The Valdosta State connection: Kirby Smart & Will Muschamp

Kirby Smart is expected to become the next head football coach at the University of Georgia. The announcement is expected sometime next week, after Smart’s current team, the Alabama Crimson Tide, play for the Southeastern Conference championship on Saturday against the Florida Gators.

Smart will replace Mark Richt, who was fired Sunday after 15 seasons with the team.

One of the first people Smart – who played at Georgia from 1995-98 – is wanting to add to his UGA staff is current Auburn defensive coordinator Will Muschamp, the former Florida Gators head coach. If Muschamp – who also played at Georgia, but from 1991-94 – leaves the plains of Auburn for the Classic City of Athens, Ga., it will not be his first time working with Smart.

Enter Valdosta State, circa 2000.

Long before Smart and Muschamp were household names, rated as some of the top coordinators in Division I football, the two served on the same staff together with the Blazers in 2000. The duo joined then first-year head coach Chris Hatcher in Valdosta, taking over a football team that won just four games in 1999.

Muschamp served as the defensive coordinator while Smart coached the defensive backs. With a power-heavy coaching staff, the 2000 Valdosta State team finished with a 10-2 record and claimed a Gulf South Conference championship, but lost to rival Delta State 45-12 in the NCAA playoffs.

After the 2000 season, Muschamp departed for LSU to coach under current Alabama head coach Nick Saban, taking over as the defensive coordinator. That gave room for Smart to be promoted to defensive coordinator with the Blazers.

With Smart as the DC, Valdosta State once again claimed the GSC title, going a perfect 9-0 in league play, before being beaten in overtime, 37-34, by Catawba in the playoffs.

Following that season, Smart left Valdosta State to become a graduate assistant under Bobby Bowden at Florida State before a stop at LSU as the defensive backs coach in 2004, where he once again was reunited with Muschamp for just one season.

In 2008, Smart joined Saban's staff at Alabama. Since his departure from Valdosta State, though, Smart has kept a good relationship with current Blazer coach David Dean.

In recent years, on long road trips West, especially on midweek games at North Alabama and Delta State, the Blazers have practiced at the Alabama indoor practice facility, thanks to that relationship with Smart.

Smart, who turns 40 on Dec. 23, and Muschamp aren't the only big-time Division I coaches who spent time at Valdosta State.

Here is a list of Division I-FBS coaches who have worked at Valdosta State:

Mike Leach — Head coach, Washington State (Also HC at Texas Tech)

Dana Holgorson — Head coach, West Virginia

Kirby Smart — Defensive Coordinator, Alabama (for now)

Will Muschamp — Defensive Coordinator, Auburn (Former UF head coach)

Buster Faulkner — Offensive coordinator, Middle Tenn. State

Joe Cauthen — Defensive Coordinator, Arkansas State

Robby Brown — RB coach, South Alabama

Seth Wallace — Recruiting Coordinator/Defensive Line coach, Iowa (currently ranked No. 4 in nation)

Andy Richman — Offensive line coach, New Mexico State

Chris Hatcher — Head coach, Division I-FCS Samford (Also HC at Georgia Southern & Murray State)