Idaho Booster Club Grows When Vandals Hire Bohn
Mike Bohn was barely on the job as Idaho’s new athletic director Monday morning when program revenues increased.
“I’m a new member of Vandal Boosters (Inc.),” Bohn said at a press conference announcing his hiring. Interim A.D. “Kathy Clark signed me up this morning.”
It’s now Bohn’s turn to sign up other Vandals followers. Marketing and generating revenue were key reasons why UI president Bob Hoover selected Bohn to replace Oval Jaynes, who left for Tennessee-Chattanooga.
“We believe he’s the best fit for the university, given the priorities we established,” Hoover said.
Central to Bohn’s mission will be tackling the attendance requirement Idaho must meet in 1999 to maintain Division I-A football status. The Vandals, who will play home games at Washington State’s Martin Stadium, need to average 17,000 per game.
“We’re going to take an aggressive approach to having people come out and support this program,” said Bohn, who was director of marketing for the College Football Association from 1992-95 and most recently associate A.D. at Colorado State.
Bohn, 37, will remain in Moscow this week to begin relocating his family before returning to wrap up duties at Colorado State.
Once he settles in Moscow, the energetic Bohn plans on staying a while. Length of tenure has been a sensitive issue as Jaynes left after 16 months and predecessor Pete Liske stayed less than four years.
“I’ve got a 14-year-old daughter who is pretty sharp in a lot of ways,” Bohn said. “She began to understand at an early age there is movement in this industry. She talked to me about the importance of high school and not wanting to move when she’s in high school.”
Bohn underscored that story with one of his own. “I met my wife in high school,” he said. “We were high-school sweethearts.”
Bohn (pronounced ‘bone’) was chosen over three other finalists: Peter Hart, assistant A.D. at Utah; Jim Schaus, ex-assistant A.D. at Cincinnati; and Lynn King, A.D. at Drake.
“He’s an exciting personality,” Hoover said of Bohn. “I think you’ll find that out in the next few weeks.”
“We need to be creative, innovative and flexible in putting things together,” Bohn said. “We’re running a marathon, not a sprint, and we certainly need to get everybody working together.”
One of Bohn’s initial chores will be helping select a new women’s basketball coach. Julie Holt resigned last week.
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