Sam Jankovich
Encyclopedia
Sam Jankovich, a Butte, Montana
native is sports administrator that has held several positions including athletic director
at the Washington State and the University of Miami. He also was the CEO of the New England Patriots
of the National Football League
and president and general manager of the Las Vegas Gladiators
of the Arena Football League.
at the University of Montana (then known as Montana State University). His playing career was cut short by a serious knee injury. Jankovich tried to give his scholarship back but Grizzly coach Jerry Williams refused his offer.
at Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana
. In 1968 he followed Sweeney to Washington State University
where he served as head assistant coach and defensive coordinator
. He left coaching in 1972, when he became an assistant athletic director at Washington State.
In 1982 Jankovich took a job as athletic director at the University of Miami
. He held this position from 1983 to 1990. During his tenure the Miami's football team rose to perennial national power and men's basketball
returned after a 15-year absence. Jankovich oversaw several national championships including three in football and one each in baseball, men's and women's tennis
, and women's golf
.
as Chief Executive Officer
of the New England Patriots. He was hired to rebuild the team after Patriots finished 1-13 while being plagued by off-the-field problems.
Butte, Montana
Butte is a city in Montana and the county seat of Silver Bow County, United States. In 1977, the city and county governments consolidated to form the sole entity of Butte-Silver Bow. As of the 2010 census, Butte's population was 34,200...
native is sports administrator that has held several positions including athletic director
Athletic director
An athletic director is an administrator at many American colleges and universities, as well as in larger high schools and middle schools, who oversees the work of coaches and related staff involved in intercollegiate or interscholastic athletic programs...
at the Washington State and the University of Miami. He also was the CEO of the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
and president and general manager of the Las Vegas Gladiators
Las Vegas Gladiators
The Cleveland Gladiators are an arena football franchise based in Cleveland, Ohio which plays in the Arena Football League. The team is part of the East division of the AFL's American Conference. The Gladiators play all of their home games at Quicken Loans Arena, which they share with the NBA's...
of the Arena Football League.
College
In 1957 Jankovich earned a letter in footballCollege football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at the University of Montana (then known as Montana State University). His playing career was cut short by a serious knee injury. Jankovich tried to give his scholarship back but Grizzly coach Jerry Williams refused his offer.
Coaching career
After graduation he became a football coach at Butte High School where he won two state championships. Eventually Jankovich moved to the college level becoming an assistant to Jim SweeneyJim Sweeney
Michael James Dominic Sweeney , best known as Jim Sweeney, is an English actor and comedian, best known for his improvisation partnership with Steve Steen....
at Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana
Bozeman, Montana
Bozeman is a city in and the county seat of Gallatin County, Montana, United States, in the southwestern part of the state. The 2010 census put Bozeman's population at 37,280 making it the fourth largest city in the state. It is the principal city of the Bozeman micropolitan area, which consists...
. In 1968 he followed Sweeney to Washington State University
Washington State University
Washington State University is a public research university based in Pullman, Washington, in the Palouse region of the Pacific Northwest. Founded in 1890, WSU is the state's original and largest land-grant university...
where he served as head assistant coach and defensive coordinator
Defensive coordinator
A defensive coordinator typically refers to a coach on a gridiron football team who is in charge of the defense. Generally, along with his offensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
. He left coaching in 1972, when he became an assistant athletic director at Washington State.
Athletic administrator
After three years as an assistant athletic director he became WSU's athletic director. He spent seven years in this position where he established a reputation for building athletic facilities including expanding the football stadium and adding a new track facility and baseball stadium.In 1982 Jankovich took a job as athletic director at the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
. He held this position from 1983 to 1990. During his tenure the Miami's football team rose to perennial national power and men's basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
returned after a 15-year absence. Jankovich oversaw several national championships including three in football and one each in baseball, men's and women's tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
, and women's golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
.
NFL
On December 20, 1990 he was hired by Victor KiamVictor Kiam
Victor K. Kiam was an American entrepreneur and the owner of the New England Patriots football team from 1988-1991....
as Chief Executive Officer
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of the New England Patriots. He was hired to rebuild the team after Patriots finished 1-13 while being plagued by off-the-field problems.