Who is Rich Clark, the new College Football Playoff director? More about Bill Hancock’s replacement

The College Football Playoff has expanded to 12 teams beginning this season, and that means there are a lot of changes happening behind the scenes.

One new member of the College Football Playoff board is the new executive director, Rich Clark. He kicked off the second and final day of the 2024 Big 12 Media Days.

So, what do we know about the newest member of the College Football Playoff board? Let's take a closer look.

What do we know about the new CFP director Rich Clark?

Lieutenant General Richard M. Clark was selected to officially replace Bill Hancock as the executive director of the College Football Playoff. He is a three-star General as well as a four-year letter winner with the US Air Force Football team.

Currently, Clark serves as the Superintendent for the US Air Force Academy. He directs the four-year regiment of military training, academics, athletics and character development, according to the College Football Playoff press release.

He served as the US Air Force Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic & Nuclear Integration at the Pentagon, and also as a key advisor to the Security of Labor. Clark would also serve in three combat tours after attending the US Air Force Academy.

"I want to thank Bill Hancock for all that he's done for college football. He wil certainly leave big shoes to fill and I look forward to his mentorship. I also want to thank the US Air Force Academy, where I have built so many incredible relationships. It is the place that launched my military and academic career. It will be hard to leave the service after 38 years and I will always be indebted to the Academy and the Air Force," h/t College Football Playoff.

What is different with the College Football Playoff this year?

The College Football Playoff has been drastically changed from what we have been used to throughout the previous decade.

There has been an increase to 12 teams in the CFP with the top four seeds being the highest-ranking conference champion winners and receiving a first-round bye. The following eight spots will be the highest-ranking non-conference champions.