Q: Hey, Glenn, wondering what the, the message has been from you to the defense going back to spring. I know Kirby always talks about you know, getting to the quarterback, getting guys on the ground, et cetera. What is your message for the season to this group been?
Schumann: Yeah, I think when you go through the off-season, like the whole off-season all the way up through fall camp till you get in game planning, is still about like making sure that like the culture and identity is right because that's what pushes you through.
Like the things that matter to playing great defense, they don't really change, right? Like obviously you address things if there's areas that you wanna improve, but it wouldn't matter if you led the country in a category. You wanna ma- you wanna be better the next year than you were the year prior. So it's not like there's not a pointed message in terms of, hey, this specific category or that specific category.
You gotta be better at everything because ultimately to like have an elite championship level defense, you can't have any weak spots. Like especially in the format we're in now where you gotta win post-season games back to back to back, you better be well-rounded and complete and not have, you know, any weaknesses.
So the goal, I guess, to create the culture and identity of what we wanna be, and then make sure that we don't have any of those weak points.
Q: Coach, wanted to talk about the new addition to your staff, Larry Knight. Yeah. How well has he messed with the, messed with the players and with the staff, just being ready to coach at this level?
Schumann: Yeah, it was, it was very apparent in the... You know, you go through an interview process, and you talk to people on the phone, you Zoom with people, and then you decide to bring people in, and it was very apparent early on in that process, the way that he fit both in terms of viewpoints, values, and also personality-wise, for what mattered to us as a teacher, um, as a team guy, and then his impact he'd be able to have with the players, and then his specialty in terms of coaching the edge position and adding value from a pass rush standpoint, but, a- a- and the run game, and the way that he coaches.
So, like, it was very apparent, um, that the transition was gonna go really smoothly. Obviously, you're in a, a place that you have new terminology. Um, you wanna get on the same page about some of those things that are non-negotiables. But then he's also helped us, in a lot of ways, grow. So it's, it's been great.
Um, the, the players love him, the staff loves him. It, it has been a, a excellent transition.
Q: Coach just kind of a curiosity question here. I think it was, heat index was over 100 degrees Sunday, and you were still wearing those, those gray sweats. Every, seems like every time we see you, you're wearing the, the full gray sweat out. What was the origination of that, and is that pretty much all you wear at practices?
Schumann: Yeah. I make, Gage Whitten and Will Wells' job relatively easy. As long as I have the pair I'm wearing that day, and then there's a pair back up, and then just we'll keep those in rotation and, and, and, you know, don't lose them, then, then, then we're good.
But I just put them on one day. At one point it was, I had sweats and a long sleeve, and then at some point, it... Basically the whole time I've been here, I've been in full sweats. But I just, I put them on, and then it's one less decision you have to make every day. Sometimes I wonder if I should've made a different decision, but at this point, I mean, at this point it's, like, it's just, it's what I do and, and I don't change.
At least I get to decide if there's a moment there where I don't wanna go chase the ball at practice. Like, I have, I have the right to decide to do that. So I mean, i- if I need to d- you know. That's what it is. Um, some days it's better than others.
Q: W had Chris and Raylon here recently, and they were kinda talking about how the defense has been simplified from their perspective and sort of allowed them to feel like they're playing faster and free. Was just curious to kinda get your perspective on that, and has that been an emphasis for the entire defense or just the linebacker room?
Schumann: I, I think, I think the defense becomes simpler. Like, the older guys get, the simpler it feels. Like, so there's, there's a reality there of, like, people always use the expression about, "Well, the game's gonna slow down."
Well, that's kind of an unfair statement, because then guys just sit around and wait for it to slow down for them, and then they feel like if the game's not slowing down to them, they're like, "Well, is something wrong with me?" Like... and so that, that statement always, like, it's, it's a coach's job to speed the players up so that they're playing faster.
The game's moving the same speed, they're playing faster. And so in some ways, I think when it feels simpler, they have now sped up in the, in terms of their processing. And we do evaluate... One of the things we've done every year since we've been here, when we go and do self-scout, we don't just evaluate, "Hey, well, this call gave up this many yards per rush and this many yards per pass, and it created this much havoc and gave up this many explosives."
Like, that's the hard data. But we look at it from a standpoint of, hey, what about this terminology? Is... It might be the same call, and when we're talking as a staff, there is an inconsistency in how we're verbalizing what we're teaching. So it's the same call, but we're constant- we've changed names of calls from year to year to make it more digestible for the next guy.
And so I think some of that happens, where you try to compartmentalize the vocabulary into families so that it's digestible. But it's not the same, like, it's not a different defense. It's not a diff- it's not different rules to that defense, but it's how it's being communicated to them. And, 'cause it's always our job to teach the players and al- allow them to play fast while still creating problems for the opponent.
So I think there's a little bit of their experience that they've gained, and then with each year we try to streamline the terminology more and more, um, where there's hiccups.
Q: Coach, what can you kind of tell us about Chase Linton and kinda his development over the off-season? Obviously, that was a guy that, that played a little bit in the Sugar Bowl - kind of what have you seen from him since then?
Schumann: Yeah, I think that, like, Chase is a really disruptive player, and he has, for a guy that's not ... Hey, he has length, but he's not, you know, a ton of bulk. He's put on good b- bulk and strength. But like, he play, he has a lot of play strength, okay, which is really important, 'cause you can be a big guy that doesn't play, that doesn't play big.
So he’s - some of the edges are heavier than him, but he throws the body, his body around with kinda reckless abandon, which you need to do out there, and especially, you know, pulling guards, things like that, and his ability to transition rush, okay, which is a big deal, 'cause, like, when you rush on third down, and it's, you're look, you're looking at 90% plus pass scenarios.
Like, where you sub in your packages, all that other stuff, like that's great. A lot of people can generate pressure in those scenarios, but the ability to transition rush and go from a playing run, okay, and getting into pass rush, like that, that twitch that he has and, and the kind of way he plays the game, it really translates in that area.
And so I think that's what, what he has is a play style that matches up with how we play, but also, um, some ability to generate normal down pass rush in addition to what he can do on third down. Yeah, that group of edges as a whole, just, just what have you seen from that group and what gives you, you know, the, the, the pass rush, as you guys been talked about a lot for the past couple years.
Q: What gives you confidence that that group can get after the quarterback, get him on the ground, and, and affect the passing game for opponents this year?
Schumann: It’s just, it's just the natural, like, it's the natural growth and development progression. I was really pleased, we were all really pleased with how Q played last year.
It was his first time taking on a full rep load. Like, it was interesting 'cause he went from not playing very much at all, and then he was playing every snap. And so, like, when you look at that, like, his growth over the course of the season was immense 'cause there's no, there's no- no matter how much... And we, and we take a lot of pride in how we practice here, right?
We always want to say that we want to make practice harder than the game. The players buy into that, we buy into that, but there's nothing that replicates game experience and the flow of a game, and getting into a rhythm that way and gaining confidence when you're under the lights in front of the, in front of the people in the stands.
And so I just think, like, his progression from that standpoint, um, and Gabe was, was in the same boat. Gabe, Gabe had played a little bit more than Q had, and, and then he, but he took on a, a huge workload. And then so those guys going into their second year in, in, in future roles, and the rest of the room, some of those guys...
Like, the edge position, when you're coming out of high school, the amount of, like, strength it, it takes. Like, we're not talking about, hey, known passing scenarios, third down. Like, to do the complete job and set edges against the grown men in this league, the offensive tackles and the tight ends in this league, like, that requires a technique, fundamentals, a mentality, and a significant amount of play strength.
So even, like, when you look at a guy like, like Trayvon, he played only on third down for his first two years. We're talking about the number one overall pick, and then he played 600 stats the next year. He had become a complete player, right? And so I just think that there were some, there were some guys in that room that have ability.
That's why they're here. Nobody gets here by accident. And then they, their, their maturation from a, a strength and conditioning, being with Coach Sinclair, but also playing the game. Like, you watched all those guys step up to be able to give more depth in that room, too, and, and we always wanna be able to play two or three guys at every position.
So, you know, if you're talking about between defensive end and Jack, you're looking to have five or six guys that can play at a high, really high level so that we're able to play with the effort, you know, that we need and, and, and keep guys fresh. So I think there's a lot more available in terms of, um, you know, players that are, that are more ready to play winning football, and then guys that did play that maybe it was their first real game experience, like, they've taken the next step, too.
So that's been... I'm really pleased with them.
Q: Coach, obviously you guys have a lot of safeties that have experience. You got a couple young guys that, you know, we kind of expect to play. You know, what, how important is that group to this defense, and just what are some things that have stood out really about that group, and, and how do you guys plan on managing, you know, who plays?
Schumann: Because there are so many guys with experience, and there are so many guys that, you know, have a lot of talent. Yeah, well, production matters, right? So, hey, and, and obviously production matters in the game, but production matters, hey, when you get in live, like scrimmage scenarios, it matters in practice.
And right now, when you look at where- we- we've completed six days of practice, right? And so the first six to seven days, that's where the heavy install comes in. Like, that's where the most... Like, every day something new is coming in on both sides of the ball. And then you- you're getting it in, and you're repping it, and you're correcting it, and you're fixing it, and the communication and, and the execution gets better, and whether that's in run fits or pattern matches.
Well, that point being s- said, like, first six, seven days, it's more about you're repping people in terms of a depth chart just to make sure everybody gets enough reps. Like, every day we have a rep chart at every position, and it's like, hey, we want to make sure there's nothing out of whack. And especially when you have a competition, you want to make sure the guys that are all competing, that they are very close, that you're not having one guy taking 40 reps in practice of live, not count- not counting indie or whatever else, but 40 reps of live practice, and one guy in the same competition takes 25.
And so you're being really intentional about them getting enough reps so that you can evaluate them, and they can get better, so that when it's time as we get into our first scrimmage, and then the week after the first scrimmage and the second scrimmage, that you're really able to assess, okay, who's, who needs to be playing, starting in that rotation from there and then, and then it's normally production based.
But right now, it's still more about making sure that everybody in that room can play at a really high level and execute at a high level. And the next two weeks is really where that, the separation starts. Like, I always view, like, the first scrimmage as, like, moving day. Like, it's like so- somebody will move up and down, and then, hey, after the second scrimmage, like, you kind of have to have a little bit of a pecking order because now you're getting into game week prep, but you're still constantly developing everybody in the room.
So we're not to that point yet. There, but there is, there are a lot of guys, you know, vying for those spots. Then we got to decide, hey, how many of those guys are we going to play? Because you want to play everybody that deserves to play. Like, that's, that saying about being above the line, like, if somebody can help us win, then you want to create a role for them.
And so we got to determine how many of those guys can do that. But there's definitely, um, every guy has a unique skill set and, and it's a, it's a fun room. It, it's a fun competition.
Q: Glenn, how has your time at Georgia and before that at Alabama prepared you for when you eventually become a head coach?
Schumann: I, I think, like, every day of your life is significant, no matter where you are.
Like, not to be, like, like, cliche or talking to people, like, think about this. Like, nobody, nobody on Earth, you, me, anybody in this room, like, every day in some form or fashion shapes you into the person that you become. And so I just think I've had the privilege of being around, like, some of the best in the game, not just from a coaching standpoint, but from a leadership standpoint, um, from how people, you know, they run a meeting room, how they handle tough situations, how they handle the staff.
And, and there's an attention to detail every single day, whether, whether it's here or whether it was there, that set the tone for everybody in the organization. And there's a level of urgency, um, to that approach. Now, every... Hey, your personality has to be your personality, and so I just think, like, when you're around people that are really good at what they do, whether that's head coaches or assistant coaches or players, like, you learn from everybody you're around.
And, um, I think that's, like, I think everybody gets prepared for what they, their next step in life. Um, heck, I'm more prepared today than I was yesterday for my job that I'm doing today. Like, heck, tomorrow, hopefully when I go to the practice field, I'm a better coach tomorrow maybe from the... Hey, thinking about this question with you.
Like, I don't know. Like, hey, like, every day has to matter, right? Like, if, if every day is significant in your growth and maturation, like, then you're, and you're not wasting a day, then, then, heck, it wouldn't have mattered if, if I was in Alaska. They just don't have football there. I mean, they might have football, but- Hey, don't, no, hey, don't, don't, don't s- hey, don't cut that.
Hey, hey. They don't have... Hey. To, to my knowledge, there's not a... Hey, there's not a FBS team up there. They may.
Q: Coach, I know you got a, a lot, a lot of new players, but Kirby was in here earlier. He said with Khalil Barnes was a guy, I don't know if he said didn't do it good enough or recognize him. Can you give us kind of the story about him coming out of high school and why he may not have been a take then, and where he's at now, and he how he's developed and how he might help you?
Schumann: Yeah, the recruiting process is always interesting because, like, it happens, like, you evaluate, you evaluate your final list of signees and the guys that you sign, and they come into the building, but there's a timeline in all of this, right? So sometimes dominoes just fall as they fall and, you know, he was always a guy that we acknowledged was a good football player.
There was never any doubt about that. But hey, we, we made a decision, okay, to kind of pursue some guys more heavily. Guys decided to come to Georgia and that was our DB class that year. That just is what it is. And, and so, you know, fortunately he's here now, and, like, that's one of the beauties to, to how college football works now.
Everybody sometimes always focuses on negatives - here or there, but, like, there's always, hey, there's always good with bad and there's always bad with good. And this is, it's- it's awesome that we're able to get him here at Georgia and we're very fortunate that he's, that he's here with us. Yeah, I mean, he's an instinctive playmaker.
He's smart. Um, you can tell that he's played a lot of football. Like, like, he had on-ball production at, at Clemson. He had on-ball production in high school. And, you know, he's a guy that we think can do that for us here. Like, you don't ... You know, I always think about this. Like, yeah, Dom Sanders. Dom Sanders picked off a lot of pass, a lot of passes in high school.
Well, then what did Dom Sanders do in college? Picked off a lot of passes. A guy that doesn't intercept the ball very often, then you all of a sudden you're expecting to intercept a bunch of passes. Like, your job is to help them grow. But, like, you, the people that naturally, like Taki, like Taki was great at punching the ball out.
Hey, he punched out the ball some here. What does he do for the Tampa Bay Bucs? Punch the ball out. Now, you're gonna drill things to hone in on technique and fundamentals, and maybe help somebody who isn't proficient at doing it yet get better at it. But, like, certain guys have a knack for, for being around the ball, and he's shown that and, and that's definitely shown up.
And, um, he's, he's really fun to coach. He's, he's, he's eager to learn, and he's taken on the challenge of a new system, um, in stride. And, and the guys ... he's been, he's become, he's acclimated to being part of this team and our culture really well.
Q: we saw Zayden make plays down the stretch of last season. What kind of progress have you seen in his time here, and, and what do you feel like he can provide to the defense this season?
Schumann: Yeah, it's, it's immense progress in terms of, um ... You know, there's, there's an element to, for anybody that comes out of high school, okay? There's a, the, the, the change from being on the field where, hey, you're the best player, okay?
To now being in a place where, hey, there's lots of good players and everything matters. Like, your stance matters, your alignment matters, where your eyes are matters, like, how you do things. Like, like, the details of each piece of your job are really important, and I've just been really proud of how much that I, I
You know, he wasn't able to go through spring, okay? So he had to be really intentional in how he went through the meeting time and his prep without being able to do it live. 'Cause everybody's gonna, everybody's gonna grow the most by getting to do it and practice it. And then, so how he approached this summer in terms of both mentally and technically, and then how he's approached camp, um, he's been really diligent in, in the way that he's worked and, and, you know, he's making progress.
Obviously, we saw that he could help in terms of some things last year down the stretch, third down-wise. You know, he was able to go play Jack some. When he went to Jack, that, then we moved Chris around a little bit, or 'cause Chris was playing Jack on third down. And then to get Zayden in the game, to get our best 11 on the field, which is what you wanna do, like, we started moving Chris around some.
And then, but he ... But the more Zayden can grow as a complete backer, okay? 'Cause we, we blitz those guys, we cover with, and they line up all over the place, which he has, and he needs to keep doing. The more he can do, the more he can help us, okay? And so we look forward to seeing where that goes.
