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Georgia football: Predicting UGA’s next Defensive Coordinator

By Alistair Penny

ATLANTA, GA - DECEMBER 01: Georgia Bulldogs defensive coordinator Mel Tucker looks on before the 2018 SEC Championship Game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 1, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - DECEMBER 01: Georgia Bulldogs defensive coordinator Mel Tucker looks on before the 2018 SEC Championship Game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 1, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images) /
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Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images
Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images /

Brenden: Kerry Coombs DB coach Tennessee Titans.

Kerry Coombs would be a home run hire for Kirby Smart. Coombs is currently working in the NFL for the Mike Vrabel led Tennessee Titans as the secondary coach. Coombs previously worked at the Ohio State University from 2012-2017 as the cornerbacks coach (also assistant defensive coordinator), and was the defensive backs coach at Cincinnati from 2007-2011, and coached high school for 24 years.

Coombs would come to the Georgia Bulldogs with knowledge of what it is like to work in a big college football environment so he wouldn’t be intimidated by the expectations. Coombs also has extensive high school coaching experience so he would know how to approach high school coaches and players on the recruiting trail.

Right now the UGA defensive staff has a couple of young, rising stars in the coaching world. Inside linebackers coach Glenn Schumann (only 28 years old) and outside linebackers coach Dan Lanning (only  31 years old) are both considered great coaches and future coordinator stars.

Coombs, 56 years old, has never been a solo defensive coordinator (assistant DC at OSU) but has a wealth of knowledge he could share with the young coaches. That sort of mentor-ship from a highly thought of coach could only better Schumann and Lanning once they eventually become defensive coordinators themselves.

Aside from Coombs experience and recruiting helpfulness, the most important thing is that he is a tremendous coach. OSU’s secondary always featured great corners and safeties that could play well. In Coombs’ tenure at OSU, six of the players he helped coach were first round picks.

Those players include Eli Apple, Vonn Bell, Gareon Conley, Malik Hooker, Marshon Lattimore, Bradley Roby, and Denzel Ward. Most of these players are highly thought of and Ward was in the running for Defensive Rookie of the Year until he got injured.

If Kirby Smart could lure Coombs away from the NFL with the promise of a coordinator job it would be great for the Bulldogs’ defense and the young defensive coaches. Coombs is a high-quality coach whose resume speaks for itself, and whose NFL experience would be a good attention-getter when recruiting. It would no doubt be a great move for Smart to make.

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