There are some very apparent reasons why the opening of the Texas defensive coordinator would attract Dan Lanning.
To begin with, he would have more autonomy in directing the defense, as Georgia coach Kirby Smart will always have his fingerprints on Georgia defense. There is also the fact that Texas was most likely able to give him an increase in the $ 1.25 million he is expected to earn as Georgia’s defensive coordinator.
Longhorns are expected to pay $ 1.0 million per year to special teams coordinator and restricted team coach Jeff Banks. This is more than what Georgia’s tight end coach Todd Hartley and special team coordinator Scott Cochran can do together.
But Lanning passed on millions to stay in Georgia. Despite deep pockets and Texas’ best efforts, Lanning announced Friday night that he would remain in Georgia.
– Dan Lanning (@CoachDanLanning) January 16, 2021
Related: More details about Dan Lanning staying with Georgia in Texas
Although he did not use the Unfinished Business slogan that JT Daniels and others have this season, Lanning wants to do more in Georgia. That should speak for itself, as he was already a Broyles Award finalist for the country’s best assistant in 2019 and had the SEC’s best defense in 2020 based on yards per permitted play.
Speaking before the Peach Bowl, Lanning explained that Georgia’s defense needed to improve to match modern attacks, as both Florida and Alabama drew 40 points and 500 yards in Georgia’s defense this season.
“I think the offensive game has changed a lot,” said Lanning before the Peach Bowl. “I think that with each season that we spend we say: What can we do better? What can we do differently? In this off-season period, I don’t see this being any different.
“We are going to reevaluate, evaluate. You have to adapt and change as the offenses adapt and change. “
With Lanning’s return, Georgia estimates that he will have an even better team in 2021. He will have a lot of work as he must remake Georgia’s secondary, but keeping Lanning on the list is a victory for the Georgia program.
Georgia should have one of the country’s best defensive fronts next season. And after Texas’ failed attempt to grab Lanning, there must be one of the most promising defensive coaches preparing the moves to slow down opponent attacks.
Who is back from the week for Georgia football
As of Monday morning, there were still a few Bulldogs who had not yet made public their decisions regarding the 2021 season. Zamir White, Adam Anderson and Jamaree Salyer have NFL-level skills, but have not yet announced their official intentions.
On Wednesday, the three made it clear that they would return to Georgia in 2021. Salyer started things on Monday afternoon. Anderson then went on Monday night.
White waited until Wednesday to make it official, but Georgia will also have its lead back in the 2021 season.
A simple question: does UGA have a big running back on its 2021 list right now? pic.twitter.com/f17nEXm8nG
– DawgNation (@DawgNation) January 15, 2021
All three players play important roles in their respective position groups. White led Georgia in the race with 779 yards and 11 touchdowns last season. Salyer will go on guard, but will still be Georgia’s best striker next season.
Anderson received 6.5 sacks last season for Georgia, impressing in a few clicks. With Jermaine Johnson heading to the state of Florida and Azeez Ojulari in the NFL, Anderson will have even more opportunities to transfer to Georgia in 2021.
The official deadline for entering the NFL’s 2021 Draft is January 18. Even though we are still a few days from that deadline, Georgia is the winner of this process, as the trio mentioned above joins Daniels, James Cook, Jordan Davis and others returning to Georgia in 2021.
Related: Georgia’s latest football squad move regarding NFL draft, transfer portal and returnees
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But not all was good news for Georgia this week, with defensive side Tyrique Stevenson entering the transfer portal.
Stevenson is a native of Miami, and Miami hurricanes are widely expected to hit Stevenson. This is a significant blow for Georgia, as Stevenson would start Georgia’s secondary in 2021. He showed his potential in winning over Cincinnati at the Peach Bowl.
This is the second consecutive offseason that the Bulldogs have seen a potential transfer from home to home, as Cade Mays did after the 2019 season. As the transfer portal becomes an increasingly large part of college football, it appears that it will be an impediment to the Georgia program.
Smart talked about the pre-Peach Bowl transfer portal and didn’t hide his feelings about it.
“It is a basis of need for us,” said Smart. “If I had my preference, I would prefer not to use the portal because schools like Cincinnati and Georgia shouldn’t, you should be able to go out and recruit the right kind of people.”
Elsewhere, former Georgia offensive striker Netori Johnson announced that he would be transferred to the state of Middle Tennessee.
As for any news from Arik Gilbert, there was no movement on this front. The University of Georgia started classes on Wednesday and the reduction / addition period ends on January 20.
Georgia football recruiting updates
Jeff Sentell of DawgNation received an update from top 2021 contender Terrion Arnold about his new top three in Alabama, Georgia and Florida this week. The talented defensive back is considered the final piece of Georgia’s talented 2021 recruiting class.
In the 2022 class, there was some important news this week, with Gunner Stockton’s official withdrawal from South Carolina. The 5-star quarterback made it official on Wednesday. He is the highest rated defender in the cycle.
Georgia finished as runner-up for Stockton when he first committed to South Carolina in August. With Mike Bobo now in Auburn, however, the Bulldogs have emerged as a serious candidate for Stockton’s services.
Sentell also dropped some news about the 5-star running back Emmanuel Henderson. He is the best ranked running back in the 2022 recruitment cycle.
Related: Emmanuel Henderson: Nation’s number one junior RB feels that Athens “is a great place to be”
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