UA Athletic Director named chair of college football playoff committee
by October 14, 2013 12:41 pm 176 views
University of Arkansas Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Jeff Long has been named the first chairman of the College Football Playoff Selection Committee it was announced by College Football Playoff Executive Director Bill Hancock on Monday.
As chairman, Long will set the Selection Committee’s agenda and run the committee’s meetings. Long will also serve as spokesman for the committee alongside Hancock.
“I’m very humbled and honored to serve as the first chairman of the College Football Playoff Selection Committee,” Long said. “There is no doubt our task will be challenging. However, I am confident in the committee members’ ability to determine the four best teams in college football. I look forward to getting to work.”
Long’s 35 years in college football began when he was a four-year football letterman at Ohio Wesleyan, where he also earned three letters in baseball. Before coming to Arkansas in 2007, Long had been director of athletics at Eastern Kentucky and Pittsburgh and has previously held coaching and administrative positions at Miami (Ohio), North Carolina State, Duke, Michigan, Rice, Virginia Tech and Oklahoma. Long has experience as an athletics director or senior administrator in many of the nation’s most prominent Football Bowl Subdivision conferences including the Big 12, Big Ten, Big East, Atlantic Coast and Southeastern conferences.
“Jeff has vast experience in college football,” Hancock said. “People in intercollegiate athletics hold him in high regard. He is known for his insight, intelligence, wisdom, wit, judgment and calm demeanor. He’ll make a great chairman.”
Long earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Ohio Wesleyan in 1982, and a master’s degree in education from Miami (Ohio) in 1983.
Long will participate in a press conference on Wednesday afternoon in Irving, Texa,s to announce the remaining members of the College Football Playoff Selection Committee. The College Football Playoff will begin with the 2014-15 season. The 2015 semifinals will be played January 1, 2015 at the Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl. The first national championship game will be played January 12, 2015 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
“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.”