The Dallas Cowboys are expected to hire Georgia’s outside linebackers coach Chidera Uzo-Diribe.
The Georgia Bulldogs have already experienced some coaching turnover this offseason and it looks like they might not be out of the clear just yet. According to Matt Zenitz, the Dallas Cowboys are expected to hire Georgia’s outside linebackers coach Chidera Uzo-Diribe. It was reported on Monday that he was taking an in-person interview.
Uzo-Diribe joined Georgia’s staff back in the 2022 offseason. Prior to joining Georgia’s staff, he was the defensive line coach at TCU. Coincidentally, Georgia proceeded to beat TCU in the 2022 national title later that season.
Uzo-Diribe, a native of Corona, Calif., came to Athens after serving as defensive line coach with SMU in 2021. He followed head coach Sonny Dykes to TCU after the 2021 season before accepting the position at UGA. SMU was 8-4 in 2021 and defensive lineman Elijah Chatman earned All-American Conference second-team honors. Uzo-Diribe also coached defensivel ineman DeVere Levelston who led the conference in sacks.
Uzo-Dribe had previously worked two seasons at Kansas (2019 and 2020) where he served as outside linebackers coach. While with the Jayhawks he coached Kyron Johnson who earned All-Big 12 honors.
Prior to working with the Jayhawks, Uzo-Diribe spent three seasons (2016-18) as a graduate assistant with the defensive line and outside linebackers at Colorado. He coached outside linebacker Jimmie Gilbert who earned AP All-America third-team honors.
It’s not uncommon for defensive coaches to get poached off of Kirby Smart’s staff. Especially a coach like Uzo-Diribe, who has been with the staff for multiple seasons now and has been successful as both a recruiter and as a coach during that time.
Some other coaching news that Georgia has experienced this offseason has been defensive analyst Will Muschamp taking the defensive coordinating job at Texas. Offensive line coach Stacy Searels also stepped down from his role and switched positions with Phil Rauscher, a long-time NFL offensive line coach who joined Georgia’s staff.
Georgia offensive assistant David Hill also left the program to join Colorado State’s staff as the running backs coach.
With the NFL offseason just now heating up, it’s not safe to assume that any coach on the staff will remain with the Bulldogs for next season, and Uzo-Diribe is the most recent example of that.
