ATHENS — The Broyles Award released its list of nominees for the top assistant coach in the country.
The award regularly has Georgia staffers among its nominees, previously including Dan Lanning, Todd Monken and Mike Bobo.
For this year, defensive line coach Tray Scott is among those recognized. He’s been with Georgia for eight seasons, helping the Bulldogs become a national championship-winning program.
Scott has consistently built great defensive lines for the Bulldogs. He’s recruited and developed the likes of Jordan Davis, Jalen Carter, Mykel Williams and Warren Brinson.
“Coach Scott, he’s one of those guys around the facility who no matter the day, no matter how his day is going, he’s going to bring the energy,” offensive lineman Jared Wilson said. “He’s going to put a smile on your face, and he’s going to let you know it’s time to work. So he’s been a huge part of my journey here at UGA, and he’s a great coach overall.”
Scott helped recruit Wilson to Georgia from North Carolina. And while he isn’t Wilson’s position coach, the Georgia center feels very comfortable speaking on the impact Scott has had.
Wilson’s comments echo what Smart had to say about Scott.
“Yeah, he’s a rock. He’s a pillar at this place, and he’s one of the guys that’s been here the longest, which I have a lot of respect for because we don’t do it easy around here,” Smart said. ”We work a tough schedule. We work a hard schedule. I’m very demanding of our coaches and I have high expectations, and he meets those.”
Scott may not be the most high-profile assistant on Smart’s staff, but he’s become an integral part of the championship DNA at Georgia.
Consider that his defensive line powered Georgia to its first national championship under Smart in 2021.
“He is tremendous with his group,” Smart said. “He’s tremendous with other groups. He’s really what college coaching is all about. The guy pours into these kids so much. It means so much to him that he wants to give back to them and change their lives. It’s not about playing time. I mean, you look at the relationships he’s had with the Zion Logue, Jordan Davis, Devonte Wyatt, Jalen Carter. I mean, the guy has just had tremendous relationships, and he keeps in touch with all the guys he’s coached. I mean,
“I can’t say enough good things about him, so he’s definitely deserving of that honor.”
What becomes obvious about Scott when speaking to people around the Georgia program isn’t just how much they all seem to love Scott but how much Scott cares about the University of Georgia.
“The first thing that comes to my mind is just how passionate he is, you know? He loves this place, he loves his guys,” linebacker CJ Allen said. “He loves not just his position but the whole defense and the whole team. Just how passionate he is about the University of Georgia just kind of sticks out to me.”
