Mississippi State Director of Athletics Scott Stricklin is the lead candidate for the vacancy at Florida according to a report by FootballScoop.com.
Stricklin did not immediately respond to a text message asking for a comment.
Multiple outlets reported Kansas State’s John Currie was closing in on the position and was in Gainesville, Florida, Tuesday. Stricklin is in Dallas today at an athletic director meetings a source said Tuesday morning. Currie tweeted that he was also there.
The Clarion-Ledger reported Stricklin has been offered the job twice and that he turned it down earlier this month. The Clarion-Ledger also reported the latest offer is for at least $1 million, doubling what he makes at MSU. However, ESPN’s Brett McMurphy reported Stricklin has not been offered the job.
Current Florida Director of Athletics Jeremy Foley announced in June he would retire effective Oct. 1 after 25 years leading the Gators. He will remain at the university as emeritus athletic director as part of his contract agreement.
Stricklin, who graduated from MSU in 1992, took over as the Director of Athletics in 2010 for Greg Byrne, who took the same position at Arizona. Stricklin was responsible for hiring women’s basketball coach Vic Schaefer and men’s basketball coach Ben Howland. He’s overseen several renovation projects, including Davis Wade Stadium, the addition to softball and tennis and the upcoming overhaul of Dudy Noble Field.
Follow Dispatch sports writer Ben Wait on Twitter @bcwait
Ben Wait reports on Mississippi State University sports for The Dispatch.
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