7. Joe Alleva
Quick bio: Alleva led Duke’s athletic department for 10 years before taking LSU’s AD spot in 2008.
Pros: Alleva appeared to be one of UT’s top candidates in 2011 before he pulled his name out of contention, so at least in the past, there’s been some level of mutual interest. He knows the ins and outs of college athletics with nearly two decades of experience running major programs. His experience is tough to match.
Cons: He’s taken a ton of heat in the past year over how he handled the Les Miles situation in 2015 – leaving the long-time coach out to dry before finally announcing that he would be retained after LSU’s final regular-season game – a matchup than many presumed would be Miles’ final game in Baton Rouge. LSU has certainly seen some success in athletics under him, though many view the football and basketball programs as underachieving over the past several seasons.
