Kirby Smart Loses Right-Hand Man as Another Assistant Coach Leaves for HC Role

Kirby Smart’s crew might win back-to-back championships and consistently stack blue-chip classes like pancakes, but they just can’t seem to keep their assistant coaches from jumping to another ship. Remember when Mel Tucker left for Colorado’s HC job in 2018? Sure, Dan Lanning then led Georgia to an undefeated season and helped Smart take down Alabama in the title game, but even he packed his bags for Oregon soon. And here they are dealing with another mess-up. As another domino falls, former Georgia All-American exits the support staff to head back to his old stomping grounds.

It appears that Georgia truly is crafting its people into their best version. And just so you know, even Kirby Smart worked under Nick Saban back in 2007 as an assistant coach. But coming back, this time it’s Georgia’s former linebacker Jarvis Jones who’s moving on from Georgia to the brand new HC role for his High School, Carver High, where he became the No. 3-ranked recruit in the state in 2009. Now, he didn’t begin his college career with the Dawgs, but after transferring from Southern Cal, he made a big impact and became a first-round draft pick by the Steelers in 2013. Crazy, right?

Well, it might be a homecoming moment for Jarvis Jones, but for Kirby Smart and the team, that’s not happy news, as Jarvis’ impact on Georgia’s team as both a player and coach is undeniable. He went back to the University of Georgia in 2019, working as a student assistant for Kirby Smart before taking on the role of player connection coordinator. Working with Coach Kirby Smart, he contributed to the Bulldogs’ defensive dominance, alongside Dell McGee, who famously led Carver-Columbus to its first state championship in 2007.

Former Georgia All-American LB Jarvis Jones has been hired as the head coach at Carver (Ga.) High, his alma mater.

(per @scoreatlanta)

Read: https://t.co/nyHIHzr6Co pic.twitter.com/HUvQNjsvdJ

— On3 Recruits (@On3Recruits) May 25, 2025

Losing him is sure an added pressure on Kirby Smart’s shoulders. Now, the coaching tree grows another branch. Following McGee, Jones is now set to lead Carver-Columbus, creating his unique approach. Having strong ties to both the school and state, Jones begins this chapter with the passion and experience to create something special where his journey started.

But where does that leave Georgia’s championship hopes in this ever-changing CFB dynamics?

Kirby Smart’s tough admission amid changing CFB dynamics

College football is all about twists and turns, and Kirby Smart knows it well, especially with a significant format change of a 16-team playoff waiting on the sidelines. But he isn’t sleeping over it; sure, Smart recognizes that it is going to be a more difficult task, yet he isn’t stressing over it. “I actually think that it’s a great thing when you win a 16-team SEC conference, and it’s probably one of the best years we’ve had in terms of winning games,” Smart said. “And it is hard to do when you play seven or eight top-ten teams, which we were able to do. But I really don’t get caught up in it. I love the expectation. I embrace that; I think that’s a good thing because if it’s not there, then what are you playing for, you know?”

Georgia’s 11-3 season, capped by an SEC title, was impressive. But Kirby Smart also addressed the SEC championship’s toll on the team. Texas, needing an extra game due to an earlier loss, faced Clemson before their Atlanta matchup with Arizona State. Georgia faced a tough Notre Dame team (No. 5 CFP ranking, No. 7 seed), which avoided a conference title game, easily handling Indiana in the first round. Smart praised Notre Dame’s success and said, “Notre Dame beats us, and Notre Dame had a great team, and they’ve done a great job there… I’m very pleased with where we were.”

But that one-and-done playoff exit didn’t sit well with many who expected more from Kirby Smart’s Georgia. The season felt like a struggle compared to their recent dominance; they’d only lost two games total over the previous three years. 2024 marked their first three-loss season since 2018. Despite this, Georgia enters 2025 with a tremendously talented roster, albeit one relying on relatively fresher players in crucial positions. Their recruiting remains top-tier, but last season underscored the challenging task of winning a national championship.

Smart acknowledges his good fortune playing on strong teams in 2021 and 2022. Only time will tell if 2025 matches that success.  “Do I want to win a national championship? Absolutely,” Smart said. “But that’s not going to be the be-all and end-all for us. We want to get the most out of every team we can.” But Kirby Smart’s mindset already sets a tone for Georgia’s success.

The post Kirby Smart Loses Right-Hand Man as Another Assistant Coach Leaves for HC Role appeared first on EssentiallySports.