Texas hires Searels as offensive line coach
(UPDATE:) Texas has completed its deal with Stacy Searels and plans an announcement later Thursday afternoon of his hire as offensive line coach.
8:45 p.m. Wednesday:
Georgia offensive line coach Stacy Searels traveled Wednesday afternoon to Austin, Texas, where a website covering University of Texas athletics, Orangebloods.com, reported Wednesday night that he accepted an offer to become the Longhorns’ offensive line coach.
Texas has not yet announced a hire.
Texas head coach Mack Brown has been seeking an offensive line coach since the December retirement of Mac McWhorter. Auburn O-line coach Jeff Grimes last week turned down the position.
Searels and his wife, Patricia, left Athens-Ben Epps Airport on a private plane to Austin shortly after 4 p.m. Wednesday. They were picked up in Austin by Brown’s wife, Sally, according to the Austin American-Statesman.
Neither Searels nor Georgia officials have commented on the matter.
Searels, a native of Trion, Ga., has been the Bulldogs’ offensive line coach since 2007. He previously was offensive line coach at LSU, Cincinnati and Appalachian State.
Georgia’s offensive line was expected to be a pillar of the 2010 team but drew much criticism as the Bulldogs struggled to run the ball effectively. Georgia finished 10th in the SEC in rushing.
In another development Wednesday regarding Georgia’s O-line: Backup lineman Tanner Strickland won’t be back with the Bulldogs this year, having decided to skip his final season of eligibility. He plans to complete his degree in speech communications and move on with life after football.
His Georgia career was slowed by shoulder problems. He was redshirted in 2007, played in 13 games in 2008, missed the 2009 season after shoulder surgery and played in 13 games in 2010, starting three.
– Tim Tucker, UGA blog
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309 comments Add your comment
JB
January 19th, 2011
6:43 pm
Rome is burning
Rum Bap
January 19th, 2011
6:44 pm
True Bow Wow. They are legends in their own minds.
Rum Bap
January 19th, 2011
6:44 pm
Who’s playing the fiddle?
mike bobo garbage play calling
January 19th, 2011
6:53 pm
Mike Bobo needs to be on the next plane out of Athens.I watched a predictable play calliing week after week this year.Bobo himself should step down he knows it just as well as the bulldog nation.
southgadawg
January 19th, 2011
6:53 pm
If SS leaves great! As for the rest of you so-called “Dawg” fans, if you can’t be positive about GEORGIA’S program shut up and leave! The DAWGS don’t need fans like you.
Mike
January 19th, 2011
6:58 pm
Hit the road Jack, and don’t come back no more, no more, no more, no more.
UGA Law Dawg
January 19th, 2011
6:59 pm
Has there been ANY positive news to come out of Georgia in the last 18 months?
2 weeks until signing day, how much contact did Stacy have with these guys teetering?
Mike
January 19th, 2011
7:04 pm
Let’s get the O-Line coach at Nebraska, Wisconsin, or Stanford, guys who know how to run block.
Nick Fairly
January 19th, 2011
7:05 pm
I would take the job but I’m too mean and hit too hard.
bwell
January 19th, 2011
7:05 pm
First congrats to Tanner and God bless, NOW for Coach S……….bye! another scholarship open up and a new line coach, he must feel the pressure and of course pressure make pipes bust.
tide roll
January 19th, 2011
7:05 pm
Richt will go the lazy route, Nall or McWhorter.
UGA Law Dawg
January 19th, 2011
7:05 pm
So if SS leaves then BOBO leaves then who will we blame?
Mark Richt hires these guys and SS was a heck of a coach before he came to UGA, he did not forget how to coach. This falls on CMR’s head and no one else.
CMR is gone next.
rascaldog
January 19th, 2011
7:11 pm
Tanner Strickland, thanks for the memories! You will be missed by all of us. You have been a role model for the boys….Good luck to your future!!
Wilddawg
January 19th, 2011
7:13 pm
If Searls goes would they rehire for that position? Wonder if they would promote someone from within because I’m sure McGarity is not going to hire anyone to a long term contract unless it is someone he could retain with a new coach in late 2011.
seth
January 19th, 2011
7:17 pm
After Miss ST game his home was for sale, he put it on the market b/c he knew he was part of the problem. Surprised Texas is talking with him, I would have thought a smaller school, maybe UAB or another tier below big schools in south. Maybe Texas has a similar less involved coaching position for him.
Sleepy Dawg
January 19th, 2011
7:23 pm
Look for Charlie Strong’s name to pop up if we are looking for a new coach next season. Heard it here first, and it would be a homerun hire
bad dog
January 19th, 2011
7:25 pm
According to georgia.247sports.com Searels contract is up on June 30 so he obviously assumes he’s not going to get any kind of extension or renewal.
SC Dawg
January 19th, 2011
7:27 pm
Please take Bobo!!!!!!!!!!!!
Worm
January 19th, 2011
7:27 pm
Sleepy, Please GO back to sleep!
hmmmm?
January 19th, 2011
7:28 pm
Is it possible there is a 5 star offensive line recruit in Austin he may be visiting?
Sleepy Dawg
January 19th, 2011
7:37 pm
Trooper Taylor could also be an option. I mean it is obvious the dude knows his pay for play. That thug has it down to a science. I dont care if we lie cheat and steal lets just beat Florida and go to Atlanta
TheTruth
January 19th, 2011
7:38 pm
Yeah, he wants to leave before he gets fired. Look at the running game and pass protection. How much experience did he have this past season? He’s on the hot seat so he is probably getting pushed out and his days are numbered and he knows it and he dont have the confidence to know that he can get the job done. I dont blame him, I would be looking for a contract too because he has stunk it up recently. I am with Falcon, can we throw Bobo in and make it a package deal?!
TheTruth
January 19th, 2011
7:40 pm
When is Bobo’s contract up?
mgdawg
January 19th, 2011
7:43 pm
I’m very excited about this, I was wishing richt would pull the trigger, but honestly I can’t blame him for not doing it. After letting go the entire defensive staff last year, it would look bad to future employees to have more firings the next year. Searels was a very big name when UGA got him, he was supposed to be the best oline coach out there. He seems to do a very good job with freshman and sophomores, but for some reason he doesn’t seem that good at continuing the progression into juniors and seniors.
As for the person saying van halanger wouldn’t let searels work out the oline and that the players weren’t allowed to get personal trainers, for those of you who have never been around college football that doesn’t happen anywhere. I don’t know everything about van halanger, but strength and conditioning is a science, these coaches have degrees and certificates in strength and conditioning. There is a big picture of what the coaches want the team to improve on and which way to go. When a kid is recruited to a school they give the kid a workout to do over the spring and summer, they don’t want the kid just lifting whatever they feel is best.
bad dog
January 19th, 2011
7:45 pm
Now that Richt is free of all those admin duties he can coach the offensive line since he has no clue what the game plan is or what play Bobo is calling during games.
Ben "chop block" Jones
January 19th, 2011
7:49 pm
I would like to thank coach for making me as dirty of an offensive player as Fairley was a defensive one.
0ld timer
January 19th, 2011
7:50 pm
d searles is gone.
0ld timer
January 19th, 2011
7:51 pm
glad searels is gone
Jim 007
January 19th, 2011
7:56 pm
How can you blame him ?
Dawgs under Richt suck !
DDAWG
January 19th, 2011
8:01 pm
CSS just accepted one of the premiere jobs in the country after a few so-so seasons with the dogs, what could this possibility mean? What is means is, he is considered one of the top Oline coaches in the country working under impossible conditions and the coaching world knows it. Not a good sign. Now who the hell is going to come to athens for the “Last Richts” season? One and done, thanks but no thanks. Thanks Greg we are on life support and I for one am ready to pull the plug…
TheTruth
January 19th, 2011
8:06 pm
When UGA wins 9 games or more the next 3 years and Richt is still coach, all of the fair-weather UGA fans and supporters will regret the harm and negativity they brought to the program. The rest of you Tech and Bama fans pretending to be Dawgs can take a flying leap…When UGA wins the east this year, I hope support and apologies are given. UGA would have won the east last year if not for mistakes at the worst times by players, inexperience and early suspensions, not coaches… 4 turnovers by QB against Florida, fumble on go ahead TD against S.Carolina, Easily could have lost just 1 or 2. Like falcons were more like a 11-5 or 10-6 team that had some things go there way and were not really a 13-3 team except for big breaks or. things went the other way for the dogs and there are years like that especially with inexperience at QB. Crow goes down slow and nasty….Richt is not going anywhere soon so better get behind him during the tough times becasue all coaches go through them. Who is the last UGA coach to win the SEC before Richt who did more than once and in the hunt more than half his years for the NC? Dooley in what 1982 with Herschel? If not for Herschel to go with the defenses it would have been 1968 since a SEC title And all these idiots want to run the best coach the school probably had ever has had out of town? Please go root for another school…you are too stupid to represent UGA and our state. Dooley won what 4 or 5 over 25 years with less coaching to compete against at the other schools than today in the SEC…
VA DAWG
January 19th, 2011
8:14 pm
Will Fulmer’s name ne brought up as a candidate to replace SS??? I believe he and Richt had a good relationship and was known for producing NFL lineman?
Lowcountry Bulldawg
January 19th, 2011
8:15 pm
Like it or not if Texas is looking to hire this guy he must have some ability to coach young men. I think it speaks more to him jumping ship on CMR. Searles is no dummy he see’s the writing on the wall on CMR tenure at UGA and he is doing his best at CYA’ing for himself anf his family.
shawn
January 19th, 2011
8:25 pm
Good Riddance. Our O-line has been more our downfall than anything since he took over. The guy is over rated and we can do better. How many missed assignments cost us games LY. The fumble at the end of the CU game was because of a whiffed block where the D lineman was on King as he took the hand off. We win against Ark. if we block on the last possession. We were 15 yards from fg range and took 2 sacks on blown blocking assignments. I can go on with these all day. I wanted him gone and now I get my wish!
Roaddawg80
January 19th, 2011
8:25 pm
Lowcountry Bulldawg
That post makes no sense.
So by that the DL coach who left Alabama for Texas last week sees the writing on the wall for Nick Saban?
Dude assistants come and go all the time if they are not coordinators. Quit reading to much into it.
dawg from a distance
January 19th, 2011
8:36 pm
What are the options for a replacement if he leaves? Does anyone know of some good O line coaches. The guy at SC seemed to improve them this year or was that 21 just running over people?
T-dawg
January 19th, 2011
8:37 pm
I wonder if this is really just about Job security. Searels might just be seeing the writing on the wall. The wall that reads “We’re cleaning house”
Texas looked at
January 19th, 2011
8:46 pm
Don’t laugh, but Texas looked at Bobo also…his play calling is suspect at times, but they liked the way he can put up points…there’s no reason Bobo couldn’t do a good job if he had the mentoring from someone, say CMR for instance…Bobo can also get QB’s in the door…he did a heck of a good job preparing Murray for the season…regardless of what happens to CMR,Bobo won’t be unemployed for long whether you all think he stinks up the place or not…he’s not that bad, but stuck with a head coach who is apathetic at best
Lowcountry Bulldawg
January 19th, 2011
8:47 pm
Road,
Don’t be naive…
cmac
January 19th, 2011
8:52 pm
YES!!!! Great news!
harold
January 19th, 2011
9:10 pm
GEORGIA IS A SINKING SHIP MAN….
Fact
January 19th, 2011
9:13 pm
McWhorter will return to UGA… IF he doesn’t join Bill Curry’s staff!
CPO DAWG
January 19th, 2011
9:17 pm
Robbie Caldwell will be the next OL coach @ UGA…..HUNKER DOWN
Bottom Line
January 19th, 2011
9:30 pm
I am a Dawg fan. CSS is a good coach, IMO. But the program is in disarray. We have lots of problems. If we do not address them, worst is yet to come. I am talking Vandy, Ole Miss bad. We will be looking up at everybody in the conference if serious steps are not taken! CSS has been in good programs and sees the writing on the wall. CMR has painted his self in a corner with the kind of recruits he has signed. CRG only recruits a certain kind of player and character makes no difference to him.
CMR needs to make a stand and take over the program he heads or he is going to lose his job. He is a good person and I believe he is a good football coach. But he is employing people who don’t really care whether he is the coach or not. They are seeking a ” cultural change” in Athens. He needs to take back the program.
I guess CSS has had enough.
edumacated
January 19th, 2011
9:32 pm
@ The Truth,
Dude, what are you smoking? Please put down the bong and give up on the “ifs” and “buts.” What did you write? “If not for mistakes at the worst times by players, inexperience and early suspensions?” Well,,if my aunt had balls she would be my uncle.
The facts are that they made mistakes on the field because of bad coaching. They were inexperienced on the field because of poor succession planning. They were suspended because of insufficient oversight and mentoring.
Quit with the excuses and admit that our once great leader has lost his abilitity to coach and run a program that isn’t an embarrassment.
Loyal Dawg
January 19th, 2011
9:35 pm
Can’t say that I have been impressed with Searels. I know that we had some serious injury problems on the o-line in 2006 and 2007, but our o-line has been average at best from 2008-2010. We know Neil Callaway ( OL coach from 2001-2006) was a very good coach and recruiter. The big question is who can we get that will raise our level of play?
athdog
January 19th, 2011
9:41 pm
jackbull, if I misspoke it was an honest mistake. I don’t believe I was wrong in my comments on Bal, McClendon, or Smart. Of course the Bobby Cox comment, etc..was for comic relief.
In truth, I’m hopeful Searles does well wherever he goes, and I hope CMR is able to find a great replacement. The end of season comments by CMR were embarrassing to me, inasmuch as I would hope that a highly paid, or lowly paid, college football coach would already be an ‘expert on college football’. I truly hope that he is able to turn the program around, but I’m afraid the ‘dream team’ he is trying to recruit is too little too late. By the time these guys start to contribute, and they will contribute mightily if we can sign ‘em all, it’ll be 2012 or later, and CMR may well be gone.
Top Dawg
January 19th, 2011
9:41 pm
C-YA
interesting
January 19th, 2011
9:42 pm
no one will raise the level–i dont think anybody really wants to jump on a sinking (or unstable) ship
nash
January 19th, 2011
9:47 pm
There is a rumor stating that Coach Ritch has informed players that CSS is gone and that he has confidence in his replacement. That means that the team has been preparing for this for a while and everyone else is playing catch up. Maybe Texas is doing rushing the hire to save their class and, CMR is left to save his class now. Rumor has it the Theus is commited but looking at his options.