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Thursday, August 23,1973
University Daily Kansan
Walker Professes Leadership, Amiability, Honesty
Walker Says Public Relations Needed for KU Athletic Program
These are excerpts from a taped interview with KU's new athletic director, Clyde Walker. The new interview was conducted earlier this summer by Kansan Staff Writer Gerald Ewing.
KANSAN: You have been here only a short time. Has this given you enough time to look over and assess the program here, and decide what needs to be changed?
Walker: I've spent my time since I've been here, on primarily my first objective of assessing the program. I have tried to meet the personnel and talk with them. And then I’ve tried to get into as much depth as I can, concerning all aspects of this program. The first thing that I did was reorganization of our athletic department. And by this I mean I find a lot of loose ends that need tying up. Of course this all takes time and this is the thing that has bothered me the most. I haven’t enough hours in the day. There are so many things that I feel need some change and looking into that I want to just go to be to patient know a lot of these things are going to take lot.
KANSAN; At North Carolina, your main station is in the areas of recruiting and financial services.
Walker: I went there in recruiting but I have been involved in administration because I was doing all the administrative work for the football program. No, I don't think finance was a primary duty. It was one of my duties, but I've been involved in the entire operation of the overall program from top to bottom.
KANSAN: Do you see recruiting and
willning points that will need to be emphasized at
the beginning?
Walker: I think I'd rather use the words 'public relations'. I find it something that is badly needed and this is something I hope I've already made some stride in. As I write, "I've always tried to make sure I could use at this point is that the program strongly needs some leadership. And this is what I hope to lend to the program in the beginning, some leadership and some leadership." Accomplished it's virtually impossible for me to get out and get started into other things. So really my No. 1 objective is to get some organization into the program, exert some leadership, and after that the things I want to do will come at that time.
KANSAN: What kind of athletic director will you be? Will you be very authoritarian and exercise tight control over the program or will you give the people subordinate to you some autonomy in running their own programs?
Walker: I expect to be on top of all situations that are developing within the program but at the same time I expect to give or elaborate authority all the way down and so forth. If that I find I will certainly have to turn over to somebody else. I find that we have some very competent people in this department, which I’m happy with. They certainly will have a lot of authority over you, so I need to see so many other things that I need to turn my attention to as soon as I can get this organization set up. I hope to get involved in some of the bigger things. Since we’ve got the good people that I find here, certainly I will want to be involved. I will not get tied down to this desk and just run this program from this desk
KANSAN: I have talked to several people who have told me you plan to do quite a bit of traveling across Kansas. How extensive are your traveling plans?
Walker: Of course time is important in this. It's a matter of when I can get the things done. I feel like I've got to get this thing done. It hurts me sometimes something else. The biggest thing I have to
do right now is to learn everything I can about the operation of what is going on and look at all of these things and certainly make changes where necessary. The only changes that I will attempt to make are that I feel can strengthen this program.
KANSAN: In the area of finances, I recently wrote an article quoting Prof. Robert Boarder, a member of the athletic board, as saying the athletic department had a cumulative debt of $827,000. Several persons have indicated the figure was engendered but agreed that there were real problems. Would you comment on that?
Walker: I don't really care to comment on statements that other people have made. This is one thing I hope to get into deeply as a teacher, and it has given me the question that there are some problems here some athletic problems. I think this is true in most athletic departments across the country. This is one of the things that I think all teachers need to know as I possibly can. It looks to me like
something that is going to take some time. I feel very strongly that we have a lot of people who want to support this program. If I can give the right manner I think I can get that support.
Walker: I hope to work closely with the students. I hope to be able to listen to anybody's complaints or to be able to talk with any person or any group of persons that are interested in our athletic program. Where I come from, the student money we receive there is about triple of what it is; I think came about with a good relationship with them, and show them where their money was going and what it was spent for.
KANSAN: Will your experience of high school coaching for 16 years help you in your career?
Walker: Let me take it a step further. As I mentioned several times I have really been involved in every type of situation that exists; from a small high school, to a large high school, to a junior college, to a small college and a major university. I do feel this has broadened my knowledge of athletics, as well as our campus and our areas. I feel sure that this will be helpful to me, particularly in understanding other people's problems.
KANSAN: You remarked in your press conference that North Carolina had a 14-sport program. Do you plan to expand the program here at KU?
WALKER: At this point I certainly wouldn't want to make any statements about what we're going to do until I look the whole situation over thoroughly. In time and if possible I'd like to broaden this athletic program.
WALKER: First, let me say this. I don't think it is necessary to do those things to have a successful program. I've been involved in a program the past six years that was really on the bottom and at this point it is on the top. It certainly did not exist where I worked, so I'm not as necessary. I have made the statement and I believe very strongly that our program will abide by the rules of this university, the Big Eight and the NCAA. I hear about a lot of things happening in recruiting. I recruited for about five years in nearly all areas of the world. I think a lot of the stories and the things I see and read are blown out of proportion.
KANSAN: As of late, there has been much written in the newspapers and elsewhere about the intensity of recruiting violations. Much of it deals with the charges that schools pay athletes to attend. Would you care to comment on that?
KANSAN: Does it help to be associated with a school, such as KU, with a grant treatment?
WALKER: Absolutely. The athletic department has such a background and history of great athletes and great achievement, that the University of Kansas is recognized everywhere as a great academic institution and one with a great history of athletics and also a history of great alumni. So I'm sure you can relate a situation like this where all of this exists.
KANSAN: At what stage is the search for a new sports information director? Will you appoint a search committee or will you appoint someone yourself?
WALKER: At this point this is something I haven't gotten into very deeply. We do have all of applications. I'm going to be the best person, and it's that he is the best person for the job.
KANSAN: What is the situation concerning the recent arrest of football player
Denny Lantz on charges of possession of cocaine? There has been a great deal written on the subject of drug use by college students. Would you care comment on that?
KANSAN: You remarked in your press conference that you wanted to make KU one of the best schools, athletically, in the country. Your goals will be needed to achieve this goal.
WALKER: Any comment concerning Denny Lantz's situation should come from Coach Fambrouch. Certainly, I would make my point known that I don't think that drugs have any use in college athletics. I hope that we don't have a situation here where a lot of this exists. I don't know all of the situations concerning this. In every part of this book, I'm aware that I have problems concerning this. Again, we read and hear a lot of things. I sincerely believe as far as athletes are concerned a lot of this is grossly exaggerated.
WALKER: First of all, I think it will take a lot of hard work and patience. Certainly my objective the long-run is to provide everything necessary, through leadership, finance or whatever, so the coaches can make their programs comparable to those in Kansas. Agree, they will take time. Think the University of Kansas has the ingredients to be as good as anyone in the country, with the proper leadership and support.
K-State Scored Little
The Kansas State Wildcats were the most impotent scouts in the Big Eight last season. They ranked last, averaging 15.4 points a game.
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