Justin Sell’s AD tree includes Montana State’s Leon Costello, Indiana State’s Nathan Christensen, and Ohio’s Slade Larscheid. This conversation starts with Sell breaking down each of their journeys to the AD chair and what he saw in them. Sell goes into depth on how to run a head coach search and what he looks for in candidates and provides a timeline and stresses anticipation. We talk about Jackrabbit fans and whether there is pressure to join FBS after continued football success.

0:00 Introduction
1:40 Sell’s Athletic Director Tree
16:55 The Main Show in Town
20:05 Does College Athletics Today Feel the Same to your Fans?
26:13 Thoughts on the Greatness of the FCS Playoffs
32:48 Head Coach Hiring Process and Strategy
38:01 AD Vantage
39:30 Overlooked Strategic Advice for Aspiring ADs
46:24 Justin Sell Reacts to HEA’s D1 AD Hiring Trends + Tracker

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HEA has partnered with AD Vantage for AD Insights and Coaching Hires. AD Vantage empowers athletic directors with comprehensive staff data, performance analytics, and AI-powered candidate insights to make smarter hiring, compensation, and retention decisions in an era where every dollar counts. Learn more: https://www.athleticdirectorvantage.com/