Jeff Long, we hardly knew you.
The Arkansas athletic director served as the chairman of the College Football Playoff selection committee for its first two seasons of existence, but stepped down Tuesday. Thursday, the Playoff named Texas Tech athletic director Kirby Hocutt his replacement.
From a press release:
Bill Hancock, Executive Director of the College Football Playoff (CFP), today announced that Texas Tech University Director of Athletics Kirby Hocutt will serve as the second chair of the playoff Selection Committee.
University of Arkansas Vice-Chancellor and Director of Athletics Jeff Long rotated out of the chair’s role after two years.
“Kirby has established himself as a natural leader,” Hancock said. “His personality, his background as a Football Bowl Subdivision student-athlete and his experience make him a perfect fit to chair the committee. Jeff Long set a high bar for excellence and we know Kirby will also be a terrific chairman.”
Hocutt, a 1995 graduate of Kansas State University, was director of athletics at Ohio University and the University of Miami, Fla., before assuming the Texas Tech job in 2011. Hocutt has also served as chairman of the NCAA Division I Football Recruiting Subcommittee.
A four-year letterman at Kansas State, Hocutt was an All-Big Eight Conference linebacker for the Wildcats. He earned his master’s degree in education at the University of Oklahoma.
As chairman, Hocutt will set the selection committee’s agenda, run its meetings and serve as the spokesman for the committee along with Hancock.
“College football continues to have a significant impact in my life and I am humbled and honored by this appointment,” said Hocutt. “Serving on the committee this past season was a tremendous experience. The thoughtful consideration, professionalism and integrity exhibited by the members of this committee speak to the level of success the College Football Playoff has shown in its brief history.”
Everything is coming up Big 12, baby!
