Cowboys’ Grantham next target in DC search?
Athens – Hello from Butts-Mehre, where Kirby Smart won’t be coming to work.
All’s quiet here, by the way. No press conference or anything like that is in the works, if you’re wondering.
But on the day after Smart turned down Georgia’s defensive-coordinator job, Mark Richt presumably is about the business of pursuing the next candidate.
And let’s say — in the absence of any new credible rumors at the moment — that’s Todd Grantham, the Dallas Cowboys’ defensive-line coach who is known to have been on Richt’s radar for weeks.
In a search that has been full of complications, Grantham presents another. The Cowboys are in the NFL playoffs, preparing for a game Sunday against Minnesota, and will play a couple more games after that if they keep winning. Would the Cowboys let Grantham talk about and even accept (although obviously not begin) another job during the playoffs, risking potential distraction? How would a further delay affect UGA’s recruiting, especially with the final sprint to national signing day about to commence? And would the recent success of the Cowboys’ defense put Grantham in bigger demand among NFL teams?
Questions, questions.
But all indications today are that Grantham is the next target in Georgia’s six-week-old search.
Grantham coached at Virginia Tech (under Frank Beamer and Bud Foster) and Michigan State (under Nick Saban) before a series of four NFL coaching gigs. His only experience as a coordinator was with the Cleveland Browns.
It is a crucial hire for Georgia’s football program, and Richt has reiterated his recognition of that by aiming high in his targets. Foster, John Chavis and certainly Smart were already in good, winning situations at schools that, not surprisingly, proved willing and able to compete aggressively with anything Georgia could offer financially.
Foster had 15 years invested at Virginia Tech, and Chavis, although in only his first year at LSU, does not have a history of job-hopping. And while Smart was tempted by the prospect of returning to his alma mater, the fact is he is on track to be a head coach somewhere in a year or two anyway.
So while we wait for the next chapter — let’s call it Chapter 5 after the Foster, Vic Koenning, Chavis and Smart chapters -=- to unfold in this saga, how do you see the story ending? With Todd Grantham? Or who?
And please follow me on Twitter for the latest UGA news and notes.
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492 comments Add your comment
yogi2
January 13th, 2010
4:17 am
the vols need to hire Mike BoBo. he would make you a great head coach
Dawg #5
January 13th, 2010
6:21 am
TOMMY T !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
cruiser
January 13th, 2010
7:38 am
I believe Tennessee is going to make a run at Gardner to become their recruiting coordinator or even their defensive coordinator. If they do so, that is going to leave the Dawgs in a tight spot. CMR needs to act quickly and secure all the loose ends.
mgdawg
January 13th, 2010
8:03 am
UGA would look real bad if they hired garner at this point. Richt has already announced that garner is not in the discussion, and hiring him will be saying that UGA can’t hire anyone. BTW, the interior Dline which is what he coaches has underperformed for the talent that has been there. Not to mention if he wasn’t just a strong recruiter he would’ve been fired also, I want a coach as DC, not recruiter.
If grantham is the guy it needs to go ahead and be announced. I don’t see how it would distract the cowboys that much, he’s just the dline coach. Tell him that uga just needs to announce it, then that’ll be it until the cowboys are done. UGA could get a big boost in recruiting right now if they had a DC with kiffin leaving UT.
SkipperG
January 13th, 2010
8:07 am
I second or third the JOE LEE DUNN option. He coaches defensive backs and he’s coached in the SEC and been great when he is coaching just the defense. He is a 60’s guy – penny loafers with no socks. I like him.
PapaDawg
January 13th, 2010
8:24 am
I still feel like there is a up & coming young defensive line, linebackers coach just waiting on a chance to show his stuff. Cmon Dawgs go find him
Saint Knoxville
January 13th, 2010
8:33 am
Say what you will about Kiffen dawg nation. The record will ALWAYS show your 2009 BEATDOWN (by 26 points). Like Zook and all the other ex SEC coaches you dis, Kiffen OWNED you head to head (1-0). Put that in your Shreveport bowl and eat it!
'65 Dawg
January 13th, 2010
8:39 am
UGA’s end of year Sagarin rank: 26
Average end-of-year Sagarin rank of teams we beat: 64
Average end-of-year Sagarin rank of teams we lost to: 28
Draw your own conclusions.
cb
January 13th, 2010
8:42 am
What about Mickey Andrews for a year or two? Then if he wants to really retire, we can look again.
ED
January 13th, 2010
9:00 am
WRITE A BLANK CHECK TO MUSCHAMP OR VAN GORDER NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ED
January 13th, 2010
9:00 am
JOE KINES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Georgia Climbs from #56 to #26 in 5 Games
January 13th, 2010
9:06 am
Great job Richt on finishing well. After going 4-4, Georgia climbed from #56 to #26 on the USA Today rankings. I predicted it would happen and Richt pulled it off. Ana amazing finish to a tough year where we lost our start QB and RB to early NFL draft.
Funny, we didn’t even make the final top 30 in the ESPN poll. ESPN has an ANTI-GEORGIA Bias. USA Today got it closer, I’d rank us about 11 or 12, because we beat Tech, should be higher ranked than Tech.
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/sagarin/fbt09.htm
PapaDawg
January 13th, 2010
9:34 am
Saint Knoxville, you must be Kiffin in disguise. Enjoy your Dawg beat down as well as all the Sanctions your Sissy Boy Kiffin left you with. We’ll see what kind of coach you gonna get with all the problems going on in Hillbilly Town
CDAWG
January 13th, 2010
9:37 am
What if Kirby went to UT. Who would Saban go after, well that would be Grantham. Therefore, we need to secure a deal with Grantham now so we don’t get stood up again. I agree that there is no reason that Grantham cannot go ahead and commit and let UGA announce it. He can finish the playoffs with Dallas. I will never have any respect for Kiffen, what he did was wrong and I place him in the same category with petrifiedtrino.
Georgia #7 Toughest Schedule in NCAA
January 13th, 2010
9:43 am
According to Saragin and USA Today, Georgia has the #7 toughest schedule in the NCAA.
Georgia finished #26, up 30 spots from #56 5 games ago.
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/sagarin/fbt09.htm
Sal Sunseri in Play for Georgia's DC
January 13th, 2010
9:51 am
Since Richt went so hard after SEC Conference rivals, Chavis and Smart, you have to think Sunseri is being targetted with everythign Richt has right now. Sunseri, Bama’s LB Coach, is an impressive guy, who helped run Carolina Panther’s D for years. I wouldn’t be surprised is Sunseri is the guy.
clemdudtlhopr
January 13th, 2010
10:13 am
patience my fellow Bulldog fans. “Time takes Time”
Next in line, please......
January 13th, 2010
10:20 am
Heard some disturbing news this morning, and my question is how involved is Damon Evans in this mess. Here’s the rumor:
* Foster was Richt’s #1, but the limit was $650K/year. VT upped the ante.
* Koening (spelling?) initially got a whopping $300K but that was upped to $400K. Had already signed with Illinois and a lawsuit was threatened.
* Chavis was initially offered $500K, but that was later increased. LSU exceeded UGA’s offer.
* Smart – everyone knows about that debacle, but the offer was $700K/yr.
* Tyrone Nix was offered $250K, but that is now up to about $400K.
* Grantham will take in excess of $800K.
These salaries are all over the chart. If this is correct, then who in the hell is in charge of setting the pay for this position? Is it Richt, Evans, Adams, or some combination? This is turning into a joke.
David Pollack?
January 13th, 2010
10:36 am
The problem is that David has no coaching experience yet. I’d love to see him come on at Georgia as a defensive assistant (coaching linebackers or something) and start learning the ropes. I think we’d all love to see David Pollack do this. He’s one of the greatest Dawgs of all time! We all love him! His aggressive desire and never quit attitude would be a perfect fit for a defensive coordinator. He seems like he’d be another Erk Russell. But he’d need to get the experience first!
NO David Pollack
January 13th, 2010
11:11 am
PEOPLE, QUIT BRINGING UP DAVID POLLACK!!!!! He has repeatedly said on Twitter he does NOT want to coach. At all. Ever.
DawgBuzz
January 13th, 2010
11:15 am
I’m glad CMR is looking for the best DC available. He’s gone after the top guys and will continue till he gets a quality guy.
I feel bad for UT. Phillip Fulmer was atleast a class act and dedicated to the players, etc. Kiffin is a clown.
Define the word disarray
January 13th, 2010
11:22 am
UT is in disarray and UGA will find a fine, up and coming HDC coach. I can name many, many guys that were relatively unknown when hired for BIGGER JOBS. Auburn hired Chizk and now? He is on top of one of the best recruiting classes in a long, long time at Auburn or anywhere. I am no War Eagle fan. Chizk makes my point. Yes, he is a HC but there are many of unknowns looking to move up and yes, move up to a winning program of 13 in a row 8 + win seasons.
ONLY UGA can claim that status. No, we have not won one NC in 30 years but we are holders of that fine 8+ win record. No one else can say that. UGA grads LOVE the U of Georgia and we love em win or lose.
2010 will be a fun, exciting year for us UGA grads. By the way, if you bad mouth UGA or any school and have never even driven up to the place, then your comments are invalid. Worthless, as you do not know of what you speak.
Go Dogs.
Saint Knoxville say whaaaaaaa???
January 13th, 2010
11:34 am
Feel better now Saint K? You know, longevity is what makes the world go around and around. UT? 13 montsh and bye bye. UT IS the current laughing NCAA national stock as their incoming and 2009 recruits are too. Laughing stocks and about to be on double, secret triple probation and all because you all got punked by a twirp coach. Fools and hillbillys, Blame’s wife hated those Kingston Pike retail car repair stores, muffler shops, anyway, I heard.
Gone he is and y’all are left at the alter like an ugly, red headed, pimple faced bride. Your recruits?? They will be bolting in droves and this will show up in three years with a lousy season then and in 2010 and likely 2011. Too bad …………….Kiffen punked you hillbillys. Whne you play you pay.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHA and see y’all in Athens with our TWO GREAT QBS and wideouts, r. backs and O line. See ya. Defense at UGA VS UT??, we will not need it. HAHAHAHAHA
DirtyDawg
January 13th, 2010
11:46 am
Hey guys, lay off the UT fans. Sure they were pretty quick to rub our noses in that debacle in Knoxville a few of months ago and they managed to rationalize that a-hole of a coach because he was their a-hole. But no sense in stating the obvious – they screwed up and they know it. Doubt if they’ll do than one again.
Like so many things in life that go wrong – there’s one question that inevitably gets asked and only one response that’s necessary: ‘What in hell were you thinking?…and…’It seemed like a good idea at the time’. Right Vols?
tom
January 13th, 2010
11:55 am
UGA needs to think like a military General. We need to see the whole UT mess as an opportunity. UGA’s search for a DC has been a debacle. If CMR has no real idea who it is going to be, then he needs to promote Garner, solidify our staff, and go after some of those recruits that UT had committed.
darrell starks
January 13th, 2010
12:38 pm
Rodney gardner is the only solution to the dawg nation give the guy a chance whats all this talk about some other D.C when the man is standing right there, he have showed the dog nation nothing but loyalty and we continue 2 avoid him.
WHEN WE PLAYED TEXAS A.M WE BEAT THEM WITH OUR DEFENSE ADJUSTMENT AT HALF AND RODNEY GARDNER WAS THE MAN.
TEXAS A.M 20 GEORGIA 44 GIVE THE GUY A CHANCE GEORGIA WE WANT BE SORRY PERIOD.
GO DAWGS!!!!!!!!!
Any Journalist with a Better Plan?
January 13th, 2010
12:48 pm
Richt’s looking for:
Loyal
Championship experience
How about instead of bashing Richt, why not be part of the solution and start suggesting some guys who are loyal, and experienced, researching to find out if they’d listen, and THEN posting.
Don Gill
January 13th, 2010
12:51 pm
Message to Coach Richt, I know this has entered your mind but how about David Pollack for DC? His personality, enthusiasm, knowledge of he game at the highest level and his personal character would make up for his lack of experience as a coach. After all, he did make All American his freshman year when others are extremely fortunate just to make 1st string as a freshman. I just haven’t read any conversations about his becoming CD. It would truly be a bolt from the Blue (Red and Black). Someone that would lift the spirits of every Dawg in the Dawg nation.
Don Gill
January 13th, 2010
12:52 pm
DC. Sorry.
Bob
January 13th, 2010
1:50 pm
Emmitt Thomas would be a great hire
Disappointed DAWG
January 13th, 2010
1:53 pm
I can’t believe more isn’t being said about Grantham’s PATHETIC record……How can we be pursuing someone as our new #1 choice with a resume like THIS:
Todd Grantham, VT Alum:
1 Virginia Tech (1990-1995) – DL Coach
2 Michigan State (1996-1998) – DL Coach
3 Indianapolis Colts (1999-2001) – DL Coach
4 Houston Texans (2002-2004) – DL Coach
5 Cleveland Browns (2005-2007) – DC Coordinator: He was fired on January 11, 2008 after the 2007 season with the Brown’s defense ranking 25th against the pass, 27th against the run, and 30th in total-yards-against among 32 teams. Todd is currently serving as DL coach for the Dallas Cowboys.
THAT’S what $800k+ buys UGA Football now??!?!! Disgusting! He was FIRED from his only DC position for performance FAILURE! He started as a DL Coach in 1990 and 20 YEARS later, that’s where he is again. This is a freakin train wreck waiting to happen and I can’t believe he’s even being discussed as a candidate.
k
January 13th, 2010
2:31 pm
Bring in Tony Dungy for a couple of years to mentor Rodney Gardner. CMR, please do this.
Dude
January 13th, 2010
2:55 pm
If they don’t get Grantham, look out!! This may get even uglier than I thought it wood. I SAID IT’S GREAT TO BE A…..oh wait, maybe it isn’t.
Gratefuldawghead
January 13th, 2010
3:16 pm
Just happy we are not in Tennessee’s shape right now!
GO DAWGS!
Finchdawg
January 13th, 2010
3:27 pm
Tim, how about some thoughts from you on the transition from a 4-3 to a 3-4 for us, which apparently would have been the case even if Smart had taken the job? Would this work well for the Dawgs given our current personnel?
alphadawg
January 13th, 2010
5:24 pm
People! I can’t believe GA fans continue to call him Gardner and not his real name – Garner. Get a grip, if you are real fans you would know we don’t have a Gardner for our RC….
Michael
January 13th, 2010
6:43 pm
We need to pursue Ellis Johnson, he would see the option of getting out from under the shadow of Spurrier as a blessing. He could revamp the defense with his aggressive techniques and tenacious blitz packages. Look at what he has done with middle of the road talent at USC. Ellis Johnson is the answer to all our needs and I hope that Mark Richt see’s it soon!
darrell starks
January 13th, 2010
6:50 pm
I cant believe that we pursing a coach who have done nothing as D.C THREW OUT HIS CAREER, look with the talent the cowboys have on defense any body can coach them and still look good as a D.C. come on bulldog nation the chant is on GARNER!!!! GARNER!!!! GARNER!!!!!
GO DAWG!!!!!!!!
rico43
January 13th, 2010
7:21 pm
Here’s a fun rumor: Mr. SEC.com is hinting strongly that UT is about to name Will Muschamp its new head coach and Rodney Garner as his DC. Hope that doesn’t ruin anyone’s day (if it’s true, of course), but that site is pretty solid in many ways.
Louie
January 13th, 2010
8:43 pm
Well I tried to tell the mutt nation ………
Didnt listen , did you???
Now, godown the road and get bitc/ slapped again.
Little jackhammer
January 16th, 2010
6:32 pm
Hey Louie, Get a clue about things. I’m a Tech fan who’s memory goes back to ‘58. Tech was in the SEC, Atlantans were all natives and Tech fans and the real rivalry was with Alabama. We took beating Georgia for granted in those days. I miss the hell out of ‘em. It will never be that way for us again, so just accept it. What are you doing on the doggies blog, anyway?
jackhammer
January 16th, 2010
6:36 pm
Louie, Get a clue about reality. I’m a Tech fan who’s memory goes back to ‘58. Tech was in the SEC, Atlantans were all natives and Tech fans and the real rivalry was with Alabama. We took beating the doggies for granted in those days. I miss the hell out of ‘em. It will never be that way with us again, so just accept it. What are you doing on the doggies’ blog?