Hyman takes control of Gamecocks

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) Less than a day into his new job as South Carolina athletic director, Eric Hyman got lost on the way to campus. Fortunately, he says, with the strong shape the department is in, he&#39;s got time to find his way around.<br> <br> Unlike when he took over as AD at Virginia Military Institute, Miami of Ohio and, for the past eight years, Texas Christian, Hyman says he doesn&#39;t feel he has to be a ``change agent.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> ``I think this is the first time, I have the sense, at first brush, I don&#39;t have to be a change agent,&#39;&#39; Hyman said. ``In the past there have been some areas that needed surgery. As for major surgery, I don&#39;t really have that sense&#39;&#39; at South Carolina.<br> <br> Hyman steps into a much better situation than his predecessor, Mike McGee, did when he took the job in January 1993.<br> <br> Back then, the department was fractured after a succession of short-term athletic directors. University board of trustee Dr. Edward Floyd said the AD before McGee ``would not speak to me&#39;&#39; and made it nearly impossible to get anything done.<br> <br> This time, Hyman enters a department shaped by McGee the past 12.5 years. The department&#39;s budget, influenced by the school&#39;s move into the Southeastern Conference in the early 1990s, has grown nearly three fold to $52 million; nationally known coaches like Steve Spurrier in football, Dave Odom in basketball, Ray Tanner in baseball and Curtis Frye in track and field, are in place; and there are few glaring facility needs.<br> <br> All that gives Hyman, 54, time to settle in.<br> <br> ``I think my primary focus is to really get to know the people in the athletic department and then the people in the university,&#39;&#39; said Hyman, sitting among mostly bare walls and bookshelves. ``My perspective is we&#39;re all working together. We&#39;re going to roll up our sleeves and I want to work with people. That&#39;s just the approach I take.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> And while Hyman has talked with McGee and is appreciative of the job he&#39;s done, he won&#39;t model his tenure at AD after anyone else.<br> <br> ``I am who I am,&#39;&#39; Hyman said. ``He&#39;s built a beautiful foundation and hopefully, I can build on it.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> Some criticized McGee, saying he was too focused on the university&#39;s interests to the detriment of the community. University President Andrew Sorensen thinks Hyman will represent the school well ``to fans, as well as community and business leaders.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> Hyman knows it will take time for him to get a handle on personnel and for his staff and coaches to get a handle on him. ``It&#39;s going to be different,&#39;&#39; he said. ``The way I do things is going to be different than the way the previous athletic director did things. That&#39;s normal. You&#39;ve got to expect change.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> Hyman had spent little time on South Carolina matters as he closed his time at TCU. He followed Gamecocks spring sports into the NCAA playoffs when he could, then helped handle a contract extension and raise for Tanner after other schools sought to poach South Carolina&#39;s successful baseball coach.<br> <br> Hyman has some front burner issues ahead. He thought the NCAA investigation into the football program under then coach Lou Holtz would be resolved by now instead of still pending. Spurrier has said he expects the team will lose two or three scholarships. Hyman said he&#39;s been given a sense of what&#39;s ahead, but thought it would be inappropriate to comment on it since he hadn&#39;t been involved up until now.<br> <br> Hyman says he&#39;ll work on the proposed baseball stadium in the Vista near the Colonial Center, acquisition of the state Farmer&#39;s Market property across from Williams-Brice Stadium for a potential spring sports complex and getting the ETV building on the other side of the stadium for new athletic administration offices.<br> <br> One thing he won&#39;t have any trouble getting used to having one of college football&#39;s most successful coaches in Spurrier on his sidelines.<br> <br> ``Like I told him, &#39;I&#39;m excited about working with you,&#39;&#39;&#39; Hyman laughed.<br> <br> With Spurrier and many of high-quality coaches he inherits, Hyman says he ``can put your head on the pillow at night and not worry.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> At least once he discovers where his pillow is.<br> <br> (Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)