The NCAA is "putting some of its rising coaching candidates through its Champion Forum to better prepare them for the interview process" in an "effort to increase the diversity in the Power Five conferences and across the country," according to Stephen Whyno of the AP. Minorities make up only 19% of D-I head football coaches and "less across the Power Five conferences: the ACC, SEC, Big Ten, Big 12 and Pac 12." In contrast, 61% of D-I players "are minorities." The Champion Forum has "helped Penn State's James Franklin, Vanderbilt's Derek Mason, Stanford's David Shaw, Arizona's Kevin Sumlin and others get head jobs, with the aim of pushing along the next generation." In eight years running the Champion Forum, NCAA Dir of Leadership Development Curtis Hollomon has "seen progress with more minority coaches being in the mix for openings." The program "includes two steps of interview training, video clips to show strengths and weaknesses, and an in-person follow-up" by former Redskins GM Charley Casserly and other officials. This year, the NCAA "invited the coordinators' wives to sit in on the program and welcomed their input" (AP, 7/4).
