Richt Will Not Coach UGA in Upcoming Bowl Game

In his UM career (1978-82), he played under coaches Lou Saban and Howard Schnellenberger and was a backup to Hall of Famer Jim Kelly. However he could serve in both jobs, recruiting and putting together his staff at Georgia while also preparing Alabama’s defense for a championship run.

Georgia’s current roster features eight players from Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties.

With the Miami option eliminated, perhaps Schiano will give his former employer another look.

This will be arguably the splashiest hire of the coaching carousel given Richt’s 15-year track record of success at Georgia and Miami’s hunger to return to the championship conversation.

“He’s a choice where they hit the nail on the head”, Rumph said.

Richt was mentioned as a potential fit for Miami nearly as soon as the Hurricanes fired Golden in October, with five games left on this year’s regular-season schedule and one day after the Hurricanes endured the worst loss in school history – a 58-0 defeat to Clemson. Richt played quarterback for the Hurricanes from 1979-82. He’ll make the move to South Florida after leading Georgia since 2001. “If it wasn’t offered to me, I would’ve asked for it. Very excited about that”. The school will pay him a $4.1 million buyout under terms agreed to earlier this year, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. Assistant head coach/wide receivers coach Bryan McClendon will serve as interim head coach.

This season, the Bulldogs went 9-3 and had four straight wins to close the season, but that wasn’t enough to convince Georgia athletic director Greg McGarity to keep Richt in Athens. “I guess that’s the nature of the business….” From Sunday morning on, he had to be thinking, “I’ll find me a job and win a bunch of games and show y’all what you’re missing”. I guess it was just time for a change.

“Miami is a unique job”, Bowden said. He’s going to hold you accountable.

Georgia’s coaching search could be headed for a swift end, but the school was tight-lipped Wednesday about its progress and scheduled no announcement about who would succeed Richt.

“It’s a great deal”.

“Georgia is a direct competitor to Alabama when it comes to players”, said Savage, a former National Football League general manager who is executive director of the Senior Bowl.