Georgia hires Kirby Smart as next head football coach

Following a pattern of Sunday morning meetings, University of Georgia officials made the hire official.

Alabama plays Michigan State in the Cotton Bowl – one national semifinal – on December 31.

“It was critical to identify a person who would focus on a specific, defined process of developing championship football teams on and off the playing field”, McGarity said. “I think the University of Georgia has been first class in how they’ve handled this transition and helping us both be able to do this the way we’re going to do it”. “But a challenge I’m up to”. The Georgia alum is headed home to right a ship in that folks in Athens thought was tipping at an unsafe pace under longtime coach Mark Richt. “He’s as good of an assistant coach and as loyal of an assistant coach as I’ve ever had on my staff”, he said.

The 39-year-old coach has not been a head coach at the college level before. “I am pleased to welcome Kirby, his wife, Mary Beth, and their three children back home to the University of Georgia, and I look forward to supporting him in his new role as our head football coach”.

Smart has been Alabama’s defensive coordinator for the last seven years and been an assistant for all eight of Saban’s years in Tuscaloosa.

Smart, regarded as one of the top assistants in the country, consistently kept Alabama’s defense among the top-ranked units in the nation.

No. 2 Alabama won its second straight SEC title on Saturday night in Atlanta, beating Florida 29-15.

Smart has received a lot of praise from coaches around the SEC. The athletic association then ratified Smart, the pick by McGarity.

According to Anthony Dasher of UGASports.com, Kirby Smart signed a six-year deal worth $3,750,000 annually. The base salary is $400,000 and the deal also includes $3.35 million from apparel deals, television and radio appearances, and other endorsements. If he guides Georgia to a national championship, he will receive a $1 million bonus.

This is Smart’s first job as a head coach.

McElwain, a former Alabama offensive coordinator, hugged Smart after Saturday’s game.

The Alabama defensive coordinator and former Georgia All-SEC safety is returning to his alma mater, bringing a championship pedigree from working under Nick Saban. Despite coaching in a different conference, Richt has more wins against ACC teams (19) than Al Golden (17) or Randy Shannon (16) did when they left Miami.