Georgia football's Kirby Smart makes change to Bulldogs’ coaching staff
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The Georgia football staff remained intact with all 10 assistant coaches returning in 2025.
That won’t be the case in 2026.
Veteran offensive line coach Stacy Searels is moving into an analyst role and he will be replaced by former NFL assistant Phil Rauscher, the school announced on Tuesday Jan. 20.
Rauscher was a quality control assistant on the Bulldogs staff this past season. He was offensive line coach and run-game coordinator for the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars for three seasons before that and also worked on staffs in the NFL with Denver, Washington and Minnesota.
The change comes after Georgia lost in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals for the second year in a row.
“We’re grateful for everything Coach Searels has poured into our program over the past several seasons,” coach Kirby Smart said in a statement. “His knowledge, experience and steady leadership have been instrumental to our offensive production. In his new role, Stacy will continue to impact our offensive strategy and provide mentorship for both our staff and players.”
Searels, 60, spent the past four seasons coaching the line in his second stint with the Bulldogs.
He also coached the offensive line from 2007-09 on Mark Richt’s staff. The former Auburn All-American offensive lineman’s other coaching stops include Appalachian State, LSU, Texas, Miami and North Carolina.
Rauscher, a former UCLA offensive lineman from 2003-05, becomes the fourth offensive line coach under Smart after Sam Pittman, Matt Luke and Searels. He coached in college previously with UCLA, Dixie State, Hawaii and Cal Lutheran.
“Phil has been a tremendous asset to our staff and players,” Smart said. “He has earned this opportunity through his work ethic, technical expertise and his ability to connect with our players. We’re excited about the future of our offensive line under his leadership.”
Georgia’s offensive line is losing starting left tackle Monroe Freeling who declared for the NFL Draft and left guard Micah Morris, but is expected to return center Drew Bobo, right guard Dontrell Glover and right tackle Earnest Greene as well as rising sophomore Juan Gaston.
Searels coached NFL first-round draft picks Amarius Mims and Broderick Jones, second round pick Tate Ratledge and fifth rounders Warren McClendon and Sedrick Van-Pran Granger under Smart.
Searels drew some fan criticism along with coordinator Mike Bobo after the 2024 season when Georgia struggled to run the ball. He missed the Orange Bowl to end the 2023 season after he was hospitalized with pneumonia.
Georgia improved in rushing in 2025 after Rauscher joined the staff and the team won the SEC Championship and finished 12-2. The Bulldogs finished 35th in the nation in rushing at 182.1 yards per game, up from 102nd in 2024 at 124.4 per game.
This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Georgia football offensive line coach Stacy Searels replaced on staff
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