Grading Georgia Football's Offseason Hires
Georgia's football has seen its fair share of turnover this offseason. Since late December, Georgia has hired four new position coaches, the most turnover a Kirby Smart-led coaching staff has seen in his regime in one offseason. It's something that Smart heralded at the SEC media days the last two seasons, about the retention rates of his coaching staff, though with the continued levels of success, he watched two position coaches leave for head coaching jobs this offseason, and another take an equivalent position in the NFL.
Smart spent the better part of the last month interviewing prospective coaches, and we are here today, as spring practice nears, to grade the hires.
Grading Georgia's Offseason Hires
Dante Williams, Cornerbacks Coach - B+
As with every hire listed today, there's no questioning Dante Williams's recruiting capabilities. He was able to land multiple five stars during his time with the Trojans. The questions around the hiring come from the performance and development portion of this hire. Of all of the elite talent Williams has signed during his time as a recruiter, there hasn't been a lot of NFL Draft success. Though one could argue with the likes of Travaris Robinson, Glenn Schumann, and Kirby Smart on field with him at Georgia, the development of the talent he's tasked with landing won't be solely on his shoulders.
Oct 6, 2018; Columbia, SC, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Will Muschamp and defensive coordinator Travaris Robinson direct their team against the Missouri Tigers in the second half at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports
Travaris Robinson, Defensive Backs Coach - Co-Defensive Coordinator - A+
Travaris Robinson has coached in the southeastern conference for a decade plus now and has done so at the highest of levels — having been a defensive coordinator multiple times over. The overwhelming majority of those stops have been associated with the Smart and Muschamp tree. From a continuity standpoint, there's not a closer to the culture higher than Robinson, he's often referred to Will Muschamp — the on-field coach he replaced — as his coaching mentor. Add on top of that Robinson is well respected as one of the best coaches and recruiters of defensive backs the college football world has to offer. Additionally, he's no longer in Tuscaloosa, Alabama recruiting against you.
James Coley, Wide Receivers Coach - A-
There's no doubt James Coley is qualified for the position coaching job in the wide receiver room, perhaps even over qualified. He's a familiar face for the Georgia fanbase, returning to Athens after having been the Offensive coordinator in 2019 after spending the first three seasons of the Kirby Smart regime as the receivers coach. From a continuity and comfort standpoint, Coley is a known-commodity and he's produced results every where he's coached. Especially on the recruiting trail, and it's not just wide receivers that he lands. If there's a five-star in South Florida — which there always is — Georgia now has a chance based on the history of Coley's recruiting runs.
Josh Crawford, Running Backs Coach - A-
There's some learning to do for Crawford, who spent the his first three years in college football (two at WKU, one at Georgia Tech) coaching Wide Receivers. So, he will have to pick up a new position on the fly, but it's not like Crawford is new to the offensive side of the football, he's garnered co-OC titles at his first two stops in collegiate coaching after spending nearly a decade bouncing around the state of Georgia's most prestigious high school football programs. Stints at Jefferson, Colquitt, Lee County, Valdosta, and Greater Atlanta Christian show a lengthy list of relationship he's managed to cultivate during his tenor as a coach.
Other Georgia News:
- Breaking: College Football Playoff Approves 5+7 Model
- Former Bulldog Hired as Team's Defensive Back's Graduate Assistant
- Potential Candidates for Georgia Wide Receiver Coach
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