Georgia predicted to lose assistant coach to historic college football program

One of Kirby Smart's assistants at Georgia is now being talked about as the replacement for Billy Napier at arch-rival Florida.

One of Kirby Smart's assistants at Georgia is now being talked about as the replacement for Billy Napier at arch-rival Florida. | Joshua L. Jones / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

One of Kirby Smart’s top lieutenants at Georgia is suddenly getting some attention as the next possible candidate to emerge as the replacement for Billy Napier at arch-rival Florida.

Bulldogs defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann would be an ideal fit to take over the Gators program in the future, according to CBS Sports analyst Tom Fornelli.

Why Schumann would fit at Florida

“He has the blueprint to run a successful program, because he’s been at Georgia for years under Kirby Smart,” Fornelli said. 

“He has seen it up front. He has won a national title there on that coaching staff. He’s a dogged recruiter, which is something you’re going to want at Florida.”

He added: “That is one of the bigger problems Florida has had with some of its coaches. It’s why they got rid of Dan Mullen and brought in Billy Napier.”

The idea of losing another defensive coordinator to an FBS program is not a development Georgia fans would relish after the experience of watching Dan Lanning leave his post as Bulldogs defensive coordinator to become head coach at Oregon.

And they almost certainly wouldn’t welcome it happening again, especially to the school’s arch-rival.

Schumann's coaching career

Schumann joined the Georgia football program in 2016 as the inside linebackers coach, a position he held until 2018, when he was named the co-defensive coordinator, and was then elevated to the full defensive coordinator role when Lanning left for Oregon.

His defense led college football in scoring and was among the highest-ranked in total production during his debut in 2022, and was the play-caller for a unit that finished as undefeated national champions after beating TCU, 65-7, for the CFP title that year.

Georgia’s defense was fifth in scoring and was the nation’s best in third down play while winning 13 games during the 2023 season under Schumann’s leadership.

A native of Valdosta, Ga., Schumann has spent his entire coaching career alongside Kirby Smart in some capacity, first emerging as a graduate assistant at Alabama from 2008-14, and as director of player personnel for the Crimson Tide from 2014-15.

This isn’t the first time that Schumann’s name has been connected to an opening somewhere else, after North Carolina expressed interest last offseason before hiring Bill Belichick, and he interviewed with the Philadelphia Eagles for its defensive coordinator opening.

“I think Schumann fits from a logical perspective in that he’s familiar with the SEC,” Fornelli added. 

“He knows how to recruit. And also, it gives you the double whammy of not only giving yourself a coach who might help you win games, but possibly weakening your biggest rival, Georgia. I think it makes a lot of sense for the Gators.”

(Fornelli)