Auburn Talks To UGA O-line Coach Searels

http://www.ajc.com/uga/content/sports/uga/stories/2008/12/19/georgia_searels_auburn.html

By Tim Tucker
The Atlanta Journal-Consitution
Friday, December 19, 2008

Athens — Auburn has received permission from Georgia to talk with Bulldogs offensive line coach Stacy Searels about a position on new coach Gene Chizik’s staff.

“They’re talking to him,” Georgia coach Mark Richt said today. “So we’ll see [what happens].”

Searels is in his second season on Georgia’s staff after coaching the offensive line at LSU for four years. He is a graduate of Auburn, where he was an All-American lineman for the Tigers in 1987.

“We’d hate to lose Stacy,” Richt said. “We’d hate to lose anybody.”

Searels, who does not talk to the media, has been often praised by Richt and others for his work with Georgia’s young, injury-depleted offensive line this season.

There also have been rumors that Auburn might pursue Rodney Garner, Georgia’s defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator, for a spot on Chizik’s staff. However, Bulldogs defensive tackle Jeff Owens, who announced Thursday he will return to Georgia next season rather than enter the NFL draft, said Garner told him he’s staying.