In October of 2013, Oliver Luck was reportedly the top target for Texas in its search for a new athletic director. While West Virginia held onto its athletic director then, it appears there’s no such luck, so to speak, this time around.
According to Mike Casazza of the Charleston Daily Mail, Luck will step down as WVU’s athletic director to take a position with the NCAA. In confirming Casazza’s report, ESPN.com‘s Brett McMurphy tweeted that “Luck’s new position at NCAA will be second in command behind NCAA President Mark Emmert.”
An official announcement is expected at some point today.
Luck was hired by WVU in June of 2012, coming back to his alma mater from the private sector. In the late seventies and on into the early eighties, Luck played quarterback for the Mountaineers.
Andrew Luck, Oliver’s son, is the starting quarterback of the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts. As luck would have it, the NCAA’s offices are located in the city of Indianapolis. Whether that had any impact on the elder Luck’s decision is unknown.
The impact of Luck’s departure won’t be limited solely to WVU. This year, Luck was one of the 12 members of the College Football Playoff selection committee. Each of the Power Five conferences have one current athletic director on the committee; because of Luck’s new position, the Big 12 will be forced to find a replacement for 2015.
Look for Oklahoma’s Joe Castiglione‘s name to be mentioned heavily in that capacity.
UPDATED 11:01 a.m. ET: The NCAA confirmed in a press release that Oliver Luck has been named as the executive vice president of regulatory affairs. The newly-created position is described as bringing “the national office regulatory functions – academic and membership affairs, the Eligibility Center and enforcement – under one umbrella.” “In particular,” the release stated, Luck “will be charged with developing stronger integration among regulatory staffs, improving efficiency and strengthening relationships with NCAA colleges and universities.”
“I am very pleased to have Oliver joining our team in the national office,” NCAA president Mark Emmert said in a statement. “He brings to us wide ranging, hands-on experience from across athletic, academic, and business worlds. Most important, his commitment to the success and well-being of our student-athletes is unquestionable. He has demonstrated that commitment on the ground and throughout his life. I’m anxious for him to get started with us.”