Full concession that it’s been said ad nauseam and almost sounds cliche now. But there are sporadic episodes to remind us that College Football is a business now, more than ever. And businesses are cut throat. One Big 12 staffer, or executive rather, has just been hit with the full force of this reality. Turns out 20 years of ardent service and an intrinsic emotional connection to your program don’t quite cut it in the modern iteration of the sport.The dynamics around CFB are changing, and the conclusive passing of the House Settlement earmarks this. But some things remain constant. Like when a school hires a new athletic director, best believe changes beckon. For good or for bad will be deliberated on much later. But a fresh AD and their fresh outlook is bound to shift the status quo in the building. Unfortunately, the hiring of an AD at a prominent Big 12 school has meant even the associate AD wasn’t exempt from getting the proverbial boot.The TCU Horned Frogs have, in the grand scheme of things, been a steady, middling program. With the Cinderella-esque run to the Natty in 2022 being their biggest highlight in eons. Hindsight is 20/20, but losing 65-7 to prime Georgia in the championship game has transpired into HC Sonny Dykes’ program losing all momentum. A couple of relatively mild seasons since, in tandem with the rest of TCU athletics not living out it’s potential, led to the hiring of Mike Buddie as AD earlier this year. The former Army Black Knights head honcho has been stamping his authority since. But he wouldn’t have been too comfortable when he had to make a colleague, and the capacity he held, redundant this week. A few months of the new regime displacing someone who’d been in Fort Worth for two decades.Mark Cohen was hired as TCU’s director of athletics- media relations in 2005. Which is their nomenclature for the SID or Sports Information Director, a common role around collegiate athletics landscape. After being initially promoted to assistant AD, Cohen became the associate AD for communications in July ‘16. On Friday, he was relieved of his duties. Mark Cohen, in a statement on X, said his position in the organization had been eliminated entirely. Mark was a terrific asset to TCU for so long. He managed things and promoted the Horned Frogs under what were some really, really challenging situations at times there and seemed to be able to smile thru it all. Above all, the guy really cared about their players. https://t.co/3ESJHcJ0Dr— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) June 6, 2025Cohen’s long-winded and elaborate statement on X was equal parts professional and emotional. Horned Frogs fans, in the aftermath of this news, are bemoaning the decision. It’s been alleged that Cohen, a stand-up figure for TCU raising two children on the spectrum, was nearing retirement anyway. So the prevailing sentiment in the fanbase is that he should’ve been afforded the chance to leave on his own terms all things considered. But the aforementioned statement he released through social media wouldn’t have you think Mark Cohen has any bad blood towards the university or regime whatsoever.The post Historic Big 12 Program Moves On from Veteran Staffer Amid Department Restructuring appeared first on EssentiallySports.