Tech assistant coaches caught in the middle

ATLANTA - The drama surrounding George O'Leary leaving Georgia Tech for Notre Dame and Chan Gailey being hired to replace him on The Flats all boils down to one question for five-year-old Brittany Nicole Kelly, who asked ``Daddy, does this mean we have to move out of our house?''

Her daddy, former Tech wide receivers coach David Kelly, was one of six assistants from O'Leary's staff not retained by Gailey, who was introduced Saturday as the new coach.

Assistant coaches often are caught in the middle of head coaching changes, and other times jump from school to school to take promotions.

As he was clearing out his office Tuesday, Kelly said his daughter's innocent question made him wonder whether he should go into a less nomadic profession.

Gailey kept only three of O'Leary's former aides for his own staff - offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Bill O'Brien, running backs coach Glenn Spencer and defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Ted Roof.

That leaves the future of Kelly, interim coach Mac McWhorter, defensive ends coach/recruiting coordinator Lance Thompson, defensive tackles coach Peter McCarty, defensive backs/special teams coach Danny Crossman and tight ends coach Geoff Collins - and their respective families - up in the air.

McWhorter's wife Becky said she and her children followed him to eight different places over one three-year period as he took different jobs.

``You really have to love your husband. It's tough," she told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "You just have to move on. What else can you do?"

Moving on hasn't always been the choice for Becky McWhorter and the children. They stayed behind when Mac McWhorter left Clemson after the 1998 season for Memphis so that daughter Katie wouldn't have to switch high schools.

The family was set to move to Atlanta this summer after Katie graduates from high school and son Mac McWhorter III wraps up his first year of high school. The move will still happen, but the destination now is unknown.