Smart made it clear that he will not be calling the UGA defensive plays on gameday.
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It was definitely a good question. Would new Georgia Football head coach Kirby Smart, with a defensive background, call the plays on defense during the game? It was worth asking since Smart just came from being the defensive coordinator (and calling the plays) at Alabama.
Smart was at an alumni event in Savannah, Ga., on Monday and said that defensive coordinator Mel Tucker would handle the responsibilities of calling the plays for the defense in the games.
“I’ll be more involved with the defense than with the offense. But certainly Mel has called (defenses for) a long time in the NFL, and that’s the plan going forward,” said Smart according to Gridiron Now.
Mel Tucker is certainly more than capable of taking on this responsibility. Before being the secondary coach last year at the University of Alabama, Tucker had considerable experience coaching defense in the NFL, as he was the defensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars and the Chicago Bears.
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Obviously, Tucker is qualified to call the plays on gameday and will take some pressure off Kirby Smart. Tucker was a solid hire by UGA as he was the guy that many wanted.
In Tucker’s one-year stint coaching Alabama’s secondary, his unit was solid overall and had numerous takeaways. The job Tucker did was more impressive considering the play of the defensive backs (or lack thereof on occasion) had been a thorn in Alabama’s flesh during the last few years.
Smart noted the fact that this would take pressure off him,
“It’s a new experience for me to be a head coach. So I certainly don’t need the burden of calling the defenses while I’m trying to oversee the whole entire thing.”
This should prove to be a good thing. UGA fans can sit back and relax with the defense in the capable hands of Mel Tucker.