Multiple media outlets list Mark Coyle as a candidate to replace Mitch Barnhart who is retiring as Kentucky AD

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Per Ben:

Mark Coyle

Current position: University of Minnesota athletic director. UK connection: Coyle worked in multiple roles at UK from 2006-11, eventually being promoted to deputy athletic director. He was the administrator for the men’s basketball program during the first two seasons of the John Calipari era.

More background: Coyle left UK for the athletic director job at Boise State in 2011. He spent four years there before he was hired as Syracuse athletic director. He spent less than a year at Syracuse before being hired at Minnesota. The Waterloo, Iowa, native cited “family reasons” for the move. He had previously spent four years as an associate athletic director at Minnesota before his stint at Kentucky.

Is he a fit? It’s debatable whether Kentucky or Minnesota has the more prestigious football program, but the profile of the UK men’s basketball team might make this job a step up for Coyle. His Midwest ties might make leaving Minnesota more difficult though, and there are few remaining connections in Lexington from his tenure here.


Go Gophers!!
 

Per Adam:

Mark Coyle (Minnesota director of athletics)

The Iowa native and former Drake football player spent 2006-11 working under Mitch Barnhart at Kentucky before branching out on his own. The former deputy athletics director at UK has served as a department head at Boise State (2011-15), Syracuse (2015-16), and Minnesota (2016-present). Coyle originally got his start in administration at Minnesota.

The long-time administrator replaced a departing Chris Petersen with Bryan Harsin at Boise State and that led to four ranked finishes and three Mountain West titles for the Broncos. In a short stint at Syracuse, Coyle hired Dino Babers. The head football coach led the Orange to a top-15 finish in 2018 before the train got off the tracks in Central New York. At Minnesota, Coyle hired P.J. Fleck who has led the Gophers to seven bowl games and respectability in Big Ten football. Meanwhile, Coyle decided to separate from basketball coach Richard Pitino. The hiring of Ben Johnson did not go well but the early returns are promising on the Niko Medved hire.

The industry veteran is familiar with Kentucky and owns nearly two decades of athletic director experience.

www.on3.com

Kentucky Athletics Director Hot Board: Top candidates to replace Mitch Barnhart

Who could be the next athletics director at Kentucky? KSR is taking a closer look at the top candidates.
www.on3.com www.on3.com

Go Gophers!!
 





Kentucky had $188MM in revenue last year compared to the U's $163MM, so if you're judging based on revenue, it's slightly bigger. Both the UK and UM AD salaries are at $1.4MM, so presumably you'd need to increase that to woo him away.
 

forever a gopher said:
Kentucky had $188MM in revenue last year compared to the U's $163MM, so if you're judging based on revenue, it's slightly bigger. Both the UK and UM AD salaries are at $1.4MM, so presumably you'd need to increase that to woo him away.
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Considering they are a premier blue blood MBB school, the only other relevant revenue sport, surprised it's that small of a window.
 


I am not a giant Fleck fan (especially game management) the other stuff has grown on me. His kids generally don't get in trouble which I appreciate. Coyle did well in recent hires in men's and women's basketball. Not sure what is going on in hockey. But it seems he has held his own in some of the major sports.
I really have no idea about fund raising but some say he is deficient in fund raising. Others can verify this. I always say ... be careful what you wish for. You might be disappointed in the end.
 



Hasn't Coyle been an AD candidate for other schools multiple times. He has worked at Kentucky perhaps this one he will get the job. Kentucky basketball sells itself.
 

If he leaves and that buys some coaches extra years (cough cough), that will be brutal.
 

MNSpaniel said:
I am not a giant Fleck fan (especially game management) the other stuff has grown on me. His kids generally don't get in trouble which I appreciate. Coyle did well in recent hires in men's and women's basketball. Not sure what is going on in hockey. But it seems he has held his own in some of the major sports.
I really have no idea about fund raising but some say he is deficient in fund raising. Others can verify this. I always say ... be careful what you wish for. You might be disappointed in the end.
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All I said was this piece of fish is good enough for Jehovah himself......
 

MNSpaniel said:
I am not a giant Fleck fan (especially game management) the other stuff has grown on me. His kids generally don't get in trouble which I appreciate. Coyle did well in recent hires in men's and women's basketball. Not sure what is going on in hockey. But it seems he has held his own in some of the major sports.
I really have no idea about fund raising but some say he is deficient in fund raising. Others can verify this. I always say ... be careful what you wish for. You might be disappointed in the end.
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I'm with Spanny here. Devil you know versus the one you don't.

Certainly there may be a better candidates but absolutely worse ones too.

Coyle is an acquired taste but certainly palatable. If he leaves good luck...and if stays good luck as well.
 



I have no idea if Coyle is a good fund raiser. But in my mind, a good fund raiser has a dynamic personality, is out in the public shaking hands, kissing babies, interacting in the community and is making public appearances. Coyle has the personality of a wet blanket. I'd like to see a different AD. One that excites me.
 

GopherJack said:
I have no idea if Coyle is a good fund raiser. But in my mind, a good fund raiser has a dynamic personality, is out in the public shaking hands, kissing babies, interacting in the community and is making public appearances. Coyle has the personality of a wet blanket. I'd like to see a different AD. One that excites me.
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Agree with most of this and I think the facts show he is not a good fundraiser. Hard to believe our fundraising could be worse than it currently is.
 


Mens' basketball is finally headed in the right direction.

Womens' basketball is rolling.

We have a good hockey coach, but the results have been inconsistent. Overall Motzko has a strong record.

Football, we have Fleck. For better or worse, and however you feel about his personality, we're winning more than we lose.

Wrestling put up a winning record this year. That's tough in the Big Ten, but I want more.

I don't hate where the U athletic department is at. Somebody new will come in like a wrecking ball, feeling that they have to put their imprint on everything. I'd keep Coyle around as long as we're flying level.
 

GopherJack said:
I have no idea if Coyle is a good fund raiser. But in my mind, a good fund raiser has a dynamic personality, is out in the public shaking hands, kissing babies, interacting in the community and is making public appearances. Coyle has the personality of a wet blanket. I'd like to see a different AD. One that excites me.
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Fund raising is Coyle’s weak spot, but it’s something he can easily address with hiring a very good chief fund raiser. And I mean on staff, not an agency.

It’s a hard nut to crack, but Minnesotans will donate if there is a compelling reason to do so. Just look at St. Thomas getting millions from non-alumni donors for sports, or the billions the UM fund has raised, to know it’s possible.
 

WAGopher said:
Fund raising is Coyle’s weak spot, but it’s something he can easily address with hiring a very good chief fund raiser. And I mean on staff, not an agency.

It’s a hard nut to crack, but Minnesotans will donate if there is a compelling reason to do so. Just look at St. Thomas getting millions from non-alumni donors for sports, or the billions the UM fund has raised, to know it’s possible.
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As long as Minnesota still has half (or more) of the Regents finding sports as something "they have to deal with," you are not going to get big donations. They have to ACTUALLY TRY. Don't know if they will ever get there.
 

highwayman said:
As long as Minnesota still has half (or more) of the Regents finding sports as something "they have to deal with," you are not going to get big donations. They have to ACTUALLY TRY. Don't know if they will ever get there.
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Certainly, having the Regents on board for sports fund raising could loosen the deep pockets of educational donors, but the target audience for athletic donations is not always the same and requires a concerted plan and effort from the ADs office.

If Coyle is waiting for the Regents to change their focus, he should just leave for Kentucky now.
 

PJ needs guys who are excellent with the X’s and O’s while he does a great job being in the face of the program. Coyle can probably do the admin type work but is a buffoon in public. If we had a HC and AD who were really good at both for once that would be a refreshing change.
 



highwayman said:
As long as Minnesota still has half (or more) of the Regents finding sports as something "they have to deal with," you are not going to get big donations. They have to ACTUALLY TRY. Don't know if they will ever get there.
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Agree with this. To the regents it seems like sports is not a focal point.
 

everybody knows my name said:
Mens' basketball is finally headed in the right direction.

Womens' basketball is rolling.

We have a good hockey coach, but the results have been inconsistent. Overall Motzko has a strong record.

Football, we have Fleck. For better or worse, and however you feel about his personality, we're winning more than we lose.

Wrestling put up a winning record this year. That's tough in the Big Ten, but I want more.

I don't hate where the U athletic department is at. Somebody new will come in like a wrecking ball, feeling that they have to put their imprint on everything. I'd keep Coyle around as long as we're flying level.
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Biggest issue I have is my lack of faith in finding someone better.
 


There are more than a few comments here about Coyle's financial / fundraising acumen. The athletic department released its FY2025 financial report earlier this year.

I have not seen any comparative statements that would index budget relative to the rest of the conference for 2025. If someone else has, please share the link. But the 2024 report from the U of M indicated the athletic department had the 10th largest budget in the B1G. My question for those with a dim view of Coyle's financial stewardship: Where do you feel the Gophers should rank in the conference?

As others have pointed out, the athletic director needs support from the entire university to succeed and the track record at Minnesota is that the support will be mediocre at best and openly hostile at worst. For comparative purposes, Minnesota has more than 2X the student body and more than 3X the endowment of Oregon, but Oregon's athletic department received $56M in contributions compared to Minnesota's $22M in 2025. Yes, Phil Knight, but also a clear institutional commitment to athletics.

I do not believe Coyle is an exceptional athletic director but, given the broader institutional landscape, I would be very concerned about having to replace him.
 


Wait...heating coils, and not heating coyles? I've been misled all these years.
 

GopherJack said:
I have no idea if Coyle is a good fund raiser. But in my mind, a good fund raiser has a dynamic personality, is out in the public shaking hands, kissing babies, interacting in the community and is making public appearances. Coyle has the personality of a wet blanket. I'd like to see a different AD. One that excites me.
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The answer to your search is Peter Najarian, who wanted the job when they picked Coyle. Najarian and Fleck would be a great duo.

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