UPDATED: Radakovich leaves Tech for Clemson
In early August, when he learned that Clemson athletic director Terry Don Phillips planned to retire, Dan Radakovich believed he could be the right man to replace him. He went home and told his wife Marcie that “there could be an incredible opportunity just a couple hours down the road,” Radakovich recounted Monday.
Monday, the Radakoviches made that drive up I-85 to officially seize that opportunity. Radakovich resigned as Georgia Tech athletic director, a position he held for 6 1/2 years, to accept the same job at Clemson.
“It’s going to take a while for me to get used to seeing him in that purple and orange,” Tech president G.P. “Bud” Peterson said.
It was a surprise conclusion to a tenure marked by the completion of numerous athletic facilities, financial stabilization, incessant work and, hardly least, an NCAA investigation that resulted in probation.
“I’ve never witnessed anyone that worked harder and longer and more passionately to advance a program,” said Paul Griffin, Tech’s senior associate athletic director who will serve as acting athletic director until a replacement is hired.
Peterson had known about Radakovich’s interest since shortly after the Tech-Clemson football game Oct. 6, when Clemson president James Barker called to inform him that he wanted to talk with Radakovich, a gesture made out of courtesy rather than contractual necessity.
Radakovich called Peterson soon after to alert him of the interest. The process was already well underway, though. Radakovich had initiated it by calling Phillips.
“I said, ‘Terry, I would really like an opportunity to sit down and talk with the decision-makers for this job,’ and Terry Don was very helpful and instrumental in making that happen,” Radakovich said Monday.
It was not the first time Radakovich, 54, had considered leaving Tech. His name had been linked with AD jobs at Miami, Tennessee and Texas A&M.
“He’s kept me apprised of what he’s doing,” said Peterson in response to a question about past openings. “I don’t think I want to go there today.”
Clemson may have been different. Speaking at the introductory news conference wearing an orange tie and blazer, Radakovich spoke of his first visit to a Clemson football game, as an athletic administrator at Long Beach State in 1990.
“I distinctly remember the feeling, the atmosphere, the hospitality and the passion and, yes, the rock,” he said, referring to Howard’s Rock, the stone that players rub upon entering the stadium. “I remember thinking, ‘This is a place that I want to be.’”
He’ll reportedly be paid $725,000 annually on a five-year contract. At Tech, he was in the third year of a five-year agreement that averaged out to $640,000 per year.
Radakovich’s time at Tech makes a compelling case for his ambitiousness. In a weakened economy, he led construction projects for an indoor football practice facility, a softball stadium, a tennis complex, a basketball practice facility and the renovation of Alexander Memorial Coliseum, which will open Nov. 9 as McCamish Pavilion. The projects increased the athletic department’s debt load from $126 million at the time of his arrival from LSU to $226 million.
But the decision to build at a time when interest rates and construction costs were low appears now to have been a savvy move. Due to low-interest loans and Radakovich’s fundraising and development of revenue streams, the debt service is projected to rise to 18 percent of the fiscal year 2014 budget, but ultimately return to 14 percent, the amount it had been when he was hired.
“I really think one of his legacies here is he got the financial house in order and not only did he get it in order, but he’s left us with facilities that should keep us on par with our peers for the next 30 years,” associate athletic director and chief financial officer Frank Hardymon said.
He instituted the TECH Fund, which requires a donation to the department in order to purchase prime football and men’s basketball season tickets. The added costs irritated some alumni and fans, but they have helped the department balance its budgets. For the 2012 fiscal year, TECH Fund donations accounted for about $4 million of the $59 million in revenues.
To most fans, his most visible imprints were the hires of football coach Paul Johnson (after firing Chan Gailey) after the 2007 season and men’s basketball coach Brian Gregory (after firing Paul Hewitt) following the 2010-11 season. On message boards and Twitter Monday, the disappointment of Johnson’s team this season and Radakovich’s move to an ACC rival school seemed to color many fans’ opinion of Radakovich and his departure.
“Could he take Paul Johnson with him???? I used to like him but after this season … he needs to go,” one commenter wrote on the ajc.com Georgia Tech blog.
Undeniably Radakovich’s albatross will be the NCAA investigation into improper benefits to two football players. Had Radakovich led Tech’s participation differently, the penalty could have been a wrist slap. Instead, the NCAA found in 2011 that the school failed to cooperate in the investigation and failed to meet the conditions and obligations of membership, which resulted in four years of probation and the vacating of its 2009 ACC football championship.
Barker said that he and the search committee were satisfied by Radakovich’s explanation on the matter.
“There were mistakes that were made that I can guarantee will not be made again,” Radakovich said.
Radakovich’s final day at Tech will be Nov. 15 and he will begin working at Clemson at the end of November. Peterson said that the school will interview search firms and assemble a search committee. He told department staff Monday that he expects the process to take two to three months.
“This is a great position,” Peterson said. “It has a lot of opportunity for somebody and we’re excited.”
Ken Sugiura, Georgia Tech blog
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
443 comments Add your comment
SlimG
October 28th, 2012
11:10 pm
Gailey’s recruits: BEBE, Dwyer, Burnett, and a defensive end who a can’t recall his name. All playing in the pros now. How many pros has CPJ produced. I can only see one on the current roster. He plays cornerback and returns kicks, IPOD is his nickname. He only came to Tech because he didn’t like UGA.
This is getting uglier by the minute.
Footballrules
October 28th, 2012
11:18 pm
“Excuses are Easy” writes about UGA’s “Engineering” School up and running and how students won’t have to go into a “war zone” to get an engineering degree in Georgia. Bwaaaaahahahahaha…..whoa, Nellie! The state of GA will fall all the way to the Mississippi and Louisiana level at the bottom of the heap if UGA is the place to go to Engineering “Skool.” Hey, dummy, better leave the largest engineering school in the south….and 7th best public college/university in the whole nation alone.
1 4 GT
October 28th, 2012
11:21 pm
Tech Forever….maybe it used to be the way you describe it. I never have experienced what you say have….the “high brows” looking down their noses at me & acting like they were all that. I went to the games as much as possible when I was younger ($6 tix & everyone wearing their Sunday go to meeting clothes) until work & life got in the way. Now that I’m retired I have season tix. I go to the games & sit in the upper east stands on the 45 yd line and have a great game experience with those around me. I also tailgate with a group of folks of 10 or more that gather & have a good time. The host is a Tech grad & his wife. I go with a friend of mine, a Tech double grad. There are 6 or more non grads at the tailgate every game. I have been treated very cordially & graciously & made to feel welcome by all. Like I said, maybe it was the way you describe. But not for me.
KBP
October 28th, 2012
11:32 pm
Tech Forever . . . . Michael Johnson, Derrick Morgan,Jonathan Dwyer, Demarious Thomas, Teshard Choice, Morgan Burnett,Keyaron Fox, Philip Wheeler, Vance Walker are all Gailey’s recruits. There are more. CPJ has not recruited that caliber of talent. All these guys are still playing in the NFL now. I understand Gailey is not beloved, but he is certainly a better recruiter than CPJ.
PE Major from Western Carolina is ready to fry some fish
October 28th, 2012
11:35 pm
So many fish to fry….so little time…..forget BYU…..I am going to fry Maryland like a catfish….come and get it!!! Bass, brim, trout, crappie, striper, walleye…..man I can fry ‘em all……I am so smart I do not even need one of those waffle house menus with plays on ‘em…..I am coach fish fry!!!
KingBee
October 28th, 2012
11:37 pm
Truth – So we should keep DRad because he isn’t Dave Braine? I’ll use your logic and say we should fire him because he isn’t Homer Rice.
Tech for Life
October 28th, 2012
11:40 pm
The ship is sinking. Better jump while you still can…
1 4 GT
October 28th, 2012
11:41 pm
BeyBey movin’ on up. He was just interviewed on the sideline after the game ended. Talking about how much working with Peyton has helped him. Pretty cool.
GT08EE
October 28th, 2012
11:55 pm
Why would any college be interested in Rad? He’s been a complete failure at Tech. I would be glad to see him go. I will buy the bus ticket.
PLAYMAKER
October 29th, 2012
12:02 am
I hope he stays but he just may bail, it is too hard to deal with a personality like CPJ. Tech Forever you are right, some GT people act so arrogant. You go to a GT Game and they kinda look down on you. That is why they only get 39,000 people not unless the opponnet brings a crowd. Couple that with an unpopular, non relenting, mis understood CPJ and you have a mess!
Supersize that order, mutt
October 29th, 2012
12:07 am
Excuses…….confirmed the earlier post somebody made about the BOR. They are the ones responsible for adding an engineering school in Athens, a total joke. They are also the same ones who stole the Medical College of Georgia from Augusta and are now completely changing the name of Augusta State University so that eventually it will only be a branch of UGA. And they are the ones who have consistently for 80 years voted down any attempt by Tech to broaden the curriculum at Tech, and YES, in answer to one poster, Tech HAS requested changes and been denied over and over. As far as attempting to compare Stanford and Tech, Stanford IS an extremely highly rated school, but it is a UNIVERSITY that offers the same kind of crap degrees that UGA offers so they can get athletes in.
Supersize that order, mutt
October 29th, 2012
12:09 am
I lost all respect for DRAD after he threw CPJ under the bus in 2009, not taking responsibility himself for causing Tech to be put on probation.
It is what it is
October 29th, 2012
12:28 am
excuses are easy — you gave me the best laugh i have had in a long time. I know from my sons own experience what an engineering degree from GT can do for you in the job market. I don’t think anyone who can get in a top engineering school will be choosing UGA. You are a better football school —- that’s all — dream on!!
RWill
October 29th, 2012
12:33 am
This is copy/pasted from other article, just keep seeing the same retread, false arguments from a supposedly educated fanbase, so…
Some of the arguments on these boards are laughable. I’ve read numerous times on here that CPJ isn’t a good head coach… You ever check his record at Georgia Southern? Navy?
Lets talk recruiting. Read on here hundreds of times that he can’t recruit. Well, let’s just look at that, shall we? Here are Georgia Tech’s year-by-year recruiting since 2002 from Rivals.com:
2002: 63
2003: 50
2004: 79
2005: 62
2006: 57
2007: 18
2008: 49
2009: 49
2010: 43
2011: 41
2012: 56
It looks like recruiting has actually improved in the CPJ era.
For such an educated fan base, you guys are failing hard when it comes to logical arguments.
How about the argument that the triple option doesn’t work? Top five in rushing yards every year he’s been here isn’t working? He’s apparently taken a team with a QB that can’t throw, and is too slow, and still averaging over 450 yards a game this year. The offense works, with or without passing. Oh, and by the way, he has implemented pistol formations into it as well.
Also, he is stockpiling talent. Look at Boise State. Do they recruit the top talent? Answer: no. They redshirt almost every incoming freshman, and slow the turnover rate and gain an extra year with everybody though. This is the same as what CPJ has been doing. And, if you look at the recruiting rankings, he does recruit talented enough players, so this should work well as it continues. By doing this, to get a real judge of an entire CPJ recruited team, the next two years should be what we judge him on.
There are downsides to CPJ obviously. One is his demeanor on the sidelines. The way he yells at players may result in some of them tuning him out. At Georgia Southern, he probably had better players than most teams, and with all the winning, the yelling didn’t seem as bad. At Navy, they’re used to being yelled at by superiors. It’s part of the training. At a big-conference school, where you are woo-ing the players to come play for you-star high school athletes-then berate them weekly on tv, it might not be as well-received. Whether that’s all on him or also on the players as well, is up for debate.
The lack of defense during his tenure is concerning. Yes, it could be said that because of the offense they run, the defense doesn’t see much time in practice against conventional style offenses. However, considering the scout team mimicks that week’s team, this isn’t the biggest problem.
The choices in defensive coordinators is concerning as well, and perhaps his choices for assistants overall. The special teams coach hire is puzzling. To go get someone who was coaching in Canada, when there are plenty of qualified assistants that have ties to this area was a poor choice. Not so much because I don’t think the ST coordinator can’t coach (the ST unit hasn’t been very good though), but he has zero ties to the area for recruiting. That can’t help.
Basically, CPJ has warts, like all coaches not name Saban. He is an offensive mastermind, yesterday not included. Again though, even the best look bad occasionally. His offense does and has worked, with both his players and Gailey’s players. He definitely has the ability to outsmart the opposing coach more often than not. On the other hand, he can’t get a quality defense here (remember when George O’Leary had the same problem?), he is an abrasive person at times, maybe causing players to tune him out or quit, and he has gotten a little too conservative the last few years, as opposed to his first few here. All in all, he should be given more time to sort through the struggles. The talent is there, the offensive scheme is there, lets see what happens with a new defensive coordinator.
It really makes some of you “fans” seem less than educated with the arguments you put forth as to why CPJ should go. Being such a strong educational institution, to argue the pro’s and con’s of the football program should have a higher level of discourse and more well researched and backed in fact arguments than what is spewed here on a daily basis.
Supersize that order, mutt
October 29th, 2012
12:37 am
@ RWill……good post. Right now I am doubting CPJ, but that will pass. I agree with everything good that you said about him. Regarding his brashness with the players on the field, I don’t think it bothers them, or at least one or two of them would have dropped out by now.
Jacket Time
October 29th, 2012
12:58 am
I welcome all non-alum tech fans. It takes a true fan to stick around with the jackets. Just get annoyed with the hardcore uga fans who trash tech and yet have no reason to since we are from the same state and not to mention they beat us all the time yet still feel the need to rub are face in the dirt. By all means though we really need all the fans we can get and if you can stick through these many hard years then you can sure be a true fan in my book.
Dodd's Luck
October 29th, 2012
1:04 am
The last team in the state of Georgia to win a national championship in football… Georgia Tech (1990). The only team in the state of Georgia to ever play in the NCAA basketball championship game… Georgia Tech (1990). The last team in the state of Georgia to build a new, state-of-the-art basketball arena… Georgia Tech (2012). The team in the state of Georgia that played in a BCS bowl in 2009… Georgia Tech. The only team in the state of Georgia to require athletes to pass a difficult academic program, just like its other students… Georgia Tech. It’s remarkable what Georga Tech has achieved academically and athletically. And it will surpass those achievements in the future, even with a football factory that causes everyone to laugh when it claims to have “student athletes” as its in-state rival. I graduted from UGA, but I’m a big Tech fan, because Tech stands for something, and Georgia stands for anything.
Old Fashioned
October 29th, 2012
1:23 am
I don’t mention the following as an excuse but rather as a historical event. Attendance and fan base for Tech football took a huge hit when the Falcons arrived. Until then Tech had a monopoly for Atlanta’s football. I don’t believe Tech ever recovered,nor can it,since the school’s number of graduates is relatively low—-with a high percentage living outside of Georgia. I now think that we can have more success with a new AD and head coach, but we’ll never win many recruiting battles nor win many games against the major football schools. So be it.
Stinger 1
October 29th, 2012
5:28 am
At this point I do not believe it matters if DRad leaves or not. I agree with all the comments that GT will be what it is now. That being a medicore program in football.
There have been a lot of excuses offered. Some are just that….excuses. However, I believe that there are some valid reasons for the demise of football. First one goes back to the Dodd decision to leave the SEC. Secondly the post above about the Falcons, Finally, the change in caliber of atheletes over the years who play football. GT has not been able to keep pace with modern day recruiting and get the best.
players. If you want to continue to be a GT fan, you must accept reality.
TechRon
October 29th, 2012
5:50 am
Bye to Rad asap.
dry dirt road
October 29th, 2012
6:31 am
Re: GT’s crumbling on p.1…Tech isn’t even on a level with the schools you mentioned this year since they lost to MT(in other words to McNeese); Tech is on a level with 1AA teams and could play in their bowls
dry dirt road
October 29th, 2012
6:33 am
he right fit for Clem b/c of purple link to LSU
dry dirt road
October 29th, 2012
6:37 am
Tech went downhill ever since LSU game when PJ changed the white and old gold unis to Naval Academy’s look for Radikovich’s LSU to win.
dry dirt road
October 29th, 2012
6:39 am
Yeah, he’s great on facilities but lousy in all other areas.
rj
October 29th, 2012
6:54 am
They have to take CPJ as well and we can give them the check
Someone smart
October 29th, 2012
7:28 am
I think all you people saying D Rad is an idiot, clearly have no clue what has happened in his time here. Sure our football team may be terrible, but our facilities are incredible now (new softball stadium, new indoor football practice facility, brand new basketball arena, and plans to upgrade the baseball stadium in the works). That’s due to D Rad cutting wasteful spending and overspending all across the AA. Not to mention, we just won the NCAA Men’s Golf National Championship and have won the NCAA Women’s Tennis National Championship under his reins. Brian Gregory also looks like a great hire (though time will tell).
jeffrey d
October 29th, 2012
7:35 am
The Atlanta Urinal and Constipation! Your uga slanted newspaper!
1) Maybe they appear to be “slanted” because of the 2 teams – UGA and Tech – which one has done anything notable, oh….the past 15 years or so?
2) If you hate it so much, why do you still keep coming here?
Whiskey Breath
October 29th, 2012
7:47 am
Clemson you’re makiing a mistake. You apparently didn’t do your homework. This guy is untrustworthy. He knows about coverups. He is responsible for their current probation.
When is the last time Tech won anything? Don’t do it Clemson. This guy is a retread, a
bad one.
michael
October 29th, 2012
7:53 am
ted roof as head coach. bill cury as a.d. mark price as basketball coach with dennis scott, brian oliver, any of the barry boy’s.
Roger
October 29th, 2012
8:17 am
Please take him quick before he gives the hs coach more money
Always a Jacket
October 29th, 2012
8:30 am
First time in over 30 years that GT is irrelavant in BOTH football and basketball. Please, Please go to Clemson.
it is what it is
October 29th, 2012
8:32 am
Dwyer and Thomas had great performances Sunday.
I do not believe members of CPJ’s coaching staff in the last two years came to GT to put anyone in the pros. I believe they came to destroy whatever is left and turn it into 1AA league,
Arby
October 29th, 2012
8:40 am
UGA Slanted Newspaper !!!??? Whoever said that is totally wrong !
Arby
October 29th, 2012
8:42 am
Why doesn’t Georgia Tech fill up their stadium during games ? They don’t really root for their team…do they?
And further more
October 29th, 2012
8:45 am
you people on here wanting Bill Curry to come back to GT, what are you NUTS? To do what? Destroy the place worse than it already is?
Geez brings Joe Hamilton back before that “has been” who by the way did nothing for GT but try and take their players away at Ga State like a coward that he is. Good Riddance
Also, there are still people working in the athletic department at GT that were there when Curry was the coach. Why are these employees still there? Get rid of them too. Just go away please.
Doug the Jacket
October 29th, 2012
8:46 am
The perfect storm and time for a perfect change.
Scooter
October 29th, 2012
8:47 am
Great to see all you UGA fans keeping track of your rival. I am wondering how many of you praising your team today were calling for Richt’s firing before Saturday. My guess is ALL of you!
TechB
October 29th, 2012
8:49 am
clemson can have him—he’s done nothing at tech for all the money he makes.
Go Jackets
October 29th, 2012
8:56 am
I think that CPJ should get another year. He has earned it. However, I am concerned that a top notch DC will not want to come to GT out of fear that the whole regime will be gone in one year and that a move to GT would be temporary. I could care less if the AD leaves. GT will have no problem finding another good AD. It is a historically strong program in almost every sport (womens and mens) with some of the best facilities in the country. If at some point we have to get a new football coach, we need someone young and on the rise rather than another old boring white guy like CPJ and CCG. GT has a huge advantage of being in the city of Atlanta. Between Atlanta, the academics at GT, and the facilities, there has got to be some coach out there that can really sell the place to top notch recruits.
Tech Guy
October 29th, 2012
9:00 am
Radakovitch needs to go. He caused Tech to vacate the ACC Championship, and he has accumulated enormous debt that will be a big burden for 30 years. I think he planned to spend and built and leave before the consequences were felt.
JD
October 29th, 2012
9:00 am
Lose the loser send the AD and take PJ with you. Going to Clemson would be a double victory!
Highly Respected Southern Troll
October 29th, 2012
9:05 am
@”And further more” – That’s funny. Actually, I think Hamilton would be a better head coach than Curry.
Birmingham Jacket
October 29th, 2012
9:10 am
Apparently Clemson isn’t very bright.
D-Rad has destroyed our football program, with the worst hire since Bill Lewis. And has managed to cost us a stripped ACC title with his inept handling of an NCAA investigation.
Good luck with that hire. I hope he takes it, and the door doesn’t hit his arse on the way out.
ATLien
October 29th, 2012
9:12 am
He’s out the door the first time he is actually OFFERED the job at one of these big schools. The Tech athletic department is a sinking ship. They have serious financial problems that aren’t going away.
carlton
October 29th, 2012
9:14 am
Hey Bobo: Have drew Barry or Matt harpering ever coached anywhere? Slow your roll. Can you call Pat Riley out of the broadcast booth?
Cecil34
October 29th, 2012
9:20 am
There must be those who must have an inflated opinion of this man’s capabilities, and must be seening something ordinary folks don’t see.
One needs to only look at the football program’s downward spiral combined with an outrageous long-term contract for the head coach to realize that this man has taken leave of his senses.
He needs to go. Mark my words, once again in a short amount of time the boosters and wealthy alumni (get ready to stroke another check, Taz)will be picking up the tab once again for a poor coaching hire when he is dismissed early.
Ted Striker
October 29th, 2012
9:44 am
Failure to recruit.
james
October 29th, 2012
9:47 am
Bye Bye Dan
rivercard
October 29th, 2012
9:48 am
Destroy sports programs , run up debt for new facilities and get a promotion. What a country.
BW
October 29th, 2012
9:55 am
Paul Johnson is done with this move and honestly it’s time. The question is what does this school need to do to attract and retain top notch talent to the middle of the most vibrant city in the South?