Grambling lands new AD Bryant from South Carolina State

Grambling State University has its first permanent athletic director in more than two years.

Grambling on Wednesday hired Paul Bryant of South Carolina State to serve as its new athletic director. The deal, which has been in the works for several weeks, was finalized Wednesday morning.

Bryant agreed to a two-year contract that will pay $160,000 annually — $130,000 from the university and $30,000 from Grambling's athletic foundation. His first day at Grambling is set for Jan. 1.

"It was very obvious he has the experience that gives him the ability on day one to know how to be an athletic director, in terms of his understanding and familiarity with everything from APR to complimentary ticket policies, being able to manage the other sports we have and also recognizing the national and international brand that is Grambling," Grambling president Rick Gallot told The News-Star on Wednesday.

Bryant spent the past two years as South Carolina State's athletic director. He previously served as the athletic director at Stillman College in Alabama and Eureka College in Illinois.

HBCUSports.com first reported the news Wednesday.

As someone with ties to Southwestern Athletic Conference programs and HBCUs in general, Gallot felt Bryant possessed the "whole tool kit" to take Grambling's athletic department to the next level.

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"The athletic department is very much responsible for our international brand and the band," Gallot said. "(It's important) to have someone who is able to appreciate the huge, far-reaching reputation of the university and have the skill set to move that program forward."

Bryant's hiring is up for approval by the University of Louisiana System at a Dec. 8 meeting.

Gallot made the hire based off a recommendation from a 12-member search committee established in October. The committee included names like Albert Dennis III, who is a former athletic director at Grambling, and Jim Oakes, the former athletic director at Louisiana Tech along with NBA legend Willis Reed and former Grambling baseball coach Wilbert Ellis.

Gallot mentioned how key the voices were from committee members like Oakes.

"Knowing the job, knowing what skill sets are required to handle that job, he certainly felt very strongly about Paul's qualifications and his ability to do the job," Gallot said.

Reed, who is considered by some as a Top 50 player in NBA history, gave his seal of approval, telling Gallot that Bryant was the type of person he could go out with and promote Grambling.

"If Willis Reed says he'd hook up with this guy and go out with him as an ambassador, I think that's a strong indication of the quality and caliber they saw in him throughout the multiple interviews," Gallot said.

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Bryant was one of 24 applicants for the job. The committee narrowed the field to six candidates, who then interviewed for the job via Skype. Three finalists were brought on campus to interview separately with Gallot and the committee before meeting with vice presidents of various on-campus departments.

​The two other finalists were Jason Cable, the assistant Vice President for Athletic Compliance and Academic Services at Alcorn State, and Darrol Woods, the senior associate athletic director for fiscal management at Jackson State.

Aaron James was Grambling's last permanent athletic director. Obadiah Simmons has served as the interim athletic director since May 2015. Grambling had two other interim athletic directors before Simmons.

Gallot thanked Simmons for his role in keeping the athletic department running for nearly the past two years. Simmons also serves as the head of the Department of Kinesiology, Sport and Leisure Studies.

"We certainly appreciate his service to the university in that role and are very grateful to him for serving in that dual capacity," Gallot said.