University of Georgia Athletics
Football
James Coley
- Title:
- Assistant Coach - Wide Receivers
James Coley was hired as the Georgia wide receiver’s coach in February 2024. This marks Coley’s second stint with the Bulldogs after serving on Kirby Smart’s staff in a variety of roles on offense over Smart’s first four years (2016-19).
Missing three out of the top four receivers from the previous season, Coley guided his 2025 receiving corps to 16 touchdowns and more than 2,100 yards as part of a passing offense that averaged 220 yards per contest. Led by Zachariah Branch, the Bulldog receivers helped first-year starter Gunner Stockton and the offense put up 32 points a game en route to UGA’s second consecutive Southeastern Conference title and second straight trip to the College Football Playoff quarterfinals. Stockton finished with the second best Completion Percentage in school history at 69.7, which ranked ninth nationally in 2025.
Branch was one of the newcomers who made an immediate impact for Georgia’s offense. The Coaches Second Team All-SEC selection topped a 32-year-old school record with 81 catches in a single season (former record of 76 was held by Brice Hunter from 1993) that went for 811 yards and six touchdowns. Branch’s 5.79 receptions per game led the SEC and ranked 16th nationally. In addition, another pair of receivers in London Humphreys and Noah Thomas combined for 34 receptions as each averaged more than 15 yards per catch and finished with a combined seven touchdowns and more than 500 receiving yards.
Regarded as one of the elite recruiters in college football, Coley utilized a returning trio of receiving targets in 2024 to help Georgia capture its second SEC championship in three years. The Bulldogs ranked 12thnationally in Passing Offense (281.0 ypg, third in the league) to help knock off No. 1 Texas in Austin, the then No. 2 Longhorns in the SEC Championship Game and two other top 15 opponents. Thanks in part to his receiving corps helping the team average 31.5 ppg, Georgia advanced to its fourth CFP appearance since 2017.
Dominic Lovett ranked in the SEC’s top 10 in 2024 with a team-leading 59 catches in 14 games (4.2 pg) in his final season. Lovett’s 59 receptions tied for third for the Bulldogs all-time in a single season and tied for the lead for a senior receiver in UGA history (Terrence Edwards, 2002). Arian Smith’s 17.0 yards per catch was also a top 10 statistic in the league after the senior finished with a team best 817 yards. Smith’s 17.0 ypc was the best for a Georgia receiver since its national championship season in 2021.
Coley helped guide Texas A&M’s offense from 2020 through the 2023 season. He served as the Aggies’ tight ends coach in 2020-21 before taking on the role as co-offensive coordinator and receivers coach during the 2022-23 seasons.
Coley’s final season in College Station in 2023 saw Texas A&M scoring 33.3 ppg as Ainias Smith led the receiving attack with 53 catches for 795 yards. Smith finished as the only 2,000-yard receiver in SEC history to also rack up at least 250 rushing, punt return and kickoff return yards.
In 2022, Coley helped the receiver group compile 220 receptions for 2,633 yards and 18 touchdowns despite losing Smith four games into the season because of a season-ending injury. Coley also helped develop Freshman All-American receiver Evan Stewart. Stewart led the squad with 53 receptions and 649 yards to go along with two touchdown catches.
Coley and the Texas A&M offense highlighted their 2021 season by knocking off No. 1 Alabama in College Station 41-38, thanks in part to Coley’s receiving corps. Smith hauled in a pair of crucial touchdowns, including a game-tying 25 yarder late in the fourth quarter.
During the 2020, Coley helped the Aggies post an impressive 9-1 record, including an 8-1 regular season mark against an all-SEC slate. A&M concluded the season with a lopsided victory over nationally ranked North Carolina in the program's first New Year's Six bowl game.
Coley started on UGA’s coaching staff when Smart took over as head coach in 2016, spending the 2016 and 2017 seasons as receivers coach. He was named co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Georgia in 2018 and spent the next two seasons in that role.
Coley was part of a 2017 staff that led the Bulldogs to a record-tying 13 victories, first SEC championship since 2005, first appearance in the CFP, first appearance (and victory over Oklahoma) in the Rose Bowl CFP semifinal and first appearance in the CFP National Championship Game. Georgia’s offense finished first in the SEC and ninth nationally in Rushing Offense (258.4 ypg), third in the SEC in Scoring Offense (35.4 ppg), fifth in Total Offense (435.3 ypg) and fourth nationally in Red Zone Offense (96 percent).
The Bulldogs followed up in 2018 with another SEC Eastern Division championship, 11-win season, and appearance in the Allstate Sugar Bowl. The Georgia offense finished first in the SEC in total Rushing Offense, Rushing Offense Per Game and second in the SEC in Total Offense, Touchdowns Scored and Scoring Offense.
Coley’s two seasons of coaching Bulldog receivers produced a pair of NFL draft picks: Isaiah McKenzie (Denver) and Javon Wims (Chicago). In 2018, he coached sophomore quarterback Jake Fromm who posted the second-best Completion Percentage in school history at 67.3, which was 12th nationally, and second-best Passing Efficiency for a QB at 171.21, which was fifth nationally.
Coley served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Miami from 2013-15. Prior to joining the Miami staff, he held positions as offensive coordinator and tight ends coach (2010-12) and tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator (2008-09) at Florida State.
At FSU, Coley coached three first round draft picks in quarterbacks Christian Ponder, EJ Manuel and Jameis Winston. The Seminole offenses under Coley were high powered averaging 31.4 points per game in 2010, 30.6 in 2011 and 39.3 in 2012.
While at Miami, the Hurricane offense led the nation in “explosive plays” all three years and they produced two 1,000-yard rushers in Duke Johnson (1,652 yards in 2014) and Joe Yearly (1,002 in 2015). Coley coached 2014 freshman quarterback Brad Kaaya who earned Freshman All-America honors and broke the single season record for passing yards and TDs at Miami (3,198 yards, 26 TDs). Wide receiver Allen Hurns, who spent eight years in the NFL, broke the single season receiving record with 1,162 yards in 2013.
In 2014, his Miami offense averaged 430.3 yards per game and seven of Coley’s offensive players earned All-ACC honors with Johnson and Shane McDermott receiving first team recognition. In addition, tight end Clive Walford earned AP All-America honors.
A native of Miami, Fla., he served as an offensive assistant with the Miami Dolphins in 2005-06. His coaching resume also included a stop at 2003 national champion Louisiana State University where he served as a graduate assistant coach.
Coley earned his bachelor’s degree from Florida State in 1997 and his master’s degree from LSU in 2004. He and his wife Kenia have two children – Madison and Brady.
Missing three out of the top four receivers from the previous season, Coley guided his 2025 receiving corps to 16 touchdowns and more than 2,100 yards as part of a passing offense that averaged 220 yards per contest. Led by Zachariah Branch, the Bulldog receivers helped first-year starter Gunner Stockton and the offense put up 32 points a game en route to UGA’s second consecutive Southeastern Conference title and second straight trip to the College Football Playoff quarterfinals. Stockton finished with the second best Completion Percentage in school history at 69.7, which ranked ninth nationally in 2025.
Branch was one of the newcomers who made an immediate impact for Georgia’s offense. The Coaches Second Team All-SEC selection topped a 32-year-old school record with 81 catches in a single season (former record of 76 was held by Brice Hunter from 1993) that went for 811 yards and six touchdowns. Branch’s 5.79 receptions per game led the SEC and ranked 16th nationally. In addition, another pair of receivers in London Humphreys and Noah Thomas combined for 34 receptions as each averaged more than 15 yards per catch and finished with a combined seven touchdowns and more than 500 receiving yards.
Regarded as one of the elite recruiters in college football, Coley utilized a returning trio of receiving targets in 2024 to help Georgia capture its second SEC championship in three years. The Bulldogs ranked 12thnationally in Passing Offense (281.0 ypg, third in the league) to help knock off No. 1 Texas in Austin, the then No. 2 Longhorns in the SEC Championship Game and two other top 15 opponents. Thanks in part to his receiving corps helping the team average 31.5 ppg, Georgia advanced to its fourth CFP appearance since 2017.
Dominic Lovett ranked in the SEC’s top 10 in 2024 with a team-leading 59 catches in 14 games (4.2 pg) in his final season. Lovett’s 59 receptions tied for third for the Bulldogs all-time in a single season and tied for the lead for a senior receiver in UGA history (Terrence Edwards, 2002). Arian Smith’s 17.0 yards per catch was also a top 10 statistic in the league after the senior finished with a team best 817 yards. Smith’s 17.0 ypc was the best for a Georgia receiver since its national championship season in 2021.
Coley helped guide Texas A&M’s offense from 2020 through the 2023 season. He served as the Aggies’ tight ends coach in 2020-21 before taking on the role as co-offensive coordinator and receivers coach during the 2022-23 seasons.
Coley’s final season in College Station in 2023 saw Texas A&M scoring 33.3 ppg as Ainias Smith led the receiving attack with 53 catches for 795 yards. Smith finished as the only 2,000-yard receiver in SEC history to also rack up at least 250 rushing, punt return and kickoff return yards.
In 2022, Coley helped the receiver group compile 220 receptions for 2,633 yards and 18 touchdowns despite losing Smith four games into the season because of a season-ending injury. Coley also helped develop Freshman All-American receiver Evan Stewart. Stewart led the squad with 53 receptions and 649 yards to go along with two touchdown catches.
Coley and the Texas A&M offense highlighted their 2021 season by knocking off No. 1 Alabama in College Station 41-38, thanks in part to Coley’s receiving corps. Smith hauled in a pair of crucial touchdowns, including a game-tying 25 yarder late in the fourth quarter.
During the 2020, Coley helped the Aggies post an impressive 9-1 record, including an 8-1 regular season mark against an all-SEC slate. A&M concluded the season with a lopsided victory over nationally ranked North Carolina in the program's first New Year's Six bowl game.
Coley started on UGA’s coaching staff when Smart took over as head coach in 2016, spending the 2016 and 2017 seasons as receivers coach. He was named co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Georgia in 2018 and spent the next two seasons in that role.
Coley was part of a 2017 staff that led the Bulldogs to a record-tying 13 victories, first SEC championship since 2005, first appearance in the CFP, first appearance (and victory over Oklahoma) in the Rose Bowl CFP semifinal and first appearance in the CFP National Championship Game. Georgia’s offense finished first in the SEC and ninth nationally in Rushing Offense (258.4 ypg), third in the SEC in Scoring Offense (35.4 ppg), fifth in Total Offense (435.3 ypg) and fourth nationally in Red Zone Offense (96 percent).
The Bulldogs followed up in 2018 with another SEC Eastern Division championship, 11-win season, and appearance in the Allstate Sugar Bowl. The Georgia offense finished first in the SEC in total Rushing Offense, Rushing Offense Per Game and second in the SEC in Total Offense, Touchdowns Scored and Scoring Offense.
Coley’s two seasons of coaching Bulldog receivers produced a pair of NFL draft picks: Isaiah McKenzie (Denver) and Javon Wims (Chicago). In 2018, he coached sophomore quarterback Jake Fromm who posted the second-best Completion Percentage in school history at 67.3, which was 12th nationally, and second-best Passing Efficiency for a QB at 171.21, which was fifth nationally.
Coley served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Miami from 2013-15. Prior to joining the Miami staff, he held positions as offensive coordinator and tight ends coach (2010-12) and tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator (2008-09) at Florida State.
At FSU, Coley coached three first round draft picks in quarterbacks Christian Ponder, EJ Manuel and Jameis Winston. The Seminole offenses under Coley were high powered averaging 31.4 points per game in 2010, 30.6 in 2011 and 39.3 in 2012.
While at Miami, the Hurricane offense led the nation in “explosive plays” all three years and they produced two 1,000-yard rushers in Duke Johnson (1,652 yards in 2014) and Joe Yearly (1,002 in 2015). Coley coached 2014 freshman quarterback Brad Kaaya who earned Freshman All-America honors and broke the single season record for passing yards and TDs at Miami (3,198 yards, 26 TDs). Wide receiver Allen Hurns, who spent eight years in the NFL, broke the single season receiving record with 1,162 yards in 2013.
In 2014, his Miami offense averaged 430.3 yards per game and seven of Coley’s offensive players earned All-ACC honors with Johnson and Shane McDermott receiving first team recognition. In addition, tight end Clive Walford earned AP All-America honors.
A native of Miami, Fla., he served as an offensive assistant with the Miami Dolphins in 2005-06. His coaching resume also included a stop at 2003 national champion Louisiana State University where he served as a graduate assistant coach.
Coley earned his bachelor’s degree from Florida State in 1997 and his master’s degree from LSU in 2004. He and his wife Kenia have two children – Madison and Brady.
Coley Thumbnail
Birthdate: April 14, 1973
Birthplace: Miami, Fla.
Family: Wife Kenia, daughter Madison and son Brady
High School: Miami Senior
College: B.A., Florida State ‘97; M.S., LSU ‘04
Coaching Experience:
1997-99 ............................... Miami (Fla.) Senior High School (QBs)
2000-02........................................ Miami (Fla.) Norland High School
...................................... (assistant head coach/offensive coordinator)
2003-2004..................................................... LSU (graduate assistant)
2005-06..................................... Miami Dolphins (offensive assistant)
2007................................................. FIU (offensive coordinator/QBs)
2008-09............................ Florida State (TEs/recruiting coordinator)
.............................................. 2010-2012 (offensive coordinator/TEs)
2013-15............................ Miami (Fla.) (offensive coordinator/QBs)
2016-17........................................................................ Georgia (WRs)
2018-19.........................................Georgia (Co-Offensive Coord/QBs)
2019...........................................Georgia (Offensive Coordinator/QBs)
2020-21...................................................Texas A&M (Wide Receivers)
.............................................. ......2022-23 (Co-Offensive Coord./TEs)
2024-Present.....................................Georgia (Assistant Head Coach)
Playing Experience:
1992.......................................................................... Miami Senior HS
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