Georgia Tech Likes Gailey’s Resume

Chan Gailey brought an impeccable resume to Georgia Tech. Yes, he actually was a three-year letterman. No, he doesn’t claim to have a master’s degree.

Gailey was hired Saturday as football coach of the Yellow Jackets, who are looking to get past embarrassing revelations that predecessor George O’Leary lied about his background.

Taking no chances, Georgia Tech did a thorough check of Gailey’s resume, which includes a physical education degree from Florida in 1974. He lettered for the Gators from 1971-73.

“They asked about my degree,” Gailey, who will remain with the Miami Dolphins as offensive coordinator until the end of the season, said in a news conference at Atlanta. “Everybody is asking that question these days.”

Gailey, who turns 50 on Saturday, was quick to point out that he didn’t have an advanced degree, although he began coaching as a graduate assistant for the Gators. “I basically took enough classes so I could coach,” he said.

Gailey received a five-year guaranteed contract that will pay him $900,000 next season, with bonuses that could raise his salary to more than $1.2 million annually. The deal includes a 4% raise each year but no buyout clause that would prevent him from taking another job.

“Obviously, when you’re a high-profile offensive coordinator in the NFL, you wonder if a guy is going take the next NFL job that comes along,” Athletic Director Dave Braine said. “He said he would not. That was good enough for us.”

The most notable thing in Gailey’s background was a two-year stint as the Cowboys’ coach. He led Dallas to an NFC East title in 1998 and a wild-card playoff berth in 1999, then was fired because owner Jerry Jones didn’t think he was getting enough out of aging offensive stars Emmitt Smith and Troy Aikman.

Gailey has been Miami’s offensive coordinator for two seasons.

Until Miami’s season is over, Gailey will use Georgia Tech’s plane to travel to Atlanta every Friday to meet potential recruits.

Gailey succeeds a coach who guided the Yellow Jackets to five consecutive bowl appearances, then left Dec. 9 to take his dream job at Notre Dame. Five days later, O’Leary was forced to resign after athletic and academic discrepancies on his resume came to light.

Gailey guided Troy State to a Division II title in 1984 and spent two years with Birmingham in the ill-fated World League of American Football and one year at Division I-AA Samford.

Before coaching the Cowboys, Gailey was an assistant with the Pittsburgh Steelers for four seasons, the last two as offensive coordinator.

Gailey has strong ties to Georgia. He was born in Gainesville and grew up in Americus, the same town where Atlanta Falcon Coach Dan Reeves grew up.

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New Vanderbilt Coach Bobby Johnson has hired his former top assistant at Furman to direct the Commodores’ defense.

Johnson hired Bruce Fowler as defensive coordinator Friday. Fowler was the defensive coordinator at Furman, where Johnson coached before joining Vanderbilt on Dec. 23.

Furman finished third in the Southern Conference in defense this year and held 12 of 15 opponents to 20 points or fewer. The Paladins finished 12-3, losing to Montana in the Division I-AA championship.

Fowler inherits a defense that finished last in the Southeastern Conference and 111th out of 115 I-A teams.