Feb 2, 2019; Lawrence, KS, USA; University of Kansas athletic director Jeff Long issues a statement concerning forward Silvio De Sousa (not pictured) before the game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Allen Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Former Kansas Athletic Director Joins College Football Playoff Selection Committee

Originally posted on Kansas Jayhawks on SI
By Pete Fiutak | Last updated May 5, 2025 3:36 PM ET

Kansas will have a familiar face on the College Football Playoff committee - for good or bad.

(Even though there's no conflict of interests whatsoever on the committee, since anyone with any ties to a specific team being discussed has to excuse himself ... but I digress.)

Former Kansas athletic director Jeff Long was named to the College Football Playoff selection committee, along with Nebraska athletic director Troy Dannen.. They'll replace former USA TODAY writer Steve Wieberg and SMU athletic director Damon Evans.

NEWS: The College Football Playoff Management Committee has appointed Troy Dannen, AD at Nebraska, and Jeff Long, long-time college administrator and former AD at Kansas, Arkansas and Pitt, to the CFP Selection Committee.

Read more » https://t.co/OW9x2vAban #CFBPlayoff pic.twitter.com/4AZhQ74vlo
— College Football Playoff (@CFBPlayoff) May 5, 2025

Long was the first chairman of the College Football Playoff back in 2013 when he was the athletic director at Arkansas. He took over the Kansas athletic director job in 2018, but his hiring of Les Miles as the head football coach - to be nice about it - didn't work.

Kansas went 3-18 in 2019 and 2020 in football. It wasn't on Long, but the basketball team lost in the second round of the 2019 NCAA Tournament, the dominant 2020 team didn't get a shot with the tournament cancelled, and the 2021 team was knocked out in the second round.

Travis Goff took over in 2021, the 2022 hoops team on the national title, and he hired Lance Leipold as the head football coach.

The 65-year-old Long knows the College Football Playoff landscape, helped with the process from the start, and will fit right in.

Now Kansas needs to be good enough this season to make Long have to recuse himself from College Football Playoff rankings discussions.

This article first appeared on Kansas Jayhawks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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