SPMT 489 with Trev Alberts: Rudy Ruettiger joins Texas A&M's AD

In his second lecture to SPMT 489, Texas A&M Director of Athletics Trev Alberts was joined by Rudy Ruettiger, whose story was made into the motivational 1993 film, "Rudy." Along with Dr. Gregg Bennett, Alberts and Ruettiger spoke to Texas A&M students on Friday afternoon.

Lecture #2 Topics

• 01:16 - Name, Image & Likeness introduction
• 04:55 - Current status of NIL
• 07:00 - On the need for uniformity in the NIL landscape
• 08:02 - Texas A&M’s NIL resources & NIL inequities in recruiting
• 12:05 - On House v. NCAA settlement
• 19:25 - Predicting the future of NCAA governance
• 24:14 - Role of institutions in supporting student-athletes and variance among NCAA divisions
• 27:22 - Sen. Ted Cruz’s role in NIL legislation
• 28:30 - On how his finance skills and business savvy could come into play with expected change from House v. NCAA settlement
• 34:53 - “Disciplined spending will help you win more”
• 36:50 - On looking out for the student-athlete and NIL programs
• 38:58 - Reaction to Jim Schlossnagle’s departure for Texas and the ensuing coaching search
• 43:05 - Measuring success within the athletic department
• 46:22 - Transfer portal’s impact on his role as athletic director
• 48:45 - Helping develop coaches & advice to young coaches entering a hiring process
• 56:25 - The role of an athletic director in preparing for a college football game day
• 1:01:10 - Previewing Texas A&M football’s opener vs. Notre Dame

Topics from Rudy Ruettiger interview

• 00:00 - Introduction, first visit to Texas A&M & meeting President George H.W. Bush
• 01:57 - Why he plans to watch Texas A&M-Notre Dame from his hotel on Saturday night
• 02:33 - Plans with Johnny Manziel this weekend
• 03:28 - The guiding factor & gift of “hope”
• 05:33 - The biblical nature of the movie “Rudy”
• 09:08 - On Name, Image & Likeness and his problems with it
• 12:43 - Story about speaking to Archie Manning about Arch Manning
• 13:41 - On Joe Montana staying at Notre Dame despite starting as the seventh-string QB
• 15:00 - His decision not to after rule changes within Notre Dame program
• 15:45 - Importance of having relationships with people
• 21:20 - Lessons learned in the Navy
• 22:10 - On “gift” given to him by his Notre Dame teammates & importance of preparation
• 23:37 - “Rudy” is meant to tell a story about spirit
• 24:25 - On paying attention
• 26:09 - Impact of sports on his life
• 28:45 - Joe Montana’s rise at Notre Dame
• 31:18 - On the most influential people on his life
• 33:50 - Meeting Kobe Bryant
• 37:07 - Story of a mailman in Santa Monica leading to “Rudy” being made

About SPMT 489

The Special Topics course “The Power of Sports” will explore the multifaceted impact of sports on society, culture, and business. Through a combination of guest speakers, class discussions and professional development events, students will gain insights into the various aspects of the sports industry.