Issue date: 4/23/08 Section: Sports

It's finally time to introduce the man behind the plan. He was appointed by President Earl S. Richardson to take over and revive the athletic program to the greatness it once enjoyed in college sports history.

Mr. Floyd Kerr, a twin, was born in Oxford, Mississippi and moved to Southbend, Indiana at the age of four. Mr. Kerr was educated beyond high school at Colorado State University where his roommate was his twin brother! Mr. Kerr played on the basketball team and was so successful that he was drafted into three professional teams: Dallas Cowboys, Phoenix Suns, and what is now the Utah Jaguars. Mr. Kerr and his brother both played for the Suns for a half a season and then they played over seas. Coming back Mr. Kerr began his teaching career while his brother went into sales. Kerr went back to his alma mater where he began his coaching career and spent 22 years coaching basketball. In 1992 Kerr made a decision to move from coaching into athletic administration which all began at Youngstown State University under a famous football coach, Jim Tressel, currently head coach of Ohio State University. In 2000 Kerr was given the opportunity to assume leadership as he took over the athletic department at Southern University. Shortly after, Kerr joined the Sports Marketing Academy at the University of Kentucky where he became certified as a sports marketing professional. After a very successful tenure at Southern University, Mr. Kerr left in 2005 and became a part of the Morgan family.

As an athletic director, Mr. Kerr assumes the leadership role, oversees internal and external operations of the athletic department, makes sure the programs are in compliance with NCAA and MEAC rules and regulations, and ensures that the programs are meeting every policy and guidelines that the university has in its mission statement. "My job as an athletic director is to articulate the goals, objectives, admissions of the institution through sports."

Mr. Kerr has a vision to take this program to the next level, create a better image for the school through sports and build a business model for the athletic department to generate new revenue streams. He wants to start that by recapturing the competitive edge in sports. "Morgan's athletics had been in the bottom half of the MEACs for many years and many of the people here and alumni especially want to see us recapture our competitive edge and not be classified or considered, perceived as the doormat of this conference." Which he feels has been achieved. Next on the plate, Mr. Kerr has to come up with new streams so that the program can grow and be prosperous. "One of the biggest challenges in all challenges of all athletic programs in universities and in colleges is how you're going to fund your program…we've put some things in play and we're well on our way." He adds. Once the plate is finally clear Mr. Kerr insists that this will create a better image for the university.

Although "the man with the plan" is only in his third year as the Morgan State University athletic director, just look at the accomplishments that have been made; imagine where this department is going under his direction!

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