UL Lafayette Athletic Director Dr. Bryan Maggard is leaving to take a job as the Deputy AD at Missouri. Maggard has led Cajuns’ athletics since 2017 to 21 conference titles and 23 NCAA postseason appearances. Locked On Sun Belt Podcast host Dave Schultz says he accomplished his biggest goal.
“There’s some good, there’s some bad. There’s some things that are not in his control. But I think, overall, it’s tough to say he left it better than he found it; but he got the football stadium done, that’s for sure. And that was, I think, his whole goal,” Schultz said.
Maggard spearheaded a $65 million renovation to Cajun Field completed last year.
Maggard hired head football coaches Billy Napier and Michael Desormeaux who have led the Cajuns to eight straight bowl games. He directed the largest fundraising effort in school history, raising over $30 million. Schultz says Maggard guided the Cajuns through a new era in college athletics.
“Overall, I think Bryan Maggard did a great job. Now, college sports absolutely changed before his eyes. It was one thing when he took the job with the Cajuns; it’s absolutely another thing, now that he’s moving on to Missouri,” Schultz noted.
Deputy Athletics Director Trey Frazier will take over as the interim. Schultz says the search for a permanent replacement will be difficult. He says the responsibilities of college ADs have evolved.
“You have to be really aggressive. You have to be able to raise money. You’ve got to figure out what’s going on with college sports. Again, it could be one thing now and could be another thing five years from now, so you’ve got to adjust,” Schultz explained.
The athletic department is currently under investigation by the Lafayette District Attorney’s office for misappropriated and unauthorized use of funds.