May 5, 2008
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – University of Notre Dame athletics director Kevin White will take part in a two-day, inaugural Football Forum on May 15-16 in Dallas, Texas, sponsored jointly by the National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame and the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA). At the two-day event, leaders from the world of college football and the media will gather to discuss the major challenges shaping today’s college football landscape.
“Ensuring the future of our sport remains paramount, and the NFF board wanted to play a role in creating a healthy dialogue between the leaders of our sport and the media,” said NFF President & CEO Steven J. Hatchell. “By creating greater access for the media in a relaxed setting, we hope that the forum can become an annual affair that will create a greater understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing our sport between all the parties involved.”
The event, entitled College Football: Today and Tomorrow, will be broken in to four sessions, and discussion topics will include media relations, academics, recruiting, player conduct, the obligations of coaches beyond the field, coaching compensation and contracts, minority coaching opportunities, the economics of the sport, post-season imperatives, the influence of the NFL on the college game, the state of high school football and the health of the game.
“This is a great opportunity for college coaches, administrators and the media to move from a press conference structure to a more relaxed atmosphere where an exchange of ideas and information can flow freely,” said Steve Richardson, FWAA executive director. “We certainly hope that this becomes an annual staple of the college football scene and will grow in popularity over the years where the media can engage some of the best minds in college football about the pertinent topics of the day.”
In addition to White, panelists scheduled to attend include: Kevin Anderson, United States Military Academy athletics director; Mark Mangino, University of Kansas head coach; Gary Patterson, Texas Christian University head coach; Jim Tressel, Ohio State University head coach; Dr. T. K. Wetherell, Florida State University president; and Tyrone Willingham, University of Washington head coach (and former Notre Dame head coach).
Media currently scheduled to attend include the Associated Press, USA Today, ESPN, CBSSports.com, The Sporting News, and several more of the nation’s top writers and editors.
The event sponsors include the Heisman Trophy Trust, the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award, the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, the FedEx Orange Bowl and Schutt Sports.
Other participants include representatives from the NCAA, all 11 of the conference offices from the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision; all five of the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) bowl games, the Division I-A Athletics Directors Association, the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), North Texas High School Coaches Association, and the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
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