Three of Kirby Smart’s staff are set to land hefty pay-raises ahead of the 2020 college football season. For anyone who watched every Georgia game in 2019, it comes as no surprise that all three are on the defensive side of the ball.
Last season, Dan Lanning earned $750,000 as a first-year defensive coordinator. Georgia’s 2019 defense was historically impressive and Lanning is now set to reap the benefits. His salary next season will be $1.25 million, as reported by the Athens Banner-Herald.
That’s an eye-popping increase, adding two thirds of his original contract value to his salary. This ranks Lanning in the ninth spot of the highest-paid defensive coordinators and fifth in the Southeastern Conference.
Given last season’s stout defense, he was certainly being underpaid and thus attracted a slew of offers to be another school’s DC. Georgia’s athletics department proved that they’re willing to go deep into their pockets to keep Dan Lanning around.
Co-defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach Glenn Schumann is receiving a raise of $50,000. His pay in 2019 was listed at $550,000 annually; the 9.1 percent hike brings Schumann to a clean $600,000 in 2020. He’s done well for himself since making $325,000 two years ago.
Defensive line coach Tray Scott will also be earning $600,000 in 2020. He’s been awarded a $130,000 raise, up from $470,000 in 2019, which was up from his original UGA salary of $400,000 when he arrived in Athens in 2017.
Clearly, the powers that be are pleased with these defensive staffers’ collective performance.
Behind the scenes, Georgia alumnus and director of player development Jonas Jennings is the benefactor of a $100,000 pay bump, bringing him from $306,000 to $406,000 per year.