The chance to run one of the nation's most prominent athletic programs apparently was too much for Scott Stricklin to resist.
The Mississippi State athletic director will be named the new AD at Florida on Tuesday, USA Today Sports reported. Stricklin had been considered the favorite in recent weeks to replace Jeremy Foley, who is stepping down after 25 years running the show in Gainesville.
The Clarion-Ledger reported last week that Stricklin had turned down an offer from Florida earlier in the month, but the Gators came back with a better offer that would at least double the $500,000 salary Stricklin is making at Mississippi State.
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Stricklin, a 1992 Mississippi State graduate, spent most of his career in media relations before becoming AD at his alma mater in May 2010. He worked in media relations at Mississippi State, Auburn, Tulane, Baylor and Kentucky before returning to Starkville in 2008 as senior associate athletic director.
The spotlight will be far brighter in Gainesville, where Foley has presided over a department that has racked up 27 national titles across 10 different sports — including three in football and two in men's basketball. The most recent of those was the 2008 football title, though, so the Gator fanbase is a bit restless about getting back to the top.
