New UGA coaching hire paying immediate dividends with 2019 TE Brett Seither

If you've been following the offers ahead of 2019's National Signing Day, there may be no prospect as sought after as tight end Brett Seither.

The 6-foot-5, 230-pound senior has picked up offers from Penn State, Bama, and the Bulldogs within the last week.

He met with new Georgia tight ends coach Todd Hartley on Monday evening.

"Coach [Todd] Hartley told me all about [being hired by Georgia] tonight and how it all really took off. He’d obviously recruited me at Miami, and he was the one who reached out to me first from there and wanting to offer me from there," Seither said. "We started to build that relationship, and it really sucked when he said they weren’t going to retain him. I had a visit scheduled for this upcoming weekend before he got let go. He obviously explained how scary it is to get fired from a job, and you don’t know what’s going to guaranteed the next day or what’s going to happen for your family. He told me it couldn’t have happened better with where he’s from and being an hour from campus. His family is there, and he’s from there. He’s obviously got the pride and love for Georgia and being able to return home was big.”

With the coaching shakeup, Seither adjusted his plans, deciding to visit Athens instead of Miami this weekend.

“Really, right now, I locked in Georgia, and I did it hoping that Coach Hartley would be joining that staff," he said. "That’s what happened."

There may have been a bit of a heads up there.

“Yeah, somewhat. They offered me on like Tuesday night, and they didn’t want me to post it. They told me my phone would blow up after I did. I didn’t really believe them, and I was anxious to do it, because it was a big offer. It was a really cool time. I talked to them again, and I think it was Coach [Kirby] Smart on Thursday. He told me that they were looking at hiring [Hartley]," Seither said. "Coach Hartley had told me he was going to be recruiting me hard wherever he landed, and he told me it’d probably be in the SEC. When I got offered by them, he told me he was pretty sure he was going to get the job and was interviewing and hoping it all went well. I told Coach Smart I really wanted him there, and that it’d be huge. I told everyone else there that I already had a relationship with him and that it’d be huge to have him there. What do you know? It ended up going that way, thankfully. It’s big.”

For Seither, Hartley's reputation proceeds him.

"He was a big part of why I was going visit Miami. It was all the good things I’d heard about him, all the relationships he’d built, how well he takes care of his players, and how good of a coach he is. Outside of football, he’s a good person, and that’s huge," Seither said. "He sent me some messages today and told me that they asked when they wanted to hire him about if he knew any JUCO tight ends. He told Coach Smart he didn’t really recruit any, but he knew the best available guy in 2019 was me. The next day, Coach Smart reached out. Coach [Dell] McGee came by the Friday after they offered, and it took off from there.”

Georgia's available roster space at tight end interests Seither, especially since Isaac Nauta and Luke Ford are gone.

“That’s huge. I’d say, not that I’m scared of competition, but if they were both still there, I mean I probably wouldn’t have been offered. I also don’t know about coming into that stacked of a tight end room," Seither said. "I want to come in, contribute, and earn playing time right away. It’s big that it’s empty. That’s the same case with Alabama, which is why I feel they’re a good last choice for my visit. They’re pretty wide open at tight end right now, too. It’s big.”

Location is also playing a key role.

“I’d say this is the first good school and college town type of feel. With Athens being a really well known public school and being good academically," he said. "The college town type of feel, I kind of like that. I like not being in a big area. Michigan State is another place I’ve officially visited, and it’s a college town. It’s just not as well known academically as Georgia is.”

And being away from home, whether his adopted Clearwater, Florida or back in Maryland, isn't a concern.

“No, not at all. My dad is actually a pilot for Southwest Airlines, so I fly for free. I can come home when I have time, so that’s not a worry for me," Seither said. "If anything, I probably wouldn’t want to stay home. I’d like to expand and meet new people and grow in new areas.”

Now, it's just about filling out the visit board and weighing everything out ahead of signing day.

"Whatever seems like the best fit for me, both academically and athletically. I’m looking for the best opportunity and a good school overall. Georgia is also competing for a national championship often, and that’s big, too. Winning games is big to me," Seither said. "Also, a winning culture and program with the good people around there. I locked them in because I established they’d be a good fit for me. Right now, I’m deciding between a couple of schools, like Penn State and Alabama, for the last visit. I’d say Alabama is leading probably, but I want to take my visits and regather. I’d say right now TCU is my leader and the school I’d name out front right now that I’ve been to. I’m anxious to go to Georgia and see what it’s all about. I want to really get a feel for it, and I think it’s all more feel than anything.”