Georgia State football came across the perfect storm when looking for its next coach. When Shawn Elliott announced he was returning to South Carolina to be an assistant with the Gamecocks again after seven seasons with Georgia State on Feb. 16, the program suddenly found itself needing to replace the Panthers’ most successful coach in history quickly.
Among the candidates was former UGA run game coordinator Dell McGee, whose son, Austin, had already committed to join the Panthers in the fall.
BOOM pic.twitter.com/IuXL0hA1oc
— Austin McGee (@AustinMcGee_3) February 24, 2024
Part of college football’s current most successful program under head coach Kirby Smart, McGee probably received a decent salary in Athens, Georgia; but days after reports surfaced, McGee and GSU came to a mutual agreement to bring him to Atlanta officially.
“[This] wasn’t necessarily about finances,” McGee said in his Georgia State football introductory press conference on Feb. 26. “[Smart] was very encouraging because he knew I wanted to be a head coach. He felt like this was a great opportunity for me to seize. He thought it was a really good fit. He was 100% behind it, and we had a moment where I jokingly said, ‘I know you’re really trying to recruit my players because I’m going to bring some in. In the portal world, I get it because it’s a part of what we’re dealing with in college.”
McGee and his wife, Linda, were welcomed by applause from Georgia State fans and staff members alike at his conference. Austin opted to stay in Athens to attend school for the day and work out. Although Georgia State is not an HBCU, the institution graduates more Black students than any other college in America, according to The Hechinger Report. M. Brian Blake is the current president of the school and the first Black president in the school’s 111-year history.
“The student experience has really changed, and athletics is a huge part of that and, of course, football,” Blake said. “It has a huge impact on our student engagement, which is a direct route contributor to our students’ success. Coach McGee, in our conversations last week, I was so impressed with your knowledge of the game of modern college football. You care for the players, your staff, [and] your wherewithal for fundraising; and apparently, you’re a wizard at recruiting.”
McGee is the school’s second Black football coach in the program’s 14-year history, following in the footsteps of Trent Miles. In the old days of college football, recruiting would have been a piece of cake in a gig that he just landed. With his network built at UGA, his staff could be as star-studded as possible, featuring guys like two-time Super Bowl-winning running back Sony Michel.
Great Move! I might have to join this staff.
— Sony Michel (@Flyguy2stackz) February 24, 2024
Around the new Center Parc Credit Union Stadium is the new Georgia State Convocation Center, a Publix grocery store that’s being built as well as new dorms. The city of Atlanta itself is a recruitment boast as compared to most college towns. However, these are not the old days of college football. McGee understands thatin 2024, the top players go to the programs that can get them paid the most money through name, image, and likeness deals.
“We’re going to attack NIL,” McGee said. “I believe there’s six million-plus people around the Atlanta area. There are 16-20 Fortune 500 companies here. There’s a lot of Georgia fans and business people that not only support Georgia, but they are Dell McGee supporters.”
McGee also said the money distributed will also be based on academic performance and effort shown in practice. After spring break, McGee plans to have a staff and get his team back to offseason workouts.
