Stacy Searels - Football Coach - University of Georgia Athletics

Georgia offensive lineman Xavier Truss (73) and Georgia offensive lineman Devin Willock (77) during the Bulldogs’ practice session in Athens, Ga., on Tuesday, March 29, 2022. (Photo by Mackenzie Miles)

Stacy Searels

Title:
Assistant Coach - Offensive Line

Stacy Searels returned to Georgia as offensive line coach in February of 2022 after serving in a similar position at North Carolina for three seasons.

Searels has produced four NFL Draft picks in the last two seasons, including a pair in the First Round, since coming back to Athens.  Most recently, Amarius Mims was selected 18^th overall in the 2024 draft while captain and three-year starting center Sedrick Van Pran went in the fifth round as the 141^st pick.  A year before, Broderick Jones went 14^th overall and Warren McClendon was taken in the fifth round (174^th pick).

Searels has helped the Bulldogs have their most productive stretch in the school history.  Georgia has compiled a 28-1 record during his two seasons back, including a 15-0 campaign to win the 2022 College Football Playoff National Championship.  Most recently, Searels’ line helped enable the offense to finish fifth nationally in both Scoring Offense (40.1 points/game) and Total Offense (496.5 yards/game) and lead the country in 3^rd Down Conversions (55.2 percent) in 2023.  Georgia went 13-1 in 2023 following its 63-3 rout of No. 5 Florida State in the Capital One Orange Bowl, marking the program’s third straight year with at last 13 victories.

Searels was also part of a coaching staff that guided the 15-0 Bulldogs to the 2022 CFP National Championship with a 65-7 victory over No. 3 TCU in the title game following a win over No. 4 Ohio State in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl semifinal 42-41.  The Georgia offense ranked among the top five nationally in both Scoring Offense (41.1 ppg) and Total Offense (501.1 ypg) in 2022. The ‘Dogs also finished first nationally in Red Zone Offense (97.6 percent), First Downs (375) and Fourth Down Percentage (86.7 percent) that season.  Senior quarterback Stetson Bennett became the first player to be named the offensive Most Valuable Player in four CFP games including twice in a CFP National Championship Game.

During the last two seasons, Georgia has led the SEC in Sacks Allowed, ranking fourth nationally in 2022 (0.60 sacks per game) and seventh in 2023 (0.93).

A 30-year veteran of coaching collegiately, Searels has produced a long list of NFL offensive linemen including 14 draft picks.

Before moving to UNC, Searels coached three seasons at Miami and two at Virginia Tech. Prior to his time in Blacksburg, he had his first stint of coaching with Mack Brown at Texas. Searels joined the Longhorns after coaching the offensive line at Georgia for four seasons (2007-10). He added the duties of Run Game Coordinator in 2009. During his time in Athens, Searels coached a number of all-star offensive linemen, including All-America selections Clint Boling and Ben Jones and All-SEC tackles Fernando Velasco and Cordy Glenn.

Searels came to Georgia after serving four years coaching the offensive line at LSU from 2003-06. During that time, the Tigers went 44-8 and won SEC and national titles in 2003. He joined the staff at LSU after a two-year stint as offensive line coach at Cincinnati. Prior to joining Cincinnati, Searels served as an assistant coach at Appalachian State from 1994-2000, helping the I-AA Mountaineers to five playoff appearances and a pair of SoCon titles.

A three-year starter on the offensive line at Auburn, Searels earned first team All-America honors as a senior in 1987. He blocked for Heisman Trophy winner Bo Jackson in 1985 and All-America Brent Fullwood in 1986.

A native of Trion, Ga., Searels graduated from Auburn with a degree in marketing and transportation in 1990. He added a master’s degree in higher education administration from Auburn in 1995. Searels is married to the former Patricia Hale, and they have two daughters, Taylor and Savannah.