[Upchurch/MGoBlog]

President Schlissel

Good morning everyone, and thank you for coming. Before today's very special announcement I want to acknowledge the University of Michigan Board of Regents. Their support, their dedicatio,n and their advice during this process was invaluable. Joining us today our region's Bernstein, Ilitch, Dietch, White, and Diggs, and I'm sure the others are busily at their day jobs and watching us on television.

I'm pleased to announce that I have selected Warde Manuel to serve as the next Donald R. Shepherd Director of Athletics at the University of Michigan. [/clapping.] My work here is now done. [/aughs.]

Warde will begin on March the 14th. Warde knows how to compete and succeed in the classroom and on the field. He is a three-time University of Michigan alumnus with a degree in general studies and a focus in psychology, a Masters in social work, and an MBA from our Ross School of Business. He was a University of Michigan student athlete in football and track and field and played under Bo Schembechler.

I want to thank interim A.D. Jim Hackett for his exemplary service to the athletic department and the University of Michigan. Jim, could you please stand up? [/clapping] For more than a year Jim served with a level of distinction and integrity befitting the University of Michigan's highest values. He accomplished a great deal in a very short time and leaves the department in wonderful shape. He brought us Coach Harbaugh, contract extensions for coaches John Beilein and Kim Barnes-Arico, a new apparel contract with Nike, and most importantly has upheld the high expectations we have for the academic, social, and community success of our student athletes on our 31 teams. Jim's willingness to assist with the A.D. search has helped me identify an outstanding successor.

In addition to him I also think the six other members of the search and advisory committee. I thank student government president Cooper Charlton for advice, and our search consultants Len Perna and Gene DeFillipo from Turnkey for their excellent work. We reached out and solicited broad community input and we set the bar high in our search for a permanent athletic director. We considered a large pool of outstanding candidates. Central criteria included a focus on the success and well-being of our student athletes in the classroom, in their sport, in the Ann Arbor community, and with respect to their health and safety; uncompromising integrity with an absolute commitment to play and win by the rules; competitiveness at the highest levels – at Michigan we strive for league and national championships, every team, every year; a passion for integrating athletics with the entirety of our campus community– we are at our best when our strengths as a university complement and enhance one another; respect and appreciation for the U of M's traditions, including the importance of athletics to our students, our alumni, and our fans. We were looking for an innovative but financially responsible steward for our self-supporting athletic department, and someone who can be a national voice for maintaining and enhancing the collegiate model of athletics.

Warde brings outstanding athletics experience to Michigan and embodies all of those characteristics and values. He has worked in our athletic department under former A.D. Bill Martin. Since then he has served as an A.D. at Buffalo and Connecticut, where his teams have won championships and dramatically improved classroom performance. Michigan athletics is celebrating its 150th anniversary this academic year and our University is gearing up to celebrate it's 200th birthday. Nowhere else are traditions of excellence in academics and athletics measured in centuries. The amazing accomplishments of our teams and student-athletes bring our community together in celebration of the values and success and we are known for worldwide: 56 team national championships, 307 individual national titles, 376 Big Ten championships, and 121 academic All-Americans. I have every confidence that our future will be even brighter, and Warde Manuel is the right individual to lead Michigan athletics into that future. Warde, on behalf of the Michigan family I welcome you, your wife Chrislan, and your family back to Ann Arbor. I look forward to working with you, and let me be the first to say to our next athletic director Go Blue.

[After THE JUMP: Manuel's remarks, in which I will butcher someone’s name and I apologize for that but I think he thanked the entire staff of the University and Google only gets you so far]

Warde Manuel

It is terrific for you all to be here today. I want to thank President Schlissel for offering me this great opportunity to serve the University again. I want to thank the Board of Regents and chariman R/?????? for all the work and leadership that you’ve had. I’ve been away 11 years and the growth of this University continues with your leadership and now with President Schlissel in the seat. I want to also thank Jim Hackett. We had a chance to meet yesterday. His guidance, his leadership of this department in the matter of over a year and half, he has made changes that will impact Michigan and Michigan athletics for decades to come. Thank you. Please give him another round of applause. I thank the members of the search committee- Len Perna, Michigan grad, proud Michigan grad, who I’ve known for a number of years, a long time- and Gene DeFillipo at Turnkey for running a great search and a process of doing things the right way.

I want to take a minute to thank the UConn community: chairman Larry McHugh, president Susan Herbst, the student-athletes,  the coaches, the staff, the faculty and staff, and everyone in the UConn nation for all their great effort, success, and support of me and my family. It’s been a pleasure serving as your A.D. for the last four years. UConn is a great place academically and athletically with great people. It is already, because of its success, deserves to be at some point in a Power 5 conference, and I hope to see them do that soon.

I want to thank those who have influenced my life, some who are no longer with us, but their lessons, guidance, [and] love stick with me and make me who I am. While this list is extensive, I’m going to apologize ahead of time. There are so many people who have impacted my life and my development that I may not get to everybody, but I have a great love for everybody who has touched me in some way to make me better. First, my mom, who is no longer here. She passed away about three-and-a-half years ago. My dad is still alive and kickin’ at 80 years old, and his response when I told him about this opportunity was that he was proud. And as he hung up the phone I was trying to hang up the phone and hit the wrong button and I hear my dad go, ‘mm mm mmm.’ That was his way of saying this is pretty cool, I’m pretty proud of him. And to my brother who’s no longer here and my sister for their love over the years.

The two men who have influenced my life the most have been my dad and Bo. And while he’s no longer here, and I’m sure Jimmy and I see some of my teammates in this room, the character that he instilled, the work ethic, the will to win and do things the right way, the passion for life and success and driving it every day stays with me because of those two gentlemen and because of the influence of Bo. I’m glad to see coach Carr in the room. The year I started was his first year as a defensive coordinator and I want to apologize to you now that we lost those four games. I feel bad for ya, coach. Great success after that! Glad to see you and Laurie here, it’s wonderful to have you here. To Mo, Jerry Meter, Tom Reed, and these two gentlemen- Bo switched me from defensive end to offensive line for a spring, so I had to learn from Jerry Hanlon and Les Miles. I should have listened and stayed at offensive line- maybe I wouldn’t have injured my neck the way I did. To Tirell Burton and Elliot Uzelac, who recruited me here. To Ron Warhurst and Jack Harvey, who were my track coaches. And to Mike Gittleson, who already sent me a text that I’m too big and need to lose some weight. I’m sure I’ll be doing some 6 A.M. workouts. And to all the coaches through the years, thank you.

To my teammates, many of them whom I see here: Jamie [Morris] and Soup [Campbell] and all you guys, thank you. Thank you for all that you have done. I just want to point out Vada Murray, who’s no longer with me- with us- who was my college roommate for four years and my best friend. His vision, when he was dealing with cancer, he said to me, ‘I always hoped you’d come back here and be A.D., and I’m just worried I won’t get to see it.’ So, he’s with me today. He’s with all of us today, and I’m proud that his vision came to fruition. To my first captain, Jim Harbaugh. I couldn’t imagine sitting in the back of the room the way freshmen did- Bo used to sit seniors up front, freshmen all the way in the back- that one day Jim would be leading our football team the way that he is and doing a great job, and that I would come in and work with him as athletic director. To me, when you come full circle like that, that’s meaningful to me and I look forward to working with him and all the other head coaches. And I thank Huth [Carol Hutchins]. I used to water her field. She just realized 30 years later that I was the one who flooded her softball field. I see coach Beilein- thank you for being here. I want to thank former teammates like Tim Williams and Desmond Howard and David Key and Mike Teeter, Mark Messner, John Hermann, Jumbo Elliott, who I just read said he pancaked me when I was a freshman. I remember beating him once. Mike Husar and Yale Van Dyne and Dean Dingman, Dave Chester, Tripp Welborne, Otis Williams, Jamie Morris, Neal Newman to name a few of all those guys. Like others before and after us, we left our blood, sweat, and tears on the field while having a whole lot of fun. I met my beautiful wife here, Chrislan. Chrislan, please stand up so everybody can see you. [/clapping] 21 years of marriage, 23 years of knowing each other. Met here in grad school. We’ve been through our ups and downs, but our family is stronger because of her. I do want to do a shoutout to my children, who are not here because they’re in school, Emma and Evan, for their love and all they have achieved in their life.

There are four A.D.s that taught me how to be a great administrator and lead and provide me with the opportunities that I had in this business: Homer Rice at Georgia Tech for a year, Joe Roberson, who hired me as an intern back in 1996 while I was working on my PhD, Tom Goss elevated me to full-time- Tom, thank you for being here; much appreciate- and then Bill Martin elevated me and kept my career going by giving me more and more, and if you know Bill you know he gave me more and more and no more pay. [/laughs] I don’t know if he’s in this room but I’d like to acknowledge Tom Goss and if Bill Martin is here I’d like to acknowledge him as well. Tom, thank you. To my former colleagues Greg Harden and [?] and Jeff Long, Jason Winters, Shari Acho, Mary Passink, Joe Parker, Mike Stevenson, Keith Molin, Peggy Bradley-Doppes, Bob De Carolis, Bruce Madej, Scott  Draper, and all those who I worked with, thank you for helping me be a great colleague and teaching me how to do that.

To the faculty and administrators that I learned so much about the strength of the academy and the importance of the partnership between academics and athletics. Dr. Mooney, who saved me from working in a summer job where I was supervising people planting plants. He sent me an email and he said ‘Go back to that spot where I saved you from planting those plants.’ Percy Bates and Pat Burn and James Jahske- those two are two of the greatest minds in Psychology I got to work with. Ted Spencer and Tom DeNeer, Lynne Middleton, Rob Selles, John Troppe, Gene Nissen, Chalmers Knight, and Robbie Dye to name a few of the administrators and faculty who have touched my life. I’d like to thank commissioner Jim Delany and the staff at the Big Ten for the education I received while I was at Michigan regarding athletic administration, the role of the conference, and governance. Jim has always been there for me personally and he’s a true leader and one of the greatest minds in moving intercollegiate athletics forward in a positive direction. I look forward to working with him, his staff, and the other A.D.s in the conference.

We’re going to focus on having our student-athletes compete in the classroom, compete on the field of play with a goal of winning championships, grow as great young people who will graduate from Michigan and have an impact on the world, [and] do all of that within the rules and have fund in the process. I look forward to working with the current students who participate in athletics, the great head and assistant coaches that we have here, the athletic department staff, the president, the board, the executive officers and the deans, the faculty and the staff, the students, the donors, the alumni of the different sports, who I’ve already received texts messages about parties at my house when they come into town, and our fans.

I chose to accept this offer for the same reason I committed to Bo 30 years ago this week, the week before signing day: there is no finer place than this Michigan of ours. We are leaders and best in both athletics and academics. We don’t have to boast and throw it in people’s face in words, but it shines bright to the rest of the world in the impact our graduates have in their chosen professions, the championship success we have on the fields of play, the research and teaching production of our faculty and staff, and in the significance of our work within our communities to make this world a better place. It is great to be home. Thanks again to President Schlissel, the Board of Regents, and everyone for being here. Formally, for the first time in a long time- or second time, I said it last night- Go Blue.

With your experience and your background in athletic administration, what do you plan to do here at Michigan once you take over to maintain the stability that Jim Hackett has set during his time?

“Well, I’m very thankful to Jim for his work. I am thankful to the staff. We went through several transitions here when I was here and I can tell you the group that really has led all the transitions, at least in my experience, are all of the coaches and the student-athletes and what they do. So I look forward to getting to know all the staff, the coaches, the student-athletes and really understanding what the current climate and culture of the department and different teams are, and so that’s my goal. And then not only will I but we together will grow in the stabilization and upward future of Michigan athletics.”

Speaking of stability, I think you’re the eight A.D. since like ‘88-89. Other than Bill Martin’s ten years it’s been several people in here. How important is that stability now for you moving forward? Long-term job for you, I would assume?

“There’s no better job in the country than Michigan in my mind. There’re a lot of great places that I’ve been at and had the opportunity to go to great places, but if President Schlissel wanted to offer me a twenty-year contract I would certainly sign it. And I think more importantly for the staff, coaches and student-athletes my hope is that I am here for a while and provide that stability to them and to our program, and I look forward to serve the University as long as Michigan will have me.”

You talked a little bit in your first answer about the momentum of this being built here. How attractive was that when you were approached by Michigan with all the momentum this department and school has?

“Very attractive. I mean, Michigan itself is obviously an attraction to me. It’s embedded in me for the rest of my life. To see what Jim has accomplished in football in a year and the excitement that has created in a very short time, to know Carol Hutchins was in the World Series again- World Series…World Championship…World Series championship games. My wife and daughter and son, we were all watching- that level of performance. To see what John has done with basketball just to name a few, there should be excitement about the future and the potential for Michigan not just to win Big Ten championships but national championships. We don’t back away from it. We never have and we never will.”

I’ll go ahead and ask the football question because that’s what a lot of people want to talk about. You obviously know the importance of football here. Just wondering about your relationship with Jim Harbaugh? I know you played together but has it maintained over the years? How would you describe it?

“It has. Jim can also explain at some point but for me it has. We would see each other at different meetings when we were at the same place and we’d catch up. I had the opportunity when I was here with my field hockey team for the national championship, I had a chance to see Marcia Pankratz and got a chance to talk to Jim for 15 or 20 minutes and as I’ve done when coach Carr was here, when Brady was here, when Rich was here, when I was in town I’d stop by to see the staff and the coaches and just say hello as an alumni.

So our relationship is going to be connected because we’ve stayed in touch when we’ve seen each other, as well as we have a bond that…it’s hard to explain. He was my captain my first year. He went through the same thing that I went through. He went through it for five years, I went through it for three and a half because of my injury. I know his love and his passion for success for Michigan football and he should know mine without even saying a word to each other. That is embedded in who we are. He’s the ultimate competitor. I am. I could never tackle him as a freshman- it was close- but the words…thinking about this and about him, what I remember is his leadership when he was the quarterback, his encouragement of me when I was a freshman on those one or two occasions where Jumbo did pancake me he’d be the one to say ‘C’mon man, you’ve got to play harder.’ So I’m looking forward to a working relationship. I mean, our friendship has been great. So it’s not…I don’t know, Jim—”

Harbaugh: “I just want to give you a hug.”

[/hugs Manuel, presents him with jersey]

“I used to be able to fit in this.”

The 10 years of experience Warde has as an athletic director, he’s by far the most experienced athletic director Michigan has ever hired. Was that something you guys specifically looked for in your search?

Schlissel: “So experience is important in any job, but when we do a search it’s like the way we approach admissions: we do a holistic review of the people we’re considering, their experience in the business, experience of a relevant nature outside the business. It’s certainly not the only thing that’s important but it was certainly a strength as we considered Warde in the context of a very strong pool of other potential candidates for this great job.”

Warde, what was the courting process like for you, to have Michigan reach out to you and for you to consider the position. I know you said it was very attractive and Michigan was the best job available or your dream job. Just that courting process…

“Well, it started with you guys in the media. Every time the job opened my name was out and I had to explain to people I’m not going anywhere, I love it at UConn, which I did and I do. But I want to say it was maybe officially sometime toward the beginning of December that Len and Gene reached out to see if I had interest in the position and I laughed when they asked me that question, like, are you really asking me if I have interest in being the Michigan A.D.? And he said, ‘Yeah, I just really need to hear the answer’ and I go ‘Hell yeah.’ I’m sorry about the bad words, Regents, Mr. President, but that was my response. It was that and then there was conversations. I actually didn’t meet until the end of January with President Schlissel, so fairly short to now. Today’s what, the 29th? 30th? 29th. After that conversation we had a couple of other conversation and I’m here today. So it was a great process from my standpoint.”

When you first got here you sort of wondered aloud a little about the size of college athletics and where it fit in the mission statement. Now a year later you have Warde Manuel here, a year with Jim Harbaugh as your head coach; how do you think you’re doing now?

“I think we’re doing really well. What I’ve come to learn as I try to grow into being a Michigan Man is the cultural role athletics plays in our community. It’s not the core mission of the university- I don’t think anyone makes that mistake- but it’s a part, a deep part, of our culture. It’s the window through which many people see and remain attached to the University all around the country, all around the world. I think it contributes to the richness of this as a community for our students, our faculty, our staff, so it’s really a tremendous part of who we are.”

Warde, just curious if you see any challenges and what there may be going forward for you in taking this job and what difficulties you might face early on?

“I look forward to just really understanding the department and I know there’s some things that are in place or planning or currently being done, facilities are one of them for example. I just want to get to know the culture. In my conversation with Jim yesterday we started some of that. I’ll rely heavily on him and the staff and the coaches to really help me to understand where things are, what needs to be done, [and] what in their opinion do they want to do? What do they want the athletic director to do? I’ll do the same thing with the faculty and staff and the students to get a sense of where they are and what they see, to give me the feedback I need to continue to move us in a positive direction. Having done this before, it’ll go down to individual programs, so it’ll be needs that Jim has, that Carol has, that Marsha has, that John has that I’ll need to look into and figure out. And then we need to work with our fans and donors and make sure I get a chance to meet them and understand where they are. So there’s a lot of work to be done in as short a time as I can do it I will, and I’ll be doing some things prior to my arrival on the 14th to hit the treadmill and get to running.”

“I’ll add this, too: I’ve had many conversations with President Schlissel [and] he’s a Michigan Man.”