BREAKING: UGA Defensive Coordinator Dan Lanning Makes Decision on 2021 Season
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ATHENS - The Texas Longhorns went after Georgia Bulldogs defensive coordinator Dan Lanning - interviewing him for the same position this past week.
But Lanning said Friday night on social media that he was staying with Kirby Smart at Georgia for the 2021 season. The move means the Bulldogs will likley retain both coordinators heading into a season for the first time since 2017.
Kirby Smart lost defensive coordinator Mel Tucker after the 2018 season who became the head coach at Colorado. It was Dan Lanning who replaced Tucker. Since then the Bulldogs have ranked No. 3 and No. 12 is scoring defense nationally.
Lanning was the inside linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator at Memphis before accepting the role as Georgia’s outside linebackers in the beginning of 2018. Lanning was promoted to co-defensive coordinator and outside linebackers coach after the 2018 season and has held that position ever since.
Lanning has been an excellent recruiter for the Bulldogs since his arrival, helping to land top four-star target Quay Walker on Signing Day a month after he was hired. Lanning recruited extremely well in the 2019 class as well, signing the nation’s top overall prospect, outside linebacker Nolan Smith. Lanning also signed four-star outside linebacker Rian Davis in the 2019 class.
In 2020, Lanning helped the Bulldogs sign four-star linebacker Mekhail Sherman, the No.33 overall prospect.In this recent 2021 class, Lanning was able to help the Bulldogs sign five-star Xavian Sorey, five-star Smael Mondon, and four-star Chaz Chambliss.
Lanning put together his “wolf pack” group of outside linebackers and they’ve been hunting quarterbacks and creativ havoc for the last three years. Junior Azeez Ojulari has turned from a four-star edge defender into an elite pass rusher under Dan Lanning the last three years. The former Marietta Blue Devil lead the team in sacks the last two years with 5.5 sacks in 2019 and 8.5 sacks in 2020.
Ojulari declared for the 2021 NFL Draft and more Lanning pupils could be high draft picks in the 2022 NFL Draft as well with Adam Anderson and Nolan Smith being eligible.
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