Contract extension likely for Mark Richt, but what about Todd Grantham?
Georgia head coach Mark Richt (L) and defensive coordinator Todd Grantham have proven to be a pretty effective tandem for the Bulldogs this season. (AJC photo by Brant Sanderlin)
ATHENS — It’s reasonable to assume — and we have to assume since Athletic Director Greg McGarity is reserving comment — that Georgia will extend the contract of head coach Mark Richt after the season if the Bulldogs get past Kentucky on Saturday to secure a spot in the SEC Championship Game.
Richt has only two years remaining on his agreement following this season and it would only seem logical that UGA would lengthen that by at least three or four years sometime after the season.
But there’s another contract matter with which the 15th-ranked Bulldogs are going to have to deal if the season continues to progress as it has.
The three-year contract that Todd Grantham signed to come to Georgia to coach its defense expires on Jan. 31, 2013. And while that’s still 14 months away, what the Bulldogs’ defensive coordinator has done on his side of the ball in Year Two has made him a pretty hot commodity.
So says Grantham’s agent, at least. Michael Harrison, an attorney out of Stevenson Ranch, Calif., said he has already “gotten inquiries” from some NFL teams about the possibility of his client returning to that league as a coordinator. Harrison also said he has “gotten feelers” indirectly from colleges gauging Grantham’s interest in becoming a head coach.
Grantham came to UGA from the Dallas Cowboys, where he coached linebackers, and he was a defensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns before that. It’s Grantham’s stated desire to one day become a head coach — the buyout in his contract is waived if he does — and several college positions have already opened up. More will surely become available at the conclusion of the regular season, and Harrison expects Grantham to be a part of those conversations.
“Todd wants to be at Georgia, though,” Harrison insisted. “But we’d like to get an extension.”
Here’s the rub: McGarity is not likely to be keen on providing multi-year deals for assistant coaches. It’s something he never did in 18 years as Jeremy Foley’s right-hand man at Florida.
Georgia’s multi-year contract for Grantham was executed by former UGA Athletic Director Damon Evans, who previously also had not offered extended deals for assistants. Grantham is the among the top three highest-paid coordinators in college football at $750,000 a year, according to a survey by USA Today, and the only UGA assistant coach with a multi-year deal.
How McGarity might actually feel about the situation we have no way of knowing because he’s not willing to comment on it at this point.
“We don’t talk about anything like that during the season,” McGarity said Monday, referring to both Richt and Grantham. “Our full focus is on our players and our opponent and right now that is Kentucky. We’ll deal with all that after the season.”
Asked whether the decision on Grantham would ultimately be his, McGarity said, “the head coach makes decisions on his staff.” But you can be sure McGarity will have input.
This much is also certain: Georgia’s defense has looked a lot better under Grantham’s guidance. After Georgia’s 45-7 win over No. 20 Auburn this past Saturday, the Bulldogs (8-2, 6-1 SEC) moved up to No. 4 in the nation in total defense. They’re also No. 5 against the run, No. 5 against the pass and they lead the SEC in quarterback sacks and tackles for loss. The TD it allowed in the first quarter against the Tigers was just the ninth in the last eight games against the defense.
In fact, Georgia’s defense has improved significantly in national ranking in every category kept in Year Two of Grantham’s leadership.
2010—-Defensive category—–2011
24————-Total————-4
27————-Rush————-5
72———–Pass Eff. ———–5
34————Passing———-15
40————Scoring———-12
51————-TFLs———–10
52————-Sacks———–25
The improvement over 2009, before Grantham was defensive coordinator, is even more significant.
Of course, Grantham does not come without faults. He was roundly criticized for making choke signs at a Florida kicker as he prepared to make the game-winning kick against Georgia in overtime in 2010. And Grantham ended up in a shouting match with Vanderbilt head coach James Franklin at the end of the Vanderbilt game last month. Both incidents resulted in internal reprimands from UGA and certainly could be a factor in any job considerations going forward.
Harrison said he does not believe it will be an issue. “A lot of people want a coach with Todd’s fire and passion for the game,” he said.
Certainly it would be in Richt’s best interest to keep Grantham. Richt has spoken glowingly recently of his defense and its coordinator.
“It’s a lot more fun to coach when you’ve got a good defense and the guys are playing the way our guys are playing,” Richt said Saturday. “It makes up for a lot of deficiencies. It just kind of helps you iron some things out sometimes. . . . Todd studies defenses and offenses as well as anybody I’ve been around. He will have a plan and he will understand what needs to be done. But then he’ll try to make it as simple as possible for our guys. He understands tendencies, he understands formations and groups and when different guys are in the game. He knows the percentages and he’s got fire in his belly. He’s really doing a great job.”
So I put the question to you. Should the Bulldogs move to lock up Grantham as soon as they can for as long as they can? Or should Georgia remain guarded in their approach to long-term contracts?
– Chip Towers
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882 comments Add your comment
DC
November 14th, 2011
1:51 pm
First off, props to UGA. You guys shut us down saturday and performed very well. Secondly, Crowell should not start for UGA rest of the season. I’m sure we all agree on that one. Thirdly, when you UGA fans do the “nana nana hey hey good bye chant…” make sure you guys are still in your seats and not leaving when you do it. Props to all AU fans who stood their until the end unlike many UGA fans in the stadium. Overall, my experience in athens was a good one. I was only flipped off twice…
It's just football
November 14th, 2011
1:52 pm
The university of Ga should pay the follow for 2013-2016:
Richt: 4 mil a yr
Grantham: 2 Mil a tr
Derek Dooley : 1.5 mil a yr
Muschamp: 5 mil a yr
DawginLex
November 14th, 2011
1:53 pm
Tech stinger
Do you ever read what i post on the Tech blogs?
Don’t lump me in with the morons who spew over there.
I talk football.
And besides, what does that have to do with Thomas Brown?
reebok
November 14th, 2011
1:54 pm
This Georgia Tech fan would like to congratulate the Bulldogs and their fans on stomping Auburn and (virtually) locking up a spot in the SEC Championship. Good luck in every game except that one at Bobby Dodd on 11/26.
GTBob
November 14th, 2011
1:54 pm
Let me ask you this. The Nesbitt for Heisman campaign–overzealous or delusional.
Delusional if anyone actually believed it. Nesbitt could have put up 10,000 yards passing and 5,000 yards rushing and wouldn’t have won the Heisman.
It's just football
November 14th, 2011
1:55 pm
oh and no need to pay CPJ, we do fine with any coach they have.
DawgInaTruck
November 14th, 2011
1:55 pm
“Stay off of Tech blogs”
I’ve never been to one. What are you doing here? Oh and by the way, I provide apparel for my employees: We wear red or white dress shirts with black slacks. I’m in need of a janitorial engineer if you are so inclined. Your attitude will need to improve, though.
me
November 14th, 2011
1:55 pm
DawginLex November 14th, 2011 1:06 pm
“Yeah, I wrote it.
And I would have been right, dead on right if richt had not righted the ship.
anyone really think we would win 8 in a row after 0-2?
_________________________________________________
Ok, so you wrote it that you said Mark Richt SHOULD BE FIRED IF HE LOST TO SOUTH CAROLINA THIS YEAR.
So, why are you then, picking on ME ?
You are the NAYSAYER, aren’t YOU ?
You are the HATER, then, AREN’T YOU ?
As for this post now saying that who would have thunk it that we would beat all these cruddy football teams ALL IN A ROW, go back, read my statements, or better yet son, you tell ME what I said ?
I said we would EXACTLY BE WHERE WE ARE. That Auburn had NO DEFENSE AT ALL, no PASSING OFFENSE and would LOSE. I further said that they would be UNRANKED in the Coaches’ Poll this morning with another loss to Bama coming and UNRANKED in the AP Poll this morning.
They are.
You are now going BACK on what you SAID TODAY YOU WROTE to this blog. And, you have wasted my time at work replying to your BS about it.
Haven’t you ?
Get over yourself.
Mark Richt has done NOTHING to warrant a contract extension beating 10 cupcakes in ROW, nothing. Not 1 of the 10 are ranked today in the AP Poll Top 25. Not 1, sir. For this, you now today want to re-write your post as you saying that he has RIGHTED THE SHIP.
Really ?
By beating 10 teams in a row, NOT ONE OF WHICH IS IN THE AP POLL TOP 25 as you write this continued BS about what I said, when it was
YOU WHO SAID FIRE MARK RICHT.
DawginLex ADMITS he said FIRE MARK RICHT.
Uuuuugh....
November 14th, 2011
1:56 pm
It’s just football. Are those people all on the staff at once for all 4 years or one person for each year.
If it is the former, that is too many cooks in one kitchen.
If it is the latter, you would set recruiting back about 5 years worth of gains.
Make no mistake, the pressure for contract extensions comes from recruiting–not the fan base or the administration. Keep Grantham and Richt’s status in question and many recruits will go elsewhere.
DawginLex
November 14th, 2011
1:57 pm
Alright Thomas Brown, I’m through being polite.
I have asked you to stop pasting and copying my posts.
Can you not read dipsheet?
You must be mentally f’ing retarded.
It's just football
November 14th, 2011
1:58 pm
Uuuuugh…. , no we keep CMR and CTG and pay the others to stay where they are now
DawginLex
November 14th, 2011
1:58 pm
I wish I could meet you in person and whip your A$$
I’m 53 years old and I would wipe the floor with you and your mouth.
Dumb sheet
DawginLex
November 14th, 2011
1:59 pm
You can count on this too.
One day, you and I will be at a GA football game in the same stadium and I will find you.
Jeff
November 14th, 2011
2:00 pm
EARTH TO MCGARITY………AS A LONG TIME UGA SUPPORTER (YES, WITH MONEY) I DONT CARE WHAT YOU OR JEREMY DID AT FLORIDA….YOU NEED TO KEEP GRANTHAM…….NOT ONLY HIS COACHING BUT YES HIS FIRE IS WHAT GOT US WHERE WE ARE NOW…IF YOU CANT SEE THAT YOU DONT DESERVE TO BE THE AD
reebok
November 14th, 2011
2:04 pm
wow…too much venom around here. checking out. y’all try not to kill each other.
evil empire
November 14th, 2011
2:04 pm
why would you give richt any extension?? what has he done in the last three years to justify an extension? beat up bad, tennessee, florida and auburn teams?? lose bowl games to ucf and regular season games to colorado??? if grantham is smart, he’ll get on the first thing smokin outta athens after the season ends in the whogivesacrapdotcom bowl…in the famous words of micheal ray richardson…”the ship be sinkin”…don’t be fooled by the string of wins over losers row…mcgarity, pick up the phone and call the coach down in houston while he’s still on the market…
DawgInaTruck
November 14th, 2011
2:05 pm
Lex, when I see a post that long I don’t even look at the name of the writer, I simply go to the next post. She changes her name so much it doesn’t matter anyway. I highly recommend this skipping strategy-it saves time. I also remember one of my cardinal rules: Never argue with an idiot. They’ll just drag you down to their level and beat you with experience. Trust me, that dude has a lot of experience!
wmg
November 14th, 2011
2:05 pm
Like most of you, I’m all for keeping Grantham. But if he wants to be a head coach (and it’s hard to blame him for that) he may well be gone when his contract expires or before anyway. He deserves a chance at that and I’m guessing that he’ll have offers. It’s hard to believe, if that’s his goal, that he will stick around.
Ginger
November 14th, 2011
2:05 pm
Hold comment and just see what happens.If someone offers–have a counter offer ready and then have a list with others names that you could turn to.
Remember that there are other good assistants—like Kirby Smart DC Bama, DC Chavis LSU and good NFL assistant…Grantham acting crazy at times would hurt him….But glad that we have Grantham. Just play it out.
evil empire
November 14th, 2011
2:05 pm
slow your roll dawginlex….
DawgInaTruck
November 14th, 2011
2:05 pm
Take care reebok, thanks for the kind words. Good luck this week.
JB
November 14th, 2011
2:07 pm
Lex, don’t let that guy get to you…..99% of your post are solid football post. those who check in often know that. Enjoy what happen Saturday…and what will happen at Grants Tomb in 3 weeks.
evil empire
November 14th, 2011
2:08 pm
ginger, go back to watching the view…why on earth would kirby smart or john chavis leave their situations to make a lateral move to work for a coach on less than stable ground??? yeah, i’d leave Bama or LSU to work in athens…hahahaha…
DawginLex
November 14th, 2011
2:08 pm
I’m gonna find him and whip his A$$
I’m sick of it
I was nice.
Not anymore.
Chip towers won’t do anything so I will
Game over
bigdawg88
November 14th, 2011
2:09 pm
Sure, give Grantham an extension, but put some kind of clause in it so he has to pay a whole lot if he leaves early, or gets a whole lot if he stays for 5-10 years. Make sure you also put in a morals clause too, just in case he gets a taste for red panties…. Wonder if you can put a non-compete clause in his contract so that he can’t move to another SEC school? We really ought to think about that.
Don’t really mean much though, if the NFL wants him, HE IS GONE! You think he wouldn’t like to coach in the NFL again as DC, or HC? Luckily, I don’t see any other SEC teams that need coaches (well, are going to switch anyway) this year so I don’t see any other college team stealing him away as long as we pay him about $1.5M/year minimum. He’s got it good right now, and he knows it. Now, if Saban, Spurrier, Dooley the kid, Mushchump, or the voodoo king were to jump ship (or get kicked out) in a couple of years, there’ll be no amount of money that will keep him here as DC if he can move into a HC position.
And Richt brought him here and put all this together, so keep Richt. Unless you guys really want Muschamp (remember that guy?). I’m sure he’ll be available in a year or two. heh heh
DawginLex
November 14th, 2011
2:10 pm
Later boys.
Time to go get a Diet Coke
ClinchPanther
November 14th, 2011
2:10 pm
Give him a five year deal. He will be gone before then anyway as a head coach. He is the real deal. and this too, his linebackers coach “o” will go with him and he has done a heck of a job as well.
RUSS FOR PERMANENT MASCOT
November 14th, 2011
2:11 pm
GA-GA Tech game is at noon. Get ready Bees. I’m gonna be lifting my leg and pizzing all over that field.
tony
November 14th, 2011
2:11 pm
Why are we talking about Todd Grantham and where his total defense ranks nationally but they never talk about where Mark Richt’s total offense rank nationally?
Had they ran the football against Boise St and SC the way they crushed AU’s defense, we would be looking at a 10-0 record instead of 8-2 record and we probably would be in the top 10 in total offense. They should do everything in their power to sign Todd Grantham too a long term contract.
TampaDawg
November 14th, 2011
2:11 pm
Thomas Brown is really having a tough time reading. UGA just played Auburn and won. Auburn was in the BCS top 25 at the time of the game. Now, normally I don’t buy into the “when we played them bit” but you better believe that if Auburn would have won, all we would have heard was “can’t beat a ranked team” .. so Thomas Brown, yes, Auburn was ranked in the BCS top 25 which counts more to EVERYONE than the wittle AP poll does.
DawgInaTruck
November 14th, 2011
2:12 pm
See ya Lex. If you find him let me know. I wanna watch the beat-down. I gotta hit it too. Its been fun but there is work to do.
TampaDawg
November 14th, 2011
2:13 pm
Agree with JB Lex.
Lowcountry Bulldawg
November 14th, 2011
2:13 pm
Mathew Ciafaro better go into hiding…
JB
November 14th, 2011
2:13 pm
I feel sorry for Muschamp. The people who love him, or should I say did are in Athens….Florida will fire him during the season in year 3. That roster needs totally retooling….and as with Dooley, he will not be given time to do it. We live in a microwave oven society, and we do at UGA also.
DawgInaTruck
November 14th, 2011
2:14 pm
Tampa, that assumes he CAN read.
South GA Dawg
November 14th, 2011
2:15 pm
UGA played Florida after a bye week with brantley back as QB, AL and LSU both played floridas second and third string QB, UGA played SC with Lattimore healthy and still dominated the game but lost it due to special teams and turn overs. I think UGA has a better chance at beating AL and LSU as anyone. If the offence is clicking on all cylinders and special teams does not screw up UGA will win. AU was never in this game UGA totally dominated them. Dont forget UGA finished the FL game on the 1 yard line and took a knee. CMR is not going to run up scores when not needed like Saben at AL.
DawginLex
November 14th, 2011
2:16 pm
I apologize for my rant.
To Thomas Brown:
I will no longer respond to you.
I will ask you to not copy and paste my posts or respond to me.
I am asking this for the 3rd time.
I have also informed Chip Towers of my request to you.
Good day to all
St. Clarkston
November 14th, 2011
2:16 pm
You can do everything to lock him up but if he wants to be a HC, he will leave.
evil empire
November 14th, 2011
2:17 pm
Finally, someone who wasn’t hypnotized by JOPA’s BS speaks out…
http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/45283472/ns/sports-college_football/
JB
November 14th, 2011
2:18 pm
AU folks better be glad Richt is not evil like Spurrier, for if he would of allowed Murray to play pitch and catch Saturday in the second half against that deflated Auburn defense, it would of been 67-7.
MY DAWG
November 14th, 2011
2:18 pm
Sic em, Dawgs! CTG is obviously the real deal, and his NFL experience is what recruits want. They want to play for a guy who can get them to the next level. CMR has allowed CMB the time to become a real OC. Pay them all what they deserve! The problem with “us” UGA fans is that we see all the NC being spread around the SEC and we want GA to hurry up and win one. We are a “give it to me now” society! There isn’t a better head coach out there than what we have. Within the next year there won’t be a better DC, and don’t be surprised when CMB gets offers rolling in. Pay them, rebuilding sucks and “us” Ga fans don’t won’t to go through it again.
JB
November 14th, 2011
2:20 pm
Chip Towers needs to watch this blog and those just here to poke and not talk football be given one warning… then be banned if they continue……………….But the AJC may sell ads based on post so it may be a mute point.
The Bus Drivers Dawg
November 14th, 2011
2:23 pm
Hell Yes !
JB
November 14th, 2011
2:24 pm
Call me crazy, but with Bobo’s rep as a great recruiter and if Dawgs go on a run the next couple of years, and it looks like they might, Bobo might get a shot as a head coach at say Ole Miss or Kentucky or Vandy or NC State.
Lowcountry Bulldawg
November 14th, 2011
2:24 pm
These blogs used to be great to read, but plenty of trolls have ran off some great bloggers.
Matthews Dawg
November 14th, 2011
2:25 pm
JB… I stand corrected and offer my apology! Also, all of us thought that if CMR didn’t right the ship he was gone! I wasn’t for that, but I understood that! I believe you may be correct that CTG isn’t the type of person CMR would hang out with a lot, but we all have people we work with that we would say that about. But, it doesn’t mean he doesn’t respect him or thinks he does a good job. I’m not saying that is what you said, but just making a comment. Keep backing the Dawgs!
I was at the game Sat night and walked thru Old Campus to downtown after the game. I thought the trash problem was fixed? I wouldn’t blame UGA for not allowing people to tailgate on that part of the grounds. The area closest to the Library was a mess and the closer you got to Broad street it was cleaner. Do they have a crew that goes around and cleans up the mess? We brought friends to the game and it was a joke on how bad that looked. Before the game they were like, this is beautiful, after the game, not so much!! Just wondering.
Go Dawgs!!
Atlanta87
November 14th, 2011
2:25 pm
Just curious, but how do you find someone on an ajc blog? Do you go on the loud speaker at Sanford Stadium and say “To the person who uses Thomas Brown on ajc as their sn, please report to the 50 yard line so Dawginlex can kick your @ss?” If anyone knows how that works, let me know.
Lowcountry Bulldawg
November 14th, 2011
2:26 pm
Chip knows exactly what we mean also. He did this back in ‘06-’07 before they took him off the beat and punished us with Carter Strickland. So Chip has seen this blog devolve over time.
Atlanta87
November 14th, 2011
2:27 pm
There’s not much difference between 45-7 and 1,000-7. I think UGA made their point.
DawginLex
November 14th, 2011
2:27 pm
I’m going to leave these blogs for at least the rest of this week, maybe more.
Y’all have fun