Last year in March, Kirby Smart dropped the news that Phil Rauscher was officially in the Bulldogs’ offensive mix as an assistant. Fast forward to 2026, Smart soon realized Rauscher brought firepower, and a promotion soon followed for the coach. Yet, his celebration over promoting assistant Rauscher might be short-lived, as an NFL titan is already looking to poach him.

“Numerous sources, with ties to both the Georgia program and NFL, tell FootballScoop that Rauscher is being pursued by the Las Vegas Raiders to join the inaugural staff of new head coach Klint Kubiak,” reported Football Scoop’s analyst duo, John Brice and Scott Roussel. “Multiple sources tell FootballScoop that Rauscher has been approached by Kubiak’s Raiders for the role of running game coordinator.”

Right now, the $7.7 billion worth Las Vegas Raiders are in a full revamp mode when it comes to their coaching staff. Moving into the 2026 season, Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak will take up the head coaching throne. Kubiak, in particular, is pushing hard to bring Rauscher under his wing and offering him the role of running game coordinator.

The Georgia head coach counted on Rauscher’s 15 years of coaching experience in the pro league to offer him the role of offensive assistant in 2025. Before stepping into Athens, he spent the last three seasons grinding in the NFL trenches with the Jacksonville Jaguars, coaching the offensive line and earning the title of run-game coordinator in 2024. 

Before that, Rauscher’s last college stop was in 2014, when he served as the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at California Lutheran University. But Smart helped him end the college football drought. After a year, when Stacy Searels stepped back into an analyst role, the program promoted him to Georgia’s offensive line coach in January. 

“Phil has been a tremendous asset to our staff and players,” Smart said. “He has earned this opportunity through his work ethic, technical expertise and his ability to connect with our players. We’re excited about the future of our offensive line under his leadership.”

While it’s expected that the Las Vegas Raiders will dish out a fatter check than his Georgia offer, there is another critical factor for Rauscher to consider before an NFL swap. The Raiders’ new coach alone is a significant factor for Smart’s coach to fly to Las Vegas. Well, the duo coached shoulder to shoulder and made history together in the pro league. 

They crossed paths a decade ago with the Denver Broncos, where Rauscher served as assistant offensive line coach while Kubiak cut his teeth as an offensive assistant. Rauscher and Kubiak reunited with the Minnesota Vikings in 2021. Finally, their paths diverged when Rauscher was hired by Jacksonville in 2022. 

It looks like Smart has enough reasons to worry about. After all, February has been all about coaching heartbreaks. The Michigan Wolverines lost their defensive line coach, Lou Esposito, to the Baltimore Ravens.

If Georgia’s fears come true, how will things look in Athens?

Kirby Smart’s dependence on Phil Rauscher for the upcoming season

Smart always saw Rauscher as irreplaceable because of the rare combination of game knowledge and leadership qualities. Next season would have been the proving ground for the coach. Rauscher was to be tasked with putting together an experienced offensive line while juggling a bunch of shifting pieces.

Rauscher’s immediate challenge was to rebuild a trench in transition. With ironmen like Micah Morris and Monroe Freeling gone to the NFL, his expertise was critical in deciding how to deploy the remaining pieces, such as veteran guard Dontrell Glover.

But Smart counted on Rauscher to make some crucial decisions. One of them would have been whether to keep Glover at right guard or move him to left guard. 

“Kirby Smart has proven over the years that he reloads rather than rebuilds,” CBS Sports’ Robby Kalland wrote. “But for a Georgia team that’s slipped from its perch of the nation’s unquestioned best to simply being “one of the best,” the 2026 season will be a test of how easily they can fill gaps in this new era.”

With a new title in hand and work still left on the table, would Phil Rauscher jump ship, would Phil Rauscher jump ship to reunite with Klint Kubiak, leaving Kirby Smart scrambling?