Report: Sherrer expected to leave UGA for Tennessee job

It looks like Georgia will be down a defensive coach following this season.

Outside linebackers coach Kevin Sherrer is likely to join Tennessee to be its defensive coordinator, according to Sports Illustrated’s Bruce Feldman. If Sherrer does take the job he will reunite with Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt, who was Georgia’s defensive coordinator from 2014-15.

Pruitt was a major reason why Sherrer came to Athens in 2014. Sherrer has been with the Bulldogs the past four seasons and was one of two initial holdovers from Georgia previous coaching staff when Kirby Smart was hired to be its head coach prior to the 2016 season.

At Georgia, Sherrer has coached outside linebackers Leonard Floyd, Jordan Jenkins, Davin Bellamy and Lorenzo Carter over the past four seasons.

Floyd was a first-round draft pick in 2016 and Jenkins was a third-round selection that same year. This season, Bellamy and Carter have combined for 76 tackles and 7.5 sacks this season.

“I think it's an honor any time your assistants get an opportunity to advance themselves,” Smart said during Thursday's College Football Playoff news conference. “I learned that from none other than (Alabama head coach) Nick (Saban). When you get an opportunity for somebody to go on and increase their role, they get a promotion, I think that's a great honor. I think it's an honor to your staff, to the success you've had at your program. I hope that all our guys get that opportunity.”

Sherrer was previously the defensive coordinator at South Alabama before arriving at Georgia.

This story was originally published December 7, 2017 at 7:11 PM with the headline "Report: Sherrer expected to leave UGA for Tennessee job."