Harlan Ready to Build Upon the Utes’ Foundation

After thirty-one years of consistency, a new era at the University of Utah began on Monday, as President Ruth Watkins introduced Dr. Chris Hill’s successor and new athletic director, Mark Harlan.

“It’s an unbelievable place. Incredible institution,” said Harlan. “The president, she expressed her vision to me and it’s hard not to jump on board with it. To be apart of her leadership team, this community, what an incredible place to raise your family, all of that and everything Dr. Hill set fourth made it a no brainer.”

An outside voice is refreshing, but it is also a risk. Harlan understands the risk of change and at first glance, he’s not here to rock the boat. He’s here to take the sustainable product that Hill built to the next level.

“There is always pressure because you’re involved with leading so many young people and great coaches and an incredible university, so there’s pressures that you apply. [I’m] following an unbelievable administrator, in Chris Hill, who did so many incredible things here and did it the right way with high integrity, so that adds to it. But I’m also so blessed because of the foundation, the house he built on the foundation, so it really is way more of a blessing than adding anymore pressure.”

Harlan is a big believer in getting out and building relationships, something that he’ll relish as he hits the ground running. He also knows that in order to get the fanbase to invest they need to believe in the leader and his vision.

“If I’m going to invest in something I need to know who the leader is and I need to know what his or her vision is and I think that’s what we need to do,” said Harlan. “It’s all about relationships. It’s about going out and seeing people, talking to them, and that’s what I particularly love to do. I really enjoy getting to meet people, I think this summer and into the fall it’s just gonna be kind of everywhere and listening and learning and really applying all those things. But, I love to go out and find people to invest in student-athletes. I can promise you that and we will do that, absolutely.”

Harlan knows he doesn’t immediately have all the answers for the University of Utah’s athletic programs. Because of this, he believes the best thing he can do is listen—something he learned from legendary UCLA coach, John Wooden.

“I think sometimes people forget that when you talk it doesn’t mean that your right and it doesn’t mean that you have all the answers, but where you get those answers is from when you listen,” said Harlan. “You can hear, but you’ve got to listen, as Coach Wooden said. So, I think it’s incumbent for on any leader to really learn and that’s how to learn.”

Over his years in the Pac-12, Harlan has seen the growth in the athletic facilities, which he called “stunning.” Now that he came back and has had an opportunity to tour the campus he’s been even more blown away. “That just tells me, commitment to winning in a profound way,” he said.

There’s also another University of Utah treasure that he remembers not-so-fondly as an opponent at Utes home games— the loud and imposing MUSS. “Being on the other side of that—I can’t wait to meet the MUSS leadership and be up in all that,” said Harlan. “I can’t wait to be a part of it. I might jump in there, every now and then.”

Harlan envisions a future where Utah lettermen have success in the workplace that builds on the success in their sport. He also expects the teams to win a lot and win with, “high integrity in the championships that we win, that people in this community and in this state and broader, have a blast being a part of it,” continues Harlan, saying he wants the fans to feel like they’re a part of the team. “We’ll cut some nets and hold some trophies all along the way.”

Until then, Harlan knows action speak louder than words, and he’ll get there by being attentive to detail and listening to the Utes’ community. Harlan hopes listening will bring the championships that would take Hill’s sustainable foundation to the next level.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Andrew Fronce and Carra McManamon contributed to this article.