Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart has been in great soup for the past few days! This started with a bunch of players following each other to land up behind bars and the HC getting ambushed for a problematic culture in Athens. But slowly and steadily, Smart seems to be recovering.

Even though the cultural issue led him to lose out on fresh blood, the HC won’t miss a beat in amping up his coaching lineup. And as promised, the Georgia HC landed Coach Andrew Thacker. Smart has been “smart” enough to pounce on their rivals, Georgia Tech, where Thacker used to serve as a defensive coordinator.

Smart scores big with Coach Andrew Thacker

July has been full of highs and lows for Smart’s program. On July 26, Georgia WR Rodarius “Rara” Thomas was put behind bars at the Athens-Clar County Jail on the charges of three counts of family violence battery and second-degree cruelty to children. However, July 30 was different as it ushered in big and positive news for the Bulldogs fam after days. Finally, Smart made it. The Georgia HC succeeded in gaining the trust of rival DC Thacker. As confirmed by Radi Nabulsi, the publisher of UGASports.com, “As we previously reported this morning, it looks like former Georgia Tech defensive coordinator Andrew Thacker will join Kirby Smart’s staff as an analyst.”

The former Georgia Tech coordinator has added “@GeorgaFootball” to his X handle. But what made Thacker switch to Smart’s program? While it’s yet to be discovered, it might be how Georgia Tech demoted him after losing to Bowling Green that still affects him a little. According to reports, the coach has worked with Georgia’s staff in an off-field capacity under Smart’s guidance for a few weeks. This is not the first time that Smart has snagged the coaching talents of his rival teams. 

Smart’s master plan of balancing elite talent amidst challenges

Last March, Smart made some savvy moves and ended up hiring the former Clemson offensive coordinator Brandon Streeter to serve as an offensive analyst. But why Streeter? The longtime assistant at Clemson had also served as the team’s quarterback coach between 2015 and 2019. It was in 2020 that he was promoted to “passing game coordinator.”

In March 2023, the Bulldogs HC also gained the commitment of former Texas A&M offensive coordinator Darrell Dickey for the offensive analyst role. He had over 37 years of coaching experience, and his best offense came in 2017 with the Tigers, who ranked in the top 10 in passing and total yards. Now it’s Thacker who joined the already elite coaching squadron. Does it mean that Smart has finally aced the art of balancing?

On July 28, the Georgia HC lost potential linebacker recruit Xavier Griffin to rival Lincoln Riley’s USC Trojans. All thanks to the Bulldogs’ hot-mess environment that led to the prospect of committing himself to lose confidence in Georgia. In July, other than Thomas, linebacker Smael Mondon and offensive lineman Bo Hughley were arrested on driving charges. Will Smart be able to mend fences with a coaching all-star cast? Do share your thoughts!