New LB coach ‘looking forward to’ competing ‘for SEC and national championships’
Warren Belin
The Georgia football team’s defensive coaching staff is whole again.
The final opening on the staff was filled this afternoon, when UGA coach Mark Richt hired Warren Belin from Vanderbilt as a linebackers coach.
The addition of Belin, following last month’s hires of Todd Grantham from the Dallas Cowboys as defensive coordinator and Scott Lakatos from Connecticut as defensive-backs coach, completed the makeover of a defensive staff that was decimated by Richt’s Dec. 2 firing of three assistants.
Belin is a 20-year coaching veteran who spent the past eight seasons as Vanderbilt’s linebackers coach. He also was Vandy’s recruiting coordinator the past two years and special-teams coordinator in 2006-07.
“I’m looking forward to the next step in my career with Coach Richt and the opportunity to compete for SEC and national championships,” Belin said in a statement late this afternoon.
A former Wake Forest football player (1987-90), Belin coached at SMU, William & Mary, Cornell and East Tennessee State before going to Vanderbilt, where his work drew Richt’s attention.
“Warren has had some of the best linebackers and tacklers in the league for years,” Richt said in a statement.
Richt added that when he and Grantham interviewed Belin, “we were very impressed with his knowledge of the game, schemes and fundamentals. He’s going to be a perfect mentor for our players as well.”
Belin will share the linebacker-coaching duties with Grantham, who plans to convert Georgia’s defensive alignment from a 4-3 to a 3-4, meaning three linemen and four linebackers rather than vice versa.
Grantham said last month that he will coach either the inside or outside linebackers with the final hire –- Belin -– coaching the other. Georgia didn’t announce their specific assignments today.
The linebacker position added a player earlier this week when Richt confirmed that Richard Samuel will move there in spring practice. Samuel was Georgia’s starting taiback at the start of last season but had fallen well behind Caleb King and Washaun Ealey at the position by season’s end.
Grantham, Lakatos and Belin join the only holdover on Georgia’s defensive staff, Rodney Garner, who will coach the linemen. Garner also is the recruiting coordinator.
“I look forward to working with Coach Grantham, Coach Garner and Coach Lakatos in installing the new defensive package,” Belin said. “My wife and family are excited about the opportunity to become part of the Athens community, Bulldog Nation and the great tradition at UGA.”
Belin and his wife, Yolanda, have three daughters: 7-year-old Camryn and 4-year-old twins Morgan and MacKenzi.
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503 comments Add your comment
PHIL
February 5th, 2010
7:57 pm
How bad is it when Hooters girls are smarter than Tech, UF, and UA fans?
Chuck UGA
February 5th, 2010
8:01 pm
Goldtimer = 30-24 (Loser)
Stop Making Excuses = Village Idiot
‘Nuff said. Next!
Monticello Dawg
February 5th, 2010
8:01 pm
What was Duke thinking, hiring Coach K from a second tier school like Army? Everyone knows the only good coaches come from bigname schools. Also a lot of posters on here would have run Coach K out of Durham on a rail for not having a winning season in the ACC until his 5th year.
PT
February 5th, 2010
8:02 pm
That my help getting them to Knoxville, but it will not help with the game plan and player assignments. You still don’t get it do ya.
DawgByte
February 5th, 2010
8:04 pm
Vols Rule -
You’re joking right? Let me once again lay out the Volunteer debacle:
1. The Vols hire Lame Kiffin, who does nothing in one year for the big orange, but get all kinds of NCAA recruiting investigators on your tail. See Hogate for more details.
2. Lane Kiffin causes a riot on UT’s campus after announcing he thinks your program is second rate, by bolting for SC. Death threats abound.
3. The Vol brain trust decides to go after the coach in waiting at Texas, who makes a million bucks. Will Muschamp promptly tells the Vols to taking a flying leap into the toilet.
4. Then the brainiacs in Knoxturd decide they’ll go after retired NFL coach, John Gruden. It takes Gruden all of one second to tell the Vols to get stuffed.
5. Then the Vols go after a homer in David Cutlcliffe, but he too jilts the Rocky Toppers by staying at Duke… of all places!!!
6. Desparate the Vols turn to the head coach of perennial SEC doormat LA Tech and steal away their head coach. Haaaaaaaaahaahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.
Get ready for an absolute disasterous season Vol fans, because you guys have proven over the last 8 years that things in Rocky Top land ain’t so good!!!
Without-a-clue
February 5th, 2010
8:05 pm
Vandy has had some of the best and most consistent LB play in the SEC over the past few years and they have accomplished this with less “stars” than others. He is a good hire.
Chuck UGA
February 5th, 2010
8:14 pm
VolsRule will not be seen or heard from again after 2010. Sorry, but Derek Dooley will not last more than 5 years at Tennessee. Times have changed. Trying to compare him to Vince is ridicoulus. Vince won 6 SEC Titles in 25 years. This is a different time and place with BRUTAL competition that he is not ready for, He will never beat Urban Meyer or Nick Saban (and if he does, it will be maybe one win in six games). He will have a hard time defeating UGA because the players are going to be jacked to beat down that ugly orange after what Da’Rick “T-O” Rogers did (check the Twitter posts, they are already talking about the Tennessee game next year!) LSU comes on the UT schedule for the next two years, and they are LOADED as usual and will beat UT for sure in 2010. Tennessee hired their seventh choice, everyone knows that. Derek Dooley will do the best he can, but it won’t be enough to satisfy the delusional fans up there. By the way, Rogers will not qualify and will not enroll at UT for the 2010 season. He doesn’t have the grades. UT Football is a shell of what it was, and firing Fulmer was plain stupid.
NC Dawg
February 5th, 2010
8:19 pm
Da’Rick needs Da’Grades to play.
NC Dawg
February 5th, 2010
8:19 pm
Great hire for the Dawgs!
poopdawg
February 5th, 2010
8:22 pm
Edwards leaving Florida after just accepting the DC job (less than 30 days) is disgusting. I’m sure Urban kept that on the downlow to all the defensive recruits signing wednesday to spend the next 4-5 yrs with Edwards. Kind of the same treatment UT early enrollees got when they found out Kiffen was leaving, Hamilton was nice enough to wait till after they were trapped to tell them their options. Looks bad on Edwards for even thinking about leaving , and it looks bad on Meyer for not telling the recruits and yes Meyer knew. Both schools looked pretty sleezy . Go DAWGS.
45ACP
February 5th, 2010
8:23 pm
Good hire. Glad that Richard is moving to LB.
C from Marietta
February 5th, 2010
8:26 pm
Hey There Coon-Dawg,
I was being sarcastic. I love Coach Richt and hopes he stays for a long time
FUNNY
February 5th, 2010
8:27 pm
Who is Mark Rectum? He is the UGA head football coach who is about eight inches long and serves, basically, as a warehouse for poop.
FUNNY
February 5th, 2010
8:30 pm
Da’Rick is STILL wearing you guys out. FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUNNNNNNNNNNNNNYYY
DirtyDog
February 5th, 2010
8:30 pm
This is an article about UGA hiring a new Defensive Coach today & DAWG fans continue to whine about Da’Rick Rogers…..Nash Nance…..Mr. Nance……Lane Kiffin……Urban Meyer……bad officiating in the LSU game…..waaaahhh!!!
Lakedawg
February 5th, 2010
8:31 pm
Chuck UGA, are you the same Chuck UGA that used to be
on the old (original) Dawg Vent ?
TheItalianDawg
February 5th, 2010
8:31 pm
Im, in fact, very impressed with Vandy D in the past 3-4 years, wow! talking about coaching up kids. they converted many 1 and 2 stars players into very solid ones. in the last 4 years Vandy beat Georgia, Tennessee, Auburn, Ole Miss, Kentucky, south carolina, BC and played FL and LSU to the wire
FUNNY
February 5th, 2010
8:35 pm
bleedsredandblack,
you don’t run crap. Get back to your trailer park & drink another budweiser. YOU MORON!!!
radlydawg
February 5th, 2010
8:37 pm
I’m totally with you USMC DAWG!!!!!!!!!!!! NOW…..IT’S TIME TO GO TO WORK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
RADLYDAWG
METTER
mike addington
February 5th, 2010
8:37 pm
I don’t whether they can play or not but it looks to me by the numbers our recruits have, eg, 40 yard time, etc, that we had a very good recruiting class. Bunch of good-looking O and D linemen. We already have QB and WR, RBs, and some real fine corners. If the guys play as capable and as real Junkyard Dawgs, heck, we can play with anybody,
anybody, I say.
FUNNY
February 5th, 2010
8:39 pm
bleedsredandblack,
Get back to your trailer park & drink another budweiser. YOU MORON!!!
11-3 & ranked GT
February 5th, 2010
8:42 pm
Now all they need is a QB………like,
Josh Nesbitt
………………
if a frog had wings!
February 5th, 2010
8:43 pm
Defense wins championships!
Thank you CMR ! Now you are finally getting it!
They can’t score, they can’t win!
End of story!
11-3 & ranked GT
February 5th, 2010
8:44 pm
anybody can go to Shreveport, I say.
Happydawg
February 5th, 2010
8:47 pm
Hey 11-3, anyone can lose in the Orange Bowl!
11-3 & ranked GT
February 5th, 2010
8:47 pm
who dat only RANKED
TEAM IN THE STATE ?
11-3 & ranked GT
February 5th, 2010
8:47 pm
what RANKED team
own this STATE ?
PT
February 5th, 2010
8:49 pm
poopdawg – As I have said before, Urban and Lane have the same type character, the only difference is the delivery.
11-3 & ranked GT
February 5th, 2010
8:49 pm
that Dallas defense looked lost against the Vikings.
Happydawg
February 5th, 2010
8:51 pm
11-3 sorry buddy, but Georgia RUNS THE STATE, not some school in Ghetto of Atlanta.
Jeff in Calhoun
February 5th, 2010
8:52 pm
GREAT HIRE! Now they can go to work with the great recruiting classes and bring those other teams to their knees.
PT
February 5th, 2010
8:53 pm
Ranked – So did the Saints to tune of 475.
Louie
February 5th, 2010
8:54 pm
Well, where do I start.
Sooo enjoyed being first to post last night about Damon.
First,let me say thanks to the following for gettin in after I left last night. (just had a chance to read them)
Louie Jr. ( what a neck)
GT Dog
Buddy El
Moe Tate
Without- a Clue (yes, he is)
Delusional GT Fans
Thank you , one and all.
Now, moving on, I see we are throwing BIG money at VANDY coaches now in our latest desperational , last minute try to warm up an empty seat.
Vandy? Are you kidding me ?????????
I also hear Duke has a great scout team coach.
Damn, I just leaked out too mutt info that was to be kept secret.
By what I read her above me from you humpers, NOBODY is very impressed with this hire.
STILL L M F A O
Oh, and before I forget, has anyone heard from jackhammer ??????????
Jeff in Calhoun
February 5th, 2010
8:55 pm
UGA was second in the SEC behind Florida in quality of athlete’s.
PT
February 5th, 2010
9:04 pm
Louie – You just mentioned a coach from the ACC which means absolutely nothing to anyone. Great analogy.
Barack Dawg
February 5th, 2010
9:11 pm
Hey Goldtimer – when you start beating UGA on a regular basis and something more than once a decade, then you question our staff. In the meantime, you better worry about your own coaches. You better worry about Florida State and how bad they are going to be regularly kicking you arse than what coaches UGA hires. Vandy played in a man’s conference and not the ASheShe.
Louie
February 5th, 2010
9:11 pm
lil pt
Hire him , he can only help.
STILL…….
Leave Vandy Alone
February 5th, 2010
9:12 pm
I dont remember which full it was, but someone mentioned the ranking of Vandy’s class. Well DUH! Its Vandy. They are not a football school and they are never going to be able to recruit as high as the other SEC schools, especially with their academic standards. What is important to realize is that they have improved under this guy, and I read on a couple places that this is one of their best classes ever. So..SHUT UP!
Chancie
February 5th, 2010
9:15 pm
gonna be a hoot when CPJ and the other scrubs from the state wup the big 8 star recruits the dogs have.
Barack Dawg
February 5th, 2010
9:16 pm
Louie – you are prize I bet. Don’t worry about UGA you just worry about the useless insects ability. You will have plenty of time to lament having to play UGA at the end of the year again. I actually was embarrassed you had to hire a fired ACC coach to run your defense. Guess there were not many openings for a coach that can’t make it in the ACC.
Barack Dawg
February 5th, 2010
9:18 pm
Hey Chancie – nice 40 something ranked class again…help me remember who won last, oh that is right UGA – 30 – 24 nerd. Nice 3 point win you have every decade. I think it is in Richt’s contract to let you win once a decade just so they can call it a rivalry.
Big, Bad Vandy
February 5th, 2010
9:18 pm
You need to leave our coaches alone. We were the Dark Horse to win the NC this year. Now we will have to settle on second in our division.
Chancie
February 5th, 2010
9:24 pm
Obama dawg. Keep walking around in neckville telling yourself how big and bad you Kentucky,Tenn., Fla., Ok. State, whoopers are. The tide will turn, and you too will go away.
Kirby Smart
February 5th, 2010
9:26 pm
Thanks for the raise, loosers.
RAMBLE AWAY FOR GOOD!!!
February 5th, 2010
9:26 pm
Look at all the hate being spewed by other fans…. To come on a Georgia blog and complain about a LB Coach hire….on a Friday night…..looks like somebody is jealous, scared, or both….. This exception is Louie…He’s just retarded.
brucemac
February 5th, 2010
9:27 pm
GaGator, you are correct as usual. Dawgs were 7 and 5 for goodness sake and as a result made the changes necessary. Our recruiting suffered as a result. We will be back and I really believe that.
toga
February 5th, 2010
9:33 pm
Only good thing Richt has done in the past 3 years, although this was probably Evan’s call. Good hire.
Roll Tide
gadawgs
February 5th, 2010
9:35 pm
Ranked….You are hanging your hat on the fact that you guys were ranked at the end of the year and GA wasn’t huh. You were 11-3 in a conference that does not matter on the national landscape of college football. You got your a**es handed to you once again in your bowl game this time by a team from the Big 10. Last but not least you got beat down by your instate rival on your home field by a subpar GA team even though you Techies had the best team you have fielded in a decade. I would not go beating my chest just yet but if you do you might want to take the pocket protector out of your shirt beforehand so you do not injure yourself.
This is a very good hire for us. Belin is an oustanding fundamentally sound football coach. Vandy’s linebackers were always in the right position and sound tacklers evident by the fits they always gave us. Great job CMR and welcome to Athens Coach Belin.
Fides | goddess of honesty
February 5th, 2010
9:42 pm
What happens if this coach de-commits? What if he pulls a Da’Rick? What if he goes to work for Coach Dooley? What happens if Coach Grantham turns out to be a bust? Who would want to come to Athens? Coach Dooley makes Tennessee better. Tennessee is the new Georgia.
jimmy
February 5th, 2010
9:42 pm
i hope all of you know what this man will do with the talent we have