There are many Razorback fans that are not happy with the current state of affairs within the football program.
More, it seems, want athletics director Jeff Long gone, too … if not before.
Now there are reports out of Nebraska that Long may be one of the leading candidates for the Nebraska athletics director position.
In a column by Lee Barfknecht in the Omaha World on Sunday, Long was the first name mentioned in the story when he listed the four names coming up most often:
Jeff Long, Arkansas: Long has football chops and Big Ten ties. The 57-year-old is an Ohio native, played quarterback in college at Ohio Wesleyan and coached at Miami of Ohio, Duke and Michigan before entering athletics administration.
Michigan legend Bo Schembechler hired Long, who spent 10 years with the Wolverines as an assistant/associate A.D. He eventually had stops at Virginia Tech, Eastern Kentucky and Oklahoma before replacing Steve Pederson at Pittsburgh in 2003. Long then replaced Frank Broyles at Arkansas in 2008.
Why would Long fit? He knows the Big Ten, he’s a football guy — he was the first chairman of the College Football Playoff committee — and after nine years at Arkansas, he might be ready for one more move.
It appears Nebraska is moving towards a decision soon:
It’s not official, but three sources with ties to NU’s administration Saturday indicated interviews took place late last week and that a decision is either imminent or already made. Other sources told The World-Herald that Interim A.D. Dave Rimington mentioned to friends his time in North Stadium is down to a few days.
Based on reports, Nebraska is apparently willing to pay a new athletic director at — or very near — the top in college sports.
Nebraska fired Shawn Eichorst on Sept. 21. He was hired five years ago at $973,000 and was due to make $1.1 million for 2017-18.
Long presently makes just slightly north of $1 million a year, which is fifth in college sports.
