Georgia OL coach Stacy Searels not with team at Orange Bowl due to illness
MIAMI, Fla. — Georgia offensive line coach Stacy Searels wasn’t present for the Bulldogs’ first practice in Miami on Wednesday and an illness is the reason why. According to UGA Sports Information, Searels is currently in the hospital back in Athens and he’s recovering from pneumonia.
The release from UGA sports info also said that a full recovery is anticipated. Kirby Smart tapped Searels as his offensive line coach after the 2021 season. Matt Luke stepped away from the game after helping the Georgia to its first National Championship in 41 years. Searels stepped in and the Bulldogs went 15-0 and won it’s second straight National Championship.
With Searels away from the team for now, offensive analyst Manrey Saint-Amour has stepped in to coach the offensive line. Saint-Amour played college ball at Georgia Southern where he has served as a graduate assistant at two different stops, one year at Alabama in 2021 and Florida State in 2020. Last season Saint-Amour was the offensive line coach at Charleston Southern.
Searels is in his second stint at Georgia. He was previously brought to Athens as the offensive line coach under Mark Richt. He held that post from 2007 to 2010. Texas hired him away from UGA and he coached there from 2011 to 2013. The veteran assistant spent the 2014 and 2015 seasons at Virginia Tech before rejoining Richt in Miami for three seasons. Prior to being brought back to Georgia, Searels spent three seasons at North Carolina.
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With Searels leading the offensive line the past two seasons Georgia has allowed just 21 sacks in its past 28 games. The Bulldogs allowed just nine sacks during their 2022 National Championship run this season and they have given up 12 in 13 games this season.
The UGA run game has also been rock-solid under Searels, averaging over 5.5 yards per carry in 2022 and over five yards per carry in 2023. The Bulldogs have been particularly adept at getting into the end zone on the ground, rushing for 79 touchdowns in their past 28 games.
