Air Force Academy Commander Named Chief Executive of College Football Playoff

Air Force Academy Superintendent Lt. Gen. Richard Clark to Lead College Football Playoff Following Retirement

The College Football Playoff announced that Air Force Academy Superintendent Lt. Gen. Richard Clark will join as executive director upon his retirement from military service in 2024. The move marks the impending departure of a senior official from one of America’s five military academies, with the Pentagon working to prepare the next generation of officers amid uncertainty over his successor.

Clark, speaking to Air Force Times via email on Wednesday, indicated his plan to retire in June, allowing time to manage the transition process. In a statement released on November 10 by the CFP, Clark expressed his honor in leading the annual postseason tournament, especially as it expands from four to 12 teams.

“College football is an American tradition unlike any other,” Clark remarked. “This is an exciting time for fans and everyone involved in this great game. I’m excited to be a part of it.”

The selection process involves a 13-member committee that ranks the best teams in NCAA Division I football, culminating in a series of semifinal games— the Cotton Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, Peach Bowl, Orange Bowl, Sugar Bowl, and Rose Bowl— before declaring a national champion.

“I heard from the search committee that they needed leadership,” Clark stated to the Associated Press on Monday. “They want me to not just be a leader in the day-to-day operations, but a strategic leader that not only helps develop the vision and where college football can go, but to help execute that vision once we have it.”

Clark brings a wealth of experience to his new role, having graduated from the Air Force Academy in 1986 and served as a Falcons football alum and junior varsity coach. He returned to the academy as its commandant of cadets and later as superintendent, overseeing around 4,000 cadets annually in pursuit of degrees and military careers.

The Air Force Academy is one of three sources of new officers for the Air Force and Space Force, educating both domestic and international students bound for various branches of the U.S. military. In September 2020, Clark became the first Black airman to lead the academy, presiding over the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and overseeing academic integrity issues among cadets.

Prior to his return to the academy, Clark had an illustrious career as a bomber pilot, accumulating over 4,200 flight hours, including 400 in combat. He held several command and policy-making roles, notably in the Air Force’s nuclear enterprise.

Mississippi State President Mark Keenum, chairman of the playoff’s Board of Managers, commented on Clark’s background: “He piloted the B-1 bomber. … Given some of the issues in college football, you may never know when that might come in handy.”

Clark’s appointment to the College Football Playoff signifies a pivotal moment for both the organization and the future of college football leadership.