Kansas has announced Jeff Long as their choice for the new leader of Kansas athletics, ending a seven-week search to replace Sheahon Zenger.
Long, who previously served as the athletic director at Arkansas, will be formally introduced at a news conference scheduled for next Wednesday.
The official release from the school reads:
“Jeff Long has tremendous leadership and administrative experience in major college athletics, and he is a terrific fit for Kansas Athletics as we work to ensure our student-athletes succeed on the field and in the classroom,” Girod said. “Those who know him describe him as a man of character who cares deeply about higher education and the student-athletes he serves. For all these reasons, we are thrilled to welcome him to the University of Kansas.”
Long had a string of solid success at Arkansas, capturing 34 conference titles, but he is perhaps best known for luring Bret Bielema away from Wisconsin to take over the Razorbacks program, as well as his appointment to the chair of the inaugural College Football Playoff selection committee in 2014 and 2015, where he remained a member through 2017.
His experience spans a number of conferences including the Big 12, Big Ten, Big East, ACC, and SEC with previous stops in athletic administration at Pitt (AD), as well as various posts at Oklahoma, Michigan, Virginia Tech, Eastern Kentucky, and Rice.
The release states that Kansas will pay Long $1.5 million per year for five years.
This article, from Scott back in November, explains why you should want Jeff Long negotiating your contract. Oh, and so does this.
Stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest.