Aggies Seem to Want Scott Stricklin but Why Would He Leave Florida?
Ross Bjork should have seen it coming long before he was shoved out the door in College Station. That only God and the Longhorns have more money than the Aggies doesn’t mean they take kindly to ponying up $77 million to buy out a coach that was given a $95 million contract extension back in 2021. So think of Ross Bjork’s forced exit as Jimbo Fisher’s revenge.
Fortunately for Ross Bjork, Ohio State has a sense of humor. The Buckeyes need a new athletic director to replace the retiring Gene Smith and they don’t seem to mind that Ross Bjork gave Jimbo the greatest golden parachute in collegiate athletics history. Ryan Day, who has lost to Michigan three straight years, has to be wondering what kind of deal can he get if he whips up on the Fighting Harbaughs in November.
Meanwhile, back in Aggieland. They don’t seem the least bit fazed by the departure of their athletic director. If anything, they seem rather pleased that he’s gone.
“Don’t let the screen door hit you, on your way out; Don’t drown when your dream boat runs onto the ground.” – From “Smoke from a Distant Fire” by the Sanford Townsend Band
Ross Bjork was hired away from Ole Miss to replace Scott Woodward, who left Texas A&M to take over at LSU in the spring of 2019. Although he didn’t hire Coach O, Woodward got to celebrate a national championship with him and then fire him two seasons later. Woodward hired Kim Mulkey from Baylor who delivered a women’s NCAA basketball title in her second year and baseball coach Joey Johnson from Arizona who won an NCAA title in his second year. Woodward also hired Brian Kelly from Notre Dame as Coach O’s replacement and while it hasn’t brought a national title, it has produced 21 wins and a Heisman Trophy QB.
Meanwhile Ross Bjork didn’t bring Texas A&M a single NCAA or SEC championship during his entire tenure. Nor did the Aggies finish among the nation’s top ten athletic programs, their highest Director’s Cup finish under Bjork No. 24.
No wonder Texas A&M-related social media and team sites are burning up with rumors that the Aggies have zeroed in on Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin. A trusted friend who has always been very close to higher-ups in the Aggie administration, told me Wednesday morning that Bjork’s departure has been in the works for some time and that no time was wasted formulating a short list for a quick replacement hire.
There are plenty of reasons why Scott Stricklin would be at or near the top of any list the Aggies produced. With the exception of the 2020 COVID year, Florida has won at least one national championship every year since Stricklin’s arrival in 2016. The Gators won two for the 2022-23 athletic year. Additionally, the Gators have won 28 SEC championships.
And this is without near the money resources of Texas A&M.
A trusted friend who always has a handle on what goes on in Aggieland said Wednesday that Texas A&M has had feelers out for a Bjork replacement for some time and that a short list that includes Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin has been formulated.
“From what I know of the situation, he’s at the top of the list,” the Aggie friend said Wednesday. “I can’t tell you if he’s been interviewed although I think he has or they’re just kicking tires to get a feel for what he wants to do, but if Scott Stricklin wants to be the AD here all he has to do is say yes. I think they’ll give him whatever he wants.”
Asked if the Aggies shared the same concerns of some Gator fans that Stricklin hired (and fired) Dan Mullen and Billy Napier, the answer was a resounding no.
“Mullen was a hot ticket when he was hired,” he said. “If Florida hadn’t hired him he would’ve been hired at Tennessee or some other SEC school with more money than Mississippi State. He was all set to leave for a place where you can win a championship. Napier was on everybody’s hot list. He turned down Auburn, Arkansas and Mississippi State at least once. He was being talked up like the natural successor to Nick or Dabo. Who wouldn’t have hired him?”
When Stricklin was hired, Florida facilities were among the worst in the SEC, fund raising was lagging way behind and there was absolutely no long term plan in place for the athletic program. All that has changed on Stricklin’s watch. Along with a new baseball stadium and the Heavener Center for football, nearly every athletic venue has seen an upgrade. Stricklin has brought in money to pay for the new digs and his long term plan includes the first serious upgrades to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in years.
While the Aggies do indeed have money to burn, Stricklin has a superior athletic program at Florida and this is without football and basketball doing their part in the last couple of years.
So what does Scott Stricklin have to say about all this?
Interviewed by Nick de la Torre of Gators Online, Stricklin said, “The University of Florida is the best job in the country for college athletics. It’s the best location. It’s the best school. We’ve got an awesome fanbase. I love being a Gator and I have no interest in working somewhere else at this time.”
Here is a little hint why I think Scott has no interest in going anywhere else. I’ve been given hints that a major project involving the athletic department is in the works that is not about Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. I don’t have anything more than what I’ve just said but a major project would involve Stricklin planning and getting the fund raising in place. I can’t see him leaving if such a project is in the works.
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