Kirby Smart turned to a rival staff for the next Georgia football running backs coach.

Georgia Tech’s Josh Crawford, who coached at five different high schools in the state, is filling the vacancy created when Dell McGee was hired as Georgia State head coach.

Crawford will also be run game coordinator.

Crawford worked under former Georgia quality control coach Buster Faulkner in his one season at Georgia Tech and spent two seasons at Western Kentucky where he was co-offensive coordinator for a season and coached receivers for two.

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Crawford’s name for a Georgia opening first surfaced for the wide receivers opening that was filled by hiring former UGA offensive coordinator James Coley off South Carolina’s staff.

Georgia announced the hire of both Crawford and Coley Monday night.

“We are excited to have Coley and his family back in Athens,” Smart said.  “He is a tremendous teacher and leader of young men. His previous experience on our staff will make this a seamless transition. As for Josh, I’ve had the pleasure of observing his career unfold over the years and have been consistently impressed. His hard work and the significant impact he's had coaching football in our state have earned him this opportunity.”

Smart was in Hawaii last week, McGee said at his introductory news conference Monday in Atlanta.

Crawford has master’s degrees from Georgia (2012) and Valdosta State (2020) and graduated from Morehouse College in Atlanta where he played running back from 2004-06.

The Montrose, Ala. native was an offensive high school assistant coach at Greater Atlanta Christian, Jefferson County, Colquitt County, Lee County and Valdosta, winning a total of three 6A state titles.

Crawford, 39, coached NFL wide receiver Darius Slayton at GAC and NFL draft prospect Jaheim Bell at Valdosta.

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Georgia football hires Georgia Tech's Josh Crawford as RBs coach