Football runs through Teamworks. Trusted by 99% of college programs and 100% of the NFL, we’ve built the only unified football ecosystem connecting recruiting, roster management, scouting, player development, and coaching in one place. With Teamworks, you can manage recruiting boards, evaluate players, and link every assessment to film, powered by the best analytics team in sports that gives you the tools to uncover hidden value, retain your roster, master the Portal, and win negotiations. That’s why football runs through Teamworks. Learn more.

D1 Jobs powered by CollegeSports.jobs... New opportunities at Lawrence (DIII) and Middle Tennessee, below. CollegeSports.jobs welcomed nearly 3,000,000 visitors in 2025 to the No. 1 jobs site in college athletics. Any job posted on CS.j gets distributed via College.town publications, including D1.ticker (32,000+ subscribers) and Coaches.wire (30,000+ subscribers). Post HERE to maximize the reach of your job openings, while enjoying the most affordable posting price offered in the industry. More bang, less bucks.

 

D1.ticker’s Sport Administrator Database... has been updated for Q1 of 2026. Nearly 80 schools submitted changes in the past few weeks. You'll find every sport administrator assignment at every DI department around the nation for 55 existing & emerging sports. Efficiency play for scheduling, best practices, coaching & staff searches, etc. Free signup & usage. Please reply to this email if your school’s list needs an update. (link) 

NCAA President Charlie Baker recently sat down with SI’s Pat Forde at the FCS Championship in Nashville for a wide-ranging Q&A on the myriad issues college sports is confronting. Here are some of Baker’s most notable comments…

 

➤ On getting everyone to coalesce around the idea of a uniform set of rules and meaningful enforcement: “Well, most people [want rules]. … The mere fact that we got the [House] settlement done, and admittedly that came with some outside pressure, I mean, that was an agreement around a set of rules. No one wants [CSC CEO] Bryan Seeley and his team to succeed more than I do, but they have a way to go there. And the other thing I would say here is that group dynamic decision making is always more complicated than one individual authority or two. Most of the college presidents, most of the ADs and most of the coaches I talk to say they would like clarity on this stuff. We’re setting up a mechanism to create clarity, and it’s based in many cases on some of the key elements that people said were important to them that should be part of it. And now we’re just going to have to see if people can get there.”

➤ On the new transfer portal window: “The rationale for getting rid of the spring window and creating a window in January was the opportunity it would present to acclimate transfer kids to campus, school, spring practice and all the rest, and would force everybody to make one round of decisions instead of literally creating uncertainty that was going to last six months instead of three weeks. And I think logistically, that wasn’t a terrible idea. I think it was probably a better idea than what we had before. I’m sure the committee’s going to reevaluate, which is what they usually do, after we get past the CFP title game. I think there’s genuinely an interest in one window. The big debate the last time was about whether the window should be in the spring or in January. … There’s another conversation to be had, which is when should the season start and all the rest. Like many others in the college football world, I want to leave Army-Navy alone. So it’s just a hard window.” More from Baker. (link)

The College Sports Commission has “released interpretive guidance holding that deals that seek to later offset rev share pool effect based on future third party deals count fully towards the pool, regardless of if that offset happens,” per Boise State Asst. Professor Sam Ehrlich. Full CSC interpretation. (link) 

SBJ forecasts a “new financial arms race” in college sports for 2026, catalyzed by Utah's $500M private equity deal with Otro Capital and the Big 12's pending $500M credit deal with RedBird Capital and Weatherford Capital, respectively. SBJ’s Ben Portnoy: “The Big 12 deal is particularly interesting, as it opens a door for schools to get cash at a low borrow rate (believed to be below 10%) that can go toward revenue-generating activities within a school’s athletic department. That’s crucial, as the most important weapon in college sports these days is cold, hard cash. PE has circled college sports for years, but entry points haven’t been simple. The Big Ten’s $2.4B deal with UC Investments is on hold, thanks to USC and Michigan’s consternation. Deals with individual schools remain complicated by intertwining outside capital and state institutions. Still, expect a windfall of deals over the next 12 months.” Concurrently, the landscape faces a looming inflection point with the integration of AI into everyday workflows like ticketing and sponsorship, the regulatory gray zone of prediction markets blurring with sports betting, and the House settlement likely triggering multiple Title IX challenges as schools funnel the bulk of revenue-sharing dollars to men's sports. Lots more. (link)

Vanderbilt AD Candice Storey Lee was “hell-bent on rewriting the narrative” of the Commodores’ athletic department, per The Tennessean’s Paul Skrbina, who notes that as both the first female and Black female AD in the SEC, firsts for Lee are truly nothing out of the ordinary. Lee: “I think, historically, there had been an underinvestment and inconsistent investment into athletics. That's objectively true. To be fair, you could say we had been playing catch-up. But we don't think of it that way. There were historical gaps that I inherited that had to be addressed to give us the foundation necessary to actually do the things we think Vanderbilt can do.” VU Football HC Clark Lea: “I have a partner down the hall, not a judge. She understood better than I did how sick this program had become and how far it needed to go before it was going to be competitive.” More. (link) 

Objectors to House settlement approval between the NCAA and former Division I student-athletes represented by the House, Hubbard and Carter antitrust litigations “have raised unpersuasive and unsupported arguments,” per a brief filed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit by the NCAA and power leagues, according to Sportico’s Michael McCann, who notes Association attorneys hope to persuade the Ninth Circuit that it should affirm the House ruling. McCann: “Don’t expect a swift response from the Ninth Circuit, which sometimes takes around two years to decide an appeal. The loser … could also petition the U.S. Supreme Court, which, if it agreed to review, could push the litigation clock back another year or two. The stakes couldn’t be larger in college sports: If the settlement is ultimately rejected, House, Carter and Hubbard would return to the litigation docket and the various new rules governing college sports and athletes’ rights could be removed.” More. (link) 

College Hockey Insider’s Mike McMahon calls attendance an ”unavoidable subplot” in the build-up to this year NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey Tournament, particularly in Albany where McMahon notes “the [selection] committee may be forced to think beyond ‘bracket integrity’ and how Cornell could suddenly become one of the most important teams in the entire tournament picture.” McMahon: “We don’t have access to advance ticket sales for [the] Albany [Regional], but the NCAA does. Those numbers will matter. If they’re soft, the committee may feel compelled to do whatever it can to get Cornell into Albany to create at least some level of draw. That could raise eyebrows if the Big Red land as a No. 3 seed rather than a No. 1 or No. 2, but it may be a necessary step to avoid a PR headache — or worse, an embarrassing attendance figure. As things stand now, Albany doesn’t inspire much confidence. Only all-session tickets are available through Ticketmaster, and a significant portion of the arena isn’t even open for sale. With just the lower bowl and a small section of the upper bowl available — and plenty of seats still unsold — the warning signs are already there.” More. (link)  

The Athletic’s Sam Khan, Jr. outlines the transfer budgets at Group of 5 schools ranged mostly between $1M and $10M in 2025. Here are the notable numbers from Khan…

➤ “The vast majority of G5 schools have roster budgets below $5M, with a few exceptions. … Quarterbacks get the most, usually topping out around $500K or $600K. One Group of 5 GM, whose school will have roughly a $3M roster budget, said he expects to pay between $300K and $400K for his top quarterback transfer target this cycle.

➤ Typical starting running backs and tight ends will top out around $200K to $250K. High-end receivers can be a little bit more, around $300K. The top going rate for G5 offensive tackles is around $300K to $400K. The ceiling for defensive linemen is around $250K to $300K. For linebackers and defensive backs, the ceiling tops out around $150K to $200K.

➤ The floor for most players in the Group of 5 is in the five figures. … And though most Power 4 players receive some form of revenue sharing or NIL money, that’s not the case at the Group of 5 level, where some are paying extra — above and beyond a scholarship — to only a portion of their roster.” More. (link) 

People & Places…
➤ Ohio State taps Baylor Executive Senior Assoc. AD for External Administration and Business Development Chris Park as Executive Assoc. AD for External Affairs and Chief Communications Officer. (link)
➤ West Virginia welcomes Florida Atlantic Deputy AD/Chief of Staff/SWA Mary Giardina as Executive Senior Assoc. AD for Student-Athlete Experience, Governance and Compliance. (link)
➤ Bucknell names Institute for Advanced Study Chief Development Officer Josh Bowerman as its new Senior Assoc. AD for Revenue Generation. (link)
➤ Western Kentucky Senior Assoc. AD/SWA Gina Stoll has been appointed to the DI Softball Oversight Committee. (link)
➤ Congratulations to ESPN play-by-play announcer Sean McDonough and Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger who have been selected as the 2025 NSMA National Sportscaster of the Year and National Sportswriter of the Year, respectively. CBS sportscaster James Brown and former sportswriter Adrian Wojnarowski are joined by posthumous selections Greg Gumbel (CBS) and Sid Hartman (Minnesota Star Tribune) as 2026 inductees into the National Sports Media Association’s Hall of Fame. (link) 

The CAA has publicly reprimanded North Carolina A&T Men’s Basketball HC Montè Ross for violating the league’s sportsmanship policy during a Dec. 31 home loss to Northeastern. Per the conference, Ross was assessed a technical foul with 25 seconds remaining in the match-up and after the final horn, “confronted the officiating crew as they exited the floor and again in the area near the locker rooms.” (link)

Comcast officially announces the separation of the majority of its cable networks into a separate entity called Versant Media Group, according to The Hollywood Reporter’s Georg Szalai, who notes CEO Mark Lazarus and his staff will “lead the development of an independent strategy,” while also establishing the firm as a potential partner and acquirer of complementary media businesses. Cable channel Bravo, NBC and streaming service Peacock will remain part of Comcast’s entertainment arm NBCUniversal. Lazarus, who has been overseeing most of NBCUniversal’s TV operations as chairman of the NBCUniversal Media Group, remarks: ‘As a standalone company, we enter the market with the scale, strategy and leadership to grow and evolve our business model.” Szalai: “Media, entertainment and tech giant Comcast said on Monday that ‘Versant will commence regular-way trading today on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol VSNT.’ … The deal was structured as a tax-free spinoff to Comcast shareholders. Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, and PJT Partners served as financial advisors to Comcast, with Davis Polk & Wardwell serving as legal counsel.” (link)  

The Arizona Daily Star’s Greg Hansen reflects on the decade-long transformation of college sports administration, noting that Arizona AD Desireé Reed-Francois estimates the job has shifted from "75% competition, 25% other stuff" to "75% finances, 25% competition." Hansen points to Colorado’s new contract for AD Fernando Lovo—featuring six-figure bonuses tied explicitly to fundraising thresholds ($25M and $35M)—as evidence of the new priorities, contrasting it with past incentives based on Learfield Directors’ Cup standings. The operational shift is also visible in staffing, as Hansen notes Arizona's fundraising and marketing teams have doubled from 11 employees under then-AD Greg Byrne in 2016 to 22 today. Georgia AD Josh Brooks echoed the sentiment, telling the Atlanta Journal Constitution: "I love working with staff and student-athletes, and having an impact on their lives. But now you have to spend more time on the legalities of college sports, and how you're going to be creative to fund-raise, because that is paramount." (link)

The Athletic's Ralph Russo analyzes the "rust vs. rest" debate in the College Football Playoff, noting that teams with first-round byes are now 1-7 over the first two seasons of the 12-team format, with top-seeded Indiana's Rose Bowl win over Alabama marking the sole victory for a bye recipient. Breaking it down…

 

➤ Power 4 ADs are questioning the value of the bye, with one noting: "Not with a four-week layoff they aren’t. If it was like the NFL where you had a bye week while others played and were off just a week, then yes. Teams playing every two weeks have the advantage.” 

 

➤ While Oregon HC Dan Lanning has advocated for an overhaul that eliminates byes and starts the playoff immediately after the regular season to keep momentum, Russo explains that logistical hurdles like existing bowl contracts, NFL scheduling conflicts, and locked-in national championship dates make drastic calendar shifts unlikely for next season. Russo suggests that expanding to a 16-team bracket without byes might be the best way to solve the layoff issue.

 

➤ Russo: “It remains to be seen whether this CFP format quirk further motivates the management committee to come to an agreement on expansion. There is also some question about just how much of a detriment the extended downtime that comes with the byes really is after an eight-game sample. No one can argue that having to win three games to win a championship is better than having to win four. But with no easy way to address the long layoffs within the current calendar, saying buh-bye to the byes might be the best way to go.” (link)

The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman analyzes the SEC’s diminishing dominance in the NIL era, as highlighted by Indiana’s 38-3 win over Alabama in the Rose Bowl and the league's 4-9 overall bowl record this postseason. Coaches and insiders argue that NIL and the transfer portal have "erased the limitations" that previously allowed SEC powerhouses to stockpile talent, leveling the playing field for programs like Illinois, which has now beaten SEC teams in back-to-back bowl games. More key nuggets from Feldman’s piece…

 

➤ As one Power 4 offensive coordinator noted: "Hard to ignore the fact that when everyone got to pay players, it leveled the playing field immediately. They can deny all they want, but that’s a fact." The talent drain is also reflected in the NFL Draft, where Feldman notes the Big Ten nearly matched the SEC in top-50 picks last year (18 vs. 21). 

 

➤ A Group of 5 DC who coached in the SEC tells Feldman: “The SEC became really relevant when USC and Miami (FL) got into trouble back in the day. Then the SEC was really able to get into Florida and was able to get into the West and Texas, able to get kids in. Now, with the NIL world coming in, that kid in Florida or someplace else doesn’t have to go to the SEC to have a better lifestyle. Miami, all of a sudden, has become relevant again because the amount of money the school is paying is now up with everybody else. … Nick Saban’s the greatest coach of all time, but Nick knew what was coming down the pipe.” 

 

➤ Illinois HC Bret Bielema adds: “The people who are having a hard time believing it still think it’s 2020. Forget 2000 or 2005-10. It’s a completely different world now. The world has flipped, and for all those who want to live in the past, they were the ones who were great in the past. The people who want to live in the future and the world we’re in now are the ones who are embracing success.” (link)

JohnCanzano.com’s eponymous publisher shares several Pac-12 updates, including that Pac-12 Commissioner Teresa Gould is closing in on hiring a deputy commissioner, a crucial piece of the leadership team needed to pivot the conference ahead of the official July 1 relaunch. Canzano also notes that the league is consulting with brand experts on a logo tweak and fresh branding, urging them to register "Pac-12 After Dark.” Finally, with only eight football members for 2026, the conference faces a looming scheduling decision—potentially opting for seven conference games plus five non-conference, or using a "crossover" alliance—while ADs view the 2026 slate as a one-off with a preference to expand to nine members by 2027. (link)

Yahoo’s Ross Dellenger sorts through the logistics of how outgoing Ole Miss/incoming LSU Football ACs are handling their duties this week: “Ole Miss RBs coach Kevin Smith, one of the assistants who signed with LSU, has returned to Oxford and is at practice today. … Ole Miss' playoff coaching staff structure remains in flux as assistants travel back and forth from Oxford to Baton Rouge. As noted Saturday, Charlie Weis Jr. went from New Orleans after the Sugar Bowl, to Baton Rouge for LSU meetings, to Oxford for Ole Miss Fiesta Bowl prep, back to Baton Rouge for LSU recruiting and is expected back in Oxford for more game prep. The coaches are flying back and forth on private jets on Ole Miss' expense. … It still remains unclear if the other LSU-bound assistants who were supposed to remain with Ole Miss for the CFP run will be in Phoenix for the game or in Oxford for prep.” (link)

ESPN’s Pete Thamel reports Ole Miss has filed another letter to the NCAA on behalf of QB Trinidad Chambliss' medical redshirt waiver request for a sixth year. The letter, via attorney Tom Mars, says in part: "Based on the 'objective evidence' submitted by Ole Miss, it would be absurd for the Committee to conclude that 91 pages of medical records and a detailed letter from Trinidad’s treating physician do not constitute ‘other appropriate medical documentation’ within the meaning of Bylaw 12.6.4.2.2." Thamel adds: “There's high stakes for Chambliss with the NCAA decision. He would be among the top players in the NCAA transfer portal and command millions for 2026 if he's allowed another year of eligibility.” (link)

The Daily News-Record's Shane Mettlen investigates the sudden media push for a separate Group of 6 playoff, citing multiple sources who suggest the narrative is being driven by private equity firms looking to create a tiered college football structure. James Madison AD Matt Roan dismissed the concept as a "non-starter" among administrators, noting: “You’ve not really seen anybody from the Group of 6 advocate for a Group of 6 playoff and there’s really been nobody from the A4 advocate for a Group of 6 playoff. A lot of what you’re seeing is media. It’s people who are paid to talk about these things, not people who are necessarily paid to affect change in these things.” (link) 

Coaches.wire is your one-stop-shop to keep up with all of the coaching staff changes, across all sports at the collegiate level. From Division I through NJCAA, we track all the movements and compile them in one email for your convenience. Check out this morning’s edition. (link)

D1.ticker’s CollegeSports.jobs outperformed the industry in Division I hiring growth for 2025, posting an 11.25% increase in job postings that significantly outpaced the broader market (-52.94% fewer job posts overall across all job boards), NCAA (-33.40%), and NACDA (-42.26%). In December specifically, CollegeSports.jobs recorded a 63.74% growth rate in DI, well ahead of the NCAA (-20.67%) and NACDA (-11.11%). (link)

D1Baseball’s Bradley Smart explores the unique challenges of reclassifying from DII or DIII to DI, noting that the number of DI programs has increased from 284 in 2005 to 308 today, with New Haven and La Salle among the most recent additions. New Haven HC Chris Celano, whose program is joining the NEC, notes that while the jump provides access to a "higher caliber player," the primary recruiting obstacle remains the mandatory postseason ban, which California Baptist HC Gary Adcock called the "biggest hurdle" to overcome. Despite the perception of a massive talent gap, Le Moyne HC Scott Cassidy argues the biggest differentiator is depth—specifically in the bullpen and bottom of the lineup—rather than top-end talent. “You get into a bullpen at a mid-major DI and you’re still going to see some guys. You get deep into a bullpen in DII and that’s where things start to get a little bit noticeable. I think the depth in the pitching staff is one of the biggest things.” St. Thomas HC Chris Olean emphasizes finding a niche: “Our lane is we’re 90% retention and a four-year development school. If you lose a few at the top, a few at the bottom, you’re still in an okay place. I think it’s really just trying to stick to who you are and trust your ability to coach and do your job. Especially for a transitioning school, the best advice I would give them is don’t try to win like everybody else. Figure out how you need to win at your school with your strengths and weaknesses, find your niche, and dive into it.” (link)

Nebraska is proposing to buy out its longtime partner, Clarkson Regional Health Services, for $500M to gain full control of Nebraska Medicine, the primary clinical partner of the university's medical center. The Omaha World-Herald’s Julie Anderson reports the deal, which also includes an estimated $300M for Clarkson-owned real estate, faces opposition from Nebraska Medicine's board, which labeled it a "state takeover" using taxpayer funds. University leaders, however, framed the move as strategic alignment, stating in an email to faculty that “shifting to a new structure aligns us with many of our peer institutions, including those in the Big Ten, and allows us to continue and build upon our mission of providing world-class medical care across Nebraska and beyond.” The university insists the transaction would be financed through debt and asset monetization rather than state or academic funds. (link)

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports the Atlanta Falcons have tapped ZRG Partners to assist on their HC search and Sportsology Group to assist on their GM search. (link)

Interested in advertising a job opening in D1.ticker on CollegeSports.jobs? Submit your position here.

 

(NEWEST!) Director of Athletics (Lawrence University / Appleton, WI): The Director of Athletics is responsible for the successful leadership of all facets of the University – the development, planning, implementation, and evaluation of all athletics activities. (DIII) More details HERE.

 

(NEWEST!) Assistant Coach 1 - Women's Soccer (Middle Tennessee State University / Murfreesboro, TN): Assist the Head Coach with day to day coaching of student athletes. More details HERE.

Job openings by discipline, posted in the past 15 days...

Learning Specialist (The George Washington University / Washington, DC): More details HERE.

 

Assistant Athletics Director for Football Academics (Texas A&M University / College Station, TX): More details HERE.

 

Student Services Coordinator (Vanderbilt University / Nashville, TN): More details HERE.

Assistant Director/Coordinator of Business Operations & Payables (University of Arkansas / Fayetteville, AR): More details HERE.

 

Sr. Associate/Executive Sr. Associate AD/Leadership and Culture Development (University of North Texas / Denton, TX): More details HERE.

 

Sr. Executive Associate AD, Business Strategy & Capital Projects (University of Miami / Coral Gables, FL): More details HERE.

 

Associate Athletic Director, Business Administration (Florida State University / Tallahassee, FL): More details HERE.

 

Chief Financial Officer (University Athletic Association, Inc. at the University of Florida / Gainesville, FL): More details HERE.

Assistant Men's Tennis Coach (University of Texas – San Antonio / San Antonio, TX): More details HERE.

 

Director of Recruiting Strategy (University of Oklahoma / Norman, OK): More details HERE.

 

Assistant Coach, Women's Volleyball (University of Arizona / Tucson, AZ): More details HERE.

 

Director of Scouting and Player Personnel (Florida International University / Miami, FL): More details HERE.

 

Assistant Coach, Men's Soccer (Butler University / Indianapolis, IN): More details HERE.

 

Assistant Coach - Women's Lacrosse (Eastern Michigan University / Ypsilanti, MI): More details HERE.

Associate Athletic Director, Marketing (University of Alabama / Tuscaloosa, AL): More details HERE.

 

Director of Creative Services (University of Central Arkansas / Conway, AR): More details HERE.

 

Coordinator, Digital & Social Media (Big Ten Conference / Rosemont, IL): More details HERE

 

Associate Director - Athletic Communications/Creative Services/Graphic Design (Middle Tennessee State University / Murfreesboro, TN): More details HERE

 

Creative Geniuses! (University of Nevada / Reno, NV): Whatever your creative discipline, send us a note, resume and/or portfolio directly to: jshoji@unr.edu

There are currently no job listings in this field.

Assistant Athletics Director, Eagles Club (Florida Gulf Coast University / Fort Myers, FL): More details HERE.

 

Director of Development (United States Air Force Academy / Colorado Springs, CO): More details HERE.

 

Assistant Director of Development, Athletics (University of California – San Diego / La Jolla, CA): More details HERE.

 

Dir., Philanthropic Giving - Southeast (United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee / Miami, FL): More details HERE.

Dir., Philanthropic Giving - Northeast (NYC) (United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee / New York City, NY): More details HERE.

 

Assistant Director, External Relations (University of Delaware / Newark, DE): More details HERE.

Sr. Associate/Executive Sr. Associate AD/Leadership and Culture Development (University of North Texas / Denton, TX): More details HERE.

 

Sr. Executive Associate AD, Business Strategy & Capital Projects (University of Miami / Coral Gables, FL): More details HERE.

 

Chief Financial Officer (University Athletic Association, Inc. at the University of Florida / Gainesville, FL): More details HERE.

Senior Athletics Operations Associate, Mount Vernon Athletic Facilities and Barcroft Park (The George Washington University / Washington, DC): More details HERE.

 

Athletics Groundskeeper (Florida Gulf Coast University / Fort Myers, FL): More details HERE.

There are currently no job listings in this field.

Athletic Trainer (University of South Carolina – Upstate / Spartanburg, SC): More details HERE.

 

Assistant Director, Behavioral Health & Performance (Tulane University / New Orleans, LA): More details HERE.

 

Director, Strength and Conditioning (The George Washington University / Washington, DC): More details HERE.

 

Assistant Athletic Trainer (Swim & Dive) (San Diego State University / San Diego, CA): More details HERE.

There are currently no job listings in this field.

Senior Director of Ticket Operations (Texas A&M University 12th Man Foundation / College Station, TX): More details HERE.

 

Assistant Director of Ticket Operations (Texas A&M University 12th Man Foundation / College Station, TX): More details HERE.

 

Associate Director of Ticket Services (East Carolina University / Greenville, NC): More details HERE.