McGarity expects Richt back next season (updated with Richt reaction to Colorado interest)
AUBURN, Ala. – Georgia athletic director Greg McGarity said Saturday that he expects Mark Richt to remain the Bulldogs’ coach next season.
“Sure I do,” he said before the game against Auburn. “Absolutely.”
Asked if he’s ready to say unequivocally that he wants to retain Richt — often rumored to be on the occupational “hot seat” – as Georgia’s coach next season, McGarity elaborated:
“I’d say, based on the first 10 games, [there's] no question about that. I know we’re 5-5 [before Saturday's loss], but you go back and you look at all the dynamics involved — how close the games were. It’s not like we’re dealing with situations here of lop-sided losses, of being non-competitive. There are some games we wish we could have won by taking care of the ball a little better or making certain tackles or interceptions. You go back and play that through your mind, and if you dwell on it too long, it’ll just eat you up. You’ve just got to focus on getting better every day and do what you can do to be the best you can be.”
McGarity made his comments on the same day the Denver Post reported that Colorado is interested in talking with Richt about its vacant coaching job. The Post cited an unnamed source “close to the Colorado search.”
When informed of that report, McGarity said: “Really? I did not know that. That’s the first I’ve heard of that.”
UPDATE: Richt chuckled when told after the game about the report. “Georgia is my home,” he said. He left it at that.
McGarity said he has not been contacted by Colorado and has gotten no indication that Richt wants to be anywhere other than Georgia. Richt, in his 10th season as the Bulldogs’ coach, has said repeatedly over the years that he wants to complete his career at UGA. McGarity said his sense “absolutely” is that Richt wants to be at Georgia.
“He and I have had great discussions all season long,” McGarity said. “We have been very frank with each other. . . . I have seen nothing but all things pointing to him wanting to stay at the University of Georgia.”
Asked if he, reciprocally, has signaled to Richt that Georgia wants to keep him, McGarity said: “I think so. I tell you what: One thing we’re going to do is spend all the time necessary with our coaches to give them all the resources they need. We’re in the hole with them. When we lose, we’re right there with them: ‘What can we do to help?’ I think you actually work harder when you have some adversity. It’s easy when things are going right to pat yourself on the back.”
McGarity said he and Richt have not talked specifically about the future because they are focused on this season.
“If we get going about the future and things of that nature, then we’re getting off track,” McGarity said. “We’ll talk about that later. I am working with Mark Richt — I think our whole staff is — to help make this thing happen. I fully expect Mark to be with us for a while.”
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391 comments Add your comment
Is Richt still here? Why?
November 13th, 2010
8:54 pm
“But this is Chinese water torture with Richt.”
Amen.
blue
November 13th, 2010
8:54 pm
Matthews put down the kool-aide how do you know the D will get better
blue
November 13th, 2010
8:55 pm
offer Coach BVG 4 million he was the reason CMR was a winner
stendek
November 13th, 2010
8:56 pm
I expect more from a Bulldog quarterback! Get your damn a$$ up off the turf son. Do not let a cheap shot Tiger know he hurt you. Show some damn toughness! Joe Cox Jr. Damn! STENDEK
Bull Meachan
November 13th, 2010
8:57 pm
Sounds like McGarity accepts the mediocrity that has come to define UGA. After tonight’s game, wonder if he also accepts UGA O line allowing their QB to be pounded by AU cheap shot d line.
DogGone
November 13th, 2010
8:57 pm
Liking him doesn’t imply that he should stay, but I think every team is going to have an off year and this team has come around toward the end of the year. Not great, but respectable. Let’s face it, no one has beat Auburn. But you can’t expect a college team to beat a professional team.
dawginduluth
November 13th, 2010
8:57 pm
Well, lakeland, if it were up to you, Goff would still be our head coach. Another nice guy, great recruiter and lousy coach. Yeah, I call it stupid.
Mark (another one)
November 13th, 2010
9:01 pm
Thankfully McGarity won’t use blog postings to rate his coaches. He’ll use his own eyes, ears and judgement. He has worked college athletics fulltime for a few decades, and knows his profession. My opinion is that no boss gives an employee a guaranteed job. He does guarantee that the employee’s evaluation will be done honestly, based on facts, and at the end of the process, the employee will most likely agree with the evaluation process and its fairness.
All of that said, if I was in McGarity’s position, I would be looking for Richt to return and coach the Dawgs next year. I would also expect that anyone wanting to tamper with my coaches would understand my intent to take any possible legal steps to stop them. If Colorado or anyone else wants to speak with my coach, they should recognize that he is under a long term contract, and they should be at least notifying me of their intent.
I would expect that Colorado would have done the right thing, and I also beleive Richt would have reported any such contact. Therefor, I don’t believe it happened.
wildbill
November 13th, 2010
9:02 pm
Reverend Richt has softened up our team to be easy meat for Auburn’s ruffians. Ugly it was too. They pushed us around like pansies. Then they gloated. Richt let the bullies bust our qb and then gloat to the crowed. So, the here is the formula for Tech to beat UGA, just play dirty and rough and the dawgs will turn the other cheek.
dawginduluth
November 13th, 2010
9:03 pm
blue makes a good point…noteworthy UGA seasons always had great D. Those were the Erk years for Dooley and the van Gorder years for Richt. (Of course the Herschel years were great but he was a freak of nature.) We have no D to speak of. We can only hope to outscore our opponents, not hold them.
dawginduluth
November 13th, 2010
9:05 pm
Are all “Mark’s” wimps?
SonofaDawg
November 13th, 2010
9:06 pm
I do not understand all of the loyalty to Richt. Sure, he is a great guy, but he has not even been to a NCG, let alone won one! Les Miles comes to LSU and wins a NC, Saben won one at LSU, left for the NFL, came back and WON one with Alabama. Myer came to Florida and won two NC, and now it looks as if Chizik will compete for one with Auburn. All of these coaches have played and won a NC during Richts’ tenure, here at UGA. Dawgs will be 8-3 at best next season, and there will still be more excuses for Richt. I’m sorry McGarrity, but the best you will get from a Richt coached team is 10-2. Clean house now to avoid another big let down next season!
Matthews Dawg
November 13th, 2010
9:08 pm
I like the kool-aid! Plus, yes the defense will get better! But, we do have to step it up sometime. We didn’t against UF and we didn’t today. Auburn is a very good football team and they don’t do near as much if not for Newton. We just need to get stronger!! That is a huge issue I believe. Auburn was a very dirty team tonight. Fairley should have been kicked out too. How many times are they going to let him pick up Murray and drive him into the ground. Ben Jones finally went after him and I wish he would had buried him. Don’t blame our guys for coming on the field. Also, good for Murray’s brother going after someone. That’s what brothers do and teamates do! Stendek, you couldn’t have taken the punishment Murray took tonight. Go complain on another blog about how bad Tech played today! If any of you want us to lose to Tech, don’t pull for the DAWGS anymore. Go find another school! Go Dawgs
Home Boy
November 13th, 2010
9:08 pm
haven’t heard about the colorado rumor but leave it to the ajc to stir the pot and try to interfere with recruiting at uga. need to fire all of the ajc rumor mongers and hire more reporters that are not out to hurt the home state teams just for a headline.
lakelandawg
November 13th, 2010
9:10 pm
duluth: y’all just don’t get it. You need to look up the defintion of loyalty (assuming you can read). You give someone a chance and when he has failed totally, fire him . I do not think Richt has failed totally. You need to look at the big picture and not the last 24 hours. Tunnel Vision seems to prevail on this forum. I’m done.
wildbill
November 13th, 2010
9:12 pm
Hotel Indigo, Jeff and David should call it like it its, but noooooooooooooooooo, they continually apologize for sloppy play, sloppy coaching, and predictable losses. “Dawg Talk” should not cover up stuff and should tell the truth. Everything is great, everything is swell, yada yada yada.
mountainman
November 13th, 2010
9:13 pm
Richt is a one-trick pony, he is not ever going to do well in the SEC where the coaching elite will have him for lunch one yr. after another….he is becoming the joke thruout the SEC…Want him GONE sooner than later so UGA can return to the glory days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
realdawgsdon'twhine
November 13th, 2010
9:13 pm
sonofadawg is not a real dawg but a female dog whiner
dawginduluth
November 13th, 2010
9:16 pm
We should offer BVG $2.8 and make Richt OC and give him Bobo’s salary. Sounds like an equitable plan to me.
Personally, I think a head coach should get a base salary of $150K and a $100K bonus for every win. (Even Obama would think it fair.)
lakelandawg
November 13th, 2010
9:19 pm
duluth: You are almost as dumb as LLUGA.
blue
November 13th, 2010
9:21 pm
lake land do you wait until he goes 0-12, So if you cant prove a point you attack the other person ( if you can Spell) what a tool
SonofaDawg
November 13th, 2010
9:21 pm
Lakelandawg, Richt has been at UGA for TEN YEARS, and has NEVER PLAYED for a NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP. I do not call the last TEN years a 24 hour knee-jerk reaction!
AndGetWho?
November 13th, 2010
9:23 pm
It’s not loyalty Sonofadawg! Who are we gonna get? Name someone? Realistically who is going to do better than Richt has done over the years? Do you really think we can fire Richt and find someone who other than a “hopeful” to lead us to the promised land? Richt is as good a coach as we need to do it! Or we can run through a string of coaching hires until we score on in a decade! Maybe!
dawginduluth
November 13th, 2010
9:24 pm
Well, lakeland, if you think I don’t get it, then here is what our host Mr. Bradley of the AJC has to say about it all:
“The best you can say about Richt’s coaching is that his players didn’t quit when they fell behind. That’s surely because they’ve had so much practice: Georgia hasn’t led in any of its four SEC losses. South Carolina and Arkansas took the ball first and drove to touchdowns. Georgia took the ball against Mississippi State and went three-and0ut; on Saturday Murray threw an interception on the first snap.
We once considered Richt a splendid gameday coach, but that time is gone. Georgia was 52-13 in Richt’s first five season, reaching the SEC title game three times and winning it twice. It’s 42-19 since. Not coincidentally, Richt’s decline dovetails with Meyer’s rise. (Although it must be noted that Richt has a losing record against three Florida coaches: He was 0-1 against Steve Spurrier, 1-2 against Ron Zook.)
Back to Saturday: The Bulldogs got the ball to start overtime, which means the worst they should have done was gain no yards and let Blair Walsh try a 42-yard field goal to put them ahead. Instead Murray threw the ball into stacked coverage and saw the Gators nearly end the game without having to play offense. Murray has had a terrific freshman season and had a fabulous second half, but in the season’s biggest moment he made the one play a quarterback cannot make.
That’s what Georgia under Richt has come to do: It makes the one play to lose a game, as opposed to David Greene throwing to Verron Haynes in Knoxville or to Michael Johnson in Auburn. (Or even Matthew Stafford throwing to Mikey Henderson in Tuscaloosa.) Georgia under Richt has become the toothless tiger — the team everyone respects but nobody fears.
Richt’s 10-year body of work stands as a mighty argument for administrative patience. More current events suggest the Richt of 2010 isn’t the Richt of yesteryear. It took four full seasons under this coach and defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder for Georgia to lose 10 games. The Bulldogs lost five times last year, changed defensive coordinators and have already lost five times this.
And now Richt’s gifted Bulldogs have fallen to the worst Florida team Meyer has fielded. In a year where the SEC East was ripe for a young team to rise up and march to the Georgia Dome, that team will not be Mark Richt’s. He’s no longer a championship coach. Dating back to Nov. 29, 2008, his Bulldogs are 13-11, which means he’s barely even a winning coach.”
Well, there you have it, lake.
PT71
November 13th, 2010
9:24 pm
After seeing Richt`s losing the game by not punting with 6 minutes left in game and continuing to play Murray when behind by more than 2 scores and less than 2 minutes to play, let him go.
SonofaDawg
November 13th, 2010
9:25 pm
@realdawgsdon’twhine: I find your comment as shallow as your personal attacks. First, I am a 31 year old black man from Southwest Atlanta, Second, both my parents went to UGA in the mid to late seventies, so I grew up in a Bulldog home. Third, My father was the THIRD BLACK ATHLETE at UGA. He played basketball under Guthrie. So go whine about that dip sh1t!
blue
November 13th, 2010
9:25 pm
And get who? ALB ABU, FLA and LSU found someone
lakelandawg
November 13th, 2010
9:28 pm
How many times has any coach at UGA played for the NC? Dooley in 1980? Way before the BCS. 30 years ago! Who are y’all so hot to hire? By the way, and I am making a judgement here, i believe less than 20% of the people who are contributing to this forum are college graduates, much less from UGA.
AndGetWho?
November 13th, 2010
9:30 pm
Oh and Chizik is a genius coach. Does anybody think he is the reason Auburn is No. 2. Would anyone really take Chizick over Richt? I might support taking a Chizick/ Cam Newton combo over Richt. That would be a good move!
SonofaDawg
November 13th, 2010
9:31 pm
Andgetwho? There are plenty of up and coming coaches you nor I have heard of, so this farce thinking of SOME unknown coach being uncapable to duplicate, or match what Richt has done since he has been at UGA(which his only accomplishments were two SEC titles) is a myth, and holds no weight.
dawginduluth
November 13th, 2010
9:32 pm
Chizik is looking pretty good right now. Bad argument. I would take Chizik and Aaron Murray right now.
SonofaDawg
November 13th, 2010
9:35 pm
Here you go Lakelandawg, we can get the coach from Boise State
AndGetWho?
November 13th, 2010
9:35 pm
Dawginduluth- Bad argument bro- Murray is great and I am crazy about him but Cam Newton makes your grandma a good coach. Murray has been coached by the best QB coach in my book. And Chizick/Murray combo loses today! IMO
Ed (The Original)
November 13th, 2010
9:39 pm
“…the Denver Post reported Colorado is interested in talking with Richt about its vacant coaching job.”
That would be an ideal situation for everyone involved. Georgia would be rid of a coach it likes but who has clearly lost his mojo without having to fire him, and Richt can get a fresh start at a place with more modest expectations.
My fingers are crossed.
lakelandawg
November 13th, 2010
9:41 pm
Boise State? Are you serious? that is a Division 2 school. They do not deserve to be in BCS contention.
SonofaDawg
November 13th, 2010
9:42 pm
Georgia has been running the same system for 10 years, and all it has gotten is 2 SEC titles
Ed (The Original)
November 13th, 2010
9:43 pm
Richt’s not getting the job done. Stating the obvious doesn’t make one a “hater”, whatever that means.
SonofaDawg
November 13th, 2010
9:43 pm
Same system, 10 years straight! How can you defend that?
Perhaps it's Bobo they want
November 13th, 2010
9:43 pm
Maybe he could take Searles with him.
dawginduluth
November 13th, 2010
9:44 pm
My point is that I would take Chizik over Richt today…and would feel better about my chances. Remember, Chizik is a DC and grew up in the SEC. (Bobo is the best QB coach? Hmmm, I’ve got to take you to the wood shed for that one.)
Hope he stays, but if not...
November 13th, 2010
9:45 pm
The first call would need to be to Mullen, IMO
SonofaDawg
November 13th, 2010
9:45 pm
I feel you lakeland, however, they have been consistant for years now. Undefeated season’s, I mean look at their record now and prior years.
SonofaDawg
November 13th, 2010
9:46 pm
Lakeland, Urban Myer came from Utah and he had won 2 national championships. So your argument again, holds no weight.
AndGetWho?
November 13th, 2010
9:47 pm
Boise State coach would be “under water” in the SEC! He has no idea playing in that conference, how to win in the SEC. That is a non-choice in my book. Who else? Bama ran through a few before they got Saban. Seems like Auburn did too! Think it might be easier for us at UGA ? Not likely.
AndGetWho?
November 13th, 2010
9:49 pm
Comeon- DawginDuluth, You know I meant Richt. I got no love for Bobo
dawginduluth
November 13th, 2010
9:49 pm
Richt is now 13-12 over his last 25 games. A real keeper.
SonofaDawg
November 13th, 2010
9:49 pm
Lakeland, it’s not about the team, or conference a coach comes from, it is about the COACH!
Ed (The Original)
November 13th, 2010
9:50 pm
“Dating back to Nov. 29, 2008, his Bulldogs are 13-11, which means he’s barely even a winning coach.”
Bradley left out that Richt’s 13-11 record during that stretch includes several non-BCS conference cupcakes, Idaho State being the most recent example. Take them out of the record and Richt isn’t even a winning coach anymore. This year Georgia is 3-6 against BCS competition.
This at a school that out-recruits 90-95% of the nation on a yearly basis. That’s bad coaching. Anyone who doesn’t see that by now is in denial.
dawginduluth
November 13th, 2010
9:51 pm
Richt considers himself a CEO, not a coach. Bobo is the QB coach and OC.
SonofaDawg
November 13th, 2010
9:51 pm
I just posted how Urban Myer did it andgetwho. He came from Utah! You have no argument.