Following a year at Mississippi State, Stricklin was named associate media relations director at Auburn, where he served as the baseball contact from 1993 to 1998.

Stricklin returned to Mississippi State in 2008 as the senior associate athletics director for external affairs, overseeing fundraising efforts among many responsibilities.

[4] Under Stricklin's tenure, MSU Athletics achieved its highest-ever Learfield Director’s Cup finish (44th in 2015–16).

Stricklin, who was named Under Armour’s Athletics Director of the Year in April 2016, oversaw record fundraising for Mississippi State, which has produced new facilities such as the $11.7 million Mize Pavilion at Humphrey Coliseum, the $25 million Leo W. Seal Jr. Football Complex, as well as $75 million in expansion and upgrades to Davis Wade Stadium that were completed prior to the start of the 2014 campaign.

[5] On November 26, 2017, Stricklin hired Dan Mullen as head coach of the University of Florida football team.