New AD

[jsglow]

Welcome Larry.  You look like a fantastic addition to the MU family.  Lots to do; roll up the sleeves.

[MerrittsMustache]

Williams was a two-time all American football player at the University of Notre Dame, graduating in 1985 with a bachelor of arts degree. He played professional football in the NFL from 1985 to 1993, while at the same time earning a law degree from the University of San Diego School of Law in 1992. He then practiced law for the Indianapolis-based law firm of Baker & Daniels, before returning to Notre Dame in 1999 to work on licensing and product marketing for the Athletics Department.

http://www.marquette.edu/omc/newscenter/12-05-2011-williams.php

Let the "Marquette is bringing back football" rumors commence!

[Blackhat]

Pretty damn impressive.   Think Pilarz got it right.   Sad to see a good MU man like Cottingham go but at least we got a strong AD.

[Skatastrophy]

Looks like his son is following in his footsteps with offers from Cincinnati, Toledo and Eastern Michigan and is being recruited by Yale and Harvard.:
http://www.cleveland.com/hssports/blog/index.ssf/2011/11/st_ignatius_qb_eric_williams_f.html

They pulled him out of one Jesuit school to put him into another, though, so it's nice he has some familiarity with the Jesuit tradition

Best of luck on whatever it is you do here, Larry!

[Marqus Howard]

Is Broeker expected to go back to his old role?

[Blackhat]

He's bald too, so we're good.

Dude goes 6'6" 290,  he would have had a good talk with Tim Maymon walking out the gym.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

I, for one, I'm glad we are bringing in an "outsider." Welcome aboard!!

Now give us back our nickname!!!

[chapman]

"He played professional football in the NFL from 1985 to 1993, while at the same time earning a law degree from the University of San Diego School of Law in 1992."

I'm sorry but that is pretty impressive.

Nah, Steve Young did the same thing and he won a Super Bowl and a couple of MVPs.  Piece of cake  
Looks like he was a Guard in the NFL, and was a "bog boy (no homo)" with Pro Football Reference listing him in his playing days at 6'5" 292 lbs.  

Very impressive resume, look forward to Mr. Williams joining Mr. Buzz and the rest of MU.  Also awarded the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics AD of the Year award this year, so obviously respected amongst his peers.  Also taught an undergrad Sports Marketing class at Portland, wonder if he will also teach a class at MU?

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Nah, Steve Young did the same thing and he won a Super Bowl and a couple of MVPs.  Piece of cake  
Looks like he was a Guard in the NFL, and was a "bog boy (no homo)" with Pro Football Reference listing him in his playing days at 6'5" 292 lbs.  

Very impressive resume, look forward to Mr. Williams joining Mr. Buzz and the rest of MU.  Also awarded the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics AD of the Year award this year, so obviously respected amongst his peers.  Also taught an undergrad Sports Marketing class at Portland, wonder if he will also teach a class at MU?

what would Joe T do then?   

[lab_warrior]

Sounds like just the guy to lead us back to the mid majors

I assume you mean a mid-major like Butler that has gone to two consecutive Final Fours?

From the outset, it seems like this guy had plenty of cred & qualifications.

Let's keep the "jump to conclusions" mat stored up for a bit yet.

[Skitch]

Is Broeker expected to go back to his old role?

from Broeker's twitter

Department's flag fball team just got WAY better. Welcome Larry! Looking forward to running behind you. #groundandpound (I'm a Jets fan)

https://twitter.com/#!/mikebroeker/status/143875145658933248

[lab_warrior]

I bet the ratio of people who rip this hire on here is 10:1 without having any clue who the guy is.

Well, maybe not 10:1, but a significant amount of this:


http://www.youtube.com/v/UETwkMqtzMU&fs=1&source=uds

[warriorchick]

Looks like his son is following in his footsteps with offers from Cincinnati, Toledo and Eastern Michigan and is being recruited by Yale and Harvard.:
http://www.cleveland.com/hssports/blog/index.ssf/2011/11/st_ignatius_qb_eric_williams_f.html

They pulled him out of one Jesuit school to put him into another, though, so it's nice he has some familiarity with the Jesuit tradition

Best of luck on whatever it is you do here, Larry!

According to Larry's bio on the Portland website, he currently has two other sons currently playing football for Yale.  Mom (Larry's wife) was a national championship tennis player.  Great athletic DNA.

http://www.portlandpilots.com/staff.aspx?staff=1&tab=athleticdirector

[Marqus Howard]

Great athletic DNA.

Any five star basketball recruits in his family?

[brewcity77]

I hope for the best, my only trepidation is that a former NFL player and ND grad will view MU as a stepping stone. Hopefully his time at Portland has him viewing a non-football school as a potential destination and not just a short-term gig.

[Henry Sugar]

I love the hiring process!

[mugoose]

in 5 years they will miss their family on the left coast...and the weather.

Good hire in the meantime, though

[Hoopaloop]

Williams was a two-time all American football player at the University of Notre Dame, graduating in 1985 with a bachelor of arts degree. He played professional football in the NFL from 1985 to 1993, while at the same time earning a law degree from the University of San Diego School of Law in 1992. He then practiced law for the Indianapolis-based law firm of Baker & Daniels, before returning to Notre Dame in 1999 to work on licensing and product marketing for the Athletics Department.

http://www.marquette.edu/omc/newscenter/12-05-2011-williams.php


We hired a freaking ND guy??

The last guy was a Wisconsin grad with no athletics background.  Appears to be a strong hire.  He may not be here for 10 years, but he is obviously a smart man, understands athletics from a player and administrator background, has a law degree.  What is there not to like?  He is Cottingham but with a pulse and an athletics perspective.  Seems like a good hire and one that was done with some due diligence and effort, unlike the last AD hire at Marquette.

[Hoopaloop]

I, for one, I'm glad we are bringing in an "outsider." Welcome aboard!!

Now give us back our nickname!!!

Spot on, for both points. Seems as though some fans wanted Broeker to get the gig, but I'm happy MU went in a different direction.  We needed someone from the outside, someone not around for this Summer's events and someone with some new blood and vision for MU. 

[SweetAlaska]

It will be interesting to see if his NFL /ND football creds translate into a positive for the Warriors in the BCS football quagmire undermining the Big East.



Edit

[Ari Gold]

Let the "Marquette is bringing back football" rumors commence!

Oh it's happening. trust me

[SaveOD238]

Oh it's happening. trust me

Doubt it.  Pilarz said in a student forum that as long as he is President we will not have football at Marquette.

[mileskishnish72]

Well, the guy already has two strikes on him (ND, lawyer) so let's hope for the best. He sounds like a hard worker. You'd think with his football pedigree he'd be interested in a football school, but maybe he'll just settle in and like it in Milwaukee - weather aside, there are a lot of worse places to be. Good luck to him and MU.

[Warriors 79]

Solid hire.  Living out here in the PNW, I have watched Portland rise in athletic visibility and prominence and Williams had a big hand in that. I hate Notre Dame as much as any good Jebbie supporter but give him credit, he has moved up big time in that ND and Portland are both Holy Cross affiliated.  Welcome to the top of Catholic Academia, Mr. Williams.  

Solid guy, solid hire.  Love the Maymon comment.  At 290, if Williams had been AD 2 years ago...what an image of him looking down on Tim Maymon while they discussed who was in charge at Marquette

Bring back the Warriors!!  Bring back football!!  If football $$ wags collegiate athletics, then MU needs to run with the big dogs.

[wyzgy]

in 5 years they will miss their family on the left coast...and the weather.

Good hire in the meantime, though

miss the weather in portland??  hope you're not a meteorologist err anything.  this might be an upgrade weather-wise