The Wolverine

  INSIDE MICHIGAN ATHLETICS Michigan interim athletic director Jim Hackett has accomplished plenty since taking over for David Brandon, hiring Jim Harbaugh as his head coach and signing the $169 million deal with Nike — includ- ing access to the elite Jordan Jumpman Brand — that's the most lucrative of any university in the country. He's not in any hurry to leave his post and will stay on as needed, he said in late July. He's needed now. Following a federal ruling last summer that the NCAA broke antitrust laws by not allowing member universities to share broadcast and video- game revenue with athletes, schools could now have the ability to offer trust funds — a share of those licensing rev - enues — with football and men's basket- ball players, though it's still pending in court. That's one of the big issues Hackett, the former CEO at Grand Rapids, Mich.-based Steelcase, will tackle over the next several months. It's also one of the reasons he won't be going anywhere anytime soon. "I'm on record as saying that the clarity behind [the interim tag] really falls with the President [Mark Schlissel]," Hackett said. "What I'm here to do is take care of is- sues. We have plenty to deal with. Instead of having a timeframe, we had a couple of issues — more than two — that he and I agreed he'd like me to get after. "You just heard there's litigation reform in the NCAA. That's going to require some big-time attention, too. I'm happy to be helping right now." A three-judge panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit granted a stay of a federal judge's find - ing. Had the court not acted, the ruling would have gone into effect Aug. 1. Even so, Hackett said, the market would dictate Michigan's decision whether or not to of- fer a revenue share. In addition to that big one, Hackett has other issues on his plate that will also de- mand his attention. The enjoyment comes in knowing what he's doing should ben- efit his alma mater. In that respect, he's in no hurry to leave. "I would say it's very fulfilling," he said. "Enjoyment is one test, but fulfillment comes from you know you're working on something really important for others. 'This Michigan of ours' is a parting sen - tence that Fielding Yost used in a famous speech that galvanized me. This is why I'm here. It's to help that program, that univer- sity that is part of me." Jim Hackett Hopes To Stick Around A While THEWOLVERINE.COM POLL RESULTS As the season draws near, what is your record prediction for the 2015 season? 11-1 — 5 percent 10-2 — 16 percent 9-3 — 38 percent 8-4 — 32 percent 7-5 — 8 percent 6-6 or worse — 1 percent 565 votes

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