georgia football defensive coordinator dan lanning

When you run a successful program, opposing teams are going to try and hire away your assistants. That has been the case for Alabama for years, as it has been for the New England Patriots in the NFL.

It’s a good problem to have, one that Kirby Smart has now had to deal with once again.

His defensive coordinator, Dan Lanning, is now going to be the head coach at Oregon. Lanning arrived at Georgia ahead of the 2018 season, first serving as the outside linebackers coach. He added the defensive coordinator title after Mel Tucker was hired at Colorado after the 2018 season.

Lanning isn’t gone just yet though, as he will remain with Georgia through the College Football Playoff run. Smart knows what that is like as well, as he did it while serving as Alabama’s defensive coordinator during the 2015 season. The Crimson Tide ended up winning the national championship that season.

Smart issued a statement on Lanning, expressing his gratitude for all that Lanning had done for Georgia.

“We are so happy for Dan and his family,” Smart said. “He and Sauphia have been an important part of our Bulldog family for the last four years, and we thank them for all they did for Georgia Football and the Athens community. Opportunities like this are a testament to a successful program.”

Lanning leaves Georgia after fielding one of the better defenses of the past decade in the sport. Even after giving up 41 points to Alabama in the SEC championship game, the Bulldogs still lead the country in points allowed per game and yards allowed per play. Georgia’s 2021 defense also fielded multiple national award winners, with Jordan Davis winning the Bednarik and Outland Trophies, while Nakobe Dean won the Butkus Award.

In addition to being well regarded as a recruiter, Lanning played a role in Georgia’s defense becoming more aggressive. The Bulldogs picked up 41 sacks this season, the most ever since Smart became the head coach. Lanning also helped land and develop the likes of Azeez Ojulari, Jermaine Johnson and Nolan Smith.

Georgia will see Lanning again, and rather soon, as the Bulldogs open the 2022 season against the Ducks in Atlanta. Smart is 3-0 against his former assistants, beating Sam Pittman twice and Shane Beamer once.

As for who takes over for Lanning, that will be split up moving into next season. Glenn Schumann and Will Muschamp will serve as co-defensive coordinators, Smart announced. Schumann already held the co-defensive coordinator title while Lanning was on staff while he also served as the inside linebackers coach.

Schumann is one of just two original staff members from Smart’s first coaching staff. He will enter the 2022 season as Georgia’s co-defensive coordinator at the age of 32 years old.

Muschamp has had quite a rise since arriving at Georgia in early 2021. He first came to the Bulldogs to serve as an analyst after getting fired at South Carolina last year. Then after Scott Cochran stepped away from the team in August, Muschamp moved into his role as the special teams coordinator.

The former defensive coordinator at LSU, Texas and Auburn has not just been limited to special teams work, as he has helped out at all levels of the Georgia defense.

“Coach ‘Champ has been blissful. He brings a whole lot of juice to the room, to the meetings,” safety Lewis Cine said. “I’ve soaked in a whole lot of knowledge from him personally. He’s in my ears. At the end of the day, Coach Smart is a great coach but it does something when you have two head coaches in your meetings.”

Like Lanning, Schumann and Muschamp are well-regarded by players and excellent recruiters. There are a number of high-profile defensive coordinator openings at the moment, including Miami, LSU, Texas A&M and now Oregon as well. Keeping both Schumann and Muschamp would be a big win for Georgia.

Since Muschamp is already serving as an on-field coach, Georgia now does have an opening. It could move Cochran back into the special teams coordinator role or elect to bring someone else in to coach outside linebackers if it elects to not have Muschamp hold that role. One name to keep in mind is that of Nick Williams, a former Georgia analyst who left to work at Texas A&M last offseason. Former Georgia linebacker Jarvis Jones also worked as a graduate assistant under Lanning as well.

Schumann and Muschamp will have their work cut out for them, as Georgia’s defense figures to suffer heavy losses after this season. Devonte Wyatt, Jordan Davis, Channing Tindall, Quay Walker, Chris Smith and Derion Kendrick are all seniors. Dean, Cine, Nolan Smith and defensive end Travon Walker are all also draft-eligble after this season as well.

Georgia will continue with its current set-up for the upcoming game against Michigan before handing Schumann and Muschamp the reigns for the 2022 season. The Bulldogs and Wolverines will play in one of the College Football Playoff semifinals on Dec. 31. Should Georgia win, it will take the winner of Alabama-Cincinnati on Jan. 10.

The Georgia-Michigan game is scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff, with the game being played in Miami.

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