Kirby Smart details long-standing relationship with Dan Lanning

During a press appearance on Monday, Georgia head coach Kirby Smart spoke about his relationship with new Oregon coach Dan Lanning. Lanning took over as head coach of the Ducks after helping lead Georgia to a national championship last season. Smart detailed how he first found himself appreciating Lanning’s coaching work, and why he brought him in to Georgia when the opportunity presented itself.

Kirby Smart on hiring Dan Lanning

“I had a great relationship with Dan when he worked at [the] University of Alabama and had a lot of respect for the way he went about his job,” said Smart. “He didn’t try to be somebody he wasn’t, he didn’t try to impress people — he just worked and he grinded. And he really did a good job of just doing what you asked him to do. And I always thought he would be successful. He helped recruit while he was there.

“And when we had a job come open, I think it was Kevin Sherrer [who] ended up leaving, and it ended up being a no-brainer for us to bring Dan in because I knew the value he had. Number one, of knowledge. Number two, of being around me, I was very comfortable with him. And he had more experience. Then when we had an opportunity to hire him as coordinator I knew he was gonna do a great job.”

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As Smart outlined, the pair of coaches first worked together at Alabama in 2015 while Lanning was a member of the staff. Smart accepted the head job at Georgia the following year while Lanning moved on to Memphis — and Smart was able to hire him as a linebackers coach for Georgia in 2018. The following year, Lanning moved up to the role of defensive coordinator and eventually earned himself the head coaching job at Oregon this year.

The fates aligned for Oregon to open their season against Georgia this year, as the Ducks take on the Bulldogs on Sept. 3 — pitting Lanning against his former boss.

Later during his press appearance, Smart was asked if the familiarity between the coaches would have an impact on the game at all from a strategic standpoint. Smart was also asked if the personal relationship between them was on his mind, as Lanning’s new job reflected well upon the Georgia program under his leadership.

“On a personal level, I don’t think the game has anything to do with that. Neither Dan nor I will be worried about each other during the game, it’s not about that. He’s fighting to do the best job he can for his organization and his players, and I’m doing the same here. We have mutual respect for each other — always will, always have.

“That’s what competition’s about. You love to go compete, and it’s about our players getting a chance to compete against their players. As far as familiarities of the two systems — there probably is a little overlap there in terms of defense. They’re watching our defense and we watch our defense to get ready for them. But they’ve got coaches on their staff from other places. We’ve gone out and looked at the history of their defensive coaches for ideas and things they’ve done at other places. And at the end of the day it’s about how you execute. It’s not about X’s and O’s, it’s about who’s got the best players and do the best players play the best in the biggest moments?”