When was he our AD?
Found the answer ,1983 - 1986. Thought it was earlier than that.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louisi...etic_directors
Jim Oakes is the second most tenured behind Coach Aillet.
I don't think it was FJ's decision. We had not met the attendance criterion to be classified 1A, nor was the stadium large enough. I am sure there were other factors as well. If I recall, McNeese met the attendance mark but decided not to go up. USL met all requirements and was classified 1A. Tech was the second school to get back to 1-A after the split. Akron was the first.
No we had a choice. Southwestern chose to be 1A.
The perception and vision of FJ was focused on WBB not on football. Keep in mind Title IX was not in its final stages until later. He had no idea that the cost of being 1AA would not be much less than the costs of being 1A. It only took a couple of very successful years in 1AA for Dr Reneau to realize that 1AA was a bad deal for us. Had he been truly committed to atheltics and like FJ, not been focused on WBB, we'd be years ahead of where we are now.
Yes, the "Boat People" . . . 10-12 heavy hitters took a ride on Monroe PR exec Garland Shell's very nice houseboat on the Ouachita River one day. They committed to backdooring the 30k attendance requirement. The move back up to D1 and the Spirit of '88 season followed.
Louisiana Tech University
Flagship of the University of Louisiana System