Tampa Bay legend Derrick Brooks takes key leadership role at USF Athletics

When USF was looking for someone to lead its Athletics Department after Michael Kelly departed, there was plenty of community support for NFL Hall of Famer and civic icon Derrick Brooks.

The job of CEO of Athletics eventually went to Rob Higgins, another person with great support and respect throughout Tampa Bay. But you can't leave someone like Brooks on the bench at a time when USF is experiencing dramatic growth in its athletic programs, and it turns out it wasn't an either/or choice between Brooks and Higgins.

Brooks was announced on Thursday as USF's Chief Operating Officer for Athletics, joining Higgins to create a powerhouse leadership team along with Board of Trustees Chair Will Weatherford and Vice Chair Michael Griffin.

Brooks becomes the second NFL Hall of Famer and former Tampa Bay Buccaneer to have a leadership role at USF. The late Lee Roy Selmon spent 19 years at the university in the athletic department and served as the athletic director from 2001-2004.

Adding Brooks gives USF even deeper ties to the greater Tampa Bay area, along with considerable cache around the state and nation. Before joining the Bulls, Brooks was the Executive Vice President of Corporate and Community Development at Vinik Sports Group since 2017. He also is active in local charities and is the co-founder of the Brooks-DeBartolo College High School in Tampa.

"We have committed to Bulls Nation to build something special here in USF Athletics to best serve our student-athletes, coaches, faculty, alumni and fans," Higgins said in a statement.

"Derrick Brooks has been a pillar of Team Tampa Bay for the last 30 years and a leader in the state of Florida his entire life. We have been fortunate to work with Derrick many times over the last two decades, including bringing the Super Bowl to Tampa and hosting that event. We could not be more excited to welcome his passion, energy, and expertise at USF Athletics as our new COO. He's the ultimate role model for our student-athletes."

His new duties include Football and Men's Basketball Administration in tandem with Higgins, revenue generation, sports tourism strategy, enhancing student-athlete experiences, and Team Tampa Bay/local pro franchise relations.

His job was also described as the "lead community ambassador."

Put it this way: Brooks is an immense presence that fills up any room he enters. Bay Area leaders will accept his calls. They will listen as he outlines the vision for USF athletics, and then they will support that venture in ways that couldn't have been imagined just a few years ago.

And he already had ties to USF before this announcement. His daughter, DaNia, is an infielder on the Bulls softball team.

"There is no better time to be a Bull!" Brooks said. "The University of South Florida has long held a special place in my heart and for my family, most recently as huge supporters of our daughter DaNia and her teammates on the reigning American Conference Tournament champion softball team.

"I cannot think of a university or an athletics department with brighter futures than ours, and I am ready to get to work and excited to join Rob, his staff, and the tremendous student-athletes and coaches who make USF Athletics a one-of-one college athletic department. As Rob likes to say: All Gas. No Brakes. No Regrets. No Excuses. And I'll just add: Go Bulls!"