New AD knows what awaits, is eager for the challenge

Can Ben Jay bring in the Benjamins? Or, more correctly, the thousands and the millions?

Can anyone?

The University of Hawaii’s incoming athletic director knows that’s the biggest challenge awaiting him in Manoa.

Finances. The department faces an accumulated deficit of more than $10 million.

"We have to generate more revenue, no question. We have to find other revenue streams," Jay said in a phone conversation Friday night from Columbus, Ohio, where he is senior associate AD, at THE Ohio State University … at least for a few more hours.

Money is the biggest job, but not the most important one or the one to address first, he said.

"I met some of the coaches (while interviewing here during the week) and we had great conversations. I want to make sure our operations are at their best, fine-tune them and make sure we’re operating efficiently.

"I’m going to observe and evaluate. I’m more interested in getting to know the people. You are a family."

It’s a family in need of healing after last summer’s events that resulted in the department losing $200,000 to a fake concert broker and AD Jim Donovan losing his job.

In the process, it was fully exposed to those who didn’t already know that UH — especially the athletic department — is pulled and twisted by local political forces in more directions than a chunk of Play-Doh.

At times it seemed the athletic director was expected to follow directions more than do the directing, even on things like coach hirings and firings.

And the biggest breadwinner, football, is suffering hard times.

As has been asked many times, why would someone want this job? You must enjoy a challenge, Mr. Jay.

"I do," he answered. And he is aware of the Wonder Blunder and its fallout. "We will get past that. It’s really about bringing the program around. We will get better."

Of course I had to ask about the NCAA sanctions at Tattoo U that left the Buckeyes all inked up at 12-0 with nowhere to go.

"Obviously the NCAA infractions report addresses that. I don’t want to comment on the past. But you can have the best compliance program in the world, and I thought we did, and sometimes people external to your program can attach themselves. You always want to figure out who they are."

Lessons were learned, he added.

Speaking of the NCAA, no one mentioned to Jay there’s still an open file on UH. Oops, probably not proper courtin’ conversation.

HE LIKES golf when his shoulder permits. He played football, basketball and baseball at Columbus North High, then he focused on academics in college. He has close family in Hawaii, a cousin who grew up in the same house.

He has big-time big-conference connections — including with UH’s impossible dream league, the Pac-12.

As we’ve learned, those ties take you only so far.

He sounds like a nice guy and overall he has a fine resume.

He’s the kind of person to whom you might say, "I’d tell you ‘good luck,’ but you don’t need it."

But I wish him all the positive fortune possible. Even the greatest administrator in the world could use it in this job at THE University of Hawaii.

Reach Dave Reardon at 529-4783 or dreardon@staradvertiser.com, or follow him on Twitter at @dave_reardon.