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
Rival?
December 21st, 2009
6:21 pm
ANGRY
Kirby Smart's the Guy
December 21st, 2009
6:23 pm
Kirby Smart’s coming to Georgia–no need to fret. Here’s what likely went down.
ABout Bud Foster—Richt put out some calls to seek wise counsel from people he respects like Bud Foster about candidates. That’s about as far as that one went.
The Koenning thing–either Richt wanted Vic for one of the 2 assistant positions (not the Top D Coach), or Vic was really campaigning hard for the top D coach job, to no avail. Pollack says it was the latter, Koenning really wanted to be a part of the defensive coaching staff, but the feelings were NOT mutual. The way Koenning went out by saying he was impressed with Zook’s “character, drive, and enthusiam” said a lot–in other words, he didn’t get any drive or enthusiasm from Richt about hiring him at Georgia because Richt didn’t offer him the d coaching head job, and Zook rah-rahed him with D Coach head job.
Just because ESPN says something is true, doesn’t make it true–these are the same ESPN anti-Georgia guys that took the Natl Champ from Richt in 2007, said LSU deserved to be there over Georgia, and handed it to LSU. Herbstreet for one, should be fired for his biased unprofessional anti-journalistic subjective 1 sided campaigning for LSU in 2007. Lateral moves happen a lot in the SEC—look at Florida, Bama in 2007, and Orgrenon.
If if were anybody besides someone playing in the Natl Champ Jan 7 game, Richt would have already announced it for recruiting purposes. Both D coordinators in the Natl Champ are Georgia guys—Smart and Muschamp. Richt has said he will get a “championship experienced d coach”. Kirby Smart has not said he is NOT coming to Georgia. Pollack’s pretty well connected–and Pollack says Kirby Smith agreed to an interview, the D Coach selected will be a BIG NAME, and Pollack think’s it’s Smart or Van Gorder.
Pugnacious Paul
December 21st, 2009
6:26 pm
Usually when all is quiet means that so far not so good. Markie has again fell asleep at the wheel and is now scrambling. Find out the name of the Guy at North Greenville University in Tigerville SC and that’s UGA’s next coach.
59bulldawg
December 21st, 2009
6:40 pm
I check the AJC several times each day in hopes of news on this subject. I’m trying to stay positive about it because I understand many of the folks we would be interested in are going to be preparing for bowl games but our search does from the outside at least seem to be a bit of a mess. I’m hoping that perception is wrong. For those of us who would have liked to seen us get BVG, let his name never be mentioned again. He’d rather be a medicre NFL DC than a great college one. Like Tubby, you can’t make people love your school! My next preference is Kirby but I think we’ll be lucky to get him. After that I’m open but Richt needs to understand that he can’t afford to mess this up. He used up an awful lot of good will among Georgia supporters by not parting with WM sooner. If he had done this last year, we possibly could have had Chavis from Tennessee then. He would still be a good addition this year if we can get him. I would think he still has property in the Knoxville area and Athens is certainly closer to Knoxville than Baton Rouge. Those beautiful Smoky Mountains are hard to get out of your blood! Maybe we can use that fact to our advantage.
Snoop Dawg
December 21st, 2009
6:41 pm
Willie is free, but da Preacha Man is out selling that Koolaid to the Bulldawg Nation. No justice, no peace until we send him back to the Sunshine State.
bonairedawg
December 21st, 2009
6:41 pm
The truth is nobody has a clue about the situation concerning the dc search. It was probably his agent playing games to get his client a better offer. I don’t beleieve an offer was ever made.
Why? Read between the lines to what Richt has said consistantly that a coordinator will not be made until after January 7th. Now that tells me his dc choice is coaching in a bowl game or maybe a pro coach. Richt already has his man and it will be announced January 8 or 9th. Wanna bet?
JP
December 21st, 2009
6:46 pm
http://footballcoachscoop.com/Scoop.html
they say that Smart want’s the job now.
Kirby Smart's the Guy
December 21st, 2009
6:50 pm
I got no problem with how Coach Richt is handling the coaching search. Richt doesn’t want an early announcement to be a distration for Kirby in the Natl Champ game, even though it would boost Georgia’s recruiting. To make the announcement on Jan 8, right after Kirby just smoked Texas and won the Natl Champ, will be excellent timing for Richt as everybody will be talking about Bama on Jan. 8. Georgia will grab the headlines away from Bama on Jan 8.
P.S. Notice how few of Herbstreet’s Superstar team are georgia guys–talk about Bias…this guy shoud be fired–he simply doesn’t get it–Richt has 80 wins in the SEC toughest conferen ce in 8 seasons–only 7 guys in HISTORY have done that. Herbstreet’s gonna be lookin’s dumb in 2010, 2011, and 2012 as Georgia goes on it’s run. I doubt Richt will be giving Herbstreet any interviews during the Natl Championship years–those will go to other guys. It will so much fun to prove Herbstreet wrong each year, because he will never pick Georgia #1 in 2010, 2011, or 2012.
Realistic
December 21st, 2009
7:00 pm
Please get over David Pollock. He’s never coached and he didn’t play a position that required stewardship of the defense. If you want a former player that bad, beg for someone like Tony Taylor, a guy with who played like a qb/coach on defense, who carried the 2006 defense single handedly to come back. The dude ought to be coaching somewhere right now.
Coffee Bluff DAWG
December 21st, 2009
7:02 pm
I think an annnouncement will be made the week following the NC game. I’m sure Richt is focused on one of the DC’s from a top tier program.
Gooooooo DAWGS – Sic ‘em Woof, Woof, Woof!
Kirk Heirbstreet Biased Anti-Georgia Reporter
December 21st, 2009
7:02 pm
Heirbstreet shows his bias again picking his Herbie award winning players:
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/preview09/news/story?id=4432441
Notice how FEW Georgia players make his list of ULTIMATE offensive or defensive players–NONE–nada–zilch—zero (he didn’t even pick AJ Green at WR).
Kirk Heirbstreet Biased Anti-Georgia Reporter
December 21st, 2009
7:05 pm
Wnat to see photo proof of Kirk Heirbstreet’s Bias–remember, he’s an OSU grad, look at this 2 photos of the “unbiased journalist”:
http://thewizardofodds.blogspot.com/2007/01/journalist-kirk-herbstreit-strikes.html
PT
December 21st, 2009
7:11 pm
Kirby will agree to a interview out of respect for UGA. He is a former player and captain. His wife also went to GA. I can assure you Bobo is in his ear.
exNFLplayer
December 21st, 2009
7:15 pm
Herbstreit lost the only bowl game he ever started in to guess who? UGA. Maybe he has a little of that Spurrier thing going on.
exNFLplayer
December 21st, 2009
7:21 pm
Being somewhat burned out on all the hoopla surrounding the DC search, all I have left to say is this. I am dead certain that UGA will hire a top notch DC. I am also dead certain that GT won’t. That should pretty much guarantee a very happy New Year and 2010 for UGA fans.
Tom
December 21st, 2009
7:51 pm
Its very embarrassing that nobody will come to Georgia. I guess we aren’t that elite.
Coffee Bluff DAWG
December 21st, 2009
7:53 pm
alldawgsgotohell,
More Computer 101 basics for you. When you post it’s only necessary to hit the “Submit Comment” button 1 time. The message travels over wires from computer to computer to reach its destination.
This is called the internet.
Rod
December 21st, 2009
8:05 pm
Bill King, answer this question on your blog if you have any integrity at all. Are you saying that C Richt is a liar when he says the job hasn’t been offered? Stop hiding and answer the question! Show some integrity and explain how you conclude Vic Koening was offered the DC job.
Start talkin Bill.
Patsy Schedule
December 21st, 2009
8:23 pm
Alt-Dawg, Mike’s got you covered. You DID cut and run this year.
ugaman
December 21st, 2009
8:25 pm
i don’t think koenning was offered. i believe he may have been contacted. diaz at mtsu or smat,chavis bumpas,johnson. as long as he makes the defense respectable. that being not giving up 40 5 times in a season. cvg was not a hot name when hired. but hopefully the wait will be worth it. i kind of like the tcu guy bumpas.that guy has had top 5 defenses for about 3 or 4 years now. they shut people down.
CatsFly
December 21st, 2009
8:47 pm
Coffee, YOU APPEAR TO BE A CONTROL FREAK…you appear to be a control freak….YoU aPpEaR tO bE a CoNtRoL fReAk.
Coffee Bluff DAWG
December 21st, 2009
8:58 pm
Cats,
I remember you. You claimed the SEC didn’t have any good BB teams this year.
Even though you’re lacking in BB genius the typing skills you exhibit show that your computer skills are improving.
Chuck UGA
December 21st, 2009
10:25 pm
Stillman/Ga. Dawg = A fraud and/or a loser.
Chuck UGA
December 21st, 2009
10:27 pm
Koenning was NEVER offered the job. Period. This is from Richt and Evans via Scout AND Rivals.
We pulled your stinger out and stomped it flat,again!
December 21st, 2009
10:53 pm
So what if the DC is on the staff right now? Rodney Garner? Does Garner want to be a DC? Maybe he is happy doing what he is doing?
Otherwise, the only people suffering are the Techies on here worrying about who will be kicking the high school team around next year. WIlie stopped it, and we all know how bad he was. He would have been DC of the year in the ACC. He just couldn’t step it up to the level of the SEC.
Keep this in mind, it will be a good hire albeit from the current staff or the outside.
alldawgsgotohell
December 21st, 2009
10:58 pm
Coffee,
I didn’t post anything twice. This is called you being a moron
Raleigh
December 21st, 2009
11:01 pm
Wow. 4 pages of comments and not a single mention of the Hoop Dawgs victory or the pathetic showing by Dawg fans at Gwinnett Center. Just a bunch of idiots speculating and arguing over a coaching search to which they have no insight. (I did find a reference to basketball but only in a derogatory reference to supporting the Lady Dawgs and a hit on “hoop” but only as in “hoopla surrounding the DC search”).
Bill – you should really write a scathing article about how few Dawgs showed up for the hoop game IN GWINNETT! Were you there? Or was it too far to drive?
wreckmaniac
December 21st, 2009
11:31 pm
How many have turned this job down ? I hear that high school coaches are now interviewing.
We pulled your stinger out and stomped it flat,again!
December 21st, 2009
11:45 pm
Hey Wreckmaniac; Nobody, yet, but we sure beat your wimpy tails at that high school stadium, against a high school offense, and more UGA fans there than Tech. Wow what a program you have there. How about that half empty stadium for your so called championship game. Don’t look now but Caleb King just scored again, and yes Tech is now fourth in the academic race in Ga. So you don’t have much really to talk about on a UGA blog now do you loser? Oh yeah We beat you 8 out of 10 this decade so put that in you little rat hat pipe and smoke it.
We pulled your stinger out and stomped it flat,again!
December 21st, 2009
11:49 pm
Hey All dogs, maybe you just hit the submit button twice, or like most Techies, it is not your fault. Like the Tech grad who went for low bid on the oxygen tanks on Apollo 13, or that did the reentry propagation for the Columbia. You guys are a bunch of cry baby whiners and can’t even sell your alottment for tickets for the so called championship game or the Obowl. Pitiful loser, you are pitiful.
MauiDAWG
December 22nd, 2009
4:05 am
Kirby Smart’s the Guy
December 21st, 2009
6:23 pm
You’ve got it fairly accurate. For what it’s worth on this blog (not much)…I am very close to the program. I like to see from time to time what’s being reported and fan’s perception. I thought this article was very misinformative to the public…. and considering most fans and columnists don’t really know, it’s not surprising b/c UGA Ath.Dept isn’t giving very much information to the public, for which I am proud…for these very reasons. Information being leaked can have very negative effects when dealing with sensitve candidates at current job.
In case anyone is wondering how Joe Schad gets his information, he’s in bed with all the sports agents. That’s how the Willie info got leaked early. Anyways……
In short…Here is what happened regarding Vic K:
He lobbied VERY hard to get the job in Athens and was pressing us for an offer. Getting the DC job at UGA was ABSOLUTELY first choice and he made that very clear. (that was reported correctly in the media outlets).
UGA Admin. were not in an immediate position to move forward with him. We decided to remain neutral until we conducted FULL due diligence with other candidates. Considering most of our top candidates were not in a position to negotiate at that point, there was no way to respond to him positively or negatively. He ‘could’ become a serious candidate but just not at that point. Illinois job opened up and then gave him another option to fall back into. Bird in hand for him and also hope for perceived leverage at UGA.
Vic K and Illinois moved forward together and agreed to terms in principal. Before his deadline with moving forward at Illinois (last Friday) there was basically posturing going on between Vic and Illinois (possibly for money out of fear from Illinois to go to GA). As well as posturing going on between Vic and UGA, trying to create a bidding atmosphere and using lllinois job as leverage to get a job offer. UGA NEVER OFFERED VIC K AN OFFER. All it was, was negotiating and jockey play created by him and his agent. That’s it.
Was it possible he could have recieved an offer down the road from UGA if other candidates fell through…possibly. But we never wanted to burn that bridge with him. He came down to needing an immediate decision. I guess you could say we did dangle the carrot for him, but it all came down to him falling on something more concrete with a program more motivated.
Hope this puts some clarity to the whole situation and helps everyone understand what comments Vic K made at the press conference last Friday. Much ado about nothing.
MauiDAWG
December 22nd, 2009
4:14 am
One more thing about Joe Schad. When he reported (tweeted) about Vic K changing his mind…..he really didn’t. Vic was giving UGA one last “chance” to offer him before he committed full bore to Illinois. There was never any flip flop. He just had to settle for his second choice.
CMR played his cards right on this one. I’m ashamed that some of this irresponsible “reporting” going on is being twisted negatively when it should not.
Tuesday 22Dec Links « Leather Helmet Blog
December 22nd, 2009
4:40 am
[...] Junkyard Blawg on coaching search [...]
YankeeJacket
December 22nd, 2009
8:40 am
It is a great mystery to me why any one wants a job where the main requirement is that you spend most of your time Kissing the fannies of a bunch of overrated coddled seventeen year old Punks?? Oh yeah a bunch of fifty year old Jocksniffers will put up big bucks to pay you an obscene amount to do it so they can live in their fantasy world.
YankeeJacket
December 22nd, 2009
8:45 am
Our school is better than your school! I really like men!!!!!!!!!!
Richts Butt Cut
December 22nd, 2009
8:52 am
We have our next DC. He just happens to be coaching in a very important game in January. Also, coming in as Head Coach in Waiting, same deal as Muschamp at Texas…
BobDog
December 22nd, 2009
9:57 am
“Looks like a mess.” ???? Maybe there is some confusion because Coach Richt isn’t telling the media what is going on. Let the man do his job. Do we really think he should make public everything that is going on, what candidates he’s talking to, that he is or is not interested in? Man, I’m glad I don’t have thousands of people trying to look over my shoulder while I do my job.
AltamahaDawg
December 22nd, 2009
10:04 am
Yea Charles I am sure if you were running the program you would have fired your defensive staff moment after wrapping up a top 10 finish, SEC title year. Lost all faith in Richt huh? We are going to miss you. Alabama gear is plentyful now.
AltamahaDawg
December 22nd, 2009
10:17 am
I guess you got me patsy. Anyone that tires of the rivals and fakers taking over what used to be a decent discussion forum can’t possible be supporting thier team anymore. Certainly not somebody that did so, for decades before these blogs came along.
Speaking of cutting and running, why isn’t 80%the Georgia Blogs just tech fans anymore? I got feed up over a long time, you guys ran away in a matter of a 5 minutes. Something must have happened that one night.
Bill King
December 22nd, 2009
10:52 am
Rod:
No, if Richt flatly says he didn’t offer Koenning, I’d take him at his word. And I’d be pleased. My point was that the reports that he had made a late offer to Koenning disturbed me. If he didn’t make such an offer, that’s good.
Kirby Smart's the Guy
December 22nd, 2009
12:55 pm
Bill, you did a good job on this story. I also have not seen anywhere where Richt denies offering Koenning the job. Glad you’re not just giving the party-line like georgiadogs.com, thanks for being a good reporter. I agree, if Koenning was offered the job, it’s a bad sign. Richt could clear it up with a simple statement that the job was not offered to either Koenning or Foster. That might help Georgia’s recruiting, from perception, if nothing else. We don’t want a perception out there that Georgia is desperate, as we certainly are not. I tend to think it’s Kirby Smart for a bunch of reasons, time will tell.
P.S. Your last few articles have been a lot of fun to think about–keep up the good work.
Rod
December 22nd, 2009
4:29 pm
Bill, Thanks for the explanation. I would be disturbed as well but that is not what happened so it is all good. We should be giving Richt alot of credit for the way he is handling the DC position search.
Kirby Smart's Not the Guy
December 22nd, 2009
5:16 pm
Kirby Smart is Smart and does not want to commit career suicide. That’s why he will not be the DC…head coach down the road maybe but not the DC.
UGADAWG
December 23rd, 2009
3:01 am
My roommate is a linebacker for UGA, and a deal has been inked to make KIRBY SMART the next UGA Defensive Coordinator! The deal will be announced later in the week after the National Championship Game! GO DAWGS!
Old Bulldog Fan
December 23rd, 2009
8:59 pm
It is amazing where our football program has progressed the last few years. Richt has chosen to rely on his Head Assitant’s to coach-which has gotten us no-where. Reminds me of FSU football-where Bowden turned most everything to his assistants, that didn’t work out too well for Bobby the last 5 years or so. As far as the defense goes- I hope I am wrong but it is going to be difficult to replace “Martinez” (did I say that). A “warm cup of beer would be a better coach”. Richt just does not command the “respect” anymore so recruiting a Defensive Coordinator will be a challenge.
Richt has proven he nor his staff can actually coach when they don’t have “star quality” players like Stafford, Moreno, Greene, Pollack and others. Why would a “respectable defensive coordinator” come to Athens. It is going to be “UGLY” in Athens next year. Unless Richt pulls one out of the “proverbial hat” maybe it is time to start thinking about a new “head coach” also.
Mike Bobo 17 INT
December 24th, 2009
9:14 am
What we love the most is all these Dog Fans worrying and crying about their tanked program.
This is a sinking ship which is going down fast, very fast with all those dedicated and aimless Dog fans.
This is why the program is a joke:
1. CMR
2. Only 1 concencus national title (1980)
3. They are still living in the Dooley era.
4. They think Erk Russell might rise and come back.
5. They really think Mushcamp will leave a stellar program like UT and return to their tanked program in Athens.
6. Dog fans relentlessly talk about next year and the spring drills.
7. They hire low-quality coaches like Bobo and Martinez which confirms they have no clue about vetting quality coaches.
8. All they talk about is Herschel Walker and Lindsey Scott.
9. Florida continues their domination.
10. They will follow and support those miserable pups no matter how bad they are and never criticize their own progam.
I am confident everyone within D-1 football will agree with this. The UGA program is known as the biggest joke in D-1 and the largest reason major media outlets give it very little support.
ESPN took a chance in 2008 with a College Gameday against Alabama and Georgia got drilled on national television. It was a glorious night!!!
Mike Bobo 17 INT
December 24th, 2009
9:16 am
Old Bulldog Fan
You sir have all of my respect and I consider you a true college/old school dog fan. I recall fans leaving Sanford Stadium during the Dooley era and were cussing a blue streak at him for bonehead calls.
Dog fans need more fans like you.
"The News From Lake Doggebone."
December 27th, 2009
6:12 pm
Try bringing back a JunkYard Dawg like Donald Chumley! He can bring back the GATA attitude that these Bulldogs lack.