A: "Well, independence is critical, and maintaining that is one of my highest priorities. But you can't find your future being dictated to you. You've got to be to what's happening out there, monitoring changes and responding to them."__Q: As you move away from your meetings with head football coach [Charlie Weis] back in December in California, are you starting to see your shared visions unfold? Are you happy with the way that's going?

"There aren't enough people who push back. Coaches are in environments where sometimes people aren't comfortable disagreeing with people. So that's a lot of the way I want to be a resource. We talk all the time and he runs ideas by me, so that I can be a sounding board - not because I'm making the decisions. To have somebody who challenges rationale, tests his thought process, make him feel good about the decisions he already made are ways to do that."__Q: Out in the community, there still seems to be an air of negativity when Charlie Weis' name gets brought up -- sometimes. He has admitted to being very cognizant of it and says he wants to change it. How are you a resource for that and is it important for him to have a better image moving forward?

"In my experiences with him, he has been nothing but generous, accessible, and cares about the university and people he works with. I was at every press conference this year after every game, and I saw a guy who demonstrated remarkable patience and fielded every question and provided answers. For me, the perception doesn't match the reality. I believe I know who he is -- people close to him do. So let's just go forward and win football games."__Q: Speaking of winning football games, are you confident that's actually what's going to happen in 2009? If so, what gives you that confidence? What did you see in this team and in this staff that leads you to believe it?