The College Football Playoff on Tuesday announced the addition of three new members to its selection committee: Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith, former Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer and Robert Morris University president Chris Howard.
The CFP's management committee, which is comprised of the 10 FBS commissioners and Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick, selects what has become the most visible committee in college sports. Each commissioner is invited to nominate people, and then the full management committee reviews the candidates, who hail from specific categories: current athletic directors, former coaches, former players, former journalists and former administrators. Geographic balance is also taken into consideration.
The new members will each begin a three-year term this spring.
Here's a quick look at the newest members, as well as a snapshot of what the entire group now looks like for the 2017 season:
Frank Beamer
Title: Retired from coaching in 2015; special assistant to Virginia Tech athletic director Whit Babcock; former head coach at Virginia Tech, Murray State
Alma mater: Virginia Tech
Age: 70
Conference connections: ACC, SEC
Bio: In 29 seasons as head coach at Virginia Tech, Beamer went to 23 straight bowl games and led the Hokies to four ACC titles, five ACC Coastal Division championships, three Big East titles, six BCS appearances, two "major" bowl wins and an appearance in the 2000 national championship game. He was a three-time Big East Coach of the Year (1995, 1996, 1999) and was named ACC Coach of the Year in 2004 and 2005. His son, Shane, is special teams coordinator and tight ends coach at Georgia, so he will likely be recused from voting for Georgia, too.
What he's saying: "College football has been my life's work, and I'm really humbled that I can still contribute to the game in this role. Hopefully the rest of the committee will be interested in my perspective. To join a group with so many great minds and such a diverse range of experience, I just want to pull my weight. The committee has an important role, and I'll do everything asked of me to help rank the best teams in America for the right to compete for the national championship."
Chris Howard
Title: President of Robert Morris University
Alma mater: U.S. Air Force Academy, doctorate from University of Oxford, MBA with distinction from Harvard Business School
Age: 47
Conference connection: Mountain West Conference
Bio: There's not enough room here. Not only did he graduate from the Air Force Academy, where he was a starting running back, but Howard also got his doctorate in politics at the University of Oxford and an MBA with distinction from the Harvard Business School. He is a Rhodes scholar. He is also a retired Air Force reserve lieutenant colonel and was a helicopter pilot. As if that wasn't enough, he was also an intelligence officer for the elite Joint Special Operations Command. He was called to active duty in Afghanistan in 2003 and was awarded a Bronze Star.
What he's saying: "I am honored to be selected to serve on the College Football Playoff selection committee, which reflects well on Robert Morris University as a nationally ranked institution. College athletics can mean so much for the leadership and character development of young people, and it certainly has for me."
Gene Smith
Title: Senior vice president and Wolfe Foundation endowed athletics director at Ohio State
Alma mater: Notre Dame
Age: 60
Conference connections: Big Ten, Notre Dame, Pac-12, MAC, Big 12
Bio: Smith is in his 12th year as Ohio State's athletic director. Before that, he was athletic director at Arizona State, Eastern Michigan and Iowa State. He is a past president of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics and has also served on the NCAA Management Council, NCAA Committee on Infractions, NCAA Executive Committee, NCAA Football Rules Committee and the NCAA men's basketball selection committee. He was a member of the 1973 Notre Dame team that won the AP national title. After graduating in 1977, he joined the Irish coaching staff under Dan Devine, where he stayed until 1981.
What he's saying: "This is a tremendous honor and privilege to be appointed to this committee. The sport of football has given so much to me, and I feel extremely fortunate to have this opportunity to be able to give back."
The 2017 CFP committee
Who's on: Beamer, Smith and Howard will join Texas Tech athletic director Kirby Hocutt; former Southern Miss coach Jeff Bower; former Central Michigan coach Herb Deromedi; former NCAA administrator Tom Jernstedt; former Vanderbilt coach Bobby Johnson; Arkansas athletic director Jeff Long; Oregon athletic director Rob Mullens; Clemson athletic director Dan Radakovich; retired USA Today journalist Steve Wieberg; and former Washington and Notre Dame coach Tyrone Willingham.
Who's off: Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice; Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez; and former Michigan coach Lloyd Carr, who stepped down last year for health reasons before the season even began
By background: Five sitting athletic directors, five former coaches, one former journalist, two administrators
Diversity check: Ten white men, three African-American men -- no women
Age specifics: Nine of the 13 committee members are at least 60, including three who are least 70 (Beamer, Jernstedt and Deromedi). Hocutt (45) and Howard (47) are the youngest and only two under 50.