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.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
492 comments Add your comment
Nick
January 12th, 2010
4:08 pm
Why is NOBODY mentioning Manny Diaz? I know with him from a smaller school, the choice of him moving would not be a “lateral move” (forgive me) and the money would have to be much better than what MTSU could match, I would assume. The guy coaches aggressive defense and I like that. I don’t know enough to be impressed or not with Grantham. I think fundamentally, coaching defense in the NFL’s not much different from college, but just about every other aspect of it is different, so I just don’t know. One thing I do know is I’m sick and tired of reading and writing about this.
Old Junkyard Dawg
January 12th, 2010
4:09 pm
Out of the Blue has a good idea. Bill Lewis would be a great choice. Go find him!
UglyOld Dog
January 12th, 2010
4:09 pm
Doyle…Mac McWhorter & Greg Wynn are also UGA products on Mack Browns staff
GT ........G un T oters
January 12th, 2010
4:09 pm
GT is Ga Taliban and/or Gun Toters U. NBA’s Crittendon has been contacted by the Tech Trust Fund to address the loyal money men about NRA issues and the proper handling of a firearm. HAHAHAHA what a disgrace.
30-24 and it will keep on keeping on. Dwyer? Um, he got 33 vs UGA and 0 ( zero, nada, ZILCH) vs Iowa in the first half. Nesbitt is gonna take a pounding next fall and Tech will be in deep T.
Go Dogs.
Law Dawg
January 12th, 2010
4:11 pm
I hate life.
CrownRicht
January 12th, 2010
4:12 pm
Lewis gave Richt the job of Offensive Coordinator at East Carolina back in the late 80’s. Good connection there.
CrownRicht
January 12th, 2010
4:14 pm
Lewis gave Richt the job of offensive coordinator at East Carolina back in the 80’s. Good connection there, and man I loved Lewis’ defenses (kept up a great tradition created by Erk).
PappyDawg
January 12th, 2010
4:15 pm
Need someone with UGA ties.
Mac McWhorter a great coach
January 12th, 2010
4:15 pm
McWorter is a capitol idea. He is a solid teacher, SEC/Big !2 kind of guy and he is perfect. This one name prves that there must be tons of men.
How many of you have hired execs before? I have and sometimes you get email and phone calls from folks campaigning for the job and you tell them of your top strategy in vague terms ( KS ) and promise to get back in touch. For sure that is happening right now.
UGA will be fine.
Go Dogs.
UglyOld Dog
January 12th, 2010
4:16 pm
NO UGA ties….lord the last we ended up with GOMER GOOF
Law Dawg
January 12th, 2010
4:17 pm
Being a UGA fan is miserable existence.
Crazylegs
January 12th, 2010
4:17 pm
what about Booby Bowden?
gdawginkalamazoo
January 12th, 2010
4:17 pm
Zeb, I am still trying to get Tim Tucker to spell the offers that we made to Chavis, Koerning and Foster. I find it interesting that all these guys “spurned” UGA for pay raises to stay where they were. What the hell did we offer these guys. All the AJC reporters are saying that we have been turned down by these guys. I thought the only offer made was to Kirby. IMO he might have been a great hire. I thought that he might be able to move up when Richt steps down to do his missionary work. But maybe he isn’t quite ready yet and he didn’t want to make any mistakes by moving too soon. I kid him about Saban’s apron strings but he is in a great position at this point and I wish him future success (unless he is playing against the dawgs).
There are a lot of experienced DC’s. Defensive coaches that could come in and do a terrific job. The AJC seems to be poised to report the negative and stir the pot on who. I love the way Richt is handling the situation, he has done a fantastic job keeping it quiet and he made a great offer to his #1 target so I know UGA (Adams, Evans and Richt) are taking this seriously. I was definitely glad to see that. I have faith that Richt will get the right guy no question. It may be somebody we are not familiar with. No speculation or recommendations from this bulldog fan just peace, love and understanding.
Tech Man
January 12th, 2010
4:18 pm
Zeb…obviously you don’t keep up with college football.You must have missed the VT -TENN. game.Was it that team that destroyed uga?And where not talking about a 2 FG win, where talking.. take out to the shed kind of win!!!
lildawg93
January 12th, 2010
4:19 pm
DARNIT – this is not looking good for us!!! I think I might have to become a yellow jacket! Tired of all this coaching crap.
Wolfdawg
January 12th, 2010
4:19 pm
Pollack would be a great coach. He fires up players and yea half of it is being smart the other half is motivation. and David has no shortage of that. Let him coach D ends on new staff.
UglyOld Dog
January 12th, 2010
4:20 pm
Tech Man….Kinda like Orange Bowl right!
GaGator
January 12th, 2010
4:20 pm
I’ll tell you what, if Richt does get this guy Todd Grantham, he will be toast!
Law Dawg
January 12th, 2010
4:20 pm
Why do UGA fans continue to live in misery. Getting our hopes up only to have them pulled out from under us every single time. UGA never meets our expectations as a fanatical fan base. What’s the point of all this rambling on the blog. We will hire someone as d-cordinator and continue to win 8-10 games per year. That’s it.
DILLIGAF
January 12th, 2010
4:21 pm
Posted at CollegeFootballTalk.com
Smart out, so Georgia wants Grantham
Posted by Evan Silva on January 12, 2010 3:38 PM ET
ESPN’s Chris Low reports that Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart turned down Georgia’s offer of a three-year contract paying $750,000 per year to take the same position on the Bulldogs’ staff. Smart wants to be a head coach.
Georgia coach Mark Richt has reportedly now made Dallas Cowboys defensive line coach Todd Grantham his primary focus.
Grantham, 43, has a fairly impressive resume. Not only does he have a long history with the 3-4 defense Richt intends to implement, the Nick Saban disciple was the Cleveland Browns’ defensive coordinator from 2005-2007 and was targeted by Saban to coordinate the Miami Dolphins’ defense prior to that. Grantham also coached up the Indianapolis Colts’ defensive line from 1999-2001, a period during which the team went 29-19.
According to Low, Grantham is “very interested” in the position at Georgia, but wants to wait for the Cowboys’ playoff run to end before committing. Of course, Grantham and Richt could always reach a wink-nod agreement so the move wouldn’t serve as a distraction in Dallas.
Either way, it appears Richt has found his new defensive boss, and it’s just a matter of time before the marriage is finalized.
Brian Van Gorder Fan
January 12th, 2010
4:21 pm
Shoud be Brian Van Gorder. proven deal, SEC saavy, he’ll get a great performance from the D. Had a bad year. Available.
curious
January 12th, 2010
4:21 pm
After Martinez was fired, Richt turned to 2 grad assistants for the Texas A&M game. How was Georgia’s defense in that game? Well? Do we need to pay someone $500k? Promote the graduate students. They are 1-0 and both could be hired for much less than some “big” name. Sounds like a plan to me.
Law Dawg
January 12th, 2010
4:21 pm
Enter your comments here
Kitten
January 12th, 2010
4:22 pm
WTF is wrong with ya’ll?? Why don’t you stop all of this stupid bickering and grow a pair…if you can’t handle it, I can call Sarah Palin…I’m sure she could help you…she’s got more balls than most of you so called dawg fans! In fact, she’d probably make a great DC cause she’s not afraid to go rogue and kick some ass!
UglyOld Dog
January 12th, 2010
4:22 pm
GaGator….at least Richt won’t be having panic attacks cause TeBlow is gone
Law Dawg
January 12th, 2010
4:23 pm
The closest Sarah Palin has come to going “rogue” is wearing socks that don’t match.
JMc12203
January 12th, 2010
4:24 pm
Can’t find anyone to be the DC for your middle of the road team?? How sad that they see what what you do not… that the UGA program is in freefall, and why would anyone want to hitch their wagon to a program going downhill and looking up at Florida, Alabama, LSU, Tennessee, Auburn and Arkansas. As long as MR is the head coach, you will NEVER reach the heights you so heartily want for the puppy dogs. Richt has become another Jim Donnan, and he needs to go in order to be competitive more than once every 5 or 6 years.
William Martinez
January 12th, 2010
4:26 pm
?
JMc12203
January 12th, 2010
4:27 pm
All that 4 and 5 star talent being wasted by CMR. He coaches them at a 2 or 3 star level, while a GOOD coach would be winning championships with them.
Ole fan
January 12th, 2010
4:27 pm
I think it is time to look at what we have at home. I don’t think I would want to be 6th choice. I have lost sleep over this mess and I am too old to lose more sleep. Come on, let’s make a decision!!!!!
gdawginkalamazoo
January 12th, 2010
4:32 pm
Richt has averaged 10 wins a year and won 2 SEC titles. What’s not competitive about that? In the ACC you would be KING and wealthy beyond your wildest dreams with that record. Hell you might even get rings made up with your picture on it.
SuperB
January 12th, 2010
4:32 pm
Rodney Garner
Dr. Cialis
January 12th, 2010
4:35 pm
Is Bill Lewis available?
Law Dawg
January 12th, 2010
4:36 pm
“Richt has averaged 10 wins a year and won 2 SEC titles.” gdawginkalamazoo, my point exactly, misery!
GaGator
January 12th, 2010
4:40 pm
While Richt searches, the GATORS get:
Florida assembling a class for the ages
Gators already have the nation’s top class, but this could turn into the best of all time By Gerry Hamilton /Scouts Inc./ESPN
Read it and weep
Barnacle Bill Bavasi
January 12th, 2010
4:41 pm
It’s definitely Todd Grantham.
Zeb
January 12th, 2010
4:43 pm
Techfan, you guys had a great year. As a dog fan, I don’t deny you that or dog you for the season ending losses. Be proud of your program and I’m sure CPJ will have you back to where you need to be next year. I’m not one to put any program on a pedestal, as things can change yearly. Let’s enjoy both our programs and hope the good old fashion hate continues on an extremely comepetitive note……good luck to you guys.
PappyDawg
January 12th, 2010
4:47 pm
Bill Lewis is available. He didn’t coach this past year. Still has family in Athens.
Cuz
January 12th, 2010
4:47 pm
Zoo, I hear ya brother.
10 win seasons are fine with me. Playing for the SECC four times in eight years, okay I remember three but I think there is four, could be wrong, that is okay also. Believe it or not, those guys wearing red jerseys and getting the heck knocked out of them are in Athens for one thing.
TO GET AN EDUCATION!!!
So you are saying that you don’t care if these young men get an education, you just want them to win “you” a National Championship. Please do me and many other fellow Dawgs a favor and become a Bama fan. My life is not measured in my school, yes I have a degree from UGA but that does not make me a better fan, winning National Championships. I like my “Missionary” Coach. I like how he tries to make a difference in young men’s lives. And the wins he brings our program is just icing on the cake. If CMR never wins a NC, I am fine with that. I would have been fine with Vince if he lost in Nawlins that wonderful January day. Both are class acts in my book and I am glad to have them represent the University of Georgia.
Cuz
January 12th, 2010
4:49 pm
Zeb, how are you feeling?
Dr. Cialis
January 12th, 2010
4:49 pm
Well, then. If Bill Lewis was a good enough DC for St. Vincent, then he should be good enough for Richt.
ugaman
January 12th, 2010
4:50 pm
i think that bumpas guy at tcu would be good. you would have to be with a name like dick bumpas. grantham or ellis johnson would be good. johnson has had respectable defenses everywhere he has been. i believe bumpas would come like that ken nugent guy says “one call thats all”.
Cuz
January 12th, 2010
4:54 pm
How about the Swamp Dog?
Neyland de toilet grande
January 12th, 2010
5:00 pm
The Swamp Fox is 80 years old.
Kitten
January 12th, 2010
5:01 pm
I’ll bet I could get my twin sister out here from California and we could get Nick Saban AND Kirby Smart to come to UGA and be cheerleaders…meow
ugaman
January 12th, 2010
5:07 pm
i think the sooner the better. we have recruits wondering whats going on. i think you could offer grantham and allow him to coach the playoffs. at least then recruits may say ok thats cool and maybe get a phone call from the guy.
ugaman
January 12th, 2010
5:11 pm
how about marion campbell! (jk) bumpas, grantham or johnson for me. of course tyrone nix may be fine.
USC Probation? soon!
January 12th, 2010
5:17 pm
USC – many say the best job in the country is 0-2??? (mike riley and jack de rio).
QUIT the panicking – CMR will find the right coach. he went for big fish, there are more out there. RELAX folks
Tech Man
January 12th, 2010
5:21 pm
Ask Herschel Walker to be the next DC!!!
Tech Man
January 12th, 2010
5:26 pm
Zeb…Thanks for that comment!!