Kirby Smart talks Will Muschamp, Shane Beamer connections

Georgia football coach Kirby Smart met with the media Wednesday to discuss the Bulldogs upcoming SEC opener against South Carolina. He was asked about the many coaching connections that will be on display Saturday, including a former head coach returning as a coordinator and a former position coach returning as a head coach.

From a pair of former Saban assistants to a boss and prodigy relationship, Kirby Smart talked about all the ins and outs of what Will Muschamp and Shane Beamer will experience on Saturday.

On Will Muschamp

Kirby Smart first addressed the return of Will Muschamp, who formerly served as the head coach at South Carolina. The defensive specialist took an analyst job at Georgia this offseason and was elevated to special teams coordinator when Scott Cochran stepped away from the program.

“I think he’s a consummate pro when it comes to work and professionalism, and he’s had this situation a lot before, because he’s been all over the SEC,” Smart told the media on the SEC’s Wednesday conference call. “You know, he was the head coach at Florida and then ended up at Auburn, he was at Auburn and ended up at South Carolina and he’s gone against both those programs repeatedly. So it’s not new to him, that’s for sure. I think he’ll handle it well.”

As Smart points out, Muschamp has a long history in the SEC. He has spent time with six SEC teams over the past 20 years, a list that will expand to seven when Texas joins the conference in 2025.

On Shane Beamer

Shane Beamer is in his first year as head coach at South Carolina, taking over after Will Muschamp was let go. If that connection is not enough, he is also a former Georgia assistant, working under Kirby Smart from 2016 to 2017 as a tight end coach and special teams coordinator.

The 44-year-old son of Hall of Fame coach Frank Beamer is off to a hot start, going 2-0 to start the season. Despite injury problems at quarterback, the team has coped well early in the season.

“He’s got a lot of momentum, those players and fans are buying in and believing in him,” said Smart. “I think the energy he’s created has helped create that momentum.”

Like Muschamp, Beamer has plenty of SEC experience in his career. He has worked at four different schools in the conference, but the list will expand to five when Oklahoma joins the SEC in 2025.