ATHENS, Ga. — The Georgia football search for a new defensive coordinator and secondary coach will continue after Cory Raymond decided to stay at LSU as a secondary coach.
The New Orleans Times Picayune reported Sunday night that Raymond, a popular Tigers’ assistant coach and recruiter, was seeking the defensive coordinator position with the Bulldogs.
Coach Kirby Smart has been without a defensive coordinator since Dec. 5, when it was announced that veteran Mel Tucker had accepted the head coaching job at Colorado.
WATCH: Mel Tucker shares what he’s leaving behind at Georgia
Smart, who worked closely with Tucker coaching the secondary and on the defensive game plan each week, divided up coordinator responsibilities in the Sugar Bowl, a 28-21 loss to Texas.
Georgia linebacker coaches Dan Lanning (32) and Glenn Schumann (28) have been considered candidates for the defensive coordinator job or potentially co-coordinators since Tucker left.
“It’s the Georgia defensive coordinator job, there’s a ton of interest in that job, we’re going to be able to attract a lot of great candidates for that position,” Lanning said at the Sugar Bowl, assigned by Smart to speak in the defensive coordinator slot of the media rotation.
RELATED: Dan Lanning shares insight on UGA defensive coordinator job
“We have a lot of great people on staff and in house,” Lanning said. “I think everyone is kind of taking a piece of the pie and stepping forward into this game and what it will look like from a play caller and signal caller standpoint for this game.”
It didn’t look good.
Texas had its way in a 28-21 victory that wasn’t as close as the final score indicated, cornerback Deandre Baker finishing his career sitting out to protect draft status, and linebacker D’Andre Walker (groin) and noseguard Jordan Davis (back) sidelined by injuries.
Georgia has also lost and replaced an offensive coordinator in the past week.
Jim Chaney accepted a lucrative offer to become Tennessee’s offensive coordinator and Smart promoted James Coley into the role on Friday.
Former Georgia commit Jadon Haselwood was critical of the Bulldogs staff on the “Behind The Eightball YouTube video,” and he explained Sunday it was on account of Chaney leaving.
Georgia’s plans for Haselwood likely wouldn’t have changed much after Smart’s quick decision to promote Coley just two days after Chaney left.
The move confirmed what many had suspected: Coley’s promotion from receivers coach to quarterbacks coach and co-offensive coordinator after last season was a precursor.
The Bulldogs still have an opening for a tight ends coach after Kentucky offensive coordinator Eddie Gran declined the opportunity to join the staff as a position coach and remained with the Wildcats.
Georgia has yet to announce the start of spring football drills, though they typically begin in March.
