UPGRADING AD'S CONTRACT AT U.VA., HAS NOT GONE OVER WELL

 

The rank and file is restless at University of Virginia 

over the school’s extending athletic director CARLA 

WILLIAMS’ contract … but what really frosted some 

Cavaliers was the bump in salary … a 29 per cent hike 

(with incentives) to more than $2 million annually – 

guaranteed -- over the next five years … What 

obviously impressed the board of visitors wasWilliams’ 

ability to raise millions of dollars and upgrade athletic 

facilities since her arrival in 2017 … And that, 

apparently, was more important that the major problems 

facing the athletic department in football and men’s 

basketball … that had her critics wondering out loud if 

she was capable of overcoming them … Williams’ has 

made one major hire, football coach TONY ELLIOTT

 off the staff at Clemson, and that has resulted in three 

losing seasons and an overall record of 11-23 … which 

doesn’t make him unique in Hooville … except she 

reportedly ran off popular BRONCO 

MENDENHALL first, demanding he make significant 

changes in his staff.

Then basketball coach TONY BENNETT resigned 

after 15 years and a national championship (2019) 

shortly before the 2024-25 season got under way … and 

the Cavaliers have floundered under interim coach

 RON SANCHEZ … Bennett’s top assistant and hand-

picked successor … It’s conceivable Williams already 

has begun a national search for a new coach – as 

promised. Meanwhile, people hoping to replace 

Williams with Bennett, when her old contract ran out 

this spring, aren’t happy either.

According to reports, Williams’ upgraded 

compensation, which took a Freedom of Information 

request to uncover, had a negative effect on morale in 

the athletic department which has experienced some 

belt-tightening. Likewise interest in football … which 

has not had a sellout since 2008 when 64,947 turned out 

to see Southern California win 52-7 ... That also is a 

record for Scott Stadium which had its listed capacity 

grow to 61,600 in 2000 … Average crowds since Elliott 

became coach have been 41,000-plus … from a high of 

56,508 for JMU a year ago to a low of 32,638 for 

Louisville this past season when the average was 

39,000-plus … a drop of more than 4,000 from 2023 … 

“I don’t go to as many games as I used to,” said a 

U.Va., alumnus and long-time fan. “It’s discouraging, 

seeing all those empty seats.”

As for hoops … speculation already has begun 

regarding a new coach … Most prominent early on has 

been RYAN ODOM, the Virginia Commonwealth 

University coach whose father, DAVE ODOM, was an 

assistant on TERRY HOLLAND’s staff at U.Va., until 

leaving for Wake Forest and, finally, South Carolina … 

Also on the wish list: former VCU coach SHAKA 

SMART, in his fourth season at Marquette. He directed 

VCU to its only Final Four appearance (2011).

Until next time ...