Chavis-to-Georgia rumors still alive — and why not Garner? (UPDATE II)
Rodney Garner has been getting raises. But he never has been given a shot at the defensive coordinator's job. (Brant Sanderlin/bsanderlin@AJC.com)
(UPDATED BELOW WITH CHAVIS COMMENT)
(SECOND UPDATE WITH RICHT SAYING GARNER IS NOT A CANDIDATE)
When I posted a blog Tuesday morning about LSU defensive coordinator John Chavis telling one of his players that he was not interested in the Georgia job, contrary to rumors, the last thing I expected was that it would unravel into some inane and profane race debate. After becoming aware of it last night from a reader (while I was covering the Hawks’ dreadful performance), I had to close commenting and eventually deleted about 60 comments.
It’s with that, and some trepidation, that I inform you of one thing and ask another this morning:
♦ Chris Low, the respected SEC football writer at ESPN.com, posted a blog this morning with the headline, “Chavis on Richt’s radar at Georgia.”
♦ If Bulldogs coach Mark Richt doesn’t get the coordinator he wants to replace Willie Martinez, would it be so awful if he promoted Rodney Garner?
First on the Chavis thing. I wouldn’t have brought it up a second day in a row if somebody like Low didn’t report it. (Notice I wrote Low, not ESPN in general). An excerpt from the blog:
In talking to several people close to the situation, Richt has serious interest in Chavis and is prepared to throw some serious money at the veteran defensive coordinator, who headed up Tennessee’s defense for 14 seasons prior to joining Les Miles’ staff at LSU for this past season.
Chavis makes a lot of sense. He’s a proven commodity and knows the SEC well. The Tigers were 12th nationally this season in scoring defense, allowing 16 points per game. They gave up just 18 touchdowns in 12 games. Only five teams nationally yielded fewer touchdowns this season.
Low also pointed out this interesting stat:
Since his promotion to defensive coordinator at Tennessee in 1995, he’s 7-3 against the Bulldogs in Sanford Stadium. That includes LSU’s 20-13 win over Georgia this season.
If Richt has some super secret candidate on his radar that nobody has mentioned, he deserves kudos for being so stealth. There has been nothing to indicate that, however. Chavis obviously would be a strong hire. But the likelihood of him leaving LSU after only one season — when he stayed at his previous school for 20 — would be surprising. If nothing else, Chavis — like so many others — might just get a raise out of this.
Now, about Garner. He is not a coordinator. But the case can be made he is the second most important football coach at Georgia after Richt. Why? Because he’s the recruiting coordinator. He keeps getting raises because other schools keep coming after him because he keeps landing all of those 37-star recruits we obsess about.
After Martinez’s firing, there were a flurry of unsubstantiated rumors, mostly on Twitter, that Garner resigned after learning he was not a serious candidate for the defensive coordinator’s position. Garner shot down those rumors, obviously. He stayed for the Independence Bowl game and, with the aid of only two grad assistants, he directed a strong defensive performance in Georgia’s win over Texas A&M.
The fact Garner has never been the defensive coordinator — or presumably has received a strong offer to call plays for another school — has led to this perception that he is not worthy of that position. If that’s true, here’s my question: Why not? Doesn’t he deserve the chance? It’s a topic that I don’t know has been given the attention it deserves.
(UPDATE: Chavis says nothing to quell speculation)
Our Tim Tucker has blogged about Chavis’s non-denial/denial at a Capital One Bowl press conference when asked about the Georgia job. You can click the link above, but here’s an excerpt:
Asked at a Capital One Bowl news conference in Orlando about his possible interest in the Georgia defensive coordinator job, Chavis said: “Well, we’re excited about what we’re doing at LSU, and my focus has been on LSU and will continue to be on LSU. We have an opportunity to win 10 ballgames, and certainly that is what we want to do. We’ve got an opportunity to be the third team in the SEC to win 100 ballgames in a decade, and certainly that is what we want to do.
“So that is where our focus is going to be. I’ll talk as long as you want to about LSU and about our players. I’ll be happy to do that.”
In other words: no comment about the Georgia job.
Didn’t exactly put that rumor to rest, did he?
(SECOND UPDATE)
Richt told Tucker this morning that Garner is not a candidate for the coaching job. That confirms what most of us thought — that if he was going to get the job, it would’ve happened by now. Richt also said the job search could take longer than expected.
Richt sidestepped a question on Chavis. An excerpt:
Richt would not comment today on his interest in LSU defensive coordinator John Chavis or any other candidates. But he did say that Rodney Garner, the only holdover on Georgia’s defensive staff, is not under consideration for the DC job.
“No, Rodney is not a candidate for the job. He knows that,” Richt said. “We’re just still in the search.”
As for all the rumors swirling throughout Bulldog Nation about the search, Richt said: “I’m not taking any pleasure at all in what people might be going through out there. All I can say is . . . when I do have that decision made and it’s ready for public consumption, I’ll let everybody know. My goal is to get the right man for the job.”
Asked specifically about Chavis, Richt said: “I’m not going to make any comment on these things until we’ve got our man.”
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492 comments Add your comment
Russ, the Temporary Mascot
December 30th, 2009
1:22 pm
I sure hope this Mike Leach doesn’t go to Florida. It would be awful to be locked up in a shed when you break a leg or something. I feel sorry for that gator.
P.S. Now the b!tch is suing me for getting paint on her car seat. And I just learned I won’t be the permanent mascot because I can’t turn my head fast enough. Seems you need to have your head on a swivel to follow the ball when the opponent whizzes it down the field against our defense.
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl
December 30th, 2009
1:22 pm
I think it’s gonna be Garner so you dogs best be warming up to it. just saying…
Dixie Normus
December 30th, 2009
1:23 pm
Hey Jeff, I heard Monte Kiffin was next on Mark Richt’s radar. I mean why not? Go big or go home, right?.
--I-,
December 30th, 2009
1:24 pm
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl: is Yellow Fuzz and he was way too much of a coward to show up at his so called tail gate at the baseball field’s 3rd base line wearing his stupid little “yellow fuzz was right T-shirt…..you’re a joke! All mouth…or I should say all fingers.
Ole Yeller Dawg
December 30th, 2009
1:25 pm
# 1 DC choice: Will Muschamp – born in Rome Ga – Bulldog bred – Has an older brother coaching H.S. football at Lovett – Has worked under Saban – will cost mega $$$$$ – Damon Evans step up spend the money! Why settle for less when you can afford the best?
# 2 DC choice: Kirby Smart – Bulldog bred – has worked under Saban – he will be cheaper than Muschamp but not by much! If Alabama wins National Championship he might come for Muschamps money and title (HC in waiting) If Alabama loses he will stay for that chance at a NC title. Damon Evans don’t be cheap – spend the money!
# 3 Choice: Rodney Garner – he’s not interested in being DC – he’s in the rocking chair – no pressure- he likes what he is doing now – leave him alone!!! It was Mark Richt that worked the DC job for the A&M game.
I learned this a long time ago while coaching my son in the rec leagues – if I was lucky and had above average talent on my team, I could run the table 12-0! The other parents thought I was such a smart coach. Less than average talent on the team and the other parents were throwing me under the table 0-11-1 – back to back years – I retired after the 12-0 season!
# 4 choice : Any coach that can recruit and has a keen eye for defensive talent – like I used to preach to my kids “if they can’t score on you than they can’t beat you”
Improve the defensive talent during the recruitment process and suddenly you will discover that you have a good DC!
Georgia is weak at L.B. and D.E.
Dawg Fud
December 30th, 2009
1:27 pm
$1.4 mill,
it ain’t going to be Garner. you have stated that you know more X’s and O’s than the UGA alums & fans on here but i think you are incorrect on this one (i respectfully disagree with you).
Dawg Fud
December 30th, 2009
1:28 pm
i don’t know about Muschamp realistically being a candidate but the 5 year extension mack brown just signed probably was not what he envisioned in terms of a timeline at Texas.
Dawg fan
December 30th, 2009
1:29 pm
What about Jon Tenuta?
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl
December 30th, 2009
1:29 pm
Dawg Fud,
We shall see little man
Dawg Fud
December 30th, 2009
1:30 pm
little man – what’s that all about? cocky SOB aren’t you?
Coach J
December 30th, 2009
1:34 pm
Perhaps he just isn’t a good fit. Geez, Charlie Weis seemed to be a great OC in the NFL. He sure was a terrible fit as a Head Coach. Brad Scott was a nice OC at FSU in the day, but not so good as the Man either.
But perhaps most of all, he can’t be a DC at UGA because the duties of being the main recruiter would not allow him the needed time to be the DC. UGA doesn’t want to lose their main recruiter since those recruits will ultimately make or break the team. All the great coaches in the world won’t help if you don’t have the studs to play.
How many amazing recruiters are coordinators? Ronnie Cottrell at FSU in the 90s? Eddie Gran at his various stops? Ed Oregeron at UT? Bruce Chambers at Texas? Curt Cignetti at Texas?
None of them are coordinators. The jobs simply are not compatible, it spreads you too thin.
Coach J
December 30th, 2009
1:35 pm
I will guess the DC choice will come from the NFL now. I have seen Sanders, Johnson and BVG mentioned. Maybe one of those.
Dawg Fud
December 30th, 2009
1:37 pm
if it comes from the NFL then my bet it is somebody from the Cowboys – either the DL coach or Reggie Herring the LB’s coach
gdawginkalamazoo
December 30th, 2009
1:37 pm
Maybe it was mentioned up there somewhere I didn’t bother to read all the previous dribble but doesn’t Garner hold the title of Asst. HC?
Dawg Fud
December 30th, 2009
1:38 pm
kalamazoo, yes he does. you are correct.
AltamahaDawg
December 30th, 2009
1:39 pm
Frankly he wasn’t that horrible of a HC. He was put there before his time, which is Dooley’s fault, Not Ray Goff’s. Even still he was a handfull of points from being undefeated one year at his best, and In his worst, he did have a lot of bad luck, injuries, defections. Doesn’t help to be around when spurrier was beating everybody else too. As I recall the DawgNation wanted a more wide open offense, and if nothing else he ushered that in big time.
Didn’t win enough, a change was made, but it was never been a case where he disgraced the University and wasn’t some outsider “Goof” that deserves to be called that. Not by any real Georgia fan anyway.
Cherokee
December 30th, 2009
1:40 pm
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl …You say you were recruited by Coach Gardner .. so where did you end up since it was not UGA?
Daniel
December 30th, 2009
1:41 pm
I thought that Garner should’ve been given a shot to coach the defense after the Tennessee debacle. It would’ve made more sense to demote Willy to the DB coach and promote Garner to DC. Killed two birds with one stone…Willy steps down, Garner gets to audition for 1/2 of the season and if it didn’t pan out, go get someone new.
harleyman
December 30th, 2009
1:42 pm
Sly Croom
AltamahaDawg
December 30th, 2009
1:42 pm
Zoo, you are correct in that. There is a lot of dribble.
DawggonecoldinBoston
December 30th, 2009
1:43 pm
Jeff – I understand your position..that we can’t know if perception is reality if he’s never given a chance. Yet, think about what you are saying. CMR (and likely the collective coaching community) has assessed CRG over his career and through many interactions has seemingly determined that he is not DC material (if this is indeed the case). These perceptions are created through ongoing dialog in team meetings and while watching tape, in observing him coach during the week and during the games, in listening to past players etc. Surely, many situations and interactions have led to this perception being created over time…not just by CMR but by the rest of the coaching community. Now, sure, these perceptions could be wrong and we will never know whether they are true or not unless he gets the chance. But, then I ask what about all of the other people for whom we have similar perceptions of and that also simply don’t align to a DC job at a top program? Why not give them a shot, too? My point, CMR does not really have the luxury of challenging his perceptions just because Coach Garner is a great recruiter and a nice guy. His career rides on this decision, unless he has some real inclination that makes him question the validity of the perception he holds of CRG (again, if indeed it is the case), he can’t just give him a shot to see if maybe his assumptions are wrong.
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl
December 30th, 2009
1:44 pm
Cherokee,
One of those BCS Orange Bowl teams
AltamahaDawg
December 30th, 2009
1:45 pm
Daniel, good luck hiring ANY decent coaches from now on, if you start firing them in mid-season.
Did you happen to catch that offensive performance in the TN debacle?
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl
December 30th, 2009
1:46 pm
It’s Garner and I’m pretty sure he will be your next DC. And I think he will be a great one!
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl
December 30th, 2009
1:46 pm
“Garner”
Cherokee
December 30th, 2009
1:48 pm
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl ….That’s funny as the one in Atlanta left this morning for Miami. So why aren’t you on the plane with the team?? Not really on the team would be my guess.
LCDawg
December 30th, 2009
1:49 pm
Garner’s not qualified/interested and has said so himself recently. He has a pretty sweet deal right now as a DL coach and Asst. Chavis is the man based on what I am hearing. This is based on the fact that Miles is a clown to work for and Chavis wants to coach against his former team every year.
ACC Truth
December 30th, 2009
1:49 pm
Nice showing by the ACC’s Miami Hurricanes last night. What a juggernaut conference. 30-24. Eat it!
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl
December 30th, 2009
1:50 pm
Since half of you dogs on here can’t even pronounce the guys name…
http://www.georgiadogs.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=8800&ATCLID=301097
Rodney Garner added the title of Assistant Head Coach in 2005 after serving as defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator at Georgia since January, 1998.
During his eight years with Mark Richt at UGA, he has been part of a staff that has led Georgia to 82 victories, two SEC championships, three SEC Eastern Division titles, six bowl victories, and six top ten finishes in the final national polls including No. 2 in 2007 and No. 3 in 2002.
Garner was part of the 2005 Georgia team that finished 8th nationally in scoring defense (16.4 ppg). He also was part of the 2003 SEC Eastern Division Champion Bulldog defense that finished 2nd nationally in scoring defense (14.5 ppg), 4th in total defense (276.86 ypg), 6th in passing defense (174.50 ypg, 1st in the SEC),14th nationally in turnover margin (+.79), and 4th in number of scoreless quarters (25) among the AP’s final Top Ten teams. He was also part of the 2002 Bulldog defense that finished first in the SEC and fourth nationally in scoring defense (15.1 ppg), first in the SEC in red zone defense (58.8%), second in the SEC in rushing defense (114.0 ypg), and allowed only 31 second half points in the final seven games of the season. The 2002 Bulldogs finished 13-1, won the SEC and Nokia Sugar Bowl Championships, and were ranked third in the final national polls.
Garner participated in the inaugural Minority Coaches Forum in Scottsdale, Ariz., in May, 2006. He was also selected one of 10 coaches from throughout the country to participate in the 2004 NCAA Expert Coaching Academy in Indianapolis and one of only 20 chosen for the NCAA’s 2004 Advanced Coaching Academy in Orlando.
In the past nine seasons, he has coached four NFL first round draft choices — Richard Seymour (Patriots) and Marcus Stroud (Jaguars), both Pro Bowl starters; Charles Grant (Saints); and Johnathan Sullivan (Saints). He has also coached Corvey Irvin (3rd, Panthers, ‘09), Kedric Golston (6th, Redskins, ‘06), Emarlos Leroy (6th, Jaguars, ‘99), and free agent linemen Ken Veal (Chargers, ‘04), Paul Snellings (Colts, 2000), and Brandon Miller (Colts, 2000).
Originally from Leeds, Ala., Garner coached tight ends and offensive tackles at Tennessee in 1997 after coaching tight ends for the Volunteers in 1996.
Prior to his tenure at Tennessee, Garner served in several capacities on the Auburn staff from 1990-95 including recruiting coordinator, tight ends coach, and assistant strength and conditioning coach.
The personable Garner was named All-SEC and honorable mention All-America as a senior at Auburn in 1988. He captained his team that captured the 1988 SEC Championship. Garner had a free agent tryout with the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers and played with the Pittsburgh Gladiators arena football team in1989.
Garner was an outstanding high school player at Leeds High School receiving many national, state, and local honors. He is married to Kimberly Lawson Garner and they have six children, Bridgett (23), Brielle (12), Jaiden (7), Kai (6), and Sydney and Milan (5 years).
LeftCoastDawg
December 30th, 2009
1:51 pm
I would prefer to get a guy with previous DC experience but at some point EVERY DC in America had no experience prior to his first job. Had Mike Bobo been an OC somewhere else prior to getting the job at UGA?
Cherokee
December 30th, 2009
1:52 pm
Enter your comments here
Go DOGS
December 30th, 2009
1:52 pm
$1.4 million Shreveport….funny! Isn’t today the travel day for the Jackets to Miami?
Flowery Branch Dawg
December 30th, 2009
1:53 pm
Chavis would be a big name defensive coordinator who has proven himself on two national championship teams.
Rodney Garner is an excellent recruiter, has been very loyal to the program and has produced many excellent defensive lineman. Also, Garner was able to unleash his lineman without Martinez there to hold them back in the bowl game. The aggressive strategy worked and was much more fun to watch!
Who knows…..
Go DOGS
December 30th, 2009
1:53 pm
$1.4 million Shreveport AKA Yellow Fuzz….nice cut/paste goober.
ACC Truth
December 30th, 2009
1:53 pm
Hey Jeff. Can you get us some more coverage on Duke and the history of the great battles between them and Tech? Thanks.
Cherokee
December 30th, 2009
1:54 pm
Go DOGS …Same question I asked earlier. He want answer since his lies have been displayed.
gdawginkalamazoo
December 30th, 2009
1:56 pm
Altadawg, IMO I thought Goff tried his best to do the right thing and win but it just didn’t work out. No body wanted to win the games more than him. I still consider him a damn good dawg becasue I remember going to see play back in the day.
AltamahaDawg
December 30th, 2009
1:57 pm
229 post, How many real UGA fans mis-typed his name? Hell, half the post in here are taken up by you.
Flowery Branch Dawg
December 30th, 2009
2:00 pm
The Dawgs have been to 13 consecutive bowl games and won 11 out of 13 and the Dawgs have won at least 8 games in a season for 13 straight years and beaten arch rival Georgia Tech 8 out of the last 9. Add to that the Dawgs are the reigning champions of our state having whipped Georgia Tech in Tech’s own little stadium.
PS. Don’t forget that the 1998-2000 Georgia Tech teams earned Tech an NCAA Probation for academically cheating in order to keep players eligible.
UGA’s Sanford Stadium seats 92,600 and has been sold out every game for over two decades.
Bobby Dodd Stadium only holds 55,000 after recent additions and only sells out when Georgia and Clemson come visiting.
A huge black eye was given to the ACC when the Dawgs whipped the eventual ACC champs! 30-24!
If you don’t like hearing this stuff, Techies, then stay on your own article blogs and off ours.
DawggonecoldinBoston
December 30th, 2009
2:00 pm
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl…let me say, CRG could be the best DC in the country if given the chance (I don’t know), but your recent posting likely does nothing to persuade those who are against him. You need to “lower the microscope” on what “part of” means in your past post. What “part” did he play? Provide more detail in that regard and your argument might be more compelling. As far as I know, CMRs wife was “part of” those stats too, as she was always there to give the guys water when they needed it after returning to the sidelines.
Tech guy
December 30th, 2009
2:00 pm
Can any of you guys tell me where the Homo Evolution Interactive Science Museum is here in Miami? Gonna try and catch the game too while I’m here.
bugsquacher
December 30th, 2009
2:02 pm
HEY TECH…… HAPPY NEW YEAR…… 30-24…..WAH,HAHAHAHAHAHHAHA
Dawg in Grovetown
December 30th, 2009
2:02 pm
I think I wouldn’t have a problem with Garner being the D-coordinator if and I say if they hire Diaz coach the secondary and special teams and hire Tommy West to coach the linebackers. I think that would be a solid defensive coaching staff. Diaz coming to UGA for more pay would be a step up from coaching a defense in the sunbelt conference.
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl
December 30th, 2009
2:02 pm
Let’s face it, I’m usually right when it comes to georgia Football and I said I think it will be Garner when all is said and done. Time will tell. Just saying..
Cherokee
December 30th, 2009
2:02 pm
AltamahaDawg ….He is gone now..but will reappear as someone else, now that he has been exposed as a punk. Saying he plays for Tech but he is on the internet when he should be traveling with his team if he really was on the team.
Ryan
December 30th, 2009
2:03 pm
All coaches should be recruited/hired based on merit and while Garner is a great recruiter the defensive line has gotten very little pressure on opposing QB’s and is part of the reason the secondary has been so bad. His performance in coaching the DL does not deserve a promotion to DC. In fact, the only reason he is still around is because he is a great recruiter – otherwise he would have been gone with Martinez and Co.
how2fish
December 30th, 2009
2:03 pm
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl your a football legend in your own mind..your the wisest , fastest, strongest etc etc……oh yeah and your a 00 spy and we know the chicks just have to dig you….PLEASE!
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl
December 30th, 2009
2:03 pm
Please read my posts because I really need some attention. Never mind the fact that my posts contain many misspellings and a lot of incorrect punctuation because my education stopped in the fourth grade.
Go DOGS
December 30th, 2009
2:03 pm
Cherokee: Yep….his usual duck and hide routine. $1.4 million Shreveport is Yellow Fuzz who was talking all big before the beat down on the flats. Teh poor little zit faced goober had to change his name because he got shown up big 30-24! ha ha ha what a L O S E R!
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl
December 30th, 2009
2:04 pm
Its me again!!!! Me!!! Me!!!!