<![CDATA[The Pittman hire]]>If the Chaney hire is met with a lack of total enthusiasm from the Georgia fan base, my guess is that Smart’s other move will not be greeted in such a lukewarm manner.

Per Otis Kirk at Hawgs247, Kirby Smart has tabbed Arkansas offensive line coach Sam Pittman to work with new offensive coordinator Jim Chaney.

According to Kirk, Pittman turned down a similar offer to stay, only taking a $25,000 raise to leave for Georgia.

Pittman is considered one of the premier offensive line coaches and recruiters in the country, and also held the title of associate head coach and recruiting coordinator at Arkansas.

Pittman has coached two first-round picks along the offensive line in the past two years, and has been in charge of a unit that has allowed the fewest sacks in the SEC for four-straight seasons – 1.00 sacks per game in 2015, 1.08 sacks per game in 2014, 0.67 sacks per game in 2013 and 0.67 sacks per game in 2012.

In 2014, Arkansas offensive linemen did something no other unit in the country was able to accomplish, helping block for a pair of 1,000-yard rushers.

That appears to be a home run hire.  On paper at least, Pittman is the best offensive line coach Georgia’s had in a couple of decades.  Plus, he appears to be an above-average recruiter.  If Kirby got this hire right, it could fix one of the consistent weak points of the Richt era.

I think I’m excited.

]]>