Jeremy Pruitt has reached back to his Alabama roots for his first hire as Georgia’s defensive coordinator.

Pruitt tabbed South Alabama defensive coordinator Kevin Sherrer as a linebackers coach, but it’s unclear if he will coach inside linebackers, outside linebackers, or both.

Like Pruitt, Sherrer is a former Crimson Tide football player and administrative assistant and also worked at Hoover High near Birmingham. Sherrer was linebackers coach at Hoover and succeeded Pruitt there as defensive coordinator. He later followed Pruitt to Alabama, where he worked until 2012 as director of player development. For the last year Sherrer was South Alabama’s defensive coordinator.

“At the end of the day, I think Jeremy was always going to bring Kevin with him to Georgia,” said Colquitt County coach Rush Propst, who hired both men as head coach at Hoover High. “There’s a familiarity and trust between them. He’s a good coach. I think Georgia fans have a lot to be excited about with their defensive direction.”

Sherrer coached defensive backs at South Alabama, but Pruitt is expected to coach defensive backs for Georgia. The Bulldogs have vacancies for a defensive line coach and for either another linebackers coach or a special-teams coordinator.

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In this file photo from October 2024, Atlanta Braves outfielder Jorge Soler and teammates react after losing to the San Diego Padres 5-4 in San Diego. The Braves and Soler, who now plays for the Los Angeles Angels, face a lawsuit by a fan injured at a 2021 World Series game at Truist Park in Atlanta. (Jason Getz/AJC)

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