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
DIT
December 9th, 2011
1:48 pm
Question: Who would come in and replace Bobo? Not wishing, but who you would feel if offered, would come in and do better? Just curious, it does not mean I’m Pro-Bobo. Personally I think he should be the QB coach.
True Dawg Fan
December 9th, 2011
1:48 pm
GTBob
December 9th, 2011
1:41 pm
In the last 4 years Richt is 2-13 against teams that finished ranked, and 12-17 against teams with winning records. This season he was 0-3 against teams that finished ranked and 2-3 against teams with winning records. All of this with one of the most talented teams in the country every season. This is really worth for a raise and a contract extension?
i love how you idiots pick and choose your stats. How was Richt against ranked teams in the up years??? Yea i bet you dont want to pull that stat. An even scarier stat is vs ranked opponents at their place. He was like 16 for 17 in those up years.
See how easy that is. I can pull random stats from certain time periods too!!! That tech education is really paying off isnt it you clown?
GTBob
December 9th, 2011
1:49 pm
Oh No, GTBob is out from under his rock. And now, more irrelevant drivel will flow from his keyboard.
I think I made a decent argument this time. What has Richt done to deserve a raise and a contract extension? Has he met the expectations of UGA fans in recent years?
AltamahaDawg
December 9th, 2011
1:50 pm
What did we find out? Well, for one, the brand new offense that was installed over the offseason was capable of being very good.
GTBob
December 9th, 2011
1:51 pm
True Dawg Fan, the up years were the first 5 years he was there. He hasn’t done much since. Do you sign him to a lifetime contract because he did good his first couple of years?
James
December 9th, 2011
1:52 pm
@DublinDawg
Zook is a great recruiter though.
OkieDawg
December 9th, 2011
1:53 pm
GTBob – CMR met my expectations for this year. He beat GT, Florida and won the Eastern Division. How silly would UGA look if they fired CMR? Don’t you have a bigger coach to fry?
DawginLex
December 9th, 2011
1:53 pm
GTBob
Go back and look at our program. Compare Richt to Goff, Donnan and even Dooley.
Dooley won 6 SEC titles in 25 years
Goff zero
Donnan zero
Richt has won 2 in 11 years and played for 2 more.
He went 6-7 and people crowed. He made changes and listened to his boss and kept his job.
He deserves an extension and a chance to continue getting better. In this day and time, you can fire somebody whenever you want to anyway. Recruiting will get smashed without the extension.
You can spin it however you want to but those are the facts.
Mako
December 9th, 2011
1:54 pm
GTBob…I’m leaving and going over to the Tech Turd blog and start the same crap over there that you start in here…and when your Tech Turd buddies start howling…I’ll just let them know it’s for you hanging out inhere and making such fine comments
Evansdawg
December 9th, 2011
1:54 pm
Richt is our coach…and we are very fortunate to have him. Glad to see this year got him off that hot seat crap. There are ebbs and flows in college ball due to attrition. In the total body of work that Richt has done, he has been a winner. We look to be STOUT next season and beyond. Go Dawgs!!!!!
Bad Dawg
December 9th, 2011
1:54 pm
I do not see why Richt is getting a contract extension for doing a fair job this year. Richt is a model human being and it is hard to come by a guy with the character and integrity that he has a football coach and a man but Richt is a football coach first and he makes $3 million dollars a year with incentives. In his 11 years he does have an impressive win loss record and he is in top ten in that category. So to avoid being called a “fair weather” fan, are the fans on this blog comfortable with winning 9-10 games a year and a conference championship appearance every now and then or do you want to win a national championship? I for one believe UGA should expect championships with the resources available at UGA and in the state of Georgia. I will not go as far as to say fire Richt but if there is a better coach available I believe UGA should at least make an inquiry.
magnolia, tx dawg
December 9th, 2011
1:54 pm
I hope McGarity makes him get rid of BoBo.
True Dawg Fan
December 9th, 2011
1:55 pm
ArfArf
December 9th, 2011
1:45 pm
Well TrueDawgFan you are the Fringe Fan or on Ricth’s payroll you are the idiot or just want georgia to lose. You should become a Vandy fan and you would be really happy… You are a joke by the way everyone with any sense on this board is laughing their head off at you… You must be an unemployed loser to have all this time to spend on this board bragging bout your man…
ahahahahahahha. Wow I almost didnt make it through this comment without laughing myself out of my chair. The people like you calling for Richts head are the fringe fans retard. True fans such as myself, Dawgin Lex, Altamaha Dawg, and a few others are the REAL FANS. WE stick by our coach, we dont call for his head after 2 down seasons give me a break, thats dumbest thing i have ever heard. These kids want to play for Richt how hard is that for you morons to understand?? The team this year had a players only meeting after the 0-2 start and decided to play the rest of the season for….. MARK RICHT. these kids are behind him as am I. So continue to think your a real fan but we REAL fans know who u really are.
FYI- got a great job thanks, bet your jealous huh?
DIT
December 9th, 2011
1:56 pm
Guys ignore GTBob. He is they typical troll that is more concerned about Big Brother than his own problems. He is on the UGA blogs more than the tek blog.
When I read his mindless dribble, I thank the Lord that I’m a Dawg and not a tekie!
Dawg Tired
December 9th, 2011
1:57 pm
Has Saban said, “I will not be the coach of the Dallas Cowboys.”? If he has said that, he’s as good as gone.
Nom Nom Nom Chucks Taylor, or Norris if he is avaliable
December 9th, 2011
1:57 pm
@BAD DAWG
Keep speaking, you are making a lot of points…and I can’t wait to see Real Dawg Fan explode with his 6 year old texting words right across the screen.
We are saying…don’t fire him, but please remove the holier than though savior tag. 2005 was a looooong time ago. He had an opportunity for a signature win, something he has done many times in the past…THE PAST.
Oh, and don’t fire Bobo. He is a DGD.
True Dawg Fan
December 9th, 2011
1:58 pm
GTBob
December 9th, 2011
1:51 pm
True Dawg Fan, the up years were the first 5 years he was there. He hasn’t done much since. Do you sign him to a lifetime contract because he did good his first couple of years?
Just pointing out that anyone can make stats look how they want them idiot. Guess that Tech education isnt doing so well for you.
Dee
December 9th, 2011
1:58 pm
I hope Richt is here for a very long time. Best coach we’ve had since Dooley.
Dawg Tired
December 9th, 2011
1:58 pm
DIT – You are right, he is indeed a person with serious problems.
Brucerugby79
December 9th, 2011
1:58 pm
The recruits thinking about GEORGIA are smart enough to see THE TROLL POSTS go DOGS-you will be playing for the best coach in america!
DIT
December 9th, 2011
1:59 pm
@Evansdawg – Well put!
Nom Nom Nom Chucks Taylor, or Norris if he is avaliable
December 9th, 2011
1:59 pm
I HAVE ONE POINT WE CAN ALL AGREE ON.
The Richt to A&M rumors were the stupidest thing I heard all day.
DawginLex
December 9th, 2011
2:00 pm
I have suggested that McGarity might look into replacing Bobo but retaining him as QB coach and recruiter.
Does that make me a hater?
No. It makes me someone that wants to get this program to national title level,
TIDE ROLL
December 9th, 2011
2:00 pm
Best I can tell, UGA is 3-1 vs my beloved ‘Bama in the years since Richt has been at UGA. I have no idea why I keep telling UGA fans how bad there coach is when they have waxed our A$$ 3 out of the 4 times we have played against him. Bless Bear’s soul.
bye bye
December 9th, 2011
2:01 pm
Good Luck in the SEC West CMR. I am sure you can lock down Texas recruits .
Murph03I
December 9th, 2011
2:02 pm
Wow, CMR gets another 10 win season for the Dawgs that sucked wind for a decade and a half before he got there. I bet there are still idiotic fans that want him to be fired because the have this imagination that thinks the dawgs should win a NC every year…..newsflash….its been 3 decades since your last one….and Go Noles, we will take CMR back!
TampaDawg
December 9th, 2011
2:02 pm
@GTBoooooob .. “his season he was 0-3 against teams that finished ranked and 2-3 against teams with winning records. ”
There is so much inaccuracy to this statement and it isn’t even that big of a statement to begin with. 2-3 against teams with winning records? First off, if you want to use that whole “end of the year” crap, then, well, wait until the end of the year. Three SEC teams with .500 records are currently in bowls and could end up with a winning record. SEC teams typically play very well out of conference, especially in bowls.
Second, again the “ranked at the end of the year” argument is garbage. Where would the teams UGA beat when they WERE ranked be if they had beaten UGA? Still ranked! Auburn is still ranked. If your bugs could beat lowly UVA or Miami, they would be too.
HeeHawDawg
December 9th, 2011
2:04 pm
You’re gonna change your way of livin’
Change the things you do
Stop doin’ all the things that you oughten too
Your daddy’s mad; He’s done got pee-eeved
You’re Gonna Change or I’m a-gonna leave.
This ain’t right and that is wrong
You just keep naggin’, all the day long
Its gotta stop, I don’t mean plea-ease
Now, You’re Gonna Change or I’m a-gonna leave.
DIT
December 9th, 2011
2:04 pm
@DawginLex
Absolutely not! I’m on the same page as are many others. Retain Bobo as QB coach and go out and get a top notch OC if CMR can. I would like to think that he could that’s why I posed the question.. Who would he be able to get?
TampaDawg
December 9th, 2011
2:05 pm
TIDE ROLL
December 9th, 2011
2:00 pm
Best I can tell, UGA is 3-1 vs my beloved ‘Bama in the years since Richt has been at UGA. I have no idea why I keep telling UGA fans how bad there coach is when they have waxed our A$$ 3 out of the 4 times we have played against him. Bless Bear’s soul.
—————————
Thought you might be someone posing as Tide Roll until the last line. Not sure any other team’s fans can say that one. Great coach but he owned many an opponent.
True Dawg Fan
December 9th, 2011
2:05 pm
DawginLex
December 9th, 2011
2:00 pm
I have suggested that McGarity might look into replacing Bobo but retaining him as QB coach and recruiter.
Does that make me a hater?
No. It makes me someone that wants to get this program to national title level,
Nope I have been saying this ALL YEAR LONG!!!!!
By far the best move in terms of coaching.
GTBob
December 9th, 2011
2:08 pm
Auburn is still ranked. If your bugs could beat lowly UVA or Miami, they would be too.
Auburn isn’t ranked in either human poll and didn’t receive a vote in either. If you want to claim them as a top 25 team because some computer somewhere gave them a few points for some odd reason then go ahead. GT isn’t ranked because they lost to bad teams. They shouldn’t be ranked. You can’t claim ranked teams when you play them, because rankings are garbage until the end of the year.
True Dawg Fan
December 9th, 2011
2:09 pm
GTBob
December 9th, 2011
2:08 pm
Auburn is still ranked. If your bugs could beat lowly UVA or Miami, they would be too.
Auburn isn’t ranked in either human poll and didn’t receive a vote in either. If you want to claim them as a top 25 team because some computer somewhere gave them a few points for some odd reason then go ahead. GT isn’t ranked because they lost to bad teams. They shouldn’t be ranked. You can’t claim ranked teams when you play them, because rankings are garbage until the end of the year.
like I said anyone can skew stats. You are just choosing the one that makes us look worse. Congrats ur an idiot.
Woodstock Dawg
December 9th, 2011
2:11 pm
Has anyone heard anything from Fran Tarkenton? I bet he is real thrilled to know Richt is going to be getting an extension…well, then again…probably not. I on the other hand am thankful Richt is going to be a Dawg for a long time.
GTBob
December 9th, 2011
2:13 pm
like I said anyone can skew stats. You are just choosing the one that makes us look worse. Congrats ur an idiot.
Ok, using any stats you feel like using, give me an argument that Richt has done a good job recently and deserves a raise and an extension.
Sam I Am
December 9th, 2011
2:13 pm
Interesting that even Vandy is building an indoor practice facility and we still can’t seem to get one for Richt and UGA. If we can’t provide comparative athletic facilities that most other SEC schools have, will we remain competative? Just asking . . .
Chess
December 9th, 2011
2:14 pm
This is a bad move.
1. Georgia played a soft schedule.
2 You got killed by LSU
3 The program lacks discipline.
James
December 9th, 2011
2:14 pm
When I hear and read fellow Georgia fan’s comments about mediocrity and making a coaching change I never see anyone with a logical idea for a repalcement.Some people screamed for Muschamp who is clearly over his head at Florida.Some were saying Dan Mullen until this season.And then there is Kirby Smart who has 0 amount of head coaching experience.Would somebody please tell me a coach who is available that will take this team and win the national championship next year.I firmly believe that if Mark Richt were fired today his name would be at the top of list for most open jobs in the country.Maybe some people want change for the sake.Maybe some of you are just Tech Fans with nothing better to do.And then there are some people who will never be happy.Hey it could be worse,we could be Tech fans
DIT
December 9th, 2011
2:14 pm
I had the privledge(cough, cough,) of meeting Fran T. face to face. He’s nothing but an arrogant you know what. I don’t give a flip whatever he thinks.
North Ga Dawg
December 9th, 2011
2:14 pm
Hopefully one of those things being reviewed is Bobo the Clown…….
DIT
December 9th, 2011
2:17 pm
GTBob don’t go away mad, just go away. No one cares what you think or what you have to say. You spew nothing but garbage. You’re the one that gives tekies a bad name. Go to your own blog and type your dribble on there. All you do is take up everyone’s time here.
THE REAL PHIL
December 9th, 2011
2:17 pm
Woodstock, I hope Bradley or someone interviews Fran the Jackass Tarkenton and gets his moronic take on it.
As to another point off topic a little, but related to Auburn being ranked. There has to be some way to rank teams besides won and loss records. I watched Oregon several times this year and they are no better than Auburn. Better offense, worse defense. Oregon is a mid level SEC team, yet they are ranked so high because the conference they play in is so weak. AR will beat KS by 90. There has to be some way these morons who rank the teams look at the talent on the over all team and the talent of the competition they play week in and week out.
TampaDawg
December 9th, 2011
2:18 pm
GTBob
December 9th, 2011
2:08 pm
Auburn is still ranked. If your bugs could beat lowly UVA or Miami, they would be too.
Auburn isn’t ranked in either human poll and didn’t receive a vote in either. If you want to claim them as a top 25 team because some computer somewhere gave them a few points for some odd reason then go ahead. GT isn’t ranked because they lost to bad teams. They shouldn’t be ranked. You can’t claim ranked teams when you play them, because rankings are garbage until the end of the year.
—————————
Maybe you should have GTJoe educate you on the BCS which is comprised of human polls also. Get real dude. It is the only poll in the end that matters.
True Dawg Fan
December 9th, 2011
2:20 pm
GTBob
December 9th, 2011
2:13 pm
like I said anyone can skew stats. You are just choosing the one that makes us look worse. Congrats ur an idiot.
Ok, using any stats you feel like using, give me an argument that Richt has done a good job recently and deserves a raise and an extension.
The FACT that the top recruits want to come here and play for him. Thats all I need.
Kerryb
December 9th, 2011
2:22 pm
SEE!! I told those idiots in Bill King’s blog that there was nothing to this stupid rumor some dumb media person put out. Probably someone that wants to wreck our recruiting efforts in the last month.
True Dawg Fan
December 9th, 2011
2:22 pm
Chess
December 9th, 2011
2:14 pm
This is a bad move.
1. Georgia played a soft schedule.
2 You got killed by LSU
3 The program lacks discipline.
Killed???????? hahahahahaha I dont think so. If anything we KILLED them in the first half.
What KILLED us was dropped passes and turnovers period.
GTBob
December 9th, 2011
2:24 pm
The FACT that the top recruits want to come here and play for him. Thats all I need.
Did UGA struggle with recruiting before Richt got there? Do you really think getting any other good coach would cause a huge drop in recruiting?
LHarding Dawg
December 9th, 2011
2:25 pm
I personally think we have a great OC. With decent special teams play we would have won the SC game and would have had a chance in the SEC game. By winning 10 games this year with the running back situation and without any depth at the line was incredible. Job well done Bobo!
Now you guys can start hating.
GTBob = Tweep
December 9th, 2011
2:25 pm
Enter your comments here
Kerryb
December 9th, 2011
2:26 pm
GTBob, even though all you Tech fans want him to leave because he owns your butts he’s not going to. He will continue to own you for the foreseeable future.