Fans fret about UGA coaching search
Mark Richt isn't talking about Georgia's coaching search. (Brant Sanderlin / AJC)
While off last week, I managed to keep a peripheral eye on the goings-on in Athens concerning the hunt for a new defensive coordinator.
Looks like a bit of a mess.
First came the brief media hubub about Virginia Tech’s Bud Foster, who publicly acknowledged “talking” to UGA before announcing he’d gotten a sweeter deal to stay put. Not surprising; you get a lot of folks using your job search in that way who have no intention of making a move. I’m sure Mark Richt wasn’t at all surprised by that.
Then came the Vic Koenning affair, which was a much muddier picture. Apparently the Kansas State co-defensive coordinator had expressed interest in the UGA job, but Georgia dithered while Illinois made it clear it wanted him. Then at the last minute Richt reportedly made an offer to Koenning but he decided to stick with Illinois.
Whether Koenning was the right choice for the Georgia job or not (and I’m not sure he was), what disturbs some Georgia fans about that scenario was the fact that Richt apparently wasn’t sure whether he wanted Koenning or not and then made a move after it was too late.
Of course, we don’t know the whole story since Richt isn’t talking. Maybe Georgia’s initial hesitation about Koenning had more to do with negotiations with some other candidate than it did with indecisiveness about whether Koenning was the right man for the UGA job. If that was the case, the late offer to Koenning probably means things weren’t going well on the other front.
You expect Richt to be talking to more than one candidate, and a lot of Georgia fans are hoping that Alabama’s Kirby Smart is still in the mix. But the reports of an offer to Koenning, if they’re accurate, would seem to indicate things must not have looked good elsewhere in the search.
We have to keep in mind that media leaks during these searches are often self-serving (a la Foster) and quite frequently much ado about nothing (as in the stories earlier this year about Bobby Knight and the Georgia basketball job).
Still, if what has leaked out is true, it’s bothersome that Richt apparently felt the need to make a late offer to Koenning. It gives the impression of desperation.
How do you feel about what’s transpired so far in the DC search?
Elsewhere, a couple of big woofs are due Mark Fox’s basketball Bulldogs for the weekend win over Illinois. It’s likely to be a loooong season for the undermanned Dogs, but they beat a good team under what was essentially road game conditions at Gwinnett Arena. Hopefully the confidence they gained will pay off down the road in the SEC wars.
Go Dogs!
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348 comments Add your comment
alldawgsgotohell
December 21st, 2009
1:25 pm
LOOK AT ALL THE POSTS I’M PUTTING UP!!!!!!!!!!!
I OWN THIS BLOG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
UG(SIC)A FANS ARE GETTING OWNED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
alldawgsgotohell
December 21st, 2009
1:26 pm
EVERY DAWG FAN IN THE STATE IS PRETENDING TO BE ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GLAD IT HURTS SO BAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
alldawgsgotohell
December 21st, 2009
1:27 pm
HAHAHAHA YOUR FANS ARE STILL IMPERSONATING UGA FANS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WISHING THEY WERE RELEVANT!!!!!!!!!! WISHING SOMEONE WOULD TAKE THEM SERIOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I OWN YOU !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! JUST LIKE THE DAWGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LMFAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11
I KEEP SIDESTEPPING THE FACT THAT WE LOST TO YOU!!!!
I ALWAYS FORGET THE FIRST RULE IN WINS AND LOSSES!
ITS WHO BEATS US NOT WHO BEAT THE TEAM WE LOST TO!
I LOVE MOMMY AND DADDY SPONGE BATHS WITH HAPPY ENDINGS!
IT SURE IS A LOT BETTER THAN THE DOO DOO FACED WOMEN AT TECH AND THE 70% MALES!
O WAIT NEVERMIND…THANK GOD AND GREYHOUND ITS 70% MALES!
I LOVE ALL MALE SPONGE BATHS! WE ONLY USE ONE SPONGE!!!!!
alldawgsgotohell
December 21st, 2009
1:27 pm
EVERYONE WANTS TO BE ME. WHO WOULD WANT TO BE SEEN SUPPORTING A 7-5 TEAM???
“THE TEAM THE SEC FORGOT ABOUT”
BUT SHREVEPORT DIDN’T!!!!!!!!!!!!!
alldawgsgotohell
December 21st, 2009
1:28 pm
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
alldawgsgotohell
December 21st, 2009
1:29 pm
KEEP RUBBING YOUR HOMOPHOBIA INTO YOUR OWN BLOG!!!!!!!!!!!
YOU SURE CAN’T BRAG ABOUT FOOTBALL!!!!!!
7-5 AND INDEPENDENT!!!!!
cherokee
December 21st, 2009
1:30 pm
alldawgsgotohell………… sorry you are not making anyone angry……….just making yourself look stupid!!
very strange
December 21st, 2009
1:30 pm
Bama Jack and alldawgsgotohell are shamed Tech fans that are too embarrassed to admit their own team. It’s odd that they try and denigrated UGA, even though the Dawgs own the bees in every way possible. Most fascinating….
alldawgsgotohell
December 21st, 2009
1:30 pm
M AND ST SIMONS CAN RETIRE!!!! I OWN THIS BLOG!!!!!!!!!!!
alldawgsgotohell
December 21st, 2009
1:31 pm
most fascinating….our program is a joke and we only have one win to rest our laurels on…
alldawgsgotohell
December 21st, 2009
1:31 pm
signed, true UGA fan
HAHAHAHA
Mike Bobo 17 INT
December 21st, 2009
1:32 pm
DawginLex
There you are!! Where were you when the program was tanking this year? Glad to see you are back, because we really missed you and your comments regarding your tanked program.
I am sure you are looking forward to Shreveport…..come on sure you are….it is a nice bowl.
hotbobby
December 21st, 2009
1:32 pm
Nobody wants on this sinking ship!
alldawgsgotohell
December 21st, 2009
1:33 pm
PUPPIES NEED THEIR BELLIES RUBBED!!!! THEY’RE POUTING OVER BEING SHOWN UP BY THE JACKETS IN EVERY FACET OF FOOTBALL POSSIBLE!!!!!
what?
December 21st, 2009
1:35 pm
can you explain to me what facet ga tech beat uga in?
DTC
December 21st, 2009
1:35 pm
… and if you want to know why people who hire coaches, and managers, do not report to people who do not hire coaches and managers; ask Frank Wren what it was like last off season, with all of the chaos that was going on with the yes and no from agents of players, that only brought confusion. Frank Wren learned why Hohn Shuerholtz NEVER discusses stuff like this, and he taught everybody that does what he does to keep your yap shut, while you do not know for sure what in the world is going on yourself, as far as final decisions being made by those who are trying to renegotiate their own personal contracts.
Again, I think Mark Richt is in the position he is in because of his ability to make decisions, not because of the lack thereof. Also, the contract with ESPN and the SEC raised the level of competition of every school in the SEC, not just the traditional ones that are usually at the top.
BG
December 21st, 2009
1:35 pm
Maybe, Mark Richt already has his man.
Mike P
December 21st, 2009
1:37 pm
Bring back Willie!
BG
December 21st, 2009
1:37 pm
Caleb King just scored on tech again!! 30 to 24 all year!!!!!!!
alldawgsgotohell
December 21st, 2009
1:38 pm
MORE WINS? BETTER OFFENSE? BETTER DEFENSE? BETTER PLAYERS? BETTER SPECIAL TEAMS? DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP? CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP? BCS BOWL? ANY OF THESE RING A BELL???
NO, THEY DON’T. THEY’RE OURS!!!! WHAT DO YOU HAVE?? OH YEAH…
SHREVEPORT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
BBBBBBBBBBAWAWAWAWAWAWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH
alldawgsgotohell
December 21st, 2009
1:46 pm
30-24: THE SIGNATURE WIN OF A 7-5 TEAM!!!!!!!!!!
GLAD YOU USE TECH AS YOUR BENCHMARK!!!!!
RxDawg
December 21st, 2009
1:48 pm
“Of course, we don’t know the whole story since Richt isn’t talking”
And that’s kind of the main point in all of this Bill. I’m really not going to jump to any conclusions, except this. It will not be anyone that we have heard of and it will be a good coach.
There’s a lot of big name schools looking for a D-coordinator this year.
anon
December 21st, 2009
1:56 pm
Bill King:
Usually like your stuff, but your post at 10:12 “if Richt did make him a late offer, that bothers me.” is asinine. Take a second to evaluate that statement. That’s no different than saying “if the sky was purple, that bothers me.” Unless you really know for a fact what is going on with this search, then why don’t you step back and let Coach Richt do his job without riling up an already agitated fan base with hearsay and gossip. Its not helping.
Life-long Dog fan.
December 21st, 2009
1:58 pm
Dumb article..junkyard blogger doesn’t look like much of a fan to me.
He’s trying to start something that isn’t there.
Where’s the evidence that the search is a bit of a mess?
No one’s talking, so there isn’t any.
Period.
Take off that hat and shirt. You don’t deserve them.
We pulled your stinger out and stomped it flat,again!
December 21st, 2009
1:59 pm
All dogs, Empty Stands in a championship game, more visitors in your stadium than home team supporters. Even after the 4 dogs, 4 cokes, 4 peanuts, and 4 jackets. You guys suck. I here that they have cut the plane fares and hotel rates in Miami due to lack of interest. They are even paying the air fares for your wife or girlfriend if you are from IOWA, or your companion if you are a jacket. SHine my shoes son.
mike on lake hartwell
December 21st, 2009
2:02 pm
that’s a nice idea about maybe koenning was offered a pos’n job.
however, richt said he was going to hire the DC job then handle the
pos’n coaches. (b/c the DC would probably want some input, duh.)
so, as much as i hate to say it, i think koenning was offered the job,
and that is scary.
GeorgeDog
December 21st, 2009
2:06 pm
There is not one bit of “evidence” that Georgia made an offer to Koenning. And I am quite sure that if we wanted this guy, we could have doubled — yes doubled — what he is getting from Illinois. Which makes the rumor that we “offered” him even more unlikely. This is irresponsible journalism. Actually I wouldn’t even want to flatter the author by calling it journalism. It’s tabloid blogging.
We pulled your stinger out and stomped it flat,again!
December 21st, 2009
2:07 pm
VK ’sagent discussed the linbacker job, making the same as coordinator at Illinois He gets to be a coordiantor at UofI with a two year contract. Assistants typically only have a one year contract. He was not offered a job at UGA other than a LB coach
We pulled your stinger out and stomped it flat,again!
December 21st, 2009
2:08 pm
Hey Techies, speaking of Defense, I see Caleb King just scored again.
1-800-TECH-TIX
December 21st, 2009
2:10 pm
Free tickets to Ornage Bowl….. We can’t give these away.
Flaming Pink Tutu
December 21st, 2009
2:13 pm
After much soul-searching and encouragement from my cousin Desmond, I hereby tender my name for Defensive Coordinator of the University of Georgia. After all, a defense should reflect its DC’s personality, and what says UGA defense better than a FLAMING PINK TUTU ??!??
1-800-TECH-TIX
December 21st, 2009
2:15 pm
Free DragonCon tickets!
UA Alum92
December 21st, 2009
2:15 pm
One would think that CMR already had a candidate in place before dismissing CWM and his cronies, but the Foster and Koenning “discussions” would seem to indicate otherwise. Plus, as reported, if the salary figure they are offering is $325K, there are only two DC’s in the SEC making less: Kentucky’s Brown and MSU’s Torbush.
If there is a new DC in the bag as some suggest, I think it might be Sal Sunseri, Bama’s Asst. Head Coach / LB Coach.
1-800-TECH-TIX
December 21st, 2009
2:15 pm
(30-24) The real ACC Champs!
1-800-TECH-TIX
December 21st, 2009
2:21 pm
Free Trojans… wait you guys don’t need those.
Joe
December 21st, 2009
2:21 pm
Alblama Jack…Dawgs irrelevant????? What a joke you idiot. this from the school who is JUST NOW after what? 10 years or so back on the scene. This from the SEC school who embarrased the conference by losing to LA Monroe and UTAH. jack- you’re sounding like UF fans more and more. Thought Bama people had more class than that…well most Bama people….
dan
December 21st, 2009
2:24 pm
SuwanneeDawg
Richt isn’t getting crucified for one season, he’s getting crucified for the trend of bad football that has been played by his team the last 4 years. Sorry but you don’t lose to Vandy on your homecoming, lose to Kentucky twice, and get blown out by Florida and Tennessee 2 out of the last 3 years, without expecting to hear it from the fans. It’s the same way in any SEC school. But Richt’s biggest transgression is his inability to evaluate talent. He redshirted Knowshon Moreno yet started Danny FREAKIN Ware over him. He started Joe Tereshinski over Stafford over his loyalty to the Seniors. He redshirted and sat Drew Butler the last two years( who just won the Ray Guy award for the best punter in the country) in favor of BRIAN MIMBS?!!!? And he didn’t consistently start Washuan Ealey and Caleb King until the 9th game of the season when they were already 4-4. And I’m sorry, but I refuse to believe that Joe Cox was the best that UGA had to offer. He might be better than Logan Gray, but I’ll almost bet money that he isn’t better than Murray or Mettenburger. Richt’s inability to evaluate talent is a MAJOR problem!
Cobb Dawg
December 21st, 2009
2:30 pm
“Dawg Trainer, you’re not too smart are you? sly croom has been nothing but an offensive coach since 1986. nice thought though. hahahahahahaha!
as far as the offense, which team actually led the conference in scoring this year in conference games? oh that’s right, georgia did. yeah, fire mike bobo!”
Pay no attention to this “Dawg Trainer” Vowel. He got slammed on the other thread so he slinked to this one. Typical Vowel, knows nothing about college football but has orange crap all over this car and wears orange from head-to-toe, couldn’t find the Univ of TN if he was standing in the middle of “KneelRot” stadium. And as soon as Kiffin finishes his second season 7-5, characters like this one will be yelling “fire Kiffin”. Or maybe just go back to the women’s basketball bandwagon. These hillbillies aren’t real bright
Heard it through the Grapevine....
December 21st, 2009
2:40 pm
For what it’s worth…heard from someone with close ties to a high $$$ booster that’s usually in the know…
Kirby Smart has made it known through Bobo that he is more than just interested in the job and apparently Richt, while moving on with his search has agreed not to pull the trigger on anyone until they speak after the national championship game (which explains the 1st or 2nd week of Jan. announcement). Richt remembers what a distraction taking the UGA job prior to the NC game was when he was at FSU and is very respectful of Kirby’s position. Apparently Kirby’s heart is still with UGA, and he also would like to make himself more marketable by proving he’s not having his hand held by Saban (which because of his young age, many believe is the case). Muschamp has also apparently told him he should take a long hard look at the UGA job for that very reason, as many thought the same of him until he left Saban’s shadow.
Todd Grantham has really impressed Richt and if Kirby doesn’t work out then he’s the guy.
They both are 3-4 guys and it’s making it easier to continue recruiting without having one named as they are able to tell kids the next DC will be running a 3-4 style defense, taking away a good bit of the mystery for recruits without knowing who the coach will be. (Would also explain why we haven’t had anyone jump ship as well.)
BTW- Kirby is apparently building a home on Lake Oconee, not that it means anything, but an interesting twist.
Don’t know how accurate any of this is, but it makes as much (if not more)sense as anything else I’ve read or heard.
Go Dawgs!
Pete Sharfber
December 21st, 2009
2:41 pm
It really bothers me that ALL of the media folks immediately assumes the worse about CMR. It is obvious that they ALL want him to depart. Give him a break. He is the best coach Georgia has ever had and the real Georgia fans know that.
A CMR Supporter
Parking Dawg
December 21st, 2009
2:42 pm
How about starting Pollack in coaching with something he knows well. Defensive Ends coach, and then work him up the ladder.
AltamahaDawg
December 21st, 2009
2:48 pm
I think the entire deal is quite entertaining. Richt refusing to give soundbites to be taken out of context and hinder his efforts. Who can blame him? It’s about time that he wised up.
We pulled your stinger out and stomped it flat,again!
December 21st, 2009
2:54 pm
Don’t look now but I think Caleb…………………… Sorry I got mixed up it is another NCAA investigator heading over to Knoxville. Lane’s friend is in the middle of this Ryan McNight mess. Wait til they get to Bryce Brown. Isn’t funny that the UT investigations, and the USC latest investigations all happened at the same time. Things that make you go hmmmmmmmmmmmmm.
UA Alum92
December 21st, 2009
3:07 pm
Pete, CMR is the best coach UGA has EVER had? Better than Dooley? Wow. Isn’t that almost sacrilege? Kinda like someone saying Saban is better than the Bear.
Dawg Trainer
December 21st, 2009
3:08 pm
Slinked? Moi? I say thee Nay!
I take comfort in 51-33, 35-14, and 45-19. A buttwhipping trifecta.
Keep on pitching, Cobb. The funk of fear is STILL wafting over from Jawja. You boys keep my second home nice and tidy when I come down there next year!
Whiskeydawg
December 21st, 2009
3:14 pm
People say anyone as DC would be better than what we had. I don’t agree. This article brings up some interesting points on what’s already (or supposedly) transpired. I hope the Dawgs end up with a great DC but to say anyone was better than WM is a little over the top. Let’s just hope we’re not back here next year and reading comments like, “boy, I thought I would never say it but I miss Willie”.
Coach BoBo
December 21st, 2009
3:18 pm
Lets here it for the Weedeater Bowl. Yeah
Coach BoBo
December 21st, 2009
3:19 pm
Sorry. Its not the Weedeater Bowl anymore. It is now the Advocare V100 Bowl. Wow. Congrats Mutts.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
dawg gone it
December 21st, 2009
3:26 pm
I think CMR realizes that he only has two more seasons to get this right. Therefore, he will likely choose someone who has a proven track record, and can turn things around quickly.
I do have confidence that he will be able to do so, and think we need to see what he has up his sleeve before we pass judgment.
Dangerous
December 21st, 2009
3:26 pm
Nobody wants to come to GA and have to deal with Bobo’s sloppy, poor, inconsistent and turnover prone offense. Should have fired his a$$ cause that side of the ball will still be horrid. Bobo, you as a QB’s coach is gut busting laughable. I’ll say it because I know Richt does every day, God help this program. It will take divine intervention to turn this thing around because no one at the helm is of sound mind to do so.