Georgia Bulldogs secondary coach Scott Lakatos resigns for ‘personal reasons’

Nov 16, 2013; Auburn, AL, USA; Auburn Tigers wide receiver Ricardo Louis (5) breaks the tackle of Georgia Bulldogs cornerback Shaq Wiggins (6) during the first half at Jordan Hare Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Shanna Lockwood-USA TODAY Sports

After a very disappointing season for the Georgia Bulldogs on the defensive side of the ball, one of their assistant coaches will not return next season.

Secondary coach Scott Lakatos has officially resigned from the staff, per an official UGA release, and the reason for his departure was cited as “personal reasons”. Initially, there was some mystery surrounding the departure, as it isn’t every day that you see a big-time assistant coach resign on his own accord, but Lakatos reportedly confirmed that he made the choice to leave himself (per AJC’s Chip Towers), and said that there was “no story here”.

Lakatos has been a member of the UGA staff for the past three seasons, shepherding various members of the program to the NFL, but the 2013 campaign was a rough one for his unit. Georgia ranked just 67th in the nation in total passing defense this season, allowing 232.8 yards per game, and there were several high-profile games where the young defensive backfield was victimized by opposing offenses. Still, it is important to note that all parties seem to indicate that this wasn’t a performance-related defection.

While we all wish the best for the 49-year-old coach, attention turns to what could be a high-impact hire for Mark Richt and company. The entire defensive backfield will be returning (along with some quality incoming freshmen), and the cupboard is far from bare for whoever steps in to fill the void. Stay tuned for all of the latest.