The University of Mississippi Athletics

John Shafer Accepts AD Position

John Shafer Accepts AD Position
Press conference announcing the position.

June 3, 1998

John Shafer Named New Athletic Director

Opening remarks by Chancellor Khayat
Welcome everyone to an exciting day in the life of the University of Mississippi. We're delighted you're here. We are appreciative of the mayor of Oxford (Pat Lamar) for being with us today. Ole Miss and Oxford. Iit's a nice combination and we're delighted to be partners, the University and the city. Also with us is Dr. Bob Weems, who chaired the search committee and is also chair of the Athletics Committee.

I am going to begin by saying as a community, that we made a great commitment to being recognized as one of America's great public universities. That commitment includes every aspect of life at the university, from student life, to academics, to alumni affairs, and to athletics. The decision we made regarding the leadership of the department of athletics is consistent with that commitment to our university being a great public institution. We welcome the Shafer family today, to a university that is committed to integrity, to progress and to excellence in everything we do. As you come to know them, you will be aware of the fact that they share the same values and those values will be brought not only to the athletic department, but to the community at large.

With the new athletic director today is his wife, Diane. We are delighted to have you. We welcome you to Ole Miss and we are so glad you are here. The next person is Michael, their son. He is the assistant women's basketball coach at the University of Georgia.

I hope that everybody understands that athletics is an integral part of the University of Mississippi. That department requires great leadership. When I asked Bob Weems to chair the search committee, the charge was to have a national search to find the best qualified person to lead our department of athletics. The committee accepted that charge. I believe if there is ever a model search for others to emulate, I believe it is for Director of Athletics at Ole Miss. Bob, we thank you. We thank the members of the search committee, and some them are here today. I particularly want to thank Eddie Crawford for serving as interim athletic director and Lynette Schwartz for her leadership in women's athletics.

Dr. Andy Mullins, who works in the office of the Chancellor, and Becky Brown, worked with Dr. Weems to get us to this point today. It gives me the great pleasure of introducing John Shafer and his family. At the board meeting later this month, I am going to ask the board of trustees to approve Mr. Shafer's appointment as Director of Athletics at the University of Mississippi. We all can be assured that the Shafer family will strengthen our community, and we welcome you.

John Shafer's life is a testimony to the values that we hold dear at Ole Miss C to commitment, to loyalty, to honesty, to integrity and to hard work. Throughout this process, a lot of us talked to a lot of different people, and there was never a negative suggestion or implication about you (referring to Shafer) or your family. That's a great testimony to you. We're delighted this process has worked so well, and that you have considered the opportunity and have accepted the invitation to be a part of the Ole Miss family, and we welcome you.

For those of you who don't know, he is a graduate of Auburn. He holds two degrees from Auburn, an undergraduate degree and a master's degree. While at Auburn, he played baseball and was selected All-Southeastern Conference as a shortstop. After completing college, he has spent his life in athletic administration and some of his life in coaching. He told our staff earlier today that, in athletics, he has just about done it all, and I think that is true, including mowing fields and lining them off. [Shafer interjects: Not anymore (laughter)] He has served at Vanderbilt. He served at Auburn, and since 1982, he's been the Senior Associate Director of Athletics at Georgia. His title may have changed during that 16-year period, but the fact is, that has been the role that he's played. He has been the chief operating officer of that department, and I think that is a fair way to describe his role (at Georgia). He's had leadership positions in NCAA certification activities and leadership positions in the Southeastern Conference. Members of our staff at Ole Miss know him well. He comes here with a lot of respect from this community, and this community extends warmest greetings, welcome and our open arms and congratulations. We want the world to know that we believe we have found the very best person in America to serve as Director of Athletics at the University of Mississippi. Welcome.

John Shafer
I appreciate all of you coming. This is an exciting time for us. I want to thank Dr. Khayat, Dr. Weems and all of the search committee for having the confidence in me to give me the opportunity to be the Director of Athletics at the University of Mississippi. I also want to thank Coach Dooley and the University of Georgia for their understanding and patience during this process.

This day is a day of celebration for the Shafer family. We are overwhelmed with excitement and enthusiasm. I hope that the entire Ole Miss family is ready to move forward under this new administration. I vow to do everything in my power to make the University of Mississippi a prominent force in the SEC and in the nation. It's going to take a lot of hard work and commitment from a lot of people, but I believe in all my heart that we can build on the great tradition of excellence both on and off the field of competition at the University of Mississippi.

I was impressed during the interview process with the people already on staff and excited about the head coaches with whom I was able to meet. Hopefully I can provide them with the support that they need to make all of our programs successful. We can't wait until we get here in July to start building on the enthusiasm already created by coach Tuberville and the Ole Miss football team. I certainly can't do it alone, but I believe that, with the help of thousands of Ole Miss fans and supporters, there is a bright future for the University of Mississippi.

Over the years I have been fortunate to make some excellent professional decisions. I was blessed to have worked with three giants in intercollegiate athletics C Lee Hayley at Auburn, Roy Kramer at Vanderbilt, and for the last 16 years, Vince Dooley at the University of Georgia. There are none better in their field. I saw the same qualities and values of these three men in my new boss, Dr. Khayat. I have never seen a greater passion by any individual for his university than I saw when I first visited with Chancellor Khayat in his office. I saw the new stadium addition, the offices for men's and women's basketball and the beautiful women's complex. I knew then that I wanted to be a part of what is happening at Ole Miss. My wife and I are proud to be in Oxford as the newest members of the Ole Miss family. Thank you.

Question & Answer Session

Don Whitten, Oxford Eagle: I am sure that you have had a lot of other job opportunities and have looked at a lot of other jobs. What made this one be your first as Director of Athletics?

Shafer: I think it is just a great fit. When you are in a job interview or you have an opportunity, some things don't work out, some things just aren't right. When we came here and we were here for a little over a day, it was just a click. We just hit it off. Everything that we believe in was happening here. This is a great job and an exciting job. I just felt it was a great opportunity. Everything that we talked about philosophically, we clicked. It was a great match.

Bobby Hall, Commercial Appeal: What was your general perception of Ole Miss when you were a member of a rival school or a school playing against Ole Miss? What did you notice about Ole Miss?

Shafer: Great tradition, excellence in the classroom on and off the field of competition, and family. Those are the things that came to my mind first when I thought about coming over here. It (coming to Oxford) was always one of our favorite trips. I've been over here a lot of times as an opponent, and it was always a place I liked to visit. Having gone to Auburn and having lived in Athens for such a long time, I like small towns.

Don Whitten, Oxford Eagle: Dr. Khayat, what pushed him (Shafer) over the edge ahead of the other good candidates?

Khayat: There was just a chemistry. We knew that the credentials were there. There is not a better qualified Director of Athletics in the world than John Shafer. It was a matter of there being a comfort level for his family and for us. It was apparent immediately that we share the same values. He had a strong belief that the potential for successful programs with integrity was here. That we were well on our way in a number of areas and that the commitment was strong by every person on the staff, members of our faculty, the student body and our alumni, who are so extraordinary in their levels of affection for this University.

Marc Lancaster, Athens Daily News: John, your reputation at Georgia has always been as a guy who remained in the background and did a lot of the detail work and now you are obviously going to have to be out in the public more. Obviously your personality is suited well for that, but it's going to be a change in duties for you right?

Shafer: Absolutely. It will be a change. But it's a new challenge and I am excited about that. It will be different. I spent a lot of time in the office. I was not one of the guys that got out and about. I am really looking forward to getting out and doing that.

Robert Falkoff, Clarion Ledger: You mentioned when we talked last week about how everybody has basically the same goals to be successful, but you maybe have different ways to arrive at those goals. How different is it going to be at Ole Miss from your experiences at Georgia?

Shafer: First, I don't think I said you change your goals. The goals remain the same. I believe the goals are the same at the University of Mississippi or the University of Georgia. What we have to do administratively is use the resources that we have, whatever they may be, and use them wisely to be successful. Some schools may have more money, some schools may have more programs. What we have to do is take what we have and make good decisions on how to make it work successfully.

Bobby Hall, Commercial Appeal: You are coming in at a time when things are up. Football is up, basketball is doing well. Things are going good at Ole Miss. Is it better to be coming in at a good time or would you rather be coming in at a down time when you could build it (program) up?

Shafer: I think I just wanted to come. I would have come either time. If it was the same back then as it is now, I would have come, either way because of the people and what's happened here. I didn't mean to avoid your question. I believe that I would have rather come when I am coming if I had a choice.

Stephen Hawkins, Associated Press, Jackson: Have you met with the head coaches yet and what is going to be your charge to them?

Shafer: Yes. I have met with the head coaches, some more than others. My charge is to run the program with class and integrity, and I will do my best to give them every opportunity to win. We want to be successful. I want them to graduate their student-athletes and I want the student-athletes to be productive citizens when they leave the University of Mississippi. That's what I charge them with.

Bobby Hall, Commercial Appeal: Have you had time to get a handle on what you see is the biggest immediate needs here?

Shafer: Bobby, I don't think it would be appropriate to do that. I haven't been here that long. I have looked at some things. I have some ideas, but I don't think it would be appropriate to speculate right now until I have had a chance to digest some of those things. I think that is a very good question, but there are a lot of things I need to look at.

Don Whitten, Oxford Eagle: In general, what are some things you see as a challenge in intercollegiate athletics that you are facing, that you would have to deal with whether here or at Georgia?

Shafer: Number one is money and fundraising. Number two are the pitfalls of student-athletes - the agent problems, gambling on campus, drugs. Those are probably the biggest. Then, you have some equity issues that need to be addressed, long overdue I might add. They're being addressed, but it's just tough to be mandated to do something and not have the resources to do it. So, you've got to come up with a way to make it fit. Those are probably the three biggest challenges that I see.

Chuck Rounsaville, The Ole Miss Spirit: When do you start?

Shafer: Dr. Khayat was gracious enough to allow me to finish out this fiscal year at the University of Georgia, which is June 30. I made a commitment there and I will fulfill that commitment and I'll start July 1. That is the plan.

Press conference notes

Quote from SEC Commissioner Roy Kramer
I extend my congratulations to John and Ole Miss. I think he's an excellent choice for Ole Miss. He understands the SEC and has a broad background in all phases of athletic administration. He is extremely qualified to lead Ole Miss athletics into the 21st century.

Quote from Ole Miss head football coach Tommy Tuberville
This is his dream job. This is the job that he has always wanted. He will be here for a long time. He is the type of guy that will come in here and get it done. He knows the process from being in this conference. Football, basketball and baseball are the sports that really carry the load in this conference. Being at Georgia, they have a bigger budget than we have, but they also have more sports. He understands what we have to do to get to the plateau, so to speak, in our conference.