So is Grantham the guy?
All indications continued to point Wednesday toward Dallas Cowboys assistant coach Todd Grantham as Mark Richt’s latest target for Georgia’s defensive-coordinator job.
What remained uncertain is whether Grantham would accept the job, and when he would feel free to do so.
As I mentioned a couple of days ago, Georgia keeps running into complications in its search. The complication with Grantham -– beyond his decision about whether to return to college football after 11 years of building a strong reputation as an NFL assistant – is that his current team is still playing. Would the Cowboys tolerate a potentially distracting announcement –- or even potentially distracting negotiations –- as they prepare for Sunday’s playoff game at Minnesota?
Grantham hasn’t commented publicly on the Georgia job. Georgia also had no comment Wednesday, reiterating Richt’s refrain that he won’t comment until he has his guy.
But it does appear that Georgia has zeroed in one another strong candidate, this time one whose resume indicates a willingness to change jobs.
Grantham, 43, started his coaching career under Frank Beamer at Virginia Tech and then coached under Nick Saban at Michigan State. Since 1999, Grantham has coached for four NFL teams –- the Colts, Texans, Browns (as defensive coordinator from 2005-07) and Cowboys (as defensive-line coach the past two seasons).
Saban tried to hire Grantham as the Miami Dolphins’ defensive coordinator when Grantham took the Browns job instead in 2005. He was mentioned as a potential head coach in Cleveland in 2006, then fired as defensive coordinator a year later. Such is life in the NFL.
Grantham has one known tie to Georgia -– a vacation home on Lake Oconee.
If you missed it, here’s a blog from yesterday afternoon on Mark Fox, the king of tweeting in the SEC.
And please follow me on Twitter for the latest UGA news and notes.
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260 comments Add your comment
SECfan
January 14th, 2010
12:27 pm
Dawg fans don’t worry about Schultz and Bradley they are two of the worst writers in the sports journalism industry, which is why they work for the AJC. Bradley is never right about anything and Schultz said Tech would steamroll UGA this year. They enjoy getting a rise out of Georgia fans so don’t give them the benefit.
GT Rich
January 14th, 2010
12:27 pm
how2fish,
That’s 1-1 (Johnson) Chan doesn’t coach here anymore
PowerDawg
January 14th, 2010
12:27 pm
They just HAVE to keep falling back on that one, fluke, three-point win… two years ago!
It’s all they have, poor saps.
It’s sad, really.
JB
January 14th, 2010
12:32 pm
He will probably be the guy although we will not have him for recruiting period. If Dallas wins Sunday, he’s locked up another 7 days at a minimum. I think being 45 minutes from his lake house is a plus. Heck, his family could live there, and he could stay at a UGA guest room during football season. At 600,000 or so it should be a nice raise. As a position coach, he’s probably making 300-350 at Dallas. Plus, he will be the man on D. On a downside, he does a good job for us and Beamer retires in 2-3 years, guess who Foster will call first to be the DC at VT.
brucemac
January 14th, 2010
12:34 pm
Hey, even a broken clock is right twice a day. We have to let you win every ten years or so, otherwise you will quit playing us. Oh no, you couldn’t do that because then noone, and I mean noone would buy a season ticket to that thrilling schedule you roll out every year. Can’t wait for those Duke, Maryland, Wake Forest, and Middle Tennessee match ups. What a thrill.
59bulldawg
January 14th, 2010
12:34 pm
Well if Bud Foster recommends him, that’s good enough for me!
GT Rich
January 14th, 2010
12:35 pm
This is what the people in Dallas are saying and I agree
Posted by Geez Louise @ 11:42 PM Wed, Jan 06, 2010
Why would a sane person leave a good gig in the NFL with the Cowboys for a job at U Georgia that isn’t even the head coach??
Hahaha.
——————————————————————————–
Posted by Beast @ 12:32 AM Thu, Jan 07, 2010
A lateral move from America’s Team to the Georgia Bulldogs, a mediocre SEC school? Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa….no.
GT Rich
January 14th, 2010
12:36 pm
bruceamac,
make no mistake. YOU are our number one priority!
Ramon
January 14th, 2010
12:42 pm
GT Rich, moving from a position coach job to a DC opening in the SEC is not a lateral move. If it was a lateral move don’t you think the position coaches in the NFL would be making 600,000 or more? Another reason is, if he doesn’t make this move, when do you think he’s going to get another chance to run a defense? It definitely won’t be in the next 3-4 years in the NFL. The last successful DC at UGA ended up with a DC position in the league. So that along is a good selling point.
dap01
January 14th, 2010
12:42 pm
GT Rich: You are pathetic.
brucemac
January 14th, 2010
12:42 pm
Fair enough, Go Dawgs.
Dick Cheney
January 14th, 2010
12:43 pm
Hire me. I’ll waterboard the Gators and Vols.
Wade Phillips
January 14th, 2010
12:46 pm
I’ll tell you why he’d leave GTRich– he’s only a linebackers coach in Big D and I ain’t giving him the coordinator job anytime soon.
wayne
January 14th, 2010
12:47 pm
Ruffin Mcneill DC Texas Tech makes arounnd 360,000/annum just let go by Tuberville. Athletes love him and play their hearts out for him as seen in their recent bowl win. Go after the man quickly!
Buffalo Bills
January 14th, 2010
12:48 pm
If we’re not interviewing him, Grantham’s not getting a head coaching gig in the NFL anytime soon.
Vince's Dooley
January 14th, 2010
12:51 pm
Damon, look and see if I took Ray Goff and Jim Donnan off speed-dial. If I did, see if their cards are in my old Rolodex. Chop-chop…..
Vick=Dog killing Thug
January 14th, 2010
12:54 pm
GT Rich makes me laugh….. more like GT stupid. Make fun of the any aspect of the Dawgs but they have GT beat any way you slice it. When was the last time the insects even won a bowl? Any bowl?
Enjoy the 45-42 fluke loser. It’s your 15 minutes of fame. Long gone…..
PowerDawg
January 14th, 2010
12:58 pm
Subscribe to the Augusta Chronicle on-line if you want good, honest, unbiased UGA reporting…most of the time.
Stay away from the Savannah paper, though. They seem more than a little slanted towards the “Institute” and that other little wannabe in the ‘Boro.
The Macon-Telegraph used to have some decent writers but as long as Shanks and Lough are contributing, there will be a lot of rah-rah-rah for anybody other than the Dawgs.
JMO
SOUTHGADAWG88
January 14th, 2010
1:03 pm
I don’t see the big deal about announcing a deal while the Cowboys are still playing.He is not the DC at Dallas he is a position coach.This is the pros the players are not going to be distracted by some position coach getting another job.
GT Rich
January 14th, 2010
1:09 pm
LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
jerry
January 14th, 2010
1:10 pm
Who gives a damn what the Cowboys will “tolerate”. UGA doesn’t owe them anything. If one likes a girl, he doesn’t go asking her boyfriend if its o.k. to talk to her, does he? Full speed ahead and to hell with the Cowboys.
Technophobia
January 14th, 2010
1:10 pm
43 days, and counting…………..
GT Rich
January 14th, 2010
1:12 pm
Grantham is NOT announcing it because just like the other SIX he ain’t going to georgia. Get it through your thick head’s.
PowerDawg
January 14th, 2010
1:15 pm
JB-
Just for information…The money offered to Grantham will be at least equal to if not more than what they offered Smart.
Multi-year contract @ 700-750K/year.
Assistant coaches are not paid huge salaries in the NFL. Teams spend their budgets on players and Head Coaches. And assistants don’t usually sign long-term contracts, either. They get hired and fired too often.
Monte Kiffen got a huge raise to come and coach under his idiot son. And he was in the NFL how long?
Salty Dawg
January 14th, 2010
1:18 pm
This paper is a real joke. I love how they post the same article multiple times with different headers. Looking for some original content, clicked on 3 different “headlines” and got the same blog post each time. WTF?
McDawg
January 14th, 2010
1:20 pm
how about everyone just not talk about the DC job until its filled
obomaisaclown
January 14th, 2010
1:25 pm
I understand that mike Thorton a Auburn lean is cancel his Auburn viit anyone know what is going on?
PowerDawg
January 14th, 2010
1:26 pm
How about we talk about what whatever we feel like, dude?
Besides it’s January 14th. What else is there? The NFL? GMAFB!
SOUTHGADAWG88
January 14th, 2010
1:26 pm
Then what would we be talking about?I’m tired of the Kiffin story already!
Willie Martinez
January 14th, 2010
1:27 pm
I would like to announce that I have accepted the position of defensive coordinator at Georgia Tech Institute of Technology. I look forward to continuing the decades long tradition of mediocre defenses at Tech.
Kirby Smart
January 14th, 2010
1:29 pm
The GT fans are really wannabe UGA fans otherwise why would they keep blogging here rather than their own blog…unless they are waiting to find out who the other DC candidates might be so they can talk to them after Ga hires one like a dog (no pun intended) waiting for table scraps.
PowerDawg
January 14th, 2010
1:30 pm
Cool!
Come to think of it, that would be a definite upgrade for those goobers.
JB
January 14th, 2010
1:32 pm
GT Rich……………………………………………………………………………………Go pant over your own empty DC search……………I know the big names are drooling over that opening also. DC at Tech= career killer.
Paul Johnson
January 14th, 2010
1:33 pm
GT Rich, whatta ya doin over here…get back home to the Tech blog!! Yeah, I know this one’s more interestin’ but we need everyone we can get on own blog!!!
Cherokee
January 14th, 2010
1:36 pm
GT Rich ….and GT hired who for the DC job and when did that happen???
NO ROUNDBALL, NO NASCAR
January 14th, 2010
1:38 pm
If Kiffin is not relative to UGA, if Vick is not relative to the Falcons, if Frenchy is not relative to the Braves, if whoever is not relative to the Thrashers, count me out.
JB
January 14th, 2010
1:39 pm
Way off subject, but just read a story on Newsmax about what the world is doing for Haiti. Even China. Interesting that not one Muslim Country mentioned. not one.
Jag Dawg
January 14th, 2010
1:39 pm
Grantham has worked with a lot of great coaches. The fact that these well known coaches would hire him has got to say something about the guy. He may actually take the job being he is going to a DC job at a major football school…Heck, after Willie Martinez, Donald Duck is a step in the right direction.
JB
January 14th, 2010
1:48 pm
BREAKING NEWS FROM TECH ATHLETIC COMPLEX: Coach Groh, The 68 year old just fired Head Coach of Virginia has determined the job at Tech might work. HE said, ” well, they’re aren’t a lot of steps to navigate, and the SSI people told me i can still draw in full, and i’m used to getting cussed at the last two years. Heck, this might work. I’m a little nervous about that big ole slab expressway our there, but Paul said he’d drive me to work from Paulding County. No gun fire at night out there he say’s”. Who is this Bradley and Shultz guy who keep tweet’n my ass?
Fleischman in Chi Towns Bed
January 14th, 2010
1:52 pm
Has Saint Richt interviewed any High School coaches for the job? I bet they wouldn’t turn him down like everyone else has.
Bill Lewis
January 14th, 2010
1:53 pm
Hey, I know of a certain former longtime, successful, good looking former UGA defensive coordinator, who just happens to be available for a second tour of duty. Whaddya say?
Awful anticipation
January 14th, 2010
1:54 pm
Fact: People like good news, people can take bad news, but people CAN’T tolerate no news…. This is why the AJC writers are reporting whatever they choose. You will come running to read it…. FACT.
I just wish some sort of announcement would take place from CMR. We are almost done with the second week of Jan and no hire. Other colleges are filling roles at an alarming rate. I’m not saying he should rush into this, but he needs to understand that providing some updates on this search is necessary. Why? Because we the FANS are the customers. We generate the revenue that makes this whole thing possible. Take all the time necessary to find the right hire, meanwhile, throw us a bone.. FOR CRYING OUT LOUD !!!!!!!!!
Ruffin McNeil
January 14th, 2010
1:59 pm
I wouldn’t touch that job with a ten foot pole. I hear them fleabags are a bunch of racist, beer swilling, chain smoking, tattoo sporting trash talking scumbags.
PowerDawg
January 14th, 2010
2:00 pm
Good one Kirby-
Since you posted with that traitors name, we’ll oblige you.
Keep it up. You have already lit a fire to the bridge. Might as well throw some gasoline on there and finish the drill!
Pretty soon it too will go POOF! Just like that welcome wagon that crashed and burned a few days ago.
You couldn’t even make your own statement to the media when you decided to turn your back on your Alma Mater.
You had to keep your mouth closed and let your Daddy speak for you. You are a wimp.
Hope you enjoy being Saban’s whipping boy. You will always be in his shadow. And when this shooting star flames out… and it will… you will be the one to take the blame.
Enjoy.
Awful anticipation
January 14th, 2010
2:01 pm
I think Todd Grantham would be a good hire. However, it’s highly likely he would take this job only to prove he is ready for a DC job again and bolt as soon as the opportunity presents itself. Likely to the NFL. I’m guessing he would be successful when compared to our previous defenses…
cajdawg
January 14th, 2010
2:06 pm
If Grantham does a great job and leaves in two years than so be it. That is a good problem to have. Top programs lose coordinators when they are successful, that is good indicator that you are hiring good people.
Coop
January 14th, 2010
2:10 pm
Georgia = A top second-tier program
JB
January 14th, 2010
2:14 pm
Any body worth their salt won’t stay long. Who’s been hired off our staff the last 2-3 years. No one. We have a position coach problem At UGA. Look at our play. If you check in a nice resort and it’s not run well, you gonna blame the doorman ? The grass cutter ? How about the people charged with running the place. the GM and his Management team aka the coach’s. Nobody has been knocking on our door. Bobo, our OC. Is he on any list for a HC job ? nope. I want people after our folks. We didn’t go after Foster and Smart because of lackluster results. They produce. That’s what I want.
Ali Akbar U
January 14th, 2010
2:15 pm
GT Rich -
8 out of 9
30-24
5 in a row at Bobby Dodd
73-66
We’re talking total domination of UGA over GA. Tech.
FYI – Womack is gone and Tech is still looking for a DC! Word is that Clay Aiken is going to be the next DC at Tech! LMAO!
Fleabag Motel
January 14th, 2010
2:15 pm
Hey Bill
Do you think Pete Carroll would leave the Seahawks to come to beautiful, clean, safe Athens?