File this under “it never hurts to ask”:
… According to documents obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution via an open records request, the Bulldogs had at least four other candidates officially express interest in the job. And their range of experience varied greatly.
John Thompson, a longtime SEC defensive coordinator who most recently was interim head coach at Arkansas State, had a representative send in a cover letter and resume expressing interest in becoming the Bulldog’s defensive coordinator.
“He is a great fit for UGA Defense (sic) Coach … Former Georgia State DC … Knows the Recruiting Area … Experience as D1 Head Coach,” Ted Liberty wrote on Thompson’s behalf.
Interestingly, Kirby Smart never entered the picture. So much for all the internet fever dreams.
Get The Picture 
Coach Thompson, it’s probably best to make sure the person writing on your behalf isn’t doing so in a manner that requires the use of the [sic] notation. Also, no random capitalization, please.
However, the high school coach who applied… that’s outstanding hustle, my friend.
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No surprise here. Never thought for a minute Kirby was in the picture. There was never a chance of him coming in 2010, either, despite all the sensation. Smart doesn’t fit in under Richt’s style.
Not only that, I’m not sure at all he’d be what Georgia needs. Don’t really think so.
~~~
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KIrby did verbally commit in 2010 but backed away. It’s a fact.
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That was then. This is now.
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Exactly. Not at all sure how this comment is relevant. This piece proves that Kirby wasn’t a candidate this time around no matter what your insider booster friend supposedly told you, and it is supporting evidence to the rumor that Kirby burned his bridges to UGA and isn’t likely to ever be back (certainly not while Mark Richt is calling the shots).
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I think the article stated; “four other candidates OFFICIALLY expressed interest in the job” – I can presume by Liberty’s letter that officially means “letter of interest”. I don’t think Kirby would have to issue a letter nor have his agent issue a letter of interest – a simple call would do. And then be unofficial.
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Richt said he only spoke with one person besides Pruitt for the job. That person is identified in the article as someone other than KS.
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Kirby Smart doesn’t care about being a Georgia Bulldog. That part of his life is over. He’s just like Will Muschamp: he’s a college coach now. I’m sure they’ve both got warm memories of Athens and a lot of friends in the Bulldog Nation and I’m sure that they’ll both sleep soundly if they never set foot in Butts-Mehre again. This isn’t an indictment of either man. They’ve just put their red and black allegiances behind them in favor of their careers. Good for them.
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I never knew why folks wanted Kirby to be the DC anyway. Nevermind what happened in 2010. His defense was shredded by Auburn and then Oklahoma, and Alabama has struggled to stop teams with good QBs in years past. Secondly, all folks have said about Smart is that he’s “under Saban’s shadow.” Why would we want him to come to UGA to “prove himself” when it would be much better to get a guy who’s already been proven to be a good and solid coach on his own?
I bear no ill feelings towards Kirby Smart as a coach; I wish him well and hope he has continued success. Sometimes, though, it’s probably best that you don’t go back to your alma mater to prove your mettle. Now, we won’t have to worry about that.
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One time, Van Gorder’s D was shredded by LSU for 40 points. Did that make him a bad coach? I grow weary of the meme that just because Bama had 2 bad games to end the season, that somehow their defense has been sucky under Kirby or that he’s a bad coordinator.
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Fair enough point, but what about the idea that he’s not had success as a coordinator away from Saban? I’ll grant you that I don’t know enough about the ins-and-outs of a defensive game plan to see how much of that is Kirby vs how much of that is Saban, but my Disney Dawg bias makes me think that Bobo has distanced himself more from Richt as a coordinator and a coach than Smart has from Saban.
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FWIW I’m a Disney too…
I’d say this about Bobo/Richt vs Kirby/Saban – I think you can see plenty of Richt’s tendencies (like conservatism in play calling at certain spots of the field) in Bobo’s play calling. I would guess you have the same effect on Kirby in the calls that he makes probably come from the philosophy that Saban has taught him. I imagine both head coaches are on the headset during the game going- “Keep feeding the run/they can’t stop the pass” or “We’re getting eaten up on the run/gotta start blitzing more” and let the coordinator call the actual plays. I would think both have the autonomy as the coordinator but that’s just my guess.
It seems to me that the whole “shadow” thing is a bit of a straw man. Take Pruitt. He got hired to FSU because he learned under Saban (as have countless other coaches). Kirby has also learned under the best possible coach of our time. I’d say that’s a pretty reasonable A=B, B=C, A=C argument.
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What about the fact that Saban’s values him to the tune of 1.3 million a year. That’s a lot of money to pay a guy when you know your the one calling the shots.
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Don’t recall BVG ever giving up 40 – and definitely not against LSU. That was an era of weak offenses compared to now though.
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You’re correct. I was thinking of the 03 SECC (34-13). And agreed about offense then vs now. I just don’t think that changes the idea that it is a stretch to criticize Kirby’s abilities based on 2 games compared to the overall performance of the Alabama D during his tenure. Every good coach has a game or two where things don’t go their way.
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Ballsy move by Darrell Scott. lol
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That the AJC filed a FOIA on pointless stuff like who Mark Richt talked to about a DC is concrete evidence that the AJC has become the dominion of dunderheads. The AJC, once the finest college football coverage in the country, bar none, has fallen to irrelevance.
The AJC is the Brent Musberger of newspapers.
Too bad Jim Minter got old.
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Samrt comes into picture from a rivals website [dash and co] & others like crazy dude, grits, and illustrated. Pure screen fillers. Go back. Did I not say “look down the road and the schedule”. Side bar. Will some one hire Jay Clark back to work with the Gym Dawgs and its head coach.
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What do you mean about Jay? Isn’t he an assistant elsewhere?
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High school D coaches. Think Norcross has one, and maybe Colquitt County High. Those Ds have solid coaching and some players. But there are some out there. Always thought Parkview’s former head coach would have done good as a O line position coach.
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AJ-C Tower’s article was meaningless. Only confirms they can get something mandate under a law. Big deal. AJC was kinder to UGA they might get in the loop one day. But hell no. Let’s poke UGA in the eye again!
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WAs purpose of Tower’s article to say “not much interest” interest in UGA. Predicated upon the timing probably so, because those who mattered and in the loop had called McGarity and Richt. Message they heard was “we have our man, and thanks so much for you interest. If we can help you otherwise let us knwo.”
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And…in thinking about this further (futha)…All this stupid story tells us is who wrote letters to the athletic department.
It does not tell us that Kirby Smart and Bobo had, or did not have, a conversation over their personal cell phones the record of which would not be subject to a FOIA.
(Please note, I am not claiming this happened.)
It is sad, the things that have begun to take up space in the AJC.
(FWIW…I worked there, and was on deck the night Nixon hung up his tape recorder, so I have, for some strange reason, a dog in the hunt…sorta, kinda.
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You’re right about Bobo. I’d be curious to hear his response to a direct question from a beat writer about that.
That being said, there’s a little more going on here than the letters – mainly, that Richt thought it was important to get the story out that Kirby wasn’t the guy he spoke with.
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Yes, of course, but I was mainly just trying to point out the absurdity of the FOIA…I notice there is, for instance no mention of a letter from Pruitt or his agent.
And, Richt further invalidates the FOIA with the quote (assuming it is correct 🙂 with your point in it.
“It’s mostly done on the phone. A lot of times (assistant coaches) are talking other coaches they know and they’ll tell me about them. Even agents get my number somehow. But once we heard Jeremy was interested all the focus went there.”
So they “heard” about Pruitt on the phone, and did the deal, on the phone.
The FOIA served no useful purpose. Could have, if the phone mentioned was one paid for by UGA but…..
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