Back in the day, running an athletic department meant rallying boosters and managing coaches. Now, in an era of NIL upheaval, conference shake-ups, and massive capital projects, the role demands something far more ambitious. With a $348 million stadium on the horizon and the industry shifting underfoot, the University of South Florida is reimagining how it runs athletics.

Alex Golesh’s South Florida Bulls are now on a search mission to fill the position of Athletic Director. But what made them catch the headlines? The unusual demands they have placed on their next AD. Right now, South Florida is going through a heartbreak. Their former vice president for athletics, Michael Kelly, has transferred to United States Naval Academy. In this new program, he accepted the position of Athletic Director. And the Bulls have already gone into complete panic, and are now desperately looking for someone to fill the gap.

But looks like they won’t be hitting the end line any time soon given their criterion. On July 13, College Athletics attorney, Mit Winter, tweeted, “Instead of seeking to replace its recently departed AD, South Florida is hiring a CEO of Athletics.” 

The tweet had Bill Sutton’s statement, who chaired the school’s previous two athletic director searches. “(Kelly’s replacement) will have very little to do with day-to-day running of the athletic department,” Sutton said. Want some more clarity on South Florida’s expectations from their future AD? Sutton continued, “(The new title) means (Weatherford) wants somebody skilled outside of college athletics, because the world’s changed so much. So he’s looking for somebody that has either a Fortune 500 background or pro sports background or a combination thereof. Maybe some college experience as well, but the college experience is probably not going to be the kicker.”

Well, the list of criteria is bound to be long. Even though they are not seeking for Kelly’s replacement, the Bulls can’t deny his contribution to the program. Under his leadership, the department expanded to 21 varsity sports with the addition of women’s lacrosse and beach volleyball. Guiding South Florida on the right track, Kelly helped USF Athletics to achieve two divisional titles, two NCAA championships, eight cheer national championships, and one cheer world cup. 

South Florida shared that whoever takes up the role no longer gets to manage the team or balance the budget. Will Weatherford, the chair of the University of South Florida Board of Trustees, shared, “It’s about building a competitive enterprise, growing revenue, leading through change and positioning our university- and our region- on the national stage.” He added that Bulls athletics “must be run like a serious business.” Now, whom can the program count on as the right fit?

South Florida’s legacy of athletic directors

Over the decades, USF’s athletic directors have been architects of transformation. Bowers laid the groundwork for a fledgling department. Paul Griffin navigated expansion. And Lee Roy Selmon brought football to life while elevating the school’s profile. Each leader’s imprint still shapes the program today, offering both a blueprint and a challenge for whoever takes the reins next. But there may also be obstacles that past directors had never faced.

As per the reports, in the 2025-26 academic year, schools are permitted to share up to $20.5 million with their student-athletes. That calls for a savvy fundraiser who is capable of devising and developing fresh revenue streams. Now, that’s a big responsibility in itself. But with such a rich legacy of directors in the past, the new hire must take this in stride.

And what are the names that come to our mind? Many. For instance, Rob Higgins. While he led Tampa Bay Sports Commission to the peak of success since 2004, his path also crossed with South Florida, too. He brought them to national events in Tampa, most recently the Women’s Final Four. But will he fit South Florida’s criteria? Rob Higgins’ forte lies in his business acumen and his ability to bring people together. Longtime softball coach Ken Eriksen is another bridge builder. After all, he shares some deep roots with South Florida since the days when the program was dismissed as a “fallback school” for those who couldn’t get into Florida or Florida State. Other than playing baseball for the Bulls and later serving as the softball head coach, he served an assistant on the 2004 national team that won an Olympic gold medal in Athens. We’re about to see who’s tough enough to ace South Florida’s cutthroat exam.