West Virginia Interim AD Alsop embracing role

Rob Alsop understands that he's not long for his role as the interim athletic director.

The Webster Springs native isn’t a candidate for the position long term but will be filling it over what is expected to be a three-to-four-week national search for permanent replacement for Shane Lyons.

However, Alsop warns against the line of thinking that this is the precursor to a change atop the football program. West Virginia Head Coach Neal Brown has been at the forefront of discussions considering his 21-24 overall record since being hired by Lyons in 2019.

Given the fact that a new athletic director often wants their own football coach, there was an easy assumption that this move was the first of two shoes to drop.

But isn’t the case.

“They are not tied together from a fate perspective moving forward,” Alsop said.

Alsop said that it was clear that the football team has not given up on each other, the season or their coaching staff and neither has the administration. He admitted that the eventual new athletic director will do an evaluation of the general direction of the department and take an appropriate look with Gee at football but this isn’t a sign that a change is coming.

“I did talk to Neal late last night and reiterated that same message,” Alsop said.

The decision to part ways with Lyons was made after by President Gordon Gee wanted to bring in a fresh perspective for the athletic department. Lyons had been in his position since 2015 and was a respected administrator not only in Morgantown but nationally.

Alsop, who serves as the vice president of strategic initiatives at the school, was asked to fill the vacant position Gee and the search for his replacement is already underway. The University has retained the search firm Turnkey ZRG to assist in the search and it is the same firm that led the Big 12 Conference to current commissioner Brett Yormark.

The thought is that due to the strong tradition and West Virginia’s positioning in the landscape of college athletics it will be a position that is highly sought after by candidates. The Mountaineers are looking for somebody that will be innovative in a changing landscape while also understanding and honoring the tradition and history of the athletic programs.

“Search firm to cast a wide net for the best candidate for West Virginia University,” Alsop said.

In the meantime, Alsop will be asked to assist the coaches and players with the resources they need to be successful and lay the groundwork for his eventual replacement. He does have a working familiarity with the athletic department and has been involved in major decisions in the past.

Alsop has already met with all the athletic staff over a Zoom call and had another subsequent meeting with senior officials in athletics.

Gee will ultimately make the call on who will be appointed as the next athletic director but Alsop is expected to be involved in that process.

Alsop is preparing for a new role, but he doesn’t expect it to be very long.

“We have a great brand a number of attributes that will make us successful moving forward,” he said.

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