James out as athletic director, Strawley to fill role in interim
The University of Miami and athletic director Blake James have parted ways, the two parties announced Monday evening.
Jennifer Strawley, Miami’s deputy athletics director, will serve as UM’s interim AD as the university conducts a national search for James’ permanent replacement.
“It has been an honor to lead Miami athletics and to be a part of such a world-class institution,” James said in a statement released by Miami. “I am proud of the work that we have done together, though I know there is still more yet to be achieved.
“I want to thank our University leadership, our athletics staff, our coaches, and especially our incredible student-athletes for their commitment to excellence and for believing in what the University of Miami can accomplish. I wish the Canes nothing but the best and look forward to my next endeavors.”
James had been UM’s athletic director since 2013 after being in the role on an interim basis for a few months, but had been heavily scrutinized in recent months as the Hurricanes’ football team has gone through another disappointing season.
His ousting comes just 1 months after University of Miami president Julio Frenk issued a statement in late September saying the university is “fully committed to building championship-caliber teams at the U,” in the aftermath of longtime ESPN college football analyst Kirk Herbstreit calling into question the university’s commitment to the football program.
Part of Frenk’s statement read: “I have decided to increase the involvement from my senior leadership team to chart a way forward. Rudy Fernandez, in his capacity as my chief of staff, and Joe Echevarria, in his capacity as my senior advisor, will augment my own direct engagement with the athletics director by facilitating seamless alignment between the Board of Trustees, my entire administration, and the athletics department.
“For a generation, the U has been recognized as one of the preeminent programs in college athletics. We have won 21 team national championships, including five in football. We are committed to honoring the legacy of those championship teams and of the student-athletes, coaches, and support personnel who have built that proud ‘Canes tradition — a tradition that is woven into the very fabric of South Florida.”
During ESPN’s College Gameday broadcast in late September, Herbstreit cited issues in the athletic department as reasons why the Hurricanes football team — the fixture of UM’s athletic program — hasn’t been relevant in more than a decade.
“You have an athletic department that clearly is not really showing that this is something they are willing to try and make changes,” Herbstreit said. “To me, college football, you look at the powerhouse programs, they’re aligned in their vision for what needs to happen.
“Recruiting, budget, staff. Whatever it needs, that’s what it takes. Miami doesn’t have that. So I don’t think it matters who the head coach is. Until you get a president and an AD and a coach together on the same page, I guess football doesn’t matter.”
James’ departure may indicate that other changes will soon come for Miami’s athletics program, especially with the football program led by coach Manny Diaz, whose future was unknown as of Monday evening.
James hired Diaz as UM’s football coach in 2018 as the successor to Mark Richt, who coached the Hurricanes for three seasons before abruptly retiring from coaching on Dec. 30, 2018. Diaz, who was UM’s defensive coordinator under Richt and had accepted the job as Temple’s new head coach a month prior, was hired as Miami’s next football coach one day later.
The Hurricanes have gone 19-15 in three seasons under Diaz, including 5-5 this year and 3-3 in the ACC after Saturday’s heartbreaking loss to longtime in-state rival Florida State in Tallahassee.
When Miami was 2-4 coming off back-to-back ACC losses to Virginia and North Carolina, James spoke to certain media outlets in late October, including ESPN, ahead of the Hurricanes’ home game against then-No. 18 N.C. State on Oct. 23. He didn’t guarantee that he wouldn’t make
any in-season coaching changes and made it clear that the Hurricanes needed to win more.
“We’re committed to winning as an institution,” James told ESPN at the time. “So whatever that means it’s going to take, I have full confidence that’s the step our institution is going to take ... the institution is very
committed to seeing this athletics program succeed at the highest level, and they’re committed to doing what it takes to compete with the very best.”
James’ exit appears to be the first step toward
the Hurricanes trying to compete at the elite level they once used to. What comes next for the football program and Diaz remains to be seen.
James spent 17 years at Miami, including eight as the athletics director. Miami student-athletes and teams captured five NCAA individual championships, six ACC team titles, and 71 individual ACC titles during his tenure as athletics director.
He oversaw Miami complete multiple facilities projects, including the Carol Soffer Indoor Practice Facility for the football team, the Jimmy and Kim Klotz Baseball Player Development Center and the Schwartz Center for Athletic Excellence.