Report: Miami to hire Dan Radakovich as next athletic director

Following reports on Friday, the Miami Hurricanes are officially hiring Dan Radakovich as their next athletic director, according to Yahoo Sports’ Pete Thamel. The move comes after the Hurricanes parted ways with former athletic director Blake James on Nov. 15.

Per Thamel, the Clemson Tigers will promote deputy athletic director Graham Neff to athletic director following Radakovich’s departure.

Radakovich has been the athletic director at Clemson since 2012 after six years at Georgia Tech in the same role. Prior to his tenure with the Yellowjackets, he was a senior associate athletic director at LSU from 2001-06 and was instrumental in the renovation of Tiger Stadium.

He oversaw a period of growth for Clemson, including facility improvements and an impressive run of College Football Playoff appearances from the Tigers’ football team, including two CFP titles.

The move to fire James came in the midst of yet another disappointing football season for the Hurricanes. They finished 7-5 to achieve bowl eligibility, but failed to live up to their preseason ranking of No. 14.

Many believe that coach Manny Diaz would be the next to go and he was as the university fired Diaz and hired former Oregon Ducks head coach Mario Cristobal.

In three seasons under Diaz, Miami has never failed to make a bowl game. However, aspirations from fans and administrators are much higher, as they believe they belong among the country’s best. Despite a winning record (21-15) with the Hurricanes, it seems all but certain that he is gone.

Frustrations have been building for quite some time around the football program, with former players even speaking out. After claiming five national titles between 1983-2001, Miami has made one major bowl game in the past decade (the Orange Bowl in 2017). Its last conference championship came in 2003, when it was still a member of the Big East.

The Hurricanes have managed just one 10-win season since 2004, which came in 2017 under Mark Richt. Richt stepped away from football the following season after a 7-6 finish.

“We were a microwave dynasty,” former Hurricanes running back Melvin Bratton said. “We won five championships quick and fast. We don’t have the history of USC, Texas or Nebraska. But I also can’t stomach us going back to the days before we came here when me and Alonzo (Highsmith) would go to Burger King and get two tickets for a Miami game with our Whoppers. We need to win now, get back to it fast.”

Now that Miami has its athletic director in Dan Radakovich and a new head coach in Cristobal expect a new era of football to begin with the Hurricanes.