Richt shares thoughts on Evans’ arrest, resignation
ATHENS — Georgia football coach Mark Richt met with a few reporters in the atrium of the Butts-Mehre building late this afternoon and talked publicly for the first time about the arrest and resignation of Damon Evans. Richt expressed sadness for Evans and his family, endorsed the selection of Frank Crumley as interim athletics director and expressed confidence that UGA President Michael Adams will make a wise decision on Evans’ permanent successor.
Following are excerpts from the conversation with Richt.
His general feelings about what has happened:
“I do feel for Damon and his family. I’ve been working with Damon for almost 10 years now. I had a very good working relationship with Damon and a very good personal relationship, too, with him and his family. I’m definitely sad for everyone from that regard.
“Moving forward, I think President Adams has done a really very fine job of handling the situation the way he did. I think having Frank Crumley as the interim AD right now makes the most sense. Frank is a very, very sharp guy. We’ve got a lot of sharp people in our association. Everybody is very, very capable of doing their job or basically continuing to do their job because I don’t see anything that is really going to change in the way we go about our day-to-day business. I’ve got a lot of faith in Frank’s ability to lead. . . .
“We’re just going to go on with life and take care of business. Our football staff and our football team –- I think everyone is saddened by the news of losing Damon because he has done a bunch of wonderful things for us. He has been an outstanding athletic director. But we all know we’ve got a job to do and an exciting season ahead of us, and we are very excited about moving forward. And this situation, as sad as it was, we don’t believe it will hinder us from going where we want to go and doing the things that we want to do. So we’re focusing on that right now.”
Asked if he has spoken with Evans:
“Actually, we exchanged voice mails. Seems like every time I called him he wasn’t able to pick up, and vice versa. Nothing that I would want to divulge, nothing earth-shattering, but just talking about the situation as best you can through a series of a couple of messages we left for each other.”
On a permanent successor to Evans:
“I do have a lot of confidence in President Adams’ ability to hire a new person who will get the job done and get the job done well. I know Georgia is one of the finest universities in this country, and our athletic program has got to be one of the top five in America in my opinion. So it is a job that a lot of people would be interested in, a lot of quality people. And whoever the president decides on, I’ll support that person and we’ll be ready to move forward.”
His initial reaction upon hearing the news of Evans’ arrest:
“I didn’t really know how to react. Because when you’re not there and when you don’t know everything that happened, you hear DUI and that’s certainly a very serious thing. But I really didn’t try to make — I didn’t and still won’t make any kind of judgment on it, but I knew it was serious. I knew that.”
On whether the negative attention on Georgia could adversely affect recruiting:
“I don’t think so. Georgia is an awesome place; it’s a beautiful campus; we’re in a wonderful city; we’ve got tremendous academics here; we’ve got a great athletic program. I think people see that and people want to be a part of that, so I don’t think it’s going to become a problem that way.”
And on speculation about how a new AD might affect Mark Richt’s future:
“I don’t worry about those things, I really don’t. My focus is to do my job, and my focus is to be obedient to my Lord and Savior. That’s kind of what I do. And if that is good enough, great.”
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304 comments Add your comment
Dorsey Hill
July 7th, 2010
7:18 pm
I love this quote:
And on speculation about how a new athletics director might affect Mark Richt’s future: “I don’t worry about those things, I really don’t. My focus is to do my job, and my focus is to be obedient to my Lord and Savior. That’s kind of what I do. And if that is good enough, great.”
Too often you hear people of faith suggest a connection between one’s faith and success in life and this quote really says the truth and what I believe. Good things happen to bad people and bad things happen to good people. It’s just the way it is. There is nothing that says that a criminal can’t win the lottery (in fact its happened) and there is nothing that prevents an innocent infant from getting cancer. All we can do in life is to do our best at work in our relationships and in our faith. Just do the right thing; always and in all things. If good things happen then that’s great, if not you can look yourself in the mirror and be content with knowing that you did things the right way and that is the best that life will ever offer any of us.
I don’t care what the haters say, we’ve got a special human being as a coach and I hope he is with us for many years to come.
wiley
July 7th, 2010
7:20 pm
rupaul…way to be a bigot. Whats wrong with a foreign person getting their education at one of our schools? They pay for it, and the fact that kids travel halfway across the world for GT should tell you something about the value of its degree.
POAD
July 7th, 2010
7:23 pm
DawginLex what were those numbers you posted? The IQ range of UGA’s returning players?
dagnabit
July 7th, 2010
7:25 pm
Jawja runs red panties.
Tom Davis
July 7th, 2010
7:25 pm
You all tek fans – you are about as dumb as you look.
Tuck Fech
July 7th, 2010
7:25 pm
Wiley why don’t you travel to the tech Blog or did IOWA take it over?
GO DAWGS!
POAD
July 7th, 2010
7:26 pm
Marky Mark the Coles Business School at Kennesaw State is Highly ranked too.
POAD
July 7th, 2010
7:29 pm
OLE LEATHER-HEAD I bet that is waht all the Young Ladies call You. Keep it up buddy. Even if you need the Lil Blue Helper. You go dude.
wiley
July 7th, 2010
7:29 pm
Good counter Tuck Fech. And you guys dont troll all over the Tech blogs? I have said nothing negative about UGA…go read my comments on the first page. In fact i praised the academic improvement made there. Maybe you should direct your comments to others…
dagnabit
July 7th, 2010
7:30 pm
tom davis: when Damon held up the red panties he said “this is worse than it looks!
;
rupaul
July 7th, 2010
7:30 pm
tom i dont think we look dumb at all our famous circle jerks are very cute
Pooper Scooper
July 7th, 2010
7:32 pm
Everyone thinks if you’re not lapping out of the dawg bowl that you went to Tech. UGA is probably a great place to spend your college career and no doubt equally as good if you are an athlete. Like a lot of schools they offer a wide variety of largely unmarketable degrees to accommodate. They offer serious academic for a minority of students. If your desire is a serious academic experience, you don’t spend the time in Athens.
Me
July 7th, 2010
7:34 pm
What did you expect him to say?? That he’s glad it happened? That Adams made a poor choice in the first place? That Adams didn’t handle the situation properly?? Of course he’s (Richt) going to be politically correct, I’m sure he was as shocked as anyone, particularly as the whole story unfolded. But I’m sure the last thing Richt wants to talk about is a pair of red panties……
Did Anyone Ask? « Chamblee54
July 7th, 2010
7:36 pm
[...] profile position. Today, and even higher profile position…head football coach…made a few comments about the incident. The last paragraph of the PR piece went like this: And on speculation about [...]
dagnabit
July 7th, 2010
7:40 pm
rupaul: was Damon cheating on you last week.Yes? The heel!
BirdDog
July 7th, 2010
7:41 pm
Bring on football season! This stuff is killing me…
dagnabit
July 7th, 2010
7:42 pm
We tech boys don’t have Damon envy.
GOD
July 7th, 2010
7:45 pm
Mark, this is GOD (a/k/a Your Lord and Savior). I command you to win a National Championship! Please be obedient to my wishes!
DawginLex
July 7th, 2010
7:51 pm
Nah, they are little joey Hamilton’s scores on the breathylyzer eac time he got stopped. He asked for a repeat and so the 2nd score is listed. 2008 he really was getting it on!
now that was some good stuff!!!!!
rupaul
July 7th, 2010
7:51 pm
besides why would i be a bulldawg the dont play who,s in my mouth in the locker room i just love to ramble a wreck
POAD
July 7th, 2010
7:54 pm
Modirator I used the Name of one of your POSTERS. If my comment is bad then do what DawginLex crys about and make Tuck Fech change his name too. I notice DawginLex isn’t b….hing and crying to have Tuck Feck change his name. HYPOCRITE is thy name DawginLex.
BigRig
July 7th, 2010
7:56 pm
Richt has a twin brother that is a midget. Did you guys know that? That is why is always so worried what his hair looks like on the sideline.
War Eagle Man
July 7th, 2010
7:57 pm
When I read these Georgia Blogs it’s always amazing how many Georgia Tech fans spend so much time and effort trying to belittle anything UGA. In your zeal to embarrass UGA you end up making anyone who pulls for Tech look like jack-asses. Most of the comments aren’t even based in reality much less funny or insightful. If my team had sucked as bad and as long as Tech has I’d be quiet until my team had DOMINATED UGA like they have you. The entire nation sees Tech as the redheaded step child even if you don’t know that. Tech can’t even claim Basketball anymore. Face it you’re just not as good at sports as Georgia. And I’d bet my last dollar the first guy who writes in and talks about degrees or who will be who’s boss didn’t or wont graduate from any school much less Tech. It’s tough to hear the truth, especially when your team sucks year in and year out.
POAD
July 7th, 2010
7:58 pm
DawginLex I thought the #’s you posted were the way Reggie Ball counts. I just wanted to make sure.
Now that is some good stuff too. HAHAHAHHA
Paul
July 7th, 2010
7:59 pm
DawginLex, thanks for those scores that you posted. I’ve been trying to find some video of the 51-7 game and came up empty – seems as though the nerds want that game erased from the internet. It must still hurt them so badly and should have been worse if Saban or Meyer were at the UGA helm. More like 72-0. Ha!!!!
cdog
July 7th, 2010
7:59 pm
YES RICHT IS THE MAN. NOW IF HE CAN ONLY FIND A WAY TO BEAT FLORIDA AND TENNESEE AND STOP LOSING TO THEM EVERY YEAR.
POAD
July 7th, 2010
8:02 pm
War Eagle Man do you guys want some more abuse. I remember a beat up Cadallic and a dented can of Campbell Soup getting beat by REGIE BALL at TECH and at AUBURN. when you guys were supposed to be a top 10 team. Now, go for a ride in the white Limo to the next chicken or cow farm.
richard cranium
July 7th, 2010
8:03 pm
Keep preaching Reverend Richt..
I hear one thing, but see another. Much like your Daddy Bobby Bowden. When you have 30 players arrested in 4 years, doesn’t that speak louder.. ??
If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck…
dt
July 7th, 2010
8:03 pm
The best move for UGA and for Mark Richt would be for Richt to become the AD and and for Coach Muschamp of the Texas Longhorns to become the head coach. As a coach I’m afraid Richt’s time will be short because with all the talent that he gets at Ga. he is an underachiver. He is not able to match up with the top coaches in the SEC. We need somebody as AD with the integrity and character of Mark Richt and I think he would have a much longer tenure as AD than as the head coach. This would be a win, win, win situation for UGA, Richt and Coach Muschamp.
BigRig
July 7th, 2010
8:04 pm
There are so many UGA fans around because they sell UGA shirts & hats at WalMart. You won’t find Tech stuff at WalMart…only at Brooks Brothers.
POAD
July 7th, 2010
8:07 pm
Paul 54-42 and UGA had 2 first round draft picks on that TEAM. Now that has to sting a little too. Why would you talk about Saban or Meyer? Is UGA’s coach not good enought to be in their class? Sorry I forgot Saban and Meyer Have those pesky MNC rings and richt’s players sold their SEC Championship rings on EBay.
Boo
July 7th, 2010
8:07 pm
“I do feel for Damon and his family.”
I feel for his family, not Damon. How embarrassing this must be for his wife and his children.
Miller
July 7th, 2010
8:09 pm
Richt is a classy guy. We need more like him. I’m a Tech fan but love the UGA coach. Hope he has a great season.
POAD
July 7th, 2010
8:10 pm
Paul sorry 45-42 fingers were faster than the Jack & Ice eyeballs.
Vick=Dog killing Thug
July 7th, 2010
8:13 pm
Well said CMR
BG
July 7th, 2010
8:14 pm
Richt is the man! 8 out of 9 baby!
bruce mac
July 7th, 2010
8:16 pm
Thank you Coach Richt, everyone appreciates your class and style. You sir will never embarrass your family or your University. Go Dawgs.
War Eagle Man
July 7th, 2010
8:18 pm
TO POAD: I rest my case when you defend your teams successes with 5 year old wins. Been a long time since you respected your own team huh?
poopdawg
July 7th, 2010
8:21 pm
POAD please do not make fun of UGA’s academics. It makes you look stupid. Yeah we party there but the education i received was excellant. Knowing when to party and when to work is everythig. GO DAWGS!
bruce mac
July 7th, 2010
8:21 pm
Pooper Scooper, frankly we don’t care where you went to school but obviously you think your stuff don’t stink which probably means you are a pompous azz idiot. Please move on back to your Harvard Report reading.
Dawgs Run This State
July 7th, 2010
8:21 pm
War Eagle Man,
Welcome to UGA blogs… Where tech fans brag about scattered wins from years long past.
War Eagle Man
July 7th, 2010
8:22 pm
Enter your comments here
GR82BAG8R
July 7th, 2010
8:23 pm
War Eagle Man, I think POAD is speaking of Tech’s recent results against your team. Both times Auburn was favored. Both times Auburn lost. I think you touched a nerve by berating POAD for yanking the Bulldog fans’ chains. He simply turned his attention to you.
Coffee Bluff DAWG
July 7th, 2010
8:28 pm
I’m looking forward to the upcoming season and it won’t do any good to look back now. If we can get the ole ball coach to throw his visor (is he ever going to grow up) we’ll beat USC in Columbia.
andrew
July 7th, 2010
8:29 pm
what does “GATA” mean if it means gators then why did the first guy say “GATA dawgs”??
former uga walk-on
July 7th, 2010
8:29 pm
Damon Evans is out as UGA Athletic Director and I think we should just leave it alone and move on. Even though we may not always agree with every call made by Coach Richt on the field, everyone must agree that he has been a class act off of the field. He has represented UGA well.
Also in regards to comparing one school versus another academically, I own a recruiting firm that finds candidates for Fortune 100 companies. We have never had a job order given to my firm that specifically requests a degree from a particular school. These are jobs that pay anywhere from $75k to $500k+. People are still hired today based on experience, personality, and character.
GR82BAG8R
July 7th, 2010
8:31 pm
Andrew, it means “Get after their Arses”
todd grantham
July 7th, 2010
8:32 pm
Mixing job effectiveness, football, academics, and religion makes for a drink with a huge hangover – the man made serious errors in judgement that will affect him and his family and really no-one else. It is sad. He and his family are permanently hurt by his believing his own press and thinking himself invincible. Their lives will never be the same. And yet “ya’ll” are stuck on praising or denigrating the football coach who has nothing to do with the incident and comparing SAT scores of GT/UGA. Our priorities are sure mixed up.
Calhoundawg
July 7th, 2010
8:32 pm
“Fancy stats aside, it’s hard to make the case that Richt has been anything other than a runaway success in Athens. He’s a genuinely good guy who generally runs a clean program. He also happens to have far and away the best winning percentage of any Georgia coach that stayed for longer than three seasons. The Georgia job is his for as long as he wants it, and it’s hard to see him going anywhere else. Mark Richt and Georgia are a near-perfect fit, and the two will be together for quite some time into the future.”
http://www.teamspeedkills.com/2009/4/28/856948/mark-richts-coaching-record-at
God bless you, Coach Richt. Go Dawgs !!!!
MIKE T.
July 7th, 2010
8:32 pm
AJ Greene for Heisman, Nesbitt for waterboy