Stacy Searels Has Proven He Was the Right Hire for Georgia

Offensive line coach Stacy Searels has been getting the job done on and off the field for Georgia since his arrival and has proven he was the right hire for the Bulldogs.

Finding the right head coach to guide and establish success within a program is arguably the most important piece to the puzzle of building a winning culture. But that should not overshadow the importance of a head coach being able to select the personnel they surround themselves with and the ability to make a home run hire when needed to. Head coach Kirby Smart has done all of those things for the University of Georgia, and offensive line coach Stacy Searels is yet another example of it. 

Prior to the 2022 season, Georgia was on the hunt for an offensive line coach after Matt Luke made the decision to step away from football for a little bit. Coach Luke was getting the job done for the Bulldogs, and it was crucial that Georgia would keep the momentum rolling with their new hire. Smart would then decide to bring back a familiar face in Athens by hiring Searels to be the team's new position coach after his stint with North Carolina. And when that decision was made, there were some questions about the hire. 

During his time with North Carolina, the Tar Heels allowed a total of 120 sacks over three seasons which comes out to an average of 40 sacks allowed per season. They also ranked towards the bottom of that statistic in each of those three seasons nationally. In his first season at Georgia though, Searles' unit allowed just nine sacks during the 2022 season and nearly took home the Joe Moore award, which is annually given to the nation's best offensive line unit in the country. So now Georgia fans knew he could answer the call on the field, but what about outside of the hash marks? 

Georgia football offensive line coach Stacy Searels. (Photo/UGAA)

The 2024 recruiting cycle was a big test for Searels. One could understand why he may not be landing some of the nation's best prospects at a school like North Carolina, but at a school like Georgia, it is expected that you land the best of the best. Well, on July 5th, coach Searels proved he can do that too as Daniel Calhoun, a top offensive line prospect in the country, announced his commitment to the Bulldogs. A massive addition to Georgia's 2024 class, and proof that Searels can answer the call on the recruiting trail. 

Calhoun was an instate prospect that was a must-have litmus test for Searels  Calhoun was pursued by some of the nation’s premier programs. 

The Bulldogs now have four offensive linemen committed to this year's recruiting class and there are still some big names left on the board that Searels and Georgia have a good shot at landing.

So as the 2023 college football season inches closer, coach Searels has his 2024 recruiting class in great shape while also having his current roster in a position to potentially be one of the best units in the sport. It is yet another example of Smart being able to decipher which hire he thinks will be the best move for his program and ensuring that he builds the best possible staff around him to continue the national success that he and the Bulldogs have produced over the last few seasons.

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