Wisconsin football promotes internal candidate to fill general manager role
Marcus Sedberry has been promoted to GM and will oversee Wisconsin Badgers roster management, player personnel, and other football operations.
The University of Wisconsin football program has found its next general manager, and they didn’t have to look far to do it.
Deputy athletic director and chief operating officer Marcus Sedberry is set to step into the role, bringing his extensive administrative experience as well as a strong connection to the Badgers’ football program.
A Nebraska graduate, Sedberry built an impressive resume with administrative stops at UCF, Arkansas, and Baylor, along with a stint in the Philadelphia Eagles front office before landing at Wisconsin.
Sedberry, who has been with the University of Wisconsin since 2022, has served as the football team's administrator while overseeing contracts and attending practices, press conferences, and other team events.
"Marcus has been an invaluable asset for our football program," Chris McIntosh said in a 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."
His promotion comes after the departure of Max Stienecker, who left for a similar position with the USC Trojans. Stienecker played a key role in the Wisconsin recruiting department. He was the driving force behind many of the Badgers’ top-of-the-board targets and was universally respected for his energy and ability to connect with high school recruits.
With Stienecker gone, it could make sense for the Badgers to make an additional hire in the department to focus on some of the day-to-day recruiting responsibilities he handled while allowing Sedberry to concentrate more on roster management for the Wisconsin football team.
Roster construction has become a full-time operation in modern college football, especially with the transfer portal's rise and NIL's growing impact on the sport. And with the upcoming House v. NCAA settlement likely to allow direct athlete compensation from the school's themselves, the need for a structured front office at the Power 4 level has never been greater.
"Marcus has played a big part in building our 2025 roster and enhancing our program's operations," 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."
Coach Fickell has stressed the importance of finding staff who can help bridge the gap between traditional recruiting and the professional-style roster management that is becoming more prevalent. Maybe once there are some sort of guardrails in place, things will settle down. Until then, having someone with experience at both the college and pro levels who can adapt on the fly is exactly what Wisconsin needs to keep pace.
While Fickell has hinted at adding someone with NFL experience to help transition them toward managing a salary cap-like system in the past, Wisconsin also values continuity. Sedberry’s deep understanding of the football program and established relationships within the Badgers athletic department made him an ideal candidate for the role.
"I'm honored to embrace this new role with our football program," said Sedberry. "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."
With Sedberry in place, Wisconsin’s next step will be rounding out its recruiting department and building its "front office" to ensure the program remains competitive in this evolving college football landscape.
We appreciate you taking the time to read our work at BadgerNotes.com. Your support means the world to us and has helped us become a leading independent source for Wisconsin Badgers coverage.
You can also follow Site Publisher Dillon Graff at @DillonGraff on X.