New Syracuse athletics director Bryan Blair is 'the rising star,' Mike Tirico says

New Syracuse Orange athletics director Bryan Blair is "the rising star in intercollegiate athletic leadership," says NBC Sports broadcaster Mike Tirico, who is a member of the Syracuse University board of trustees and has also served on the search committee tasked with finding the new 'Cuse AD to replace the retiring John Wildhack, who will leave his post on July 1.

Blair, who is currently the athletics director at Toledo, was named the next athletics director of the 'Cuse on Thursday. He has a reputation as not only an excellent athletics administrator, but also someone who excels in fundraising.

That is vital at SU, because money talks these days in collegiate athletics, in terms of direct revenue-sharing and third-party name, image and likeness ("NIL") funds. Anecdotally, Syracuse appears to be in the middle of the pack within the Atlantic Coast Conference, although the Hall of Famer Jim Boeheim, for one, has said that the 'Cuse needs to vastly improve its standing in the NIL space.

Prior to joining Toledo as its athletics director, Blair held posts at schools including Washington State, Rice and South Carolina. In a statement from SU Athletics, Tirico added that Blair's "track record of power conference experience, leadership of a thriving athletic department, along with his innovative and successful fundraising brings the perfect blend of skills the job now requires and Syracuse needs."

A lot of notable people are praising new Syracuse Orange athletics director Bryan Blair.

Dawn Staley, who as the head coach of South Carolina women's basketball has won three national championships, said that when Blair worked at that Southeastern Conference school, "I saw his work ethic and curiosity about the business of college athletics. Syracuse is getting someone who approaches the job with energy and perspective, and I look forward to seeing the success the program has under his leadership."

Jim Phillips, the ACC's commissioner, added: "Bryan’s dedication to cutting-edge innovation, revenue generation and relationship building have been cornerstones of his leadership, and his commitment to the student-athlete experience will serve Syracuse well."

In addition to Blair's hiring as the next SU athletics director, earlier this month, J. Michael Haynie was appointed the new chancellor of Syracuse University, replacing Kent Syverud, who will become president at the University of Michigan.

Blair, and certainly people he will seek input from, is now tasked with finding the next Syracuse men's basketball head coach, after Adrian Autry was fired earlier this week. On paper, Blair seems to be a terrific hire, and let's see how he fares in his first critical action item - securing Autry's replacement.