Former Auburn athletics director Jay Jacobs has announced his retirement from college athletics after nearly four decades.

Jacobs, 62, has been executive associate athletics director for external affairs at Florida since 2018. He was Auburn’s AD from 2004 until his resignation in late 2017.

“It’s bittersweet,” Jacobs told The Associated Press. “Made some great relationships over the years. It’s tough to leave, but it’ll be fun what I’m about to do regardless of where I’m at geographically.”

Jacobs’ Auburn tenure had some major successes — including the 2010 national championship in football. He also hired Gus Malzahn as football coach in 2013, Bruce Pearl as basketball coach in 2014 and Butch Thompson as baseball coach in 2015.

However, there was also controversy, including a wrongful termination lawsuit by former baseball coach Sunny Golloway that was eventually settled out of court. The FBI investigation into college basketball corruption that ensnared former assistant coach Chuck Person happened on Jacobs’ watch, as did a Title IX investigation into allegations of abuse and sexual harassment of softball players.

“I believe in Auburn and will fight for Auburn,” Jacobs said upon his resignation from Auburn. “But as I consider the future and what is best for Auburn, I have prayerfully decided the time has come for me to step aside. Sometimes a new direction and new leadership are helpful in moving beyond current problems.”

Jacobs, who grew up in the east Alabama town of Lafayette, played football at Auburn in the early 1980s. After a short stint in high school coaching, he was hired as a graduate assistant coach on the football team and also worked in strength & conditioning before going into administration in 1991.

Jacobs eventually rose to head of Tigers Unlimited, Auburn’s primary athletic fundraising operation. He took over as AD in December 2004.

At Florida, Jacobs oversaw communications, marketing, ticketing, licensing and boosters. He said served as administrator over the Gators’ football program.

But he’s now ready to hang it up for good. Though he said he plans to possibly serve as a consultant for college athletics in the future, he won’t be working full time for the first time since he first took a job mowing lawns at age 12 in 1972.

“Winning championships, those always are fun, but when I think about my career, I think about the people and the relationships and how people have enriched my life,” Jacobs said. “Just good people everywhere.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.