ATHENS -- As expected, new Georgia Athletic Director Josh Brooks assumed the salary that his predecessor Greg McGarity was earning.
Brooks will make $700,000 in his first year as the Bulldogs’ AD, according to UGA’s response to a Freedom of Information request for recent salary actions. That represents a $483,000 raise from what he was making as Georgia’s senior deputy athletic director.
However, UGA did not provide any requested information on a new contract or employment agreement for Brooks. McGarity was working on a year-to-year basis, but Brooks is expected to eventually sign a multiyear agreement, as is typical for SEC and Power 5 ADs.
Brooks, 40, became the youngest athletic director in Power 5 athletics when he was tabbed to succeed McGarity on Jan. 6. He was chosen over “dozens” of candidates, who were vetted by the search firm owned by former Ole Miss AD Todd Turner, Collegiate Sports Association.
Meanwhile, Brooks earned a little extra money for his family during his very brief tenure as interim athletic director. Documents show that he was to be paid $10,000-a-month for that role. He actually worked as interim AD for only five days.
It was not immediately known if UGA will pay him for the entire month or a prorated amount, which would be $1,666.67.
Also included in the salary-action report was a raise of Darrice Griffin, who will now earn $240,000 annual in the deputy role Brooks previously held. Griffin was to earn a $2,500-a-month in an interim role as deputy AD.
Also, a salary was approved for Courtney Gary, who was hired in December by UGA for the newly-created position of assistant AD for diversity. She will earn $80,000 a year annually.
In the area of compliance, UGA reported just one NCAA violation in the final six months of 2020. That was a Level III violation for impermissible contact committed by an unidentified football assistant coach on Jan. 30 of last year. That coach was prohibited from participating in off‐campus recruiting activity or in‐person on or off‐campus contact with the prospective athlete for 30 days. Also, the total number of permissible contacts and spring evaluation days was reduced by two. Neither the coach nor the prospect was identified in the report.
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