Georgia's Kirby Smart has free reign in compiling his staff
ATHENS -- Georgia football head coach Kirby Smart will take some time to sift through various candidates before selecting his staff.
But has anyone in Georgia's athletics department told him who he can or cannot hire?
"Absolutely not," Smart said. "They've been totally supportive of any decision I want to make, and that's the way it should be."
Smart said he'll take his time before reaching a final decision on assistants, including the offensive and defensive coordinator positions. Defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt, who has been with the Bulldogs the past two seasons, would seem like a fit because of how his units have progressed and the players' affection for him. On top of that, Pruitt was Smart's defensive backs coach at Alabama from 2010-2012.
This season, Georgia ended with the No. 8 total defense in the country at 298 yards allowed per game.
But according to sources, athletics director Greg McGarity and Pruitt haven't seen eye-to-eye behind the scenes, which began a year ago when Pruitt publicly criticized Georgia's lack of an indoor practice facility. Georgia has since made plans to build one and will begin construction on Dec. 21.
With that relationship strained, it would seem as if Pruitt would all but be ruled out as a candidate. But McGarity said he won't take part in Smart's decisions on assistants.
"Am I involved in assistant coaching hires? No. I never have been. You can ask any of our coaches," McGarity said. "That's not the job of an athletic director."
The Sunday evening after former head coach Mark Richt was fired, defensive players took to social media to advocate for Pruitt to stay. The hard feelings have quelled some since as not much has been said or mentioned about Pruitt since Smart's hire.
Outside linebacker Davin Bellamy said most of the players he's talked to plan to stick with Smart and whichever staff he brings in.
"From what I know, this team is going to stick together," Bellamy said. "Even this season, when we had trials and tribulations, coming from on the field and off the field, this team fought through it. We're very resilient. It doesn't matter what comes our way."
Smart has made at least one hire in Glenn Schumann, who held a player development/player personnel title at Alabama. Smart called Schumann his "right-hand man" and that he'll probably have a role as an on-field assistant.
Georgia also shouldn't have any problems opening up its checkbook for Smart's assistants. According to the annual USA Today survey on assistant coaches salaries, Georgia ranked seventh in the nation in total payouts at over $4.8 million per year.
Pruitt's deal pays him $1.3 million each season, which ties for sixth nationally among assistant coaches in college football.
McGarity, who became Georgia's athletics director in 2010, said he'll aid Smart the best he can.
"We're going to listen to Kirby for his goals and objectives," McGarity said. "We've operated one way for six years now. Just like when we hired other coaches, you're going to have to help us understand what you want. Our job is to make those things happen. What's articulated to us is important. We're facilitators."
Smart is looking for assistants who will bring the same passion and energy to the profession that he does. Smart said his cellphone has been buzzing quite a bit since taking the Georgia job, which indicates the kind of interest some of his coaching colleagues have in joining his staff.
Since the administration isn't keeping him from doing what he wants as a head coach, Smart said he'll do his part to assemble a staff to accomplish the vision he has for Georgia.
"Our teams will display great mental and physical toughness," Smart said. "We'll play with great confidence and pride on the field. We'll work toward this with relentless energy and passion, and I will demand that everyone in the organization does that."
This story was originally published December 9, 2015 at 10:07 PM with the headline "Georgia's Kirby Smart has free reign in compiling his staff ."