Photo via Valdosta State Athletics 

Like most professions, football coaches often work their way up from the bottom of the ladder, no matter how talented they may be.

Seth Emerson of DawgNation tells the story of Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart, who after playing and serving as an administrative assistant at Georgia, landed as the defensive backs coach at Division II Valdosta State in 2000.

When Chris Hatcher was hired as Valdosta's head coach at just 26 years old, he brought on current South Carolina coach Will Muschamp as his defensive coordinator. Muschamp, a Georgia teammate of Smart's, recommended him for the job, which paid an $8,000 base plus a $1,000 bonus for running a camp.

Here, Hatcher - who led Valdosta State to the 2004 D-II national title, and who currently coaches at Samford - details the hire and one interesting interview:

Before he was Kirby Smart @FootballUGA head coach, or Alabama def coordinator, he was: Kirby Smart, @valdostastatefb DB’s coach. For 8k a year! The man who hired him, @HatchAttack1, now HC at @SamfordFootball, joined me this am on @SportsCenter. pic.twitter.com/zDlTxv2iGi

— Matt Barrie (@MattBarrie) January 5, 2018