Former Georgia and Tennessee offensive coordinator Jim Chaney has joined Georgia Tech as a special assistant to the head coach, two people familiar with the hiring confirmed to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The hiring was first reported Wednesday afternoon by 247Sports.
Chaney most recently was an offensive analyst for the New Orleans Saints, spending one season on the staff of coach Sean Payton.
Chaney comes to Tech having worked closely with two members of coach Geoff Collins’ offensive coaching staff at Tennessee, new offensive coordinator Chip Long and new quarterbacks coach Chris Weinke. Chaney was offensive coordinator for the Volunteers from 2019-20, and Weinke was the quarterbacks coach the same two years, while Long was an offensive analyst in 2020.
Chaney brings considerable experience to Tech. He likely will help Tech coaches scout the defenses of future opponents and/or be an extra set of eyes on the Yellow Jackets’ own offense. In the role, he can’t take part in the actual coaching of players, however. Including his year with the Saints, he has been in coaching at the college or NFL level for 37 years, including 21 as an offensive coordinator at power-conference teams.
The quality-control and analyst positions on Collins’ staff have typically been filled by coaches at the start of their careers without the experience and acumen that Chaney has accumulated. Chaney’s experience, along with his relationship with Long and Weinke, figures to serve the Jackets well.
While not an on-field coach, Chaney joins the small group of coaches to align with both teams on either side of the Clean Old-Fashioned Hate rivalry. Others include Doug Marrone and Mac McWhorter. Chaney will have the additional distinction of having coached for Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart. In fact, he was one of Smart’s first hires at UGA.
Chaney was offensive coordinator for Smart’s first three seasons in Athens, 2016-18, which included Georgia’s run to the College Football Playoff Championship game in the 2017 season. He also coached the quarterbacks for his first two seasons and then tight ends in 2018.
He was hired away by Tennessee in 2019 by Volunteers coach Jeremy Pruitt.
