Dear athletic director Rob Mullens,
If you are wondering what your first move as athletic director should be, just stop. Before you do anything, just listen to me for a second.
Here’s what you do: Take head football coach Chip Kelly out for lunch. Invite him over for dinner with your wife and sons. Maybe even play some catch at the Casanova Center.
Why? Because your relationship with Chip Kelly will be the most important relationship in your tenure at Oregon. And yes, that includes the local billionaire with an affinity for the Oregon Ducks.
To be successful, Rob, you need to realize what pays the bills around here. And I think you do.
“Football drives the economic engine of a $70 million enterprise,” you said, in reference to the athletic department.
Yes it does, Rob, yes it does. You understand what it takes to be an AD, which includes favor with Kelly.
The process to find the athletic director was a long, and reportedly thorough, one, which reflects well on you. President Richard Lariviere said the strong performance of interim AD Lorraine Davis meant he didn’t have to hire anyone and he was prepared not to. In selecting an athletic director, the committee interviewed candidates from all over the country before choosing eight to meet with in San Francisco. They evaluated the candidates and picked three to present in Portland to Lariviere, who then chose to hire you.
But your most important first impression wasn’t Lariviere’s. It was Chip Kelly’s.
“Well, first and foremost, he is really, really smart,” Kelly said. “People are jumping on the table for him.”
You should know, too, Rob, that you were Chip Kelly’s guy. He wanted you over all the other candidates, and that must have been a huge factor in Lariviere’s decision. Lariviere knows the importance of the coach-AD relationship.
Your relationship with Kelly is even more important than your relationship with Phil Knight. Knight obviously has a huge influence on the department, and you would be a fool to ignore him. At the press conference, you said you called Knight to introduce yourself. Smart. Currying his favor will be important, but don’t underestimate the power of a good football program. Kelly’s performance will please Knight more than anything you can say.
If the football team is winning, everyone is happy. The department is happy, the fans are happy, and most importantly, the boosters are happy. Did you see Phil on ESPN College GameDay last year? It looked like he was having the time of his life. And that doesn’t happen without a happy and focused Chip Kelly, guiding the Ducks to a Rose Bowl berth. Make Chip your priority, and the rest of the department will fall in line.
Certainly, Rob, you will face several challenges. Basically, everything Bellotti had, you don’t. You are not well-connected with boosters, and you will need to get closer to the football program. But on the flip side, you have some skills Bellotti doesn’t have. You get the business aspect of college athletics, and have worked in an athletic department since 1992. It doesn’t hurt that you are a certified public accountant, either. Lariviere wanted someone with a strong business background, and he certainly got it with you. You are well-equipped from the business side; you just need to cultivate your relationship with Kelly.
In summary, if you want to succeed at Oregon, you and Chip need to be best buddies. And it looks like you understand that. At the press conference, you said you also had a brief introductory conversation with Kelly. Time well spent, but you need more.
So Rob, invite Chip to a barbecue at your house. Go for a run with him. Play putt-putt, even.
Your job, and success at Oregon, depends on it.
[email protected]