Kirby Smart, Georgia players detail Will Muschamp’s growing impact with Bulldogs

The logo on Will Muschamp’s polos have changed over the years. That voice, though? It still booms.

“Someone asked me, ‘Is he lot more docile and quiet now?’ ” Georgia defensive back Nolan Smith said Wednesday at Southeastern Conference Media Days. “And I say he’s a little more quiet, I guess, because of the age, but when he yells, you know it’s him.”

Muschamp — who served as the head coach at South Carolina between December 2015 and November 2020 — is entering his second year on Kirby Smart’s staff at Georgia, having been elevated to co-defensive coordinator this offseason after Dan Lanning took the head coaching job at Oregon.

The former Bulldog defensive back played with Smart during his college days in Athens where, as Smith jokes he’s been reminded, he was a four-year starter at safety from 1991 to 1994.

“I value that experience he’s had (as a head coach) and understanding the dos and don’ts, ways to do things, how to practice, how you run your organization,” Smart said Wednesday. “Also, it gives you the ability to delegate, too, take some things off your hand. I can focus my attention in other areas if he’s in charge of something because he’s done it.

He’s been unbelievable. A great staff guy. Super positive with our players. Players enjoy and love being around coach Muschamp. I’m thankful he and his family are on our staff and with our program.”

Muschamp was fired as the head coach at South Carolina amid a 2-5 start to the 2020 season. He finished his time in Columbia 28-30 with a trio of winning seasons, though he was a combined 6-13 over his final year-plus coaching the Gamecocks.

“I think Coach Muschamp means a lot (to Georgia),” Smith said. “He brings a lot of diversity, also a lot of age and a lot of the wisdom.

“I used to watch him, honestly, on TV when I was 7, 8 years old, when he was coaching at LSU in 2009 and I let him know that every day. He also let me know that he used to play for Georgia football once upon a time. I think that (Muschamp and Smart) are investing in the program. They went here and they care more about the program and they don’t want to see us fail.”