TW:Butler will return as director of football operations

[JimBob]

OSU: Butler will return as director of football operations

By BILL HAISTEN World Sports Writer
Published: 1/16/2009 9:31 AM
Last Modified: 1/16/2009 9:31 AM

It is believed that Mack Butler, a 2004 Oklahoma Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame inductee, is returning to Oklahoma State to become coach Mike Gundy's director of football operations.

Gundy has not yet confirmed the hiring of Butler, who was OSU's director of operations in 2001-04. When then-Cowboy coach Les Miles became the head coach at LSU, Butler followed him to Baton Rouge, La.

After four seasons at LSU, Butler has accepted Gundy's offer to return to Stillwater.

The 59-year-old Butler is a Fairfax native who coached high school football in Stigler, McAlester and Wilburton, and in junior college at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M. In 1989-99, he was a defensive assistant at the University of Tulsa. He was TU's director of operations in 2000.

At OSU, Butler fills the director position that became vacant when Jimmy Gonzales was dismissed.

[OKState918]

I honestly think the only way Gundy can build long-term stability within the program is to focus on hiring people with ties to either Oklahoma State or the state itself.

Smart move, in my opinion.

[legelegel]

I honestly think the only way Gundy can build long-term stability within the program is to focus on hiring people with ties to either Oklahoma State or the state itself.

Smart move, in my opinion.

Certainly seems so.

[andyokstate]

What does a director of football operations do?

[legelegel]

What does a director of football operations do?

He directs the operations of the football program :) or in other words:

Director of Football Operations will coordinate daily operations and administrative functions of the DIA football program.

Assist in managing the football budget. Serve as the liaison to the Director of Compliance for admission procedures and assist in filing with the NCAA Clearinghouse.

Handle game management for home and away games. Manage the recruitment process including letters, weekly contacts, and organizing visits.

Coordinate outreach efforts of the program. Assist with the monitoring of academic progress of student-athletes.

Related duties. Establish and maintain an environment conducive to the welfare and academic success of the student-athlete.

Establish and maintain effective interactions with students, faculty, staff, administrators, alumni and the public.
There is a wide difference between the structure, roles and responsibilities of this position throughout Division 1 intercollegiate football. These differences are an outcome of the perspective of this role by the head football coach and the athletic director at Division 1 schools.

The salary is an extension of this and even whether or not this position reports to the head coach or the athletic director (and/or is considered an assistant athletic director as well).

There are young inexperienced (both in terms of football or "business" skills) individuals who are really a glorified graduate assistant as well as more experienced individuals (who have had coaching and/or academic and/or business experience) who play a "legitimate" role and have "legitimate" responsibilities such a recruiting coordinator, development and/or can be a public voice of the program.

Specifically, salaries for this position at Division 1 institutions range from $30,000 with no real perks to $200,000 annually with perks such as a courtesy car, bowl bonus, etc.