Georgia coach Kirby Smart makes key hire in Pitt OC Jim Chaney
Kirby Smart is bringing in Pitt offensive coordinator Jim Chaney as well as Arkansas offensive line coach Sam Pittman.
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New Georgia coach Kirby Smart has begun filling out the rest of his staff and has made two significant offensive hires. The Bulldogs will reportedly bring in Pitt offensive coordinator Jim Chaney -- formerly at Arkansas and Tennessee -- to fill the same position in Athens
Dawg Nation and multiple other reports, including Fox Sports' Bruce Feldman, had Chaney going to Georgia as one of two important hires for Smart's staff.
#UGA has made it official: #Pitt's Jim Chaney is new offensive coordinator, #Arkansas Sam Pittman is new OL coach.
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) December 12, 2015
Along with the Chaney hire, Georgia is also hiring Sam Pittman away from Arkansas to be the offensive line coach. Pittman is regarded as one of the nation's top offensive line coaches and has been with Bret Bielema at Arkansas since 2013. Not only is Pittman a great offensive line coach, he also served as Arkansas' recruiting coordinator.
Chaney and Pittman previously worked together at Tennessee in 2012, when Chaney was OC and Pittman was OL coach, and the Vols offense put up 36.2 points per game and averaged 475.9 yards. They also spent two years together at Arkansas and improved the offensive production from 2013 (20.7 ppg, 357.2 ypg) to 2014 (31.2 ppg, 407.5 ypg).
While it isn't a splashy hire, Chaney seems to fit what Smart wants in an offensive coordinator -- someone that can run multiple offenses and adapt to personnel. Getting Pittman alongside Chaney is a really good move as he's one of the best in the country at coaching offensive line and gives the Bulldogs another strong recruiter.
