In college football, and in life, if you are good at your job, you will move up the ranks much faster. It happens all of the time, and it just did in a big time way for a pair of Georgia Bulldogs assistant coaches.
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After three successful seasons in Athens — where the Bulldogs finished with a top-15 defense each of the last two seasons — defensive coordinator Mel Tucker moved on to be the head coach of the Colorado Buffaloes. So, Georgia head coach Kirby Smart had a big decision to make in replacing him, but he didn't have to go very far to find it.
In a very expected move, Georgia has promoted outside linebackers coach Dan Lanning to defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach Glenn Schumann will help as the co-defensive coordinator for the Bulldogs in 2019.
Georgia confirms that Dan Lanning is now the Bulldogs' defensive coordinator. Info revealed through FOI request....Lanning will make $750,000 as the new DC pic.twitter.com/dDLbwubGvy
— Anthony Dasher (@AnthonyDasher1) February 15, 2019
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Lanning had a nice payday with his new DC title, too. The 32-year-old North Kansas City, Missouri native earned a $450,000 raise and will make $750,000 next college football season. Shumann got a $325,000 raise to make $555,000 this fall.
Neither coach has experience as a defensive play caller, but this seemed like a very popular and strong move for the Bulldogs, who finished with the No. 15 overall in college football last season and No. 6 overall unit when they made it to the College Football Playoff National Championship game in 2017.
Dan Lanning named as UGA DC and Glenn Schumann named as Co-DC. Now let’s get to work!! 😎💯#CommitToTheG #GoDawgs #ATD pic.twitter.com/8FIGlHs8zu
— UGA BACK-TO-BACK NATIONAL CHAMPS Supporters (@Support_UGA) February 15, 2019
Additionally, new offensive coordinator James Coley will earn $950,000 to replace Jim Chaney, who moved to take the same position with SEC foe Tennessee.
Here is a rundown of the assistant coaches salaries as part of the FOI open records request from outlets such as DawgNation:
— James Coley: Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach $950,000
— Sam Pittman: Associate Head Coach/Offensive Line Coach $900,000
— Dell McGee: Run Game Coordinator/Running Backs Coach $650,000
— Cortez Hankton: Pass Game Coordinator/Wide Receivers Coach $550,000
— Todd Hartley: Tight Ends Coach $300,000
— Dan Lanning: Defensive Coordinator /OLB Coach $750,000
— Glenn Schumann: Co-Defensive Coordinator /ILB Coach $550,000
— Charlton Warren: Defensive Backs Coach $600,000
— Tray Scott: Defensive Line Coach $470,000
— Scott Fountain: Special Teams Coordinator $325,000
It's been quite the impressive rise for Lanning's coaching career. After coaching at Park Hill South High School in Missouri, he's had stops at Pittsburgh, Arizona State, Sam Houston State, Alabama, and Memphis before arriving at Georgia before the 2018 season.
Obviously nobody knows just how good UGA's defense will be with Lanning and Shumann calling the shots, but there is finally some closure to what many thought Kirby Smart would do all along.
