On the 12th day of College Football Playoff, my true love sent to me
12 committee members,
11 men debating,
10 master's degrees,
9 white people,
8 60-year-olds,
7 former football players,
6 former coaches,
5 ADs!
4 members in their last year of contract
3 national coaches of the year
2 Pa. natives
and a Secretary of State!
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Kirby Hocutt – Chair
Arkansas athletics director Jeff Long served as the committee's chair for the first two years and was replaced by Kirby Hocutt in 2016. Hocutt, the athletics director at Texas Tech, played college football at Kansas State and was previously the AD at Ohio (2005-08) and Miami (FL) (2008-11).
Education
- Bachelor’s degree, Kansas State University (1995).
- Master’s degree in education, University of Oklahoma (2001).
Other Career Notes
- Chairman, NCAA Division I Football Recruiting Subcommittee.
- Recipient of Street & Smith’s SportsBusiness Journal Forty Under 40 Award (2010).
- Associate athletics director, external operations and sports administration, University of Oklahoma (1999-2005).
- Former coordinator of licensing, NCAA.
- Former assistant director of marketing and promotions, Kansas State University.
- Four-year football letterman at Kansas State University.
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Barry Alvarez
The former Wisconsin head football coach and current athletics director is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame and has nearly four decades of experience in college athletics as a student-athlete (football, Nebraska), coach and athletics director.
Education
- Bachelor’s degree in education, University of Nebraska
- Master’s degree in education, University of Nebraska
Other Career Notes
- Head football coach, University of Wisconsin (1990-2005; 2012).
- College Football Hall of Fame (2010).
- Rose Bowl Hall of Fame (2009).
- One of the “100 Most Influential Hispanics” as named by Hispanic Business (2001).
- National Coach of the Year (1993, 1999).
- Big Ten Conference Coach of the Year (1993, 1998).
- Assistant football coach, University of Notre Dame (1987-1989).
- Assistant football coach, University of Iowa (1979-1986).
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Jeff Bower
The 63-year-old Bower is the former longtime head football coach at Southern Miss, where he won 119 games from 1990-2007 before retiring. Two decades before taking over his alma mater, he was the Golden Eagles' quarterback (1972-75) and spent the first seven seasons of his coaching career as an assistant at the school.
Education
- Bachelor’s degree, University of Southern Mississippi
- Master’s degree in management, University of Southern Mississippi
Other Career Notes
- Coached the Golden Eagles to four Conference USA Championships
- Conference USA Coach of the Year in 1997, 1999 and 2003.
- 2003 Johnny Vaught All-American Head Coach
- Offensive Coordinator, Oklahoma State University (1989).
- Inducted into the Southern Miss Sports Hall of Fame in 1988.
- Assistant football coach, Wake Forest University (1987).
- Assistant football coach, Southern Methodist University (1982-1986).
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Herb Deromedi
Herb Deromedi is a Michigan man through and through. The Detroit received both his bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Michigan before spending 40 years at Central Michigan, where he was an assistant coach (1967-77), head coach (1978-93) and athletics director (1994-2006).
Education
- Bachelor’s degree, University of Michigan.
- Master’s degree, University of Michigan.
Other Career Notes
- College Football Hall of Fame (2010)
- Led CMU to three conference championship in 1979, 1980, and 1990.
- Named MAC Coach of the Year in 1980 and 1990.
- Chair of the NCAA Football Rules Committee in 2003.
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Tom Jernstedt
Tom Jernstedt spent 38 years working for the NCAA (1972-2010), serving in a variety of roles, including executive vice president, deputy executive director and chief operating officer. The former Oregon football player and current senior counselor at The Jernstedt Company also supervised Division I, II and III football, including NCAA Football Board of Directors, College Football Officiating, LLC and Football Issues Committee.
Education
- Bachelor’s degree in political science, University of Oregon.
- Master’s degree in education, University of Oregon.
Other Career Notes
- Consultant, Mountain West Conference (2012-2013); Big 12 Conference (2010).
- Oversaw development of 88 Division I, II and III men’s and women’s NCAA championships.
- Directed NCAA basketball, increasing TV revenue from $1.2 million (1972) to $10.8 billion (2010).
- National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame, Inductee (2010).
- Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, John Bunn Award (2001).
- USA Basketball, Board of Directors (1976-2010), President (2000-2005)
- United States Olympic Committee, Board of Directors (1974-2002).
- Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Board of Trustees (1989-2010).
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Bobby Johnson
Johnson, a South Carolina native, was the head coach at Furman (1994-2001) and Vanderbilt (2002-10) before announcing his retirement. The former Clemson receiver and defensive back replaced Archie Manning on the playoff selection committee in March 2015.
Education
- Bachelor’s degree, Clemson University.
- Master’s degree in education, Furman University.
Other Career Notes
- 2008 Southeastern Conference Coach of the Year.
- 2001 American Football Coaches Association National Coach of the Year.
- Three-time AFCA Region II Coach of the Year Award.
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Jeff Long
After leading the committee during the selection process as chair 2014 and 2015, Jeff Long was replaced by Kirby Hocutt but remained on the committee. He has 35 years of college athletics experience as student-athlete, assistant coach and administator, and currently the vice chancellor and athletics director at Arkansas.
Education
- Bachelor’s degree in economics, Ohio Wesleyan University.
- Master’s degree in education, Miami University (Ohio).
Other Career Notes
- Athletics director, University of Pittsburgh (2003-2007).
- Senior associate athletics director, University of Oklahoma (2001-03).
- Athletics director, Eastern Kentucky University (1998-01).
- Associate athletics director, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (1998).
- Associate athletics director, University of Michigan (1996-1998).
- Assistant athletics director, University of Michigan (1990-1996).
- Assistant to the athletics director and compliance coordinator, University of Michigan (1988-1990).
- Assistant to athletics director, Rice University (1988).
- Graduate assistant football coach, Michigan University (1987).
- Assistant football coach, Duke University (1986).
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Rob Mullens
Rob Mullens, a West Virginia alum, is currently the athletics director at Oregon, arriving in 2010 after serving as deputy athletics director at Kentucky from 2006-10. He is on the Positive Coaching Alliance's National Advisory Board and guided the Ducks to their best-ever finish in the Directors' Cup.
Education
- Bachelor’s degree, West Virginia University.
- Master’s degree in sports management, West Virginia University.
Other Career Notes
- Executive Associate AD, University of Kentucky (2002-2006).
- Assistant AD for Business/Executive Senior AD of Athletics & Chief of Staff, University of Maryland (1996-2002).
- Senior Athletics Business Manager, University of Miami (1994-1996).
- Accountant/Auditor, Ernst & Young.
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Dan Radakovich
Dan Radakovich has over 30 years of experience in college athletics as a student-athlete and administrator. He played football at Indiana University of Pennsylvania and is currently the athletics director at Clemson. He has also worked at four other FBS institutions and served on the NCAA advisory commission in 2013.
Education
- Bachelor’s degree in finance, Indiana University of Pennsylvania (1980).
- Master’s degree in business administration, University of Miami (Florida) (1982).
Other Career Notes
- Athletics director, Georgia Institute of Technology (2006-2012).
- Senior associate athletics director, Louisiana State University (2001-2006).
- Athletics director, American University (2000-2001).
- Athletics CFO, University of South Carolina (1994-2000).
- Senior associate athletics director, Long Beach State University (1989-1994).
- Athletics business manager, University of Miami (Florida) (1983-1985).
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Condoleezza Rice
Rice is a former United States Secretary of State and National Security Advisor. The Denver and Notre Dame grad is currently a professor at Stanford and has been named "Most Powerful Woman in the World" by Forbes Magazine on two occasions.
Education
- Bachelor’s degree in political science, University of Denver.
- Master’s degree in political science, University of Notre Dame.
- Doctorate in international studies, University of Denver.
Other Career Notes
- Chosen four times as one of Time magazines “100 Most Influential People.”
- Best-selling author.
- Founding partner, RiceHadleyGates, LLC.
- Board of Directors at the University of Notre Dame (1994-2000).
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Steve Wieberg
Steve Wieberg was an award-winning writer and reporter for more than 30 years. His career was highlighted by a long stay at USA Today, where he was name one of the most powerful people in college sports multiple times. Wieberg is currently a writer and editor in the public affairs department of the Kansas City (Mo.) Public Library.
Education
- Bachelor’s degree in journalism, University of Missouri, Columbia (1980).
Other Career Notes
- Member of the United States Basketball Writers Association Hall of Fame (2008).
- President, U.S. Basketball Writers Association (1996-1997)
- Sports reporter and editor at the Springfield (Missouri) News-Leader (1981-1982).
- Sports reporter at the Mexico (Missouri) Ledger (1976-1981).
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Tyrone Willingham
Tyrone Willingham is a former head football coach at Stanford, Notre Dame and Washington. He played football at Michigan State and was the 2002 National Coach of the Year and has 36 years of experience as a student-athlete and coach.
Education
- Bachelor’s degree in physical education, Michigan State University.
Other Career Notes
- President, American Football Coaches Association Board of Trustees (2008).
- Black Coaches Association Male Coach of the Year (1996, 1997, 2000, 2003).
- President, American Football Coaches Association (2002).
- Pac-10 Coach of the Year (1995, 1996).
- Assistant football coach, Minnesota Vikings (1992-1994).
- Assistant football coach, Stanford University (1989-1991).
- Assistant football coach, Rice University (1986-1988).
- Assistant football coach, North Carolina State University (1983-1985).
- Assistant football coach, Michigan State University (1980-1982).
- Assistant football coach, Central Michigan University, (1978-1979).
- Graduate assistant football coach, Michigan State University (1977).
