Richt not on the hot seat, Adams and Evans say (UPDATED)

DESTIN, Fla. — Is Georgia football coach Mark Richt on the hot seat?

Yes, according to several media-conceived lists of coaches whose jobs could be in jeopardy after the 2010 season.

No, according to Richt’s bosses.

In separate interviews at the SEC spring meetings here Wednesday, UGA President Michael Adams and athletics director Damon Evans rejected speculation that Richt will enter the season with the heat turned up on his job security.

“I don’t pay that stuff any attention,” Evans said. “Mark is a good football coach. I’m glad he’s our football coach. He’s had a great track record here.

“I think when they see a little adversity, people want to jump on it and attack it,” Evans said. “There is no need for that because he’s not on a hot seat. Mark is in a good place with us.”

Said Adams: “I don’t know whose hot seat he is on. He’s got a pretty nice long-term contract, seems to have the AD’s support, and I don’t have any reason to know where a hot seat would be.”

Adams acknowledged, though, that Georgia’s 2009 football season (8-5) was substandard and noted that all UGA coaches face high expectations.

“Did anybody think last year was a great year in football? No,” Adams said. “But most people would say I’ve had a year or two that weren’t too hot, too.”

Among the publications and Web sites that have put Richt on off-season lists of coaches who are believed — at least by those making the lists — to be on the proverbial hot seat are the Orlando Sentinel and the Mobile Press-Register. CBSSports.com gave Richt a “hot seat rating” of 3.0, meaning “on the bubble — you never know.” ESPN has weighed in about the topic on various platforms.

On Tuesday, Richt professed not to be aware of any of this, saying he didn’t know his name had appeared on such lists. “Is that true?” he asked. On Wednesday, he declined to delve into the issue, saying cheerfully: “I’m just doing my job.”

Georgia has averaged 10 wins per season in nine years under Richt, going 90-27 and winning two SEC championships. On the other hand, the Bulldogs’ most recent SEC title was in 2005, and they are 2-7 vs. Florida under Richt.

Although rejecting the hot-seat tag, Adams referred to comments Evans made at last week’s UGA Athletic Association board of directors meeting in which he expressed disappointment with the school’s all-around sports year.

“There are very high expectations at the University of Georgia,” Adams said. “We feel like we have the fan base, we have the financial resources, we have the facilities, we have the capacity to recruit. … Here we finished second in the SEC [all-sports standings], and nobody was satisfied because we did feel like it was a year where several teams underperformed. And I think if you asked any of those coaches they would say the same thing.

“I think people need not lose sight of the pressures that are on all of these folks to compete, just by nature of the expectations. And that’s fairly characteristic now of the whole university. We expect business professors and physics professors to publish and to teach well. … I don’t know of anybody who thinks we’ve not made adjustments as were needed [in football], and we’ve made adjustments through the years in other sports and we will again if they don’t perform at a high level. But I don’t think characterizing Mark as being on the hot seat from my standpoint is fair.”

Asked if that would change with another football season like last fall’s, Adams passed.

“You know me well enough [to know] I don’t deal in … hypotheticals,” he said. “I think we’re going to have a good year. I think we have a good, solid team. I think the defense is going to be improved. We’ll just have to wait and see, but let’s also not forget that this is by any measure the most competitive football league in America. … We want and expect to win, but you’re just not always going to win.”

Please follow @ajcuga on Twitter for the latest UGA news and notes.

364 comments Add your comment

One, two, free, fo, fi, them der Gator don't take no jive!

June 2nd, 2010
7:02 pm

Patrick,
I did answer your question. I said that Meyer had nothing to do with USC losing to thier biggest rival. It happens all the time across the country.
Are you going to answer mine or just continue to dance?
You just can’t bring your self to type it can you?
I know it hurts!

MVP

June 2nd, 2010
7:03 pm

CHOKE! THE OFFICAL DRINK FOR MARK RICHT AND GEORGIA BULLDAWGS!

GaGator

June 2nd, 2010
7:04 pm

Hey Patrick you wanted to rank recruits.

Fla class rank 5 star 4star

2006 2 4 17
2007 1 4 16

2008 3 4 15

2009 11 3 8

2010 1 4 18

18 19 74

3.6 avg

Ga class rank 5 star 4star

4 2 13

9 0 12

7 2 13

6 1 14

26 0 9

52 5 61

10.4 avg

Looks like Florida lead Georgia with 19 – 5 stars to 5 for Geirgia and
74 – 4 stars to Georgias 61 and Florida’s average class rank is 3.6 and Georgia
is at 10.4. Now you know why the dawgs are 3-17 against the Gators.

One, two, free, fo, fi, them der Gator don't take no jive!

June 2nd, 2010
7:04 pm

Sorry, one RECORD does not equal a stat! By your own definition, it states a colection.

When will mark richt win national title???

June 2nd, 2010
7:05 pm

well when????????????????????????????????????????????????

hi there

June 2nd, 2010
7:06 pm

One, two, free, fo, fi, them der Gator don’t take no jive!
June 2nd, 2010
7:02 pm

Patrick,
I did answer your question. I said that Meyer had nothing to do with USC losing to thier biggest rival. It happens all the time across the country.
Are you going to answer mine or just continue to dance?
You just can’t bring your self to type it can you?
I know it hurts!
=======================================

I did….scroll up. I said “using a single stat…..”. But to better answer…Fla has been UGAs Achilles heel no doubt but UGA dresses out to win SEC titles (Richt has 2 while at UGA and only LSU has more by one while he has been there).
.
But in order to have an Achilles heel you have to be an Achilles.

One, two, free, fo, fi, them der Gator don't take no jive!

June 2nd, 2010
7:07 pm

Still playing dodge ball?
Just type it.
I know you can do it!!!!!!!

hi there

June 2nd, 2010
7:07 pm

GaGator
June 2nd, 2010
7:04 pm

Hey Patrick you wanted to rank recruits.

Fla class rank 5 star 4star

2006 2 4 17
2007 1 4 16

2008 3 4 15

2009 11 3 8

2010 1 4 18

18 19 74

3.6 avg

Ga class rank 5 star 4star

4 2 13

9 0 12

7 2 13

6 1 14

26 0 9

52 5 61

10.4 avg

Looks like Florida lead Georgia with 19 – 5 stars to 5 for Geirgia and
74 – 4 stars to Georgias 61 and Florida’s average class rank is 3.6 and Georgia
is at 10.4. Now you know why the dawgs are 3-17 against the Gators.
======================

random numbers without a link is meaningless….I could say that the moon had herds of goats that eat pie on the dark side of the moon but unless I link to proof it means nothing.

hi there

June 2nd, 2010
7:08 pm

but unless I link to proof OF it, it means nothing”

hi there

June 2nd, 2010
7:10 pm

I mean your cred is gone as you continue to say UGA is 26th in recruiting while I posted a link showing you 15th….which became 15th AFTER we lost the players you referred to. UGA was top ten until then

One, two, free, fo, fi, them der Gator don't take no jive!

June 2nd, 2010
7:11 pm

Still waiting………….

hi there

June 2nd, 2010
7:12 pm

Gagator
.
try to make sense of your numbers like:
.
• 2001: Sixteenth nationally, third in the SEC.
• 2002: Third in the nation, second in the SEC.
• 2003: Sixth in the nation, third in the SEC.
• 2004: Sixth in the nation, second in the SEC.
• 2005: Tenth in the nation, second in the SEC.
• 2006: Fourth in the nation, second in the SEC.
• 2007: Ninth in the nation, sixth in the SEC.
• 2008: Seventh in the nation, third in the SEC.
• 2009: Sixth in the nation, third in the SEC.
.
or
.
UGA last 200 recruits (most still playing)
.
5 Star = 9 or 04.5 %
4 Star = 105 or 52.5 %
3 Star = 79 or 39.5 %
2 Star = 7 or 03.5 %
1 Star = 3 or 01.5 %
.
instead of gibberish that no one can make sense of

When will mark richt win national title???

June 2nd, 2010
7:12 pm

where is georgia ranked at?

hi there

June 2nd, 2010
7:13 pm

One, two, free, fo, fi, them der Gator don’t take no jive!
June 2nd, 2010
7:11 pm

Still waiting…………
=======================

third time answering same question
.
Fla has been UGAs Achilles heel no doubt but UGA dresses out to win SEC titles (Richt has 2 while at UGA and only LSU has more by one while he has been there).
.
But in order to have an Achilles heel you have to be an Achilles.

icedawg

June 2nd, 2010
7:14 pm

Hot seat? You’re kidding me? What a fabrication. Richt has done an excellent job and will continue to do so because he is talented, experienced and a man of integrity.

One, two, free, fo, fi, them der Gator don't take no jive!

June 2nd, 2010
7:14 pm

That’s not an answer to the question I asked. You are great at posting stats and records. What is the head to head record?

Dawg Whisperer

June 2nd, 2010
7:15 pm

Richt is no more on a hot seat than an eskimo in the Artic (assuming the eskimo doesn’t have carseat warmers) but at last count before I posted, there were 248 posts to this story. I’m pretty certain that Tim Tucker appreciates everyone’s patronage. Here’s a news flash… Mark Richt is a devout Chrisitian…. hello, anyone there? I didn’t think so because it is factually based and certainly not controversial. Keep up the good work Tim, your advertizers appreciate it. Goooo Dawgs, sic that swamp thing.

hi there

June 2nd, 2010
7:16 pm

When will mark richt win national title???
June 2nd, 2010
7:12 pm

where is georgia ranked at?
=================================

that preposition does not belong at the end of sentences.
.
Its “where is Georgia ranked?” Geesh

GaGator

June 2nd, 2010
7:16 pm

Patrick

Check my “random” numbers at Rivals.com jerk.

When will mark richt win national title???

June 2nd, 2010
7:17 pm

mark still has no heisman or nc title @ uga. can’t beat ky,tn and fl.yep got the talent not to get the job done.

Luke

June 2nd, 2010
7:17 pm

The AD and president don’t come out in support if something isn’t going on. They just say nothing at all. Chris Petersen would look great in Red and Black.

skeered

June 2nd, 2010
7:18 pm

Richt is a graet coach, but I don’t think he’s got that extra gear in him to win a national title. It’s no coincidence that three other SEC coaches with shorter tenures have all won nat’l titles since Richt arrived. UGA can only win the SEC when all the other schools are having a down year. They can’t do it when there are other great teams in the league.

UGA under Richt = 10+ win seasons, top 10 finishes, owning GT, but no national titles. Maybe he’ll luck into a Herschel like Dooley did, but otherwise I don’t expect Richt’s output to change.

hi there

June 2nd, 2010
7:18 pm

One, two, free, fo, fi, them der Gator don’t take no jive!
June 2nd, 2010
7:14 pm

That’s not an answer to the question I asked. You are great at posting stats and records. What is the head to head record?
================================

to answer your question “What is the head to head record?”…oh Ok.
.
UGA leads head to head 46–39–2, sorry I misread your question

hi there

June 2nd, 2010
7:20 pm

GaGator
June 2nd, 2010
7:16 pm

Patrick

Check my “random” numbers at Rivals.com jerk.
=====================

not my job to support your argument. Either make a coherent one or dont but dont ask me to do it for you.

...also

June 2nd, 2010
7:20 pm

Glad to see the grammar police taking control in this blog. Dawgs can’t win on the field so they try to “out grammar” the Gators. LOL

One, two, free, fo, fi, them der Gator don't take no jive!

June 2nd, 2010
7:21 pm

Patrick,
I really didn’t think you’d chicken out. Guess you learn something new everyday. By the way….UF owns the head to head since WWII. I didn’t know we where going back to medieval times. LOL

hi there

June 2nd, 2010
7:21 pm

GaGator
June 2nd, 2010
7:16 pm

Patrick

Check my “random” numbers at Rivals.com jerk
========================

LOL what was your very first comment to me today? When you resort to name calling you have already what?????

I am a Georgia fan

June 2nd, 2010
7:21 pm

got my head up my azz and it smells great!

GaGator

June 2nd, 2010
7:22 pm

Patrick

the man asked you what Richt record against Meyer———————-get it?

hi there

June 2nd, 2010
7:23 pm

One, two, free, fo, fi, them der Gator don’t take no jive!
June 2nd, 2010
7:21 pm

Patrick,
I really didn’t think you’d chicken out. Guess you learn something new everyday. By the way….UF owns the head to head since WWII. I didn’t know we where going back to medieval times. LOL
=================================================

actually they dont lead just going back to the Vietnam era.

GaGator

June 2nd, 2010
7:23 pm

Hi there

I called Patrick a jerk, not you my good friend———–not

I am a Georgia fan

June 2nd, 2010
7:24 pm

GaGator you gotta go slow for Patrick….

hi there

June 2nd, 2010
7:25 pm

GaGator
June 2nd, 2010
7:22 pm

Patrick

the man asked you what Richt record against Meyer———————-get it?
=======================

no…I directly quoted his words very carefully by copying and pasting it…then adding quotation marks
.
His question was ….. “That’s not an answer to the question I asked. You are great at posting stats and records. What is the head to head record?”
.
it is 46-39-2

hi there

June 2nd, 2010
7:26 pm

GaGator
June 2nd, 2010
7:23 pm

Hi there

I called Patrick a jerk, not you my good friend———–not
==============================

LOL

Darkjuice4u

June 2nd, 2010
7:27 pm

hi there still trying to plug that oil leak in the gulf.

One, two, free, fo, fi, them der Gator don't take no jive!

June 2nd, 2010
7:29 pm

Patrick,
I’ll clarify one more time.
What is Mark Richt’s head to head record against Urban Meyer?
What is Mark Richt’s record against UF?
That should be crystal (as in BCS trophy) clear!

hi there

June 2nd, 2010
7:29 pm

i dont get the problem with stopping the leak….its a steel pipe….pinch the damn thing to slow the leak to a trickle then take your time fixing it. Jesus its not that hard

dawgfan

June 2nd, 2010
7:32 pm

So, just to sum up. UGA fans, AD, and the President: NO hot seat for Mark Richt.

The haters’ response? “OF COURSE Mark Richt is on the hot seat. Duh.”. Then they proceed to pull some random and convoluted stat out of their butts to prove what an awful coach he is, like how he’s 0-2 vs. Tennessee when the barometric pressure is below a certain level. Or how he’s never beaten Kentucky when the Orion and Milky Way galaxies are in alignment.

This is simply a contrived media story. A prime example of the media trying to make a story instead of just reporting the stories. What a joke of a profession that journalism has become.

hi there

June 2nd, 2010
7:33 pm

One, two, free, fo, fi, them der Gator don’t take no jive!
June 2nd, 2010
7:29 pm

Patrick,
I’ll clarify one more time.
What is Mark Richt’s head to head record against Urban Meyer?
What is Mark Richt’s record against UF?
That should be crystal (as in BCS trophy) clear!
=====================
LMFAO that would not be “one more time” that would be “the first time”. Currently (they are still going to compete) Meyer holds the lead 4-1. 7-2 total against Richt….one bad stat thats overwhelmed by tons of other great things. his other overwhelming successes mitigate his one flaw

skeered

June 2nd, 2010
7:34 pm

When has an AD or President EVER said a coach was on the hot seat before they fired them?

Darkjuice4u

June 2nd, 2010
7:34 pm

Do you really expect adams, evans to say he is on the hot seat?

GaGator

June 2nd, 2010
7:35 pm

Patrick if you want to talk about Florida – Georgia head to head records, let get some what current, say the past 50 years.

From 1960 to 1989 Georgia had the best of it winning 18-13-1, as you well know since 1990 the worm has turnes and the mighty Gators lead 17-3.

So Patty my boy over the past 50 years (longer than you have been alive) the Gators lead
28-21-1. Now hush up with ancient history.

Hi There= MORON

June 2nd, 2010
7:37 pm

///////////////////

One, two, free, fo, fi, them der Gator don't take no jive!

June 2nd, 2010
7:37 pm

Hooray! He did it.
By the way…I think Richt’s a damn fine coach and a heckuva good man.
Not too many teams have a winning record against UF the last 20 years or so. He’s not alone.
You guys have a great evening! I’m out.

hi there

June 2nd, 2010
7:37 pm

From 1978-1989, Georgia won 10 games and Florida won 2.
From 1990-2007, Florida won 15 games and Georgia won 3.

UGA SUX

June 2nd, 2010
7:38 pm

it’s too hot to play football in jax.

hi there

June 2nd, 2010
7:38 pm

now you hush up son

hi there

June 2nd, 2010
7:39 pm

10-2 is the exact same percentage as 15-3
.
it goes in cycles

jesse james

June 2nd, 2010
7:41 pm

Coach Richt is on the hot seat but it is only his pants that his wife just ironed. Coach thank you for the job you have done. You have definitely put UGA back on the football map. Look at all the blogs. I mean Paul Johnson must feel bad when his home town newspaper and sports reporters worry more about UGA than Tech. Anyway I am so glad you are the Head Football Coach and don’t let the minority want a be coaches worry you. Because I am sure you care what these fools and spoiled fans say.

jesse james

June 2nd, 2010
7:42 pm

Long live Coach Mark Richt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!