U. of Maryland names Randy Eaton interim athletics director
The Washington Post
June 28, 2010
The University of Maryland chose its athletic department's chief financial officer as interim athletic director Monday, naming 49-year-old Randy Eaton to lead the Terrapins until a permanent replacement for Debbie Yow is appointed.
Eaton, who currently serves as the senior associate athletic director, will not be a member of the search committee charged with finding candidates to fill the athletic director's post, according to U-Md. President C.D. Mote, and Eaton said he will have no role in determining Yow's successor. Sources in the Maryland athletic department said a search committee could be announced as early as Tuesday.
Eaton said he has not had time to consider whether he would like to be a candidate for the top position. He said his highest priority over the next few months would be to maintain the department Yow molded during her 16 years in College Park. On Friday, Yow left to become the athletic director at N.C. State.
"For lack of better terminology, just not to wreck the ship, if you will," Eaton said in a teleconference. "I think we've been left in a very good situation by Debbie. If you look at most (Division I) athletic programs, when an AD of this stature leaves, they've got some pretty big issues, and we're not in that situation."
The athletic department's $55 million budget for the coming fiscal year was already completed in April, according to Eaton. He said he does not foresee any "major decisions on the horizon" that must be made prior to the permanent athletic director's appointment.
One issue that will remain at the forefront this fall is the status of football Coach Ralph Friedgen. Though Friedgen is 66-46 in nine seasons at Maryland, the team went 2-10 last season. Maryland has named offensive coordinator James Franklin the program's "head coach in waiting."
