Georgia promotes analyst to nickels coach
02/16/2025
(Photo courtesy of @Dawgs247 on X)
By Chris Marler
Georgia has once again gone the promote from within route for another defensive coach on staff. This time, Kirby Smart has promoted former analyst Andrew Thacker to Georgia’s new nickel defensive coach.
Georgia is set to name Andrew Thacker its new nickels coach, sources tell @cbssports/@247sports.
The ex-Georgia Tech defensive coordinator, who joined Georgia as an analyst last year, was targeted for a job by another top program but is instead staying in Athens in a new role.… pic.twitter.com/4VTpqEEyc9
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) February 14, 2025
Thacker was the defensive coordinator for Georgia Tech from 2019 through 2023. He served as an analyst on the Georgia staff last season.
The Bulldogs have two of the best sophomore defensive backs in the country in their secondary. Both Safety KJ Bolden and cornerback Ellis Robinson IV are expected to be starters in the upcoming season. The Bulldogs are looking to return to the dominant defense that has become the standard in Athens during the Kirby Smart era, following a 2024 season in which Georgia fell to 38th nationally in pass defense after ranking No. 9 in 2023.