TUCSON, Arizona — University of Arizona interim athletic director Mike Candrea met with the media on Wednesday for the first time since taking on his new role.
"I'm a band-aid right now, and I'm going to do what [University of Arizona president] Dr. Robert Robbins would like me to do."
The university's athletic department is wounded financially.
"Revenues and expenses aren't quite matching up for a lot of different reasons," added Candrea. "For the last three or four years, we've gone through a challenging time in athletics."
Candrea is referring to to COVID-19, name-image-likeness, and the dissolving of the Pac-12. After losing football coach Jedd Fisch to the University of Washington, the Wildcats now need to retain men's basketball coach Tommy Lloyd.
"I have not been involved in it but I do know it's a high priority," said Candrea, referring to Lloyd's contract.
Candrea is involving in assessing the athletic department.
"How did we get here and what do we need to do to find something that can be affordable yet keep our programs competing for national championships? Because moving into the Big 12, I think that we can be in the top part of that conference."
Candrea mentioned that a future might be an athletic department that benefits the university also be one that is supported by it.
"I don't have the answer at this point but I know, moving forward, it's got to be different that what it has been."
