Only the best come to Georgia to coach the best! That’s basically what the Bulldogs’ assistant HC/TE coach Todd Hartley implied during his interview with the media on Thursday. Georgia is the best team in EA Sports CFB 25, with an overall rating of 95. Will that game success translate to real life as Kirby Smart and his coaches prepare their players for a national championship run? 

For the second time in a row, Georgia was ranked No. 1 in the Coaches Poll Top 25 Ranking on Monday, with 46 votes. Following this, Hartley boldly stated, during his speech, “There’s very high expectation that you bring into it. That comes from the HC, and so I don’t want to disappoint. First off, I do it because the expectation around [Georgia] is that you’ve got to be the best coach at your position in the country.” That said, a UGA insider seconds the statement by setting expectations for Kirby Smart and his coaches. 

Georgia insider Dean Legge locked on UGA Football on Dawg Post on August 9 after the confidence that Hartley exuded. After reading the TE coach’s words, he said, “They don’t have any laggards at Georgia.” He also set the expectations for the coaches’ responsibilities, saying, “You’re at Georgia. There’s not many places that have the power of that athletic department in all sports… The expectation should never be lower than we’re competing for a national championship in every single sport at Georgia… It should be that you’re the best in the country if you’re an assistant at Georgia.”

After two back-to-back national championships in 2021 and 2022, Georgia sank last season after falling in the hands of Alabama in the SEC championship game. Still, they’re rated as the No. 1 in this season’s coaches poll, followed by Ohio State and Oregon. So, how about a pay raise for these outstanding coaches?

Pay raise for Georgia’s coaching staff

Georgia’s coaches’ salaries are some of the most lucrative in college football, and this year’s pay raise boosted that. With effect in March, over half of the coaching staff received a salary hike, starting with OC Mike Bobo, a finalist for the Broyles Award, whose salary increased from $1.02M to $1.4M.

DC Glenn Schumann and co-DC Travaris Robinson also received salary increases. Other coaches who received pay raises include DL coach Tray Scott, TE coach Todd Hartley, OL coach Stacy Searels, LB coach Chidera Uzo-Diribe, and more. This only implies that Georgia is satisfied with the coaches’ performance, who are some of the nation’s best CFB coaches in their positions.