Kirby Smart To Be Named Georgia Football Coach
Kirby Smart will be named Georgia football head coach as early as this weekend.
According to Chip Towers from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, UGA will hire Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart to be the next Georgia football head coach as early as Sunday “barring a last-minute snag in negotiations.”
A product of Bainbridge, Georgia, Smart played his college football for the Bulldogs from 1995-1998. Shortly after graduation, he stayed in Athens to work for the team as the administrative assistant in what was his first coaching position.
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For the last nine seasons, he has worked for the Crimson Tide under Nick Saban. In that time the team has won three national championships and three SEC titles. Smart’s defenses have constantly ranked among the nation’s best during his tenure in Tuscaloosa.
Since the news of Mark Richt stepping down, sources have continued to say that Smart was always one of the top targets for Georgia and the administration. The school also had interest in Houston head coach Tom Herman and USC interim head coach Clay Helton.
Smart’s Alabama team plays Florida Saturday for the SEC championship with a potential to be rewarded with a top-four ranking and a trip to the College Football Playoff. The agreement between him and UGA will have to wait until after the game has been played.
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Now the question on Georgia fans minds will shift to which of the current staff will remain?
Smart is a defensive-minded coach making it feasible that defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt may be out the door. But, the two coached together at Alabama for six years. Maybe their relationship is good enough to fit nicely at Georgia.
Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer’s name has also been thrown around as a potential moving part. This seems less likely though considering Smart’s defensive mind would not interfere with Schottenheimer’s offense.
One thing is for sure and that is that things should get very interesting in Athens in the next week or two.