ASU not looking for athletic director

By Dustin Dearman, Herald Staff

It has been rumored that Arkansas State University President Les Wyatt has contacted former ASU Head Football Coach and Athletic Director Larry Lacewell about taking over the athletic director position at the conclusion of this year.

According to Wyatt, those rumors are false.

"We don't have the position for Athletic Director open at this time," Wyatt said.
Wyatt said he was contacted by a reporter at the Dallas Morning News about an alleged conversation with Lacewell concerning the athletic director position. Wyatt said he told the reporter that the reports were false.

"If we were looking for an athletic director, I am confident that Coach Lacewell's name would come to the table," Wyatt said.

Joe Hollis is currently the interim athletic director, which means that he holds the position temporarily.

"I told Coach Hollis that he would hold the position until the end of the football season at the least," Wyatt said.

Wyatt said he expects that at some point in the future he will be looking for an athletic director, but Hollis will continue to hold the position on an interim basis.
Neither Wyatt nor Coach Hollis have talked to each other about Hollis' status as athletic director.

"We haven't talked about it. It is something we would talk about at the end of the season. We just haven't talked whether it is his instigation or mine," Wyatt said.

Lacewell, 64, told the Dallas Morning News that he has not been contacted by anyone directly employed by ASU.

Lacewell has recently been added to the ASU Ring of Honor, which recognizes former players and coaches who have made great contributions to ASU's football program.

He served as head coach and director of athletics from 1979-89. While at ASU, he took the Indians to the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs four times, including the national championship game in 1986. Lacewell's 69 victories rank as the most in ASU history.

Lacewell was named Southland Conference Coach of the Year twice and District Coach of the Year twice. He is now the Vice President for Personnel with the Dallas Cowboys.