McGarity: Outback Bowl loss won’t impact negotiations with Richt
Georgia’s loss to Michigan State in the Outback Bowl will have no impact on contract negotiations between UGA and football coach Mark Richt, which remain at least “three to four weeks” away from completion, according to Athletic Director Greg McGarity.
Georgia AD Greg McGarity said the Bulldogs' overtime loss to Michigan State did nothing to change his opinion on the direction of the football program under coach Mark Richt. (UGA photo)
“We plan to meet as soon as we can get together,” McGarity said Wednesday. “But I don’t see anything, certainly not a signed document, anytime soon. We’ll start the process of digging into the details of our extension and it will be determined in the near future.”
McGarity also urged fans upset over the Bulldogs’ 33-30, triple-overtime loss to the Spartans to keep the defeat in perspective.
“Blair Walsh kicks a 42-yard field goal and we’re sitting here feeling great about ourselves,” McGarity said. “But would we have solved our running game problem? No. Would that have solved them being able to go on an 85-yard drive with no timeouts? No. So, I mean, the dynamics haven’t changed. It’s not going to matter diddly-squat when we start lifting weights in three weeks. If anything it’ll add more incentive for next year.”
Georgia lost back-to-back games — including a loss to LSU in the SEC Championship game — to finish the 2011 season 10-4. Richt, 51, is 106-38 heading into his 12th year as the Bulldogs’ coach.
McGarity said there is no rush to complete a new deal with Richt, who has two years remaining on an employment agreement that pays him $2.81 million annually. Including bonuses and outside income from endorsements, Richt earns more than $3 million a year.
Richt is expected to receive an extension of at least three years, which would keep him as the Bulldogs’ coach through December of 2016. McGarity said he and Richt already agreed in principle when they met last month.
“This is an important recruiting time and I told Mark after the SEC Championship game that he could go to these high school kids and tell them he’s going to be their head coach,” McGarity said. “We felt it was very important to send out the message that we haven’t worked everything out but Mark’s going to be our coach. That was the immediate need, to go ahead and address the future of our program. But we didn’t get into any details or anything like that that’s kind of where we left it. He wants to be here and we want him to be here.”
Any renegotiation is unlikely to include a significant pay raise for Richt, however. Richt is sixth among SEC coaches in compensation but that ranks No. 11 nationally. Alabama’s Nick Saban ($4.8 million), LSU’s Les Miles ($3.75), Auburn’s Gene Chizik ($3.5), Arkansas’s Bobby Petrino ($3.1) and South Carolina’s Steve Spurrier ($2.88) currently make more than Richt.
“Longevity is the first priority and then compensation would follow,” McGarity said.
McGarity said he has received about 50 emails in the wake of Georgia’s loss this past Monday. He said “about half” of those fans complained about coaching decisions made as the Bulldogs let a 16-0 at halftime lead slip away. Michigan State scored a touchdown with 14 seconds left in regulation to tie the game at 27-all and send it into overtime.
Walsh missed a 42-yard field goal attempt that would have won the game in the first overtime, then had a 47-yard attempt blocked in the third OT.
“Any time you lose a game, especially one as gut-wrenching as that one was, people get frustrated and they vent in various ways,” McGarity said. “If the game was lopsided, if we had lost 42-0 or something, then there would be some concerns. But to point the finger at a player or a coach or offense or defense or special teams is a waste of time. That was a true team loss. There are plenty of second guessers out there, but there are so many what-ifs on either side it could have gone either way.”
What McGarity hasn’t heard is enough credit being given to the Spartans, who recorded back-to-back 11-win seasons for the first time in school history.
“What I have not seen in one email is anyone giving any credit to the Michigan State team, and that’s very unfortunate because they made the plays they needed to win the game,” McGarity said. “The first thing you should do when you get beat is give the other team credit, because they’re working just as hard as you are. Kirk Cousins, look what he did in the last two minutes of the game with no timeouts. That was pretty impressive, as was the way they defended us in the second half. Unfortunately people never give the opponent any credit.”
McGarity said it’s important that Georgia fans rally behind the team, which he thinks has a chance to do some great things next season.
“We go from 6-7 to 10-4 and we’re looking forward to 2012,” McGarity said. “We’ve got a lot of kids coming back, a great nucleus and a great group of leaders. There’s a segment of our fans that want to play the blame game. But when you have a loss like that, everybody shares in it. I’m sure everybody on that field felt like they if they could have done something differently, coaches and players, we might not have lost the game. But that’s just part of the deal.
“What is important is for people to know that Mark Richt is our football coach, and he and his staff and these players spend so much time in an effort to bring championship football to Georgia. . . . The more negative people become, the more it distracts you from being successful.”
NOTES: Georgia’s annual G-Day spring football game has been set for April 14. No other spring practice dates have been set. . . . Junior noseguard John Jenkins sprained the AC joint in his left shoulder late in the Outback Bowl. However, the injury is not expected to require surgery and he will be available for spring practice. . . . Freshman wide receiver Chris Conley will undergo wrist surgery this month. . . .Redshirt freshman tailback Ken Malcome suffered a concussion early in the fourth quarter against Michigan State and did not play the rest of the game.
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962 comments Add your comment
25 LOSSES last 6 seasons
January 5th, 2012
4:42 pm
True Dawg Fan,
Sir,
I stopped reading your post when you DID THE SAME THING AGAIN.
Put quotes around what you are copying if it helps to copy it.
PLEASE.
What do you have to say sir ?
Just sit there now and type to us all.
No need to copy this post, now,ok ?
Got it ?
Say something.
Quit cease and desist with your 4 words after you copy 400 words.
I don’t know which are your 4 words.
What have YOU GOT TO SAY ?
I know what I said.
So, does everyone else.
Trust me on this True Dawg Fan
YOUR POSTS ARE A TOTAL JOKE.
Where do I find YOUR WORDS ?
The last 4 words are ALL I NEED TO READ ?
Sometimes in the middle maybe ?
Jeez Louise.
I am guessing here, now. You are 9 years old. You have a GSD, is that what they call it ? You go to Church only and never went to school ? You don’t know how to type on the Internet ?
Tell me just this 1 question, ok ?
Are you SATISFIED with this season True Dawg Fan ?
True Dawg Fan
January 5th, 2012
4:42 pm
Joey
January 5th, 2012
4:28 pm
I addressed TampaDawg with that 4:20 post, idiot.
“I’m a DA with no clue?”
I’m retired at age 54, having worked for myself since age 21.
Who’s the DA, creep?
Clearly you dont knwo me. I dont care who you are speaking to. If its dumb its getting called out
True Dawg Fan
January 5th, 2012
4:43 pm
Who’s the Head Coach??
January 5th, 2012
4:35 pm
True Dawg Fan: “Richt doesnt get to overrule plays.”
OC calls the plays not the HC. (Unless they have both titles) Thats why you pay for both
True Dawg Fan
January 5th, 2012
4:44 pm
25 LOSSES last 6 seasons
January 5th, 2012
4:42 pm
hahahaha wahh wahh wahh wahh wahh he wont put quotes on his words for me wahh wahh wahh wahh wahh wahhh.
True Dawg Fan
January 5th, 2012
4:45 pm
and yes I am happy with 10 wins but not the last two losses
True Dawg Fan
January 5th, 2012
4:45 pm
Joey
January 5th, 2012
4:41 pm
Dang, SMART enough, I’m thinking “he” is actually a “she”.
In my opinion, she’s got a MEAN boss, so she likes to kick a little ass on a little sports blog after she clocks out.
and now you are in the category with Smart- retard status!
im off for the day enjoy being stupid ppl!
Which 4 words here are your words True Dawg Fan sir ?
January 5th, 2012
4:46 pm
January 5th, 2012
4:40 pm
A person SMART enough to know……
January 5th, 2012
4:34 pm
JOEY don’t worry True TOOL Fan will be gone in a few minutes. See he STEALS money from him employer to be on a sports blog all day. he is about to punch out and go home to his Life Partner (soon to be Betrothed).
ahahahaha you will try anything and everything regardless of how dumb you look wont you????
O well it gives us a laugh when you try
Dawg48
January 5th, 2012
4:46 pm
True dawg fan said,Clearly you dont knwo me. I dont care who you are speaking to. If its dumb its getting called out
Waiting on you to start calling yourself out!
TampaDawg
January 5th, 2012
4:46 pm
Fiverings
January 5th, 2012
4:32 pm
Let’s address each of McGarity’s comments:
1- “Blair Walsh kicks a 42-yard field goal and we’re sitting here feeling great about ourselves”
No we arn’t. That would have meant going 1-3 against top 4 ranked teams, and running the table on mostly teams wiht losing records. What a low standard.
2- “It’s not going to matter diddly-squat when we start lifting weights in three weeks.”
wrong. if effects recruiting, momentum going into 2012, and pre-season rankings.
3- no rush to complete a new deal with Richt
Should be if McGarity cares about moving this recruiting class up form the low 20’s right now into the top 10. Why delay?
4- if we had lost 42-0 or something, then there would be some concerns
We did, we lost 42-10 to LSU.
5- when you have a loss like that, everybody shares in it.
Let’s look at offense. Which players had turnovers? Was it everybody? No. Murray was the only one and had three. That left the defense in poor field position, and changed momentum and changed the way Bobo was calling plays and decisions to play agressive or settle for field goals. If everybody shares in the blame, where did McGarity admit his responsibility as the AD for this year’s 4 losses? Especially for the Boise loss?
6- The more negative people become, the more it distracts you from being successful.”
Really, that’s a new one. And yet another leader taught “The truth will set you free”.
————————-
Were you at the game or just wanted to comment on something you think you saw?
Anyway, let’s do this in order
1. Quote part of the statement .. no, you should quote the ENTIRE STATEMENT which read ““Blair Walsh kicks a 42-yard field goal and we’re sitting here feeling great about ourselves,” McGarity said. “But would we have solved our running game problem? No. Would that have solved them being able to go on an 85-yard drive with no timeouts?” .. changes the entire argument of yours from the perspective that he is saying half the negative crap wouldn’t have been said but we still would have the issues we have now just with a W instead of an L to look at.
2. No, it really doesn’t matter. Preseason rankings don’t matter, offseason momentum never matters and recruiting, well, they had a monster class last year after losing to UCF so you be the judge by the evidence.
3. I AGREE WHOLE HEARTEDLY
4. Yes, they lost 42-10 to LSU, but losing 42-10 or 42-0 to MSU would have been a whole different story.
5. Unreal! This is the one I am referencing from the initial statement. Fumble cost them no points. The first pic was on TKing, not Murray and that was easy to see and the second pic was a tipped pass, which, sure, partly Murray’s fault but you can’t predict that stuff. Bennett was wide open and the pass got redirected.
6. Read a book called “Think and Grow Rich” or maybe even “Master Key to Riches” or better yet (and Jon Gruden should pony up to this one “How to Win Friends and Influence People” and you will see pretty plainly that Mcgarity’s statement makes sense. And for the record, the truth will not set you free .. KNOWING AND UNDERSTANDING THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE.
A person SMART enough to know......
January 5th, 2012
4:47 pm
10 wins and 2 losses. I guess True Tool Fan forgot the Other 2 loses.
Which 4 words here are your words True Dawg Fan sir ?
January 5th, 2012
4:47 pm
Happy with 10 wins. Thank you for that, sir.
Did you see the list of teams who did BETTER THAN 10-4 THIS SEASON ?
Which 4 words here are your words True Dawg Fan sir ?
January 5th, 2012
4:49 pm
The first pick was NOT ON TKING.
A person SMART enough to know......
January 5th, 2012
4:49 pm
48 I think he is finishing ACTING like he is working and is OFF LINE now. He stole enough money from his employer already.
Joey
January 5th, 2012
4:49 pm
Don’t “knwo” you. Don’t want to.
I prefer bantering with the regulars.
Stephen A.Dawg
January 5th, 2012
4:50 pm
True Dawg Fan, I’ve been a Bulldog fan since the early 70s, and I will continue being a Bulldog fan no matter who coaches them, and no matter how overpaid he may be.
Being a Bulldog fan does not require me or anybody else to be a Mark Richt fan – and I’m not. He has been an underchieving, and grossly overpaid coach and has wasted more talent than any head coach I have ever seen.
- Joey -
________________________________________________________________________________
Joey I agree with your sentiments 100%. I have been a fan of the Dawgs for the same amount of time as you. We’ve seen the best of the Dawgs as National Champions and watched until now were they are just happy to be mediocre. It is hard for us to accept the mediocrity that most of the Richt fans have loved and accepted, but almost all of the homer fans don’t know how great UGA was because they care more about a coach than Georgia itself. These homer fans can’t imagine a time when UGA whipped UF annually and most of them never saw a guy by the name of Herschel Walker play for the Dawgs. But we do and we did. With the direction UGA has taken we know that we will never see another National title in our lifetime while they have Richt as head coach. But no matter what we still have that one unbeaten and untied, miracle National Championship season. I said to myself even back then, enjoy it to the utmost, because you may never see it again. And the entire state of Georgia has never seen it since. Contrary to what the Tech says that title they won in 1990 was a shared title with Colorado whether they like it or not. The Yellowjackets won half of a disputed national title which the other disputed share going to the Buffaloes. So Georgia is the holder of the last undisputed National Championship won within the state of Georgia. It hasn’t gotten any better than that in over 32 years. And Joey, with the people running things at UGA now it definately will get worse before it gets any better.
Dawg48
January 5th, 2012
4:51 pm
Smart
The cashier said “fries up” and he had to leave.
Joey
January 5th, 2012
4:52 pm
Boy I bet her boss hates signing that paycheck . . .
JD
January 5th, 2012
4:52 pm
Say whatever you want, Bobo sucks. If there’s any truth that he is being forced to run Richt’s system…then I apologize and instead Richt sucks.
A person SMART enough to know......
January 5th, 2012
4:53 pm
Joey hes was a high School QB so True Dawg Fans know the game better than almost everybody on the Blogs. He graduated UGA Magna Cum-Laude even thought he can’t spell better than a teenage texter.
Fair and Balanced
January 5th, 2012
4:53 pm
Richt being the head coach was a given so this is not news. If you really want a story find out about Grantham and then poll Ga fans (not on this blog) as what they think Ha should do with Bobo. Now that would be a good story to read. This was redundant and boring.
ARdawg
January 5th, 2012
4:54 pm
Bob
Unfortunately I believe you can expect the status quo in 2013 and beyond
A person SMART enough to know......
January 5th, 2012
4:58 pm
48 do you think they would TRUST True TOOL Fan with the important job of FRIES? No there was an overflow in the bathroom he had to mop up I bet.
A person SMART enough to know......
January 5th, 2012
5:01 pm
48 i hope the Under Armor Bowl is better than the Clen&Sons v VOL Cousins bowl game last night.
Bad Dawg
January 5th, 2012
5:09 pm
Richt here until 2016, then it is assured UGA will never be better than the 5th best team in the SEC. It seems McGarity is drinking the Mark Richt kool-aid as well, I am now sure that Mark Richt is only second in command to Michael Adams at UGA and we all know how Adams loves Richt. He’ll be here as long as Adams is the president. Time to start following the Hawks, Falcons, and Braves all year instead of UGA football.
FLA DAWG
January 5th, 2012
5:12 pm
I was a big fan of McGarity but now I think he’s out of touch with what is going on here.
Well, I guess UF and UGA both stuck it to each other………we got McGarity and they got Muschamp…
I don’t know which is worse at this point.
By the way, no mention of Bobo!?
Is that guy coming back next season too?
Ugh……..
Fiverings
January 5th, 2012
5:14 pm
Didn’t we try the whole ‘energy bus” don’t face the truth, don’t fix your problems, look at the world through rosy colored specs in 2011?
Didn’t we go 0-4 against top 20 teams just like 2010?
I guess McGarity’s theories don’t work.
energy bus crashed and burned.
Whiskey Breath
January 5th, 2012
5:14 pm
Excellent news. I suggest a 10 year contract and a buyout of 25 million.
Bump up his salary to 7 million, he is better than Saban.
Bad Dawg
January 5th, 2012
5:16 pm
Also South Carolina loses Alshon Jeffery and CB Stephen Gilmore to the NFL draft, it seems Richt will get to make his win loss record look a little better because that is all that matters to him. Expect another 9-10 wins with that supremely easy schedule next year and Richt will call it a good season but I wonder if he thinks that is “knocking on the door of greatness”. lol
AltamahaDawg
January 5th, 2012
5:17 pm
well heck man. We are relegated to the waaaaaaaaaaaay back of the sideline. That’s posted belly ache central territory. Expected.
Fiverings
January 5th, 2012
5:19 pm
Sorry, I don’t believe mcGarity.
I don’t think he will re-sign Mark Richt.
If he was going to, he already would have.
Fiverings
January 5th, 2012
5:22 pm
Keeping turnover prone Jay Cutler esque QB Murray, continuing to have no special teams coach, no running game, and a defense that can’t stop teams in the red zone, isn’t a formula for success.
Imaging those issues don’t exist, won’t help at all.
McGarity’s comments here seems like the type of guy, if your little child is out in the middle of the street and oncoming cars are coming, doesn’t want anyone to speak up and say anything ‘negative’. He would be too busy complimeting the kid on how well they danced.
Joey
January 5th, 2012
5:23 pm
Oh, you are so right, Stephen A.
I love the Georgia Bulldogs as much as anybody, anywhere. I was born in Athens while my dad was in business school at UGA, so I got it naturally, and got it bad.
Some of these posters think UGA started football when Richt got here. They don’t realize that Dooley had many more powerhouse teams other than the Herschel teams – ‘66, ‘68, hell the ‘71 team didn’t lose but one game all year (11-1), and that was to Auburn and Heisman winning Pat Sullivan. ‘76 we shutout Bama 21-0, went 10-1 and lost to National Champ, Pitt. in the Sugar Bowl.
Richt started a revival of our football program, and is a bit of a victim of his own success. Our recruiting is second to only USC, the football program income is in the top three. Richt let his success lull him into an ego trip, where he thought he could just plug in a buddy into a coordinator’s position, and his “system” would work.
His ego is holding him back now, not realizing his offense is seriously getting shut down by good DCs, for entire halfs at a time.
The new contract and raise validates Richt’s program, and will make him less likely to embrace new concepts and schemes.
Heartbreaking.
Joey
January 5th, 2012
5:25 pm
Smart enough,
I bet she was the water-girl . . .
Joey
January 5th, 2012
5:26 pm
“Say whatever you want, Bobo sucks. If there’s any truth that he is being forced to run Richt’s system…then I apologize and instead Richt sucks.”
**************************************
JD, that is an instant classic.
The Monger
January 5th, 2012
5:29 pm
Last I checked Mark Richt is 0-9 vs. ranked opponents the last 9 games he’s coached in against them. And we are going to reward this with a 3 year extension??? Really?!!?!? Being this inept and being outcoached in EVERY BIG GAME deserves immediate termination and a swift kick out the door, yet at UGA we reward 0-9 with a 3 year extension at almost 3 million dollars a year??? REALLY???
Come on McGarity- FIRE THIS BUM ALREADY!!!!!
Whiskey Breath
January 5th, 2012
5:30 pm
Does this insure Ga will be national champs in August for the next several years?
A person SMART enough to know......
January 5th, 2012
5:30 pm
All the Blame should be placed where it belongs.
It is ALL Russ the Temporary Mascots FAULT.
The DAWGS haven’t beat a quality team since he started roaming the Dawg House on the sidelines.
It all comes down to ADAMS and what Big Money Boosters like the Scum Leebern think about how their money is being spent. If The Boosters ain’t happy then Adams ain’t happy and in turn McGarity ain’t happy and then Richt and finally Bobo.
CPJ 2K11
January 5th, 2012
5:32 pm
True Dawg Fan works at a bank. He can help you pick out the design of your checks and a secure PIN number. He can make change for you and cash a check with the proper identification.
Joey
January 5th, 2012
5:35 pm
“Does this insure Ga will be national champs in August for the next several years?”
*************************************
When ole Mark comes to the Bulldog Club and tells us “‘I think this team is special,” we’ll get giddy . . . . . . . . . . again.
AltamahaDawg
January 5th, 2012
5:36 pm
I keep wondering who you all keep referring to as the folks that are “happy just to win 10 games” . Mr. & Mrs. Straw Man? Cap’t MadeUp to Make Myself Look Awesome?
Stop flattering yourselves. Everybody want to win just as many games as you do. .
All I see if that some folks don’t pretend to get all pis$ed off if we do win 10 games. Or sit around and pretend that they are going to do a damn thing about it.
Joey
January 5th, 2012
5:38 pm
CPJ, can he cash a check, or does he not handle cash?
Rick S
January 5th, 2012
5:40 pm
The single most disappointing thing to me is there is never talk within the Georgia heirarchy about Georgia seriously competing for a National Championship and is this is one major reason High School recruits are electing to take their talents to other schools within the SEC and not their home state school UGA!
Browndog
January 5th, 2012
5:43 pm
MSU played a great second half and should be given credit for what they did. CMR has UGA on the right track.
Joey
January 5th, 2012
5:43 pm
Who’s “you all?”
If I’m one, go back through these 15 pages, and see how many posters’ entire defense is, (quote) “and he won 10 games . . .”
Others write, “Richt wins 10 games every year . . .”
They defend him with that, and seem . . . well, happy with it.
A person SMART enough to know......
January 5th, 2012
5:44 pm
Rick S that is not true Yoculan and Leebern get all hugged up living in sin and discuss the GYM Dawgs chances of another NCAA Championship all the time. Leebern tell Adams all the time he want to win in football to as they head to church together. LMAO
DAWGnFL
January 5th, 2012
5:44 pm
Seeing all the ones with” DAWG” in their name and constantly posting negative about “THE DAWGS” gets one to wondering how true of a “DAWG” they really are? What we all need to do is post the positives and lay off the negative attitudes! There are a lot more positives than real negatives, especially after getting your negative attitudes and posts out of the way. Have been following UGA since before Fran Tarkenton and the “trestle”. This has got to be the most negative attitude I have seen or heard in the last 55 years. Get behind “THE DAWGS” or GET OUT!!!!
A person SMART enough to know......
January 5th, 2012
5:48 pm
DawgnFL yes that is what should be done all the time. God I am so happy with our economy it is great because the unemployment rate fell .02 points. I just Love the job Obama is doing. He got us out of the War.
Stephen A.Dawg
January 5th, 2012
5:48 pm
There was a time when people didn’t snicker or giggle when a person said they were a Georgia Bulldog fan. Back then UGA dominated UF, won the SEC back to back to back, won the National title and Heisman trophy. From Baton Rouge to Tuscaloosa, UGA was not only respected but feared and no one dare laugh. Even though that was a lifetime ago, it seems like a dream compared to the Georgia football program of today. It is a soft, mediocre program that has sold its SEC soul to appease the delusional, conservative side of its fanbase. A program that literally gives its head coach in excess of $ 3 million annually in exchange for second tier mediocrity in the SEC. Richt is revered by the consevative base for his overall win record and not held accountable for poor coaching decisions and a string of disappointing sub-par seasons. If the mission for UGA is to just win against below average opponents then get ready to see the Dawgs get humiliated everytime they stumble into games with top ten programs. McGarrity maybe right. Michigan St. was probably just as good as Georgia. They had weakness at QB, offense, and special teams just like UGA and it was anybody’s game as a result. In the end poor coaching from a conservative head coach helped MSU scratch out a win. McGarrity pretty much said since UGA didn’t get blown out and lost a close game to a ranked opponent there’s no need to create a stir. So he will go ahead and extend Richt and nothing will change. McGarrity hasn’t spelled out any stipulations to incite real change at UGA. The only thing he has done is arranged a softer OOC schedule to help Richt stay even longer. So get ready for a 8, 9, or 10 win season at best in 2012 for UGA. There is a reason why Georgia no longer is taken seriously anymore. Spurrier has retooled S.Carolina for a SEC title run and he knows that domination of UGA is the key to national respect now as is was to him in the 90s when he lead UF to UGA domination and national respect. How much longer will it take for Georgia to see that Richt is a washedup OC and burntout head coach. A few more blowout losses from top twenty teams “should” do the trick.
A person SMART enough to know......
January 5th, 2012
5:53 pm
Stephen A.Dawg…Those 3-5 years were 30 years ago and the fear didn’t start before 79 and didn’t last past 83.
bamaguy
January 5th, 2012
5:55 pm
I have to hand it to Mark RIcht. He has managed to get Miles/Saban kind of money while producing Mullen/Franklin kind of results. He truly must be living right.