Georgia tight ends coach John Lilly has a new assignment for the Belk Bowl, while Bulldogs offensive line coach Will Friend has a new assignment after it.
Lilly will call the plays Tuesday night when the No. 13 Bulldogs face No. 20 Louisville, replacing Mike Bobo, who was introduced this week as Colorado State's new head coach. Georgia head coach Mark Richt made the announcement Wednesday afternoon, when the Bulldogs reconvened in Charlotte after having three days off.
"I think everyone is happy for Coach Bobo," Richt said. "It's a wonderful opportunity to be a head coach. The biggest thing is that when a coordinator gets an opportunity to be a head coach, he has to decide if that's right for him. Mike is ready to be a head coach, and he took that opportunity.
"He's been with me since I came to Georgia, and he's done great things for his alma mater. We're thankful for all the good things he did, but everyone knows we have a job to do, and that's where our focus will be this week."
Bobo announced his first two hires Wednesday, including the tabbing of Friend as his offensive coordinator.
The 39-year-old Friend is wrapping up his fourth season as Georgia's line coach and will join Bobo after the Belk Bowl, leaving Richt with two offensive vacancies to fill after he had to replace all four defensive assistants in January and February.
"We are so excited to have Will Friend and his family join our CSU family," Bobo said in a release. "Coach Friend is an excellent teacher, motivator and recruiter who possesses all the values and principles that we are looking for at Colorado State."
Said Richt: "Will has been an outstanding line coach and has been extremely close to Mike, and that friendship will continue with the Rams."
Friend earned the added title of running-game coordinator before the 2013 season.
The other assistant Bobo named Wednesday was Marty English, who is being retained from the previous Rams staff headed by Jim McElwain. English has worked the past three seasons as Colorado State's co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach, but his new position has not been specified.
Lilly is in his seventh season with the Bulldogs after spending 10 years as tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator at Florida State. The 46-year-old Lilly worked with Richt at FSU from 1998 to 2000.
Richt told reporters he is not close to naming a new offensive coordinator but that he has received a lot of interest in the opening.
"When you are at Georgia, there will be interest from a lot of tremendous coaches," he said. "That has been the case the 14 years I've been at Georgia and the hundred years before I got here."
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.