Wisconsin has promoted former Deputy Athletic Director and Chief Operating Officer Marcus Sedberry to be the new general manager of the football program, per a report from ESPN's Pete Thamel.
This is a critical move for the Badgers' front office, which had just taken a hit with the news that newly minted general manager Max Stienecker — who was elevated to that role in August — is set to leave the program to be the Executive Director of Personnel at USC.
“I’m honored to embrace this new role with our football program,” Sedberry said in a statement released Monday. “As the landscape of college athletics continues to change, it’s crucial that we invest in our future and commit resources to manage these developments effectively. I look forward to working closely with our coaches, student-athletes and staff to build on our strong foundation."
Sedberry came to Madison in February of 2022 as the deputy athletic director, the title he's held since. Prior to arriving in Wisconsin, he spent five years with Baylor as a senior associate athletics director. According to his profile on UWBadgers.com, he "played a critical role in reshaping the strategic direction of the athletics department" in his time in Waco.
Prior to Baylor, Sedberry spent time on other campuses. At the University of Central Florida, he was the director of student-athlete services. At the University of Arkansas, he was the director of student-athlete development, and later had another stint in Fayetteville as the assistant athletic director for student-athlete development and administration. He also has NFL experience, working as the director of player engagement for the Philadelphia Eagles.
“Marcus has been an invaluable asset for our football program,” Athletic Director Chris McIntosh said in the same statement. “His leadership and vision are perfect for this role. Expanding Marcus’s involvement demonstrates our strategy to embrace the future of collegiate athletics and positions us to navigate the opportunities ahead. From his time in the NFL to various collegiate athletic departments, Marcus has been a part of success everywhere he has been.”
Sedberry has experience in the Big Ten as well — he was a track and field athlete himself at the University of Nebraska.
According to his LinkedIn profile, the new general manager has a doctorate in education from Tarleton State University, as well as an MBA in sports business management from UCF.
Sedberry joins a front office staff that already features Director of Recruiting Pat Lambert and Director of Football Operations John Richter, among others. He'll step in to fill what's becoming an increasingly vital role in college football as roster building begins to more closely mirror professional sports. With revenue sharing on the horizon as well, Wisconsin couldn't risk leaving its general manager position vacant for too long.
“Marcus has played a big part in building our 2025 roster and enhancing our program's operations,” head football coach Luke Fickell said. “His experiences both in professional and college football make this a natural fit and his connection with everything we’ve done during my time here gives our relationship the strength to grow the foundation of our program."
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