Georgia hires UAB’s Will Friend as offensive line coach (updated)
Will Friend celebrated his 36th birthday Monday by becoming Georgia’s offensive line coach.
Friend, who held the same position at Alabama-Birmingham for the past four seasons, was an All-SEC offensive lineman at Alabama in the 1990s and a graduate assistant coach at Georgia in 2003-04.
He fills the position vacated on the Georgia staff by last month’s departure of Stacy Searels for the same job at Texas.
At UAB, Friend worked under head coach Neil Callaway, who was Georgia’s offensive coordinator and offensive line coach from 2001-06. Callaway became UAB’s head coach in 2007 and immediately hired Friend, who had been offensive line coach at Gardner-Webb for two years after his graduate-assistant stint under Callaway at Georgia.
“I got to see first-hand his work ethic when he was a graduate assistant on our staff,” Georgia coach Mark Richt said in a statement announcing the hire, “and since that time he’s developed into a seasoned, top-notch offensive line coach.”
The hire, expected since late last week, became official when routine pre-employment background checks were completed.
Friend was traveling and not available for an interview Monday. He said in a statement that he is “extremely excited” about the “tremendous opportunity” at Georgia.
“When I worked with Coach Richt and the staff as a grad assistant, I had a great experience, and I always wondered if I might have the opportunity to come back to Athens,” he said. “I am looking forward to getting to work.”
Friend, a native of Philadelphia, Miss., was a member of Alabama’s “Team of the Decade” for the 1990s. He was a four-year starter at offensive guard for the Crimson Tide from 1993-97.
Of the 120 FBS (formerly Division I-A) teams, UAB last season ranked 15th in fewest sacks allowed (12), 30th in total offense (423 yards per game), 24th in passing offense (267 yards per game) and 59th in rushing offense (156 yards per game).
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234 comments Add your comment
dear D A DoubleU G
February 7th, 2011
5:57 pm
c’mon man. you’re telling me that in a conference where the BEST d-lines in the nation line up – where Nick Fairley and Justin Houston types are found on each team – that UGA hires a no-name from a no-name conference as the O-line coach.
I don’t give a flip what this crowell kid is like, if the O-line is as bad as last year, UGA is toast. AGAIN.
sam
February 7th, 2011
5:58 pm
swimdawg……………………Go change the oil in your pickup truck, and try keeping your idiot mouth shut. You know nothing about coaching…………….
RabidDawgFan
February 7th, 2011
5:58 pm
When our OL starts pancaking people in the SEC don’t say you weren’t warned. Yeah, a UAB coach was hired at UGA to fill the void of OL coach but you just never know how they will turn out. He could be the next great coach.
Da'Rick
February 7th, 2011
6:01 pm
Pacific Dawg, me and the Tombstone be some kind of tight he was all set to be a Vol with a little “prompting” from me over the last week. However he has now decided to give up football to follow his dream into interior design and it is with a heavy heart that we watch him go. It is a blow to Vol nation to be sure but truthfully we have all the interior designers on the squad we need if you know what I mean…oh Rocky Top you’ll always be….
Nate the Great
February 7th, 2011
6:04 pm
hey still@thebar,
The only thing we’ll be waiting for in 2012 is lowering our championship banner!!! Tech plays in an inferior conference and had the same record? Why don’t you guys learn how to play “modern” football and throw a forward pass? Your gimmick of an offense has run its course. Tell CPJ to look into the spread or something that has been run successfully since 1950, oh wait you would need real athletes to do it and not the scrubs that the major schools look over.
Enjoy running an antiquated offense with inferior athletes. Sweet recruiting class by the way, how people again switched their commitment from your trade school to a real college?
erictin
February 7th, 2011
6:04 pm
How qualified do you have to be to coach the O-line?Just tell’em to go out there and move the guy in font of them!
how2fish
February 7th, 2011
6:05 pm
dear D A DoubleU G Really ?? I thought we hired a “name” last time and how did that work out for us?? Better a no name with some fire than a NAME with an attitude…no idea how this guy will work out but more than willing to give him and the rest of the coach’s and the AD the benefit of the doubt…welcome coach to the Bull Dog Nation !
Tweets that mention Georgia hires Will Friend as offensive line coach | UGA sports blog -- Topsy.com
February 7th, 2011
6:07 pm
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Georgia Sports Now, bulldogtweets.com. bulldogtweets.com said: #UGA Georgia hires Will Friend as offensive line coach: Georgia today hired Will Friend as its offensive line co… http://bit.ly/hSOjrK [...]
VA DAWG
February 7th, 2011
6:08 pm
By the way, no chance Chuck Smith heads to Athens. Word is, he was asked to go…so don’t expect to see him between the hedges.
BiggdawgK
February 7th, 2011
6:13 pm
Here’s a little more info on what Friend did this past year as OL coach for those of you who enjoy facts over whineing about not getting a “big name” coach.
UAB yielded 12 sacks this year, tied for 15th in the nation. The Blazers ranked 59th in the nation in rushing offense last season. Keep in mind the Blazers were often scheduled as the “whiiping boy” against much bigger programs.
One of Friend’s best coaching jobs was with a lineman named Matt McCants. The 6-fooot-7, 295-pound McCants only played one year of high school football, playing tuba in the school band before joining the team his senior season.
Under Friend’s tutelage, McCants started seven games at offensive tackle as a true freshman, including the season opener against Michigan State. After sitting out the 2008 season with academic issues, he returned to the left tackle spot and became an all-conference selection.
Those 12 sacks included games against SMU, Tenn, and Miss St. among others.
If turning a member of the band into an all conference OT in not the definition of coaching up someone give me a better one.
how2fish
February 7th, 2011
6:18 pm
BiggdawgK thanks for the background info that is nuts a Tuba player into a all-conference selection OT…wow!
JB
February 7th, 2011
6:22 pm
Welcome coach Friend. lot’s of work to do. The bar is low. Nowhere to go but up.
Pacific Dawg
February 7th, 2011
6:23 pm
If Friend can put togather a good line at UAB with the recruits that come into that progarm, just think what he should be able to accomplish at UGA. In Athens, the talent level is so much higher.
kral
February 7th, 2011
6:23 pm
welcome Coach Friend
YoMama
February 7th, 2011
6:25 pm
If we ever have to kick a field goal against a Central Florida on a fourth-and-one, you will have a short career at UGA. Getting that off my chest, welcome.
JB
February 7th, 2011
6:25 pm
Let’s get behind him. Self coached would have been an upgrade for us…..
yogi
February 7th, 2011
6:28 pm
Now can we hire an offensivew co-ordinator
yogi
February 7th, 2011
6:28 pm
i cant spell
JB
February 7th, 2011
6:30 pm
OK. YoMama. i have one to to get off my chest also. If we can’t move a tired, undersized , not very talented Tech Line on 4th and 1 in the fourth quarter, you’ll have a short career. Get to work. I’d love to be with him when he looks at all the film from last year, I’m sure Neil Calloway has given him the ’scoop”.
Terry
February 7th, 2011
6:30 pm
When Coach VanGorder was hired as the Defensive Coordinator and linebackers coach at UGA no one knew him either.
smirkydawg
February 7th, 2011
6:32 pm
Stacy Searels wasn’t the problem Bobo and his play calling was and still will be the problem.
JB
February 7th, 2011
6:33 pm
Terry….Agree,,,,,,,,,,,Saban at one time was a little ( no pun intended, LOL) Assit. coach somewhere in Michigan. Now he feeds thousands with one loaf of bread and 1 jug of wine.
JB
February 7th, 2011
6:35 pm
smirkydawg…………….bobo had nothing to do with some of the lack of effort and execution I witnessed regularly on the line.
dawg from a distance
February 7th, 2011
6:35 pm
Richt needed a Friend and now he has one.
Go DAWGS!
JB
February 7th, 2011
6:37 pm
He was allowed to ” phone” a friend by McGarity. I hope a lifeline is not next…LOL
JB
February 7th, 2011
6:39 pm
Nobody happier in Athens than Ealey,King,Crowell and Murray.
still@the bar
February 7th, 2011
6:39 pm
Richt needed a Friend and now he has one.
Go DAWGS!
Bobo needs some Balls! Is there a a coach around named Balz?
FLA DAWG
February 7th, 2011
6:42 pm
This is a good hire.
Now, if Richt will just let him coach.
Destin Dawg
February 7th, 2011
6:43 pm
oline under Searles.. couldn’t move “em out on a run… stood around .. hands on hips while Murray ran for his life .. out of shape.. improved S & C should help … new recruits should pressure every one to step it UP !!! Richt and Bo Bo included
Frustrated
February 7th, 2011
6:47 pm
Yet another bad hire for Richt. Nothing has changed….we have the players but nobody to coach them. how sad!!! We have went from Friedgen to Friend, wow!!!!
DawginOH
February 7th, 2011
6:51 pm
Welcome to the Bulldawg Nation, Coach Friend!
I remember Friend as a player at Bama and he was a stud to say the least. And the fact that he’s been coaching ever since (with a pretty good pedigree working under Callaway) is a good sign. He should do the job that Searels never could.
Good hire!
who?
February 7th, 2011
6:51 pm
why is ga hiring an oline coach from alabama-birmingham? They should have gotten a big name with all the money they have and this new dream team.
Delbert D.
February 7th, 2011
6:58 pm
I still like Bobo as DE coach. It falls in line with McGarity’s relieving coaches of excess responsibilities. Bobo can coach them to 1) occupy the OT and 2) string the play to the outside. Even a caveman can do it; I used to play that position in prehistoric times. Then, Invest some medium $$$ for an up-and-comer OC.
still@the bar
February 7th, 2011
7:05 pm
With new coach Will Friend UGA is now looking for a coach named Ben Dover.
The reporter asks Richt. Will Friend Ben Dover and Bobo creat a win-win situation?
RAID
February 7th, 2011
7:07 pm
This guy will pan out just fine….From what I’ve heard he is a good ,young, hard nosed coach who obviously knows how to play on the line……The fact that he comes from a smaller school means nothing ala Tressel from Youngstown St, Van Gorder from UCF and Ctrl Michigan, Meyer from a couple small schools, Spurrier from Duke, oh, annd Dooley fron La Tech…..they seem to be pretty happy w/ him!…… One Mark Fox of whom we wondered why are we hiring a coach from Nevada?…..the list could go on for a week!……Give it a rest!…..You guys wanted chang so lets give it a chance…Don’t think CMR is making a hasty decision here……His job is on the line, remember?
KimZ'spackage
February 7th, 2011
7:08 pm
still@
Isn’t that what Damon was busted trying to do?
Frank Chiles
February 7th, 2011
7:09 pm
Great hire, and a person that is solid as a rock. Good Luck.
Uncle Frank
LakeDawg
February 7th, 2011
7:10 pm
Welcome coach Friend! Now get those O linemen blowing snot bubbles. That means teach them how to RUN block. And if CMR says we’re going to tone down practice because of fear of injuries and go to “thud,” tell him in no uncertain terms that to win you have to scrimmage HARD in FULL pads! GO DAWGS
BiggdawgK
February 7th, 2011
7:10 pm
I’m glad I have guy’s like Delbert D to educate me. I never knew it was that easy to coach in the SEC. I just hope I can apply for the job before he does. With the mastery he shows for x’s and o’s Delbert D. will be replacing Saban in a few years.
ugab
February 7th, 2011
7:15 pm
It good to see change in the program. When are we going to get a new special teams coach?
Delbert D.
February 7th, 2011
7:18 pm
BiggdawgK – I’m serious…our biggest adjustment was against the one single wing team we played. The straight T-formation teams were a piece of cake. As long as he doesn’t see any single wing teams, Bobo ought to be just fine.
woebegong
February 7th, 2011
7:19 pm
Welcome Coach Friend,
I think you will be just fine at UGA and are certainly an upgrade form what left.
If these players work their butts off a lot in the S and C program, They will be a lot easier for the new coach to coach. I also think, if the offensive play calling opens also, they will show more spirit and knock the snot outta a few defensive lines for other teams. We have the size, and athletic skill for a really good O line and I think this young man is the guy to help them be very productive.
BiggdawgK
February 7th, 2011
7:25 pm
If any of the posters boo hooing abouth Friend being a bad hire are actually UGA fans then check my post at 6:13.
The guy may be young but if he can turn a tuba playing band nerd into an all-conference OT, just imagine what he can do with the talent the Bulldogs have.
McDawg
February 7th, 2011
7:28 pm
you can’t have “all-star” assistant coaches–not the way things work-sounds like a great hire to me-who will be in charge of special teams?-huge
AltamahaDawg
February 7th, 2011
7:36 pm
Just looking at his bio on the UAB site. Ranked fairly high nationally in several categories we should care about.
Did not realize Tommy West was the DC over there.
Jim
February 7th, 2011
7:38 pm
UAB was ranked #7 in rushing in 2009, so let’s hope that means this guy cna run block. Then again, #59 in 2010 isn’t very good.
BiggdawgK
February 7th, 2011
7:39 pm
A few people have posted asking about a special teams coach. There is not a special teams coach per se at UGA. Different coaches handle different special team functions.
Coach Belin who just left the Dawgs was the kickoff coverage coach this past year.
Dobbs
February 7th, 2011
7:40 pm
When your AD (Greg mcGarity) only pays out among the bottom of the SEC, and only offers 1 year contracts, this is about all you can get, Conference USA coaches, said, but that’s where the program is with this current AD. Dissapointing, Richt deserves better.
AltamahaDawg
February 7th, 2011
7:41 pm
But it never mention him turning the All Conference OT into a Tuba player.
Dobbs
February 7th, 2011
7:41 pm
Expect to see 3-4 offensive recruits transfer, this is simply awful.