Can Kirby Smart and Georgia Overcome its Staff Attrition?

After a offseason that saw major changes to his staff, Kirby Smart will have to overcome a loss of staff continuity.

Staff turnover is a hallmark of a national championship-winning program. It has become a common obstacle for college football's elite programs over the years, from Nick Saban's "coaching rehabilitation facility" that he developed in Tuscaloosa, Ala., and it is even affecting Dabo Swinney's Clemson Tigers. 

After spending over a decade with the legendary Nick Saban at various stops, Georgia's Kirby Smart has seen the effect of staff turnover up close and personal even before getting his first head coaching job in Athens. 

Since Smart became the head coach at Georgia, his alma mater, he's seen his fair share of attrition, not only on the playing field but also on the coaching staff. Heading into his seventh year in Athens, Smart will have a staff compiled of four new faces on the coaching staff, along with Glenn Schumann and Will Muschamp working together to coordinate the defense as Co-Defensive Coordinators. 

The promotion of Schumann and Muschamp, both familiar faces on staff, to the co-coordinators' roles will help keep continuity on the defensive side of the ball, which will also have new cornerbacks coach Fran Brown and outside linebackers coach Chidera Uzo-Diribe. 

On the offensive side of the ball, despite all the whispers of offensive coordinator Todd Monken leaving for a job back in the National Football League (NFL), Monken will be working with a relatively new offensive staff, that aside from running backs coach Dell McGee the rest will be considered fresh faces as Georgia brought in Bryan McClendon for his second stint as the wide receivers coach, and Stacy Searles for his second stint as the offensive line coach in Athens. 

While this isn't the first offseason where Smart has had to fill multiple vacancies on his staff, the former Saban assistant has built a strong track record over the years for carefully choosing which coaches he brings into the building in Athens. Some of Smart's best hires have even become head coaches, including former defensive coordinators Mel Tucker (Michigan State), Dan Lanning (Oregon), and even a non-coordinator like former offensive line coach Sam Pittman. In addition, South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer served as the special team's coordinator for Georgia in 2016 and 2017 before taking the same job at Oklahoma, where the Gamecocks would hire him away from following the 2020 season. 

Every offseason Georgia has lost at least one staff member, with the most turnover coming this offseason as the Bulldogs lost four staffers, which surpassed the 2019 offseason where Georgia lost both Sam Pittman and Scott Fountain. 

This coming season will be a major test for Kirby Smart and his tenure coming off the program's first national championship since 1980.

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