Charlie Cobb - So Miss Does Not Renew AD Contract

[GoApps70]

Southern Miss refused to renew the contract of their AD, Jeff Hammond. Charlie Cobb was reported to be the other final candidate for their AD job last year. Their current AD was a former Army General and SMU grad who publicly called for an audit of the Athletic Department. The findings did not report any major things. They have a new president, so he evidently was not impressed.

There had been a lot of talk of major financial problems at So Miss over the last couple of years. Was said that a lot of things were done there by "the Good Ole' Boy Network". A handshake with the provider making good money for services to SoMiss. Nothing really confirmed on that, but some speculation starting on AD contract not being renewed because he was putting too much heat on weeding out the inner structures. Some talk about $50,000 received for power washing their stadium. To me doesn't sound that expensive, but have no idea what competitive bidding might have done it for.

SoMiss is a CUSA member, and many of their fans are ticked that East Carolina and a lot of other CUSA members are moving to the AAC in 2014, or have moved already. They lost all of their football games in 2012, after winning the CUSA Football Championship game the year before. They have a new football coach brought in a few months ago.

[Kgfish]

Southern Miss refused to renew the contract of their AD, Jeff Hammond. Charlie Cobb was reported to be the other final candidate for their AD job last year. Their current AD was a former Army General and SMU grad who publicly called for an audit of the Athletic Department. The findings did not report any major things. They have a new president, so he evidently was not impressed.

There had been a lot of talk of major financial problems at So Miss over the last couple of years. Was said that a lot of things were done there by "the Good Ole' Boy Network". A handshake with the provider making good money for services to SoMiss. Nothing really confirmed on that, but some speculation starting on AD contract not being renewed because he was putting too much heat on weeding out the inner structures. Some talk about $50,000 received for power washing their stadium. To me doesn't sound that expensive, but have no idea what competitive bidding might have done it for.

SoMiss is a CUSA member, and many of their fans are ticked that East Carolina and a lot of other CUSA members are moving to the AAC in 2014, or have moved already. They lost all of their football games in 2012, after winning the CUSA Football Championship game the year before. They have a new football coach brought in a few months ago.

Charlie isn't the most approachable person in the world and you have to wonder how he would fit into the culture of Southern Mississippi.

[appbio91]

I will be shocked if Cobb does not leave in the next year or so.

[AZAppGrad]

Mr. Cobb was #1 on their list and had he not removed his name he would have been offered the position.....i am sure they are still very interested in him.

[appdaze]

I will be shocked if Cobb does not leave in the next year or so.

I'm shocked he hasn't already left.

[CVAPP]

Rick Beasley will do a fine job as Cobb's successor. After all, he was running the town of Conover NC before he took the job as Associate AD. Even Conover probably has a bigger budget than our athletic department, and I suspect Rick has learned a thing or two about being an AD in the past 5-8 years, or however long it's been. If it's Cobb's time to leave I salute him for a job well done! We will be fine.

[Kgfish]

Rick Beasley will do a fine job as Cobb's successor. After all, he was running the town of Conover NC before he took the job as Associate AD. Even Conover probably has a bigger budget than our athletic department, and I suspect Rick has learned a thing or two about being an AD in the past 5-8 years, or however long it's been. If it's Cobb's time to leave I salute him for a job well done! We will be fine.

Whoa Mule Whoa! I like Rick A LOT. He is a fine guy and a great Mountaineer BUT take a step back and think about this. Consider what ASU is about to embark on. Do you really want to entrust the future of our program to a guy - a really good guy none the less - with 6 years fund raising experience at a FCS school? Is serving as city manager for a town of barely 8,000 residents the proper experience for running a D-I athletic program? I don't think so. ASU is about to sail off into uncharted waters and if Charlie does leave his replacement MUST be someone with substantial experience at the FBS level. ASU got into all kinds of trouble when we promoted an assistant AD with almost no experience to the top job. It has taken a long time years to recover from that debacle and we can not afford to make a mistake at such a critical time in ASU's athletic history.

[Rekdiver]

I admire Rick but he's not the person for this job. Compare w Hunter Yurachek from Coastal Carolina. Look at the difference in experience as an example. We need someone w contacts and varied experience.

[T-Dog]

Rick's great in the position he's currently in. Doesn't mean he would be a great AD.

USM looks like a dead-end job in many ways. It seems like a "damned if you did, damned if you didn't situation" with the two factions of boosters that you can't please together.

Selfishly, I would hope Charlie stays at least through the hiring of the new Chancellor. As much as I like Peacock, I would rather him not have to pick a new AD and then have a new Chancellor come in who might not see eye to eye with that AD. I do understand that Cobb is in the perfect time period to see if he can get a job in a different tax bracket with the resume he's built up here and it might be time to get some new blood in the athletics department to keep things fresh.

[CVAPP]

Whoa Mule Whoa! I like Rick A LOT. He is a fine guy and a great Mountaineer BUT take a step back and think about this. Consider what ASU is about to embark on. Do you really want to entrust the future of our program to a guy - a really good guy none the less - with 6 years fund raising experience at a FCS school? Is serving as city manager for a town of barely 8,000 residents the proper experience for running a D-I athletic program? I don't think so. ASU is about to sail off into uncharted waters and if Charlie does leave his replacement MUST be someone with substantial experience at the FBS level. ASU got into all kinds of trouble when we promoted an assistant AD with almost no experience to the top job. It has taken a long time years to recover from that debacle and we can not afford to make a mistake at such a critical time in ASU's athletic history.

Satterfield has less than substantial experience at FBS, and he's homegrown too. I'm just saying what we want and what we can afford are not always the same thing. If Cobb bolts I will be very surprised if Rick was not on the short list of candidates. Having said that, I hope they would conduct a genuine national search for the most qualified candidates willing to consider the job. You know, like the one they did when they discovered Satterfield was available .

[Kgfish]

Whoa Mule Whoa! I like Rick A LOT. He is a fine guy and a great Mountaineer BUT take a step back and think about this. Consider what ASU is about to embark on. Do you really want to entrust the future of our program to a guy - a really good guy none the less - with 6 years fund raising experience at a FCS school? Is serving as city manager for a town of barely 8,000 residents the proper experience for running a D-I athletic program? I don't think so. ASU is about to sail off into uncharted waters and if Charlie does leave his replacement MUST be someone with substantial experience at the FBS level. ASU got into all kinds of trouble when we promoted an assistant AD with almost no experience to the top job. It has taken a long time years to recover from that debacle and we can not afford to make a mistake at such a critical time in ASU's athletic history.

Satterfield has less than substantial experience at FBS, and he's homegrown too. I'm just saying what we want and what we can afford are not always the same thing. If Cobb bolts I will be very surprised if Rick was not on the short list of candidates. Having said that, I hope they would conduct a genuine national search for the most qualified candidates willing to consider the job. You know, like the one they did when they discovered Satterfield was available .

I agree with your point about Scott. I thought we needed to go in a different direction but he is our guy and I support him completely. We need to hope the AD search is more legit than those for our head football & basketball coaches.

[Saint3333]

It came down to two guys, both would have been excellent choices. Satt was OC at a MAC and Sun Belt program. He was qualified. Given the effort this offseason, I'm excited to what this program grow.

[CVAPP]

I agree with your point about Scott. I thought we needed to go in a different direction but he is our guy and I support him completely. We need to hope the AD search is more legit than those for our head football & basketball coaches.

I can't help but think it always comes down to money. With that in mind the most qualified candidates that will be happy with what we pay (and therefore less likely to bolt for greener pastures upon their first whiff of success) might naturally be those that are passionate about APP already. Both Scott and Rick fit that mold.

[Rekdiver]

I'm not sure Rick wants this job and all the pressure that goes with it. He is safe as an Asst AD and runs the risk of getting fired and making a mess of things as the AD. A fresh face with no ties would be fine with me for the next choice.

[asu66]

I'm 99.4 percent certain that an MA in Sports Management and previous experience as an AD or associate AD will be prerequisites for our AD's position when we have a vacancy. Very few D-I AD's are hired w/o that sports management "union card." Probably 75% of those have their degree from either Ohio University or Indiana University. Those are THE two most highly recognized programs in the USA.

In addition to that, I'd expect the BOT to employ the services of a consultant or a headhunter firm. As someone mentioned earlier, we're in uncharted waters. There will be no time or patience for OJT! Can't afford to make a hiring mistake right off the starting line.

[AppinVA]

Of course, before all these moves take place, there has to be an opening.

[IGgreer]

Cobb, if you are reading this: "it's time"

We will be fine without him...

[Saint3333]

App has never had the success in ALL sports in any 8 year period as they have under Cobb. He's not reading this by the way, he's not a fan of sites like this.

[WataugaMan]

Cobb, if you are reading this: "it's time"

We will be fine without him...

Charlie, if you're reading this, please stay!! You are doing an outstanding job!!

[Kgfish]

App has never had the success in ALL sports in any 8 year period as they have under Cobb. He's not reading this by the way, he's not a fan of sites like this.

Then he must have someone that does. He often references message board chatter in remarks to alumni groups.