FAYETTEVILLE -- In appearance it seems the University of Arkansas' new athletic director resolves ending the 2008-2017 corporate takeover preceding him.
Just dumping the constant necktie and jacket and the revenue streams/branding lingo of predecessor Jeff Long and allowing his administrators to appear representing an athletic department rather than a corporate board room symbolically helps Hunter Yurachek relate the Razorbacks to Arkansas again.
"Personally, I'm not a big fan of ties," Yurachek, clad in a red sports shirt and slacks said to a reporter chatting in the athletic director's office, customary for media during the Frank Broyles 1974-2007 Arkansas athletic director era. "When I have a meeting that requires a tie or a presentation that requires a tie, I'll wear a tie. And I trust my staff will do the same. I think we're all professional and know when a tie is or isn't required. That doesn't mean a style of leadership is incorrect, it's just not my style. My style is to be very approachable. My office door is always open."
Yurachek vows to listen, learn and travel about Arkansas, opening doors and his ears to alums, fans, former Razorbacks and even those who never called Fayetteville home yet, through the Hogs, vicariously long lived there and Little Rock's War Memorial Stadium.
"It's about having kind of a reunification of the State of Arkansas and really making people across this state truly believe that they are important to the success of this program whether they ever get to Fayetteville or not," Yurachek said.
Cultivating the unique statewide love of the UA and Razorbacks is the essential that Yurachek says so sets Arkansas apart.
"It does mean more in this state than any other place I've been," Yurachek said.
For him that means more learning what makes Arkansas tick over ticking off a list of staff changes to hire those he knows.
"It's never been my style to come in and make wholesale changes in administrative staff or coaches," Yurachek said. "I don't think that's fair. I need time to evaluate each and every one, but my early evaluation is we have really good people here on staff at the University of Arkansas. One of the things I think my predecessor did was hire really good people."
It seems important to Yurachek that good people profit from their success over him making more than what he already handsomely earns.
Thus, when Coach Lance Harter's Razorback women won the SEC indoor track title, Yurachek contractually didn't extend his hand for a bonus.
"Some of my colleagues around the country probably thought I was crazy and might be upset with me for saying this on the record," Yurachek said. "But I felt the University of Arkansas is paying me very well to be director of athletics and part of my job is to set the table and make sure our teams have the opportunities for success. I don't want any bonuses in my contract for what I feel is me just doing my job."
Sports on 03/31/2018