(10-03-2023 07:59 AM)Big Red Wrote:  No one has ever gone to coach at NIU to get rich. But you go there for the opportunity to leapfrog to a place where you can get rich.
We talk a lot about Phillips but he was a relative nobody at Notre Dame before he came to NIU and sprinboarded to Northwestern and then eventually the AAC. Some folks see an opportunity and sieze it. Others see a decent paycheck and get complacent.

Having covered and worked with administrators and coaches from multiple Midwest universities I have to politely disagree with you on the "relative nobody" characterization. Maybe to some folks here in DeKalb, but Jim Phillips had a major reputation as an up and coming administrator at Notre Dame. He was being mentioned for other AD jobs but chose to keep quiet in each instance.
No offense, but even with what he was accomplishing at NIU, he was being mentioned as a potential commissioner for the Big Ten when and if Delaney would retire. Some other Big Ten administrators were surprised he took the Northwestern job but Phillips thought that would enhance his prospects for commissioner. Unfortunately it ended up not helping as much and that segment of the league which wanted an "outside" perspective won out and led to Kevin Warren's hire.....that proved in many ways to be a less than stellar decision. In the meantime, Phillips reputation throughout the NCAA and availability when the Big Ten made its choice led to his hire by the ACC.
The best hires for AD or coaching vacancies is someone who sees an opportunity near the Chicago market, understands the limitations that come with NIU and DeKalb, but has a vision of how to succeed while expecting it to take some time. However, having done well here, then the "if he / she can do that at NIU, imagine what they can do with our resources, fan base, facilities, etc." mentality becomes a part of the resume.