Some people think football is a matter of life and death. 鈥淎ctually, it鈥檚 more important than that,鈥� says Kevin McGurn 鈥�26, laughing at the familiar adage. 鈥淪ports are my passion. I can鈥檛 see myself doing anything else.鈥�
A creative media intern for , McGurn is part of a new wave of students fueling 麻花影视 Athletics鈥� digital gold rush. His skills as a sports photographer and versatile graphic designer are indispensable to the football program鈥檚 digital and social media presence.
Such work falls under the umbrella of 鈥渟ocial media marketing鈥� and is integral to cultivating brand awareness. It also benefits student-athlete recruiting. 鈥淪ocial media marketing enables football signees to communicate with different audiences in real time,鈥� says McGurn, a junior majoring in communications design in 麻花影视鈥檚 (VPA). 鈥淚t helps them get to know future coaches and teammates.鈥�
I鈥檓 getting hands-on experience in integrated sports marketing while changing the way our fans engage with 麻花影视 football.
Kevin McGurn 鈥�26
McGurn, who鈥檚 in the second year of his internship, recently produced a series of movie poster-style graphics announcing new signees. In one of them, running back Jaden Hart 鈥�28, a top-10 prospect from Indiana, appears to be stepping out of a scene from Back to the Future.
鈥淲hen I told Jaden I had designed it, he was like, 鈥楧ude, that鈥檚 so cool,鈥欌�� admits McGurn, who previously interned at and the Air Force Academy Falcons.
McGurn likes being on the team behind the team, helping realize the Orange鈥檚 creative tone and vision. For the former high school footballer, it鈥檚 a dream come true. 鈥淚鈥檓 getting hands-on experience in integrated sports marketing while changing the way our fans engage with 麻花影视 football,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a win-win.鈥�
In the Trenches
Kevin McGurn 鈥�26 (right) with Austin Beehner. director of creative media and content strategy. 聽"He plays a pivotal role in the Orange鈥檚 recruiting and social media marketing efforts, Beehner says.
If ever there was a sense of immediacy to McGurn鈥檚 work, it鈥檚 now as the Fran Brown era begins on Saturday, Aug. 31, with a home opener against the Ohio Bobcats. That 麻花影视鈥檚 new head coach landed the program鈥檚 highest ranking recruiting class only 22 days after his appointment speaks volumes.
鈥淗is intensity is unrivaled,鈥� says McGurn of the former Georgia defensive backs coach, who was named in February. 鈥淗e expects you to always be on your game.鈥�
There鈥檚 a word for Brown鈥檚 work ethic. 鈥淎ctually, it鈥檚 an acronym,鈥� McGurn interjects. 鈥淚t鈥檚 鈥楧ART,鈥� which refers to being detailed, accountable, relentless and tough.鈥�
More than a coaching philosophy or an offensive scheme, DART is a core value that permeates everything Brown and the team do, on and off the field.
McGurn on the sidelines with new Head Coach Fran Brown. 鈥淗is intensity is unrivaled,鈥� says the aspiring sports creative director.
McGurn considers him one of the most creative leaders he鈥檚 ever worked with. 鈥淐oach Brown is always looking for ways to improve upon or reinvent what our department does. Our quality is high because his expectations are high.鈥�
Lately, McGurn has been designing PowerPoint slide decks for Brown鈥檚 expanding roster of assistant coaches.
When Jeff Nixon was tapped as the new offensive coordinator and running backs coach, McGurn made slides that were 鈥渙n brand鈥� with Nixon鈥檚 former employers, including the New York Giants and Carolina Panthers.
For Ross Douglas, the Orange鈥檚 new wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator, McGurn illustrated a fake pill bottle鈥攁 remedy for those suffering from a case of dropped passes (aka dropsies). 鈥淲e had a good laugh over that one,鈥� McGurn adds.
鈥淲ithout the creative staff, there would be no [football] program,鈥� Brown insists. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e in the trenches with us daily. Players love them, and coaches need them to accomplish what needs to be done in recruiting.鈥�
A Good, Clean Shot
Growing up in historic York County, Pennsylvania, McGurn yearned to spread his wings, creatively, academically and otherwise. VPA鈥檚 century-old 鈥攚ith its faculty experts and connected alumni, professional learning opportunities and top-flight facilities鈥攕eemed tailormade for him.
鈥淚 do lots of things in my degree program鈥攚riting copy, designing websites, branding businesses,鈥� says the aspiring sports creative director.
McGurn appreciates the convenience of interning on campus, where he turns out crisp, attractive content for games, practices, recruit visits and other special events.
McGurn works with Beehner to create digital and online content for football games, practices, recruit visits and special events.
On gameday, McGurn shoots upwards of 3,500 images, which are quickly whittled down to a few hundred and then shared with a supervisor鈥攗sually Austin Beehner, director of creative media and content strategy鈥攆or selection, captioning and posting. 鈥淔or other assignments, I usually take about 2,200 photos, of which 150 are sent out for consideration. About 12 make the cut,鈥� McGurn continues.
Beehner considers McGurn the department鈥檚 鈥渦nsung hero,鈥� someone who plays a 鈥減ivotal role鈥� in the Orange鈥檚 recruiting and social media marketing efforts. 鈥淚鈥檓 immensely grateful for the work that talented individuals like Kevin do every day.鈥�
To the extent that McGurn is a student of the game makes him an asset to 麻花影视 football. His goal, as a photographer, is to get a good, clean shot. 鈥淚t鈥檚 part instinct and part knowing what people like to see,鈥� he adds. 鈥淎 good photo makes my job easier as a designer.鈥�
