To shake hands with Terry Mohajir is to be seized by a twister. He’s the Tasmanian Devil in a suit and tie. He’s plutonium bombarded with electrons. A conversation with Mohajir is the equivalent of performing 300 pushups. And now he’s out.
Adios! Terry Mohajir has accepted the plum role of Central Florida athletic director, leaving behind a legacy of growth at Arkansas State that will be difficult to equal let alone exceed.
Mohajir has guided Arkansas State Athletics to 25 conference titles. In 2015 he hired Mike Hagen to lead the men’s golf team, which after decades of futility delivered a championship in 2019. During Mohajir’s tenure, we’ve seen growth in soccer, tennis, bowling and track & field – and the construction of facilities to amplify that growth.
Mohajir’s greatest achievement lie in Arkansas State football, a program he helped develop into a top tier Group of Five program through energy, heart and force of will. A former player himself, Mohajir’s tenure oversaw the transformation of every and all A-State football facility, from the completion of the indoor practice facility to the dramatic renovations to Centennial Bank Stadium.
With the success, Mohajir also abandons unfinished business. Red Wolves Baseball continues to remain under-served, without any impactful improvements under Mohajir’s watch. Women’s and Men’s basketball have lost their competitive edge, as volleyball appears to be treading water.
However, Mohajir recognized that football is the conduit that serves all G5 sporting programs, and his focus on the gridiron has paid dividends. During his tenure, the Red Wolves have enjoyed national exposure. He serves on the College Football Playoffs Selection Committee, which recently plugged two Sun Belt programs (neither A-State) into its Top 25. Recently, his hire of Butch Jones to replace the departed Blake Anderson has largely been hailed as a master-hire. More recent still, he brokered a football game between A-State and Arkansas, something nobody has been able to do for over a century.
Since his own hire in 2012, Terry Mohajir has presided over the Golden Age of Red Wolves athletics. UCF gains a super-charged executive who can raise money, generate press, and even execute some push-ups with the cheer team, when called upon. For Arkansas State, there is an opportunity for a fresh perspective. The university has squeezed more than enough from Terry.
Now, for the sake of God, let’s get a softball team.
PHOTO CREDIT: Mine, all mine
Howl Raiser 