Georgia made it official Friday morning, naming Washington Redskins assistant coach Kirk Olivadotti as the Bulldogs’ new inside linebackers coach.
The hire had been expected for a couple of days, pending the completion of a pre-employment background check.
“In hiring an assistant, we look for someone who first is at the top level in football knowledge and competency,” Georgia coach Mark Richt said in a statement announcing the hire. “Then we want someone who is a teacher of the game, [will] be an example for young men, and can serve as a mentor for our student-athletes. We found all those qualities in Kirk.”
Olivadotti called the opportunity “exciting” and thanked Richt “for his confidence in what I can hopefully bring to the program.”
He replaces Warren Belin on the Georgia staff. Belin left two weeks ago to become the Carolina Panthers’ linebackers coach.
Olivadotti had been the longest-tenured member of the Redskins’ coaching staff, which he joined in 2000. At various times since then, he served as a defensive quality control coach, helped coach the special-teams units, the defensive backs and the defensive line, and more recently served as linebackers coach (2007-09) and defensive assistant (2010).
Olivadotti, 37, began his coaching career on the college level at Maine Maritime in 1997. He was an assistant coach at Indiana State in 1998-99.
He has undergraduate and master’s degrees in education and education administration, respectively, from Purdue, where he played wide receiver from 1993-96. His father is Tom Olivadotti, a long-time NFL defensive coach with the Cleveland Browns, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, New York Giants and Houston Texans.
Olivadotti is the second assistant hired by Richt this month. Will Friend, formerly at UAB, was hired as offensive line coach, replacing Stacy Searels, who left for Texas.
193 comments Add your comment
schmeckdawg
February 18th, 2011
10:46 am
@DawginLex, that caveat right there is going to seriously dissapoint Trey.
Tweets that mention Georgia confirms hire of Olivadotti as inside linebackers coach | UGA sports blog -- Topsy.com
February 18th, 2011
10:47 am
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by ajc sports editor and Lutz Manke, Yancey Thomas. Yancey Thomas said: Georgia confirms hire of Olivadotti as inside linebackers coach http://bit.ly/f6wlL4 [...]
Stewart
February 18th, 2011
10:48 am
I heard the donation minimum was down to $7 a ticket.
sandman053
February 18th, 2011
10:49 am
Stewart I think $1500 will be a safe donation to get first time tickets.
Trey
February 18th, 2011
10:50 am
Just checked, 80% chance of rain in the forecast.
Richt finishes 2nd or 3rd in the SEC Easy 4 out last 5 seasons.
WIN WITH RICHT
February 18th, 2011
10:54 am
Trey
You are like stuck record. The same bull over and over and over. Take a ritalin or something.
UGA VIIII
February 18th, 2011
10:54 am
@trey , quit babbling , 8 top 25 finishes , 6 of those top 10 , 2 of those top 3, you grasp onto a totally meaningless stat, last year sucked , if you are a dawg fan , which I seriously doubt get over a quit whining like a little girl. By the # 10 in the country in wins since Richt arrived.
schmeckdawg
February 18th, 2011
10:55 am
Are Trey and Jerry the same person? Sure sounds like it!!!!
WIN WITH RICHT
February 18th, 2011
10:56 am
Trey
Uga has finished in the top ten in six of Richt’s ten years. So, there is a 60 % of the Dawgs finishing in the top ten.
UGA VIIII
February 18th, 2011
10:58 am
Trey must be a Tech Troll.
Trey
February 18th, 2011
10:59 am
Tech will win it all in 2011. Go Tech!!!!!!!!!
Randall
February 18th, 2011
11:00 am
Trey-
True, Richt rarely wins the SEC East over the last 5 seasons, I think he’s tied for 1st once. But, like the 2 other fans here, I feel great about the future.
Sure, 3rd in SEC East this year, maybe 2nd in SEC East in 2012, and then 1st in 2013.
ClinchCountyCanine
February 18th, 2011
11:01 am
Trey
I would say that there is a 88.34% chance that you are a dork.
Lars
February 18th, 2011
11:01 am
Even thought Richt wins less than his year before 7 out of 8, I’m a true believer and think he’ll suddenly start beating his previous season 7 out of 8. Past facts don’t derail me. I’m a blind optimist.
Schmuckdawg and Handman
February 18th, 2011
11:01 am
ha get a room is right….thanks for the read guys…….
Welcome Coach O!!!
sandman053
February 18th, 2011
11:03 am
Trey in your honor I just ordered my baseball tickets. Go Dawgs!!
Scottie
February 18th, 2011
11:03 am
This coach was the missing link. Now Georgia will go 14-0, true, the 3 def. hires last year, I said that too
But I’m a dreamer!!
dawgster
February 18th, 2011
11:04 am
Guys…why do you respond to “Trey”..just ignore his comments, as hard as that is and perhaps he will go away…Still amazing to me how some like him can’t brring anything to the table in these discussions…but based on some of his comments what we expect…It must be sad being him….go dawgs
schmeckdawg
February 18th, 2011
11:04 am
Trey is definitely Jerry! I actually think that he is pretty funny!
Dog Fan #23
February 18th, 2011
11:05 am
It does not get dark, it never rains, and Georgia will go 14-0 in 2011!!
sandman053
February 18th, 2011
11:07 am
lol @ dawgster we needed some cheap humor this morning.
Home opener Wednesday against Furman…Go Dawgs!
Dog Fan #23
February 18th, 2011
11:08 am
Yeah, it’s true that Richt finishes #2 or #3 in the SEC East, 80% of last 5 seasons, BUT, I just ignore that and keep hoping things turn around.
Sic em’, woof!
SEC Football
February 18th, 2011
11:08 am
Trey, go to the Tech blog. In our down years we kick your butt 90% of the time!!!!!!
Even in a year where we are below 500. Chew on that!!!!!
woebegong
February 18th, 2011
11:09 am
Trey,
What school do you favor? Wouldn’t be tech would it? What school did you attend? High school and elementary are not the answers I am inquiring about mind you.
UGA VIIII
February 18th, 2011
11:10 am
So Trey reveals himself a a pathetic Tech Fan, Hey Trey since 1957 Tech has beaten UGA 15 times.
UGa is tied with the entire ACC in BCS bowl wins. Generations of complete domination. Let me guess next you live vicariously through Fla , Techs adopted big brother,.Fla. has whipped us since 1990, not since 1957. Now run off to a Duke board where what you have to say might be relevant.
Tweets that mention Georgia confirms hire of Olivadotti as inside linebackers coach | UGA sports blog -- Topsy.com
February 18th, 2011
11:10 am
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by sec1stop, bulldogtweets.com. bulldogtweets.com said: #UGA Georgia confirms hire of Olivadotti as inside linebackers coach: Georgia made it official this morning, nam… http://bit.ly/eXMDbS [...]
Dog Fan #23
February 18th, 2011
11:11 am
Yeah, we finish 2nd or 3rd in the SEC East 4 out 5, but we beat Tech!!!
Sic em’, woof.
BMDPD
February 18th, 2011
11:11 am
I noticed Tide Roll isn’t posting. Could he be the one that poisoned the oaks?
Haters are pathetic
February 18th, 2011
11:11 am
Trey is an idiot and a masochist. Check the posts when he was being ignored he increased his comments. Once everyone started slamming him he slowed down the comments because he’s probably busy doing………… ewwwwww
schmeckdawg
February 18th, 2011
11:12 am
Come on DAWG fans let’s give Trey a break, he was a breach baby. An a-hole first!
woebegong
February 18th, 2011
11:15 am
Darn, and to think I was only asking the boy about his loyalties, LOL. Let’s all be considerate of his valuable and thoughtful opinion now.
Treyloser
February 18th, 2011
11:15 am
Must be a geek from the Trade School, bet UGA has a better record than the NERDS!!!
HAHAHAHA!!!
Boise Dawg
February 18th, 2011
11:17 am
Interesting article in the Idaho Statesman this morning. Boise State coaches are traveling to Alabama to learn some secrets of Nick Saban’s program.
Hey Chip, do Georgia assistant coaches ever do this? I know this is something that Chris Petersen has had his staff do over the past few years and they have visited with several different programs over the years… this will be the first for Alabama I believe.
http://www.idahostatesman.com/2011/02/18/1532716/coaches-traveling-south-to-study.html#
schmeckdawg
February 18th, 2011
11:24 am
@Boise Dawg, I know last year our coaches went up to Blacksburg. A lot of good that did!
SouthGaBrave
February 18th, 2011
11:28 am
DKG –
Lonnie Outlaw will be here in 2012. When you go to GMC, you have to stay for 2 years.
Buckeye
February 18th, 2011
11:31 am
Ah, a Big 10 alum from Perdue. Obviously from good midwestern stock.
Buckeye
February 18th, 2011
11:32 am
Oppsss. “Purdue”.
Speaking of which, tune in Sunday o CBS at 1PM. Ohio State at Purdue.
Georgia
February 18th, 2011
11:35 am
Another solid experienced hire. Its a new age. Year of the Dawg. Richt doing a nice job surrounding himself with big time coaching. Big upgrades over the staff that was here 3 years ago.
Either way we still beat tech and their andy griffith coach.
FLA DAWG
February 18th, 2011
11:36 am
Good hires in Friend and Olivadotti.
Now about Bobo & Richt…………………………………………………
schmeckdawg
February 18th, 2011
11:37 am
@Georgia, the OL coach hire bothers me. Anyone else?
Buckeye
February 18th, 2011
11:39 am
SOURCE: USA TODAY
LAST FIVE IN: Kansas State, Georgia, Clemson, Southern Miss, Marquette
Better tighten the laces Howard ( before I was Trey). Show us you meam business on Saturday.
UGASlobberknocker
February 18th, 2011
11:42 am
Its expensive but a great spot to park..Presbyterian Center $425 per yr
Jonkdawg
February 18th, 2011
11:42 am
I am already excited whatever it is they do GO DAWGS!
tide roll
February 18th, 2011
11:46 am
You can change coaches, go to a 3-4. change strength and conditioning, change uniforms, whatever, but until you change the attitudes of coaches like Bobo, and start keeping kids like CHANCE WARMACK, JAMES CARPENTER,and JUJUAN JAMES home, then nothing is going to change. How many times does Florida have to beat you to drive this point home! It’s not changing coaches, it’s changing the attitude of the program. Until that happens, then nothing happens, I don’t care how many “changes” you make. It’s all cosmetic. At Uga, the more things change, the more they stay the same.
SouthGaBrave
February 18th, 2011
11:47 am
schmeckdawg,
Every good line coach starts somewhere. He did good things with less talented players at UAB, let’s give him a chance to mold our boys up front. In all honesty, most people don’t know the names of any “good” line coaches across the country. With our situation (jobs on the line based on results of this season), we had to go the route of a young, up-and-comer that will hopefully bring energy and passion to the job.
slawdawg
February 18th, 2011
11:47 am
It’s not “your an idiot”, it’s “you’re an idiot”…….idiot!
UGA Alumnus
February 18th, 2011
11:48 am
@Trey
February 18th, 2011
10:21 am
This isn’t math it’s football. Sorry to break it to you but sports just don’t work that way. What are you, a statistics major at Tech?
Actually, you’re obviously not, because you would understand this if you were.
schmeckdawg
February 18th, 2011
11:49 am
SouthGaBrave, hope you are right!
Go DAWGS!!!!!!!!!!
Papadawg
February 18th, 2011
11:52 am
Trey you have to be a weenie arm Jacket fan who has nothing to cheer for so he has to bad mouth the DAWGS. Crawl back in the sewer with yellow fuzz
tide roll
February 18th, 2011
11:56 am
Go Tech Baby!!!!!!