Possible USC athletic director candidate wins award
The range of candidates for the USC Trojans’ athletic director position is vast. If you have been following our coverage — and if you have watched the YouTube shows we appear on at The Voice of College Football — you know that there’s a big board with more than 20 candidates, and that’s not the full list. Other candidates could be part of the mix for USC.
The various candidates for the USC job come from different categories and levels of experience within the industry. Some are completely outside the box. Some candidates are in-house choices. Some are rock-star athletic directors, the elites in their profession. Some potential candidates are proven veterans of the profession who would love to take a step up from the schools where they currently work.
Other candidates are younger ADs at Group of Five schools who have energy and talent but not as much longevity in the business as others. We have looked at all of these categories at Trojans Wire, and we’ve had help in mapping out the terrain of this job search.
Consultant Tony Altimore — on the Trojan Conquest Live show at The Voice of College Football this past Sunday — unveiled a big board with more than 20 candidates. One of those younger athletic directors at a Group of Five program made a splash on Wednesday.
J.D. Wicker, the athletic director at San Diego State, was named the Sports Business Journal Athletic Director of the Year.
That’s our AD! 👀
Congrats to @jdwicker for being named @SBJ’s Athletic Director of the Year! pic.twitter.com/QnbFjep9JB
— San Diego State Aztecs (@GoAztecs) May 25, 2023
Wicker, who was 53 years old at the beginning of 2023, could simply wait for San Diego State to move to the Pac-12, which would naturally be a reason for him to stay with the Aztecs. However, a move to the Big Ten might be too good for him to pass up if he receives at least a job interview. It will be fascinating to see if Wicker gains traction as a possible candidate.
