Geroy Simon could be headed back to school next season, with conflicting reports linking him to multiple NCAA general manager jobs.
Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports and Bruce Feldman of The Athletic initially reported on Monday, December 30 that Simon had been hired as the GM at Sacramento State, an FCS team that is rumoured to be mounting a push for elevation to the FBS. However, Zenitz amended his report on Tuesday to say that Simon would now be joining his alma mater, the University of Maryland, in a high-ranking front-office position.
On Wednesday, Jeff Ermann of Inside Maryland Sports wrote that sources within the program confirmed to him that Simon had been hired as the Terrapins’ first-ever GM. Zenitz later reported that Zach Potter, GM of the UFL’s Birmingham Stallions, would replace him at Sacramento State. Neither school has publicly announced their hirings.
The native of Johnstown, Pa. has a decade of experience working in CFL personnel departments with Saskatchewan, B.C., and Edmonton, serving as an area scout, personnel assistant, director of Canadian scouting, draft coordinator, director of Global scouting, assistant general manager, and interim general manager.
The 49-year-old joined the Edmonton Elks as an assistant general manager in 2022 and was named general manager on an interim basis in August following the firing of Chris Jones. The team went 7-6 with Simon at the helm, though he was ultimately replaced by Ed Hervey once the season was over. He was also a finalist for the general manager position in Hamilton, which went to Ted Goveia.
Simon played 15 seasons in the CFL as a receiver with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, B.C. Lions, and Saskatchewan Roughriders. He made 1,029 catches for 16,352 yards and 103 touchdowns, won three Grey Cups and one Most Outstanding Player award, and earned six All-CFL selections. He was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 2017.
Collegiately, Simon played four seasons at Maryland from 1993 to 1996, leading the ACC in both receptions and yards as a sophomore. He still sits second in school history with 185 career receptions and sixth with 2,059 receiving yards, while adding 11 total touchdowns.
The Terrapins went 4-8 last season, including an abysmal 1-8 record in Big Ten play. The hiring of a general manager is intended to help the school deal with an evolving college football landscape that includes the transfer portal and NIL compensation by mimicking a pro personnel department.
