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.
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303 comments Add your comment
GT is a 4th rate High School team
March 12th, 2012
4:02 pm
And a NOBODY at that.
RedDawg
March 12th, 2012
4:03 pm
Our best wr was the best corner coming out of high school. Champ did it Ward did it whatever it takes wr is not a need now.
GTBob
March 12th, 2012
4:05 pm
but really it’s an easy riddle to figure out..fire that Wattle Neck Good, get a real offense and get better!
Here is the record of GT against UGA in the past 60 years broken up by decade:
1950 – 1959 7-3
1960 – 1969 4-6
1970 – 1979 3-7
1980 – 1989 3-7
1990 – 1999 3-7
2000 – 2009 2-8
2010 – 2011 0-2
You really think the magical solution is to fire CPJ? The UGA/GT riddle has almost nothing to do with coaching.
DIT
March 12th, 2012
4:07 pm
People say that Richt does not put the best platers on the field. Now, he wants to put the best player on Offense AND Defense and some are not satisfied.
Please read the article again, it was stated that he will play defense in SPRING PRACTICE to get more familar with the defensive coverage. Not at any time was it stated that this was permanent of Michell playing defense only!
GTBob
March 12th, 2012
4:07 pm
@GTBob well old man there is nothing for it but for Bug U to stop playing UGA
For the record, I support this 100%. There is nothing positive about the series with UGA anymore and I expect it to end in the next 5-10 years.
DawginLex
March 12th, 2012
4:09 pm
Hey guys you have to remember that Tech gives itself a trophy for rushing yardage ranking and rings for fluke wins over its arch rival that they spend 24/7 365 days a year thinking about/obsessing about/worrying about/wishing they could be like/blogging all day on the internet blog about.
DIT
March 12th, 2012
4:12 pm
Another “Just Curious” question to all the tech people, other than GTBob. Do any of you agree with what his last post said. If I’m reading it right he has practically surrendered the fact that y’all will never beat UGA with some consistancy and the series should just end.
Man, I have several tech friends that expect to beat UGA more than what they do and rightfully should feel that way being that it is a rival.
Any others out there that just gave up like Bob?
GTBob
March 12th, 2012
4:15 pm
DIT, read this link on the Hive. That should answer your questions.
http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=140&f=2938&t=8777094
There are several reasons to end the series. Lack of competition is just one of them.
GTBob
March 12th, 2012
4:16 pm
Man, I have several tech friends that expect to beat UGA more than what they do and rightfully should feel that way being that it is a rival.
Your friends don’t really know much about football then.
beanster
March 12th, 2012
4:17 pm
Bob doesn’t believe anything he posts. He just types whatever he can think of that will rile any sucker Dawg fan who is foolish enough to respond to him. Pathetic as that is, until the responses end, he will never go away.
7576DAWG
March 12th, 2012
4:17 pm
Both Mark Richt and Grantham are making more than the average head coach and coordinator so I would expect the base salary to stay about the same but I would have large bonuses for winning championships.
Moving Mitchell to defense is a great move. He already knows the offensive play book and will need all the practice he can get to have the defense down by the time we play Missouri. Mitchell will play plenty on offense in 2012. Michael Bennett and especially Chris Conley were great receivers at times last year and will step up . Mitchell was at receiver because of his second gear that would let him out run defensive backs once he hit full stride. Receivers are not where Georgia needed to step up it was running back. We have got to establish a running game so we will have a balanced offense. The move of Mitchell was because we have the best defensive back in the nation in 2011 as a recruit playing wide receiver. It does no good for Mitchell to catch a touchdown play it the other team is going to turn around and throw one themselves on the next play because Georgia has a weak secondary.
DIT
March 12th, 2012
4:18 pm
What part about, other than GTBob did you not understand! I want to see if others share the same worthless opinion as you. So far no one.
GTBob
March 12th, 2012
4:22 pm
What part about, other than GTBob did you not understand! I want to see if others share the same worthless opinion as you. So far no one.
That’s why I gave you a link to a GT message board discussing this very topic. More GT fans are in favor of dropping the series then you would think.
DIT
March 12th, 2012
4:26 pm
Well then, that is a worthless fanbase!! No wonder why your team sucks. Boy, when Florida was consistantly beating us like a drum there was not one person saying to cancel the series. That is so sorry!
To believe that you could not hire a better coach than what you have now is worthless. What is your excuse when Ross and O’leary beat UGA. To sit there and think that you’ll never have a chance when it has been done before??? To you and the tech people that want the series to end just speaks volumes about your fan base. You have absolutley no right to ever come on here and knock UGA on ANYTHING based on what you have posted.
That’s all I’m going to say
The Commissioner
March 12th, 2012
4:29 pm
GTBob, We’re confused…how can you say “The UGA/GT riddle has almost nothing to do with coaching” above but then at the same time make the entire basis of your argument about Georgia’s coaching “ability” (another word you’ve used over and over) and inability to win by more than an average 7 points over 6 years?
I guess this just proves that your goal is to get on these blogs and just stir it up; which is fine, if that’s what gets you all excited on a Monday.
Yes, we all agree that there are times when UGA looks as if it needs a new coach. Unfortunately, you have to work with what you have. If AD’s payed attention to people like you and I on these blogs, there would be too many coaching changes – frequently – at just about every school outside the Top 20 in football.
But thanks for sharing your contradictory argument…not sure if it brings out your real age or your real gender
Bob
March 12th, 2012
4:33 pm
I don’t want to sound like a GT whiner, but received my season ticket order form today…worst home schedule ever, bad news again with a veteran player, CMR gets a raise rather than probation, and the Ath Dept didn’t include a return envelope.
Dawgs > missouri
March 12th, 2012
4:33 pm
Ga will roll over Missouri—they will not be able to deal with SEC size and speed. Ga delivers a good beatdown: 37-13–Grantham’s D controls the game.
GTBob
March 12th, 2012
4:39 pm
To you and the tech people that want the series to end just speaks volumes about your fan base.
Please give me a good reason for why the series should continue. It doesn’t make sense from any perspective. Your example of Ross and O Leary are poor ones. Those coaches won 1/3rd of their games against UGA. If the best we can do is 1/3rd then why not drop UGA and schedule some other teams? This will be an even bigger deal when the ACC starts their 9 game scheduling.
Joey
March 12th, 2012
4:40 pm
If your worst case scenario happened in the next 2 years, DIL, I just can’t see UGA parting ways with $9Million + to pay Richt off.
Dawgs > missouri,
That sounds a lot like what some of my fellow UGA fans said about Boise last summer . . .
GTBob
March 12th, 2012
4:41 pm
The Commissioner, I was talking about the riddle of beating UGA. GT will never solve that riddle, regardless of who the coach at UGA is or who the coach at GT is. As far as winning goes, the coaches are meaningless. However, Richt is still a poor coach and his results in the GT and other games prove that. Is that more clear?
evil empire
March 12th, 2012
4:49 pm
enough already dawgtard d/a’s…so you can beat up on tech…who f’n cares about tech…try winning a game that matters…great decision on keeping cmr and ctg…hahahahahaha…LOSERS….
DIT
March 12th, 2012
4:51 pm
GTBob were you crying the same way the year before CMR got to Athens when tech beat uga 3 years in a row? You’re a sorry excuse for a fan and I feel for the tech football team. Get a new coach that is up to playing in the year 2012 and you have a better chance.
You whiny baby…Why do I even bother it’s so discusting. Don’t call yourself a tech football fan because you’re not!
RHall55
March 12th, 2012
4:55 pm
Two good hires!! One major bad decision!! B Smith on drug possession!! Get good news then some bad news!! What a trend!!!
evil empire
March 12th, 2012
4:56 pm
hey DIT….your posts make no sense at all…cancel the series with florida???…ps…florida still owns uga’s behind…please shut up….
GTBob
March 12th, 2012
5:00 pm
GTBob were you crying the same way the year before CMR got to Athens when tech beat uga 3 years in a row?
Before that 3 game streak we were 2-10 in the previous 12 years. GT will have really short spurts here and there but everyone knows they are not going to last. The talent eventually catches up. Im also pretty amused that you think CPJ is the reason we have been losing to UGA for the last 50 years.
Ed
March 12th, 2012
5:02 pm
“Believe me I am not on a high horse about marijuana”
Allow me then, beanster. I’ll state unequivocally that if you are an elite D-1 athlete and you’re smoking dope, then you’re a complete idiot. First, because you’re going to get caught. Second, because it’s harmful and not conducive to top level performance on the football field.
It’s really a no-brainer.
beanster
March 12th, 2012
5:12 pm
I agree completely, Ed.
Albert
March 12th, 2012
5:12 pm
@GTBob: Thanks for your input , now crawl back under your troll rock where you belong.
@gt4ever
March 12th, 2012
5:14 pm
Well gt4ever, you were on here several times earlier with a whole bunch of criticism of UGA, Mark Richt, blah blah blah, and now I see the AJC has posted where some Tech guys are in trouble, so maybe you concentrate on the problems of your own team, which include not being able to beat UGA, or win a bowl game.
http://blogs.ajc.com/georgia-tech-sports/2012/03/12/techs-glen-rice-charged-in-incident/
Abrown
March 12th, 2012
5:32 pm
We have made a mistake giving him 5 more years I give him a clause that if he doesn’t win 12 this year he is gone and grantham is put to the top chair. Im sick and tired of having to be happy for mediocrity we have about the same talent as bama and Florida yet we have one BCS bowl win. And it was against Hawaii. This is insane Fran Tarkenton even came out and said that so it needs to be done.
Joey
March 12th, 2012
5:37 pm
He got another BCS Bowl win vs FSU, Abrown. My gripe is that Richt always loses a game he shouldn’t, even with that ‘02 team that went 13-1.
We lost to UF, with Zook.
Derek
March 12th, 2012
5:57 pm
Great move! Finally. Should have given Richt a 10 year deal. He is a great coach. Hope the haters will finally be quiet cause Richt is here to stay.
ugalee
March 12th, 2012
7:30 pm
Sounds like its time to start recruiting some White players on defense just to make sure we can field a team.
Tarryuga
March 12th, 2012
7:46 pm
GA Tech??? I know I am late on this but what the hell does GT have to do with this???!!
I’ve seen that too many times.
Some people survived an abortion.
Sorry.
Wait a minute, no I’m not, they really did.
Now that you’re here amongst us, use your brains….somewhere else.
GO DAWGS!!!
Georgia Football: CB Position in Dire Straits After Branden Smith Arrest | Georgia Bulldogs Football
March 12th, 2012
8:05 pm
[...] fans received good news (via the Atlanta Journal-Constitution) on Monday morning with the report that Mark Richt and Todd [...]
DawgNole
March 12th, 2012
8:43 pm
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.
__________________
You’re putting words in my mouth. Never did I say anything about Richt doing a fabulous job. Margin of victory doesn’t matter; only Ws matter. And UGA has 10 Ws vs GT’s 1 over the past 11 years. Just like fla has many more Ws than UGA over the past 21 years. ONLY Ws matter. What’s so hard for you to understand about that?
DawgNole
March 12th, 2012
8:47 pm
GTBob: “The UGA/GT riddle has almost nothing to do with coaching.”
______________________
Correct. Instead, it has everything to do with Ws and Ls. Geez, what took you so long to come to that realization?
Lakedawg
March 12th, 2012
9:02 pm
Keep reading aabout the improvemrnt needed, but improvement over the 09 and 10 seasons? or improvement over the almost 11 wins per season in the other 9 years?
Best record in SEC last 10 years even with the 2 bad years. this years road games or anything but easy. Missouri will be sky high for first SEC game, Spurrier always tough in Columbia although not early game this year. Florida will be much better this year, 3 straight great recruiting years, and Auburn will be improved and more experiencedd. No easy SEC road games.
Still expect to play LSU in SEC championship and win this year.
Coach Richt will be here after Spurrier, Miles Saban long gone.
mars= lifetime dawg
March 12th, 2012
11:19 pm
I’m sick of it. For the first time since 1960, when I climbed from the birth canal at St Mary’s Hospital and heard “Glory, Glory to Old Georgia”, I have had enough. I will not waste one more heartache on this team as long as that milquetoast, spaghetti spined youth minister that is moonlighting as a so-called head coach runs this team into the ground. I’m not getting any younger. I will not waste any more time. Sick, sick, sick of it!
shane mick
March 13th, 2012
12:48 am
This is why the whole Georgia program are a failure. Couples years ago they were going to fire Richt. Now they give him a five year extension. Richt was at Georgia before Myers was at Florida and he won two national championship. Watch Muschamp win a national championship before Richt ever win one. Both gators and volunteers are down and Georgia still cant win. Sad bulldogs hopefuls.
Thomas Brown
March 13th, 2012
5:04 am
All-America Wide Receiver Malcolm Mitchell moved Full-Time to the Secondary for the entirety of the Spring Practices because Missouri, game 2, has a FAR BETTER QUARTERBACK THAN AARON MURRAY and because :
1. Jakar Hamilton Safety 4-Star, transfer
2. Derek Owens Cornerback, transfer
3. Jordan Lawrence Love 12/31/90 # 21 CB 4-* transfer
4. Chris Sanders, db, Dream Team kicked off, transfer
5. Nick Marshall CB Dream Team kicked off transfer
6. Sanders Commings CB Suspended Buffalo Missouri
7. Branden Smith CB Suspended 2 games or 1 ?
They either signed the Extensions, or they did not. Which is it Chip ? We’ve been hearing about the Extension since our Bowl Loss to throw us to 7-4 in bowl games, and us ending the # 5 team in The SEC in Every Single Solitary Poll.
Over the Current 4-Year Period, we are # 8 of Just 2012 SEC teams in Won/Lost Record.
Perfect time to give him a Raise, however slight.
Current 4-Years compared to other SEC 2012 :
(1)…48-06 # 02 Alabama
(2)…41-12 # 08 LSU
(3)…41-13 # 10 Florida
(4)…36-17 # 22 Missouri
(5)…35-17 # 24 Auburn
(6)…34-17 # 26 Arkansas
(7)…34-19 # 32 South Carolina
(8)…34-19 # 32 Mark Richt
Thomas Brown
March 13th, 2012
5:21 am
Lakedawg March 12th, 2012 9:02 pm
“Best record in SEC last 10 years”
__________________________________________________________
First, this is his 12th season.
Second SEC games 2001-2011 :
68-26 SEC LSU
63-28 SEC Florida
62-30 SEC Mark Richt
“Best record in SEC last 10 years”
?
?
62-23 SEC LSU last 10 years
57-26 SEC Florida last 10 years
57-27 SEC Georgia last 10 years
You just make up whatever you want to make up.
115-30 LSU, for example, 2001-2011 over-all
106-38 Mark Richt, 2001-2011 over-all
LAST 10 YEARS, over-all
105-27 LSU, overall, last 10 years, for example
98-34 Mark Richt, overall, last 10 years
How is 98-34 better than 105-27 Lakedawg ?
Thomas Brown
March 13th, 2012
5:59 am
Ed March 12th, 2012 5:02 pm
“I’ll state unequivocally that if you are an elite D-1 athlete and you’re smoking dope, then you’re a complete idiot. First, because you’re going to get caught.Second, because it’s harmful and not conducive to top level performance on the football field.
It’s really a no-brainer.”
________________________________________________________
EXCELLENT POST, Ed. Thank you sir.
Thomas Brown
March 13th, 2012
6:07 am
Bob March 12th, 2012 4:33 pm
“received my season ticket order form today…worst home schedule ever, bad news again with a veteran player, CMR gets a raise rather than probation, and the Ath Dept didn’t include a return envelope.”
Thomas Brown
March 13th, 2012
6:25 am
426-202-15 starting 1957 UGA
341-277-13 starting 1957 Georgia tek
81 games better for UGA than Georgia tek
I am just certain that there is a point there; cannot imagine what it is; that we are supposed to come in here and talk about that on this blog – so why post it Georgia tek fans (both of you.)
Georgia tek has not won 1 single Major Bowl game the entire time. I am sure that was not your point, since you somehow managed to not mention it. You also are on NCAA PROBATION back-to-back in FOOTBALL, which you also 1-day after losing your appeal – still have failed to mention that, either.
I believe your point is that Georgia tek is “CLOSE” to Georgia. No. No, you’re not. Your recruiting is ranked # 52 with Paul Johnson every year, while Mark Richt averages instead a ranking of # 8 all 12 of his recruiting classes.
Major Bowl wins UGA 2007, 2002, 1980, 1959.
We also Won Major Bowl games in 1946, 1942 and 1941, which is why we have
747 Wins UGA – done as well after 1956 as before
686 Wins Georgia tek – basically none after 1956
barneyfife
March 13th, 2012
6:56 am
5 more years of mediocrity…..I could just puke……
Old Dog
March 13th, 2012
7:00 am
“Hope the haters will finally be quiet cause Richt is here to stay.”
No, we will NOT be quiet, because we love our Dawgs. I believe this extension mean five more years of MEDIOCRITY. We will wait and see, but I predict ZERO national Championhips in the next five years, and at most ONE SEC championship (maybe). Now that Richt has his extension, he knows that the moneybag at Georgia won’t pony up to get rid of him, so he is safe no matter what he does.
Old Dog
March 13th, 2012
7:31 am
Hater = I HATE losing games we should have won (remember the last bowl game?)
3d
March 13th, 2012
7:33 am
I love my Dawgs, but this just tells me our new AD is content with the staus quo and UGA becoming the Virginia Tech of the SEC.
So what’s going to happen if we go 10 & 4 again with our upcoming light schedule.
Is everyone going to be congratulating CMR on a great season like Chuck Dowdle did after yet another second half meltdown against Michigan State?
Maybe one day big money will get fed up with this nonsense and do somthing about it. Looks like that’s the only way things are really going to change.
Just Saying....
March 13th, 2012
7:39 am
@ 3d….FINALLY! It seems like a UGA fan seems to get it….Richt might be a great man, but I will never understand why UGA fans sing his praise when he really hasn’t done too much for the program. I will give him credit for some of the great recruits he has obtained, but that’s pretty much all he does with them. Such a shame that UGA settles for mediocre when they have the potential to be so much more.
But hey, I won’t complain about UGA being irrelevant for another few more years : )