Todd Hartley returns to Athens as tight ends coach

Georgia appears to have rounded out its 2019 offensive staff this morning with the hiring of former Miami tight ends coach Todd Hartley to fill the same position in Athens.

Hartley is a UGA grad who served as a graduate assistant on Mark Richt’s staff (including in 2005, while Kirby Smart was the running backs coach). He ultimately ended up in an onfield role for the 2009 Independemce Bowl after the departure of Willie Martinez.

From there Hartley went to Marshall as safeties then tight ends coach before returning to Athens in 2015 to serve as Director of Player Personnel in Richt’s final season. The Jones County native followed Richt to Coral Gables where he coached a pair of future NFL tight ends, 2017 first round pick David Njoku and 2018 fourth rounder Chris Herndon.

Hartley is also recognized as an up-and-coming recruiter, having secured the services of Nevadan Brevin Jordan, the nation’s top tight end in the 2018 class. Hartley also has experience coaching special teams at each of his coaching stops, and may be of assistance to Special Teams Coordinator Scott Fountain.

All in all I like this hire. Hartley has developed a strong niche as a tight ends coach, something Georgia deeply needs due to a lack of experienced depth at the position. Young tight ends are going to need to produce in their first plying time, and that’s happened under Hartley before. He’s also a strong recruiter with deep ties in middle Georgia and elsewhere. He’s unlikely to be a “lifer”, as I expect Hartley like most position coaches will want to move up, but that hunger seems like a good thing for this staff. Until later...

Go ‘Dawgs!!!