HOOVER, Ala. â€“ After months of relative inactivity in the development of the College Football Playoff selection committee, the men who have reshaped the college football postseason have taken a critical first step.

Current athletic directors will be used on the committee, an industry source told Sporting News Wednesday â€“ a direct reversal from public statements made in May by CFP executive director Bill Hancock.

It now appears as the though the selection committee will consist of one athletic director from each of the five power conferences, former coaches and players and possibly former media members.

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The CFP still hasnâ€™t worked out metrics the committee will use, or the total number of members. There likely will be an equal number of current athletic directors, former coaches and a third group of voters.

If an athletic directorâ€™s school is part of the playoff process, he or she will leave the room during voting for that team. The athletic director would stay in the room if a member from his or her conference is being debated.

Another significant problem still being addressed: promotion. While SEC commissioner Mike Slive reiterated Tuesday that the process will be â€œtransparent,â€ there are concerns about how often the committee meets and releases a poll or ranks the top teams.

Hancock said in May that the initial thinking was â€œtwo or threeâ€ polls or rankings through the regular season before the final ranking. But that leaves the process open for criticism â€“- and more important, prevents the CFP from taking complete ownership of the poll process.

While current polls wonâ€™t be used in the process, there is concern among some in the working CFP group that failing to release a weekly ranking will allow the Associated Press and coaches polls â€“ two polls that had defined the game for decades â€“ to direct the narrative and therefore minimize the CFP poll.