Kirby Smart’s Georgia is going through a major coaching shakeup this offseason. His defensive staff was already thin after defensive analyst Will Muschamp went to Texas, and now he is on the verge of losing his outside linebackers coach, who developed defensive tackle Jalen Carter and sent him in the first round, 9th overall, in 2023 to the $12.5 billion Philadelphia Eagles.

“The #Cowboys are expected to hire Georgia’s Chidera Uzo-Diribe as outside linebackers coach, sources tell,” CBS Sports reporter Matt Zenitz said on X. “@CBSSports Uzo-Diribe, who has been considered a top rising star in the college coaching space, had worked under Kirby Smart at Georgia since 2022. Now headed to Dallas.”

The Dallas Cowboys have scheduled an in-person interview with Georgia outside linebackers coach Chidera Uzo-Diribe. The interview is reportedly for a position on defensive coordinator Christian Parker’s staff, as the Cowboys are on a mission to reshape their coaching lineup.

This is a major blow for Kirby Smart’s programs, as they are on the verge of losing a key piece from their defensive unit. He didn’t just develop players but also played a major role in Georgia’s 15-0 season and 2022 national championship as their defense finished 1st in rushing defense, 5th in scoring defense, and 9th in total defense nationally.

On top of that, let’s not forget he forged a defense that produced two All-Americans in Jalen Carter and DB Chris Smith. Even his recruiting trail was pretty strong. Back in 2023, Uzo Diribe helped Georgia sign the nation’s No. 2 class for the 2023 cycle, bringing in players like edge Damon Wilson, who ranked no. 20 overall as per On3, and other top players too.

Uzo-Diribe’s experience is raising his stocks. He came into Georgia in the 2022 offseason after serving as the defensive line coach at TCU. He was also part of SMU’s defensive line in 2021, where the Mustangs finished the season with an 8-4 record. He even developed top talents like DL Elijah Chatman, who also earned All-American Conference second-team honors. He also coached DeVere Levelston, who led the conference in sacks.

Now, you know why the Dallas Cowboys are showing interest in hiring him. Knowing the spotlight the NFL job is going to bring in, even Uzo-Diribe might be interested in taking the job. It will be a major boost for his coaching profile.

Plus Dallas’s interest is also fueled by their 4-3 defense, which relies on four DL and three linebackers, and under new DC Christian Parker, the team is expected to switch to a 3-4 defense, putting more responsibility on the outside linebacker. This is Uzo Diribe’s expertise. So, it makes the push even more evident.

Even with a major scare, Kirby isn’t stopping his recruiting pipeline.

Kirby Smart makes a major recruiting move

Following the mantra of potential overproduction, Kirby Smart’s team is persistently trying to get five-star linebacker Cooper Witten despite Oklahoma turning out to be the favorite. Knowing his father Jason Wittin’s legacy, many expect him to go to Norman, but that’s not stopping Smart from making the move.

Witten recently visited both Athens and Norman, which is a trip his mother, Michelle Witten, shared on social media too. Earlier, he also posted a picture with Georgia’s defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann, showing their heavy interest in him.

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Now, both teams’ interest in him makes sense, as Witten is the no. 1 linebacker in the county, the no. 4 player from Texas, and the no. 21 recruit nationally. He currently holds 29 scholarship offers, but for now, all signs point to Oklahoma.

So let’s wait and see how things turn around for Kirby Smart and the team with his recruiting.