Georgia Coach Kirby Smart Adds Two More Assistants

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Georgia coach Kirby Smart announced the hiring of James Coley as wide receiver coach and Josh Crawford as running back coach and run game coordinator on Monday.

Coley replaces Bryan McClendon, now the Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver coach. Crawford replaces newly named Georgia State coach Dell McGee.

Coley is making his second career move in two months after he was named South Carolina’s wide receivers coach on January 12.

Coley previously coached Georgia’s wide receivers from 2016-17 and worked with quarterbacks in 2018-19 while also serving as offensive coordinator in his last year with the Bulldogs. He worked on Texas A&M’s staff from 2020-23, coaching wide receivers and tight ends.

Smart said Coley is “a tremendous teacher and leader of young men.”

“His previous experience on our staff will make this a seamless transition,” Smart said.

Crawford was Georgia Tech’s wide receivers coach in 2023. He earned his master’s degree from Georgia in 2012 after playing as a running back at Morehouse College in Atlanta.

AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football