SEATTLE — Of all the sayings in life, there's a popular one when it comes to public speaking: make sure you leave the room on a high note. If you get a strong laugh after something you say or do, drop the mic and say, "I'm out. Good night, everybody!"
Jen Cohen did exactly that as the former athletic director at the University of Washington. She actually doubled down on that saying.
First, she hired a head football coach in Kalen DeBoer who has been nothing short of excellent as he heads into year two at UW.
For her last power move, Cohen helped orchestrate Washington's move to the Big Ten Conference in 2024.
She saw what we all saw. The Pac-12 Conference had no media rights deal in place after this season, and with athletic departments across the country scraping for every dime they can get to either keep up with expenses or worse yet pay off debts, UW needed to make a power move.
With the move to the Big Ten, Washington will receive roughly $30 million a year, which is just a partial share of the Big Ten's current media rights contract. When that deal expires in 2030, UW will receive a full share, which right now is $60 million per school, and will surely surpass that number with a new contract.
Cohen is one of the most respected athletic directors in the country. She's seemingly a strong fit for a program that has been in search of solid leadership since Mike Garrett's 17-year run ended in 2010.
USC has had 13 years of swings and misses.
In her time at Washington, Cohen had her share of whiffs, too, but it comes with the job.
Good hires and bad hires are just part of business.
But for USC, this is a good hire.
Now it's Washington's responsibility to make a good hire.
Of the early candidates being mentioned, there are some quality people on the list, including Washington State AD Pat Chun.
He's not coming. I have a lot of respect for that man, but he's not coming.
While Washington goes through the hiring process, let's not call Jen Cohen's departure to USC a betrayal.
It's a tremendous opportunity for Cohen, who will be the first female athletic director in USC's storied history.
It's also a reminder to us that no one is irreplaceable.
Even Cohen will tell you, there are things she wishes she would have done differently at UW.
In her first words since being introduced at USC, Cohen said UW is always going to have a very special place in her heart, except for any time they play the Trojans.
Betrayal?
No.
Just fightin' words for the schools' first big showdown, Nov. 4 in Los Angeles.