| FTBL Saban hires an Assoc. Athletic Director...

[imported_Porter]

http://www.rolltide.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/052208aaa.html

Mike Vollmar Hired as Associate Athletics Director for Football

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama head coach Nick Saban announced the hiring of Mike Vollmar as associate athletics director for football on Thursday. Vollmar comes to Alabama after spending 12 years as an assistant athletics director and director of football operations at Michigan State. His primary role at UA will be to oversee the administration and operation of the football program.

“We are pleased and happy to add someone the caliber of Mike Vollmar to our football staff,” said head coach Nick Saban. “When we worked together at Michigan State, Mike did an outstanding job as an administrator and was a tremendous asset to the overall success of our football program. Mike is one of the most well respected leaders in the field of football operations nationally and we are very fortunate to bring Mike on board at Alabama.”

Vollmar’s duties at Michigan State included internal and external operations of the football program. He also managed the football budget, team travel, scheduling, camps, and the construction of a new $12 million football facility. Vollmar served as the liaison between Michigan State and NFL scouts as well as high school coaches. He also served on the AFCA National Committee for Directors of Football Operations and the Board of Directors for the MSU Football Players Association, Duffy Daugherty Memorial Award and Mid-Michigan Touchdown Club.

“My family and I are very excited about joining an institution with the excellent academic and athletic reputation the University Alabama carries nationally,” said Vollmar. “It is special to be a part of a program that has one of the greatest traditions in all of college football. I am looking forward to being back with Nick and working with an outstanding staff of coaches and administrators at Alabama.”

Prior to joining MSU, Vollmar spent five years at Syracuse where the Orangemen posted a record of 42-15-1. He served as recruiting and personnel coordinator from 1991-93 and director of football and recruiting operations from 1994-96 under Paul Pasqualoni. Four players recruited during that time were named to Syracuse’s All-Century team, including Donovan McNabb, Donovan Darius, Kevin Johnson and Kevin Abrams. Syracuse won three bowl games in his five years (’92 Hall of Fame, ’93 Fiesta and ’96 Gator Bowls).

Vollmar spent three seasons as assistant recruiting coordinator and in athletic administration under the late Bo Schembechler and Gary Moeller at Michigan (1988-90). The Wolverines went 28-7-1 during his stint in Ann Arbor, winning three Big Ten championships, with two Rose Bowl appearances and a Gator Bowl appearance. Mike’s father, James, was a running back at Michigan from 1956-58.

Vollmar participated in track and field as a pole-vaulter at Siena Heights College in Adrian, Mich., where he received a bachelor’s degree in history with a minor in speech communications in 1988. He earned a master’s degree in sports management from the United States Sports Academy in Daphne, Ala. in 1989.

Vollmar is married to the former Tami Schneck and the couple has a daughter, Bailey Lauren.

 

[TerryP]

bump

 

[TerryP]

I started thinking more about this last night...and again this morning after I bumped this...

I recalled a post I made last week about Saban interviewing Tim Allen who was the DFO under Glen Mason and it dawned on me that the interview with Allen was for the position that Vollmar was hired to conduct.

I do find this interesting if my thoughts are indeed true. A head coach interviewing for the position of Assoc. Ath. Dir. who will have oversight of the football program? In essence, interviewing his boss in terms of title?

IF the way I'm looking at this is indeed correct, I can't think of another hire like this in college football. Unprecedented? Our rivals, especially those to the SE, love to point to their supposition that the Ath. Dir's and boosters will serve as the stumbling block that Saban won't abide by and force him to leave the program. I'd say, this hire further isolates him from those who might be tempted to meddle.

This is indeed an interesting turn of events to put it mildly.

 

[Guest]

I started thinking more about this last night...and again this morning after I bumped this...

I recalled a post I made last week about Saban interviewing Tim Allen who was the DFO under Glen Mason and it dawned on me that the interview with Allen was for the position that Vollmar was hired to conduct.

I do find this interesting if my thoughts are indeed true. A head coach interviewing for the position of Assoc. Ath. Dir. who will have oversight of the football program? In essence, interviewing his boss in terms of title?

IF the way I'm looking at this is indeed correct, I can't think of another hire like this in college football. Unprecedented? Our rivals, especially those to the SE, love to point to their supposition that the Ath. Dir's and boosters will serve as the stumbling block that Saban won't abide by and force him to leave the program. I'd say, this hire further isolates him from those who might be tempted to meddle.

This is indeed an interesting turn of events to put it mildly.

Kinda gives me the idea that Saban plans to be around for awhile...

 

[TerryP]

Kinda gives me the idea that Saban plans to be around for awhile...

I see no reason to draw a conclusion other than that KC.
I've heard Todd Alles (DFO) is retiring and I've also heard we may see one more hire this summer as well.

 

[TerryP]

One other thing that bears noting here. Another of the knocks on Saban was how people that worked for him in the past don't want to anymore because of how hard he is...he runs off coaches, etc.

Part of that is true. He does run off coaches that don't want to put in the effort or don't "work out." Burns, time was a problem but it was understandable given his wife's health. Applewhite, you know that story.

But, on the other hand, here's Vollmar coming back to work with him again. He joins Thompson, Williams, Smart, and Davis.

 

[Swamptick]

I started thinking more about this last night...and again this morning after I bumped this...

I recalled a post I made last week about Saban interviewing Tim Allen who was the DFO under Glen Mason and it dawned on me that the interview with Allen was for the position that Vollmar was hired to conduct.

I do find this interesting if my thoughts are indeed true. A head coach interviewing for the position of Assoc. Ath. Dir. who will have oversight of the football program? In essence, interviewing his boss in terms of title?

IF the way I'm looking at this is indeed correct, I can't think of another hire like this in college football. Unprecedented? Our rivals, especially those to the SE, love to point to their supposition that the Ath. Dir's and boosters will serve as the stumbling block that Saban won't abide by and force him to leave the program. I'd say, this hire further isolates him from those who might be tempted to meddle.

This is indeed an interesting turn of events to put it mildly.

Kinda gives me the idea that Saban plans to be around for awhile...

It really does seem that way more and more. On the way home from the gym this morning I was hit with a thought about our turning out 92k last year for A day and nearly that many this year. One thing the Saban's have always been big on is fan support. I think Coach and Mrs. Saban know that last year we came to see him and then our football team. He knows the fans are there for him (even if some of us are abit wacko). The football program is HIS and there are few places in any sport at any time where winning is so paramount.

Roll Tide.

Thanks for the story and the bump. For some reason this hire has me more excited than anything since our #1 recruiting class.

It's great to be from ALABAMA.

 

[252BAMA]

I started thinking more about this last night...and again this morning after I bumped this...

I recalled a post I made last week about Saban interviewing Tim Allen who was the DFO under Glen Mason and it dawned on me that the interview with Allen was for the position that Vollmar was hired to conduct.

I do find this interesting if my thoughts are indeed true. A head coach interviewing for the position of Assoc. Ath. Dir. who will have oversight of the football program? In essence, interviewing his boss in terms of title?

IF the way I'm looking at this is indeed correct, I can't think of another hire like this in college football. Unprecedented? Our rivals, especially those to the SE, love to point to their supposition that the Ath. Dir's and boosters will serve as the stumbling block that Saban won't abide by and force him to leave the program. I'd say, this hire further isolates him from those who might be tempted to meddle.

This is indeed an interesting turn of events to put it mildly.

The position's title does indeed indicate that the position is operating out of the AD's office and that the announcement does appear that Coach Saban has hired his own boss. However, this quote- "We are pleased and happy to add someone the caliber of Mike Vollmar to our football staff," said head coach Nick Saban- indicates that the position is operating out of the HC's office. If so, then that speaks volumes also because if Mr. Vollmar is the Associate Athletics Director for Football then Mr. Saban is the Athletics Director for Football.