Valdosta State may not be the most prestigious college football program, but the Division II powerhouse seems to be a launching pad for renowned coaches around the FBS.
South Carolina coach Will Muschamp and Georgia coach Kirby Smart previously spent time together as teammates in Athens and coaches at Valdosta State and LSU.
The Gamecocks’ head man provided a young Kirby Smart with key leadership skills in their lone season as Bulldog teammates. Muschamp later hired Smart as a defensive backs coach for Valdosta State, where the two extended a previous friendship.
Now, as both coaches enter their third seasons as head coaches of two top SEC programs, they can only reflect on where they have come from.