Todd Grantham needs to worry about coaching, not contract
Georgia defensive coordinator Todd Grantham shouldn't be making an issue of his contract in November. (Jason Getz)
If there is one thing that we have learned this season at Georgia, it’s that Todd Grantham is a pretty good coach. The Bulldogs’ defense has improved almost every week this season, and is miles ahead of what it was a year ago.
But we’ve witnessed, courtesy of YouTube, that sometimes Grantham just does dumb things – and here he goes again.
If you missed the stories earlier this week from our Chip Towers, Grantham’s agent is publicly pushing for a raise and contract extension for Georgia’s defensive coordinator. Never mind that the contract still has 14 months to run.
Agent Michael Harrison has been rebuffed by athletic director Greg McGarity, who says he won’t address coaches’ contracts until after the season. And sorry, but Mark Richt’s contract is a slightly higher priority.
Grantham is a coach. It would be a good idea to stick to that for possibly four more games and worry about his finances in January.
I’ve covered player and coach negotiations for nearly 30 years. Let me tell you how this works. Agents generally don’t go rogue. When they talk to the media, it’s at their clients’ urging and/or approval.
Harrison told Chip that he has gotten “inquiries” from NFL teams about Grantham returning to the league as an assistant. He claims he has gotten “feelers” from college teams about being a head coach.
These soundbites are all orchestrated. I understand Harrison is just doing his job for his client. But the client – Grantham – needs to understand bringing this up now is counterproductive. Seriously. Grantham expects the Bulldogs to make a commitment to a defensive coordinator less than two full years into a three-year contract when they haven’t even finalized the head coach’s future yet?
Consider the importance of Georgia’s potential four remaining games: 1) Kentucky, the potential SEC East-clincher; 2) Georgia Tech, the local rival; 3) LSU (probably), the SEC championship; 4) Bowl game opponent, which finalizes rankings and stature.
Should this really be an issue right now?
I’m guessing somebody said something to Grantham follow Monday’s initial story because by Tuesday Grantham was trying to say the right things. Following practice Tuesday night, he maintained that his focus was on the Kentucky game and not his contract.
But when he alluded to Harrison and said, “You hire people to do a job for you and I let him handle that part of it,” it missed the point. Agents work for their clients, not the other way around. This is a public issue now because of Grantham, not his agent.
One more thing: While it wouldn’t stun me if Grantham winds up returning to the NFL, I don’t buy Harrison’s claim of legitimate head coaching offers, certainly not at a major college. Any coordinator who has a head coaching offer would jump at it rather than worrying about using it as leverage.
In other words, this is all drivel we could’ve done without.
By Jeff Schultz
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424 comments Add your comment
Joey
November 16th, 2011
5:48 pm
Oh, almost missed the post from the only “sane” poster, JSS.
Maybe one day you’ll get fed up with us “southern folk and criminally insane,” and go back to wherever you came from.
You are a piece of work. What, pulling for 18-22 year old football players from one’s alma mater is so different than pulling for 20-28 year olds in the NHL, or NBA?
Moron . . .
GTGrad81
November 16th, 2011
5:51 pm
Fire Paul Johnson so we can hire Grantham!
Buckhead Bulldog
November 16th, 2011
6:05 pm
Yawn…
North ave. faithful
November 16th, 2011
6:12 pm
Well Schultz you got 7 pages out of that drivel so far. Like shooting fish in a barrel.
This just in
November 16th, 2011
6:36 pm
How about no raises or extensions for anybody unless UGA beats LSU. Only then would they have earned it.
This just in
November 16th, 2011
6:38 pm
How about a raise and extension for Shultz?
Dawg Whisperer
November 16th, 2011
6:54 pm
Jeff, as you said, you get paid for your opinion, and so far, you’ve collected over 300 responses on this article. What I’m wondering is whether you’ve met your quota for the week.
Personally, nothing you write offends me unless you ever choose to mock coach Richt’s faith. There are many like me that embrace the Biblical principals that coach Richt exemplifies. Some on these AJC blogs, however, like to reference coach Richt as “da preacher” as though that was a disparaging remark. I am thankful for a coach that impacts his players with life lessons that will follow them long after their football experience at UGA. Here’s hoping that “da preacher” keeps on preaching (and beating the Gators)!
no dog
November 16th, 2011
7:05 pm
looks like Aub could use a new “D” man—might pay well also.
JSS
November 16th, 2011
7:08 pm
Joey
November 16th, 2011
5:48 pm
Oh, almost missed the post from the only “sane” poster, JSS.
Maybe one day you’ll get fed up with us “southern folk and criminally insane,” and go back to wherever you came from.
“You are a piece of work. What, pulling for 18-22 year old football players from one’s alma mater is so different than pulling for 20-28 year olds in the NHL, or NBA? Moron . . .”
Hey “Moron,” sorry to tell you but I actually have a birth certificate stamped with the Seal of the great State of Georgia on it… I outgrew pulling for people in high school, college, or pro sports a long time ago… I appreciate athletic endeavors and even spend my money witnessing it… But here is the difference, I don’t put them on a pedestal nor do I expect for them or the people who are hired to oach them to be anything but a temporary diversion in one’s day… You’re just dew drop in time… Todd Grantham is not the first defensive coordinator in Athens… The silliness that goes on in here between Tech and UGA fans or Bama and Auburn fans has gotten out of hand… A fool literally tried poisoning a living thing in order to be a college sports fan… You are no better than a fool who dresses up and lives life in awe of a Potter or Hobbitt book… You fools just do it on a Saturday and then obsess over it the other 39 weeks of the year!
Bama Mike
November 16th, 2011
7:14 pm
Yes defense has improved but in reality it improved against teams it should improve upon and really with no complex defensive blueprint to do it with. He needs a signature win shutting down a high powered offense such as Arkansas or Oklahoma State, once he accomplishes that he will have negotiating leverage. His reputation as a rogue coordinator will keep him from going back to the NFL.
Lagdawg
November 16th, 2011
7:15 pm
Pay him. He has earned it. UGA can’t afford not to pay CTG. He has done a spectacular job with the defense and once a head coach is signed, then extend CTG’s contract. This is college, but if Auburn can afford to pay Malzahn over 1mill. as a OC, UGA can afford to pay the DC better and also find a better OC at the same time. Yea, UGA has scored some points and they actually played a complete game against Aub. but, did Bobo actually call the plays Sat. or did CMR call the plays.
Liar Pants A-Fire
November 16th, 2011
7:18 pm
Penn State Pinnochio !
McQueary : “I stopped Sandusky from raping a kid and notified campus police.” Campus police department : “We got no record of anyone reporting anything in regards to Sandusky”.
hangman
November 16th, 2011
7:41 pm
TG is the best thing to happen to UGA. If his contract runs out, he will be gone to even better things. This is why he should be locked in with new contract extensions.
Jeff Schultz
November 16th, 2011
7:50 pm
Simeon Rice N Gravy — Don’t quit your day job. Speaking of which, I’ll take fries with that.
Jeff Schultz
November 16th, 2011
7:51 pm
Ty Webb — No issues.
Jeff Schultz
November 16th, 2011
7:52 pm
Charles — No problem.
Jeff Schultz
November 16th, 2011
7:55 pm
ThreeDawgKnight — Yeah. That’s totally it.
Joey
November 16th, 2011
7:57 pm
Who obsesses? I watch one or two college games per week and I obsess? What is a potter or hobbit? You are one jaded fool. A fool who used to spend you money . . . . blah, blah , blah.
My only obsession is trying to make a living in this economic mess.
What makes a creep like you come on here to read such obsessive, foolish college fans?
Jeff Schultz
November 16th, 2011
7:57 pm
TC — You’re showing your ignorance. As Chip Towers’ comment above showed, agent contacted him, not the other way around. Speaking for me, Chip and everybody else at else, I can’t recall any of us ever talking about TG’s contract even casually. Why would we?
WestOfAthens
November 16th, 2011
7:58 pm
You have got to be kidding me, awful assumption.
But it is your opinion,i am used to your demeanor Jeff Shultz, at least i have an excuse to read, job well done, NOT
Stay Classy hater
Jeff Schultz
November 16th, 2011
7:59 pm
Northern Sympathizer — Thanks.
JSS
November 16th, 2011
8:17 pm
@ Joey…
If you don’t know what Potter or The Hobbitt is, somebody been living a vacuum that I won’t tee up or take a shot it! Here’s a novel idea from the “jaded” nearly middle aged man that I am… T-Y-P-E “Potter” and “Hobbit,” then T-Y-P-E “Bulldawgs” and “RollTide.”
Don’t let a poison tree limb fall on you…
If you can’t wrap your mind around the perspective then, well go back to your local school board and ask them for a remedial course…
Vaya con Dios!!!
Larry
November 16th, 2011
8:23 pm
Jeff,
Agreed.
Further, whose to say that the real defensive coaching isn’t actually coming from all the position coached UNDER Grantham?
And better talent recruitment hasn’t hurt!
Brainiac(Dawg for life)(Richt fan for life)
November 16th, 2011
8:26 pm
J DUBB: Pass the chapstick. That is enough kissing up to Schultzie.
Lakedawg
November 16th, 2011
8:26 pm
Schultz another lame article in your long line of anything to hurt nthe Dawgs. Man give it a rest, enough trolls on here waiting for you to drag some crap like this up. You guys do your best to slam the Dawgs every opportunity. Good riddance when you are finally gone from this blog.
PTCDAWG
November 16th, 2011
8:33 pm
Jeff, nothing you or your sidekick Bradley write about the dawgs surprise me. Things are going extremely good and CTG is doing an oustanding job and we are ready to storm in to Atlanta 2 weekends in a row wreck havoc on anything that is in our way. Since you and Bradley were begging for and predicting CMR’s demise, you just got to stir the pot with a negative on CTG, Sad.
I would like to see SillyPosters diploma.
GO DAWGS
Around Town
November 16th, 2011
8:33 pm
Until now, I thought that Richt was the sleaziest person in Athens.
Now it’s Grantham the Sleazemeister.
Hit A Single
November 16th, 2011
8:33 pm
Grantham is not worried about his contract, the media is. It is a wonder any coach can be successful with the story seaking press we have.
Brainiac(Dawg for life)(Richt fan for life)
November 16th, 2011
8:37 pm
JSS: You can sit down now. Oh. By the way just put asock in it. It should be ZERO concern of yours what other adult people think/do about any sport so long as it is legal and morally correct. Trailer dweller!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Like it or not
November 16th, 2011
8:37 pm
Schultz is just doing his job. You don’t have to like what he reports.
jim
November 16th, 2011
8:37 pm
Schultz you really do talk and act like the TV show.
Brainiac(Dawg for life)(Richt fan for life)
November 16th, 2011
8:39 pm
Around Town: Don’t get out much do you?
All Saints
November 16th, 2011
8:43 pm
This is a reminder that we’ll be having our regular tribute and moment of silence on Saturday for Saint Jan Kemp, the courageous martyr who exposed UGA and Vince Dooley’s “remedial studies” fraud, a shameful scam that Mark Richt carries on today, almost thirty years later.
Please approach this special moment with awe and reverence as we honor her sacred name.
Brainiac(Dawg for life)(Richt fan for life)
November 16th, 2011
8:47 pm
Larry: Whose to say you aren’t really an Auburn fan still stinging from this past Saturday and want CMR & CTG gone for obvious reasons. CTG may go(I sincerely hope not) but CMR will be there for as long as he likes. If you want to see a real bonafide SLEEZEBAG just look in the mirror. You couldn’t carry CTG’s jock strap although I’m betting deep down inside you would really would like to.
Hit A Single
November 16th, 2011
8:48 pm
All Saints – How close are you to the program at UGA? That is what I thought.
JSS
November 16th, 2011
8:50 pm
Brainiac (In his own mind)
Can I put that sock in your mouth or do I need to pay a proctologist to insert it up your (insert the autonomically correct insert region here)?
Have you been a “Dawg” since 1976 when you guys started misspelling the word to try to make yourself distinctive from Yale or that cow neutering school in Starksville? Were you a Bulldog before that?
Please send me a notice so I RSS for your obit and I can send a “Damn Good Neutered Dawg” reef when you go that great 6×6 dogpile in the ground… Moment of silence…
Brainiac(Dawg for life)(Richt fan for life)
November 16th, 2011
8:52 pm
JSS: Still having nightly(and daily) sex with no one else in the room with you??????????????
JB
November 16th, 2011
9:00 pm
I’ve been on the phone all night trying to raise a million bucks to bet Schultz. Sorry Jeff, no luck.
Larry
November 16th, 2011
9:03 pm
Brainiac,
I actually think the world of Mark Richt–good coach; better man–and I was simply pointing out that the defensive coaching staff Grantham oversees may deserve as much or more as Grantham.
Regardless, it has been a LONG time since the Georgia Bulldogs defense was in the nation’s “elite” category this late in a season. #4 in total defense…WOW!
JSS
November 16th, 2011
9:04 pm
@ Brainiac (In his own Facebook space)
Nope, I on hiatus until I return to my wonderful girlfriend in Saltillo over the New Year’s holiday… But say “hola” to your blow-up doll Barbara Dooley for me… Are you still giving her “Dooley’s Other Dog” twice a day?
Brainiac(Dawg for life)(Richt fan for life)
November 16th, 2011
9:09 pm
J A$$: You ask too many questions to have more than a double digit I Q…..maybe somewhere in between a single and a double digit I Q.. THATS IT! You are a 1.5(thats one and a half digits for you slow learners or as in your case a NO LEARNER) digit I Q. Speaking of “neutering” I guess that’s why you don’t have any offsprings(which is a good thing). My birth date is 12-21-38 and I have stepped over better men than you, getting to the fight, I have been a DAWG fan since I was 9 years old and we in Dawg Nation spell it any way we like. That’s the way REAL men do things but naturally you wouldn’t know about real men. Tell your mama,sister and boy friend Braniac says hi>
Brainiac(Dawg for life)(Richt fan for life)
November 16th, 2011
9:24 pm
Larry: Sorry if I was ugly to a fellow dawg but CTG has gotten a really raw deal from a bunch of journalist wannabes especially the Vanderbilt game where they screamed FOUL on CTG when all he did was to let James Franklin know that he wasn’t say anything to CTG’s players. Franklin started the whole thing but the local yokel AJC crowd wrote a ton of comments/articles that indicated no one but CMG did anything wrong. You won’t ever hear them admit it but due to the fact that CTG has had no disicplinary measures taken against him he has been exonerated COMPLETELY!!!!!!!!!! This was just a followup on CTG’s “choke” sign at Florida last year. which wasn’t a huge deal either. CTG needs to be compensated well after the season is over so long as we don’t embarrass ourselves in any of the rest odf our games. Gus Malzahn makes over a million per year and CTG is the party most responsible for stuffing GM’s offense.
5150 UOAD
November 16th, 2011
9:24 pm
jason………when you explain how you went to UGA and couldn’t get a Date. You had to go on a Nerd Show to get a date? UGA is full of drunk chicks and you still didn’t lock up nookie ever week? You must have No game or money to just buy them some beer.
JSS
November 16th, 2011
9:29 pm
“Tell your mama,sister and boy friend Braniac says hi>”
My Mama is about your age, and she said “Don’t know him.”
My two sisters said “Don’t know him.”
My girlfriend said “De Nada” and who is he?
Barbara Dooley said “Which way is this fight he is talking about?”
You still quoting from the Strom Thurmond playbook? Are you going to spring your secret child with the hired help on the off-spring at the will reading too? Remember, you’re a “real man?” Ha ha, what a loon!
You were running from the fight, all the better men were breaking it up…
Not so fast my friend
November 16th, 2011
9:29 pm
The same fans that are now calling for a contract extension, were calling for Richt’s head in September. After Tech wins and LSU demolishes the Bulldogs, the pups will be having second thoughts. Grantham is an effective defensive coordinator, but he is also a loose cannon, who apparently pays no attention to his head coach, kind of like the players.
JSS
November 16th, 2011
9:31 pm
“Tell your Braniac says hi>”
Hey is that a new Kellogg’s cereal?
Brainiac(Dawg for life)(Richt fan for life)
November 16th, 2011
9:35 pm
JSS: I’m on here to have fun most of the time. Sorry if I caused you any heartburn but I need to know(seriously) what you mean by “I on hiatus until I return to my wonderful girlfriend…..” ?
Again, just playing. I had a blowup doll one time when I was in college but I got excited and bit her on the a$$. She farted in my face and flew out the window. Never heard from her again.
Where are you from and which team(s) do you support?
Dawg '88
November 16th, 2011
9:35 pm
Hey schultz….ever think about reading your colleagues article first before writing your dribble? TG not worried about contract….focusing on coaching. Geez!
What a bonehead!
K
Brainiac(Dawg for life)(Richt fan for life)
November 16th, 2011
9:41 pm
5150 UOAD: Can’t argue with logic like that oj your 9:24 pm post.
Brainiac(Dawg for life)(Richt fan for life)
November 16th, 2011
9:43 pm
Dawg 88: Now you got to apologize to “Boneheads” everywhere.