Georgia football coach Mark Richt has full support of Adams, McGarity, athletic board
Georgia AD Greg McGarity (L) and President Michael Adams will have the most to say about coach Mark Richt's future as the Bulldogs' football coach. (AJC photo by Curtis Compton)
St. Simons Island — Truth or fiction, reality or perception, the general thought on Georgia football is that this is a critical season for head coach Mark Richt. Virtually every preseason story that has been written on the Bulldogs so far, has placed Richt on the proverbial “hot seat.”
But there are only a handful of people whose opinions really matter on this subject, chiefly UGA President Michael Adams and Athletic Director Greg McGarity.
It is them, and to some degree the Georgia Athletic Association executive board gathered here at the King & Prince Resort this week, that will ultimately decide Richt’s fate. So I asked them how they felt about things.
“First of all, the guy that has the most to say about it is the AD,” said Adams, presiding over the board’s annual end-of-the-year meeting here the past two days. “Despite what sometimes gets written, I haven’t done one of these things, pro or con, without heavy consultation with the AD.
“That said, I think you look at a person’s whole body of work. And I think the whole body of work by Mark Richt the last 10 years is very strong. We have very high expectations at the University of Georgia. We didn’t meet them last year. But I’m pretty confident that we’re going to spring back, that he made the kind of adjustments in staffing that needed to be made. Now we’ll do what we always do with every coach every season; we’ll sit down at the end of the season.”
The reason for the speculation is Georgia is coming off a 6-7 campaign — its first losing season since 1996 — and a two-year stretch in which it is just two games over .500 overall (14-12) with a losing SEC record (7-9).
But when you look at Richt’s “body of work” before that, it paints a totally different picture — 82 wins over eight seasons, two SEC championships, four first-place finishes in the SEC East and two second-place finishes.
“Our first requirement is to run the program properly,” Adams said. “You will get in trouble at Georgia more for failure to do that rather than for having a bad season once a decade. But we do think with our resources, with our recruiting base, with our fan base, it’s not unreasonable to expect us to have a winning football program. And we have for 13 of the 14 years I’ve been here. I fully expect we will for 13 of the next 14.”
Richt made some significant changes after last season. He replaced his longtime strength and conditioning coordinator, Dave Van Halanger, with Joe Tereshinski Jr. Tereshinski, a former All-SEC player and strength coach under former head coach Vince Dooley, brings an old-school training approach. The strength staff was also expanded and nutritionists are now overseeing the year-round diets of all the players.
“I think we got off to a wonderful start in January,” McGarity said. “I’ve said many times, how you perform in September and October comes down to what you do in January. You set the tone, you set the expectations, you say this is the way we’re going to run our operation. There’s no question – and I think Mark would acknowledge this and I think the players would acknowledge it— that they’ve gotten off to a good start with nutrition and strength and conditioning.”
Board members who were asked about the direction of the football program all expressed support for Richt while also acknowledging that 2011 will be an important season.
“He’s not in my hot seat; he’s still in my lap,” Bob Bishop, an executive board member for 29 years, said with a laugh. “I love him. I don’t think you can find a better human being anywhere and he’s a fine football coach. He’s proven that time and time again. But we all know it goes in cycles. He had a bad cycle last year and he made a lot of changes to improve on that. If you have a real bad season again there’s going to be a lot of turmoil all over the state and on campus and behind the scenes.”
Said board member emeritus Gary Hill: “I’m firmly in Mark Richt’s corner. I want him to succeed. Everything is in place for him to succeed and I’m pulling for him to do so. Who wants to go through the turmoil of changing coaches and changing staff?”
Bishop was asked if the board would have to respond to alumni or fan dissension.
“You’ve got to listen; that’s why we serve on the board. But most of that doesn’t play into it,” he said. “You evaluate the program independently and how the program is progressing. We’ve had a couple of down years. It will be very nice if he can improve that 6-and-7, at least modestly. But I think our program is in good shape.”
McGarity agrees and expressed confidence in the prospects for this coming season.
“I think there’s tremendous leadership on this team and I think that’s one thing that gets lost in the conversation,” McGarity said. “Individuals like Orson Charles and Aaron Murray and Christian Robinson and Ben Jones, you’ve got some guys like that are taking it upon themselves. If we have problems internally, they’re going to take care of it before it ever reaches anyone anywhere.”
That has been another criticism of the program under Richt. Off-field issues, such as 10 arrests of football players last year, made it appear there was a lack of discipline on the team.
So far there have been no arrests this year.
“Are we always going to stay out of trouble? No, chances are we’ll have our bumps in the road,” McGarity said. “But I think the things that you look at from a leadership standpoint, I feel very good about that. How will that translate into wins and losses? I think sometimes winning is a byproduct of what you do, just like in any other walks of like. If you work hard, you pay attention to details, then winning is going to be a byproduct of that.”
McGarity said he was impressed with the way Richt and his staff responded to last season’s disappointment, particularly by going out and signing a Top 10-ranked recruiting class.
“There’s no question that Mark feels invigorated about the season,” McGarity said. “I think he’s excited to go. All of the sudden it’s going to be June 6 and everybody comes to campus and they’re going to be under our wing at that point.”
Bishop has presided over four football coaching changes in his time on the board, so he knows the realities of today’s high-stakes college game. But he scoffs at the criticism of Richt’s ability to coach.
“I remember back when Bear Bryant was coaching, he had a bad year and everybody was saying the game has passed him by,” Bishop said. “Biggest joke I’ve ever heard. He had a few bad years, but he had a few good years, too. All we need is one more point than Boise State and we’ll be on the road.”
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304 comments Add your comment
Tobias Funke
May 27th, 2011
2:43 pm
All I’m saying is Mark Richt is the coach in 2011. Shouldn’t we support him until he is gone? The team will ALWAYS be bigger than the coach. We should ALWAYS root for victories.
Stinger2
May 27th, 2011
2:48 pm
I am a GT Fan. I do think that the UGA fans who want CMR out are being
unfair to this coach. As his bosses said, he should be judged on his overall record which may be one if not the best for major college head coaches over the last 10 years. Lighten up UGA fans and be thankful for the man you have.
Joey
May 27th, 2011
2:52 pm
Another thing about those first three QBs was their ability (and full authority) to change the plays at the line. Hopefully, Murray is more comfortable this year doing that.
I’d love to see some hurry-up offense like Greene and Shockley ran several times per game. It sure made them more effective when they HAD to use it.
Yaz
May 27th, 2011
2:54 pm
Wow, does McGarity love to talk “concepts” and “theories” or what? Guy loves to talk, talk, talk. Never DOES much of anything.
No new contract extension for Mark Richt.
But McGarity’s “confident”.
At least conceptually.
Ha!
ruddygala94
May 27th, 2011
2:54 pm
I paid $32.67 for a XBOX 360 and my mom got a 17 inch Toshiba laptop for $94.83 being delivered to our house tomorrow by FedEX. I will never again pay expensive retail prices at stores. I even sold a 46 inch HDTV to my boss for $650 and it only cost me $52.78 to get. Here is the website we using to get all this stuff, http://GoGetBids.com
Yaz
May 27th, 2011
2:58 pm
Hi Chip,
Please ban for life 2:56 May 27th poster trying to act like me again.
DawginLex, is that you again?
He’s threatened by my intellect, no doubt.
Tobias Funke
May 27th, 2011
2:59 pm
Joey
I agree. I loved watching the hurry up offenses Greene and Shockley ran. The look on the opposing defenses was priceless after a touchdown.
Yaz
May 27th, 2011
3:00 pm
I’m not a big fan of some of McGarity’s theories, like how the basketball team and football team working out from trailers wouldn’t hurt conditioning?
Seems to me, the basketball and football team kind of struggled in the 4th quarters.
Theorist, got to love me’.
Tobias Funke
May 27th, 2011
3:02 pm
YAZ
What key players transferred? Your intellect is that of a 14 year old, recently let out of middle school for the summer, if you ask me.
AltamahaDawg
May 27th, 2011
3:05 pm
They changed the rule a few years ago to restrict the advantage of hurry up.
UCF Dawg Fan
May 27th, 2011
3:05 pm
Tobias Funke – Amen Brother! Amen! We should be 110% in our team’s and our coach’s corner until the season is over. Just like that preacher doesn’t know when the Second Coming will occur, NO ONE knows how the Dawgs season will turn out this year.
As for me and my house, we want UGA to win as many games as possible in the 2011 season and if that results in a big contract extension for Coach Mark Richt, amen to that too. I, for one, want a winning program with strong leadership, honesty and integrity. A win at all costs attitude is for the weak of mind and poor in integrity.
GO DAWGS!
In_the_cellar
May 27th, 2011
3:06 pm
Americans love a winner and can not tolerate a loser. Someone needs to define fan! My definition does not include being a loser.
In_the_cellar
May 27th, 2011
3:07 pm
Bye the way not all fans graduated from Georgia!
joey is right!!!!
May 27th, 2011
3:09 pm
I understand his overall record is good but 2-8 Vs. our biggest rival is terrible. If the roles were reversed UF would have fired thier head coach long ago. Again different expectations. 2-8 is embarrasing!
Yaz
May 27th, 2011
3:10 pm
Another one of McGarity’s theories was that you could underr pay assistant coaches by $130,000, and retain them.
Unfortunately, that theory didn’t work either, Searels & Bolin got pulled away by leaders who valued them more highly.
In_the_cellar
May 27th, 2011
3:11 pm
Enter your comments here
ugaclassof2004
May 27th, 2011
3:11 pm
Tobias Funke
OK they lost to ULM. My point is so the hell what?? Bama made the move in another direction and were willing to take their licks that first year of rebuilding. Of course getting a new coach is no gurantee that things will get better. But you can’t make huge improvements without taking risks. Marginal risks will get your marginal results.
You’re telling me that Richt is perfectly fine and that all we need to do is make a few tweaks here and there and UGA will be contenders again. And I’m telling you that continuing to keep Richt around is the equivalent of putting new tires on a car with a bad transmission. When the transmission is bad, you’re better off getting a new vehicle instead of continuing to pour money into an old one. I believe we have come to that point with Mark Richt. And yes I think there are coaches out there that could have done better than 7-5 and 6-6 the last 2 years.
And I don’t know what kind of leadership books you have been reading, but it is ABSOLUTELY better/cheaper/smarter to fire an underperforming employee than it is to continue to pour money into them in the hopes that they get better. I can’t think of a single successful business that accepts underperformance from anyone!!! I am now officially done talking to you.
Yaz
May 27th, 2011
3:11 pm
I’m not a big fan of being ‘Lukewarm”, get hold or cold.
Get behind Richt, extend his contract, or fire him.
But lukewarm?
No leadership.
BYRDDAWG
May 27th, 2011
3:14 pm
We really should be much improved from last yr…..Murray will be in his 2nd yr as starter & the D should be understand CTG’s 3-4 scheme!!!! SC may be looking for a new starting QB & UF will be in their 1st yr with Muschump.. Good chance to win the East..GO DAWGS
UCF Dawg Fan
May 27th, 2011
3:16 pm
Yaz – You would have said the same thing about Stafford if he didn’t have the experienced O-Line and TB help he did when he was taking his licks. Heck…he even threw plenty of INTs in two of his 3 UF games, but he failed to come back from either of them. Murray will shut all of your mouths this year.
BYRDDAWG
May 27th, 2011
3:16 pm
should be able to understand
Yaz
May 27th, 2011
3:19 pm
Another McGarity theory has to do with spending/investing. Only invest 26% into the program last season.
Yet wanted a lot of wins.
Lost to every SEC team that invested a higher percentage.
Forbes exposed McGarity’s blunder.
http://blogs.forbes.com/sportsmoney/2011/01/26/whos-making-money-in-sec-football/
AltamahaDawg
May 27th, 2011
3:20 pm
Who would have loved to have heard 2004’s comments if UGA had fired Richt a couple of years ago and gone out and hired a Gene Chizik from (5-19) Iowa State? You be all over that wouldn’t you sport?
JB
May 27th, 2011
3:21 pm
We are thin on the OL this coming year. No real proven game changer SEC RB,real suspect at WR. We’ve got a TE playing FB. The D should be much improved. Kicking game outstanding. Excited about two new coach’s, LB and OL.
RHALL55
May 27th, 2011
3:22 pm
Winning = Extension!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Losing = Distinction!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
JB
May 27th, 2011
3:29 pm
I do think we will be stronger and in better shape this year. Word is coach T is killing them.
Tobias Funke
May 27th, 2011
3:33 pm
2004
Last year was our rebuilding year! And now YOU WANT HIM FIRED. Goodness gracious. You should quit with the analogies. So the bad transmission is the University or our Football program? What money are we pouring into this vehicle?
I received my degree from the Terry College of Business, University of Georgia with a concentration in Finance 2003! What about you bubba?
You don’t fire top employees with a 10% failure rate. I’m assuming you work at Burger King. That is one place I agree it is better to fire underperforming employees and start all over again with a new crop.
Like I said it is embarassing that we went to the same school at the same time. Change your handle also, please. Type either fairweatherugafansince2004 or “just genious.” I am done schooling you.
Utah Dawg
May 27th, 2011
3:40 pm
So from 2000 – 2004 Penn State went 26-33 under one of the greatest coaches in football history (the worst of those years Penn State was 3-9). According to the growing noise from the critics, the game had passed him by. So in 2005 Penn State goes 11-1 and wins the Big Ten. Life runs in cycles particularly if you compete at the highest levels in whatever endeavor in life with a bunch of other talented and driven people trying to out perform you. A lot must go right each and every year including just plain getting lucky now and again. Those of us that have competed in the SEC understand this. Coach Richt should have job as long as he wants it.
Tobias Funke
May 27th, 2011
3:44 pm
Forgive me everyone. I will not stand by and let some people TEAR DOWN everything this man BUILT UP.
Go Dawgs! Win with Richt!
UGA Insider
May 27th, 2011
3:50 pm
UGA will have the 2nd best defense in the SEC behind LSU. I just hope we can somehow average 24 points/game!!!!!!!!!!
ps… coaches fully expect Damien Swann, Corey Moore and Nick Marshall to come into camp ready to take a starting position in the secondary. I think we will be fine back there. Marshall has the same talent as a Champ Bailey type player. If he comes into camp in-shape, he can be a shut-down corner like Champ.
AltamahaDawg
May 27th, 2011
3:50 pm
Hey 2004, you going to take that? Tell him your theory of how Richt’s “religious beliefs” is REALLY what is keeping him from wanting to be successful. Go on, tell him. be sure to use the “Tim Tebow also believes in heaven but could be the best he could be” , so that proves Richt is…….go ahead, you tell it so much better.
JB
May 27th, 2011
3:53 pm
Utah Dawg….I want to come to work for you in sales. Have a 2 million territory that drops 2 mil to 1.5 mil to 1 mil…..and have you hug me when I come to work…….and still paying me 100K guarantee by the way………………Comparing him to Jo Pa is a stretch. There were calls for his head by loyal Penn St. folks.
Dawgfan1
May 27th, 2011
3:54 pm
Ok I have read every article you posted about Adams expectations from Richt, but honestly, how long do the UGA fan base have to wait before we see another SEC and National championship? I am totally behind Richt because he is a wonderful coach; however, I am totally behind finding a new OC because Bobo is not the right person for the job and that has been proven time and time again. UGA shouldn’t be complacent with just winning 9 or 10 games a year or just having a winning program. They should want a championship team every year and even if they don’t get a championship every year they will not be far off from getting one from time to time.
I have been a dawg fan since I was 9 when I first started playing football and watching them play every saturday with my dad; however, since then the only thing that people know about UGA is that they won two conference championship, we send a lot of players to the league, and we get our tail handed to us by UF. My buddy’s who are UF fans couldn’t call it better “UGA is ok with winning and if they have a winning season they are fine.” That is exactly true based on one or your comments and a statement from Adams. JB’s quote: ” I’ve have posted that is all Adams cares about. 9, maybe 10 wins and a decent bowl is just fine by him.” That is the reason I feel that UGA could go for the nationals every now and again but as everything it starts at the top. If the president is ok with just winning then everyone below him is ok with just winning; however, if the president demands for a championship caliber team then the everyone below him is going to follow in his direction. How come you have some fans that would like to see UGA bring home a national championship every once and awhile get told to jump off the band wagon or called untrue fans of dawg nation because they want a championship brought back to Athens? Look at all the teams in the SEC that won nationals everyone fans, school officials, coaches, players all wanted it and again based on the statement made by Adams we just have to settle with just winning 9 or 10 games. UGA will forever be my team but I would like to say that dawgs beat UF again and that national championship trophy looks good sitting in UGA’s trophy case. Thats all I want and I am pretty sure that every other fan would like the same.
AltamahaDawg
May 27th, 2011
3:55 pm
JB, did you build up the 2 million dollar territoty in the first place? What was it before you got there? Did you boss just fire you or try to figure out what factor were involved, and get them fixed?
One thing I bet is that your boss, if he has been one more than 6 months, did not just decided he would rather break in a new rep, start all over again just to see if he can get back to what he KNOWS from expereince you can already do.
Tobias Funke
May 27th, 2011
3:56 pm
Alt
Very funny.
AltamahaDawg
May 27th, 2011
3:56 pm
the funniest part……he actually said that.
Destin Dawg
May 27th, 2011
3:56 pm
would love to see Hutson Mason get a bunch of playing time…. Le May also… it should be WIDE OPEN for QB… because we have the talent and Murray was not THAT impressive consistently !! Richt has a problem with seniority system or call it loyalty 0 Go Dawgs !!
JAWJeRDAWG
May 27th, 2011
3:57 pm
@ UGA Insider
Glad to read some positive news from you for a change. .. Go Dawgs!
UGA Fan
May 27th, 2011
4:01 pm
YOU ARE THE BEAT WRITER AND HAVE PUBLISHED THIS SAME ARTICLE 5 TIMES SINCE THE END OF THE SEASON. THE BASEBALL TEAM JUST WON THEIR FIRST GAME IN HOOVER (THAT’S WHERE THEY PLAY THE SEC TOURNAMENT) IN SEVERAL YEARS AND NOT A WORD IS WRITTEN.
DO YOUR JOB – THERE ARE OTHER SPORTS GOING ON – AND THEY ARE IN THE POSTSEASON
GoldenDawg
May 27th, 2011
4:09 pm
Mine too.
He's better be on the HOT SEAT
May 27th, 2011
4:14 pm
Of course they’d say that preseason!!! Even Tech’s AD said similar things at the start of basketball season and we all know how that ended regardless of the HUGE buyout. If Richt does not win a minimal 9 games with this softest of UGA schedules he needs to be canned. LSU and Bama aren’t on our schedule. Boise is in our backyard and while they play hard certainly have nowhere near as much talent…and does anyone really expect us to lose to the triple option anytime soon??? There are few doubts on our schedule (UF and USC)! Auburn lost everybody. Tennessee is still far off challenging to win the EAST much less the overall SEC. Lose to Vandy or KY an he should be fired immediately. My goodness can anyone truly find three losses on the schedule? Only if we underperform yet again….
JAWJeRDAWG
May 27th, 2011
4:47 pm
Not football related, but:
It was good to see the Diamond Dawg’s starting left-hander, Alex Wood pitch a complete game yesterday, helping UGA beat Auburn 3-2 to stay alive in the SEC Tournament.
Hopefully we can win again tonight in our 3-win game quest to advance to an at-large bid to an NCAA regional tournament. Go Diamond Dawgs!
And, best wishes to the UGA Women’s Softball Dawgs hoping they continue their season with a win tomorrow verses Baylor in the NCAA Softball Super Regional!
Go ALL Dawgs!
OLDDAWG
May 27th, 2011
4:49 pm
I went to my first Georgia game in 1958,it was magic then and ii still is today!There has been some bad seasons,some good seasons and plenty of great seasons .FROM BUTTS,DOOLEY( WHEN FOR 26 YEARS fla wore a CHOKE COLLAR)TO GOLF,DONNAN AND NOW COACH RICHT ITS ALLWAYS BEEN GREAT TO BE A GEORGIA BULLDOG AND GATER HATER!Of all the coaches Coach Richt has been the best and the finest and saying that above Dooley is saying alot!!FOR all you whiners its a game and thats why its still played,so get a job,get off the bottle and stop whining like a bunch of girls!!!!!Just thank GOD you weren’t born wearing jean shorts or Orange highway uniforms!
Ringleader
May 27th, 2011
4:50 pm
Barack Dawg………
I guess you could not afford the $49 Trailways ticket to Memphis and the rabbit ears
did not function well in your 12 wide, but the offensive and defensive lines were slaughtered
by Central Florida.
I am a 68 classmate of Lewis Grizzard and Jiggy Smaha……..You do not know jack.
There are serious problems within the program, I am hopeful the preacher figures it out,
but it is not optomistic.
dawginduluth
May 27th, 2011
4:58 pm
It’s a sad day when the Bulldog Nation is happy with mediocrity. One of the early posters said that heads will roll if we don’t finish at least second in the East. We have come a long way from the early years of the Richt era when a National Championship was our goal. We are now pulling for this lame ass coach to lead us to second in the East? $3 million gets us second in the East and you Richt suck-ups are happy? Pathetic.
No NC with Richt. Never!
Joey
May 27th, 2011
4:59 pm
“They changed the rule a few years ago to restrict the advantage of hurry up.”
****************************************
Altamaha, didn’t Oregon run the hurry-up all game long last season? They must have figured something out with the rules change. That is, until they ran into the Cal team, whose coach had his boys faking injuries.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/520034-video-is-this-proof-that-cal-football-players-were-faking-injuries
FBFan
May 27th, 2011
5:00 pm
“Our first requirement is to run the program properly,” Adams said……
Were there not 11 arrest of players in 2010? Well over 40 arrested players since 2005? How many scholarship players do we lose each year out of a signing class? eight or nine? Yet these folks are insinuating the program is run properly????
As the arrest went up the wins went down yet everything stays the same. Why?
This must be the same bunch that voted to hire Damon “red panties” Evans?
superDawg
May 27th, 2011
5:05 pm
Coach Richt should remain at UGA for a long time.Better days are in the near future and Mark Richt is the MAN for the task at hand.GO DAWGS!
Tank & Fire
May 27th, 2011
5:07 pm
Richt is a really nice guy.
icedawg
May 27th, 2011
5:09 pm
If he won every game there would still be those to whom that would not be good enough.