While I think Penders would be a very good AD (his background in politics in DC certainly helps), I don't think this would be the right move to make at this time. In addition, I don't think this is something that Penders would be interested in right now. I could see him maybe taking this role in another 10 years, but not now.
Plus, are you really going to replace the only successful mens coach at UConn (the baseball team is literally the only successful mens sport in our entire Athletic Department)? Seems like a recipe for disaster.
But this article certainly does not bode well for the future of AD David Benedict. You have both the football coach and superstar basketball coach (Auriemma) complaining publicly about the ADs strategy on ticket and parking prices, you have a very angry and deteriorating alumni and booster base, you are stuck in conference hell, you have a budget, P&L, and future financial outlook that even Sears/Kmart would look down upon, you are about to piss off all the basketball alumni when you fire one of their own (Ollie), and now you have the most visible and successful football alum (and close confidant of Edsall) taking public shots at the AD in the media. Certainly makes you think that this perception of "superstar AD" is not all he is cracked up to be and the AD really is a dumpster fire as many of us fear.