A JERSEY GUY: Jarmond Leaving Not A Shock
In a different time portal, it might have been a move which caused more than a ripple on the college athletic pond.
But in the era of Covid-19, where larger issues other than a Power 5 transaction at the athletic director level, the announcement made over the weekend that Boston College athletic director Martin Jarmond was headed to UCLA drew scant attention.
What it did to was give UCLA's its first minority athletic director and it left Boston College to deal with the issue of relevance once again.
Jarmond's goal when he arrived at The Heights three years ago was never to plant roots at BC. He came to Boston as an associate athletic director at Ohio State, with primary purpose to put "athletic director at Power 5 school'' on his resume.
He did a good job in three years at BC. He energized the booster program, made some decent hires (women's basketball and probably football) and left the place in better shape when than when he arrived.
But make no mistake. Jarmond's focus was on his next job. He flirted with openings in the Big Ten. Seriously went after the USC job a year ago and finally made the move to UCLA, a glamour school in a city where Jarmond and his family will easily blend into the culture.
But Jarmond was as much a self promoter as he was a fund raiser. At BC that was not an easy sell, at a school which despite its status as an ACC school has not been relevant in 20 years in revenue producing athletics.
The search for a replacement for Jarmond will begin. No expect any quick moves. That is not the BC way.
While Jarmond left BC a better place, it is hardly a a Disneyworld environment for athletic officials.
The Eagles have 31 varsity sports which is mind bogging, especially so when men's lacrosse--a sport in which BC could be relevant--is not one of them.
It also is still a bottom feeder in the Atlantic Coast Conference in facilities, with tough academic admission standards, and a shrinking fan supported base with an inflated sense its own status.
Still, there will be a long list of candidates who want the job. The Eagles could hire from within, but that hasn't been the BC style in the past.
They could go back to the Big Ten and pluck off another eager associate athletic director.
Or look at some non-Power 5 athletic directors looking to move up a level.
They could go to back and check out some previous searches, perhaps going after someone like Northern Illinois athletic director Sean Frazier, who has been a candidate in the past.
UMass athletic director Ryan Bamford could be a contender, who might want to move to the next level and could easily fit into the BC fabric.
This will still be BC President Father William Leahy's call, which means anything is possible.
But what seems certain is that whomever BC does hire as its athletic director is unlikely to have BC as a final destination point in their career.