UGA seeking O-line coach to replace Pittman

Bulldogs assistant, 58, gets five-year deal to take over top job with Razorbacks.

ATHENS — This time of year used to be called “silly season” in college football because of all the coaching changes that usually came with it. But now you add an early signing period in recruiting, and silly just isn’t strong enough a word.

Georgia coach Kirby Smart used “crazy” a couple of times last week. Let’s call it Demented December for the sake of alliteration. Whatever one calls it, Georgia was fully swept up in it as of Monday.

The Bulldogs lost Sam Pittman — their beloved offensive line coach of the last four years and secret weapon in recruiting — to Arkansas on Monday. The 58-year-old assistant was announced as the Razorbacks’ head coach at a festive introduction ceremony/pep rally Monday afternoon. A teary-eyed Pittman had to choke back tears several times as he struggled to make his opening remarks.

“I’m not gonna do it; not gonna do it,” he kept saying to himself out loud. But he did it, finally walking away from the dais to compose himself.

“I’m a wreck,” he said upon his return to the microphones. “I’m humbled and excited to be your coach.”

Pittman also tossed a few bouquets Georgia’s way. Known for signing an incredible number of elite offensive line prospects, Pittman gave credit to Smart for taking his recruiting game to another level. “I thought I knew how to recruit until I joined Kirby Smart at Georgia,” Pittman said. “He showed me how to recruit with passion.”

Pittman can’t be blamed for leaving for a head coaching job. He was the highest-paid offensive line coach in the country (also holding the title of associate head coach) at $950,000 a year. At Arkansas, he received a five-year contract that will pay him $3 million a year and includes bonuses of $250,000 for a six-win season and $750,000 for eight wins.

The Bulldogs can only hope Pittman is their only defection this year. Firstyear defensive coordinator Dan Lanning is fielding a bunch of offers, including one to follow Mike Norvell, who he worked for at Memphis, to Florida State. He’s also expected to get an offer from Pittman at Arkansas.

The 33-year-old Lanning, a finalist for the Frank Broyles Award as the nation’s top assistant coach, led Georgia’s defense to a Top 10 national ranking in points, yards and rushing allowed. But he would be leaving behind a lot of certainty at Georgia for loads of uncertainty at Florida State or Arkansas. The Bulldogs feature the youngest overall team in the SEC and one of the better returning defenses in the league as well.

Expect Smart to do whatever he must to keep Lanning and other defensive assistants in Athens. In the meantime, Smart has to at least find a new offensive line coach. There are several good ones available, most notably the recently fired Ole Miss head coach Matt Luke. Luke is an O-line coach by trade. However, the Rebels still owe him at least $2.5 million over the next year.

Persons familiar with knowledge of Luke’s situation say he may have interest in continuing to work but that he had not been contacted by Georgia as of Monday. Luke is represented by Memphis-based agent Jimmy Sexton, who is also Smart’s agent. There are a few younger offensive line coaches who have worked before with Smart, including Tulane’s Cody Kennedy and Louisiana-Lafayette’s D.J. Looney.

One person who most definitely won’t be joining Smart’s staff this year is Mike Bobo. Recently ousted as head coach at Colorado State, the longtime UGA offensive coordinator signed a deal Monday to become Will Muschamp’s offensive coordinator at South Carolina.

There had been speculation that Bobo might join Smart, his good friend and former Bulldogs teammate. Georgia’s offense struggled under first-year coordinator James Coley, whose work was marred with a rash of injuries at the wide receiver position.