Georgia football staffer resigns amid sexual harassment allegations
Josh Lee has resigned as the Georgia director of football operations amid allegations of sexual harassment, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. He has held that position with the Bulldogs since 2014.
In a statement to the AJC, Georgia said that Lee resigned to “pursue other opportunities” and declined to comment further. In response to an open records request by the newspaper, the university cited state policy [OCGA 50-18-72 (a)(8)] that keeps “material obtained in investigations related to suspension, firing or investigation of complaints” exempt from open records review until 10 days after the matter has been concluded.
Lee allegedly sent inappropriate text messages to at least one of the people he directly reported to, the AJC reports. Upon learning of the alleged sexual harassment, Georgia athletic director Josh Brooks said he immediately opened the matter up to investigation.
However, as recently as last week, Lee accompanied UGA personnel on scouting trips to the College Football Playoff sites. He earned a salary of $280,000 in 2020, according to public records.
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Prior to joining the Georgia staff in 2014, Lee held the same role with UAB. He was also a graduate assistant with the Bulldogs in 2005 and receivers coach in 2006. He left the business in 2011 before returning to Athens three years later.
He graduated from Valdosta State in 2005 after spending two seasons as the quarterbacks coach for the Division II school. He was a part of the Valdosta staff that won a national title in 2004, and helped Georgia earn a trip to the Sugar Bowl the following year.
Georgia has been at the forefront of the college football world all season thanks to its impressive on-field performance. The Bulldogs finished the regular season undefeated before falling in the SEC Championship to Alabama. They still earned a trip to the Playoff, where they will face Michigan in a semifinal game on New Year’s Eve.
Kickoff for that contest is set for 7:30 p.m. ET in Miami Gardens.