Alabama Football: 5 potential replacements for Pete Golding

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January 9, 2023; Inglewood, CA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Glenn Schumann against the TCU Horned Frogs during the CFP national championship game at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

2. Glenn Schumann, Georgia co-defensive coordinator

Schumann has quite the history with Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide. Schumann went to Alabama to be a student assistant and became a graduate assistant after graduation in 2011. Schumann and Smart developed a relationship while they were both coaching at Alabama. When Smart was hired at Georgia, Schumann was his first hire.

Schumann and Smart worked on the defensive game plan together while at Alabama. Smart said the Valdosta, Georgia native, “was my right-hand for four or five years over there.”

Schumann was hired to coach the linebackers when Dan Lanning was the defensive coordinator, making him the youngest on-field defensive coordinator in the country. There are a couple of critical things in play with Schumann.

First, does he value being an Alabama alum more than his relationship with Smart? Schumann and Smart are close, dating back to their Alabama days. Does Schumann need to leave Georgia and Kirby Smart to prove he can run his defense? Because Smart is a defensive coach, there will always be the sentiment that it’s his defense.

Does Schumann perceive Alabama as a lateral move or even a step-down? It is obvious that Schumann doesn’t need to be the defensive coordinator at Alabama to improve his chances of being a head coach. Ask Dan Lanning about being a young coordinator under Kirby Smart.

If he doesn’t need it, why move?

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