SEC defensive coordinator has reportedly 'emerged as a favorite' to join Steve Sarkisian's Texas program
To assemble his first staff at Texas, Steve Sarkisian has been busy attempting to fill various roles by landing former Alabama coaching staff members.
That has apparently worked with a few positions as former Alabama offensive line coach Kyle Flood and Alabama special teams and tight ends coach Jeff Banks are expected to join Sarkisian’s Longhorn program.
There has been speculation that Sarkisian is also trying to bring Crimson Tide defensive coordinator Pete Golding to Austin but that may no longer be the case.
According to Dennis Dodd of CBS Sports, Georgia defensive coordinator Dan Lanning has “emerged as a favorite” to become Sarkisian’s defensive coordinator at Texas.
Lanning is regarded by many as one of the nation’s best defensive coaches and has led Georgia to the No. 2 scoring defense in the conference this fall after leading the Bulldogs to the No. 1 scoring defense in the nation in 2019. Lanning was named a Broyles Award finalist in 2019 and was selected as a nominee in 2020.
If Lanning were to leave the Bulldogs, the move is not official at this point, look for Georgia assistant Glenn Schumann to get consider to be Kirby Smart’s next defensive coordinator in Athens. Will Muschamp, his son is on Georgia’s roster, would also be a name to watch.
Anytime the DC for a former high caliber DC is talked about as how great they are I always wonder how much of the credit they really deserve. Same goes for an OC who is the OC for a former high caliber OC. Not saying this guy isnt great I dont know much about him but I never heard any sportscasters…. talk about the uga D being anybodys D other than Kirbys.. When I watch UT play I see Pruitt calling plays and moving people around more than Ansley… Not saying Ansley has been described as great but same logic applies.
I get that same feeling every time someone gets hired away from Bama. I keep hearing how great Sark is, but it’s not like he turned the Bama offense around, it was already incredible. I feel like with the revolving door of coaches in Bama it’s really Saban who does most of it and just delegates his plan for the coaches to carry out. I guess we’ll see, but I have my doubts that Sark is going to be taking UT back to prominence anytime soon. His record as a HC doesn’t exactly inspire confidence.
thats UTjr :)
I prefer TU, but UTjr has a nice ring as well.
I think Sark and Locksley were doing more or less the same things, but the 2018-2020 offense looked a lot different then what Dabol and Kiffen did. To your point, Saban will likely instruct the new OC to do more of the same.
I all honesty, and too be fair, Daboll tried most of the season to talk Saban into letting him start Tua. But Saban wanted to stick with the known in Hurts. It was obvious to most everyone, including the fans, that Tua was a much better passer against SEC defenses than Jalen. Jalen, God love him, was a one read QB that took off running when the first read was not open. He did not blossom until he got to play against BIG12 defenses on a team that had very one beaten as far as talent, by a wide margin.
@Supreme Gump……..Saban didn’t create the offense. He hasn’t a clue other than film. If it were so easy just to instruct someone and say DO THIS. Then everyone could just WATCH THAT LSU CHAMPIONSHIP OFFENSE OF JOE BRADY. And go do the same!!!
You still have to have a man that UNDERSTANDS IT/ THE OFFENSE at a very personal level. Someone to tell the WRs when the DB does this, you do that etc.. And tells the QB release the ball at this point!
And most importantly. You need a guy who has instincts. To know exactly when to call what play!!!!
PS. You best hope the new guy is good!!! Players with talent don’t hurt!!! Without talent like you’ve had you won’t have the offense!!! I think UGA will be the rock star next season!!!!
King Negan
It seems you grossly undersestimate the roll Saban plays with the offense. Bama isn’t just good because Saban hires the right guys, it’s good because Saban tutors guys with the right potential. You act as thought all the OC’s were hugely successful coordinators before going to Bama. Other than Kiffin, most were QB coaches. That should tell you something. Big difference between position coach and OC.
Leave Lanning alone and go get that worthless Golding!!!! Actually I know Kirby Smart was and is always the main man at Georgia. NOBODY EVER HAD BETTER DEFENSES AT ALABAMA THAN KIRBY SMART!!!! KIRBY DIDN’T HAVE LANNING FOR YEARS AND STILL HAD TOP DEFENSES!!!!! HOW ABOUT THE UGA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM AND DEFENSE IN 2017???
Kirby Smart always puts a top defense on the field and always will. As long as we have enough talent to work with. We will be just fine!!!!
But why does Dan Lanning want to go to Texas with Sarkisian??? Even if Texas becomes great. They will still have to beat UGA or ALABAMA or an SEC team to win it all. Even possibly clemson if they get great again. Ohio state will always have talent enough to take Texas down!!!
But the fact is Texas is going NOWHERE!!! If Lanning goes out there and gets beat up badly because of LACK OF TALENT. HE IS GOING TO LOSE HIS RISING ROCK STAR COACHING STATUS!!! DAN LANNING WILL NEVER HAVE THE DEFENSIVE TALENT THAT KIRBY RECRUITS FOR HIM!!!!
ATTENTION CALLING DAN LANNING…..
PS. ATTENTION DAN LANNING: You better stay where the recruits are!!! Sark will be recruiting mainly for THE OFFENSE. Because he is an offensive coach. TEXAS WILL RUIN YOUR REPUTATION AND PUT YOUR CAREER BACKWARDS!!!!! STAY WITH KIRBY AND YOU’LL GET A HEAD COACHING JOB IN A FEW YEARS!!!!
Negan
There is some truth to that. The Bama defense is almost always referred to as Saban’s defense.
LONG BUT PAY ATTENTION…
Listen, Sark can coach offense. But the media and tx fans losing their mind forget. IT TAKES TALENT!!! Alabama had that talent. They didn’t just start recruiting is recently when Sark came along! Saban’s name alone. Along with the history of Alabama is enough to keep the recruits rolling in. Unless the staff just totally drops the ball! Saban is older yes. But not ancient!!! And he is very young for his age even. I know I’m not his biggest supporter. But I tell THE TRUTH!!!
I know he has thought of retirement. He has talked about it. There is a cushy job waiting for him as a TV commentator! But if he isn’t done with coaching. Then he will always be a force! Kirby Smart would have already had his name in the ELITE COACHING CATEGORY HAD THAT 2017 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP WENT ANOTHER WAY!
THE HEAD REF ADMITTED UGA LOST BECAUSE OF CALLS HE BLEW!!! UGA WON IT IN MY BOOK PERIOD! But their is no denying that Saban won this year!!!! I wish UGA would have been able to start JT DANIELS in game 1 or game 2!!! And I wish the defense and even the offense would have STAYED HEALTHY all season!
COVID WASN’T OUR PROBLEM!!!
I’m absolutely POSITIVE no doubt at all. UGA wins the east if all this happens!!! Florida did NOT beat UGA! Because they never played the real UGA team!!! JT DANIELS is only 1 player. We had 70% of our starting defense out for the cocktail party. And about 35% of the starting offense. Not including JT Daniels!!! Add him and it’s close to 50%!!!!
But you can only play who is in front of you. That goes for UGA and it goes for Florida to! So, congrats to Florida THEY WON!!! I only wish things could have been different!!!
If it was. Alabama would have played the best out of the east a second time. I can’t say who would have won the first game had JT Daniels played. Why? Because at halftime UGA was getting it done thanks to defense. And JT Daniels can light you up! Alabama’s defense was very suspect at that time of year. We had WRS running wide open all day and Stetson Bennett was missing them. So UGA could have easily been up by 3 TDS at half. Because Daniels is good enough for that. He would not have missed those wide open guys. Had we been up by 2 or 3 scores at half with our defense. Even if Alabama scores a bunch. I doubt they catch us. Because we would be answering scores!!!!
That UGA defense when healthy is absolutely elite! Alabama broke the game open because of Bennett getting balls batted down. Tipped, and intercepted all in the second half. Really after a VERY QUESTIONABLE PASS INTERFERENCE CALL. After we stopped them on the goal. Bennett is NOT JT Daniels! He cannot answer TDS with Alabama!!! But JT Daniels absolutely can!!!!
And motivation and momentum also are everything in football!!! If the defense knew they had a QB on the field that could answer when needed. They would have played with their hair on fire the whole game!!!! IF IF IF I KNOW. IF A BULL FROG HAD WINGS. HE WOULDN’T BUMP HIS A$$!!!!
THE DEFENSE……
Still a great deal of that defense is coming back! Along with the young elite players we recruited! Some 5 stars that were injured in the secondary and others! UGA recruited the #1 DB in high school football. But he was injured before the season. He is healthy now! We have all kinds of 4 and 5 star guys on that defense. Many 5 stars that people forgot we had because they haven’t played much!!!! It’s their turn now! Along with again almost all 5 star linebackers! And 4, yes count them, four 5 stars return on the defensive line!!! NOT COUNTING THE BIGGEST OF THEM. 4 STAR WRECKING MACHINE JORDAN DAVIS IN THE MIDDLE!!!!
People thinking our defense is going to fall apart aren’t paying attention! Our cover guys are very talented guys. We might have been deeper last season with dbs. Our starters might be as good or better than last season. And if the talented young guys come along quickly. Then depth could be just as good!!! We could miss Lecount. But that Lois kid came on strong. And was a really elite recruit himself!!! I forgot how to spell his last name! Honestly I think he is a better tackler!!! The UGA defensive line and linebackers will have a super pass rush! That usually cures all ills in the backfield!!! But still UGA has a bunch of talent in the defensive backfield!!!!
THE OFFENSE…..
For everything I’ve said about the defense. The entire offense is coming back as far as I know. We had so much talented 4 and 5 star talent on offense to. Including now 3 5 star QBs, and this time they are PERFECTLY SPACED OUT!!!! Supposedly the worst of them is 6 foot 5 and close to 240. Mobile with a rocket arm that is extremely accurate and great QB and football IQ! Was named Mr football in Florida’s top classification! Won a state championship on a team that never did anything before him! THAT WOULD BE CARSON BECK! Don’t count him out!!!!! The UGA WRs are Alabama’ish!!! Super talented!!!!!
PS. Conclusion. If we stay healthy. UGA should be in for a special season!!!!
King Negan
Definitely not the name I expected to see here.
Why is that?
I thought he was solid for UGA. I guess not.
Lateral move to a coach with a checkered history and to a “frustrated” program???
A lot of risk for the possibility of minimum reward.
Lanning should follow Kirby’s example when Richt tried to hire him away from Alabama to become UGA’s DC.
But if happens, I’d have no problem with Muschamp being the DC. Say what you may about Coach Boom but he can coach defense and recruit. At this point in Boom’s career he needs to focus on having a Bud Foster type of career going forward.
In most cases I would agree about lateral moves. This being Texas and how much they are selling their soul for a winner, you would first have to know what they are going to pay the guy. Personally I look for Golding to make a lateral move this off season, because I think Saban is going to suggest it.
Why aren’t any of these guys looking to poach Grantham? He is a defensive mastermind !
You know 3rd and Grantham ain’t leaving the I-75 Truck Stop shy of somebody putting a gun to his head
If God can part the Red Sea, he can deliver us from Grantham!
You mean to tell me 3rd and Grantham is not at the top of the list, oh the humanity!!!!
Bo Pelini is available.
Bama defense under pruitt was better than kirby
Wrong. Two years of JP does not beat what Kirby did for you Bammers.
Lanning already turned it down.
Not happening. He’s taking the DC from the Washington Huskies who some believe was screwed out of the HC job when Chris Petersen “retired”.