No, Georgia head coach Kirby Smart still hasn't officially stated who his new defensive coordinator will be after Mel Tucker left back in December to become the new head coach at Colorado.
However, Friday afternoon, Smart did make a rather significant announcement, tabbing veteran offensive coordinator Shawn Watson to his staff as an offensive quality control coach.
Why is it significant?
Watson has served as the offensive coordinator at Colorado (2000-2005), Nebraska (2007-2010), Texas (2014-2015) and Pittsburgh (2017-2018). He has enjoyed excellent success as a quarterback coach.
At Louisville, Watson helped develop Teddy Bridgewater as the Cardinals went 30-9 during a three-year span with a pair of Big East Championships. During his time with the Cornhuskers, Nebraska annually ranked among the nation’s most productive offenses. Cornhuskers quarterback Joe Ganz set 23 school records under Watson’s tutelage. While at Colorado, the Buffaloes claimed four Big 12 North Division titles and a conference crown in 2001.
“Shawn brings a wealth of knowledge and experience with him after coaching the offensive side of the ball around the country during his career,” said Smart. “He is an excellent addition to our staff, and we're pleased to have him in Athens already."
Watson comes to Georgia after being fired by Pittsburgh following the 2018 campaign.
Last year, Watson helped the Panthers win their first ACC Coastal title by leading an offense that featured the 1,000-yard rushing duo (Qadree Ollison and Darrin Hall) for the first time in school history. Pitt finished the 2017 season with an upset of No. 2 Miami (Fla.), which marked the highest-ranked opponent the Panthers had ever defeated at home.
As a quality control coach, Watson will assist offensive coordinator and be able to interact off the practice field with Bulldog quarterbacks Jake Fromm, Stetson Bennett and Dwan Mathis.
Watson played safety at SIU (1979-80) and began his coaching career as a Salukis graduate assistant in 1982, making stops at Illinois and Miami (Ohio) before landing the head job at his alma mater.
