No law today, I’m writing about football.
For a long time, the University of Tennessee had two guys pretty much running the Athletics Department, under the direction of the AD, of course.
Gus Manning and Haywood Harris have both passed on now, but for a time in retirement they frequented Long’s Drug Store in Bearden where Barbara Pelot, Nick Frantz and I hung out. Nick and I were trying to build readership for our West Knox Shopper-News and Barbara was a conscientious member of Knoxville City Council, District 2.
Gus and Haywood were delightful – smart and totally dedicated to all things Vols. Halls guy Bud Ford, who followed Haywood as sports information director (SID) wrote this neat story in June 2010, when Haywood died. It’s a good read.
Gen. Robert Neyland hired both Gus and Haywood. When he promoted Gus, Neyland intended to conduct a “nationwide search” for a new SID. Manning’s famous response: “I’ll go downstairs and see if Haywood is still in my office.” Ford wrote that Haywood was the last employee hired by AD Neyland before the general’s death in 1962.
“Since 1950, the job of the Sports Information Director and promoting men’s sports at the University of Tennessee has been held by UT grad Lindsey Nelson in 1950, Gus Manning from 1951-60 and Haywood Harris from 1961-2000,” Ford wrote. “If you add in the 10 years I have been privileged to serve in that position, that is a total of 60 years at one school by alumni who totally dedicated themselves to the university in every way.” Pretty amazing.
Now we have a new NIL operations office, the Knoxville NIL Club, the Tennessee Fund and the UT Athletics Foundation. Soon college players will make more than coaches, and most coaches already make more than professors. Once upon a time, Gus Manning took up money at the ticket window, counted intake from concessions, stuffed the cash into a briefcase and took it to the bank on Monday. Well, that’s how they told it at Long’s.
AD Danny White is the highest paid person on the UT Knoxville campus – at a base salary of $2.75 million. His boss, Chancellor Donde Plowman, is next with a base of $886,830. These numbers were updated 11/1/24 and can be found here. Click UTK on the far left of the comprehensive chart.
Old folks in new jobs at UT Athletics
Danny White, vice chancellor and director of athletics (AD) at the University of Tennessee, announced several new roles within his leadership team on Friday, July 25, 2025.
Danny White
“It’s an excellent opportunity to promote from within, with Ryan Alpert stepping into the role of athletics director at Georgia Tech, mirroring Allen Greene’s appointment at Pittsburgh last November,” said White. “We have a brilliant team in place and are strategically reorganizing to ensure we continue to lead the way in college sports. These promotions showcase our steadfast commitment to leadership and innovation, affirming our decision to elevate talent from within.”
Cameron Walker will continue as senior deputy AD and chief strategy officer, while also taking on the role of executive director of the UT Athletics Foundation.
Brady Hart has been promoted to deputy AD and chief revenue officer. In this role, he will lead the department’s revenue generation strategies and work to enhance its financial sustainability. Hart will oversee several critical functions, including the Tennessee Fund, capital projects and UT’s data analytics.
Brad Briggs has been promoted to deputy AD and chief financial officer. Now in his 12th year with Tennessee Athletics, Briggs oversees financial management, business operations, Anthony Travel (no, that’s not a wide receiver), procurement and information technology.
With Hart transitioning to his new role, executive associate AD Matt Kommer assumes the day-to-day leadership of the Tennessee Fund.
In light of the recent changes resulting from the House settlement, several athletics staff members will be starting new roles.
With the establishment of a new NIL Operations Office, executive associate AD for NIL and legal affairs, JB Bowling, oversees this new unit. Quinton Smith, UT’s associate AD for compliance, transitions to lead the Compliance Office during this time.
Haywood and Gus were like an old married couple they worked together for so long. I remember before Haywood’s passing the two of them would make occasional guest appearances on Knoxville sports talk radio. The two of them picked at each other like an old married couple. It was funny. And the stories they would tell. They’ll never be any more like those two at UT or anywhere else.
So true! I had the privilege of working directly in the office with my friends Haywood Harris and Bud Ford in the late 1970’s. Great guys and Gus was a hoot!
Sandra, thank you so much for your kind words about my father (Haywood) and Gus, a family friend for life. These two men meant the world to me, and I appreciate your re-posting of Bud Ford’s article from 2010. Bud is another man who has also meant a great deal to me and our family. Those were the good old days.
Jimmy Harris: Thanks for writing. I loved your dad and Gus.