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Friedgen as UGA’s OL coach? Hmmmmm…

5:00 am January 28, 2011, by Tim Tucker

First thing first: I don’t know if Ralph Friedgen would take the job, if offered it. Seems improbable, at first blush.

But it certainly has become a hot conversation piece in cyber-corners of Bulldog Nation.

Friedgen, the former Georgia Tech and San Diego Chargers offensive coordinator, the recently ousted Maryland head coach, as Georgia’s offensive line coach and running game coordinator?

Friedgen’s name was floated almost as soon as Stacy Searels left for Texas, although not as frequently as the names of Mac McWhorter and Hugh Nall. The buzz intensified Thursday, when Friedgen was reached by UGASports.com’s Anthony Dasher and declined to comment on the matter, and when the website footballrumormill.com, which specializes in rumors about the coaching carousel, said Friedgen “is in good position to land the OL job at UGA. He’s one of 3 candidates.”

Mark Richt hasn’t commented on the coaching search at all, not even on Searels’ departure. Richt is pretty busy, as you might have heard, on the recruiting trail. UPDATE: And Friedgen’s agent, Jack Reale, seemed to douse the rumor in a conversation with the Athens Banner-Herald’s Marc Weiszer, telling him: “I don’t think there’s any truth to that.”

Friedgen, 63, does sound like a man who wants to keep coaching somewhere, based on this excerpt from a blog posted Monday by the Baltimore Sun’s Jeff Barker:

Friedgen hasn’t taken another job yet. “I’m interested in hearing that people are interested in me. If something really excites me, I’ll get back in,” he said.

I asked him about some of the college jobs he has been linked to, and where he might end up. He stopped me to make a clarification.

“That’s in the NFL or in college,” he said, not wanting to limit his possibilities.

So what do you think about Athens as a possibility, however remote it might be, for Friedgen?

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306 comments Add your comment

Herchel

January 28th, 2011
5:15 am

He was a very good OC at Yech

RedandBlack

January 28th, 2011
5:16 am

Friedgen would be a great addition to the offensive coaching staff. He may bring more stability to the offensive play calling too. However, he would need to commit to Georgia for at least a 3-5 year deal. The Bulldogs do not need to go looking for his replacement next year should he come to Athens. Go Dogs!!

JB

January 28th, 2011
5:25 am

I’d be all for it!!!!

And it wouldn’t bother me in the leasat that the yellow maggot fans would hate it. :-)

HBTD!!!

snoopdawg

January 28th, 2011
5:54 am

Wow thats the best news in Athens in along time. He’s an offensive guinius! Go DAWGS!!!!!

goldwreck

January 28th, 2011
6:02 am

The “Fridge” has a house on Lake Oconee.UGA probably could use him as OC more than
as the OL coach.

Stanky

January 28th, 2011
6:05 am

Looks like a heart attack waiting to happen – and at 63 – is this a one or two season band-aid?

Suggest moving on ……. Oh< i forgot, Richt is probably in his last year – so maybe the Fridge can sign a $500M one year contract – to pad his retuirement.

ugottobkidding

January 28th, 2011
6:14 am

Stanky, your thought process fits your name.

BobDawg

January 28th, 2011
6:23 am

… at first I thought it was (to borrow from Sarah Palin) a WTF moment… but now thinking about how prolific Tech was under him….. why not???

GoDawgs

January 28th, 2011
6:28 am

I say go after Mike Leach as OC and run his high octane offense to let him show other AD’s he can coach as well as behave himself with treatment of players for 1-2 years

RomeDawg

January 28th, 2011
6:34 am

Too good to be true.

Helmand Dawg

January 28th, 2011
6:42 am

Friedgen is one of the best I’ve seen at creating mismatches for the defense. He beat GA three times with inferior talent because he put defensive players in tough spots and kept them on their heels. I don’t think he would last very long with Bobo as his boss. He would need complete control of the Offense if were to be hired.

Fridge for Strength & Conditioning Coach

January 28th, 2011
6:42 am

This would be a genius move by Richt. When Friedgen’s old, fat arse inevitably drops dead from a heart attack, the team will have an inspirational win one for the Fridge cry to rally around. Motivational genius. Keep stuffing his fat face with fried chicken the moment he steps foot on campus. They should hire Fridge as the strength and conditioning coach. Imagine the credibility he’d have with those kids with the way he looks.

tony

January 28th, 2011
6:48 am

Make it happen Mr.Richt. Show the world that you will start making good decisions for this football team moving forward.

tony

January 28th, 2011
6:51 am

Enter your comments here

Palm City Dawg

January 28th, 2011
6:53 am

All I can sa is WOW, WO, WOW!!!I love this guy. I thought he did a great job at Maryland and what a great exit speach he delivered to his team after his last game coaching there. Fridgen would be a hell of a great additon to UGA’s staff. Come on man and be a DAWG! WE will give you all the love!!!

Fixit

January 28th, 2011
6:58 am

Ralph Friedgen for OC and O-line!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dan

January 28th, 2011
7:01 am

As is the norm Dawg fans show how stupid they are.

collegeballfan

January 28th, 2011
7:06 am

He ran a great offense at GT and was the OC at San Diego when they went to the Super Bowl. He won the ACC his first year at Maryland. His problem is he is not a great recruiter.

And he does own at house at Lake Oconee, about 45 minutes from the UGA campus.

But whatever UGA would pay him would be deducted from his payoff from Maryland. So he has nothing to gain financially by taking this or any other job.

Dawg 1

January 28th, 2011
7:18 am

Makes no sense what so ever.

AP

January 28th, 2011
7:18 am

I like the idea of Friedgen in the box on gamedays with a birds eye view of the field and a direct line of communication to Richt and Bobo!

WinderDawg

January 28th, 2011
7:18 am

I’d take Ralph as the OC in a heart beat!

dougsmugs.com

January 28th, 2011
7:18 am

I always thought he was the real reason tech won when that jerk Oleary was coach. I loved it when he beat tech and oleary. That was cool.

dougsmugs.com

January 28th, 2011
7:20 am

@collegeballfan : he has nothing to gain financially by taking this or any other job.

Yeah, but emotionally, I don’t think he likes the way Tech treated him under that jerk OLeary. Maybe, he might want even more payback. :-)

Palm City Dawg

January 28th, 2011
7:24 am

Dan and Dawg 1 are obviously gators. No class. How does it feel to have a Dawg coaching your lizards??

JacketLady

January 28th, 2011
7:31 am

dougsmugs- O’Leary and Friedgen are close friends and Friedgen was one of the highest paid OC coaches due to his “value”. He left Tech to become Maryland’s head coach which was always his goal. Get your facts straight before you flap your mug! I hope Friedgen lands a great job somewhere and UGA would be very smart to hire him. With the athletes UGA has and Friedgen’s coaching UGA might make it back to the top. They would have a real head coach in waiting.

SimpleDawg

January 28th, 2011
7:43 am

I’m not sure Athens is big enough……

Asheville Dawg

January 28th, 2011
7:44 am

Why would he go from head coach to line coach? Maybe offensive coordinator, and replacing Bobo, would work.

Bill Lewis

January 28th, 2011
7:48 am

Nothing wrong with switching schools! Would be good for georgia! tech could use some coaching now instead of all the hot air attitude!

Bad Dog

January 28th, 2011
7:49 am

The San Diego Charger NFL experience would be a plus and a recruiting draw but not sure about having a former GA Tech coach?

Eat amd Tweet

January 28th, 2011
7:49 am

As long Thomas Brown wouldnt require The Fridge to take photos of his meals its a done deal.

woebegong

January 28th, 2011
7:49 am

Collegeballfan,

I don’t know whether he would have any pay deducted or not by Maryland. He was not bought out of his contract if I understand it correctly. He was paid a settlement equal roughly to what he would have received minus a raise and bonus money as a settlement. I could be wrong.
I am not sure that he would want to work for Bobo unless, it was agreed upon, that he would have a lot of input into the game plan. How could you expect a genius to work for a rookie in this case. Now the perfect scenario would be for Bobo to work for Freiden, and really learn how to coach, and then Freiden would probably move on to a head coaching job somewhere after a year, but that is as likely as me suiting up my 62 year old body, and playing for a college team, LOL. Coach Freiden is no spring chicken either.

Coach Cheesedip

January 28th, 2011
7:51 am

Remember to make the Daddys happy too!

SOGADOG

January 28th, 2011
7:51 am

CMR should hire Friedgen now make him offensive coordinator, and demote Bobo to QB coach.

ugab

January 28th, 2011
7:51 am

Too old! We need a young experienced OL coach!

Richard Simmons

January 28th, 2011
7:54 am

Mark Richt and BoBo only would need to put Ralphie om my “Deal a Meal” plan. Then we all can dance to the oldies!

Dumbo

January 28th, 2011
8:04 am

Richt won’t because he’s just too predictable, he’ll hire someone who avoids the light and can’t coach.

82Dawg

January 28th, 2011
8:06 am

Just don’t see it happening……

JESUP

January 28th, 2011
8:06 am

Georgia needs him….Bobo needs him …..PAY THE MAN…..PAY THE MAN.

82Dawg

January 28th, 2011
8:07 am

Jesup…how is the baseball team shaping up this year?

59bulldawg

January 28th, 2011
8:14 am

I would be very excited if Ralph Friedgen came to Athens. He knows what he’s doing and he knows how to motivate athletes. It would be a heck of a hire!

bitter "OLE" School Dogs-fan

January 28th, 2011
8:18 am

COLD—-BLOODIE——COMMENTS——–YAAW—–GO EASY

YOU TOO could end up over eating—young pups

JESUP

January 28th, 2011
8:20 am

@82Dawg They should be even better…most all are back lost one starter and like the 7th and 9th batter.

Buckeye

January 28th, 2011
8:21 am

Retread. Having said that, he may help you improve from 6-7- to 7-6 and play in another 3rd tier bowl next season! No dream team w/o dream staff!

BMDPD

January 28th, 2011
8:22 am

Pretty big step down from head coach to line coach. Pride might get in the way. I would not be disappointed, though.

82Dawg

January 28th, 2011
8:23 am

@Buckeye…Did you send that payment to the NCAA?

Dazed and confused

January 28th, 2011
8:24 am

A fine football coach. I too wish he would be OC and Bobo go somewhere (anywhere) else. Afraid that ain’t gonna happen.

What happened to the fat guy that used to coach Kansas?

BMDPD

January 28th, 2011
8:26 am

Buckeye has no room to talk or post. His team is irrelevant.

DawginLex

January 28th, 2011
8:27 am

I don’t know if I believe it until I see it but it does make sense.

1.) Allows Ralph to stay in coaching while waiting for HC job to open
2.) Doesn’t force Richt to get embarrassed because no big name coach is going to come given Richt’s hot seat.

Finchdawg

January 28th, 2011
8:27 am

I think that would be a great idea. He could even replace Bobo if things went south at some point.

DawginLex

January 28th, 2011
8:27 am

Buckeye,

you are better than that.

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