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Olivia Sayer
Georgia head coach Kirby Smart and players make their way onto the field during a NCAA college football game between Georgia and Tennessee at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, on Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023. Georgia won 38-10. (Photo/Landen Todd @whats_landophoto)
Georgia football had an eventful offseason. Although there was not a third-consecutive national championship parade, the Bulldogs kept busy nonetheless. Head coach Kirby Smart hired four assistants to replace Bryan McClendon, who accepted a job with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dell McGee and Fran Brown, who earned head coaching positions, and Will Muschamp, who stepped down to an analyst role.
Change is nothing new for the Bulldogs, whose success often leads to opportunities for those in charge. Despite the turnover, Smart maintains championship level expectations within the Georgia program. His new assistants James Coley, Josh Crawford, Travaris Robinson and Donte Williams are all elite recruiters who align with the Bulldogs’ goals.
James Coley, wide receivers
Coley returns to Georgia’s staff as its wide receivers coach after spending four seasons at Texas A&M. Coley joined the Aggies following the Bulldogs’ hiring of Todd Monken as offensive coordinator in 2020. At Texas A&M, Coley worked with the wideouts and tight ends before earning a promotion to co-offensive coordinator in 2022.
After Texas A&M parted ways with head coach Jimbo Fisher in November, Coley joined Shane Beamer’s staff at South Carolina. However, it was short-lived, as Smart convinced Coley to rejoin the Bulldogs a month later. According to Beamer, the decision was not cheap for Coley due to his buyout.
“[Coley] made a decision that he felt was best for his family,” Beamer said, in a news conference in March. “We collected the $450,000 and then some that we were owed for violating or leaving his contract. It allowed us to go out and hire an even better wide receivers coach in my mind.”
Coley garnered criticism at Georgia in 2019 due to his play calling. Now, his primary focus will be on recruiting and coaching the wide receivers. Coley is widely regarded as an elite recruiter and is well connected with the South Florida area. In his first stint with Georgia, Coley helped it gain commitments from NFL players James Cook, Tyson Campbell, Tyrique Stevenson and Kenny McIntosh, who all hail from South Florida.
Josh Crawford, running backs
Crawford, who earned his master’s degree from Georgia in 2012, joined Smart’s staff as the running backs coach in February. He is heralded as one of the state’s most successful high school coaches with stints at five storied programs.
“He’s serious,” former Georgia running back Daijun Edwards, who spent a year with Crawford at Colquitt County High School, said at the NFL Draft Combine. “He’s real militant. He’s going to be on you, and nothing gets past him.”
Crawford spent the 2023 season as Georgia Tech’s wide receivers coach, where he guided former three-star prospect Eric Singleton Jr. to a Freshman All-American nomination. Prior to joining the Yellow Jackets, Crawford spent two seasons at Western Kentucky. There, his wide receivers recorded 10,339 receiving yards and 94 touchdowns.
During Crawford’s 11 seasons at the high school level, he led three teams to Georgia 6A state championships with one national title. The former Morehouse College running back also coached six all-state receivers. Crawford will now replace McGee, who accepted a head coaching job at Georgia State, as the Bulldogs’ running backs coach.
Travaris Robinson, co-defensive coordinator and safeties
Georgia fought hard to hire Robinson, who will serve as the team’s co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach. The decision came after Muschamp transitioned to a defensive analyst position in order to spend more time with his family.
“Travaris has 17 years of college coaching experience, including over a decade in the SEC mentoring some of the top defenses statistically in the NCAA,” Smart said, in a press release in January. “We are excited about the addition of Coach Robinson and his family to the University of Georgia, while having the opportunity to retain Coach Muschamp and his family on our staff.”
Robinson, who spent the past two seasons coaching Alabama’s cornerbacks, accepted the Georgia job in January. However, after Nick Saban retired, new head coach Kalen DeBoer used the title of defensive coordinator in an attempt to lure Robinson back to the Crimson Tide. He interviewed for the job but decided to stick with the Bulldogs.
Robinson brings an extensive knowledge of the SEC with him, dating back to his playing days as a first team All-SEC safety at Auburn. Following his time with the Tigers, Robinson played two seasons in the NFL with the Falcons and Buccaneers.
With coaching stops at Florida, Auburn and with Muschamp at South Carolina, Robinson is familiar with Georgia’s defensive schemes. He is also a solid recruiter and helped develop players such as Jaycee Horn, Javon Kinlaw, Brian Branch and Caleb Downs.
Donte Williams, defensive backs
Georgia hired Williams as its defensive backs coach after Brown took the head coaching job at Syracuse. Williams, who earned the job prior to the Bulldogs’ 63-3 win in the Orange Bowl, is not afraid to coach with passion. His habits during practice are rare but align with the energetic group of players he leads.
“Yeah, I noticed that [Williams had a helmet on during practice] too,” Smart said in March. “I don’t know if that’s legal. I hope it is, since he’s got a helmet on out there like an extra player. He may need it for safety because some of those corners may be coming after him.”
Williams excels in recruiting, as showcased by Julian Humphrey’s decision to return after flirting with the transfer portal. Williams has deep ties throughout the West Coast and spent the past four seasons at the University of Southern California In 2021, he served as the Trojans’ interim head coach prior to the hiring of Lincoln Riley.