South Florida hires College Football Playoff COO Michael Kelly as AD

South Florida has hired Michael Kelly as athletic director, the school announced Tuesday.

Kelly is currently the chief operating officer for the College Football Playoff, and will be introduced at a news conference Friday.

"Michael Kelly is a proven leader with a wealth of experience across the national collegiate athletic landscape, as well as within Tampa Bay," South Florida system president Judy Genshaft said in a statement. "He has a track record of promoting competitive excellence, building strong community relationships, developing marketing campaigns, reaching fundraising goals and supporting academic achievement."

Kelly previously served as associate athletic director for external affairs at South Florida, and has nearly 25 years of experience in professional and collegiate athletics.

"This is a dream opportunity for me, and I couldn't be more grateful ... It's a very exciting time with the university and the entire region on such strong upward trajectories," Kelly said.