Georgia’s Glenn Schumann leads 2024 college football coordinators poised to emerge as head coaching candidates

Of the 14 power conference schools that named new coaches during college football training carousel, three hired coordinators from other power conference schools. Most notable among them was Michigan, which promoted offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore after Jim Harbaugh left for the Los Angeles Chargers.

Elsewhere, Duke hired Penn State defensive coordinator and former Miami head coach Manny Diaz, while Mississippi State hired Oklahoma offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby. While seven of these 14 power conference schools opted for head coaches from the FBS ranks, there is some merit to going the coordinator route.

Other recent coordinator hires by big-name schools, such as Marcus Freeman (Notre Dame) and Brent Venables (Oklahoma), have also shown promise. This year’s #1 coach CBS Sports Power Four Coaching RankingsGeorgia’s Kirby Smart was hired as coordinator at Alabama.

Hiring an attractive coordinator isn’t foolproof, of course. There are many examples of sought-after coordinators struggling to make the transition to becoming head coaches. But the coordinator ranks are poised to continue to be a primary source of powerful conference head coaching hires for years to come.

So, as the 2024 season approaches, who are the coordinators to watch as potential power conference head coaching choices come in November and December? Let’s take a look at seven possible candidates.

College Football Coordinators to Watch in 2024

Glenn Schumann, Georgia defensive coordinator: Given the success former Georgia defensive coordinator Dan Lanning is having as Oregon’s head coach, it’s only a matter of time before the Bulldogs’ D.C. gig serves as a launching pad for another head coach. While UGA has not historically been as dominant over the past two seasons as it has been under Lanning in 2021, Schumann is still orchestrating an elite unit. The 34-year-old began working with Kirby Smart as a student assistant at Alabama in 2008 and has been with him every step of the way as the Bulldogs have risen through the ranks of college football.

Blake Baker, LSU defensive coordinator: Baker has done wonders with Missouri’s defense the past two seasons, transforming a unit that ranked 105th nationally into one that ranked 33rd last season when the Tigers finished 11-2 with a victory in the Cotton Bowl. If he can do the same at LSU in 2024, look for the 41-year-old former Tulane linebacker to get some head coaching looks. He worked as a graduate assistant for Mack Brown at Texas from 2010-12 and has coordinator experience at Miami and now two SEC programs.

Garrett Riley, Clemson offensive coordinator: After helping orchestrate TCU’s sky-high offense in 2022, Riley was expected to start Clemson’s offense in 2023. But the Tigers ranked 50th in total offense during his first year as offensive coordinator. It will take a big season for the 34-year-old to regain the rocket trajectory he enjoyed a few seasons ago. But if the Tigers make a significant offensive leap, Riley will have the resume to earn the head coaching look. He played for Mike Leach, his brother is USC coach Lincoln Riley and his last three bosses are Dabo Swinney, Sonny Dykes and Eli Drinkwitz. That’s a strong pedigree.

Andy Kotelnicki, Penn State offensive coordinator: How long before Lance Leipold’s training tree starts sprouting some significant branches? Kotelnicki worked as Leipold’s offensive coordinator the past 11 seasons at Wisconsin-Whitewater, Buffalo and Kansas. Now, he’s leaving his mentor to spread his wings as Penn State’s offensive coordinator. If this move produces the results the Nittany Lions hope for, Kotelnicki’s stock will rise.

Kane Wommack, Alabama defensive coordinator: Wait, wasn’t he already a head coach? Yes, Wommack left the head job at South Alabama to join Kalen DeBoer’s first staff at Alabama as defensive coordinator. But that doesn’t mean he’s abandoned all head coaching aspirations. At just 37 years old, Wommack could parlay a strong run with the Crimson Tide into a power conference opportunity. He posted a respectable 22-16 (13-11 Sun Belt) record in three seasons with a Jaguars program that had never finished above .500 before his arrival. He previously worked with DeBoer at Indiana, which further explains why he’s back as coordinator for now.

Travaris Robinson, Georgia co-defensive coordinator: A veteran SEC coach considered an excellent recruiter, Robinson is joining the Georgia staff as co-defensive coordinator after spending the past two seasons as Alabama’s cornerbacks coach. At just 42 years old and with stops at Auburn, Texas Tech, Florida, South Carolina and Miami also on his resume, Robinson appears ripe to continue moving up. Maybe not this year, but don’t be surprised if he makes the head coaching job list soon. After all, a mere Georgia coach (Fran Brown) got the head coaching job at Syracuse last cycle.

Kirby Moore, Missouri offensive coordinator: Kirby Moore’s older brother, Kellen, may be better known to some football fans, as he is now in his third NFL offensive coordinator job at just 35 years old. But the younger brother is fine. Since graduating from Boise State in 2013, he has worked for Chris Petersen at Washington, Jeff Tedford and Kalen DeBoer at Fresno State and now Eli Drinkwitz at Missouri. With Drinkwitz taking a step back from playing duties last season, Moore directed the offense for an 11-2 team that beat Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl. He probably needs more conference experience before he becomes a realistic candidate for a P4 head coaching job. But his shares are rising.