UPDATED: McGarity meets with Grantham, SEC reviews confrontation at Vanderbilt
Georgia defensive coordinator Todd Grantham (R) confronts Vanderbilt head coach James Franklin after Franklin allegedly yelled at one of the Bulldogs' players at the end of Georgia's 33-28 win in Nashville on Saturday.
UPDATED WITH COMMENTS FROM VANDERBILT COACH JAMES FRANKLIN (1:33 P.M.) AND GREG McGARITY AT TOUCHDOWN CLUB OF ATLANTA MEETING (1:45 P.M) .
UPDATED WITH COMMENTS FROM TODD GRANTHAM (11:25 A.M.). . .
ATHENS — Georgia Athletic Director Greg McGarity has already met with defensive coordinator Todd Grantham regarding the postgame confrontation with Vanderbilt head coach James Franklin on Saturday and the Southeastern Conference is in the process of reviewing the incident.
McGarity, who was in Nashville on Saturday, said he discussed the situation with Georgia head coach Mark Richt by telephone on Sunday, then met with Grantham face-to-face at Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall early Monday morning. Meanwhile, both Georgia and Vanderbilt have been asked by SEC Commissioner Mike Slive to submit written reports to the league office for review.
“I spoke with the Commissioner earlier today and they are in a sort of fact-finding process now,” McGarity said. “We’ll submit a report either verbal or in writing. I’m sure Vandy will do the same and then, basically, we’ll see what happens at that point in time.”
As for his meeting with Grantham, McGarity said, “I’d just say those discussions will remain private, but I’ve addressed it with both Coach Richt and Coach Grantham. There were lessons to be learned here. Obviously the conduct that was displayed was not representative of how we want to conduct ourselves after a hard-fought game.”
Grantham and Franklin were caught on video in a heated, finger-pointing exchange immediately after Georgia’s 33-28 win over Vanderbilt had concluded. Moments before that, Franklin is observed yelling at Georgia safety Shawn Williams.
The Bulldogs were flagged three times for personal fouls in the game and, in one instance, it appears Georgia noseguard Kwame Geathers tries to punch a Vanderbilt player. But McGarity said UGA’s reports to the SEC will not address anything that took place during the game.
“The conference does that anyway,” he said. “That’s part of their normal, standard operating procedures where they’ll go through it. Each team submits plays to review and they review things without either team submitting them. That’s just basic standard operating procedure there, things that happen during the game. I’m sure they’ll review the clips and I’m sure they’ll review the personal fouls. They do that all the time. That’s part of their weekly tasks.”
SEC Associate Commissioner Charles Bloom confirmed the postgame confrontation is being investigated.
“The conference office is gathering information from all parties about the incident,” Bloom said via email. “Too early to comment on it.”
Bloom indicated the SEC might have a response by Tuesday.
Grantham, in his second season as the Bulldogs’ defensive coordinator, was reprimanded by UGA last year after directing a choke signs toward Florida kicker Chas Henry before he tried a game-winning field attempt in overtime.
Grantham told the AJC Monday morning he regretted his actions after Saturday’s game.
“First of all, I love my players and appreciate their hard work and investment in our program,” Grantham said. “I feel a responsibility and loyalty to protect and stand up for them. However, I feel it’s important to educate them in all areas of life. While my intentions were genuine, I feel it was unfortunate that things escalated to a confrontation. However, I’ll use it as a learning experience for myself as well as my players so that we all become better men.”
Meanwhile, Franklin was asked at his weekly news conference on Monday if he had followed up on the incident. He said he Richt talked via telephone about the situation on Sunday and indicated there had been some correspondence with the SEC office.
“We have a very, very talented commissioner and they’ll do their job and do what they think is right and we’re going to move forward,” Franklin said as video of his 1 p.m. news conference was streamed live via the school’s website. “I have tremendous respect for the University of Georgia, their history, their program, their coach. We had a hard fought battle with a lot of passion, with a lot of emotion. . . . Some things got a little bit out of hand and I know myself and Coach Richt — I don’t want to speak for him — would have liked for the game to have ended a little differently and been able to just walk off the field.”
Asked specifically if he had any personal regrets with the way he behaved at the end of the game, Franklin said: “I’m not a guy who really has a whole lot of regrets. I’m pretty calculated and pretty well thought out for the most part with the things I do. I am an emotional guy, as you guys know.”
Speaking to the Touchdown Club of Atlanta today, Greg McGarity had more to say about the matter:
“I think the whole story will come out at some point in time. Right now both institutions are basically filing a report to the Southeastern Conference office on really what happened from Todd’s standpoint and, I’m sure, from Coach Franklin’s standpoint. That will go to the commissioner, and then we’ll see where things go after that. But I don’t think there’s any question that . . . at the end of the day that’s not the way you want to end athletics competition. It’s kind of like Mark said after the game: ‘At the end of the game, you want to go over there and shake the opponent’s hand and move on to the next game.’
“I won’t get into specifics, but I think if you ask Todd if he had to do it over again, I think he definitely would do some things differently. I think that’s not the way you want to represent your institution on either side. At the end of the day, I think you’ll see that. But I know Todd is in the process of making a statement. We want to get ahead of this and deal with it up front to where there’s nothing out there that we need to be worrying about the rest of the week.
“It was kind of like we saw at the end of the NFL [49ers-Lions game] yesterday –- I think we had a situation there with a couple of coaches. Things get heated. There probably are a lot of things people would like to take back, but at the end of the day that’s not what needs to happen in college athletics. We need to talk about the student-athletes and what they did that day — and not reduce it to where things off the field are the topic of discussion during that day. So it’s something we’re really not proud of, and we’ll deal with it and learn from it and also teach our student athletes on the positives and negatives of situations like that.”
AJC reporter Tim Tucker contributed to this report.
|– Chip Towers and Tim Tucker
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714 comments Add your comment
DBall
October 17th, 2011
11:45 am
It’s UGA, what else do you expect?? Enough Said….
BG
October 17th, 2011
11:45 am
Koop lay down the crack pipe!!
BG
October 17th, 2011
11:46 am
DBall take a hike idiot.
Joe
October 17th, 2011
11:46 am
Agree with 7576 Dawg….so true……we are a bunch of wimps…vandy started it with their chop blocks……and we wonder why this team has no fire or desire…..i am over the crap….
what I think
October 17th, 2011
11:47 am
It’s as simple as this:
Vandy had less than 50 yards rushing in the past two games, UGA gave up 4x that much
Vandy scored only 3 points in the past two games, UGA gave up 9x that much
If I was Grantham, I’d be embarrassed as hell too. You’re a grown man and you won, move along keep your ass covered.
I care
October 17th, 2011
11:47 am
Typical of UGA, no class. Starting at the top with the coaches and going down to the players.
Just what one would expect from this school lately.
Let’s just see what the SEC will say…the TV and talk shows are all disgusted with what Grantham did.
All I remember is
October 17th, 2011
11:47 am
that ‘choking’ episode in Jacksonville last year.
Grantham has a real problem.
DAWGMAN
October 17th, 2011
11:47 am
It took me a while to figure out that wrasslin ain’t real. My question is: Is Georgia Football real?
UIGA Excuse Maker
October 17th, 2011
11:48 am
UGA fans are so unrealistic and unimformed. Making excuses for TG shows that the level of coomon sense does not exist with some UGA fans. How can a coach tell his players to stay under control when he cn’t.
Name another asst coach in the SEC who will have been reprimanded for behavior twice in a year?
icallbs
October 17th, 2011
11:48 am
I bet the UGA defensive players will run through a wall for their coach. They know he is unequivocally on their side.
It’s Richt’s job to maintain order; I love having a defensive coordinator who will go nuts. I’m glad things didn’t escalate, primarily because we can’t afford to lose players to suspensions with FL coming up, but this incident will prove to have been constructive.
UGA Insider
October 17th, 2011
11:49 am
I have watched football for many years and I have NEVER seen a worse special teams unit than the 2011 UGA Dawgs. I have stated on this blog several time that it would cost us another game this year and if it weren’t for Drew Butler I would be stand correct. However I still think it will unfortunately because CMR is so slow to correct deficiencies. Because we are so lousy on special teams. You can tell we don’t even practice at it.
derek
October 17th, 2011
11:49 am
Im glad to see that kind of emotion. That is what we need here at Georgia. It has been way to long with no emotion. I say if we get rid of Richt then Grantham would be a great head coach.
TampaDawg
October 17th, 2011
11:49 am
ormewood
October 17th, 2011
11:41 am
Grantham needs to calm down. He’s supposed to be setting an example for his players. I’m all for passion, but his is misdirected and inappropriate.
—————————————
He is supposed to lead by example yes. But first, you need to prove to your players, as a leader, that NO ONE goes after them except for THEIR OWN coach. CTG did exactly what he should have done. I guarantee the other players noticed it and will play their butts off for him forever.
Calhoundawg
October 17th, 2011
11:50 am
What I don’t understand is Franklin’s remark that he was “looking for Richt, but couldn’t find him.” What happened to the customary handshake at the end of the game? I guess then that when he “found one of Richt’s assistants”, he found the wrong one. Two wrongs don’t make a right, but in viewing the pictures of the incident, it is clear that Franklin’s posturing was telling Grantham to “come get some!” It is also clear to me from Franklin’s news conference that he is a sour grapes whiny prick who was far more concerned with Georgia player’s behavior than his own. “We are not going to take anything from anyone!” Whatever. He should have gotten him self off the field instead of walking around addressing Georgia’s players. He started it — Grantham finished it.
By the way, check out the warm, fuzzy lovefest between the two head coaches after the Lions/49ers game yesterday. God Bless Coach Richt. God Bless Georgia. Go Dawgs !!!!
Will
October 17th, 2011
11:50 am
These things are not really that difficult to deal with IF immediate supervisors really want to deal with them.
When employees misbehave, supervisors assign consequences. The purpose of the consequences are two-fold – to punish the misbehavior and to deter future acts of misbehavior.
Graham misbehaved on the sidelines during the Florida game last year – punishment was assigned (reprimand) and for most employees, the punishment (and the public humilation that followed) would have been enough to deter similar acts of misbehavior in the future.
So…..Graham misbehaves again. The initial consequences obviously did not deter him from misbehaving in a similar manner so why would you assign a similar punishment.
Does he needed to be terminated from employment? Probably not but the consequences must be somewhere between what has already been give (reprimand) and termination IF UGA really is interested in detering similar acts of misbehavior in the future.
From what I have learned about Graham, he is a hot-headed person whose demeanor and temperment is better suited for the NFL, where he last coached. He was very upset last year to receive a public reprimand and threatened to resign. I doubt UGA is willing to risk his departure, thus I would not expect UGA to be that concerned with detering his misbehavior with a more substantive punishment.
In other words, Coach Richt has stated that this has been “dealt with”. Unless the SEC says differently, I would imagine that will be extent of Graham’s punishment, regardless of whether “dealing with” this misbehavior deters similar incidents in the future.
BG
October 17th, 2011
11:51 am
Franklin was yelling at Shawn Williams and Grantham saw this and approached Frankiln and put Franklin in his place. End of story!
Parade of Knuckleheads
October 17th, 2011
11:51 am
Willy Martinez did have composure and class.
BG
October 17th, 2011
11:52 am
Will the name is Grantham! Get the facts right partner.
TampaDawg
October 17th, 2011
11:52 am
I care
October 17th, 2011
11:47 am
Typical of UGA, no class. Starting at the top with the coaches and going down to the players.
————————————
Yeah, and it’s much better the head coach of another team to go after the players from the opposing team. Definitely some idiots on here today. Going after CTG while giving Vandy coach a free pass. You guys are just trolls looking for something to complain about. Nice work hypocrites.
BG
October 17th, 2011
11:52 am
Tech lost this weekend!
icallbs
October 17th, 2011
11:53 am
@Calhoundawg: spot on!
VADAWG
October 17th, 2011
11:53 am
Todd Grantham is on the hotseat because he stood up for one of his players who was being put upon by that by an opposing coach! I would not want a coach who would let his players be abused and not do a thing about it. I guess it is just a sign of the times when we have to act like pansies in this over-regulated nanny state that is now our country.
rally
October 17th, 2011
11:54 am
Glad that DAWG fans do not run the world. Grantham is a total jerk and a poor example to your players. Mark Richt is classy and you wackos are never happy with him. I guess most UGA fans have as little class as your players and Goon Grantham.
Ihope
October 17th, 2011
11:54 am
Grantham points some of that fire at the UF head man.Will would hang him out to dry! BOOM puppydawgs!!!!!!!!!!
1eyedJack
October 17th, 2011
11:55 am
Was this worse than Coach Fishfry yelling, “Are you that f*^&(#g stupid?” at one of his own linemen?
georgiagirl
October 17th, 2011
11:58 am
Now you know that they are going to try and put this all on Georgia and if so the fans need to stand up and be hear. Do not sit back and let it go. GO DAWGS!!!!!!!
SiddyBoy
October 17th, 2011
11:59 am
Did Coach Franklin have a gun or knife? Why the “protecting my players” bit? The guy may have been yelling at Sean Williams but CTG’s response was too “over the top”. I’m still embarassed !!!
1eyedJack
October 17th, 2011
12:01 pm
Grantham did not go looking for Franklin. The opposite cannot be said to be true.
alex
October 17th, 2011
12:02 pm
@icallbs,the only walls these guys will be running “through” are prison walls..Unacceptable behavior by a coach in a university team that has had multiple episodes of poor bevior in the past.Needs to be fired asap or their is NOP accoutablity on team..
Boca Baby
October 17th, 2011
12:03 pm
For all the Dawg haters: Get ready. It is going to happen. Carolina will lose at least one more game. Georgia will beat Florida (who isn’t “Florida” this year). Georgia will beat Auburn. Georgia will beat Kentucky. Then you can start all the talk about how the winner of the SEC West is going to destroy Georgia. Well stranger things have happened in the SEC Championship game. Like 2005?
georgiagirl
October 17th, 2011
12:03 pm
I CARE,
Who cares
Diehard
October 17th, 2011
12:04 pm
A player said Franklin was cussing #36 for Georgia and Grantham took over from there, I dont think he gave the lame go after me, I’m a man, I’m 40 speech but he got his point across.
This just in
October 17th, 2011
12:05 pm
Hey doodoobaily. Is that what you have for brains uga doodoo?
Roaddawg80
October 17th, 2011
12:05 pm
The only problem I have with Grantham is he apologized (he was probably made to).
GRANTHAM FOR PRESIDENT 11′
crusher
October 17th, 2011
12:05 pm
There comes a time when you have to stand up for what is right. Thank you Coach Grantham for doing that. If the SEC is going to review the coaches, then they need to review the officials. Then you might discover the true problem. Instead of helping to handle the situation they ran like scalded dogs. Get with the program……………
87DAWG
October 17th, 2011
12:05 pm
I love my dawgs but wrong is wrong no matter how you look at it.S.Williams decked a Vandy player and the Vandy Coach was letting him know it was a cheap shot.Grantham could have just said he would handle Sean,But he went nuts AGAIN and was a total embarrASSment to our University.Time to let this nut job walk.
SanDiegoJacket
October 17th, 2011
12:06 pm
What the Ugag fans/alums won’t admit that the unruly behavior, personal fouls, coach’s behavior is endemic of the types of people Ugag recruits. If you run a low rent program you get low rent behavior!!
TO HELL WITH GEORGIA, EVERY DAY IN EVERY WAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
dawgfacedboy
October 17th, 2011
12:06 pm
According to Butler on the morning show yesterday it had to do with the chop blocking by Vandy. Apparently UGA coaches said something to the officials who blew them off and told them they would “call the game as they saw it”. I imagine that Grantham was not too happy about this and if Franklin said something to a UGA defender it was probably the straw that broke the camel’s back. Don’t see a problem with what Grantham did at all. Hes’ an intense guy who stuck up for his players when he saw some BS happening. I promise you he gained a ton of points with his defensive players!
Beast from the East
October 17th, 2011
12:07 pm
This just in……Mike Slive has ordered Grantham to spend 3 weeks in the off-season with Muschamp learning proper sideline etiquette!
ClarkGriswold
October 17th, 2011
12:08 pm
Not sure whose fault it was…Regardless, I stand behind Vanderbilt’s coach 100%. He’s teaching his kids that they are not a doormat to anyone. Meanwhile, Grantham looks like the typical classless redbird UGA fan.
BuzzGT
October 17th, 2011
12:09 pm
Looks like he is just defending his players. Vandy guys come off as the sore loser in this one.
SEC Observer
October 17th, 2011
12:09 pm
This is how low Georgia football has become: the Monday morning conversation is about a skirmish with Vandy.
That pretty much says it all.
rlinaug
October 17th, 2011
12:09 pm
they’re not always ready to play, but always ready to dance. I find msyelf hoping for that one signature loss that will finally lead the powers that be to say, “Enough.” And CMR can go coach Colorado.
Football Wizard
October 17th, 2011
12:09 pm
Hey SanDiego Jacket, at least we don’t lose to UVA. LOL!
Diehard
October 17th, 2011
12:12 pm
Teams that can’t match up physically cut block. Boise was very good at it and the other team left on the schedule who does it is Tech.
Roaddawg80
October 17th, 2011
12:13 pm
I wish the rest of our coaches had the fire in them that Grantham does!
Diehard
October 17th, 2011
12:13 pm
Enter your comments here
sogadog
October 17th, 2011
12:13 pm
The post game incident is being blown out of proportion and it is wrong to place all the blame and scrutiny on Grantham.
1. Franklin was way out of line when he pointed at one of Georgia’s players and yelled at him after the game and he was the instigator of the incident despite the fact he holds himself out as the victim.
2. You cant see Franklin’s face during the incident given the camera angle and only Grantham and the players close by know what Franklin was saying. Given Grantham’s body language and Franklin’s pointing, it is clear Franklin was the initial aggressor.
3. Grantham should be applauded and not punished for standing up for his players when the opposing coach is pointing and yelling at them after the game.
4. Grantham has performed better than any of the assistant coaches at UGA this season and he is very mush responsible for Georgia being in the hunt for the SEC East championship.
5. UGA is very lucky to have Grantham who will likely save CMR’s job. If UGA punishes Grantham when he was not in the wrong, it may lose him when the NFL or some other college comes calling and that would be a huge loss for the program.
6. The UGA program has not shown the fire and passion Grantham brings since Brian Van Gorder departed. Grantham’s defense has bailed Bobo’s offense out all season. Case in point, at the end of the game, the offense could not muster a first down and the defense rose to the occasion and shut down Vandy’s offense after the blocked punt. UGA’s offense continues to play very inconsistently and special teams are awful. Without Grantham’s defense, the Dawgs could easily have lost to Miss State, Ole Miss and Tenn.
Bottom line, everyone needs to get off Grantham’s case and lets get ready to play the Gators.
NOT SO WELL DONE
October 17th, 2011
12:14 pm
What is so cool about Grantham going postal? Strike two.
Ginger
October 17th, 2011
12:14 pm
I do like Grantham’s fire and I hate he got in trouble–I like the guy and the passion he brings to UGA…We needed some passion……But he has to learn that you have to be smarter. Fire is great–but you must control fire—fire out of control gets you in trouble…You must let your fire burn under control in the right way…..How well I know—speaking from my own experiences and firey attitude.
The players will want to play hard for him…which is great….But hope that he learns to be smarter….all he had to do was talk without the pointing and yelling…Just talk to Franklin and say hey I stand up for my players and stand behind my players and walk off……and Let Franklin get in trouble for jawing with him and Williams….Let Franklin be the one to get in trouble. Then got back and tell Williams to play hard on the field–but don’t say anyting to other teams coaches….no win situation…you have to take care of these things on the field in the right manner.