Collier11
1/11/2008, 02:36 PM
http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sp...=s prt011108e
University presidents respond to Adams' proposal
By JEFF D'ALESSIO
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 01/10/08 Several of Michael Adams' fellow university presidents say they're at least willing to have an open discussion about implementing a playoff in college football.
Of the 30 university CEOs reached by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution since Georgia's Adams went public with his proposal for an eight-team, seven-game playoff in Tuesday's AJC:
THE PUSH FOR A PLAYOFF
* • Majority of fans in favor of playoff
• Reaction mixed among university presidents
• Blog:Your BCS fix
• Richt endorses Adams' 8-team playoff
• UGA's Adams to make serious proposal for playoffs
• NCAA president won't support, oppose playoff plan
• The main obstacles
• Full transcript of Adams interview
• Adams' letter to the NCAA
• How the system currently works
COMMENTARY
• Bisher:Perfect system impossible
• Jeff Schultz: Parity dictates playoffs are needed
• Mr. College Football: Playoff battle will get ugly
• What's your take? How Adams' proposal would work
• Five fully embraced his plan, which calls for a selection committee to seed the eight-team field.
• Five believe college football should have some sort of playoff but aren't sure Adams' format is best.
• Six remain undecided but say they're willing to discuss Adams' plan and others.
• Fourteen rejected Adams' idea.
Adams said earlier this week he believes chances are "at least 50-50" his plan will pass, and believes more than half of the 119 Division I-A presidents believe some changes must be made to the current system.
His plan isn't likely to come up for formal discussion when the NCAA Convention begins this week in Nashville, but it's been a hot topic of debate among fans, coaches and media members since LSU beat Ohio State in Monday night's national championship game.
NCAA President Myles Brand told the AJC it's too early to say how long it would take to enact a playoff, what the odds are that one will come about or what procedural steps would follow the formation of the discussion group. But he said there has been enough conversation about possible changes to the Bowl Championship Series — which attempts to create a national championship game each year between the nation's top two teams - that the subject of how major college football chooses its champion is ripe for review.
Brand said he will speak with the Division I board of directors on Monday about forming a discussion group on the topic.
Of the 30 presidents reached by the AJC, Adams' greatest allies on the issue all come from outside his own conference, the SEC.
New Mexico State's Mike Martin, Florida State's T.K. Wetherell, Air Force's John Regni, Boise State's Robert Kustra and Akron's Luis Proenza were the most enthusiastic about Adams' playoff pitch. Martin "strongly" endorsed it. Regni called it "a solid working model."
Added Kustra: "I would want it to come as close as possible in copying the underlying theme of the NCAA basketball tournament that everyone gets a chance who qualifies. That makes the membership of the selection committee critical so it doesn't become just another version of the current BCS monopoly. The devil is in the details."
Here is how the other presidents responded when asked which of four categories best summarized their stance:
It's time for a playoff but I'm not sure about this particular model.
• Henry Bienen, Northwestern
• Richard Brodhead, Duke
• Jack Hawkins, Troy
• Robert Khayat, Ole Miss
• Steadman Upham, Tulsa
Upham said, "It's time to implement a playoff system," but doesn't like one that spills into the second academic semester, as Adams' plan does.
Brodhead said an eight-team playoff "makes the season too long" but "we might well support a four-team playoff."
I'm not sure what the right answer is but it's time to at least talk about a playoff.
• James Barker, Clemson
• Scott Cowen, Tulane
• Robert Foglesong, Mississippi State
• Judy Genshaft, South Florida
• James Ramsey, Louisville
• Martha Saunders, Southern Miss
Echoing a familiar sentiment among presidents and coaches of teams who aren't in the six major BCS conferences, Southern Miss' Saunders said her school might be supportive of a plan that "provides more opportunities."
Added Ramsey: "On the surface, I think there needs to be careful analysis of a playoff — and if the analysis supports such a playoff, I would be in full favor."
I think college football should stick with the BCS.
• David Ashley, UNLV
• Ray Authement, Louisiana-Lafayette
• Brady Deaton, Missouri
• Dave Frohnmayer, Oregon
• Jo Ann Gora, Ball State
• John Hennessy, Stanford
• Richard McCormick, Rutgers
• Sean O'Keefe, LSU
• Graham Spanier, Penn State
• Marlene Strathe, Oklahoma State
• Lee Todd, Kentucky
• John White, Arkansas
• John Wiley, Wisconsin
• Robert Witt, Alabama
Adams is sure to meet the most resistance from his fellow presidents at Big Ten and Pac-10 schools, who prefer their traditional arrangement with the Rose Bowl.
"I doubt it would receive much support from university presidents or from those of us on the BCS oversight board," Penn State's Spanier said.
Adams also could face an uphill battle in his own conference. Among the naysayers were four SEC leaders, including Arkansas' White, who said, "I'm very disappointed Dr. Adams has taken this position."
University presidents respond to Adams' proposal
By JEFF D'ALESSIO
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 01/10/08 Several of Michael Adams' fellow university presidents say they're at least willing to have an open discussion about implementing a playoff in college football.
Of the 30 university CEOs reached by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution since Georgia's Adams went public with his proposal for an eight-team, seven-game playoff in Tuesday's AJC:
THE PUSH FOR A PLAYOFF
* • Majority of fans in favor of playoff
• Reaction mixed among university presidents
• Blog:Your BCS fix
• Richt endorses Adams' 8-team playoff
• UGA's Adams to make serious proposal for playoffs
• NCAA president won't support, oppose playoff plan
• The main obstacles
• Full transcript of Adams interview
• Adams' letter to the NCAA
• How the system currently works
COMMENTARY
• Bisher:Perfect system impossible
• Jeff Schultz: Parity dictates playoffs are needed
• Mr. College Football: Playoff battle will get ugly
• What's your take? How Adams' proposal would work
• Five fully embraced his plan, which calls for a selection committee to seed the eight-team field.
• Five believe college football should have some sort of playoff but aren't sure Adams' format is best.
• Six remain undecided but say they're willing to discuss Adams' plan and others.
• Fourteen rejected Adams' idea.
Adams said earlier this week he believes chances are "at least 50-50" his plan will pass, and believes more than half of the 119 Division I-A presidents believe some changes must be made to the current system.
His plan isn't likely to come up for formal discussion when the NCAA Convention begins this week in Nashville, but it's been a hot topic of debate among fans, coaches and media members since LSU beat Ohio State in Monday night's national championship game.
NCAA President Myles Brand told the AJC it's too early to say how long it would take to enact a playoff, what the odds are that one will come about or what procedural steps would follow the formation of the discussion group. But he said there has been enough conversation about possible changes to the Bowl Championship Series — which attempts to create a national championship game each year between the nation's top two teams - that the subject of how major college football chooses its champion is ripe for review.
Brand said he will speak with the Division I board of directors on Monday about forming a discussion group on the topic.
Of the 30 presidents reached by the AJC, Adams' greatest allies on the issue all come from outside his own conference, the SEC.
New Mexico State's Mike Martin, Florida State's T.K. Wetherell, Air Force's John Regni, Boise State's Robert Kustra and Akron's Luis Proenza were the most enthusiastic about Adams' playoff pitch. Martin "strongly" endorsed it. Regni called it "a solid working model."
Added Kustra: "I would want it to come as close as possible in copying the underlying theme of the NCAA basketball tournament that everyone gets a chance who qualifies. That makes the membership of the selection committee critical so it doesn't become just another version of the current BCS monopoly. The devil is in the details."
Here is how the other presidents responded when asked which of four categories best summarized their stance:
It's time for a playoff but I'm not sure about this particular model.
• Henry Bienen, Northwestern
• Richard Brodhead, Duke
• Jack Hawkins, Troy
• Robert Khayat, Ole Miss
• Steadman Upham, Tulsa
Upham said, "It's time to implement a playoff system," but doesn't like one that spills into the second academic semester, as Adams' plan does.
Brodhead said an eight-team playoff "makes the season too long" but "we might well support a four-team playoff."
I'm not sure what the right answer is but it's time to at least talk about a playoff.
• James Barker, Clemson
• Scott Cowen, Tulane
• Robert Foglesong, Mississippi State
• Judy Genshaft, South Florida
• James Ramsey, Louisville
• Martha Saunders, Southern Miss
Echoing a familiar sentiment among presidents and coaches of teams who aren't in the six major BCS conferences, Southern Miss' Saunders said her school might be supportive of a plan that "provides more opportunities."
Added Ramsey: "On the surface, I think there needs to be careful analysis of a playoff — and if the analysis supports such a playoff, I would be in full favor."
I think college football should stick with the BCS.
• David Ashley, UNLV
• Ray Authement, Louisiana-Lafayette
• Brady Deaton, Missouri
• Dave Frohnmayer, Oregon
• Jo Ann Gora, Ball State
• John Hennessy, Stanford
• Richard McCormick, Rutgers
• Sean O'Keefe, LSU
• Graham Spanier, Penn State
• Marlene Strathe, Oklahoma State
• Lee Todd, Kentucky
• John White, Arkansas
• John Wiley, Wisconsin
• Robert Witt, Alabama
Adams is sure to meet the most resistance from his fellow presidents at Big Ten and Pac-10 schools, who prefer their traditional arrangement with the Rose Bowl.
"I doubt it would receive much support from university presidents or from those of us on the BCS oversight board," Penn State's Spanier said.
Adams also could face an uphill battle in his own conference. Among the naysayers were four SEC leaders, including Arkansas' White, who said, "I'm very disappointed Dr. Adams has taken this position."