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
DawginLex
January 5th, 2012
8:44 am
Notice the extension won’t be completed until after national signing day?
If changes are made to the staff, when will those be done?
Win. P.
January 5th, 2012
8:45 am
It will be interesting to see if the contract negoitations results in other changes in addition to adding 3 years for Richt and moving him up on the SEC head coaches salary lists. Will problems be addressed?
TampaDawg
January 5th, 2012
8:45 am
DawgGone, I am not a Bobo fan either and a replacement is necessary. But being from Tampa, let’s just say there is a reason Jon Gruden, as young as he is, isn’t currently coaching and it isn’t because he doesn’t want to. He has a great offensive mind but is horrible in dealing with players, and dealing with personnel moves. He is NOT the answer.
GatorNation
January 5th, 2012
8:46 am
Bulldog in disarray again! Should we keep Ritch or not. We sure hope you keep him and we will give you 1 win every 10 years. Oh, and please keep Bobo who doesn’t knowknow anything abouth running an offense.
Serious??
January 5th, 2012
8:49 am
“Matthews Dawg” This program (CMR) has been average at best since 2005. PERIOD! Urban, Saban, Miles, Chiz and Saban or Miles this year have all won NC in that time. NUFF SAID.
Matthews Dawg
January 5th, 2012
8:49 am
I also remember when all anyone did was complain about Coach Dooley and his calls of 3 yards and a cloud of dust! They also called him Dumb Dooley all the time. It was wrong then and is wrong now with CMR!
McGarity speaks for me as well! Voice of reason and has a ton more experience than any of us will ever have!!
dawgfan
January 5th, 2012
8:50 am
Blah, blah, blah. I think it goes without saying that Michigan State is a very good team and did an outstanding job bouncing back from a 16-0 deficit. I was very impressed with their defense and the way they made adjustments on offense (Bobo should have been taking notes). I’m not sure what this has to do with the price of tea in China however. We play in the SEC. We’re going to face lots of very good teams. When we can’t beat them its going to upset the fans. 0-4 vs. ranked teams this year. Its a mistake to just shrug that off. Maybe a little doubt and negativity is exactly what this team needs. They certainly haven’t proven on the field that they can beat the top teams. That isn’t negativity. Its FACT.
We find ways to lose against the top teams. Did anybody notice on the blocked kick to end the game that the left side of our line didn’t even block Michigan State? Go back and look at it. They just stood up to see if he made the kick. That’s just inexcusable and Richt should rip them a new you know what for it, but it was the last game of the season so they’ll probably never hear a word about it. That would be NEGATIVE and it might hurt their itty bitty feelwings. Good grief.
Success is in the details. You take plays off and that’s how you lose 16-0 leads. Very good teams will do what very good teams tend to do and take advantage of it. McGarity sounds like Paul Johnson: “But they were a good team.” Unreal.
Thanks.
ChompChomp
January 5th, 2012
8:51 am
TampaDawg just please look at the records. How many NC’s you got? The Gator Nation will rise again next year and you all will still be confused as to what just happend and how to correct it.
Lakedawg
January 5th, 2012
8:52 am
AD is right on with this statement. Either a bunch of trolls posing with Dawg names or just plain ignorant fans hit the boards with fire somebody.
Who expected we would be top 10 team this year, not me. Thought better than prior year and 2012 will be better than this year. We lost to #1, 6, 8, and 12 team in country. Yes we coulda/shoulda beat a couple of them and will next year.
If Walsh had kicked the field goal in both games, and if zMurray has one less fumble in each game, and if receiver hold passes in LSU , and DB holds pick six ball we could easily be 13-1 or 12-2 and probably still someone crying fire somebody.
Goos job Greg, what an improvement over what we had.
Moobs Johnson
January 5th, 2012
8:53 am
Mark Richt = Andy Landers
The cold hard fact is that Georgia accepts mediocrity.
Matthews Dawg
January 5th, 2012
8:54 am
serious…it improved this year, it will improve next year! You don’t realize what our last AD was doing to all the programs! He was not liked or respected within the athletic dept, period! Now, we have an AD that is allowing our coaches to focus on their program. Most of us didn’t think we would make it to the SECCG, we did. Is that good enough, NO! But, it’s a much better step in the right direction than before. We could have been Clemson! Or we could be an ACC school. What a terrible conference!
Joycee Banicheck
January 5th, 2012
8:54 am
When the hell is Bobo getting the axe?? Needs to happen ASAP, dude just isn’t any good at coaching the O in the SEC.
Spokesman for the SEC East
January 5th, 2012
8:56 am
The SEC East only has 2 words to express our desires about the great suntanned Helen Hunt lool-a-like’s new contract, we want it to be a; Lifetime contract!
TampaDawg
January 5th, 2012
8:56 am
Chomp Chomp and your cute little handle are dreaming. Please note the post I made to reality Gator. Fact is, you’re not rising again next year or the year after because your program is in more disarray than any team in the SEC outside of Tennessee. It’s just denial to not see that. Let me ask you in my attempts to have normal football conversation and considering the fact I spend quite a bit of time in Gainesville, what do you have to look forward to next year, in all seriousness too? What do the Gators have going into 2012 that gives you hope for next year being better than this one?
Show Me the Money
January 5th, 2012
8:56 am
UGA fans that hate Bobo should stop and think. Bobo is calling the plays that CMR wants called or else he would not have a job.
Athens Gator
January 5th, 2012
8:57 am
Unfortunately, I work here in Athens. I love your team and all your coaches. Please do not change anything.
evil empire
January 5th, 2012
8:57 am
dawginlex, evans knew the program was not respected nationally and was beefing up the pathetic ooc schedule…problem was richt couldn’t even beat other mid-tier bcs programs with any regularity (colorado…who loses to colorado…richt and georgia do)…uga…america’s premier mid-tier bowl attraction…maybe you losers should petition for an athens bowl, pitting uga against other underperforming schools (notre dame, ucla, kansas,etc…you know the rest…you are one!!!)…
bart
January 5th, 2012
8:59 am
I have confidence in McGarity to do the right thing. However, does anybody really think Richt is the same caliber coach as Saban, Miles, Chris Peterson, Meyer, Chip Kelly, Bob Stoops…They are great coaches. Richt is good but is he worth 3 million $ a year? My feeling is “No,” but that’s a decision McGarity will have to make. One of Richt’s problems is obsessive loyalty. He hung onto Martinez 2 or 3 years too long, and it looks like he’s making the same mistake with Bobo. We lost to all 4 of the good teams we faced this year. That says something to me. As a 40+ years Dawg fan, I’m tired of saying, “Wait till next year.”
1eyedJack
January 5th, 2012
8:59 am
Bully for you GM, and let’s put this season on the shelf and get on with it!!
I know I’ll be called an idiot and a moron for saying this, especially by my favorite trolls who are starting to stalk me. But that’s all right, fire away. My Ol’ Lady calls me worse on a regular basis, and although it’s not my intention to hurt anybody’s feelings, I am not striking it off my list.
When it is all said and done we got beat by a better “team”.
Defensively, we played pretty good, excepting that 85 yard scamper through our “prevent defense”. Is “prevent defense” a misnomer or an oxymoron.
Offensively, we just didn’t have the horses, up front or in the backfield. CMR and CMB should have recognized that and adjusted.
I’m not of the opinion that Bobo should be fired, but I’m absolutely not sold on him either. Sometimes he makes me want to kick the cat with his pig-headedness. If it ain’t working try something else! Damn the gameplan, that went out the window with the first snap!
The only real coaching thing I have questioned is the RB & WR positions. I know the arguement that if you’re a football coach you should be able to “coach” any position. But I’m of the opinion that if you actually played a position then you have a special insight into the nuances of that position. Therefore, I would switch Bryan McLendon and Tony Ball up.
I am looking forward to an even more successful 2012 season, and if we should go 13-0 and win the SEC, don’t be surprised if Kirk Herbsteit and Mark May find a way to keep us out of the MNC.
True Dawg Fan
January 5th, 2012
8:59 am
DawginLex
January 5th, 2012
8:44 am
Notice the extension won’t be completed until after national signing day?
If changes are made to the staff, when will those be done?
I suspect that they are holding off till the extension is final with all coaching decisions. No need to fire anyone during recruiting. Wait till after signing day make the changes needed so you dont throw off any recruits. cant fire Bmac yet due to Gurley and Davis (dont want to spook either one).
Seeing as he is the most likely canidate to get fired, I am praying there is a good OC out there that is known to work very well with RBs since the RB coaching spot would be open (This includes the assumption Bobo goes to QB coach aand Head RC)
evil empire
January 5th, 2012
8:59 am
Or we could be an ACC school
what do you think you are now????…quit riding the sec’s coattails…contribute or leave…
ChompChomp
January 5th, 2012
9:00 am
Tampa Dawg we have a lot to look forward to and a lot to look back on. Our 7-6 season will turn into 12 wins next year and then a NC in 2013. Ya’ll will still be trying to figure out what the problem is and why you just can’t win a big game. Must be we spiked the Gator Aid.
Tobias Funke
January 5th, 2012
9:00 am
Good. These are nothing more than exhibition games anyway, right? LSU has been the national champion since December 1. I will be boycotting the game.
True Dawg Fan
January 5th, 2012
9:00 am
ChompChomp
January 5th, 2012
8:51 am
TampaDawg just please look at the records. How many NC’s you got? The Gator Nation will rise again next year and you all will still be confused as to what just happend and how to correct it.
ahahahahahah Are you already drunk this morning????? guess its never too early in jortsland
Jeff
January 5th, 2012
9:01 am
Greg….Would it have solved our play calling problems???????????????????????????DO SOMETHING!!!!!! PLEASE!!!!!!
dawgman
January 5th, 2012
9:01 am
Hey everybody in here- Listen up. It’s real simple. You be a fan and let McGarity and Richt do their job. IF you can’t do that, please go be a fan of GT, UF, or some other team. The Bulldog Nation does not need you and all of your lambasting youv’e been doing for 2 years. Either get behind the team or don’t. Constant whining and second-guessing will not help.
Nick
January 5th, 2012
9:03 am
To all the Bobo bashers, have you ever considered that the best play calling in the world will not work without execution? Running the ball up the middle in the first overtime, not the best play call, however, had our O-line done a better job blocking we make a first down and Bobo is a genius.
I for one am proud of our guys, they way they played and ignored all the fair weather fans calling for their coaches head every time one little thing went wrong this year. We had a really good season and with all the pieces coming back 2012 could be something really special!
Jeff
January 5th, 2012
9:03 am
Greg….would it have solved the problem of a QB that has a knack for blowing games for us with NO consequences…..I AM SICK AND TIRED OF HEARING MURRY PREACH TO US ABOUT GAME PREP AND EXCUSE AFTER EXCUSE……HE SINGLE HANDIDLY COST US 2 GAMES THIS YEAR
True Dawg Fan
January 5th, 2012
9:03 am
evil empire
January 5th, 2012
8:57 am
dawginlex, evans knew the program was not respected nationally and was beefing up the pathetic ooc schedule…problem was richt couldn’t even beat other mid-tier bcs programs with any regularity (colorado…who loses to colorado…richt and georgia do)…uga…america’s premier mid-tier bowl attraction…maybe you losers should petition for an athens bowl, pitting uga against other underperforming schools (notre dame, ucla, kansas,etc…you know the rest…you are one!!!)…
Who is your school mr awesome huh???
You have so much to say about UGA but claim to not be a techie. So who is it??
Anyone who thinks the SEC should add to the already demanding schedule by adding top OOC games is insane. No one in the SEC does it anymore (But yet you bash us bc we joined the party)
Why dont you bash Bama or UF??? They tend to play very easy OOC games.
You are a clown.
True Dawg Fan
January 5th, 2012
9:04 am
dawgman
January 5th, 2012
9:01 am
Hey everybody in here- Listen up. It’s real simple. You be a fan and let McGarity and Richt do their job. IF you can’t do that, please go be a fan of GT, UF, or some other team. The Bulldog Nation does not need you and all of your lambasting youv’e been doing for 2 years. Either get behind the team or don’t. Constant whining and second-guessing will not help.
Finally someone else who gets it!
TampaDawg
January 5th, 2012
9:04 am
Yeah Matthews and LakeDawg, good posts. Most of the people firing off the negative stuff on here expect the team to go from 6-7 to 14-0 apparently. I think a 4 game improvement is something to be happy about from one year to the next. Not to mention, beating your four biggest rivals in one year seems to be forgotten as well. Three of their wins were against teams they lost to last year.
As for the trolls on here, they crack me up because they are just here to stir the pot. They have nothing of merit to say so they just show what small lives they live by working another team’s blogs.
BamaWama
January 5th, 2012
9:05 am
Let me just jump in here a second. What’s all the fuss about? If you move to the FCS where you belong you maybe can compete. Forget competing with Bama or LSU we are the kings and Bama will be crowned this year on Monday night.
tide roll
January 5th, 2012
9:06 am
No way you guys catch Ala. or LSU with this guy at the helm. Your basketball program sucks too.
LakeDawg
January 5th, 2012
9:06 am
Just so everybody knows…I am LakeDawg, not Lakedawg the moron.
Evansdawg
January 5th, 2012
9:07 am
I love McGarity and his vision. I love Richt and his ability as a leader of young men. BUT MIKE BOBO HAS GOT TO GOGO. How many times to you call ‘up the middle’ plays that haven’t worked the entire game???? What makes him think that it was suddenly going to work when our running game as stunk all season, save the Florida game. It allowed MSU’s offense back onto the field with enough time to tie it up!
Sure, MSU deserves credit. They were getting hammered and fought back, like we have seen ourselves do in teh no so distant past. I’m impressed with them. Our offense is so predictable and boring, no wonder we can’t finish the close ones!
True Dawg Fan
January 5th, 2012
9:08 am
Nick
January 5th, 2012
9:03 am
To all the Bobo bashers, have you ever considered that the best play calling in the world will not work without execution? Running the ball up the middle in the first overtime, not the best play call, however, had our O-line done a better job blocking we make a first down and Bobo is a genius
The problem is the plays he calls dont fit with the players on the field at times. Carlton up the gut is a prime example.
All he had to do to win the MSU game was play to our speed and keep the ball to the outside when running. Eventually it would have spread them out to try and stop the speed of our players and then the gut is open. Bobo is either being hand cuffed big time or he just refuses to call the right plays. The player execution crap is an awful excuse and a cop out.
I hate to bash anything UGA, but it is time that he was moved back where he belongs and a real OC comes in to do the job right.
evil empire
January 5th, 2012
9:08 am
true dawg fan…good morning my friend…good to have you on board….
Jeff
January 5th, 2012
9:09 am
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.”
wow…..SEEMS LIKE WE DO THIS ALOT
Jim
January 5th, 2012
9:09 am
Dear AD McGarrity,
As a fan of another SEC school who plays for championships regularly, please do whatever is necessary to keep Mark Richt from leaving UGA. He is a big reason why UGA has not become an SEC elite team and still sits in the “mediocre” section of the conference. Let me know how I can help. Signed, Jim.
True Dawg Fan
January 5th, 2012
9:09 am
BamaWama
January 5th, 2012
9:05 am
Let me just jump in here a second. What’s all the fuss about? If you move to the FCS where you belong you maybe can compete. Forget competing with Bama or LSU we are the kings and Bama will be crowned this year on Monday night.
ahahahahaha are you and that retard gator fan drinking together this morning?????
What a clown!
LSU fan in hiding
January 5th, 2012
9:09 am
I also work here in Athens. The dogs gave us the game 2 years ago when we were there with a stupid penalty on A.J. Green for celebrating a meaningless TD. We also drove and scored on the last possession. Please keep the coaches!
Jeff
January 5th, 2012
9:10 am
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.
Same old song and dance……..WAIT TILL NEXT YEAR….WIAT TILL NEXT YEAR…..WAIT TILL NEXT YEAR……WASH…. RINSE…. REPEAT
True Dawg Fan
January 5th, 2012
9:10 am
tide roll
January 5th, 2012
9:06 am
No way you guys catch Ala. or LSU with this guy at the helm. Your basketball program sucks too.
ahahahahah Alabama hasnt beaten anyone this year either so…… But keep beating your chests like you earned your spot there. While we all laugh at you bc ESPN put u there.
evil empire
January 5th, 2012
9:11 am
Unfortunately people never give the opponent any credit.”
mentally preparing ugatards for future failure…gotta love it…
True Dawg Fan
January 5th, 2012
9:11 am
Jim
January 5th, 2012
9:09 am
Dear AD McGarrity,
As a fan of another SEC school who plays for championships regularly, please do whatever is necessary to keep Mark Richt from leaving UGA. He is a big reason why UGA has not become an SEC elite team and still sits in the “mediocre” section of the conference. Let me know how I can help. Signed, Jim.
wow another moron this morning??? You guys ride the short bus to atl this morning or something?
dawgman
January 5th, 2012
9:12 am
Thanks True Dawg fan- I just get sick of it. Even my best friend has been calling for Richt’s head for 3 years and his basement is a UGA shrine. What the hell?
DawgGone
January 5th, 2012
9:12 am
I agree with McGarity. We ought to congratulate another team on out playing us. I understand Murray may study harder than any QB in america. Is this true?
dawgman
January 5th, 2012
9:12 am
And who knows why turd troll is on here every day?
evil empire
January 5th, 2012
9:13 am
jim, how funny is it that the ugatard nation doesn’t see the truth…
True Dawg Fan
January 5th, 2012
9:13 am
Jeff
January 5th, 2012
9:10 am
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.
Same old song and dance……..WAIT TILL NEXT YEAR….WIAT TILL NEXT YEAR…..WAIT TILL NEXT YEAR……WASH…. RINSE…. REPEA
And yet another retard??? At this point its def one person with 40 blog handles. Gunna guess the techie nerd Tide Roll