Georgia Football hires new running backs coach Josh Crawford

Georgia Football has a new running backs coach. Josh Crawford will replace the longtime Georgia running back coach, Dell McGee. McGee left Georgia last week to become the next Head Coach of the Georgia State Panthers. 

Kirby Smart did not have far to look for his next assistant, as Crawford had been coaching at Georgia Tech since 2023. Previously, Crawford coached receivers and was the co-offensive coordinator at Western Kentucky. Crawford coached at Western Kentucky in 2021 through 2022 before going to Tech. 

While Crawford is relatively new in college football coaching ranks, he was a seasoned pro in Georgia High School coaching. Crawford coached at some of the most prominent named schools in Georgia High School Football in 11 seasons. 

Crawford started coaching at Greater Atlanta Christian from 2010-12, where he coached running backs and tight ends coach. He then coached at Jefferson County H.S. in 2013, where he was associate head coach, offensive coordinator, and quarterbacks coach.

Crawford then coached at Colquitt County from 2014-2016. During that won two state titles and a high school national championship in 2015. Crawford also coached at  Lee County H.S. in 2017, where he also won another state title. While at Lee County, he was the pass game coordinator and wide receivers coach.

Crawford coached at Valdosta H.S. from 2018-19 and was their offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. His last stint as a high school coach was with Colquitt County H.S. in 2020, where he was co-offensive coordinator. 

While some names floated around on who would replace Dell McGee as running backs coach, Crawford was never mentioned as a replacement. When I saw the name, I was a little miffed; I didn’t even know who he was until the news broke. But after looking at the guy's résumé, I think this is a great hire. 

Crawford played college football at Moorehouse, where he was a running back, and also got his Master's degree at Georgia in 2012. Moreover, Crawford coached at some of the most prominent high schools in Georgia and the southeast.

Crawford is one of the better recruiters in Georgia, and with his pedigree, it makes sense. Also, when Tech fans celebrate on Twitter that their best assistant coach did not go to Georgia to coach wideouts, it tells you a lot. 

Just because Kirby Smart stole a coach from Little Brother makes it all the better. This is a great hire, and it will pay dividends in the recruiting in-state.