Uncertainty of future surrounds both camps on eve of Sugar Bowl

NEW ORLEANS – The biggest storylines heading into the 86th Allstate Sugar Bowl Wednesday night at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome are about who is either not here or who may not be here for long.

When fifth-ranked Georgia and No. 7 Baylor face off at 7:45 p.m., the Bulldogs will be without no fewer than five starters – some because of injury, others who have begun preparations for the NFL Draft.

Then there is Bears coach Matt Rhule, who has been the subject of reports connecting him with possible interviews for NFL head coaching jobs. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Tuesday that Rhule turned down a request to interview with the Cleveland Browns about their head coaching vacancy while at least two other NFL teams with openings are waiting in the wings with interest.

Baylor HC Matt Rhule declined the chance to interview for the Cleveland Browns head coaching job, per league sources. Rhule is expected to be a leading candidate for the Giants’ and Panthers’ HC jobs.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 31, 2019

“I have not been contacted by anybody,” Rhule said Tuesday morning, about 20 minutes after Schefter’s post, “but it’s certainly a distraction that our players are having to answer questions about it. I hate that it’s even a storyline.”

Asked if he will be the Bears’ coach next season, Rhule said, “Yeah, I plan on that. I certainly think I will be.”

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Georgia coach Kirby Smart’s eye on the NFL has more to do with his players than his own aspirations.

“I coached in the NFL (in 2006 with the Miami Dolphins under Nick Saban),” he said, “but the passion I have for college football is the fact you get to have a deeper relationship with these players. You get to watch them walk across the stage and graduating. I think it’s tougher (to establish relationships) in the NFL.”

Georgia will not have its two starting tackles, All-American Andrew Thomas and Isaiah Wilson, who are prepping for workouts leading up to April’s draft. All-American defensive back J.R. Reed will sit because of a minor injury. Guard Ben Cleveland and defensive tackle Tyler Clark are also out.

The question mark for the Dawgs remains running back D’Andre Swift, viewed as a possible first-round pick in April. Swift injured his shoulder prior to the regular-season finale against Georgia Tech and had just five touches in the SEC championship game loss to LSU.

“We’re going to wait and see,” Smart said. “He’s done everything we’ve asked him to. He’s done more this week in practice than he did before the SEC Championship Game.”

With lesser numbers, Smart has practiced “shorter” and “smarter” leading up to the Sugar Bowl.

While Smart has a year-in, year-out contender for titles in Athens, Rhule views 2019 as the launch point of a similar situation in Waco.

“Each year, I want to put together a championship-caliber team,” he said. “I’m always looking three, four, five years down the line. I think we have a chance to be a perennial national championship contender.

“We’re happy to have a chance to go compete in this game. This is an opportunity to go out and play a great team in Georgia that’s been here before. I expect our guys to go out and fight, scratch and claw. We have to make that next step. My hope is that our program takes a step in this game.”

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