Breaking news just in via release from the College Football Playoff Management Committee:
IRVING, Texas – The College Football Playoff (CFP) Management Committee has appointed Troy Dannen, athletics director at the University of Nebraska, and Jeff Long, long-time college administrator and former athletics director at the University of Kansas, University of Arkansas and the University of Pittsburgh, to the CFP Selection Committee, it was announced today by Rich Clark, executive director of the CFP.
Dannen will replace Damon Evans, who recently became the athletic director at Southern Methodist University, while Long will serve a one-year term, replacing Steve Weiberg, who stepped down from the committee for personal reasons.
“We are pleased to have Troy and Jeff join the committee,” Clark said. “Troy brings a long commitment to college athletics to our group and previous experience as a member of the FCS Selection Committee, while Jeff, as the first chairman of the CFP selection committee (2014-15) will step in immediately and provide an experienced voice in the room.”
Troy Dannen is in his second year as athletics director at the University of Nebraska. His first year in Lincoln was quite a success as the Husker baseball program won its first Big Ten Tournament title, the men’s track and field team captured the Big Ten Outdoor crown, and the women’s track and field team posted its second straight top-10 NCAA finish, placing ninth. Husker athletic teams have continued to excel at a high level in 2024-25, highlighted by a Final Four trip for the volleyball team and a national runner-up finish by the wrestling program, the best in school history.
Dannen has been a leader in charting the course for a new era of collegiate athletics, serving from 2021-23 as a member of the NCAA Constitution Committee and the Division I Transformation Committee. He also previously served as the chair of the NCAA Football Competition Committee and was an executive committee member of the Football Oversight Committee.
Dannen came to Lincoln after serving as athletics director at the University of Washington. He helped guide the Huskies’ transition to the Big Ten Conference and oversaw a Husky football program that reached its first College Football Playoff National Championship in January 2024. Prior to Washington, Dannen was the athletics director at Tulane University from 2015-23. Under his leadership, Green Wave student-athletes earned 49 All-America honors, a national championship and 21 conference championships. In 2022-23, Tulane football won its first American Athletic Conference football championship en route to a Cotton Bowl victory over Southern California.
Dannen began his career in collegiate athletics with an eight-year stint as the athletics director at the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) from 2008-15. Prior to his time at UNI, Dannen served as the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union’s Executive Director for seven years, overseeing 400 high schools and 10 sports. He grew up outside Marshalltown, Iowa, and graduated from UNI in 1989 with a degree in communications.
Jeff Long spent 40 years working in college athletics as both a coach and administrator. Currently a consultant with ISE and Trenchcoat Advisors, Long returns to the CFP Selection Committee after having served from 2014-18, including time as the group’s initial chairman during the 2014-15 seasons.
Throughout his career, Long served as an athletics director or senior administrator in many of the nation's most prominent conferences, including the Big 12, Big Ten, ACC and SEC. Before his current role as a consultant, Long spent 22 years as the director of athletics at the University of Kansas (2018-21), the University of Arkansas (2008-17), the University of Pittsburgh (2003-07) and Eastern Kentucky University (1998-2001). In 2015 Long was named the Sports Business Journal Athletic Director of the Year for his work with the Razorbacks.
Long was also active in NCAA governance, having previously served on the NCAA Management Council, the NCAA’s Sports Wagering Task Force, and the NCAA Championships/Sports Management Cabinet. He was also a member of the Executive Committee of the Division I-A Athletic Directors’ Association. He also spent time as an athletic administrator at Rice, Virginia Tech and Oklahoma. Before moving into administration, Long began his career working in coaching and recruiting with the football programs at at Miami (Ohio), NC State, Duke and Michigan.
Long was a four-year football letterman at quarterback at Ohio Wesleyan, where he also earned three letters in baseball. He received a bachelor’s degree in economics from Ohio Wesleyan and a master’s degree in education from Miami (Ohio).
IRVING, Texas – The College Football Playoff (CFP) Management Committee has appointed Troy Dannen, athletics director at the University of Nebraska, and Jeff Long, long-time college administrator and former athletics director at the University of Kansas, University of Arkansas and the University of Pittsburgh, to the CFP Selection Committee, it was announced today by Rich Clark, executive director of the CFP.
Dannen will replace Damon Evans, who recently became the athletic director at Southern Methodist University, while Long will serve a one-year term, replacing Steve Weiberg, who stepped down from the committee for personal reasons.
“We are pleased to have Troy and Jeff join the committee,” Clark said. “Troy brings a long commitment to college athletics to our group and previous experience as a member of the FCS Selection Committee, while Jeff, as the first chairman of the CFP selection committee (2014-15) will step in immediately and provide an experienced voice in the room.”
Troy Dannen is in his second year as athletics director at the University of Nebraska. His first year in Lincoln was quite a success as the Husker baseball program won its first Big Ten Tournament title, the men’s track and field team captured the Big Ten Outdoor crown, and the women’s track and field team posted its second straight top-10 NCAA finish, placing ninth. Husker athletic teams have continued to excel at a high level in 2024-25, highlighted by a Final Four trip for the volleyball team and a national runner-up finish by the wrestling program, the best in school history.
Dannen has been a leader in charting the course for a new era of collegiate athletics, serving from 2021-23 as a member of the NCAA Constitution Committee and the Division I Transformation Committee. He also previously served as the chair of the NCAA Football Competition Committee and was an executive committee member of the Football Oversight Committee.
Dannen came to Lincoln after serving as athletics director at the University of Washington. He helped guide the Huskies’ transition to the Big Ten Conference and oversaw a Husky football program that reached its first College Football Playoff National Championship in January 2024. Prior to Washington, Dannen was the athletics director at Tulane University from 2015-23. Under his leadership, Green Wave student-athletes earned 49 All-America honors, a national championship and 21 conference championships. In 2022-23, Tulane football won its first American Athletic Conference football championship en route to a Cotton Bowl victory over Southern California.
Dannen began his career in collegiate athletics with an eight-year stint as the athletics director at the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) from 2008-15. Prior to his time at UNI, Dannen served as the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union’s Executive Director for seven years, overseeing 400 high schools and 10 sports. He grew up outside Marshalltown, Iowa, and graduated from UNI in 1989 with a degree in communications.
Jeff Long spent 40 years working in college athletics as both a coach and administrator. Currently a consultant with ISE and Trenchcoat Advisors, Long returns to the CFP Selection Committee after having served from 2014-18, including time as the group’s initial chairman during the 2014-15 seasons.
Throughout his career, Long served as an athletics director or senior administrator in many of the nation's most prominent conferences, including the Big 12, Big Ten, ACC and SEC. Before his current role as a consultant, Long spent 22 years as the director of athletics at the University of Kansas (2018-21), the University of Arkansas (2008-17), the University of Pittsburgh (2003-07) and Eastern Kentucky University (1998-2001). In 2015 Long was named the Sports Business Journal Athletic Director of the Year for his work with the Razorbacks.
Long was also active in NCAA governance, having previously served on the NCAA Management Council, the NCAA’s Sports Wagering Task Force, and the NCAA Championships/Sports Management Cabinet. He was also a member of the Executive Committee of the Division I-A Athletic Directors’ Association. He also spent time as an athletic administrator at Rice, Virginia Tech and Oklahoma. Before moving into administration, Long began his career working in coaching and recruiting with the football programs at at Miami (Ohio), NC State, Duke and Michigan.
Long was a four-year football letterman at quarterback at Ohio Wesleyan, where he also earned three letters in baseball. He received a bachelor’s degree in economics from Ohio Wesleyan and a master’s degree in education from Miami (Ohio).
