GopherSports: David Benedict Leaving University of Minnesota to Take Auburn Post

[GopherHole Staff]

per GopherSports:

Benedict Leaving University of Minnesota to Take Auburn Post

Deputy Athletics Director Named Chief Operating Officer in Auburn Athletics Department

MINNEAPOLIS (Jan. 6, 2014) -- The University of Minnesota announced today that Deputy Athletic Director David Benedict is leaving to take the Chief Operating Officer post with the Auburn University Department of Athletics in Alabama.

As Chief Operating Officer, Benedict will oversee overall day-to-day operations of the Auburn Athletics Department, employing many of the same skills he used at Minnesota where he was responsible for many improvements to the structure and performance of the Gopher Athletics Department.

“We are happy for David and wish him well in this new opportunity,” said University of Minnesota Director of Athletics Norwood Teague. “In his time here, David used his unique skills and experience to make positive changes in the department. His success here is something that impressed Auburn when offering him this major role.”

The University of Minnesota hired Benedict in July 2012 from Virginia Commonwealth University where he oversaw numerous aspects of that athletics department, including student-athlete welfare and sport supervision.

The Gopher Athletics Department will assess current and long-term needs in determining how Benedict’s role will be filled; his responsibilities will be distributed among Senior Leadership in the interim.

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[station19]

Minnesota cooled on him.

 

[patrick08]

Minnesota cooled on him.

 

[ruppertflywheel]

Ahhhhh......He cooled on the weather.

 

[jaymil]

This definitely isn't ideal. Wasn't Benedict the football guy in the administration?

 

[corcoran1]

This definitely isn't ideal. Wasn't Benedict the football guy in the administration?

Yup, but that looks like it is one step away from an ADs job, hard to turn down if you want to be an AD someday.
Taking that job at Auburn will be interesting. Benedict won't want to be part of a compliance mess, so I assume things have changed a lot.

 

[Lakeville Goldy]

Yup, but that looks like it is one step away from an ADs job, hard to turn down if you want to be an AD someday.
Taking that job at Auburn will be interesting. Benedict won't want to be part of a compliance mess, so I assume things have changed a lot.

Wasn't he one step from the AD job here? I mean, if Norwood said "F" it and walked out tomorrow, wasn't Benedict the guy that would have been interim? I would agree it sounds like he will have more responsibility in the new role.

Note - not trying to start any conspiracy theories or anything. I know people in those roles switch jobs often for a variety of reasons.

 

[Gopherprof]

I'm not sure if it's a promotion in terms of job title, but Auburn is a bigger athletic department (in terms of revenue and spending) than Minnesota, and if his focus is on football all the moreso.

 

[Northwood Tick]

Benedict was brought in as a fundraiser and the bottomline is, he is not a fundraiser. He is getting out of fundraising. The fundraising plan here was too much for him, was simply in over his head. The leader leads serious help in this area. The announement of Lou Nanne trying to help with the master plan was just the first sign. Benedict made some very questionable calls that have set this effort back. Now the department has to rally to make up for lost ground.

The Auburn job is a step down from a Deputy AD job in the Big 10. He has to start anew and this is the best place they could find for him.

 

[Gopherprof]

Benedict was brought in as a fundraiser and the bottomline is, he is not a fundraiser. He is getting out of fundraising. The fundraising plan here was too much for him, was simply in over his head. The leader leads serious help in this area. The announement of Lou Nanne trying to help with the master plan was just the first sign. Benedict made some very questionable calls that have set this effort back. Now the department has to rally to make up for lost ground.

The Auburn job is a step down from a Deputy AD job in the Big 10. He has to start anew and this is the best place they could find for him.

What are you basing this on?

 

[Gold Vision]

Benedict was brought in as a fundraiser and the bottomline is, he is not a fundraiser. He is getting out of fundraising. The fundraising plan here was too much for him, was simply in over his head. The leader leads serious help in this area. The announement of Lou Nanne trying to help with the master plan was just the first sign. Benedict made some very questionable calls that have set this effort back. Now the department has to rally to make up for lost ground.

The Auburn job is a step down from a Deputy AD job in the Big 10. He has to start anew and this is the best place they could find for him.

It's been reported he's going to get paid significantly more money and was well respected within the department...

 

[GopherHole Staff]

per GopherSports:



O'Brien Promoted to Senior Associate Athletics Director

Clark Promoted to Director of Operations

MINNEAPOLIS (Jan. 9, 2014) -- The University of Minnesota announced today that Associate Athletic Director and Director of Football Operations Dan O'Brien has been promoted to Senior Associate Athletics Director overseeing the Gopher Football Program and Athletics Facilities.

“We are extremely excited for Dan to take on his expanded role within the Athletics Department,” said University of Minnesota Director of Athletics Norwood Teague. “His work with the Gopher Football Program speaks for itself and his more than ten years of experience as Director of Athletics at both Hamline and Concordia Universities will be a welcome addition to our current staff.”

O'Brien came to the University of Minnesota Athletics Department in 2008 after six years as Director of Athletics at Hamline University and four years in the same role at Concordia University. He has also held the Head Football Coach position at Concordia, Bemidji High School and assistant football coaching roles at Lakeville and Benilde St Margaret's High Schools, all in Minnesota.

O'Brien was a member of the TCF Bank Stadium Design Team. He oversaw several major fundraising and facilities expansion and renovation projects at Hamline and Concordia and moved Concordia from NAIA to Division II Competition.

Additionally,Coach Jerry Kill will fill O'Brien's Director of Operations position with Director of Player Personnel Adam Clark. Other responsibilities will be distributed within current staff.

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[centerofmn]

I have heard that the coaching staff is happy to have O'Brien in that roll. Seems like a good guy, and he will be definitely be a strong supporter of the team.