Georgia announces two departures from Kirby Smart’s staff, new special teams coordinator

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — The Georgia Bulldogs have a new special teams coordinator after more staff changes announced Wednesday by head coach Kirby Smart.

Kirk Benedict, who served as special teams analyst the last two seasons, has been promoted to replace Scott Cochran.

According to Smart, Cochran and offensive analyst Darrell Dickey both resigned to pursue other opportunities.

Cochran, a former strength coach at Alabama, moved to Georgia in 2020 for an on-field coaching position. He took a leave ahead of the next season to deal with mental health issues before rejoining Smart’s staff after the first seven games of the 2021 season.

The 64-year-old Dickey spent one season at Georgia after five years as the offensive coordinator at Texas A&M. He is a former head coach at North Texas.

“I want to thank Scott and Darrell for their contributions to Georgia football,” Smart said in a statement. “We wish them all the best moving forward.”

This was the latest round of coaching changes for the Bulldogs. Defensive backs coach Fran Brown left to become the head coach at Syracuse, and co-defensive coordinator Will Muschamp moved down to an analyst role to spend more time with his family.

NCAAF News: Kirby Smart makes something clear on first Alabama-Georgia without Nick Saban

The Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart made something clear on first matchup with Alabama Crimson Tide since Nick Saban’s retirement.

The SEC schedule will kick off with a blockbuster matchup. The Georgia Bulldogs will visit the Alabama Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa. As the Bulldogs face a familiar foe, they will encounter a new version of the Crimson Tide. Georgia’s head coach, Kirby Smart, made something clear ahead of his first test against Bama since Nick Saban‘s retirement.

The Bulldogs and Crimson Tide will headline a must-see matchup. The outcome could play a major role in determining the SEC Championship match. Two of the biggest college football programs in recent years will come head-to-head. These sides have accustomed fans to tight matches and multiple championship games.

However, this time around, it will be different as Nick Saban left Alabama. Smart is aware of the impact of his departure and has made something clear ahead of this upcoming bout.

“I don’t expect it to be strange,” Smart said, per On3. “He recruited a lot of them, and they’re good players. Anytime you go against a really good team that’s a powerhouse in college football, it’s a challenge. And I really look at it like this is a hell of an opportunity.”

Smart addresses his team’s lackluster start

The Georgia Bulldogs started off the season ranked on first place in the NCAA Rankings, but have since fallen to the second position. The slight fall-off is nothing to be worried about. However, the Dawgs have shown some struggles that could come back to bite them as the season progresses. In their road game against Bama, those weaknesses could prove deadly against the Crimson Tide’s offensive firepower.

Kirby Smart acknowledged Georgia‘s poor performances, despite their 3-0 start, and stated he was pleased with what he saw.