Kirby Smart comments on Shane Beamer’s hiring, his history of assistants becoming head coaches
By Keith Farner
Published:
Shane Beamer became the latest former Georgia assistant to land a head coaching job at a Power 5 school when he was announced Sunday as the new coach at South Carolina.
After Sam Pittman at Arkansas, and Mel Tucker at Colorado (now Michigan State), Georgia coach Kirby Smart is developing a track record with former assistants becoming head coaches.
“Shane’s a good friend of mine and we’ve been friends for a long time. Certainly appreciate what he did for the University of Georgia while he was here, he worked really hard, he helped shape and build our program,” Smart said at his Monday press conference. “Then went to Oklahoma and did the same I’m sure with Lincoln (Riley). He’s done a good job where he’s been. I’m not taking a lot of credit for that. He’s earned that opportunity on his own merit.”
Monday is the five-year anniversary of Smart being named Georgia’s coach, and he recalled his transition. He said the ability to be comfortable and understand your vision is important, and that ultimate decisions come down to you for the first time.
“You’ve got to surround yourself with people you trust and that want to be there and have the same goals and aspirations in mind that you do,” Smart said. “That may sound simple, but you can get overwhelmed because of the amount of information pouring in and the amount of people that want jobs and want an opportunity to be in the SEC. You’ve got to sort through all that and you’ve got to get the right fit. Assembling the staff is the first step and also making sure the players on your current roster are developing as well.”
Smart said he thanks his former assistants for the work they’ve done for the program, and that the coaching profession can be difficult on families.
“It’s all about relationships in this business and I want to have good relationships with those guys who’ve worked here before and we’ve been able to keep it that way with guys who’ve left here and gone on to head coaching jobs,” Smart said.
A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.
