Livengood definite about wanting UNLV athletic director job
Jim Livengood didn’t wait for anyone to ask, quickly addressing at this morning’s forum his motivation for wanting to become UNLV’s next athletic director.
His contract as Arizona’s athletic director expires June 30, so is his candidacy more about being at UNLV or leaving Arizona?
His wife, Linda, even wondered.
“I said, ‘There’s no question about it. This is about trying to go to UNLV,’ ” said Livengood, who acknowledged his Arizona contract “will not be extended.”
“I think an AD’s tenure is probably an eight- to 10-year run,” he added. “So 16 years last week is a long run.
“I’m not interested in retiring. I’m interested in working. I am incredibly interested in trying to become (the) new athletic director at University of Nevada, Las Vegas.”
Livengood, 64, is the last of the three finalists to interview. Washington State senior associate athletic director John Johnson visited on Friday, and former Oregon and Montana AD Bill Moos interviewed on Monday.
UNLV president Neal Smatresk could offer the job as early as tonight.
Whoever becomes athletic director first will have to hire a football coach to replace Mike Sanford, who was fired late in the season.
Livengood has been rumored he would bring Arizona offensive coordinator Sonny Dykes with him. Though he wouldn’t address specific coaches he would consider, Livengood echoed the other two AD candidates, saying “this job might require head-coaching experience.”
If football is issue No. 1 for the new athletic director, close behind is his fund-raising ability. Even though Arizona does not receive state funds, Livengood has kept its athletic department in the black throughout his tenure.
He talked about the importance of getting out into the public and meeting potential donors, but said making sure the athletic department is in proper shape was equally important.
Livengood said trying to raise money while overlooking internal concerns would be “a grave mistake. Many bad things will happen in the end with that.”
As for fundraising, Livengood said he would rely on help from two locals who applied for the AD job — UNLV interim athletic director Jerry Koloskie and South Point Arena general manager Steve Stallworth.
“In this job, anybody who didn’t use them would be making a major mistake,” Livengood said. “The answer to that is an emphatic ‘yes.’ The first thing that needs to be done is develop the relationships in terms of proving that I would be worthy of the job.”
