Report: List of candidates for Big 12 commissioner job

Bob Bowlsby made an announcement on Tuesday, saying he would be stepping down as the commissioner of the Big 12 later this year. After spending 10 years on the job, he will be handing the job off to somebody else before the conference goes through a full round of realignment.

Ross Dellinger of Sports Illustrated reported a few names on the shortlist to be the next person in charge of the Big 12. Ranging from current Big 12/SEC/Pac-12 athletic directors to a smaller conference athletic director, there is even an in-house hire Dellinger says could be an option.

“A few candidates to watch for Big 12 commissioner gig, per some industry insiders: Bama AD Greg Byrne; Baylor AD Mack Rhoades; WVU AD Shane Lyons; Oliver Luck; Oregon AD Rob Mullens; UW AD Jen Cohen; Colorado AD Rick George; Big 12 senior associate commissioner Ed Stewart.”

In a later tweet, Dellinger said current WCC commissioner Gloria Nevarez will be a candidate as well after being a finalist for the recently open Pac-12 commissioner job.

Texas Tech president and board chair Lawrence Schovanec told Max Olson of The Athletic they would want to make the hire within the next 90 days. That would line up somewhere in between the middle of July, with the new calendar beginning at the start of the month.

Less than 24 hours ago, the Baylor Bears gave their athletic director Mack Rhoades a lengthy contract extension to keep him in Waco. Now, he is been listed as a possible replacement for Bowlsby alongside fellow conference AD Shane Lyons of West Virginia.

Alabama Crimson Tide athletic director Greg Byrne would be an interesting possible candidate, despite having no experience within the Big 12. He also was linked with the Pac-12 job, previously working with the Arizona Wildcats as their athletic director. Byrne’s entire career has been either spent on the West Coast or within the SEC and would be taking on a new challenge in the Big 12.

Finally, a few Pac-12 athletic directors will get looked at, including a pair from the Pacific Northwest. Rob Mullens of the Oregon Ducks most recently served on the College Football committee as the head chairman. A graduate of West Virginia University, he will have a connection to at least one school within the conference.