Nick Saban, Alabama hire staffer away from Kirby Smart, Georgia

Tuesday morning, all nine assistant coaches for the 2016 Georgia Bulldogs coaching staff were officially on-boarded by the Georgia athletic department, as former National Football League defensive coordinator and 2015 Alabama Crimson Tide defensive backs coach Mel Tucker became the ninth and final member of Kirby Smart’s staff at UGA.

GLENDALE, Ariz. – New Georgia coach Kirby Smart has hired Alabama defensive backs coach Mel Tucker to be the Bulldogs’ defensive coordinator, according to sources familiar with the situation. Tucker did a very good job of working with young cornerbacks like Minkah Fitzpatrick and Marlon Humphrey on the path to Alabama’s national championship win against Clemson. “Not that anything was completely broken here before, but this culture has to be created by Coach Smart and Coach Smart’s staff, and we’re doing that right now”. We want to make those reasons the same. “We want to create toughness and make kids comfortable being uncomfortable, and I think that’s important to do”. He and Sherrer were the only two assistants who will remain from Mark Richt’s staff.

Moving on from the Richt era could result in some player departures, and Smart would not be surprised by that.

It wasn’t exactly how Smart wanted to go out.

“I think it helps”.

Here’s how Smart explained it: “I had to do it as a coach, and I think when you step outside that box, it makes you a better person”. We want to have a relationship with them, but is it inevitable? You have to win yourself and you have to get good players and we have to build a good program over there.

Safety Johnathan Abram is transferring to a junior college in his home state of MS after leaving bowl practices due to what were said to be personal issues. Abram is reportedly transferring to Jones County (Miss.) Community College. The NCAA’s “dead period” for recruiting is now over, so Smart and his assistants will be on the road recruiting from now until January 30.

Smart said it will be a “slow process” to get to know the current players at Georgia with recruiting the top priority in the weeks until the February 3 signing day. “It’s the first time I got to do that without something else lingering”. They’ve seen me be a part of that product for nine years. To that end, new Georgia coach Kirby Smart is front and center in Athens as work begins with the Dawgs.

The two visited in the wee hours of Tuesday morning before going their separate ways.

Smart said that, of course can impact Academic Progress Rate and graduate rates. “He’s always been that way”.