Simpson hires high-profile expert to evaluate athletic program

While the likes of student-athletes like Turner Battle have been grabbing all the headlines for UB sports lately, the university's long-term athletic success might rest on the shoulders of a quieter, more behind-the-scenes sort of star.

That star is Gene Corrigan, a high-profile sports consultant who has served as president of the NCAA, commissioner of the Atlantic Coast Conference, and athletic director at both the University of Virginia and University of Notre Dame.

Corrigan's latest job is to assess UB's entire athletics program. He will report directly to UB President John Simpson, who hired him in December.

"I asked him to do something very specific," Simpson said. "I asked him to look at our program in the context of the conference we're in, and give me an idea of what things we have to do to complete in the (Mid-American Conference)."

Working for UB won't be Corrigan's first experience with the MAC. In the last four years he has also consulted MAC schools Ohio, Toledo and Miami of Ohio.

"He's a good man and he comes highly recommended," said Darrell Hedrick, a public relations official at Miami who worked with Corrigan in 2003. "He does his homework and he works at what he does."

Hedrick also cited Corrigan's "varied background" as an asset and said UB has made a smart move in hiring him.

To get the ball rolling, Simpson said Corrigan was provided a list of requested figures, statistics and facts when he first visited UB for three days in January. In the coming months Corrigan will periodically visit UB before presenting his overall assessment to President Simpson in March or April. According to a story in the Buffalo News, Corrigan will be paid $15,000 for his services.

A 'giant' in the field

For Miami, Corrigan's sole job was to assist in the school's search for a new athletic director, which UB will also be doing after Corrigan submits his report in March or April. Simpson said he doesn't know whether Corrigan will further assist UB in that search after his assessment.

Current interim Athletic Director Bill Maher, who will probably be directly affected by Corrigan's findings, also touted Corrigan's extensive background.

"(Corrigan) brings a wealth of perspective from many different areas, not only as an athletic director, but as a commissioner and President of the NCAA, not to mention his experience within the MAC conference," Maher said.

According to Maher, Corrigan's final assessment will compare UB's facilities and programs against those of its MAC counterparts.

"He's going to share with President Simpson his insight into what it will take for us to move forward and achieve our goal, which is winning MAC championships," Maher said. "I'm looking forward to working with him."

When it comes to winning MAC championships, Corrigan has already helped the University of Toledo, which used Corrigan and consultant Bill Carr to evaluate their athletics program and hire an athletic director and many of their coaches from 1999 to 2001.

Toledo's NCAA faculty representative, Jim Kline, said he was impressed with Corrigan's energy and work ethic. Kline added that Corrigan is well respected in the field and said he has never heard anything negative about the all-star consultant.

"He is very frank. He is a very knowledgeable person," Kline said. "He is thorough. He did one-on-ones with many of our coaches."

Using the models from past schools he's worked at, Corrigan has greatly impacted Toledo's athletics, Kline said.

"This guy is a giant, really, in the field," he said.

Past and future success

Judging from his contributions as commissioner of the Atlantic Coast Conference from 1987 to 1997, Corrigan's recent interest in the MAC would seem to be a good sign for the conference. As commissioner, Corrigan was instrumental in adding Florida State to the league in 1990, which solidified football in the ACC and turned the conference into a national power.

As for what Corrigan can do for UB's struggling football program, Simpson said the big money sports aren't everything, but they will be closely evaluated.

"There are really a couple of sports that garner a lot of attention, a lot of public attention and scrutiny - men's and women's basketball, and football," Simpson said. "Any athletic program has to pay attention to those sports."

Corrigan has also been known for supporting the development of the less glamorous sports like track and swimming, according to the Notre Dame Web site.

Simpson added he is not specifically interested in Corrigan's history of making big coaching splashes, such as hiring Lou Holtz at Notre Dame and Terry Holland at Virginia.

"I'm more interested in his advice than living in his halo," Simpson said. "He's just a smart, experienced, knowledgeable guy."

Downplaying Corrigan's arrival, Simpson said that hiring outside consultants is something universities do all the time for both sports and academics.

"It's really in that spirit that I'm bringing him here," Simpson said.

Corrigan's impact, however, will only be as great as UB allows it to be.

"I think what it'll boil down to is, are you willing to do the things that he thinks you need to do to be successful in the Mid-American Conference?" said Miami's Hedrick. "I assume he can only recommend and say this or that needs to be done, and then it's going to be up to the administration. Why hire a consultant if you don't want to listen to him?"