Georgia names Bulldogs’ new athletic director
Josh Brooks held the interim title as Georgia’s athletic director for five days. Now it’s no longer needed.
Georgia announced on Wednesday afternoon that Brooks, formerly serving as Georgia’s senior deputy director of athletics, will serve as the school’s full-time athletic director. Former AD Greg McGarity opted to retire after 10-plus years at the helm and finished his tenure Dec. 31.
Brooks was one of the assumed favorites for the position after McGarity decided to retire. Georgia formed a group for a nationwide search, but the Bulldogs only had to search within their own program. Brooks was one in a “diverse group” of candidates to be interviewed, school President Jere Morehead said.
“From visionary and strategist to contract negotiator, fundraiser and champion for student-athletes — the modern-day athletic director must effectively wear many hats,” Morehead said in a statement released by the university. “I am confident that Josh can wear all of these hats extraordinarily well, and I am excited to see our athletic program continue to evolve as one of the premier programs in the nation with him at the helm.”
Brooks assumes the role after working in Georgia’s athletic administration for 11 years. He left Georgia in 2014 to serve as athletic director for two seasons at Millsaps College, then opted to return to Athens.
Brooks has long been a figure who has worked behind the scenes in Athens. He didn’t receive much attention from the outside, but those within the organization reiterated Brooks’ value. McGarity, before departing, sung his praises of Brooks and said he would vouch for the longtime Georgia staffer.
Less than a week later, the confidence from within paid off.
“First, I want to thank President Morehead for giving me this incredible opportunity,” Brooks said. “This is a dream come true, and I am excited to get started. To everyone who supports and represents Georgia athletics — from our student-athletes, donors and fans to our coaches, staff and administrators — you are the heart and soul of the Bulldog Nation, and I am honored to lead an organization that means so much to all of us. As athletic director, you can expect me to be visible, to be connected and engaged, and to be tirelessly devoted to the success of our student-athletes.”
Most of Brooks’ work has centered around facilities at Georgia. He helped orchestrate events such as the Jason Aldean concert at Sanford Stadium. The multi-million dollar football expansion project and indoor practice facilities have benefited from a lot of Brooks’ influence.
Most recently, Brooks led the development of a plan to have fans in Sanford Stadium and Stegeman Coliseum during the COVID-19 pandemic. Brooks sketched a blueprint of the stadium and mapped seating assignments so fans could attend.
Brooks also assisted in scheduling the well-documented home-and-home football series with Notre Dame in 2017 and 2019.
This story was originally published January 6, 2021 at 1:58 PM.