The time is approaching when we should start to get a little more clarity on Kirby Smart's Bulldog coaching staff. Smart will obviously be coaching Alabama in the SEC Championship Game this Saturday, but he's already been reaching out to people, and some of those people may have been talking to other people:

Will Muschamp telling mutual coaching friends that he's not coming back to Auburn---will either get SCar HC job or go to GA as DC. Not off. — Chris Landry (@LandryFootball) December 3, 2015

One of the names that's been thrown around to follow Smart from Tuscaloosa is Alabama strength and conditioning coach Scott Cochran, famous for proclaiming that Georgia was wearing black in 2008 to play Alabama because "they're going to a MF'ing funeral!!!!"

Saban appears set to fight to keep Cochran. But another name mentioned from Saban's staff is that of a young assistant named Glenn Schumann. Schumann is the son of former Crimson Tide defensive back Eric Schumann, who later served as defensive coordinator at Tulane, SMU and UAB.

Schumann started out as a graduate assistant with the Tide in 2012. He now has the rather unassuming title of "player development/player personnel" and no formal biography on the Alabama athletics website. He's one of those infamous "support staff" that Nick Saban hires by the dozen and who so many have now felt called to employ as well. Football Scoop has more information on Schumann and his rather significant place within the firmament of Tide football.

One of the interesting side effects of all those "support staff" in big time football is that there are now a lot more Glenn Schumanns out there on the payrolls of major college football than there used to be. Some of them are really good football coaches. In the past they might have spent a year as a graduate assistant before moving on to become high school linebacker coaches. Now, however, they have a chance to move up in the profession without ever leaving the rarified air of major college football.

I don't really know if Glenn Schumann is some sort of pigskin wizard (some impressive folks seem to be favorably impressed by him, for what that's worth). But I do know that I didn't know who Brian Van Gorder was in 2001. And it turns out that he knows a thing or two about defensive football. That's why for my part I'm hoping that Kirby Smart's staff is not chock full of big name, established coaches. I'm looking for a solid mix of those established guys and some young, hungry assistants who want to make a name for themselves. Again, it seems we'll know more within the next few days. Until later . . .

Go 'Dawgs!!!