Syracuse announced Friday evening that Mark Coyle will become its new athletic director beginning on July 6. Coyle most recently served as the athletic director of Boise State. Here’s 10 things to know about the incoming director of SU Athletics.

1. 32-9

That’s the record of the Boise State football program during Coyle’s tenure. In three seasons, the Broncos won two conference titles and hired head coach Bryan Harsin to replace Chris Petersen. This past season was Harsin’s first at the helm and BSU won 12 games, a Mountain West Conference Championship and the Vizio Fiesta Bowl.

2. Kentucky basketball

Coyle served as the deputy director of athletics at Kentucky when UK hired head coach John Calipari, who has lead the Wildcats to a 190-38 record in his tenure and won an NCAA Championship, in 2009.

3. Fund Raiser

At Boise State, Coyle helped raise more than $40 million in capital gifts and annual donations —including a $12.5 million naming gift for the football stadium — and negotiated a multi-media marketing rights agreement with Learfield Communications. The agreement will rake in $42 million in guaranteed revenue for BSU’s athletic department.

4. Marketer

Coyle has also bargained on the other side of marketing rights agreements. He worked with HOST Communications, Inc., a college sports media company, as a liaison to several NCAA schools, including Tennessee, Florida State and Notre Dame. HOST was acquired by IMG, which currently works with Syracuse.

5. Previous experience with sanctions

Coyle replaced long-time Boise State athletic director Gene Bleymeier, who was fired after an NCAA investigation at BSU. Penalties were levied against the school less than three months before Coyle was hired as the AD in December of 2011. BSU was put on probation for three years from 2012-2014, and the football program operated with reduced practice time and three less scholarships.

6. Hot commodity

Coyle was rumored as a candidate for Pittsburgh’s and Oregon State’s director of athletics vacancy, per Syracuse.com and the Portland Tribune. Pitt used DHR International to fill its vacancy, the same company SU used in hiring Coyle.

7. Ties to Florida State

In addition to earning his masters degree at Florida State, Coyle served as FSU’s liaison at HOST Communications and worked in ticket operations.

8. Facilitator

While Coyle was at Boise State, the athletic department added facility improvements. BSU built a new football complex, renovated women’s and men’s basketball practice courts and built an outdoor football practice field. A new softball stadium and track and field facility was built as well.

9. Paying his dues

Coyle owes BSU a $75,000 buyout fee for leaving, lowered in 2013 from $350,000 per the Idaho Statesman. He was also due to make $451,000 this year if he maximized all his bonuses at Boise State, the Statesman also reported. Former director of athletics Daryl Gross made $796,438 in 2014 as reported on SU’s Form 990.

10. An athlete leading athletes

SU’s new athletic director played football at Drake University. Members of the House of Representatives, including Rep. John Katko, who represents the Syracuse area, recently proposed reforms to help protect student-athletes. Coyle could have a varying perspective compared to other non-former athlete AD’s.

Published on June 19, 2015 at 11:52 pm

Contact Chris: cjlibona@syr.edu | @ChrisLibonati