McGarity opens contract extension talks with Richt; again denies A&M rumors
Georgia athletic director Greg McGarity met with football coach Mark Richt on Friday to formally open discussions about a contract extension.
McGarity said further talks will be held, perhaps next week, but that UGA and Richt are in agreement on the central point: “He wants to be our coach. We want him to be our coach.”
McGarity added: “There’s really no need to speed through anything right now because he and I are in a good place.”
Richt has two years left on his existing contract, but his job appeared in peril when the Bulldogs opened this season with back-to-back losses to Boise State and South Carolina. A 10-game winning streak and SEC East championship removed Richt from the much-discussed “hot seat” and all but ensured a contract extension.
The McGarity-Richt meeting came on the morning after rumors and reports surfaced that Texas A&M was targeting Richt for its coaching opening. McGarity said the timing of the meeting was unrelated to that speculation, in which he said he put no credence.
McGarity said Texas A&M athletic director Bill Byrne had not contacted him and would have done so if he were pursuing Richt.
“You don’t waste your time on [rumors] that have no legs,” said McGarity, who added that he has no doubt Richt will be the Bulldogs’ coach next season and beyond.
“We just know Mark is going to be our ‘ball coach,” McGarity said.
Friday morning’s meeting, held in McGarity’s office, was the athletic director’s first with Richt regarding a contract extension. The two had planned since last week to meet at some point late this week, McGarity said.
“This is the first time we’ve had a chance to get together and start discussing the process,” McGarity said. “You sit down when things are calm, talk through things on his list, things on your list, soak that information in.
“I need to review certain things with [UGA president Michael Adams] and review some ideas and thoughts I may have now that we have had a discussion, and at some point in time we can get back together. . . . We are moving forward on discussions on the future.”
McGarity would not disclose details such as potential contract parameters.
“We discussed several things, but I’m not ready to say what those things are,” McGarity said.
Richt’s contract, most recently amended in 2008, is a complicated document. Variables to be discussed could include how many years are added to the deal, whether Richt gets a raise from his current income of about $3 million annually and how provisions such as buyouts would be affected.
Richt didn’t publicly address the contract-extension matter or the Texas A&M speculation on Friday. He also didn’t respond to a request for comment.
Richt has said frequently over the years, including as recently as last week, that he wants to complete his coaching career at Georgia.
“It’s too hard emotionally for me to recruit guys and look them in the eye and say, ‘I’m going to be your coach,’ and knowing deep down, maybe, if something better comes along I’m leaving,” Richt said last week. “I just didn’t ever want to operate that way.
“So Georgia’s my home and my family’s home.”
McGarity noted that Richt has a busy schedule this weekend, with many recruits visiting campus.
“I’m sure we’ll meet a couple other times after he gets through this weekend and things settle down,” McGarity said.
McGarity said Texas A&M was not mentioned in his meeting with Richt on Friday or in his trip to Tampa with Richt on Thursday for an Outback Bowl contract-signing party.
“I didn’t even ask,” McGarity said.”He’d tell me [if anything were going on]. . . . Nothing came up other than Georgia.”
Richt, Georgia’s coach since 2001, has a 106-37 record with the Bulldogs. His team reached the SEC Championship game this season for the fourth time, the first time since 2005.
The Bulldogs’ 10-3 record this year followed their two worst seasons under Richt, 8-5 in 2009 and 6-7 in 2010.
McGarity said discussions about possible changes in the contracts of Richt’s assistant coaches will come later.
— Tim Tucker
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685 comments Add your comment
Mobile Dawg
December 9th, 2011
10:31 pm
I hearby award ADMan the “honorary” blog degree of “Masters in Artistic BS”, with a minor in “Drama”. Tell us like it is.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
December 9th, 2011
10:32 pm
Sorry there
“sport”
My family is a bunch of UF and FSU fans
I pay for season tickets out my own pocket but nice comeback
kral
December 9th, 2011
10:33 pm
Nothing smell worse than chicken dooty or smit…thats is for someone who is so enamored with my post ..and copy it
Just a second here
December 9th, 2011
10:34 pm
My biggest nightmare is the we extend Coach Richt BUT then Granthom gets a fabulous NFL or college HC deal and walks. HE IS without a doubt, the best d coordinator in UGA history since Erskine Russell and his old Split 60 Defense. Period. He communicates in system well and he communicates ………………… his emotion.
Richt gets and extension and then, maybe next year Granthom is gone and we end up with a Willie Martinez do over and then uh, oh.
No, PAY Granthom and keep him fired up !!!
AltamahaDawg
December 9th, 2011
10:34 pm
“They never had a real job so they dont have a clue what turning around a company much less a program looks like”
Actually I HAVE turned around a company. Have you? why do’t you tell us all about it.
ever run a company, owed a company, started a company, merged a company, invented a product line?
You need to stick to your little fast food insults. You are out of your league to start big talking about business management.
ADMan
December 9th, 2011
10:34 pm
Mobile Dawg….I’m honored to except the awards….I just call it like I see it….too many know-it-alls on here full of sh_t…just like Flat Tire!
Mobile Dawg
December 9th, 2011
10:35 pm
Hang on kral, I’ll get back to you in a minute, this is about to get interesting. Not so sure it’s going to be such an intellectual experience tonight.
What do you want me to tell you kral? We’ve had top recruiting classes year after year.
aladawg
December 9th, 2011
10:36 pm
RD, I will bet that the only thing you have in your belly is a lot of lard.
AltamahaDawg
December 9th, 2011
10:36 pm
And you know what buying tickets with your own money makes you? a comsumer.
kral
December 9th, 2011
10:36 pm
goodnight too all and gerbil man be careful
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
December 9th, 2011
10:38 pm
AltamahaDawg
Your posts show you have no experience in multi-million dollar companies
Running the local Altamaha River boat ride is hardly considered management skills
Any person on this blog thinking Richt deserves a contract extension after 1 yr of decent ball against terrible competition has no clue in running a real company. Looking at 1 yr improvement and immediately signing someone to a contract is not business smart
Any real business person wants to send a trend; one season is not a trend.
Mobile Dawg
December 9th, 2011
10:40 pm
Altamaha, I read a couple days ago that you and Flat were pals now. I’m thinking buying tickets with your own money at this point makes you something more along the lines of an enabler. I know things got better, but not where they need to be yet.
Hope you got your answer kral, before you checked out.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
December 9th, 2011
10:41 pm
AD Man
Full of it really
Whose the one full of it, the one who posts facts, or the one who foams at the mouth with nothing more than stupid remarks
kral
December 9th, 2011
10:45 pm
I did thanks and so does 10 to 15 schools every year…hey whose to say next year might be great for us..if it is I think I know where you will be…if not I will know where flat and mobile stood from the beginning..gone to eat dumplings
Mobile Dawg
December 9th, 2011
10:47 pm
I sucked as a Manager for a large Fortune 500 company and got to the point I hated working for someone else, my hands were always tied, you always had to agree and support the “corporate line” or else you didn’t have a job.
AltamahaDawg
December 9th, 2011
10:49 pm
tell you what……..let’s just leave it at letting everybody in this room silently decide for themselves WHO is more likely to have run a company before……me or you.
But like I said, anytime you want to compare actual real life business experience, you just say the word.
Mobile Dawg
December 9th, 2011
10:49 pm
I have a 50/50 chance of being right, wrong, or somewhere in the middle. My best guess is we’re the top of the middle group. Hope I’m wrong, enjoy those dumplings.
FLA DAWG
December 9th, 2011
10:50 pm
Is McGarity a puppet of Richt?
Has UGA become a Progressive Think Tank blissfully happy to accept money from the athletic program but naive enough to not invest in it to find a decent coach?
Is DAWG NATION more informed and savvy than UGA Administration?
Sick of saying to yourself, ” Next year will be better” ?
Short term test: The Dawgs have a better record next year than this year.
Long term test: UT, UF and Auburn began a rebuild THIS SEASON. The Dawgs began three years ago. Will The Dawgs recover and perform like an SEC Team next season or will they drop into the pool of obscurity?
Alabama62
December 9th, 2011
10:51 pm
The Texas rumors were started by Barners. Mack Brown will be the Coach at Texas next year and Coach Saban will have Alabama in the hunt for another National Championship. Win or lose this year, we will be in the mix again next year. Mark Richt is a good person of outstanding character, but his football players have no discipline and never play to their potential after they are recruited. Since Richt has been Coach at UGA, Meryer, Saban, Chizik and Miles have won SEC and National Championships. With the talent and schedule UGA has next year, you should have a great team. The question is, will you?
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
December 9th, 2011
10:58 pm
AltamahaDawg
If you really ran a company you would come on this blog with facts
People who run companies make decisions on facts and figures
All you ever do is run your mouth and think your cute with your stupid posts
AltamahaDawg
December 9th, 2011
11:03 pm
Ah, so you say I haven’t. So it that a “bring it on” about comparing experience?
You wanna go first or shall I?
AltamahaDawg
December 9th, 2011
11:05 pm
BBA, UGA, 85′
Went back to school a few years later and got another degree in accounting.
YOU?????
AltamahaDawg
December 9th, 2011
11:09 pm
Worked at one of the largest finacial companies in Georgia for about a decade. 100% commission, completely self produced income, wokeding with high end clients. I’m sort of familiar with facts and figures.
AltamahaDawg
December 9th, 2011
11:09 pm
(you just jump right in here, anytime)
AltamahaDawg
December 9th, 2011
11:12 pm
I was the general manger for another company once that had seriosu issues. We ended up workig through a chapter 11, which I personally oversaw. cash flow in a year, debt free in 3. To be honest, it wasn’t any great thing I did. It’s just doing what needed to be done.
You’ve done something like that?
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
December 9th, 2011
11:13 pm
BBA and a Masters
Work for a Multi-billion dollar a year company out of California
just a fan
December 9th, 2011
11:14 pm
@alabama62
Chizik will be fired within 3 years MHO
AltamahaDawg
December 9th, 2011
11:15 pm
Very nice, what school?
ADMan
December 9th, 2011
11:17 pm
You just don’t get it do you Flat Tire….just because you can operate a lawn mower repair business doesn’t mean you know sh_t about running the football program of a major university.You come on hear quoting people but offer no true facts only the BS of people you listen to on the radio who voice their own opinions based on limited knowledge and you eat it up with a spoon. You can’t possibly have any friends…who the hell would want to hang around you for more than five minutes…a self centered bullsh_t artist who thinks he knows it all….go away little boy….we don’t want you on this blog…go look at yourself in the mirror and tell yourself how great you are….no one else gives a sh_t!
dodgecountydawg
December 9th, 2011
11:20 pm
hey , Altamahadawg##!!,, hold on I’ve got the phone number to the Butts-Mehre Offices and I’ll give it to you since I’m sure they want and value your opinion !! ,, Richt will get it done and he got a vote of confidence earlier this year from the only man who counts in the true alumi (like myself) and true bulldawg fans , Coach Dooley said that Ritcht can get it done and he’ll be there for years. There are a couple of coordinators and I’m not talking about Grantham , who need to be allowed to move to greener pastures and we will be willing the SEC next year. Grantham is getting it done on defense !! ,, one great tailback , who will play with heart is all we need to put beat LSU and “Bama. ,and do we really want a Penn State situation ??? I don’t think so ###!!! ,, so the bulldawg nation has to stay behind Richt,but he has to make a couple of changes on that staff,, ie. we dont need a “assitant head coach ” @@,,, anyone else agree ????
Paul Has A Small Johnson
December 9th, 2011
11:20 pm
Altamaha
Im going to have to agree the Flat man on this
If you are serious and that is your background then you know how to read numbers and Richts numbers of the past 5 or so years are not worthy of a contract extension after this season
Lets wait another year before we decide he should get another contract
AltamahaDawg
December 9th, 2011
11:23 pm
I take it dodge, that you have some opinion of mine that you disagree with? that was pretty confusing.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
December 9th, 2011
11:27 pm
AD Man
You have to be the biggest idiot I have ever seen
“No true facts” you say
Look up Mark Richts record against Top 25 and Top 10 teams you idiot
Look up How many players under Richts tenure compared to the other SEC schools has he put in the NFL
Look up UGA’s total ranking in recruiting since Richt has been here
Those are facts
But hey keep posting, your digging your self in a deep hole moron
AltamahaDawg
December 9th, 2011
11:31 pm
Well what my expereince tells me is that running a college athletic department is not the same as a tire store. McGarity knows how his business operates. Fire the guy or go forward the way it needs to be done, but don’t half ass it.
AltamahaDawg
December 9th, 2011
11:34 pm
A Masters degree and you won’t even tell us the name of the school, tire? You should be proud of that.
UGA grad 90
December 9th, 2011
11:36 pm
You people suck. Real fans don’t want to watch a team lose to every good team it plays, only winning the irrelevant ones. You must be losers in life, or settle for mediocrity. I have a very successful business and I was an A student, 4.0. I never settled for second best. And I will not apologize for wanting a coach and a program that wins big games. I’m not even asking for a NC. We can’t even win big games with Richt at the helm. 6 years and counting. Now everyone’s trying to latch onto him for 5 more years. I’d fire him if he worked for me. He’s a loser.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
December 9th, 2011
11:40 pm
UGA, and Furman
and half ass-in it will be to keep Bobo as the OC
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
December 9th, 2011
11:41 pm
UGA grad 90
According to our Financial expert Altamaha Dawg your wrong
UGA grad 90
December 9th, 2011
11:42 pm
Oh, and I forgot to mention, I’m on board with Flat Tire on this one. The facts speak for themselves. Those of your who ignore them or working on emotions rather than reality.
And BA, BS, MBA here, if you want to start asking about degrees. Although, none of that is needed as it’s simple stats we’re talking about it.
AltamahaDawg
December 9th, 2011
11:43 pm
UGA huh. what year?
FLA DAWG
December 9th, 2011
11:44 pm
Wow Alta,
You’re everyone’s hero!
FLA DAWG
December 9th, 2011
11:47 pm
UGA is finished.
The Admin & Ad have an agenda that puts winning dead last in my opinion.
Glad I was there in New Orleans for the Championship Game.
It won’t happen again for a very long time under Richt – if ever.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
December 9th, 2011
11:49 pm
AltamahaDawg
I guess you want my SS#, bank account, personal address and copy of drivers license
This is the internet I dont give out personal info and it does matter when I graduated but here’s a clue it wasnt this century
AltamahaDawg
December 9th, 2011
11:49 pm
Got to love a simple stat post that starts “you people suck” and ends with “he’s a loser”.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
December 9th, 2011
11:52 pm
FLA DAWG
I doubt if ever since Richt cant win a big game anymore
But according to our accountant next year, and after next year, it will be but next year, and then next year…….
AltamahaDawg
December 9th, 2011
11:55 pm
No I don’t want your SS#. Just the year that you graduated Georgia. Now that’s not too personal, is it?
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
December 10th, 2011
12:00 am
AltamahaDawg
Crunch some numbers and come back tomorrow with your 30, 60, and 90 day business plan as to how and why this ship will be heading in the right direction
Your plan should show facts as to why UGA will win big games again and compete for conference championships and stop losing consistantly to FL every year
Its time for bed I have to run that tire station you know
AltamahaDawg
December 10th, 2011
12:01 am
Pretty much every win was a an upset, when you picked the other guys every week wasn’t it?
UGA grad 90
December 10th, 2011
12:04 am
Since the SEC started its annual parade of BCS Title winners in ’06, Richt’s UGA team is just 30-18 in conference play. Admirable record until you consider Georgia’s only winning record against the BCS Title teams is versus Auburn. Yes the Bulldogs played for the SEC title last Saturday, but they were clearly overmatched, and got to Atlanta because they didn’t have to face the league’s top three teams (LSU, Alabama, Arkansas) in regular season play.
Even A&M Fans don’t want him. Maybe they understand stats a little better than Georgia rednecks.
AltamahaDawg
December 10th, 2011
12:05 am
Good night, I’m sorry that I forced you to admit going to Georgia.