Another job creation for Hobart’s Hancock
One of these days, Hobart native Bill Hancock is going to take a low-pressure job and learn to relax. Luckily for college football, that won’t come anytime soon.
One of the nicest guys you could ever hope to meet, Hancock has been named the first-ever executive director of the Bowl Championship Series. The most volatile lightning rod in collegiate athletics now rests in the hands of a 1972 Oklahoma graduate who has no known enemies.
Hancock is so good at what he does, new positions continue to be created for him. Hancock initially caught the NCAA’s eye when he coordinated the Big Eight basketball tournament and the 1988 Final Four, both in Kansas City, Mo., the previous home of the NCAA.
The NCAA promptly made Hancock the first-ever director of the Division I men’s basketball tournament (the Final Four), and he helped make it the greatest sports spectacle on earth. Four years ago, Hancock became the first-ever BCS administrator, serving directly under the acting coordinator in day to-day operations. Now Hancock is executive director of college football’s non-tournament that seemingly everyone likes to criticize.
“This is so different for me because I came from the most popular college sports event in America to this,” Hancock said with a chuckle, “but I really think we can move the needle on the BCS. I think a lot of people’s frustration is they don’t understand it.
“When I was at the NCAA, I used to say, ‘I’ve got the greatest job in America.’ But when people asked if I could pick another job, I would always say, ‘I’d love to be the director of the football championship,’ never thinking it would happen. This is as close as it gets.”
Hancock’s promotion was announced by current BCS coordinator John Swofford, who will continue his role through the end of his term (Jan, 7, 2010).
The BCS coordinator position rotated among conference commissioners every two years, but Hancock said the demands became too great. “It became more work that the commissioner had time to do,” Hancock said. “Really, it was being run by volunteers. There was never anybody at the point, somebody who could say, ‘Here’s the problem, and this is why.’ ”
Hancock will manage the daily BCS operations, interact with bowl organizations and television rights holders and serve as the organization’s primary spokesperson. His promotion resulted from a recommendation of the BCS commissioners last month and was formally approved Monday. Hancock will report to the 11 conference commissioners and to the Notre Dame athletic director — the individuals who oversee the BCS operation.
Hancock is the father of former Oklahoma State media relations coordinator Will Hancock, who was among the 10 travel members killed on OSU’s return trip from a men’s basketball game in Colorado on Jan. 27, 2001.
