraduate scholarship winner, he received his master's degree in sports administration from Ohio University in 1992.

Cobb is married to the former Lindsay Brecher, an All-ACC soccer goalie for the Wolfpack from 1988-90. She was named the MVP of the 1988 ACC Women's Soccer Tournament, making the final save in NC State's win over North Carolina in the championship game. A year later, she was named to the NCAA Final Four's all-tournament team. The Cobbs have a 4-year-old son, Harrison, and infant daughter, Branan.

[SoCon48]

.."a little over a month.."

Swami, still left the ASU athletic program without an AD for 6 months so far..well, actually with a former women's basketball coach/Title IX compliance (etc) director making the decisions for football, facilities, winter/spring sports, athletic dept hirings, and contract extensions for the men's basketball program.
Committee was named Feb 7, 3 months ago (3 months after the long awaited AD resignation).

[SoCon48]

Would like to know, too, why the Catamounts supposedly selected Chip Smith over Cobb last summer.

[SoCon48]

Veil?
It is what it is.

[Saint3333]

The Chancellor not interim AD extended Houston's contract. Not a move I supported, as I was waiting to see if HF could string two decent years together before getting excited.

I'm glad the search is over and ASU can move forward, but as we all know ASU has been better during this past six months through addition by subtraction.

Changes in past two years:
OC - gone - still don't have one and ASU ppg is way up, now defense...
Chancellor - gone - hired a believer, lively, bleeds b&g
Baseball coach - gone - recruiter is up and so are the wins, should get better
Asst. AD - gone - TBD
AD - gone - 2005 shall be known as AL 1 or After Laney 1
Marketing Dir. - gone - what did she do?

Still one more piece of the old chesse board to fall, should happen I'd say in about 7 months. Yes yes I know... :deadhorse

[SoCon48]

So you don't think LRob made the recommendation to extend HF's contract after his stellar season vs a powerhouse slate? Just went right around her?
FWIW, LRob made the announcement (you know, the one with the long glowing praise), not the chancellor's office.
Chancellor approves and presents ALL contract offers.

BTW. Not so sure about baseball. We all thoiught there would be an improvement with a new coach. Seems like same ol same ol so far. Teams are practically setting records against us (scores sound like football shutouts) and our RPI is extremely embarrassing.
Wins are up? We've won 5 conference games thus far )solid last place with G and Elon left. '04 we won 6, '03 8 games, and '02 10 games. If there has been progress, it may show up under a microscope.

Yep, Moore will soon be gone, but by Fancher comparison, he ought to get a lifetime contract extension. Moore plays LSU and Kansas for 700K. Fancher will prob schedule Longwood twice again, Erskine, Milligan, Upstate, etc for what maybe 500 bucks. Gotta just love it. If Fancher coaches about 60 more years, he can become the SoCon's winningest coach, too.
Damn, I hope a football replacement will turn out better than the baseball choice.

[AppMan]

So you don't think LRob made the recommendation to extend HF's contract after his stellar season vs a powerhouse slate? Just went right around her?

Yep, Moore will soon be gone, but by Fancher comparison, he ought to get a lifetime contract extension. Moore plays LSU and Kansas for 700K. Fancher will prob schedule Longwood twice again, Erskine, Milligan, Upstate, etc for what maybe 500 bucks. Gotta just love it. If Fancher coaches about 60 more years, he can become the SoCon's winningest coach, too.
Damn, I hope a football replacement will turn out better than the baseball choice.

We all know who you are because you post the same drivil on the WCU Board. You must be the most negative ASU alumnus on the planet. FYI, I KNOW the chancellor made the decision to extend Houston's contract on his own. I've spoken to him personally about that and he confirmed it. BTW, I'd like to know since when does the chancellor of a university have to go around an interim AD? Jerry Moore's downfall has more to do with off the field problems, lack of progress in the classroom, non-qualifing recruits, and terrible graduation rates than W's & L's. If you only knew a tenth of what you think you do....

[Josh]

.."a little over a month.."

Swami, still left the ASU athletic program without an AD for 6 months so far..well, actually with a former women's basketball coach/Title IX compliance (etc) director making the decisions for football, facilities, winter/spring sports, athletic dept hirings, and contract extensions for the men's basketball program.
Committee was named Feb 7, 3 months ago (3 months after the long awaited AD resignation).

Yeah but in a couple more weeks we should know. I haven't been keeping up much with this deal we have going on with the NFL so I have not been on top of things on the AD search but did talk to a member on the committee just before they named the finalists and they told me that it would be decided soon. That was the last I heard. I am just glad ASU has a new beginning now. Now only if that football team can get it together ASU can get things rolling in the 2005-2006 season.

[SoCon48]

Hah! "Most negative ASU alumnus on the planet?" After reading "HIS HIGNESS' posts for several years, I'd have to take a lot of lessons to ever dream about being nearly as negative. From reading that stuff, one would think that ASU's football staff, ticket managment, stadium, marketing, administration, sports information, baseball field, tennis courts, fans, students, ad nauesum were the worst in college sports.

I have no doubt the chancellor made the decision to extend our loser's contract. It's just unusual to not get the opinion of the AD whom he himself appointed.

You're right, I just wish I was 1/10 wrong about ASU's basketball programs's mediocrity. No one can accuse ASU of being a basketball school.

I'm so impressed by your connections with Peacock. See if you can get him to start the stadium project (or at least the fieldhouse) sometime this century. While you're at it, how about an AD on the job withing a year from the last one's resignation.

Drivel? ROFL. Geez. It won't be the only "drivel" I've read in the past few years. :eek:

[AppMan]

HIS HIGNESS???

First of all it's HIS DOUGNESS

"From reading that stuff, one would think that ASU's football staff, ticket managment, stadium, marketing, administration, sports information, baseball field, tennis courts, fans, students, ad nauesum were the worst in college sports."

Once again (like always), you totally distort facts and misrepresent everything. I am just going to stop responding to you. The simple fact you hold the distinction of being the only person to EVER be kicked off the MMB since its inception 6 years ago (dating back on the old CNNSI Board) says volumes about who and what you are. :bang:

[SoCon48]

Which was the MMB posters' sarcastic way of saying "His Highness".

Your not responding to my posts would be oh such a welcome treat.
Someday you may realize that everyone who doesn't agree with you is not wrong.
Don't you have some green roofs to battle?

[Cincy App]

Charles Cobb, senior associate AD from NC State, was officially named the new athletics director at ASU this morning.

[GreatAppSt]

Very much tickled pink. Mr. Cobb should do well for himself and App.

[Cincy App]

Appalachian State Names New Athletics Director (http://www.i-aa.org/article.asp?articleid=70021)


Are you fans happy with the choice?


Appsolutely!!

[SoCon48]

Since he was in WCU's final three before they picked Chip Smith instead, I wonder:

1. Had they thought about it 5 more months, would they have changed their minds and picked Cobb?

2. Why Smith over Cobb, anyway?

3. How long will Cobb be at App before the Catamounts realize they should have picked him?

[Mr. C]

Mr. Cobb handled himself very professionally (professionalism and the ASU AD — those are two words that haven't gone together in quite a few years) today. He came away looking quite impressive and Dr. Peacock had some great things to say about him as well. Look for more about Cobb on the I-AA.org website on Thursday.

[asufan87]

I think ASU has landed a good one. His background in external relations and fund raising are exactly what ASU needs at this time. The fact that he comes from NC State should help him hit the ground running sooner with regard to any corporate fund raising overtures in NC as well as understanding the political landscape within the state and the UNC system in particular. Who he selects as an associate AD will be a critical hire and I look forward to seeing how he proceeds with that hire. I think the search committee did a heck of a job and I'm excited for the future of ASU.

[WCU LawCat]

Since he was in WCU's final three before they picked Chip Smith instead, I wonder:

1. Had they thought about it 5 more months, would they have changed their minds and picked Cobb?

2. Why Smith over Cobb, anyway?

3. How long will Cobb be at App before the Catamounts realize they should have picked him?

I-AA 2005

We picked Smith because he had prior AD experience. Thats what WCU wanted. If we had waited 2 years we still would have picked Smith. We got the guy WE WANTED MOST! He is already proving to be a great hire.

In reference to your #3....How long will Cobb be at App before APP REALIZES THAT THEY GOT WCU'S LEFTOVERS!!! :bang:

I'm not trying to send this thread to the smack forum but that post pushed some buttons. Why do *SOME* App fans feel that WCU is second rate even before everything is played out. In the end I'm sure both AD's are qualified and will do fine. WCU Chancelor John Bardo wanted Chip Smith.

[SoCon48]

Just joking, LCat.
Cobb should do well at App. Many of the decisions for a while have been made prior to his arrival.
WCU passed over him in a month, we took 6 months to find him. Can't see that is second rate.

I do think both are good fits for each school. At least I hope so.

[WCU LawCat]

Sorry that I got excited. I think we can agree that each school got the guy that "fit" its school best.

One thing I have seen is that Cobb is or appears to be "happy that he is back at the school he loves so much." What I don't quite understand is that if thats the case then why didn't he play football for App instead of NC State?

[SoCon48]

My sentiments exactly regarding his childhood dream.
He must be a helluva salesman (or else the folks who believe that are really gullible). Which should come in handy in the Boone job.
His first job will be to sell donors on the new stadium plan after the excitement from two years ago has died down.

His next job might should be to "sell" that rag, the Charlotte Observer, on giving App athletics just a little more coverage. It gave him all of of one sentence on the last sports page regarding his being named AD yesterday at the chanceller's press conference.
LOL.

I can see why the Charlotte Observer has lost 8% in circulation over the last few years although the coverage area's population has grown tremendously.

[AppMan]

"One thing I have seen is that Cobb is or appears to be "happy that he is back at the school he loves so much." What I don't quite understand is that if thats the case then why didn't he play football for App instead of NC State?"[COLOR=Red]

Isn't it a bit obvious? 1-A vs 1-aa. That extra A will cost you every time.

[SoCon48]

Wasn't a very strong "dream" then. But good enough for a search committee.

[AppMan]

Appalachian State Names New Athletics Director (http://www.i-aa.org/article.asp?articleid=70021)


Are you fans happy with the choice?

Extremely pleased with the selection. Charlie Cobb has all the attributes we were looking for and a family connection to ASU as well. His experience in marketing, increasing revenues, and fund raising are just what the Dr ordered. Chancellor Peacock & the search committee should be congratulated for the soild work they did.

[Saint3333]

I agree, Cobb is a good choice. In fact I would have been happy with any of the "finalists" I heard rumored about here, which included associate ADs from South Carolina, SMU, Pitt, and of course NCSU. It will be nice to have someone in the position that is qualified.

[Mr. C]

Sorry that I got excited. I think we can agree that each school got the guy that "fit" its school best.

One thing I have seen is that Cobb is or appears to be "happy that he is back at the school he loves so much." What I don't quite understand is that if thats the case then why didn't he play football for App instead of NC State?
Cobb told several of us at the press conference that he was not recruited by Appalachian State in football, probably because the Mountaineers felt they had little chance of getting a player being recruited by much larger programs.

[SoCon48]

Looks like if it was his childhood dream, he would have just picked up the phone and given the staff a call. The Apps would have jumped at a chance to sign an ACC prospect.
Doesn't matter. The search committee and a few other gullible souls bought it anyway.

[appst89]

Looks like if it was his childhood dream, he would have just picked up the phone and given the staff a call. The Apps would have jumped at a chance to sign an ACC prospect.
Doesn't matter. The search committee and a few other gullible souls bought it anyway.

Actually, he said his dream was to play basketball for Bobby Cremins at ASU. Since that was an impossibility by the time he was ready to attend college, I don't really see any discrepancy in what he said. I don't care if the guy graduated from the University of Mars, he's going to be ten times better than what we had if he just shows up for work. I think we've got a guy who will do all the things that haven't been done at ASU for the past fifteen years. Things are finally looking up for the Apps.

[hapapp]

Looks like if it was his childhood dream, he would have just picked up the phone and given the staff a call. The Apps would have jumped at a chance to sign an ACC prospect.
Doesn't matter. The search committee and a few other gullible souls bought it anyway.

His childhood dream was to play basketball at ASU. He related that he attended bball camp at ASU when Cremins was coach. Many folks dream of playng here or there, but things don't often work out or a more lucrative deal comes along. Cobb has family connections to ASU which I think served him well. I am not sure it was gullibility on anyone's part.

[SoCon48]

More lucrative offer pretty well sums it up.

His parents got their master's at ASU...mentioned as "alums" by some reports. Close enough. Although most people consider their undergrad to be their alma mater.
At any rate, he has pretty decent resume. Just hope he can make up for 8 or 9 months lost time/decisions. Would have been nice if he had had experience at AD somewhere..but then we may not have got him.

Hope he can 1. Get the various staff members to recruit better within NC. We've lost a lot of contact with our ASU grad coaches through the years.
2. Raise more money so we don't have to hire in-experienced coaches in a lot of areas. At least I hope that's the reason. We used to hire name brand coaches for soccer. Women's basketball, we hired Furman's 3rd best coach from that staff.
3. Fix baseball somehow fast without throwing out the baby with the bathwater. Can't get any worse.
4. Quit the stall on the facilities plan.
5. Shut up Alan Hauser and the faculty senate.
6. Push the sports marketing department to get off their butts and quit throwing out Wal-Mart basketballs.
7. If at all possible, get rid of all traces of the Greenwich Village logo designs and the "yaller" colors. Boy were we screwed on that stuff. Yosef looks like tele tubbies or the purple Barney gayrod dude. The logo is so damn ugly.

Have fun at the Animals concert in HP Sat night. I'll be there. Good seats. Their ticket site on the net is the best of any. Get to choose your exact seats and see where they are.
Wish Ticketmaster would do that.

[Josh]

Cobb told several of us at the press conference that he was not recruited by Appalachian State in football, probably because the Mountaineers felt they had little chance of getting a player being recruited by much larger programs.

You just said what has been wrong with ASU. ASU thinks too little. They need to be going out there and offering those guys that WFU, NC State, UNC, and Duke offer. ASU has beaten those teams or had teams good enough to beat them before. ASU will start going after those type guys one day. ASU has missed out on a lot of good players who would have possibly gone to ASU had they just received interest. This is a great fit at AD for App and looks to be the best candidate for the job. I think this will be great for the fans, players, and future coaches who come through ASU!