Derek Dooley Is Apparently Pitching Group of Five Schools on Their Own Playoff on Behalf of Private Equity Firms

The Athletic — Group of 5 administrators have had preliminary discussions in recent months about a G5-only postseason playoff or even wide-scale G5 realignment with the involvement of private equity.

Multiple administrators from within the G5 conferences — the American, Sun Belt, Mountain West, MAC and Conference USA — told The Athletic that former college and NFL coach Derek Dooley has been the salesman on behalf of private equity firms, making contact with schools. The administrators, who were granted anonymity to discuss sensitive matters, made clear that nothing is imminent and they haven’t been presented with any numbers yet. But conversations are more real than they’ve ever been. Dooley did not respond to a request for comment. CBS Sports first reported on the talks.

The initial idea circulated among administrators earlier this year, but once the Big Ten and SEC threw around their weight to reshape the new College Football Playoff contract and grant themselves far more guaranteed revenue and almost all of the control, that served as the tipping point for many administrators to chart their future sooner rather than later. While the new CFP will bring in hundreds of millions more in revenue, the payouts to the Group of 5 will be relatively unchanged.

Details of the plans under discussion vary. Some administrators like a smaller-scale idea of creating their own postseason to replace bowl games. Others believe the entire Group of 5 — especially the American, Conference USA and Sun Belt — should reorganize geographically under one banner with multiple divisions and share all revenue equally like a pro sports league.

It was only a matter of time before the Group of Five decided to do something to combat the changes occurring at the highest level of college football, and it seems like the top couple of options are being spearheaded by private equity firms and, for some reason, Derek Dooley.

I have no idea why Dooley is spearheading this campaign on behalf of private equity firms — maybe his background as a lawyer has something to do with it? — but it's a hilarious way for his name to pop up again in the college football landscape. This guy will never go away.

In terms of the options on the table, though, this reorganization of the Group of Five feels like it will very necessary pretty soon, whatever form it ends up taking. All the talk of the upcoming 12- and 14-team College Football Playoff formats seems to distract some people from the fact that once that TV contract is done in 2031, college football is likely going to be an entirely different sport than what it exists as right now. The G5 needs to figure out how it's going to continue to survive when it's literally no longer on the same playing field as the power conferences.

I think a Group of Five league with its own playoff would be great. I think it would be even better if that league played in the spring to give us college football year-round. That could obviously present some challenges with the NFL, but I'm sure something could be worked out. Once you're no longer playing any games against the big schools, why not get as many eyes as possible on your product?

I don't know what the G5 ends up looking like, but I'm glad those schools are being proactive and figuring something out. I'd just love to know how Derek Dooley became the frontman for this whole operation.