Auburn’s athletic affairs according to Jacobs

Jay Jacobs gets an unmistakable feeling in his stomach at the smell of fresh cut grass.

It takes him back more than 20 years to the days he suited up for the Tigers and Auburn University Coach Pat Dye as an offensive tackle. The Lafayette native was a walk-on that eventually earned a starting position under the legendary coach.

As the featured speaker at the monthly Tuesday Talk event at the Auburn Chamber of Commerce Tuesday morning, Jacobs told those in attendance that he only got to that point because he went “full-speed” for each and every play.

It’s a practice Jacobs has applied throughout his career at Auburn University, and, for the past three years, as athletics director. Since taking over for longtime director David Housel, Jacobs has had a goal of making AU a premium athletics department. It may seem like a insurmountable task, but it can be done, Jacobs said, and Auburn is on its way.

It helps when the various athletic teams achieve success on the field, but it’s equally important what happens off the field. When Jacobs boasts about a team’s successes, he’s sure to mention Auburn Pride, a sportsmanship initiative adopted by Auburn’s student-athletes to encourage proper behavior at all times from coaches, staff, student-athletes and fans.

“Winning is great, but we believe in teaching character, too,” Jacobs said. It’s the kind of plan that has the potential to impact the entire Auburn community.

Jacobs said he hopes to see more cooperation between the city and university in the future, like with the tennis courts.

“We can do so much more together,” he said.

Jacobs is also optimistic there will be great opportunities for student-athletes, fans and community members when Auburn gets its new basketball arena in 2010.

Construction firms will be able to bid for the $92.5 million project soon in order for it to be presented to the Board of Trustees in June. He also sees the venue being used to host concerts, not just for Auburn students, but the community as well.  Besides athletic events, concerts can be a way to draw the community to campus and help generate revenue, which is the bottom line.

In a way, Jacobs is a businessman, of sorts, because the company’s products certainly generate revenue, and money is the fuel that helps run the system.

“Winning is number one,” he said. “Nobody is going to be around very long if you don’t win. That’s true for any business.”