The Richt contract extension: What’s the magic number?
Checking to see how many more seasons he has in his pocket. (AJC photo by Jason Getz)
Georgia wants to keep Mark Richt and Richt wants to stay. What’s left are details. But details are important, contractually speaking.
Richt’s existing contract runs through 2013, so it isn’t as if he’s a free-agent-to-be. Presumably AD Greg McGarity will offer a raise and an extension, which brings us to the heart of those details. How many more years?
This is a concern not without nuance. Too short an extension sends one message; too long sends another. Here would seem the alternatives:
One more year: This wouldn’t so much be an extension as a very gentle pat on the back. It essentially would say, “We like what you did this season, but we want to see more.” Outsiders would interpret this as McGarity feeling the rise to 10-3 from 6-7 was less a function of coaching than scheduling. A one-year extension won’t happen because it would undercut Richt almost as much as no extension.
Two more years: This would push Richt’s deal through the 2015 season, which is a good ways off and, for recruiting purposes, would allow him to assure current recruits he has a measure of job security through their college careers. Unless, that is, they redshirt. And if they’re not good enough to plays as freshmen, who wants them? (Kidding!)
Three more years: This is the most-rumored extension, and it would make some sense. Five-year contracts are the industry standard. (Even Paul Hewitt had a five-year contract, the difference being that his never stopped being a five-year contract.) This would be a virtual mandate for Richt, but a virtual mandate might be overdoing it. Does one bounceback season override two lesser ones? Will a different schedule — Georgia is scheduled to play at South Carolina and Alabama next season, though speculation holds that SEC newbie Missouri will take the Tide’s place — yield a less desirable result? Is McGarity, who hasn’t negotiated with Richt before, prepared to make the statement: “This is the only coach we want or are ever going to want”?
Four more years or beyond: Too long for any coach, even one who has won his division four times in 11 seasons. Skeptics among us — and they still exist — would note that Richt hasn’t won the SEC since 2005 and has never taken his team to the BCS title game. (Got close a couple of times, though.)
Were I McGarity, I’d open with a two-year offer but count on settling for three. Richt is still a handsome commodity in an industry where big-name schools have been reduced to hiring the likes of Jim Mora (UCLA) and Charlie Weis (Kansas). There’s no reason to tick off such a bird in hand.
By opening with a two-year bid, McGarity would make the point that Georgia likes and supports this coach but wants him to consolidate the gains made in 2011 and have even bigger seasons soon. By settling for three, McGarity comes off as erring on the side of his coach, which is the side an AD needs to choose unless he’s about to fire him.
Georgia fans could and should be enthused by the developments of the past four months. A team that was losing almost every in-doubt game found ways to win 10 times running. That said, the Bulldogs did lose to the three best teams they played, and only one of those losses wound up being close. For as far as Georgia came in 2011, there’s still a ways to go.
The good news is that Georgia again has reason to believe Richt is the man to take it there. He deserves a reward. But a reward isn’t the same as a lifetime contract. The aforementioned Hewitt got one of those, and seven years later Georgia Tech had to pay dearly to make him go away.
By Mark Bradley
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561 comments Add your comment
Dirty Dawg
December 15th, 2011
12:00 pm
…just to complete the thought….without your kibbitzing.
PapaDawg
December 15th, 2011
12:01 pm
When I read some comments by GT Fans it tells me that Crack is real easy to buy around the Tech campus
DawginLex
December 15th, 2011
12:02 pm
“Kim Basinger is from Georgia so I highly disagree with your statement”
15 years ago I’d agree with you. Now not so much.
***********
It’s all about perspective(and your age)
SSIgator
December 15th, 2011
12:02 pm
“For as far as Georgia came in 2011, there’s still a ways to go”
There sure is, but the problem is that with Richt and his sidekick Booboo throwing out the anchor in the second half of big games UGA will never get there.
Tech lies and cheats
December 15th, 2011
12:03 pm
GT Bob – you are hilarious. The AAU? WTF is that?
Care to compare the Terry Grads with the rest of GT starting salaries? I would like to see it. We are a liberal arts school you dumb ass. Of course some of our grads (arts, housing, teachers) will make starting lower salaries than chemical engineers.
Are you typing this from your Mom’s basement
? get back to your dungeons and dragons !
kappellmeister
December 15th, 2011
12:05 pm
Question to Dawgs fans:
So, would you rather have a coach that produces national championships and consistent SEC titles but is a jerk and single-minded about winning at all costs, or a consistent contender who represents his university and his state with honor? Personally, I would much rather my son play for Mark Richt any day of the week and twice on Sunday than the likes of Saban, Tressel, etc. And I don’t mean the ‘fine Christian man’ thing either. I couldn’t care less if he worships the flying spaghetti monster as long as he is a man of honor and integrity, and nothing I have seen contradicts that.
Fire Mark Richt!
December 15th, 2011
12:06 pm
Get his ass out of here, and take B o b o with him…Another dismal year to come from a coaching staff that has no idea how to prepare for the big game….
In case you have not heard, the Kool-Aid is still Red..stop drinking that stuff!
Really Haters!!!!
December 15th, 2011
12:06 pm
Yall got 15 more pages to really show your stupidity…What a joke yall are….I bet you are the one in ten that are out of work…
SSIgator
December 15th, 2011
12:06 pm
“Four more years”
That’s what people chanted when Nixon was up for re-election – and we all know how that ended up.
GTBob
December 15th, 2011
12:07 pm
GT Bob – you are hilarious. The AAU? WTF is that?
If you don’t know what the AAU is then you probably shouldn’t get in an argument about academics. Oh and the Terry School of Business is rated about 30 schools below GT’s Business school.
Really Haters!!!!
December 15th, 2011
12:08 pm
Fire Mark Richt! you have no idea what you are talking about.. Please go take a short walk off of a tall bridge..You are wasting electricity that could be sued by someone who might know what they are talkingabout…You are Clueless!!!
SSIgator
December 15th, 2011
12:10 pm
kappellmeister -
“a consistent contender”
I think you have your words confused. Now, if you had said a consistent pretender, that would have been more believeable.
Really Haters!!!!
December 15th, 2011
12:11 pm
SSI Gaytor…I am so glad you are not a UGA fan…You really make us look good with your stupid comments… Now go flip some burgers before they burn..
PapaDawg
December 15th, 2011
12:11 pm
I think any fool who argues academics on a football blog thinks a football is round and they use a bat. Talk Football or go away.
DawginLex
December 15th, 2011
12:11 pm
Ever growing list of non UGA grads I am thankful did not attend UGA
GTBob
SSIGator
Really Haters!!!!
December 15th, 2011
12:13 pm
I agree with you 100 percent DawnginLex!!!
DawginLex
December 15th, 2011
12:15 pm
A few salient comments:
1.)Give muschamp a lifetime deal in gator land
2.)Weis is trying to hire Al Groh as DC
3.)Maybe Ted Roof will come back to Tech
4.)Urban Meyer is laughing at Florida with every move he makes
5.)Mark Richt will win big at UGA before he retires and do it the right way
6.)SSI needs to get some new material and change his tampon
7.)GTBob would get punched in the face by his own coach if CPJ knew what he posts on here
That is all
1eyedJack
December 15th, 2011
12:15 pm
Seriously, are academics the only bullets you have to shoot on a football blog?
What a bunch of candy-asses.
Ted M
December 15th, 2011
12:15 pm
Is SEC newbie Missouri gonna be in the East? anyone
SSIgator
December 15th, 2011
12:16 pm
“Georgia fans could and should be enthused by the developments of the past four months”
Maybe, but after getting hammered by LSU, those with clear minds realized what a charade that those four months were.
DawginLex
December 15th, 2011
12:16 pm
Ted
Should be in the East if plans remain as have been discussed. A&M in West
GTBob
December 15th, 2011
12:18 pm
Ever growing list of UGA grads that I am glad did not attend GT
All of them
tenn.DAWG
December 15th, 2011
12:19 pm
Give him a three year extension,but any raises should be paid on a performance bases.
SSIgator
December 15th, 2011
12:22 pm
DawginLex -
“Mark Richt will win big at UGA before he retires”
Really? Wow, you are good. Can you give me the winning lottery numbers for this weekend also? I swear I will use part of my winnings to help pay UGA for a loooong contract extension for Richt and the other SEC schools will chip in as well.
GTBob
December 15th, 2011
12:24 pm
Mark Richt will win big at UGA before he retires and do it the right way
What is the definition of insanity? Doing the same thing over and over again while continually expecting different results?
Ted M
December 15th, 2011
12:25 pm
Thx DawginLex
SSIgator
December 15th, 2011
12:26 pm
“He deserves a reward”
For what? Doing his job? And losing all of the games that mattered the most? Strange reward system they have at UGA. Where does one sign up for a gig like that?
CANVAS
December 15th, 2011
12:28 pm
***This just in.
CROWELL IS OFF THE TEAM. Seriously.
DawginLex
December 15th, 2011
12:30 pm
GTBob and SSI
suggestions for the rest of your afternoon:
1.)Get a room together
2.)Stop the bong-It is making you see everything colored as red kool aid
3.)Compare notes and eliminate phrases that you have typed more than 50 times
4.)Try GOOGLE for new phrases. You need more research time.Try to squeeze it in between tickle piles.
That should keep you busy for awhile.
SoCal_GT_Fan
December 15th, 2011
12:33 pm
I personally think Richt has shown enough to warrant a contract extension. For those who think he doesn’t, let me ask you a question, Who would be able to come in and one-up Richt in terms of recruiting, developing talent, and win/loses? I say only a handful and those guys are all taken and are paid HANDSOMELY. Also, just because you bring someone in doesn’t mean he’ll be better than Richt. He can be the second coming of Donnan. As a Tech fan, I wouldn’t mind that at all.
JMac1220
December 15th, 2011
12:36 pm
Lex, you are usually one of the more competent posters, but the MR thing is hilarious. Don’t you get it, fans of most other teams WANT CMR to stay, because he is just not that good. He will never be any better than he is now. A prediction… he will be on the hot seat again next season after his talent laden team has a worse record than this year, and the prohibitive favorite to win the East, finishes second or third in the East, winding up in another minor bowl. Not saying that I know it all, but just a prediction.
PapaDawg
December 15th, 2011
12:37 pm
Urben Meyer left the Gators in a mess because he could not recruit which Ohio St. will find out. He won with someone elses recruits, kinda like CPJ at GT
invictus mon
December 15th, 2011
12:40 pm
Great thing you’re not McGarity
SSIgator
December 15th, 2011
12:41 pm
“Richt is still a handsome commodity”
So now he deserves a contract extension because he uses SprayTan and goes to a hair stylist? Or maybe it is because UGA fans think that he looks so fine in the Ford commercials.
DawginLex
December 15th, 2011
12:44 pm
JMac
Could happen but I predict it won’t.
The difference in Coach Richt is Greg McGarity.
There is a push there that did not exist with Evans or Dooley. He is a mentor to Richt but he is also big into accountability and performance.
That’s why the talk of moving Bobo to QB coach/recruiter and Richt calling plays or hiring an NFL caliber OC makes sense to me.
McGarity is going to get UGA a national title in football and richt can either follow his lead or Greg will get another coach.
I bet richt listens.
SSIgator
December 15th, 2011
12:45 pm
JMac1220 -
Don’t say things like that to DawginLex. He is going through his male menopause thing and is a little sensitive right now.
DawginLex
December 15th, 2011
12:46 pm
SSI
That’s 122 times you have used the menopause line
I told you and GTBob what to do.
Get some new material or the TROLLS will vote you off of the island
jbirdawg
December 15th, 2011
12:47 pm
why play a game of starting with a two year offer? This isn’t buying a house. Richt isn’t bringing in a high powered agent. Why not just be straight up. Extend for three. Show the Bulldawg nation that you are completely behind him or find someone you are behind. 5 yr deal is good for all if you are going to be behind him. Yes, UGA lost to the three best teams it played, all top ten teams right now. Two of those losses occurred in the first two games when UGA still had a bunch of young pups and guys playing new positions on the OL that needed seasoning and we still had to shoot ourselves in the foot to lose to SC. LSU is the best team in the country. I think this team would have a pretty even shot at Boise right now the way this D is playing. And, we look pretty stout going into next season, a certain top ten preseason pick. Very nice job by this coaching staff.
evil empire
December 15th, 2011
12:49 pm
The best part of me ran down the crack of my momma’s backside and ended up as a brown stain on the mattress…i feel i’ve been cheated, and the state wont reimburse my disability!! Luckily Russ the temporary wonder dawg licks the sheets clean. However, i cant understand why GT Bob is always smelling my momma’s panties…but sure does explain his bad breath.
SSIgator
December 15th, 2011
12:50 pm
DawginLex -
Just trying to look out for you. We don’t want you to have your feelings hurt and then pack up your toys and go home.
GTBob
December 15th, 2011
12:51 pm
Who would be able to come in and one-up Richt in terms of recruiting, developing talent, and win/loses?
Almost any coach in the country would be able to equal Richt in wins/losses and recruiting. As for developing talent, Richt has to be in the bottom 5 in the country in this category.
DawginLex
December 15th, 2011
12:51 pm
SSI
I have given you and GTBob sound advice but the ball is in your court now
Change is hard but I have confidence in you
TROLL Nation is counting on you
Wet Willie...keep on smiling
December 15th, 2011
12:52 pm
Remove the buyout from his contract and give him 5 years. After he folks again next year he can get a job and UGA can hire what they need. Remove the buyout for both sides. It’s the best plan for Mark and the Dogs.
DawginLex
December 15th, 2011
12:52 pm
Almost any coach in the country would be able to equal Richt in wins/losses and recruiting.
****************************
For someone who claims to be so smart, GTBob sure makes stupid statements.
G-Dawg
December 15th, 2011
12:52 pm
Bob, The definition of insanity is reposting the same garbage like you do each day!!
DawginLex
December 15th, 2011
12:53 pm
Later boys
TROLLS, take notice. The boss has left the building
G-Dawg
December 15th, 2011
12:54 pm
Almost any coach in the country would be able to equal Richt in wins/losses and recruiting. As for developing talent, Richt has to be in the bottom 5 in the country in this category.
I think the NFL might disagree with you there, bub!!
SSIgator
December 15th, 2011
12:54 pm
jbirdawg -
“Yes, UGA lost to the three best teams it played, all top ten teams right now”
And therein lies the problem with Richt and Booboo on the coaching staff.
G-Dawg
December 15th, 2011
12:56 pm
The only toy SSI has, is stuck where the sundontshine!!! Too bad doctors said they cant remove it!
DAWG
December 15th, 2011
12:58 pm
Mark Richt is the today version of Vince Dooly. Long may he reign.