ATHENS — For a second-straight season, Glenn Schumann’s alma mater had an opening for the defensive coordinator position. And once again, Schumann elected to remain at Georgia as the team’s defensive coordinator.
While Schumann opted not to change schools, there have been changes to the Georgia staff around Schumann. Will Muschamp is stepping into an analyst role after spending the previous two seasons as the co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach.
Muschamp has been replaced on staff by Travaris Robinson, who comes over from Alabama. Muschamp will still be around to bounce things off of, but he’ll be far less involved in the day-to-day.
Robinson meanwhile was a prominent piece for Alabama, with it being learned that Robinson was actually calling the defense last season. Lane Kiffin called it out early in the season, only for Nick Saban and Kevin Steele, Alabama’s actual defensive coordinator last season, to downplay the idea.
Robinson does have experience as a defensive coordinator, serving in the role at South Carolina under Muschamp. Of course, Kirby Smart is also very involved with the Georgia defense as well.
Even as Schumann moves into his third season as Georgia’s defensive play-caller, he knows it is still going to be a collaborative effort. Even as the pieces around him change.
“There’s a whole staff input in everything that we do,” Schumann said prior to the Orange Bowl. We decide in the offseason the base structures, but the base structures, that’s where a lot of those have carried over from all the years that I’ve been involved with Coach Smart going back to Alabama. It evolves based on what you’re defending and who your players are and how you want to use them.”
Schumann is one of just two staffers who has been with Smart since he first became Georgia’s head coach in 2016. Schumann has coached the inside linebackers for the entirety of Smart’s tenure, as Nakobe Dean, Roquan Smith and Quay Walker into NFL linebackers.
The inside linebacker position looks to be a promising position in 2024. With Smael Mondon returning and CJ Allen and Raylen Wilson growing into second-year players, the Bulldogs should have one of the deepest and most talented linebacker rooms in the country. Add in Jalon Walker and 5-star freshman Justin Williams and Schumann should have a room that is better than the 2023 iteration.
“I know that when you have faith in how people prepare and do things, in addition to their ability, you know that they’re going to constantly improve,” Schumann said. “They’ve improved throughout the year. There’s nothing that beats experience. Sometimes they’ve learned from mistakes. Sometimes they’ve gained confidence through plays they’ve made. I’ve really seen really solid growth the last couple of weeks. I’m looking forward to watching them play.”
Of course, Schumann can’t just be judged on the success of his inside linebackers anymore. Not when he is the sole defensive coordinator, as he was last season. Schumann was also one of the highest-paid assistant coaches in the country, making $1.9 million.
Georgia’s defense did take a step back statistically last season, finishing outside the top 2 in rushing defense for the first time since 2018, when Mel Tucker was Georgia’s defensive coordinator.
The Bulldogs also had just 30.0 sacks, Georgia’s worst showing since the 2018 season.
“We always want more production statistically,” Schumann said. “We’ve been an effective pass defense, and on third down when they pass the ball the most, we’ve been really effective. So we’ve upset the quarterback more. But, at the same time, we’ve been effective against the pass and can be more effective if we sack the quarterback more and create more havoc plays from that standpoint.”
Schumann will have a chance to further put his own stamp on the Georgia defense in 2024. With Muschamp taking on a lesser role and Robinson getting up to speed in Georgia’s system.
The Georgia defense is loaded with talent and that’s before even potentially adding Caleb Downs.
Schumann, even after eight full seasons on Georgia’s staff, is still a young coach. He’ll turn 34 in March. While Schumann could one day become a head coach, like Smart before him, Smart didn’t become a head coach until he was 40.
Schumann knows he still has plenty to learn from Smart. And even more to show as the defensive coordinator for the Bulldogs.
“Coach Smart approaches every day like it’s gameday,” Schumann said. “He creates that environment every day to prepare us. That communication is very comfortable because of what we do every day. We don’t want the game to feel any different than our practice. We want practice to sometimes be more chaotic and harder than games. That’s what he does with everybody, not just our players.”
