According to one analyst, Kirby Smart has the best coaching job in college football.
Brad Crawford of 247Sports ranked the nation’s top destinations for a head coach. He considered school presitge, resources, and recruiting success among the key factors to identifying the best jobs.
Perhaps unsurprising given the team’s current success, Georgia headlined the list.
“Nearly every industry source we contacted for this story placed Georgia in the top spot and the reasons are obvious — fertile recruiting grounds, unlimited budget in recruiting, top-end success in the College Football Playoff as the SEC’s torchbearer, and so on,” Crawford wrote. “Georgia fans are rabid, and Sanford Stadium offers up one of the nation’s best environments.”
If you’re a college football coach and every Power Five job was open, which would you take?
I ranked the nation’s 16 best jobs after speaking with sources inside the industry: https://t.co/wUdO6LmRKA pic.twitter.com/QtPLej6uos
— Brad Crawford (@BCrawford247) August 10, 2023
According to USA Today, Georgia spent $4.5 million on football recruiting during the 2022 fiscal year. No other team reached $3 million.
That money has helped fund a juggernaut on the heels of back-to-back national championships. The Bulldogs reloaded by ascertaining the nation’s second-ranked 2023 recruiting class behind Alabama.
Of course, Athens isn’t the only desirable destination for a college football coach. Texas ranks second because of “endless resources” from deep-pocketed donors. Alabama, LSU, and Ohio State round out the top five.
Smart will begin his eighth season as Georgia’s head coach. With an 81-15 record and a realistic chance at attaining a threepeat, the position won’t be available anytime soon.