ATHENS — Dan Lanning has become the highest paid assistant on the Georgia football staff after the Bulldogs led the nation in scoring defense and rushing defense last season.
Georgia did so despite not having a defensive player selected first-team All-SEC unity, according to an Associated Press panel.
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Lanning, 33, had his salary elevated from $750,000 in 2019 — to $1.25 million for this upcoming season, per UGA athletic director Greg McGarity.
In addition to coordinating the nation’s No. 3-ranked total defense, Lanning coached up FWAA Freshman of the Year Semifinalist Azeez Ojulari at outside linebacker. He also landed the nation’s No. 1 recruit, outside linebacker Nolan Smith, along with the No. 1 JUCO recruit, outside linebacker Jermaine Johnson.
Lanning was making just $325,000 in 2018 before he was promoted from within the staff to replace Mel Tucker after Tucker left to become the Colorado head football coach.
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Georgia head coach Kirby Smart maintains a large presence on the Bulldogs’ defense, staying involved with coaching the secondary and working in concert with Lanning on play calls.
It’s clear Smart has a chemistry with the rising coaching star; the two worked together at Alabama prior to Georgia.
Lanning coached the Memphis inside linebackers and was the Tigers’ recruiting coordinator in 2016 and 2017 before joining the Bulldogs’ staff.
Prior to the Memphis job, Lanning served as a graduate assistant in 2015 on an Alabama coaching staff that featured Smart as the defensive coordinator and Tucker as the secondary coach.
Defensive line coach Tray Scott also received a noteworthy raise, from $470,000 to $600,000, per salary numbers that first appeared in the Athens Banner-Herald. The raise was likely on the strength of the Bulldogs leading the nation in rushing defense as well as the performance of young players.
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Scott is one of only three assistant coaches who remain from Smart’s SEC Championship staff of 2017, along with running backs coach Dell McGee and inside linebackers coach Glenn Schumann.
Todd Monken is the highest paid offensive assistant. Monken was hired in making $1.1 million as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, essentially replacing James Coley.
McGarity told DawgNation on Tuesday night that all of the salaries (listed below) involving raises were negotiated before the coronavirus pandemic brought the sports world to a standstill and affected the global economy.
Georgia Football Salaries 2020
( 7.2 million)
• Dan Lanning: Defensive Coordinator / OLB Coach $1.25 million
• Todd Monken:, Offensive Coordinator / QB coach $1.1 million
• Matt Luke: Offensive Line / Assoc. Head coach $900,000
• Dell McGee: RB coach / Run game coord. $650,000
• Charlton Warren: secondary coach $600,000
• Glenn Schumann: Asst. DC / Inside linebackers $600,000
• Tray Scott: defensive line coach $600,000
• Cortez Hankfton: WR coach $550,000
• Scott Cochran: Special teams coordinator $550,000
• Todd Hartley, TE coach $400,000
2019 staff: 6.045 million
• James Coley: Offensive Coordinator / QB Coach $950,000
• Sam Pittman: Associate Head Coach / OL Coach $900,000
• Dan Lanning: Defensive Coordinator / OLB Coach $750,000
• Dell McGee: Run Game Coordinator / RB Coach $650,000
• Charlton Warren: DB Coach $600,000
• Cortez Hankton: Pass Game Coordinator / WR Coach $550,000
• Glenn Schumann: Co-Defensive Coordinator / ILB Coach $550,000
• Tray Scott: DL Coach $470,000
• Scott Fountain: Special Teams Coordinator $325,000
• Todd Hartley: TE Coach $300,000
2018 staff: $6.42 million
• Mel Tucker: Defensive coordinator / secondary $1,500,000
• Jim Chaney Offensive coordinator / tight ends $950,000
• James Coley Quarterbacks / Co-offensive coord. $850,000
• Sam Pittman, Offensive line $825,000
• Dell McGee, Running backs $550,000
• Tray Scott, Defensive line $420,000
• Cortez Hankton, Wide receivers $375,000
• Glenn Schumann, Inside linebackers $325,000
• Dan Lanning, Outside linebackers $325,000
• Scott Fountain, Special teams $300,000
2017 staff: $4.56 million
• Mel Tucker: Defensive coordinator / secondary $900,000 (Now at Michigan State
• Jim Chaney: Offensive coordinator / quarterbacks $850,000 (Now at Tennessee)
• Sam Pittman: Offensive line $660,000 (Now at Arkansas)
• James Coley: Receivers $450,000 (Now at Texas A&M)
• Tray Scott: Defensive line $400,000
• Kevin Sherrer: Linebackers $375,000 (Now with N.Y. Giants)
• Dell McGee: Running backs $350,000
• Shane Beamer: Tight ends, $300,000 (Now at Oklahoma)
• Glenn Schumann: Inside linebackers $275,000
