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Jeff Long Named Chairman of the College Football Playoff Selection Committee

Simply put, Arkansas' athletic director is now among the most powerful people in college football.

By Doc Harper
Beth Hall-US PRESSWIRE

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The official announcement of the entire committee will come Wednesday, but the new revelation today is that Jeff Long is going going to be the Chairman of the committee.

We don't yet know exactly what this entails, but it is a significant honor, and as one who conceivably will be directing the planning and discussions of the Playoff Selection Committee, makes him one of the more powerful figures in college football.

The selection committee will pick the four team's to participate in college football's new playoff, which begins in 2014, as well as the teams to play in other New Year's Day bowls.

The other people expected to be named to the committee are

  • Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez (seems like he and Long might have some interesting conversations)
  • Retired Lt. Gen. Michael Gould, a former Air Force Academy superintendent
  • USC athletic director Pat Haden
  • Former NCAA executive vice president Tom Jernstedt
  • West Virginia athletic director Oliver Luck
  • Former NFL and Ole Miss quarterback Archie Manning
  • Former Nebraska athletic director/coach Tom Osborne
  • Clemson athletic director Dan Radakovich
  • Former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
  • Former Big East commissioner Mike Tranghese
  • Former USA Today reporter Steve Wieberg
  • Former Stanford/Notre Dame/Washington coach Tyrone Willingham

From the Arkansas press release:

“While serving on this important committee will require certain personal and professional commitments, I will not let my chairmanship interfere with my responsibilities at the University of Arkansas,” Long said. “As the leader of our athletics program, nothing is more important than my work on behalf of our great institution and more than 460 Razorback student-athletes. I sincerely appreciate the support of Chancellor Gearhart and my team within Razorback Athletics for allowing me this opportunity.”

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