What John Wildhack's retirement means to the future of Syracuse athletics

It is certainly not unusual for a chancellor/president or other senior administrator such as an athletic director in the business of higher education to average about 10-12 years in the job. The primary task of these leaders is, or course, to lead a team, but really it is to raise money. A lot of money, as in tens of millions of dollars, one project at a time.

Constantly asking wealthy people for money creates burnout. When you factor in the decisions of Syracuse chancellor Kent Syverud to announce his retirement back in August after 12 years leading SU (subsequently swayed last month by Michigan, where he went to Law School, to serve a five-year term as president beginning July 1), and Wednesday's announcement from the university that Wildhack is stepping down July 1 after nearly a decade (July 2016) running athletics, the professional timelines make sense.

Add in the fact that college sports has changed forever with the advent of NIL, the transfer portal, and House Settlement designating an annual $20.5M in payments that can be made to school's athletes, and the cry for raising money is even greater and never-ending.

How does Wildhack's move relate to the basketball program?

With a new chancellor coming aboard, that individual usually assembles the top senior administrators he/she desires in a university cabinet, to work alongside the board of trustees, faculty, staff, and students, including an athletic director.

The AD in turn is responsible for hiring the head coach of each school athletics program, with the endorsement of the chancellor, other select senior administrators, and the board. It was that behind-the-scenes group that elevated Adrian Autry to succeed Jim Boeheim in March 2023, and now while Wildhack is serving out his tenure, a coaching decision has to be made following the season.

With a 14-11 (5-7 ACC) record after Wednesday night's 2OT win against Cal in the Dome, the call for a new head coach for the basketball program has been loud, and seems inevitable at this point.

Based on simple timelines to the end of the college hoops season and to the announcement of a new chancellor and subsequently an AD (or interim), the person that is likely going to select the next basketball coach is Wildhack (with perhaps input from his successor depending on - again, timelines), who will make his recommendation to Syverud (perhaps his successor) and the board.

Don't forget, Mark Coyle hired Dino Babers in December 2015, and before Babers even coached his first game, Coyle was gone to Minnesota in May 2016, and university general counsel Daniel French was interim AD until Wildhack arrived in July of that summer.

Wildhack, who will at least get to serve one year (of a five year term) as one of 12 members on the 2026 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Committee, will be in the middle of the basketball coaching hire, and transition with the new coach and staff and the individual chosen to replace him running athletics.

It is a year of change among senior administrators in the Orange athletic department

Not only is Wildhack retiring this summer, but so too is senior deputy director of athletics Herm Frazier. The 1976 Olympic Gold Medal winner has been the out-of-the-spotlight glue at Manley and now the Lally Athletics Complex both under Daryl Gross when he arrived as chief of staff in 2011, and through Wildhack's tenure.

Many of Frazier's duties have been transitioned to deputy athletics director Torrey Ball, the former Orange DL who played under Doug Marrone, and who has been back at SU since July 2023. Ball now regularly travels with the basketball team to road games, a role Frazier had held for the last decade plus.

Another senior-level administrator at the 'Cuse is former Pitt AD Heather Lyke, hired by Syverud and Wildhack as a special advisor last July. Lyke led Pitt athletics from 2017-2024 before being dismissed by chancellor Joan Gabel due to philosophical disagreements on future funding models for athletics at the university.

Lyke could certainly serve in an interim role if called upon, but we are hearing she is not likely going to be considered for the fulltime job.

Oh, and there is one other senior administrator, and parttime TV analyst with an office at the Lally complex that might be called upon to offer his assessment of AD candidates. His name is Jim Boeheim.

SUPPORT THE JUICE ONLINE

Chat about this story and all things Syracuse on our message board, Cuse Classified!