I came across these quotes from Mark Richt the other day when I was searching for something else on the intertubes:
According to Georgia coach Mark Richt, “The bottom line is, if you don’t win, you are going to get fired” (Eichelberger and Levinson, 2007, p. 1). Richt went on to say that he would recruit more academically prepared players if half his pay was based on academic performance, but that they might not be able to play and he would “get canned because you can’t play on the field”…
He’s honest, that’s for sure. And with that in mind, take a look at this chart:
Those Tedford bonuses kind of jump out at you, don’t they? And that’s at Cal Berkeley. It’s good to see an academic bastion with its priorities in order.
Get The Picture 
Graduation rates I can understand. Performance while in school I don’t. As long as they pass classes, yay team. Everyone told me I needed to make good grades my whole way through school. The truth of the matter is that all people want to know is that you actually graduated. Then you have to perform on the job.
Richt could probably get the HC job at Vandy if he is sincere about recruiting more academically prepared players. I’m just sayin.
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What I love is that Ohio State does not even pretend that it can actually win the BCS National Championship Game. Tressel gets money for showing up. That either explains why Ohio State has played so poorly in the BCSNCG or recognizes that it always will.
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Ahem….. THE Ohio State University won the 2002 BCS National Championship beating Miami in the 2003 Fiesta Bowl by the score of31-24. How short our memories have become.
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I noticed that as well, Yurdle. Jim Tressel was smart in hiring an agent from outside of Columbus.
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Wow. That’s an interesting “quote” from Richt on the issue. I really hate it when writers paraphrase something controversial that someone supposedly said instead of actually giving us the subject’s words, verbatim. I’d like to know exactly what Richt said to lead the writer to write, “Richt went on to say that he would recruit more academically prepared players if half his pay was based on academic performance, but that they might not be able to play and he would ‘get canned because you can’t play on the field’…” To me, that’s a pretty striking amount of honesty, even from Richt who is a pretty open guy. It’s tantamount to admitting he recruits people who aren’t prepared to succeed academically, which is in pretty stark contrast to things he’s said in the past. I’m not saying the author is misrepresenting Richt’s words, I’d just like to see them.
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On Tedford, I’m guessing that didn’t want to make it too easy for him. It’s entirely possible that the goal set for academics is easily attained, hence the low pay out. Compare that to the BCS title million that they will never, ever have to pay out on.
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Agree, but makes you wonder if a coach would start to think about some questionable signings and procedures in order to chase a payout like that. Funny how the bonuses are tied together….win AND meet an academic standard if you want $1mm.
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Sometimes Richt is too honest for his own good. I remember an interview with him several years ago when this topic came up. Richt said” A coach can have all kinds of ideas about graduating players and turning young men into productive citizens, but at a program like Georgia his first priority must be winning. If you don’t win enough games you won’t stay there long enough for you ideas to take effect.” With that being said he has turned a program with an absolutely disgraceful graduation rate into one second only to Vandy in APR. Twentyfive UGA players made the SEC honor role for last season. The man has done a good job in that area.
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Paul Johnson (Georgia Tech)
Salary plus other compensation: $2,369,000
BCS Championship: $250,000
APR (not cumulative): 930 – $25,000; 940 – $50,000; 950 – $75,000
70% GSR: $125,000
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