Florida Athletic Director Scott Stricklin took to Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything) yesterday. The AMA format is one of Reddit’s most popular postings, where anyone can ask a question to have somebody answer.
The format is wide open and can cover any range of topics. In this case Stricklin fielded questions about the Gators, what he had for lunch, his new position on the College Football Playoff Committee and even his favorite Tom Petty songs.
Here are highlights from Stricklin’s AMA.
On his feelings about the football team playing against Mississippi State (his alma mater) this year.
“Candidly, I am not looking forward to that game because of the emotions and ties I have back to MSU. Hoping for a great game and a Gator win … and I hope the two teams get to play again in Atlanta in December!”
On future football scheduling
“We are always willing to consider non-conference opportunities that we feel will benefit the Gators, my general view is that nine power-five games (eight SEC plus FSU) against the caliber UF faces is usually the right number in the current college football environment. I am concerned about the lack of variety the current SEC scheduling model provides for our fans and would be interested in seeing ways we could rotate other SEC West teams on our schedule more frequently.”
On what he perceives the hardest part of his job is.
“To be successful in college athletics administration, you must make unemotional decisions based on peoples emotions. That can sometimes be challenging, but it’s also what makes it so special.”
Stricklin’s thoughts on UCF claiming a National Championship after their perfect season in 2017.
”I’m not one to claim titles that others don’t universally recognize. Fortunately, at Florida, we have 39 national titles that everyone does in fact recognize.”
Some background on the football team’s move to Jumpman
“Nike/Jordan approached us in December 2016 and offered us the opportunity to become the lone SEC school to rep Jumpman. Needless to say, it’s a marriage of two visible brands (Gators and Jordan) that are both synonymous with success.”
On how he became a new member of the College Football Playoff Committee
“Commissioner Sankey approached me last fall about possibly becoming the SEC rep on the CFP. I was initially hesitant because it is a significant time commitment and I didn’t want anything to take away from the Gators, but in the end decided to make it work. It’s an honor to be a part of something that is important to college football. The new members will go through an orientation process later this year, so I’ll have a better feel for the experience once that has occurred.”
Stricklin’s favorite moment since becoming the AD at UF.
“I mentioned winning the CWS earlier, but could also go with Cheese’s shot to beat Wisconsin in the Sweet 16. Or the Franks to Cleveland bomb to beat Tennessee. Or the national titles in women’s tennis and men’s outdoor track & field.”
Future renovations/new buildings for athletics (including Ben Hill Griffin Stadium
“There is a lot of behind-the-scenes activity underway related to facilities. The immediate three priorities remain softball, baseball and a stand-alone football complex. We intend to share additional details about all three of those projects, plus some long-range master plan elements related to all of our athletic venues, in the coming months. Stay tuned! …
“Renovating BHG [Ben Hill Griffin Stadium] is a part of our ongoing master plan process. It may take awhile to ramp up to, but it will be fantastic!”
His relationship with Steve Spurrier
“I love having Coach Spurrier around. In fact, I’m about to be his neighbor, so I’ll get to see him quite a bit. He and Jerri are true Gator treasures.”
Click here is a link to the complete AMA on Reddit.