University of Miami fires athletic director Blake James
The University of Miami has fired athletic director Blake James.
UM said Monday evening that the university and James “today mutually agreed to part ways.’’ The decision, however, was made by UM president Julio Frenk.
The firing comes two days after Miami football lost its rivalry game at Florida State with 26 seconds left.
“The University of Miami and Director of Athletics Blake James today mutually agreed to part ways,’’ UM wrote in a release. “James’ 17 years at the University — including eight as athletics director— were marked by class and integrity. He served in several ACC and NCAA leadership roles and earned national recognition from his peers during his time with the Hurricanes.
“A national search for the University’s next athletics director will begin immediately.”
It is believed former UM quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Gino Torretta would be among those who have interest in the job.
UM deputy director of athletics Jennifer Strawley will serve as interim athletic director during the search, UM said. “Strawley will work closely and collaboratively with the president, as well as with Rudy Fernandez, in his role as chief of staff to the president, and Joe Echevarria, in his role as senior advisor to the president.’’
James, named the UM athletic director in 2013 after serving a few months as interim director, has been highly criticized by football fans and former players upset by the direction in which the program has turned.
Diaz’s future
The future of Miami coach Manny Diaz at this point is still unknown, but the anticipation is UM will likely make a coaching change. James chose Diaz to succeed Mark Richt just 10 hours after Richt announced his retirement on Dec. 30, 2018, as UM’s 25th head football coach to replace Richt, who retired with a 26-13 record in three seasons.
James, who obviously hand-picked Diaz, had been under immense pressure from his angry detractors for being too hasty in the hiring and not undertaking a full-fledged search. Current successful Oregon coach Mario Cristobal — a former Hurricanes offensive lineman and UM assistant coach who grew up in Miami and was the head FIU coach from 2007 to 2012 — would be the overwhelmingly popular choice to replace Diaz and has been mentioned as a likely target, should Diaz be dismissed.
In football, UM, the winner of national championships in 1983, 87, 89, 91 and 2001, has lost seven of its past 12 games dating to 2020, and seven of its past 10 games against opponents in Power 5 conferences. UM’s last win over a non-ACC Power 5 opponent was Nov. 11, 2017, against Notre Dame.
UM football is now 5-5 overall and 3-3 in the Atlantic Coast Coast Conference, needing one victory in its final two regular-season games to qualify for a bowl. Its loss at struggling FSU took Miami out of ACC contention.
Miami canceled its football media access for Tuesday.
James statement
“It has been an honor to lead Miami athletics and to be a part of such a world-class institution,” James said as part of UM’s release. “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.”
Frenk thanked James “for his years of service” to UM.
“Paired with The U’s storied history in intercollegiate sports, the enhancements Blake championed — in areas ranging from student-athlete support and academic achievement to community outreach and facility upgrades — give us a solid foundation on which to build,” Frenk said.
But it was Frenk who released a long statement regarding UM athletics five days after ESPN “College GameDay” host Kirk Herbstreit called out Frenk, James and Diaz for not being aligned in their goals and visions for the football program, and three days after Diaz publicly defended the program in late September.
The scenario unfolded on the heels of a Miami Herald article regarding football not being a priority for Frenk and the administration.
Frenk’s move
“To Our University of Miami Family and Hurricanes Fans Everywhere, the University of Miami is an institution dedicated to the pursuit of excellence,’’ Frenk began his statement, a few hours before kickoff of the Sept. 30 UM-Virginia game at Hard Rock Stadium. “As our football team gets ready to kick off conference play this evening, I want to make clear that the Board of Trustees and I, as president, recognize the essential part of our brand and reputation derived from athletics and we are fully committed to building championship-caliber teams at the U.”
Frenk went on to say, “We can either be disrupted, or we can play a role in strategically shaping the course of disruption. As with our academic and health care missions, when it comes to athletics, my job as president is to ensure we are doing the latter. To that end, 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.”
From then on, it became more evident that UM athletics could soon see significant changes.
Besides firing former football coach Al Golden and hiring Mark Richt and Diaz, James’ other significant moves at UM included hiring Gino DiMare as Jim Morris’ baseball successor and helping spearhead a fundraising campaign that included important improvements to Miami’s athletic facilities — none bigger than the Carol Soffer Indoor Practice Facility.
James also struck a 12-year contract with Adidas to replace Nike as UM’s apparel provider.
UM noted that during James’ tenure as AD, Miami athletic teams won five NCAA individual championships, six ACC team titles and 71 individual ACC titles. It also lauded UM athletics’ progress in athletics and that its most recent NCAA Graduation Success Rate was 94 percent.
James’ interview
James told the Miami Herald on Oct. 22 in a phone interview that the evaluation process for a head football coach includes every game played. But he declined to say if Diaz’s job was safe for the season.
At that point it wasn’t revealed if James thought his own job was in jeopardy.
“Every game affects the evaluation of a job,’’ James said of Diaz. “Every game you play affects your status. It strengthens it in certain games and obviously challenges it in others.
“...I can’t look into the future and say, ‘If X then Y,’’ James said. “But yes, there’s always an ongoing evaluation of our coaches in any sport.”
Public reaction
The most vocal Miami fans on social media reacted with relief and support of the move. Even some former players praised the decision.
Ahmmon Richards, who played wide receiver for the Hurricanes from 2016 to 2018, criticized the university’s treatment of former players in a series of Twitter posts after James’ firing was announced, including one with a GIF of LeBron James smoking a victory cigar and the caption, “Former player vibes.”
Chad Thomas, who played defensive end at Miami from 2014 to 2017 before spending two seasons with the Cleveland Browns, wrote it was “About time.”
This story was originally published November 15, 2021 at 5:34 PM.
