Arkansas director of athletics Jeff Long will serve as the first chairman of the College Football Playoff selection committee. Long's appointment to what will no doubt be a difficult job was announced by Long himself via youtube.com.
"I'm proud and humbled to serve as the College Football Playoff selection committee's first chairman. While our committee's charge is simple -- to select and seed the best teams -- admittedly, our work will not be easy. We'll have very important decisions to make throughout the process," Long said.
The committee will select four teams for college football's first playoff beginning next season. Reportedly, the committee will have 13 members, including Long, Barry Alvarez, Mike Gould, Pat Haden, Tom Jernstedt, Oliver Luck, Archie Manning, Tom Osborne, Dan Radakovich, Condoleezza Rice, Mike Tranghese, Steve Wieberg and Tyrone Willingham.
"Because of their knowledge of the game, extensive experience, and deep-rooted passion for college football, I have confidence the members who will be appointed to this committee will work tirelessly to make the best decision for college football," Long added. "That's what this great game deserves, and most importantly, it's what we owe the student-athletes who take the field each weekend in the fall."
As chairman, Long will most likely be the face of the committee when it needs one most -- after the first playoff bracket is set in 2014. The committee's decisions will be under heavy scrutiny, particulary if the top team left out of the four-team playoff has a strong argument for inclusion.
*Follow Chase Goodbread on Twitter **@ChaseGoodbread.*
