Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon resigns

Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon resigned Friday, setting the stage for new leadership at the top of one of the nation’s most prominent athletic departments.

Brandon’s departure comes amid another disappointing football season and concerns over the school’s handling of everything from its concussions protocol to student attendance at games. Football Coach Brady Hoke’s future has been in doubt for a while thanks to his team’s lack of progress, but Brandon also became a target of disgruntled fans and students.

“This morning I accepted the resignation of athletic director David Brandon,” school President Mark Schlissel said at a news conference. “Dave feels that it would be in the best interest of our student-athletes, the athletic department and the university community if he moved on to other challenges and allowed the important work of the department and the university to continue without daily distractions. I agree with this decision.”

Schlissel officially took over in September and a month later said he wanted to do an in-depth review of Michigan athletics. Displeasure with Brandon and Hoke was already mounting at that point, with the football team struggling and the department under sharp criticism for its handling of quarterback Shane Morris’ head injury in a Sept. 27 game against Minnesota. Morris was allowed to play briefly after a hard hit.

Brandon’s resignation becomes official Saturday, and the university has agreed to pay him a total of $3 million through 2018.

The timing of Brandon’s departure gives Michigan a chance to find a replacement by the end of the football season, when a decision on Hoke’s status could come. But Schlissel indicated he would take as long as necessary to find a new athletic director.

Jim Hackett, who graduated from the university in 1977 and like Brandon played football for Michigan, was appointed interim athletic director Friday.

Kentucky extends Stoops’ contract

Kentucky Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart has given Coach Mark Stoops another contract extension through the 2019 season in an amended deal that will now pay him a total of $21.75 million.

The deal includes a prorated raise from $2.1 million to $3 million this season with annual increases of $250,000 over the next five years.

The Wildcats (5-3, 2-3 Southeastern Conference) enter Saturday’s game at Missouri having won more games than the last two seasons combined and are a win from bowl eligibility.

Barnhart said in a release that “Mark is guiding our program in the direction we all want it to go and we are proud to reward that.” Stoops, in his second year at Kentucky, had received a one-year extension in May.