BYU’s new athletic director, Brian Santiago, has a big problem right out of the chute.
Oh, there are all those challenges of implementing revenue sharing mandated by the NCAA and Big 12.
And there are challenges with managing NIL collectives and boosters.He’s got some decisions to make on leadership of some sports programs and facility improvements to review. He’ll have the never-ending future scheduling contracts for football and basketball to manage, and the eternal quest to hit up donors for contributions.
“When you really need to get things done, you need to turn to a person you know will cut through everything and get it done. Santiago was that guy. So was Pete (Witbeck). People didn’t always get along with them, and they were the guys who had to tell people no a lot. But you need them. Every AD needs them.”
— former BYU AD Val Hale on new BYU AD Brian Santiago
Oh, and when BYUtv calls to fill airtime, he’ll need to carve out the time. And there’s always answering letters and emails from BYU fans who want better tickets, parking passes, and responding to complaints over more wins and titles.
But those are overshadowed by another issue.
Brian Santiago needs to find him a Brian Santiago.
And he’s got to do it as fast as possible.
He needs a doer. A chaser.
He must appoint a tireless detail person who simply gets things done. He needs a task-a-teer.
He needs a guy who is in the regular foursome with billionaire Ryan Smith and Danny Ainge.
