ATHENS — Coach Kirby Smart has added a new face to his roster of off-field analysts: former Georgia Tech defensive coordinator Andrew Thacker is now serving as an analyst.
Tucker, whose X profile now includes the tag @Georgiafootball, worked at Georgia Tech from 2019-2023. He was the defensive coordinator under Geoff Collins and Brent Key.
Georgia Tech fired Tucker after the 2023 season after he was stripped of his defensive coordinator duties during the season. Tucker was born in Cartersville, Georgia, and played collegiately at Furman University.
This isn't the first time Smart has hired a former coordinator from a rival school onto his staff. Former Clemson offensive coordinator Brandon Streeter now works as an analyst for the Bulldogs. Tucker is not listed on Georgiadogs.com's coaching roster, but DawgsHQ's Rusty Mansell reported that Tucker has been working at Georgia in recent weeks.
Tucker's defensive back experience will likely see him assist Will Muschamp as an analyst — Muschamp was the former safeties coach and co-defensive coordinator before switching to an analyst role this offseason to spend more time with his family — while Alabama transfer Travaris Robinson will fill in for Muschamp on the field.
“Our ability to hire T-Rob is incredible,” Smart said this spring. “He's brought a lot of value to our SEC footprint — recruiting value, football knowledge, leadership ability. Everywhere he's coached, the players really, really trust him and think highly of him. He's been nothing but an asset to us both knowledge-wise and relationship-wise.”
“We're going to benefit greatly from having T-Rob here and we're also going to benefit greatly from having Coach Muskamp remain with our program and help us out.”
Tucker's addition will add more intrigue to the Georgia-Georgia Tech rivalry, which Key helped spice up during the offseason.
“There's nothing in the world I hate more. It's probably the only thing I truly hate,” Key said at a Georgia Tech alumni event earlier this year. “When I say hate, I mean I truly despise every bit of it. I truly do.”
The University of Georgia and Georgia Tech will face off on Friday, Nov. 29 in what will be the Bulldogs' final game of the regular season.
