Emails show 'Need for Speed' in Tennessee AD search process
Beverly Davenport was working on hiring an athletic director for the University of Tennessee weeks before she officially took the helm as chancellor.
“The Need for Speed” was a major objective in finding a new athletic director, according to a collection of emails regarding the search provided to the USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee on Tuesday by UT through a public records request.
UT announced the hiring of athletic director John Currie on Feb. 28 – 13 days after Davenport began working at UT. Currie replaced Dave Hart, who announced his retirement on Aug. 18.
Currie came to UT after spending the last eight years as athletic director at Kansas State. The North Carolina native worked within the UT athletic administration in various capacities from 1997-2009 and received his master's degree from UT in sports management. He begins working at UT on April 1, his 46th birthday.
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The emails about the search process largely consisted of meeting plans between Davenport and the UT search committee. No athletic director candidates were named in the emails.
The committee consisted of former UT quarterback great Peyton Manning; UT trustee and alumnus Charlie Anderson; UT alumnus Jimmy Haslam, the CEO of Pilot Flying J and owner of the Cleveland Browns; senior associate athletics director Donna Thomas; and professor Donald Bruce, UT’s faculty representative for the SEC and the NCAA.
Raja Jubran, alumnus and vice chair of the UT board of trustees, chaired the search committee.
Turnkey Sports & Entertainment was hired to conduct the AD search, led by senior executive director Gene DeFilippo, who earned his master’s degree at UT.
According to the emails, the committee scheduled two days of meetings in the first week of March to interview AD candidates in Atlanta. But there was no confirmation the meetings took place in the emails provided to the USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee.
Below is a timeline of pertinent emails:
Jan. 21: Email from Jubran to Davenport regarding the search
“1. How Deep do you want to be involved?
a. We can perform all preliminary reviews and interviews the committee to provide you with a confidential list of recommended finalists for you to interview and make final selection. (During the process I can provide you with updates and receive input from you.)”
Jubran included a list of characteristics for the new AD that “various people contributed to.” Among the traits sought were: “strong leader with presence and gravitas,” experienced negotiator, good marketer, values academics, unquestioned integrity, understanding of NCAA rules and Title IX compliance issues and understanding of the traditions of UT.
Jan. 27: Davenport email to search committee members
Davenport informed the committee she would arrive in Knoxville full time after Feb. 7 and wanted to meet on Feb. 19 from 2-4 p.m.
“Raja made a time change that worked to include Charlie, Peyton and Jimmy for Feb. 19 from 2-4 in Raja’s conference room ‘given the high profile of our work,’ ” Davenport wrote.
Manning and Anderson flew to Knoxville the day of the meeting and Haslam participated through a conference call from Orlando.
Davenport asked the committee members to “not take media inquiries regarding the search.”
“To this point, I understand a radio sports talk show reported this morning that I will announce our new hire on February, 19,” she wrote.
“Most importantly, I ask that going forward no one make any independent contact with any potential or declared candidates. I understand some candidates are asking for meetings with a number of staff across campus and perhaps even with you. It is essential that all such requests be directed to Gene.”
“Also know that email and other documents are likely subjects for public record requests”
Feb. 14: Davenport email to the search committee
Davenport informed the committee that Turnkey suggested two days of meetings for candidate interviews. Turnkey also suggested doing four interviews across two days in Atlanta or Nashville on March 2 and 3.
Because of conference and NCAA basketball tournaments, “many of the AD candidates may have a hard time traveling to meet us because March is such a hectic month in intercollegiate athletics.”
“I realize this is a tight timeframe, but I am sure you all can appreciate the balance we need to strike in terms of moving swiftly and getting this exactly right.”
Davenport included an agenda for the Feb. 19 meeting between Davenport and the committee written on Turnkey stationary that said they would address potential AD candidates, diversity/inclusion, compensation benchmarks and “Need for Speed.”
Feb. 16: Davenport email to the search committee
“It’s been a monumental welcome to UT these last two days! Peyton, I am humbled beyond words. I was painted on the rock last night. Someone sent me your rock rendering when I accepted the position here, so you see why I was so honored.”
Davenport was trying to figure out a date for the committee to meet and discuss the candidates, who were not named.
According to the email, DeFilippo was out of the country until March 1 so "regrettably Feb. dates were never an option," and Manning and Anderson could not meet on March 2. “Everyone prefers Atlanta, so we’ll meet there," Davenport wrote.
Feb. 22: An alumnus and donor emailed Davenport, UT President Joe DiPietro and Haslam about the lack of transparency in the search process
The alumnus, whose name was redacted, wanted UT to hire Chattanooga AD David Blackburn wrote “there is no need for a search wasting countless hours and dollars.” The alumnus said they would withhold any donations to the Tennessee Fund “until there is a suitable Director of Athletics in place, more specifically David Blackburn” and was encouraging others to do the same.
Feb. 28: Davenport email to UT sports information director Ryan Robinson regarding the time of the official welcoming news conference for Currie on March 2
“We need to build the press conference around Peyton’s schedule. I thought he and Jimmy couldn’t be there until late afternoon. I’m fine any time.”