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LU News Release wrote:Liberty University Athletic Director Resigns
November 17, 2016| Lynchburg, Va.|
Liberty University's Athletic Director, Jeff Barber, announced today that he will resign from his position, effective immediately.
"It has been a blessing for my family and me to have been a part of the Liberty family for the past nearly 11 years," Barber said. "As this new chapter of our lives begins, I wish nothing but the best for the Flames and am excited to follow the future successes of all the teams."
With that announcement, President Jerry Falwell stated that "Jeff Barber is a wonderful person and has committed a decade to Liberty University. We have accomplished many great things under Jeff's leadership. We will now look to build upon the strong foundation he helped establish and appoint a new leader to set the vision for our NCAA athletic programs."
He went on to say "We wish Jeff and his family nothing but the best in their future endeavors and we at Liberty will work with them to assure a smooth transition to the next opportunity that they wish to pursue."
I was told a couple months ago that Jeff's contract ended earlier this year and Jerry refused to extend it. They were essentially going month to month. I never got that confirmed from a second source so I never mentioned it on here.
It should also be known Jeff and Jerry didn't have the best relationship. Jerry wanted people to know he was the reason for our success in athletics and not Jeff.
Whether you liked Jeff or not, what's about to happen is scary for our athletics programs on multiple levels.
Wow. Man this is a shakeup. I really really like jeff and I'm not sure we will find a more vested guy for that job. Gotta think a rift has been growing since the toman decision that now looks forced. I can't figure the timing out though.
The timing surprises me as well, LUconn for not only the reason you mention but the fact that there remains the slight possibility we might still end up with the auto bid into the playoffs. Talk about an awkward situation that would be.
Sly Fox wrote:The timing surprises me as well, LUconn for not only the reason you mention but the fact that there remains the slight possibility we might still end up with the auto bid into the playoffs. Talk about an awkward situation that would be.
My guess is emotions got the best of some folks.
Remember when Barber said Dunton could have gone to the Final Four and it still wouldn't have been enough to save his job? I think LU is about to be in the same situation, re: Gill. A playoff berth won't help him. A playoff win won't help him. Maybe a stunning run to the semifinals or something might help, but speculating, I think a decision has already been made.
Sad to see him go...got to know him and the family when I was a student and they were all class...wonder what that will do for his kids one of whom is a student (and plays beach volleyball) and the other who just signed with us for basketball recently
Liberty Class of 2009
2007 AND 2008 Big South Football Champions
2014 FCS Playoff Qualifier
Maybe there is something going underneath the scenes that we don't know about. With the multiple suspensions and a recruiting violation, it makes me think.
Another rumor has been going around that Jerry has had the University lawyers looking for a way to lessen Gill's buyout since the first quarter of the season.
you know I was having a productive day until now. like jon said I think he's been month to month the entire year. so something has been going on for awhile.
If you've been following along this year, you'll have noticed that we've had three University expulsions of football players on sexual assault charges. None of these incidents were serious enough to warrant criminal investigations. In the first two, the University actively bullied students who could've testified in defense of the players.
It will come out, whether publicly or through back channels, that Jeff and Turner were let go because of these issues. That will be the excuse given.
This is a power play by Jerry. He wants his hands in everything and wants the credit for it all. His dad did the same thing for years and we never had success. When Doc finally figured out he needed to let someone who knew what he was doing run the department, we started having success. Jerry’s going to revert back to how it was before Jeff when it was figure head ADs.
Jonathan Carone wrote:I was told a couple months ago that Jeff's contract ended earlier this year and Jerry refused to extend it. They were essentially going month to month. I never got that confirmed from a second source so I never mentioned it on here.
It should also be known Jeff and Jerry didn't have the best relationship. Jerry wanted people to know he was the reason for our success in athletics and not Jeff.
Whether you liked Jeff or not, what's about to happen is scary for our athletics programs on multiple levels.
LOL, might be one of the funniest things I have ever read on here, and that is saying something. Carry on, I'm back to self-imposed silence. So many rumors and even more misinformation to come from cheerleaders and people who have never played the game. SMH
Awkward timing, to say the least. I'm trusting that this is the best way for LU to move forward. I hope it starts with a victory tonight! As for TG, it probably means the end for him as well. Although I think that his removal is warranted, we all can only pray that someone will be hired that has the same level of spirituality as him.
I really hate to hear this! Jeff has done a great job with our programs. I have to think we'll be an attractive program for any up-and-coming AD. Liberty will be fine. I wish Jeff the best.
Believing LU Basketball is on the verge of something great since 1991. The Cubs won a World Series so why not LU to the Sweet Sixteen?!
Jonathan Carone wrote:I was told a couple months ago that Jeff's contract ended earlier this year and Jerry refused to extend it. They were essentially going month to month. I never got that confirmed from a second source so I never mentioned it on here.
It should also be known Jeff and Jerry didn't have the best relationship. Jerry wanted people to know he was the reason for our success in athletics and not Jeff.
Whether you liked Jeff or not, what's about to happen is scary for our athletics programs on multiple levels.
LOL, might be one of the funniest things I have ever read on here, and that is saying something. Carry on, I'm back to self-imposed silence. So many rumors and even more misinformation to come from cheerleaders and people who have never played the game. SMH
John is correct though... This year has been abnormal for sexual assaults and issues with players and with funky things going on surrounding the allegations and such. We need to wait and see because somethng has yet to come out.
Wow. I am completely shocked by this. I am sure more facts will come out about how all this came to be.
I am not ready to completely throw Jerry under the bus as much as I have been critical of him. I am sure he was a major factor in the resignation but I am hoping Jerry is not going to go to the extreme and try to hire a "figure head". I don't have a lot of faith in the administration right now but I am still willing to kind of wait and see how it all plays out before I jump the gun.
It doesn't feel like Jeff had any knowledge of this coming. Maybe Jerry has been planning this for a while but I have a hard time believing that with his other "commitments," athletics has been a focus. I don't want to start any rumors but if you look at the signs, it seems very possible that something has happened within the past 24 hours that led to this. People typically get fired on Monday's...not Thursday's. There could/likely is more to this story.
Winner of the 2016 VAGolf Poster of the Year Award
Jonathan Carone wrote:I was told a couple months ago that Jeff's contract ended earlier this year and Jerry refused to extend it. They were essentially going month to month. I never got that confirmed from a second source so I never mentioned it on here.
It should also be known Jeff and Jerry didn't have the best relationship. Jerry wanted people to know he was the reason for our success in athletics and not Jeff.
Whether you liked Jeff or not, what's about to happen is scary for our athletics programs on multiple levels.
There is a John Wooden quote that says "It is amazing how much can be done if nobody cares who gets the credit" Maybe that's why we have underachieved
If success in athletics is measured in facilities and budgets, JLFJR and whoever is most responsible for the growth of LOI get the kudos