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FSU Zeroes In On Candidates For Athletic Director

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By SCOTT CARTER, The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 29, 2008

TALLAHASSEE - On the same day a familiar face was on campus for an interview to become FSU's next athletic director, an FSU outsider emerged as the likely leading candidate to replace Dave Hart.

After Georgia Tech associate AD Wayne Hogan interviewed Monday - Hogan served a one-year stint as the school's interim AD in the mid '90s - Utah State's Randy Spetman surfaced as the fourth candidate the school's 24-member search committee plans to interview. Spetman is expected to interview Friday.
Committee chairwoman Mary Coburn said the job will remain open through the end of the week, but that as of Monday, there were no other candidates scheduled to interview.

Spetman was recommended to FSU President T.K. Wetherell by Chuck Neinas, an NCAA hiring consultant who also recommended Spetman to South Florida in 2004, a job that eventually went to Doug Woolard. Spetman ended up getting hired at Utah State, where he has served as AD since July 2004. Prior to taking over Utah State's athletic department, Spetman was AD at the Air Force Academy for more than eight years.

Spetman could not be reached for comment Monday, but during his interview with USF officials in April 2004, the former squadron commander in Desert Storm outlined his management style.

"I am a big believer in team-building and putting people in a situation to succeed," he told USF's search committee. "I had 953 athletes at the Air Force Academy and I knew all their names. They knew they could come and talk to me."

An FSU graduate and former AD at the University of Montana, Hogan had an impressive interview Monday afternoon. Hogan addressed several concerns if he got the job, the most urgent resolving the impending NCAA investigation into an academic cheating scandal involving more than 50 FSU student-athletes.

"From the time I was 3 years old, I was a Seminole," Hogan said. "I've spent a lifetime following and loving this program with every bit of my soul. I will not be someone sitting behind a curtain pulling strings."

Former FSU and Bucs defensive back Martin Mayhew, now an executive with the Detroit Lions, will interview today, and Don Smiley, former president of the Florida Marlins, is scheduled to interview Wednesday.

Reporter Scott Carter can be reached at (850) 294-3088 or scarter@tampatrib.com.

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