Mark Richt gets new 5-year contract, Grantham extended 2 years
ATHENS — So much for a nice, slow Monday.
Last week, Georgia scheduled a press conference for football coach Mark Richt for today to discuss the relatively mundane details surrounding next week’s start to spring football practice. As it turned out, news came pouring in from multiple directions.
- The day started with news breaking of starting cornerback Branden Smith’s arrest in South Alabama for marijuana possession. Richt confirmed that was the case and that he had spoken briefly with Smith. Later, AD Greg McGarity confirmed that the arrest would mean a mandatory suspension of up to two games at the discretion of the head coach.
- UGA also released the news that it had reached agreements on new contracts for Richt and defensive coordinator Todd Grantham. Richt received a new five-year deal that will extend him through the 2016 season. Financial details are “still being tweaked,” according to McGarity, but Richt is expected to receive a slight raise from the $2.81 million salary he currently receives. That does not include annual longevity bonuses that boost his earnings to more than $3 million annually. Grantham received a two-year contract extension that will guarantee his salary of at least $750,000 through the 2014 season.
- As for on-the-field football business, Richt confirmed his decision to move wide receiver Malcolm Mitchell to cornerback for spring practice. Mitchell had said he was going to try to play both positions next fall. But because of position meeting conflicts and the challenge of learning the Bulldogs’ defensive system, Richt said he made the decision to have Mitchell work with the secondary full time when spring practice begins March 20. A decision for where Mitchell will line up in the fall has not been made.
- Richt also confirmed the completion of the Bulldogs’ strength and conditioning staff. UGA hired Penn State’s head strength coach John Thomas as senior associate director under Joe Tereshinski and “speed specialist” Sherman Armstrong of Tampa as associate director.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
303 comments Add your comment
GTBob
March 12th, 2012
2:27 pm
Not surprising at all. That’s what happens in rival games. The inferior program (GT in this case) often plays competitively against its superior rival (UGA).
Really? How does UCLA normally do against USC?
GTBob
March 12th, 2012
2:29 pm
GTBob ,So was Virginia a good team last year?Was Louisiana tech a good team , they won their conference?
La Tech was good for what they had. Not really good compared to the top teams in the nation though. UVA? Not really. They over performed and had a decent season. They weren’t very good though.
DawginLex
March 12th, 2012
2:33 pm
Mitchell is going to play offense and defense. He is working 100% with the defense in spring to get more reps on that side of the ball. You TROLL people need to learn to read and comprehend what you read.
Nowhere is it ever mentioned that he will only play defense in the fall, just in spring practices.
DawgNole
March 12th, 2012
2:33 pm
GTBob
March 12th, 2012
2:27 pm
Not surprising at all. That’s what happens in rival games. The inferior program (GT in this case) often plays competitively against its superior rival (UGA).
Really? How does UCLA normally do against USC?
__________________
They normally do about as well as GT does against UGA. Like I said, it’s the Ws that count, and UCLA hasn’t had enough of them against USC–a big reason Neuheisel got the boot.
lucky21
March 12th, 2012
2:34 pm
Rule 14 of the internet: Do not argue with trolls — it means that they win.
bucket
March 12th, 2012
2:37 pm
@ UGASlobberknocker – love the name, but why are you coming after me? Are you happy that we continuously year after year have to worry about who is going to be available for the first 2 games of the year? I can assure you that AD McGarity is not happy with that scenario and that is why there are some stipulations in CMR’s new extension about player behavior in general. I am 41, I have 2 teenagers, and I am routinely around people under 35. I understand that UGA is recruiting the same players that everyone else is and I also understand that young people screw up sometimes (just like I did.) But there is absolutely nothing wrong with this fan’s desire to see the players live up to the Georgia G and not drag it down. Smith put himself in a really bad situation and it is especially stupid considering he knows how thin his team is at db. Apparently he wasn’t smoking the weed, but he certainly knew someone was if the officer could smell it.
DawginLex
March 12th, 2012
2:38 pm
NCBF
Keep predicting a mizzou win and i’ll be here to laugh at you after we beat them.
34 points ???
What a joke you are!!
UGA 38
Mizzou 17
It will be close for a half but the defensive line will be the difference for UGA.
GTBob
March 12th, 2012
2:39 pm
They normally do about as well as GT does against UGA.
UGA has beaten Tech by an average of 7 points the last 6 years.
USC has beaten UCLA by an average of 20 points the last 6 years.
That isn’t exactly equal. USC blows UCLA out pretty frequently.
bucket
March 12th, 2012
2:44 pm
Getting Mitchell some work @ cb makes perfect sense. Alot of schools were recruiting him exclusively for db coming out of high school and alot of football people think he could be the number one cb drafted in a couple of years if he plays that position @ UGA.
Hairy Dawg
March 12th, 2012
2:45 pm
This is great news. FINALLY McG does right thing and locks down our best coaches. Now we will display dominants on East and win SEC for sure.
Go Dawgs!
Bama=home of the T-bag special
March 12th, 2012
2:48 pm
I am shocked, shocked I tell you I didn’t think there was a cop in Alabama that EVER pulled over a football player…what’s that you say? Oh I get it they never pull over a Alabama player…got it.
Allenlaw
March 12th, 2012
2:48 pm
There is just something very pleasant about reading a Georgia Tech booster repeatedly saying that Georgia “beat Nobody, and your defense stopped NOBODY” after yet another win over Tech this year. I know many Tech fans, who would never admit their team is a “nobody.” Nice to know some are more realistic than others.
WDE
March 12th, 2012
2:49 pm
Great news on the contract extensions…now lets get thru spring ball with hopefully no injuries and GATA!
Mobile Dawg
March 12th, 2012
2:50 pm
Kinda like the last five years Hairy? This is the football equivalent to Obama being elected another term, our football team is in ruins, along with our national debt and budget.
SC
March 12th, 2012
2:54 pm
Richt will lose 6 games with this easy schedule. ” GO CONS “
what of it?
March 12th, 2012
2:58 pm
Still can’t control players. Still can’t compete with even comparable talent. Still has gaping holes all over the team after 4 years rebuilding. Still hasn’t even sniffed a chance at a NC. Let’s give him a pay raise and another 5 years.
worst part of this article, Joe Tereshinski, who’s only credential is nepotism, still controls the strength and conditioning program. We didn’t run out of gas in any games last season did we?
Dap01
March 12th, 2012
3:03 pm
So far, none of 2013 commitments for GT have arrested or gotten into trouble. Actually none have even been mugged on campus. Oh wait, there are no commitments. Yikes!
LutzFLDawg
March 12th, 2012
3:12 pm
four more years of KTMFD!
Joey
March 12th, 2012
3:19 pm
what of it?,
Our D would have to be in super-human condition, because of the offensive play-calling. Those 3-and-outs are killers to the D, and just hands over momentum.
And the worst part?
Nothing will change for at least 5 years . . .
Barking Dawg
March 12th, 2012
3:26 pm
I think it is a little early in the off season to starting moving players around. We will have more arrests. Mitchell might need to play left tackle. Let’s wait for spring break to end and see how many player we have left at all positions.
DIT
March 12th, 2012
3:26 pm
Hey, I won’t hide it, I’m a Richt fan. However, my question to the Dawg people out here. If he has 10 win seasons this coming year and next, but no NC’s do you look for another coach inside of 5 years and if so, who would that coach be? Just curious.
DawginLex
March 12th, 2012
3:26 pm
If he doesn’t win and win big next year and in 2013, he won’t be around for all 5 years.
DawgNole
March 12th, 2012
3:27 pm
GTBob
March 12th, 2012
2:39 pm
They normally do about as well as GT does against UGA.
UGA has beaten Tech by an average of 7 points the last 6 years.
USC has beaten UCLA by an average of 20 points the last 6 years.
That isn’t exactly equal. USC blows UCLA out pretty frequently.
________________
You’re going in circles, GTBob. Margin of defeat doesn’t matter. ONLY the Ws matter (UGA 10 Ws vs GT 1 W over the past 11 years; USC 10 Ws vs UCLA 1 W over the past 11 years).
WDE
March 12th, 2012
3:28 pm
@SC one of those 6 won’t be to USCe…
BamaGuy
March 12th, 2012
3:29 pm
YES, Let’s get HIGH…….
DIT
March 12th, 2012
3:29 pm
@DawginLex
That would be my opinion as well. Now that he has the recruits, the DC lined up he needs to get it done. I hope he does, but nothing is really showing me that the changes are being made to make that NC run. Sure hope I’m wrong.
DawgNole
March 12th, 2012
3:30 pm
lucky21
March 12th, 2012
2:34 pm
Rule 14 of the internet: Do not argue with trolls — it means that they win.
_____________________
They win only if they’re right–and a few of them are right. GTBob, on the other hand, is wrong. No winner is he.
Rationale
March 12th, 2012
3:31 pm
Beanster, I agree with you, it is embarrassing, however, society has gotten to the point that “pot” is acceptable. The NFL is not hard enough on their players, so if the NFL is not hard, the players in college say “so what”. College coaches are not hard enough for it either, but again, CMR is one of the toughest, yet, these “kids” still get stupid. I would be saying this if it was Saban, and I am by no means a Saban fan.
Strange Murphy
March 12th, 2012
3:33 pm
WOOF! WOOF! WOOF! GATA CMR!!!
dawgfan
March 12th, 2012
3:39 pm
“If he has 10 win seasons this coming year and next, but no NC’s do you look for another coach inside of 5 years and if so, who would that coach be?”
10 wins on the schedule that we have is not anything to brag about. I’m not going to set the bar at a NC because a lot of that is out of Richt’s hands. However, if we do not have a BIG year very soon (ie. undefeated or 1-loss SEC Champ) then I think we should look elsewhere for a coach. I think 2 years is fair. There really is no excuse for anything less. Recruiting is supposedly going well. I say supposedly because I question whether we are recruiting the type of personnel needed to win SEC Titles. I am also tired of all the stupid arrests and question whether we are recruiting guys with enough character to win SEC Titles. I just don’t believe our team has the heart to win it all right now. I hope I’m wrong.
As for who our coach should be in lieu of Richt, I have no idea and it really doesn’t matter. At some point you just have to try something fresh and move in a new direction, no matter how risky it might be. There would be nothing guaranteed with a new coach. It would be a gamble but a gamble worth making if Richt cannot move this program forward. We shouldn’t be happy with 10 wins and Outback bowls every year. We have all the resources that LSU, Bama, etc. have. We should demand more.
Thanks.
7576DAWG
March 12th, 2012
3:42 pm
I may be wrong but I think it was actually a 3 year extension. CMR’s old contract ran through 2013 which would mean the new contract combined the original contract and the new one into a new 5 year contract extension.
DIT
March 12th, 2012
3:44 pm
Good points dawgfan
The character issues I just can’t lay all the blame on CMR. The Bama’s, Lsu’s, etc. recruited these players as well. It goes back deeper than the head coaches control. Mostly the parents. It’s unfortunate.
I do agree 10 win seasons are not worth a flip if you can’t beat top 10 teams along the way. Two years seems about right. I don’t put the bar at NC’s either, but quality wins over top 10 teams and BCS bowl games are the way to show improvement.
Again, I want to see CMR do it!
DIT
March 12th, 2012
3:45 pm
@7576DAWG
I believe that is correct
PureATL
March 12th, 2012
3:45 pm
On ESPN’s college football section: There’s 2 UGA stories #1 related to player in trouble for drugs #2 related to player for DUI. Flip to AJC and see Mark gets 5 year extension. Makes perfect since to me!!!!
PureATL
March 12th, 2012
3:47 pm
Wait 3 UGA stories they have the extension story up now.
Dawg Haus
March 12th, 2012
3:47 pm
I second your 3:44 post, DIT. I’ve always been a fan of CMR, but if significant improvement is not made over the next two seasons, it would behoove all parties involved to go their separate ways.
GTBob
March 12th, 2012
3:48 pm
You’re going in circles, GTBob. Margin of defeat doesn’t matter. ONLY the Ws matter
I’m not going in circles at all. There is a large talent discrepancy in the USC/UCLA series and it is shown in the scores of the games. There is an even larger talent discrepancy in the UGA/GT series, but it doesn’t show in the scores for some reason. Im guessing we just have differing opinions on the matter. You think if UGA has the best team in the country and they beat Buffalo by one point then Richt did a fabulous job. I think some teams should be good enough to win comfortably over other teams. There is a reason that margin of victory used to be in the BCS formula.
DIT
March 12th, 2012
3:48 pm
@PureATL
Just asking, but are you saying that it’s Richt’s fault that these two individuals got into trouble?
PureATL
March 12th, 2012
3:49 pm
And a GT article about NCAA denies appeal. College Football in Georgia… I think we’ve become the butt of the joke!!
PureATL
March 12th, 2012
3:50 pm
DIT…
No, just awkward having those being 3 of the 10 top stories on ESPN.
RedDawg
March 12th, 2012
3:51 pm
CMR won’t go know where as long as the dawgs is atl this year. Very disappointed in Branden expect more out of a senior to be. These coaches can’t walk around and hold the players hand 24hrs a day.
PureATL
March 12th, 2012
3:51 pm
DIT… Do you agree with the extension for Richt??
DIT
March 12th, 2012
3:52 pm
“No, just awkward having those being 3 of the 10 top stories on ESPN.”
_________________
I agree, as an Alumnus I hate seeing us in the news like this anytime.
PureATL
March 12th, 2012
3:53 pm
IMO, players getting into trouble is blamed on the head coach far more than it should be, but right or wrong that’s where the public and the media seem to always place the blame.
Ed
March 12th, 2012
3:54 pm
Our best WR to corner…yet another off-field issue…and a 5-year extension for the head coach after a “hot seat” year when Georgia beat everyone it should have beaten but lost to the only 4 teams on the schedule that were really good. Sheesh, I’ve been moved away for a long time but I’m beginning to wonder if there’s still anyone in Athens who knows what the hell they are doing these days.
beanster
March 12th, 2012
3:56 pm
Believe me I am not on a high horse about marijuana. But every year our “kids” get caught doing something “stupid” that reflects poorly on the program and the school. I think McGarity’s words are spot-on: “At the end of the day I think it comes down to accountability for student-athletes.”
If we really want to stand on our principles by touting our tougher-than-most policy for team violations, then why not make it zero tolerance? Clearly the threat of sitting out Buffalo and Missouri (assuming those are the 2 games) wasn’t enough to make B Smith reconsider his decision. If we don’t have a zero tolerance policy, then what is the point? It’s okay as long as you don’t get caught but even if you get caught the worst you’ll get is a 2 game suspension. OK, maybe I am off on a tangent…
It’s like the Mike Vick SNL skit from a few years ago… You were in a car with a tag light out just before midnight in South Alabama the week of Spring Break and your buddy’s puffing blunts…….oh really???
WDE
March 12th, 2012
3:59 pm
@GTBob well old man there is nothing for it but for Bug U to stop playing UGA…the way you tell it its damn near cruel and unusual punishment to send those lambs from Bugville out to compete with those wolves in Bull Dog clothing . Your right you should stick to the ACC and the Carolina directional schools..it’s really all Bug U can handle..and when you whine and cry about you can never compete vs UGA first that makes my heart sing….but really it’s an easy riddle to figure out..fire that Wattle Neck Good, get a real offense and get better! Or just play that same old passive aggressive B.S you have in your Bug mind perfected…your really not fooling any damn body.
GT is a 4th rate High School team
March 12th, 2012
4:00 pm
FOREVER
WDE
March 12th, 2012
4:00 pm
Sorry that should have read Wattle Neck Goon…
DIT
March 12th, 2012
4:00 pm
If true about the contract running through 2016. Then it would a good move because it was only a 3 year extension. Most schools lock the coach in for anywhere between 5 to 8 years and they are in trouble on the buyout. I do wonder whta the buyout would be.
Before any other extensions there needs to be improvement.