Van Halanger out, Tereshinski in, as Dogs’ strength coach
Dave Van Halanger, who has been the Georgia football program’s director of strength and conditioning for the past decade, was reassigned Thursday.
Van Halanger was shifted to a new position as administrative assistant to coach Mark Richt, who named Joe Tereshinski, a former Georgia player and long-time staffer, to succeed Van Halanger as strength and conditioning director.
Van Halanger –- one of the first people Richt hired upon arriving at Georgia in January 2001 — has more than three decades experience as a strength coach and is well known for his grueling off-season “mat drills.” But Georgia’s strength training, like many other aspects of the program, has drawn criticism as the Bulldogs have posted back-to-back disappointing seasons.
The reassignment of Van Halanger, 57, came exactly one year after Richt’s last staff shakeup. On Dec. 2, 2009, following a 7-5 regular season, Richt fired three assistant coaches, including defensive coordinator Willie Martinez.
Georgia completed a 6-6 regular season last week.
For Van Halanger’s replacement, Richt turned to a man with deep ties to the Georgia program.
Tereshinski, 57, has been an assistant strength coach at Georgia since 1982. He also has doubled in other roles through the years: offensive line and special teams coach (1982-84), administrative assistant to coach Vince Dooley (1985-86) and video coordinator (since 1987).
“Joe has had a hand in Georgia’s strength and conditioning program for nearly 30 years,” Richt said in a statement Thursday. “I’m excited about what he can bring to our program in this capacity and the direction he’ll set as we move forward.”
In addition to being a former Georgia player — the starting center in 1975 and ‘76 — Tereshinski is the son, brother and father of former Bulldogs. His father, Joe Tereshinski Sr., lettered in the 1940s; his brother, Wally Tereshinski, in the 1970s; and his son, Joe Tereskinski III, in 2004-06.
According to UGA, Van Halanger’s new role will include involvement in areas such as players’ character education, mentoring and community-service initiatives.
“Dave has made immeasurable contributions to our football program and been a major factor in our 96 victories over the last 10 years,” Richt said. “This role for Dave will allow us to tap into many of his strengths that will be of great benefit to Georgia, to me, and most of all to our student-athletes in a very unique way.
“He will be outstanding in working with and motivating our young people in these many areas that will bring strong guidance to them in their daily lives.”
Van Halanger, who followed Richt to Georgia from Florida State, was the Seminoles’ strength and conditioning coach for 18 years (1983-2000). Before that, he was the strength coach at West Virginia, his alma mater, for five years. His teams have reached bowls for 30 consecutive seasons.
He was inducted into the Strength and Conditioning Hall of Fame in 2003.
Van Halanger and Tereshinski will assume their new duties on Jan. 1, UGA said.
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351 comments Add your comment
Tim Tucker
December 2nd, 2010
6:19 pm
“Whatchagot Loran?” and others asking: UGA says Joe Tereshinski is NOT an interim appointment as strength coach.
tampaBIGdawg
December 2nd, 2010
6:22 pm
AltamahaDawg, I see where you are going with it. Look at Rodriquez @Michigan. Lots of changes not a whole lot of improvement. But if a constant doesn’t produce constant results then why is it a constant? Something has got to change. Things of this nature have no constants. People in general vary to much for that. Attitudes change, physical abilities, timid nature, and so forth. So your logic doesn’t really apply here. Sorry. Like I said, I understand what you are trying to say, but I don’t think it works in this situation.
tide roll
December 2nd, 2010
6:23 pm
Jiggy, You’re probably right, but it’s about 20 yr.old kids, not me. We’re talking a grandfather here. Kasay to Uga player: ” Hey, Let me spot you on this.” Uga player to Kasay: “that’s o.k”
tampaBIGdawg
December 2nd, 2010
6:23 pm
That was with all due respect AltamahaDawg.
Tony Martin
December 2nd, 2010
6:26 pm
The best strength and conditioning coach in college football right now is the coach at South Carolina. I went to a coaching clinic there last spring, and this guy works with one of the groups ever week. Linemen one week ,backs one week, etc. In talking to some of the players their comments reflect why you see no body fat on any of their players including offensive linemen or defensive linemen. If the group is benching 400 he is benching 400 with them. works on speed building plyometrics every day in the off season. Don’t know if Spurrier brought him from the NFL when he left or was an outside hire. The guy works them like a drill sargent.
Tereshinski replaces Van Halanger as Dogs’ strength director – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) | Dogs Blog Shop
December 2nd, 2010
6:26 pm
[...] News Sources wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerpt [...]
AltamahaDawg
December 2nd, 2010
6:27 pm
Now, let’s look at example of when folks actually typed words that didnt make you interpret what the hell he was saying.
tampaBIGdawg
December 2nd, 2010
6:33 pm
What does that mean AltamahaDawg??? I was just voicing my opinion as you were.
"Whatchagot Loran?"
December 2nd, 2010
6:35 pm
OK, Thanks Tim!
Tereshinski replaces Van Halanger as Dogs’ strength director – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) | Dog Store Blog
December 2nd, 2010
6:38 pm
[...] News Sources wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerpt [...]
AltamahaDawg
December 2nd, 2010
6:42 pm
All respect taken, even though none aas due. Let me put it another way. Most of these comments in here..they don’t give a rats behind who is the S&C coach. They don’t care how many minor changes Richt makes. (and I think he will still make a few more). What they are talking about is: he didn’t fire coach Bobo. That’s the bottom line.
AltamahaDawg
December 2nd, 2010
6:43 pm
I was talking about MY typing, that’s what that means.
jerry
December 2nd, 2010
6:46 pm
Does he have any more quarterback/punt snappers? Like the one who used up a scholarship and wound up losing to Florida.
marinedawg
December 2nd, 2010
6:47 pm
great news-Joe T is from the Dave LLoyd era of Dawgs..no nonsense,loyal,and knows what it takes.
tampaBIGdawg
December 2nd, 2010
6:49 pm
Gotcha now AltamahaDawg. Dang smartphones I guess. No one on here really knows what exactly needs to be done. We just say what we THINK. I am pretty sure no one who gets on here are experts by any means. I just sit back and laugh most days, I just felt like getting into it today.
puppydawg
December 2nd, 2010
6:51 pm
If this is a temporary hire, what is the point of changing now? Why not wait until the permanent hire can be announced? It’s not like Joe T is going to salvage the football season for us.Except for the Who Gives a Crap Bowl, the season is over anyway. I don’t understand the timing.
Einsteindawg
December 2nd, 2010
6:52 pm
If Joe T is not an interim, then CMR needs to be committed, but fired first! Either he is trying to get fired or he has lost his mind. When UGA fires him, I hope they sue him for breech of contract like Al Davis did Lame Kiffen. Richt has been stealing from us for the past three years. Just my opinion.
AltamahaDawg
December 2nd, 2010
6:52 pm
It is funny at times.
Dawgsbark
December 2nd, 2010
6:59 pm
Fire coach Richt…..more to come.
Jim
December 2nd, 2010
7:01 pm
After another 6-6 season next year, Richt will replace Bobo and Richt “will deserve one more year”. The UGA AD should grow a pair and fire Richt and move this program forward.
cALEB THE kING
December 2nd, 2010
7:03 pm
Coach T just might be the man for the job. He goes back to the Dooley days and is known as a hard-nosed coach. There is a big difference between being an assistant and being the man in charge.
Ed (The Original)
December 2nd, 2010
7:06 pm
We just dumped a guy who was inducted into the “Strength and Conditioning Hall of Fame.” That can’t be good. I don’t remember any strength or conditioning problems in Richt’s first 5 years.
Georgia’s problem is that we had a murderous defense in the early years, and when you play great defense, you’re almost never out of a game. I can’t think of a real blowout Georgia suffered in Richt’s first 5 years, although it took a good comeback in the Sugar Bowl against WVU to make that final respectable.
Blowouts have been all too common since then, including two each against Tennessee and Florida.
Georgia’s problems start and end at the top. Richt hit pay dirt when he hired Van Gorder and possibly Callaway, but when those guys left for head coaching jobs, Richt was exposed as a coach with very limited talents to inspire and lead a football team. But unfortunately it will take another year before that’s obvious enough to the powers-that-be. Go Dawgs in ‘12.
AltamahaDawg
December 2nd, 2010
7:06 pm
Einsteindawg, I take it you have reason to doubt that JoeT would be a good director in this part of the program?
Einsteindawg
December 2nd, 2010
7:07 pm
Jim,
You are right on! It should happen but probably won’t because it’s so easy for UGA to spend somebody else’s money. Let these folks get a real job in the real world where they are actually held accountable.
BostonDawg
December 2nd, 2010
7:07 pm
“He was inducted into the Strength and Conditioning Hall of Fame in 2003.”
Hah.
Notso Fast
December 2nd, 2010
7:09 pm
WOW….they promise change and they gave it to us. 12 wins next year for certain.
Einsteindawg
December 2nd, 2010
7:10 pm
AltamahaDawg,
Thanks, and I remember how Joe T’s S&C worked during Goff and Donnan. We were always worn out by the end of the third quarter. I equate this hire (unless it’s temporary and who thinks it will benefit us for the bowl game) with Donnan’s hire of the great Kevin Ramsey.
cALEB THE kING
December 2nd, 2010
7:10 pm
Ed, Pollack purposely lost weight because of his spinal injury. My guess is he also decided to be thin since he couldn’t work out with heavy weights anymore, instead of becoming a fat blob. Bill Curry did the same thing when he got out of the NFL.
AltamahaDawg
December 2nd, 2010
7:27 pm
Well aside from the fact that he was never the director of S/C for either, not sure this particular area was the problem in those days. “Always worn out” is a mightly broad stroke. I remembr a few of those year we were on our third string and they never left the game. (truth be told, we still cannot substitute at some critical areas the way we need to now, which NO coach is ever going to be able to cover up)
Personally, I think we are putting too much emphasis on the title. I think it’s more administative and as the title implies, directive. I would think the nuts and bolts, the actual training, the direct contact with the players would be more of a function, of the 4 full time S/C staffers. There at least one opening right now, and I’d be willing to bet there is more changes behind the scenes on this.
FWIW, the 2 former UGA players that I know, one older, one very recent, have told me in the past that JoeT was one of the toughest guys they know. I also remember a booster who spends a lot of time up there crediting him a few years back for getting Knowshon in shape his RS year.
snoopy
December 2nd, 2010
7:30 pm
Jiggy tell me about the Florida gator mascot and the misplaced T.V.’s!!!! You were tough.
AltamahaDawg
December 2nd, 2010
7:32 pm
And I don’t think it’s for the Bowl game. I think Richt is revising how some things work, ( as I say, I don’t believe we know the entire story here) all the without making too many public waves right in the middle of recruiting season.
Vance Duly
December 2nd, 2010
7:32 pm
Dawg fans should give Joe T a chance to see what he can do, and specifically, what changes he will make. Auburn fans thought hiring Gene Chzzzizzczzzzzzikk (don’t care how’s it’s spelled) was horrible, and based on his won-loss record up to that point, it WAS. Joe T might be a great choice – it depends on what he chooses to do in his role. Our S&C program IS antiquated. GIVE THE GUY A CHANCE!!! Same thing with Grantham — we only have 2 guys on the defense who’d start for most other SEC teams (Houston & Boykin), and maybe Dent (maybe). Let’s see what our redshirted defenders (Jarvis Jones, Richard Samuel, etc.) can add to the mix, and what improvements Joe T can bring to the strength and endurance issues. It’s amazing how impatient Georgia fans can be!! At least there were SOME signs of improvement even though we were weak in personnel (better turnover ratio, fewer penalties, better special teams coverage). Go Dawgs!
JOHN HILLS
December 2nd, 2010
7:32 pm
Hire Todd Stroud. Really. He is incredibly talented and wasting his time in Colorado.
Vance Duly
December 2nd, 2010
7:36 pm
Even if he has no S&C credentials, I think Pollack might be a good hire because he had the spirit of the 70s and 80s Erk Russell Junkyard Dawgs — an undersized guy who never quit and whose motor never seemed to give out of gas. PLUS, he was a PLAYMAKER, not a guy who just looked good in his uniform with long flowing dreads sticking out of his helmet as he dances during a timeout!!
roc5542
December 2nd, 2010
7:39 pm
I’m a huge uga fan! I’m so tired of this tradition stuff, it hasn’t gotten us any where! BoBos play calling and there poor decisions on the way we utilize our talents at uga. The conditioning was clearly evident at the beginning of the year when USC ran all over us! That 3-4 needs the right players! Hell 411 yds rushed against us in our final game against GT. What’s next! I fire needs to be lit under all their asses. CMR, I support you. Hell you called plays at Fla State, Hell I think you need to do it here. Our running back needs to get meaner and tougher, I love the bama backs those guys deliver the punishment, not take it! Uga needs to fix a lot of things I’m so tired of the high expectation and headaches on Saturdays, no one respect us anymore, the new power house for a couple of years in the east is USC, Fla. A dog um shame, we need to get our RESPECT BACK!
Big Harry
December 2nd, 2010
7:45 pm
Great…. we’re still stuck with that loser Bobo.
Hey Mark – THE PROBLEMS START AND END WITH “Y – O – U”.
SoGaDawg
December 2nd, 2010
7:50 pm
Seriously? Let’s hire the assistant to the guy who was doing a horrible job? This is classic Richt and why We’re 6-6. Auburn is on it’s way to two undefeated seasons in the last 6 years under two different coaches and Richt, well. We’re in a 10th season of just one play going this way or that is the difference between us winning or losing!
Dawg Pup
December 2nd, 2010
7:56 pm
Richt needs to get involved with his program like when he first got to UGA. If he’s not going to be involved then he needs to get the hell out of town!
Listen up Mark – you’re a fine coach (when you’re actually coaching) but YOU need to get back to basics. Go back to what made you successful, get back to winning with passion and winning with an edge.
You speak of finishing the drill, to getting back to basics when things go wrong, well: time to practice what you preach.
Step up or step out.
Dawg Fan
December 2nd, 2010
7:58 pm
I agree with SoGaDawg: one play from winning or losing isn’t the direction I would want my program heading in.
Coochie Man
December 2nd, 2010
7:58 pm
Enter your comments here
Coochie Man
December 2nd, 2010
7:59 pm
Well I’ll be a monkey’s uncle and how about them apples. Wowzer!
Flatsdawg1
December 2nd, 2010
8:12 pm
I like the Herschel for strength coach idea. 1000 push ups 1000 sit ups a day couldn’t hurt, seriously though, Other than Marcus Lattimore having the strength and heart of a warrior nobody can really stop, I don’t see what the problem is, I mean it’s always good to be progressive and Van Halanger was probably getting taken advantage of, Joe T will be fine,but we have much bigger problems than conditioning, Most of the talk about conditioning comes from the defense which is far too often out of position and needs coaching on fundamental tackling. Improvement happened from last year to this year, namely turnover ratio, bu t along way to go with the 3/4.
ThrashDawg
December 2nd, 2010
8:27 pm
Yeah, let’s get an OC that can average more than a pitiful 30+ points per game like this idiot Bobo did in the last 7 games. He stinks! Off with his head!
perk
December 2nd, 2010
8:27 pm
great Mrvos comment! he was a bad man. I think there is more to come – sort of like a younger bad arse to come in with all of the new training techniques…..I’m just sayin
Destin Dawg
December 2nd, 2010
8:27 pm
P90X!!!
Delbert D.
December 2nd, 2010
8:32 pm
Speaking of strength and conditioning, Miami could use some. Ray Glier’s article on the Auburn offensive line has their biggest guy at 319. That is Miami’s *average* for the 1st team OL.
bitter ""Larry Munson"l
December 2nd, 2010
8:34 pm
im available!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! why not???, PS a freshman my god!! theres your ansewer get those big thighs involved where meat meets potatoe, ground floor, in the weight room, 30000 push ups a day
A.J. Green
December 2nd, 2010
8:39 pm
It sho iz cold here. I wish I was back in South Beach.
scott
December 2nd, 2010
8:44 pm
wow never knew so many UGA fans were experts on the subject of strength and conditioning, sure can’t tell by looking at ya!
Texas Peach
December 2nd, 2010
8:44 pm
I am one of Coach Richt’s biggest supporters….WOW…WOW…WOW…is all I can say….if you were going to make a change, then hit a home run….this is an oldtimers game…..lets see if Bill Lewis can coach the secondary and and George Hafner can be the new OC…WOW…WOW…WOW…rumor is Van may end up with Bowden if he resurfaces…..Georgia needs new blood if you are going to make changes…at this rate…if a change is made at HC then it will be Vince Dooley…..very disapointing….may be looking for a DC….rumor is Grantham back to ‘boys after season…..