Former UGA players react to Coach Mark Richt’s stepping down

ATHENS, Georgia – When former Georgia athletics director Vince Dooley went searching for a new football coach in December 2000, he eventually settled on Mark Richt, then Florida State’s offensive coordinator, who had never been a head coach.

“I appreciate the opportunity of serving the University as well as considering any other options that may present themselves in the future”. “I think decisions of this nature are very hard. “Our fans are passionate, and Mark has tremendous support and a way of connecting with people”.

Smart, a native of Bainbridge, Georgia, isn’t expected to talk to the Bulldogs until after the No. 2 Crimson Tide plays Florida in Saturday’s SEC championship game in Atlanta.

Lassiter High School graduate Hutson Mason played for Richt from 2010 to 2014 and served as the Bulldogs’ starting quarterback in 2014, leading the team to a 10-3 record and a win in the postseason Belk Bowl. Musa Smith ran for 145 yards as Georgia won 13 games for the first time in school history.

Richt was offered an opportunity to join Georgia in an administrative capacity, but initial reports suggest he’s going to listen to the opportunities in this busy offeason for coaching changes.

Those defenders couldn’t stop Richt’s departure from UGA on Sunday, which according to a statement from the university was a mutual decision. Houston coach Tom Herman, believed to be a candidate, said Monday that he has agreed in principle on a new contract with the Cougars. Georgia closed the regular season with four straight wins, but that was not enough to make up for failing to land a spot in the title game. He would not go into specifics as to who the Bulldogs are targeting, but said it the “job is wide open” in terms of whether he’d consider only current head coaches.

“It’s certainly the end of an era for a coach that’s done an incredible job running a program arguably better than any other coach when you look at the total body of work of the program, so for me”, added Ryan Sewell”.

“I’ll encourage all these guys to do the same, because they’re a great group of guys and have a chance to come in and be one of the best classes in the United States of America. It can wear a man out a little bit, especially sitting in the head coach’s chair”.

Also somewhat surprising also was Richt’s apparent interest in coaching again.

When asked how he wants the Richt era to be remembered, he said, “That he loved Georgia and he did it the right way, and he did it hopefully in such a way that it was well pleasing to the Lord”.

Morehead said Richt “has been an outstanding coach and mentor to our student-athletes”. But Georgia freshman quarterback David Greene marched the Bulldogs down the field and tossed a short touchdown pass to fullback Verron Haynes with five seconds left to give Richt his first big win.

“I’ll say this – if and when I do coach again, I’m looking forward to coaching again in terms of being more hands-on”, said Richt.