With only four games left in the regular season, the SEC playoff race is heating up. Texas A&M, Alabama, and Ole Miss are all in contention, leaving HC Kirby Smart with a tough task of guiding Georgia to the finish line. However, one analyst believes the Bulldogs could not only miss the playoffs but also lose an important member of their coaching staff in the process.

Kirby Smart’s Bulldogs are among the favorites to qualify for the playoffs in the SEC. However, according to Josh Pate, Georgia Bulldogs’ DC Glenn Schumann could reportedly leave this season. This would add him to the coaching carousel, which already has four coaching spots in the SEC due to firings that happened this season. Pate says that his sources confirm Schumann’s departure.

“It depends on who you ask, but I’ve had enough people whom I trust tell me yes. My answer is yes. I refuse to bother these guys about this stuff during the season, so I never get firsthand knowledge of this, but enough people do that I’ll just talk to them.” Josh Pate expressed. “I wonder if anyone’s ready to make that investment who has a job opening on Schumann. He may have an opportunity or two on his desk that he may have to decide on or turn down in the next month or so,” he added.

If this is true, it would mean the end of a 9-year tenure for Schumann with the Bulldogs, during which he built a defensive legacy. Under him, Georgia has ranked in the top 5 nationally in total defense, scoring defense, and rushing defense multiple times. He was part of the team that won the National Championship two times and the SEC title three times. Losing Schumann would deal a major blow to Kirby Smart, taking away one of the key architects behind the Bulldogs’ recent dominance.

Meanwhile, Josh Pate further rubbed salt on Georgia’s wound by revealing that he does not have them in his playoff list.

Josh Pate snubs the Bulldogs in his playoff prediction

Speaking on the 3rd November episode of the 680 The Fan podcast, Josh Pate reasoned that he could only have a say after Georgia’s game against MS State this week.

“I want to say Georgia, but given the stakes here, I would prefer to see them get through this Saturday at least before I start mentioning Georgia because they’re playing one of them and Alabama, both just one-possession machines, one-possession games every week. So, I like Bama, I like Old Miss, I like A&M. That’s where I’m drawing the line right now.” Josh Pate said on the podcast.

MS State is just the beginning for the Bulldogs, who will face the Texas Longhorns the following week. The Longhorns are just behind Georgia in the 5th place and will be looking for an opportunity to jump past them at Sanford. With the playoff race tightening, every game now carries extra weight for Kirby Smart and his team.

After the Longhorns, Georgia has a comparatively easier matchup against Charlotte before closing the regular season against city rivals Georgia Tech, the top dogs of the ACC this year. Given the Yellow Jackets’ strong form, this year’s Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate rivalry could be one of Georgia’s toughest tests yet.

So, it’s safe to say that Kirby Smart has plenty to prove if he wants to silence Josh Pate’s doubts. However, one thing he might not be able to control is the future of DC Glenn Schumann, who Pate believes could be on his way out, potentially adding another twist to the SEC’s 2025 coaching carousel.