UGA hires Grantham for $750,000 per year
(Updated 7 p.m.)
Athens – He last coached on the college level in 1998. He’ll make more money than Georgia has ever paid an assistant coach. He’ll change the Bulldogs’ defensive alignment to a 3-4.
He is Todd Grantham, and he is the answer to the question that dogged Georgia fans for 43 days: Who would coach Mark Richt hire as defensive coordinator?
“We have our man,” Richt said Friday as he named Grantham, the Dallas Cowboys’ defensive line coach, to fill the job that had been open since the Dec. 2 firing of Willie Martinez.
Grantham was known to have been on Richt’s radar for weeks, but at least three other candidates declined the job before it was offered to him. On Thursday night, Grantham accepted the same deal that Alabama defensive coordinator and former Georgia player Kirby Smart rejected three days earlier: a three-year, $750,000-per-year contract.
That salary will make Grantham the third highest-paid defensive coordinator in college football, behind only USC’s Monte Kiffin ($1.2 million plus a $300,000 bonus last season at Tennessee) and Texas’ Will Muschamp ($900,000). Georgia’s highest-paid assistants in 2009, Martinez and offensive coordinator Mike Bobo, made $325,000 each, plus bonuses.
Grantham, 43, was an assistant coach at Virginia Tech and Michigan State in the 1990s but has spent the past 11 seasons in the NFL, including the past two with Dallas. His only previous experience as a coordinator was with the Cleveland Browns from 2005-07.
Grantham will begin work at Georgia when Dallas’ season ends. The Cowboys play Sunday at Minnesota in an NFL playoff game.
By phone from Dallas late Friday afternoon, Grantham took a break from preparing for the Vikings to discuss his new job and new team.
He said Georgia will switch from its traditional 4-3 base defense to the 3-4, meaning three linemen and four linebackers rather than vice versa.
“We’re going to an aggressive style 3-4,” he said.
He said two outside linebackers “are going to be coming … are going to be developed as pass rushers.” Two inside linebackers, he said, are “going to be downhill guys to the ball.”
Although the 3-4 will become the base defense, Grantham said the Dogs will use “multiple” defenses “to have the ability to match [the offense's] personnel.”
The end result, he said, will be “an aggressive, physical, attacking-style defense.”
Grantham, who has coached the defensive line for most of his career, said he’ll work instead with the linebackers at Georgia. He said that’s a good role for a coordinator because the linebackers coach spends time on the practice field with both the line and the secondary, depending on the drill.
The only holdover on Georgia’s defensive coaching staff is line coach Rodney Garner. Grantham said they have not met, but “I have heard good things about him, and I expect to be meeting him shortly.”
Two openings remain on the defensive staff — Richt fired three coaches last month — but Grantham said no decisions have been made on who will be hired for those spots.
“Coach Richt and I will be working this weekend and next week to try to iron some of those things out,” he said.
Grantham’s hire capped an arduous process in which Richt was rejected by three highly respected defensive coordinators: Virginia Tech’s Bud Foster, LSU’s John Chavis and Smart. Richt said Grantham, whom he did not know when the search began, was recommended highly by many other coaches during the protracted process. One known to have recommended him was Foster.
After Smart turned down the job Monday, Richt turned the focus to Grantham.
“The overriding factor throughout the entire process is I was very prayerful that in the end we got the right man for the job. And that’s exactly what happened,” Richt said. “It was not something I was trying to do at breakneck speed.
“Sometimes it’s easy to just get a person who is willing to come at the drop of a hat, but when you’re looking at the quality we were looking for, such as Todd, it doesn’t always happen overnight. I’m just thankful we stayed the course and ended up where we ended up.
“I really feel like we hit the jackpot,” he added.
Richt’s six-week search for a defensive coordinator generated extraordinary interest among Georgia fans who have been concerned about the play of the Bulldogs’ defense the past two years. The Bulldogs allowed 34 or more points in 10 of 26 games over those seasons — a culture shock for a program once known for stout defense.
“I think … we can get the defense back to the way it has been in the past,” Grantham said.
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793 comments Add your comment
Georgia Bulldog 2001 X
January 15th, 2010
5:23 pm
Dear Todd G.
Obviously some blinded dawg fans wanted Kirby…others wanted someone who actually calls the plays for the defense and does have to check everything off with the hc first.
Fred
January 15th, 2010
5:24 pm
Did you know the Dawgs have not beaten their hated “rival” two times in a row since the 1988 and 1989 seasons.
Get Real
January 15th, 2010
5:26 pm
Dear Todd G,
Did you read the AJC…..
Was Saban sending a message to Smart?
5:16 pm January 8, 2010, by Tim Tucker
Just listened to audio of Nick Saban’s final press conference in Pasadena today before he and the national champions flew back to Alabama.
Thought you’d be interested in Saban’s comments pertaining to assistant coaches making lateral career moves.
You could certainly interpret the remarks as pointed advice to Kirby Smart that he shouldn’t leave the defensive-coordinator job at Alabama for the same job at Georgia.
Said Saban:
“I’m always happy and interested for our coaches to be able to advance professionally, especially if it is a professional advancement in terms of a guy being a coordinator who can go be a head coach in a situation where he has a chance to be successful. . . .
“I’m not pleased when guys make lateral moves because it’s a little bit human nature to think, like my dad used to say, the grass is always greener on top of the septic tank. You always think it’s better someplace else. You kind of let your ego get involved, and you make moves that you shouldn’t make and really aren’t in your best interests for a career standpoint. So I’m not happy when guys do that. But anybody on our staff who can move up, we would like to help them do that.”
Barkin'Dog
January 15th, 2010
5:27 pm
WTF – Dude… that’s your opinion. Who is to say what a coach is worth? If this DC does the job, he’ll be worth it, if not more. Look around you and notice where salaries are going. I’m glad UGA was in the financial position to afford this guy… he’s a proven winner.
All I’m saying is, to CMR (who probably wanted CTG anyway), let’s get this done and let him do his thing while recruiting coaches do their thing this week, and we’ll all see how it turns out this Fall.
Kirby "The Weasal" Smart
January 15th, 2010
5:31 pm
just because Saban calls all of the plays does not mean i’m not a great coach!
01HAWK
January 15th, 2010
5:33 pm
Even the new DC believes Georgia is not a premiere program. THAT SUCKS. Now that was FUNNY.
Hey PUPPY DOGS, here are his comments…………….See above. Hope you all got a copy of the Sports Illustrated issue on BAMA at your local newstand. I will frame it along side the 2008 Issue showing Georgia as presason NO.1………………….What a JOKE !!!!!!!!
From Dallas, where the Cowboys are preparing for Sunday’s playoff game at Minnesota, Grantham said in a statement: “I am very excited about being part of a staff that will work tremendously hard to return Georgia football to one of the premier teams in the SEC
01HAWK
January 15th, 2010
5:40 pm
NEWS FLASH,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,GRANTHAM does not think GEORGIA is a premier program.
That is old news. NO ONE THINKS UGA IS A PREMIER PROGRAM.
THAT IS VERY FUNNNNNNNNY
brucemac
January 15th, 2010
5:42 pm
We weren’t a premier program last year, all we could muster was an easy win over GT and we all know that doesn’t account for much. I guess most bloggers cannot read. Now that is funny!!!!
01HAWK
January 15th, 2010
5:42 pm
PREMIER PROGRAMS IN THE SEC
BAMA, FLORIDA, and the rest come stumbling in in a race for 3rd.
Man Enough
January 15th, 2010
5:44 pm
I was excited at the idea of Kirby, but that was after it was made out to be a done deal………….I didn’t expect him to make the lateral move. But now with some of the things I’m hearing about Grantham, the more I think this should have been the first choice to start with. The talent he has coached could be huge in recruiting. And so he didn’t last as DC in the NFL but this is college, He has had pro experience which should make coaching college easier imo. I am excited about the hire. And am more excited about the fact that UGA is willing to spend the $ to get back to top. A lot of my UGA freinds said they wouldn’t. Go Dawgs!!!!!!!!!
It’s sad that when I get on these blogs I see just as many haters (FLA, Tenn, GT fans) on here as UGA fans.
As for the Dooley going to Tenn. I’m happy for him but it will be weird having to pull against him. It’s a love/hate thing, I wish him well but not enough to beat us. At least that a**hole Kiffin is gone. I have nothing really against UT but Kiffin was quickly giving me reasons to hate.
brucemac
January 15th, 2010
5:45 pm
01Hawk, who doesn’t know that? Do you think you are breaking new ground here or something?
Mass Exodus Hit Gators....
January 15th, 2010
5:51 pm
Another Gator leaves early, wow, the 5th Florida Gator to LEAVE EARLY for the NFL Draft. Major Wright—GONE!
No one wants to come back and play for Florida and High School Coach Addazio in 2010, can’t blame them, Florida will get 7 or 8 wins in 2010.
http://msn.foxsports.com/cfb/story/Florida-Gators-Major-Wright-leaving-for-NFL-011210
Jim
January 15th, 2010
5:53 pm
Really looking forward to seeing who the other two coaches hired are to shore up our staff.
ESPN Ranks UGA 2010 Class #4
January 15th, 2010
5:55 pm
Basically, it’s all SEC at the top AGAIN as far as recuriting goes. fla, Bama and Georgia top 3 out of 4.
Georgia should grab some big time defensive recruits with the Grantham signing and the Tenn and Florida disasters once the dust settles.
Dawg Rip
January 15th, 2010
5:57 pm
GA should have offered Kirby smart $1 mil and he would have taken the job. They went cheap instead, and then had to pay obscene money for their 5th choice. Damon evans blew it again.
Jona
January 15th, 2010
5:58 pm
#4 class? That can’t be. As bad as Georgia sucks and is the cesspool of the NCAA? Well….that’s what I read on here anyway.
brucemac
January 15th, 2010
6:00 pm
Mass, it is more a testiment to greatness than not wanting to play for Coach Spaghetti. You can’t blame them for getitng $millions rather than play with Gators. It will hurt them no doubt but certainly we can respect the greatness of these Gators. Absolutely awesome.
Barkin'Dog
January 15th, 2010
6:01 pm
01HAWK and brucemac — whomever you support (as so-called fans)… I’m sure you’ve never suffered a drop in the top 10 polls… I’m sure you’ve never had a negative thing to say about your teams… I’m sure you have nothing better to do with your time than come on this blog and try to steal the excitement of the Dawg fans who are happy with the selection and movement toward a better ranking. You are so sure that you’re team is better and the Dawgs are not a premier team, your ignorance of all that is right now with the Dawgs reflects your arrogance toward your own lives in general. Tell us, are you getting a divorce because your significant other thinks you’re too small, or are you getting overlooked at work because you’re spending too much time on these blogs dissing the Dawgs, no matter what they do? Curious minds want to know.
brucemac
January 15th, 2010
6:04 pm
I happen to be the biggest Dawg fan alive, I don’t know how I got thrown in there with old Hawk. We were not good in 2009, did you think we were? Coach Grantham said he hopes to return the UGA nation to greatness and he can only be referring to our year last.
Buckhead Bulldog
January 15th, 2010
6:05 pm
Perfect…..Go Dogs!
redandblack80
January 15th, 2010
6:09 pm
GaYtor Guy boy blue-STFU.What about the other 90+ years when you were our slaves?…………UF WAS NOT RANKED FROM 1904-1954…………..92 YRS W/OUT A SEC TITLE & 100 yrs w/OUT A NC.”PATHETIC”SUMS IT UP………………………………..T-BLOW IS GONE & URBAN CRYER HAS PARKENSEN DESEASE….UF’S REIGN IS OVER ….NOW UF IS KINDA LIKE BOBBY BOWDEN WASHED UP CRY BABIES WHO WILL TALK ABOUT THEIR NON EXISTENT HERRITAGE….GA HAS 119 YRS OF HERRITAGE.WE WERE RANKED # 1 in 1927,42,46,68 and 1980……BTW GA BEAT UF 75-0 The most UF beat GA was 33-0.GA15 shutout to uf’s 5 shutouts….Thats GA’s>492 points to UF’s> 112 points…..You were GA’s “SLAVES” for 100 YEARS…………..BAMA’s SLAVE TOO.
takedowndawg
January 15th, 2010
6:09 pm
gagator, I bet your profile is a “32 -year- old- never- played- the -game(but wanted to or dreamed to)
guy”. Enlightened us. Why are you so worried about our new DC? :You know when fl has 3rd dn, 3 yards yds. to go Brantley will “muscle it through”. against anyone you are playing! Right. You did imply though that Brantley would diversify fl’s offense next year right. And that fl will be stronger than ever. Or, was that your buddy, tampagator? It is difficult to keep you guys separated, dispositionally. Go SECCC!!!
WTF
January 15th, 2010
6:10 pm
brucemac, “LSU, Florida, Alabama, Texas, Southern Cal, Tennessee, Oklahoma, and others. Are you ignorant or just another stupid Tech fan?”
You’re comparing Georgia to those programs and calling me ignorant in the same breath? Thanks for the laugh. Keep smoking that crack rock.
Dennis G. Berdanis
January 15th, 2010
6:11 pm
Really don’t know a lot about him, but like how he talks. Physical attacking defenses that offenses do NOT look forward to playing. Sounds good to me! Go Dawgs!
WTF
January 15th, 2010
6:13 pm
Are you really that stupid, brucemac? Did you really just compare UGA football to LSU, Florida, Alabama, Texas, Southern Cal, and Oklahoma???
Buckhead Bulldog
January 15th, 2010
6:14 pm
Wrong Barkin’Dog: These two are not “arrogant”. They are miserable losers who gain joy by trying to bring others down with their negative dribble. You see, they try to bring others down to their level so they will feel better in their little one bedroom apartment in Midtown. This “loser” mentality permeates in all they do, their social lives, their work lives, their relationships, etc..
WTF
January 15th, 2010
6:14 pm
Dennis, I’m sure Alabama and Florida are shaking in their boots with the way Grantham talks. If talking won championships Georgia would have at least 10 by now..
brucemac
January 15th, 2010
6:16 pm
I said they are our competitors MORON. Are they not? I realize we are not competitive with most as of now but that is the goal. I give up, you got it all figured out. I am out.
Buckhead Bulldog
January 15th, 2010
6:16 pm
oops to brucemac….Go Dogs!
WTF
January 15th, 2010
6:19 pm
Buckhead Bulldog, are we supposed to be impressed if you live in Buckhead? I just lost some serious brain cells reading your post.
Barkin'Dog
January 15th, 2010
6:19 pm
Buckhead Bulldog — couldn’t have said it better… and I didn’t.
WTF
January 15th, 2010
6:24 pm
When was the last time UGA played USC, Oklahoma or Texas? And as for the others, being on par with them and wanting to be them are 2 totally different things. I’m sure you want to be like Florida, LSU or Alabama, but it just isn’t happening for you.
WTF
January 15th, 2010
6:26 pm
Buckhead Bulldog and Barkin’ Dog, aka Dumb and Dumber.
Barkin'Dog
January 15th, 2010
6:34 pm
WTF — RIP
takedowndawg
January 15th, 2010
6:34 pm
WTF, you may want to consider another acronym for your name! Not very manly! Maybe you don’t know what your acronym could or does mean.
Buckhead Bulldog
January 15th, 2010
6:41 pm
WTF: Blah ha ha ha ha ha ha…..feeling inferior like the L O S E R you truly are sitting behind your little computer. WhatEVER, pudding pop!
GT Fan
January 15th, 2010
6:50 pm
Finally both school got their man. I’m proud for Coach Richt and Johnson both did a great job. Now lets play football! Stop the hate and battle on the field. God Bless the USA.
Buckhead Bulldog
January 15th, 2010
7:14 pm
Right on, GT Fan!
Roadrunner
January 15th, 2010
7:30 pm
I LOVE his comment “I look forward to developing an aggressive, physical, attacking style defense that offenses will not look forward to playing against”!! That is EXACTLY the attitude that has been missing from Georgia’s defense for way too long. The defense is supposed to disrupt what the opposing team’s offenses are trying to do, not contain them, bend but not break, etc. Just hit somebody!! GO DAWGS!!!
kentucky cade
January 15th, 2010
7:33 pm
cats-30 puppies-24 tween the twigs…cats own dogs
bulldog in carolina
January 15th, 2010
7:36 pm
WTF….words of wisdom from Awful Coast Conference fan….what does wtf stand for WIMPY TECH FOOTBALL?
Kirby "The Weasal" Smart
January 15th, 2010
7:42 pm
Hey, someone needs to talk about me. I need to feel important!
UGA needs me but CMR couldn’t come up with enough cash….
I am the greatest…Saban only helps me a little.;)
Dog Man 98
January 15th, 2010
7:44 pm
Time will tell who got the best coach.
I’m just glad we did not get stuck with Kirby.
dawgnga56
January 15th, 2010
7:48 pm
WTF
I think we are ok with the Bama and LSWho comment Dawgs 3-1 last 4 meetings with Bama. Dawgs 5-2 last 7 meetings with LSWho and that includes this years fiasco. Tech can’t remember past their last LSWho game. They got their memory shredded.
dawgnga56
January 15th, 2010
7:57 pm
My bad folks, I meant to say 5-3 if you include this years joke. Still a pretty good record against a team wtf said we should want to be like.
Bill the wonder Dawg
January 15th, 2010
8:09 pm
After listening to the press conference this afternoon I’m convinced.He is very clear on what he wants to do.He will sell recruits because they’ll see he will get the best out of them.
I also like that he’ll coach LBers.In a 3-4 this is the key area.Like I said, he’s clear on what he wants to do.
Gator in Miami
January 15th, 2010
8:17 pm
Florida’s offense will be loaded next year with Mack Brown at RB, Andre Debose at WR (Percy Harvin clone) and a deep, experienced Oline, with demps and rainey in the backfield / slot. Brantley will have so many weapons, they may average 45 per game!!! Look for another blowout over UGA in Jax—that D coordinator will be ready to head back to the nfl after 1 year.
Louie
January 15th, 2010
8:21 pm
Looks like to me it was a process of elimination. Doggies were getting desperate, everyone in the whole damn nation had turned them down . Just shows how many people had regrets at coming to a program going backwards. Al Groh will get the Jacket Nation up and running. Paul Johnson is all smiles, as he should be.Cant wait till next November, gentlemen, IT’S ON !!!!!!!
Go DOGS
January 15th, 2010
8:30 pm
“loaded” because of Mack Brown? Ha ha ha ha! Been drinkinga little too much for a Friday, huh?
Preston
January 15th, 2010
8:35 pm
You guys are funny as hell. You’re screwed whether you win or lose. CPJ is hoping that Groh will give him a dream season so he can go get a job at a real program. The most he can hope for is 11-1 because he won’t beat UGA again. With a weak ACC schedule, that’s very possible and then you guys can have fun watching yet another coach run as fast as he can to another school. I mean, think about it. You guys only beat UGA once by 3 points when CWM ran the defense. It won’t happen with the new D at UGA. Another long win streak started in November. Bank on it!