Seth Emerson, on the search for Mark Richt’s successor, suggests that the school was flexible — just not in the way you might have thought.
… Georgia was worried that Smart, the prodigal son, was going to get away (probably to South Carolina), so he was the clear choice when the decision was made to move on from Richt. In fact, it may have spurred the decision to fire Richt. It’s very possible that if Steve Spurrier decided not to retire, that Richt might have been Georgia’s coach this year. [Emphasis added.]
Seth’s not one to troll, ordinarily, but if by some chance that’s what he’s doing there, that’s some high grade stuff indeed. Either way, nicely played.
Get The Picture 
This is what happened. We have never seen a coach fired and then immediately picked up by a comparable program, and may never see it again. It’s something that can only happen when you’ve wired the process all the way through, and see it about to be short-circuited.
It’s actually not all that bad when you’ve wired it to a home run like Saban or Harbaugh. Wiring it to the assistant coach lotto is breathtakingly incompetent.
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Agreed That this was be a me pause about the decision makers. I think Richt was actually the winner in this not UGA. He is now at a school where he gets support. I hope Kirby succeeds in spite of the decision makers.
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*gave me pause
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Ummm….that support is quickly evaporating. Canes looking at a five game skid (VT, ND & Pitt looming) and some Cane fandom already crying buyers remorse.
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From a team in the top-15 S&P, which they haven’t had in a decade? Their fans must be dumber than ours (j/k, that’s impossible).
As with Kirby (who could be 6-1 with this awful team), W/L record should be ignored with new coaches because it’s too noisy. Efficiency on offense and defense are much more sensitive indicators.
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You would just love that … wouldn’t you?
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I was all about the Richt termination and all about the Smart hire. A 4-5 start in Coral Gables would be the great neutralizer (temporarily) for the phobes that continue to hang onto their beloved coach & spew the hate on a seven game first time coach that has obviously inherited a tub of shit. “Love” is probably a little too strong….”stifling” is much more appropriate.
And Scorpio, my agents in the registrars office back in Athens are scoping out your digs tonight….if the orange & green underwear are on and you are dancing around the living room & kissing the TV while the camera is on Richt…..they’re coming for your diploma!
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No it wouldn’t.
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You miss Warts and Tits don’t ya…C’mon it’s ok to cry.. chuck might give you a smooch. But serious I’d let it go. Aren’t there other blogs to troll. You can do it. Take that creative writing talent and ride another pony. And stop daydreaming bout dawg fans in their bvds. Not that there is anything wrong with that. You go boy!
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I dream of the day seeing AHD/Palatero Man pushing his ice cream cart in his skibbies. Now, back to your hole you call home & research your vids.
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Does ballsy need a tissue? You know the name is still available if you wanna start your own blog. That would be swell.
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We all saw the irrational behavior of the haters a year ago where it wasn’t about UGA as much about them getting their way. That was a “in the heat of the battle” type behavior which was somewhat understandable, although the obsession was troubling. Now you see the very bottom of the pile with 6-8 commenters who cannot move on and act decently. We laugh at them when it is the other teams’ idiot fans who act so poorly but we should all realize we all have embarrassing fans among us. Exhibit A, ladies and gentlemen, presented in living color above. And he may be the worst, and certainly not the most voluminous.
I don’t think I have ever seen a person on the other side of the battle still carrying a torch for this, all have moved along from what I have seen. But after 11 months there are some disturbed, insecure children who are are still hating, still obsessed, to the point of needing help. I don’t care if they are 15 years of age mentally, or actually live in their parents’ basement, this is a problematic group. No matter the subject, they must take cheap, unwarranted attacks on those who love UGA football and hate to see our fans act like the fans we all dislike that wear other teams’ colors. Bad folks are bad to be around regardless of their school colors. We can all wish Kirby Smart a long and prolific career at UGA, and we should certainly all appreciate the man who gave his all for 15 years, loved our fans, our campus, our program, and elevated our program while serving with distinction. I truly hope Kirby does as well in Athens, we should all support that objective, and beyond.
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Well said as usual, Mac
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Richt finally hangs 50+ on Spurdog and Spurdog gets him fired?
That’s rich.
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LOL!
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Richt truly is the Charlie Brown of College Football.
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This made me smile. He really is.
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And I wrote that before he was embarrassed by VT last night. Ha. I love the guy, but womp womp womp.
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With Lamber at QB. The ultimate wtf? game.
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The hiring of Kirby is just another example of the “Georgia Way”. Screw up by committee. Reminds me of the hire of Ray Goff. When no one would take the job to follow a legend and Erk turned them down because he thought he was too old. We insult Erk by lying that he was never offered the job and hire the politically active Ray Goff who literally campaigned for the job. The powers that be just settled. Now I don’t think they settled for Kirby but they sure as hell panicked. You don’t usually do your best when you act in panic. If nothing else USCe bluffed us into our hire. I don’t like defensive HC’s because their idea of a good offense is one that just doesn’t screw up. An exception to that rule was Erk. He was an honest man when asked why he was using the triple option. He said well I could never figure out how to defend it so it must be good. Following that logic Kirby should have hired a Spread OC, let Eason tutor at another Pro-style school and play Ramsey until our new hot shot gets here in 2017. Even Saban has changed his tune and Kiffin is living proof of it.
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Goff did NOT want the head coaching job. Dooley told him he had to take it. that info came from a personal friend of Ray’s.
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Oh, good grief. I belive you when you say a friend of Goff’s told you that but I contend the friend of Goff’s is rewriting history to make Goff’s look better.
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I’m old enough to remember this and I call BS on your friend of Ray. He told all of the current assistants to back him and he would make sure they kept their jobs. He was the absolute last resort and Dooley was not even acting as AD at the time. Dooley had in fact recommended that the board contact Erk as he was Dooley’s choice. The President of the University f’k this up from the get go and they all settled for Ray.
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What a bizarre situation to panic. They panicked because we might have had to continue averaging 10 wins a year and a natty contender every 4-5 years. They panicked when we had the best recruiting class this millenium on the way and a hotshot QB to address the most glaring flaw in the most recent 10-win team.
If that induced panic, what are they thinking now?
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It might also have had to do with needing to replace OC, OL coach, DC for the third time in 3/4 years and then not having faith in coordinator hire since his OC was incompetent and his DC was insubordinate to the point of other coaches calling it a “mutiny”.
It was time for a fresh start for both sides. Why is that so GD hard to accept?
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Heads are going to explode among the Richt faithful over this one…..
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Up here in VT country, a well placed booster told me last fall (before CMR was fired) that they were having conversations with Smart’s agent and Fuente’s, with Smart being their top choice at the time.
Take it with a grain of salt (and a lime as someone said earlier), but I strongly suspect that SCU wasn’t the only one after Smart. In other words, even if SOS didn’t retire, I believe that Smart would have eventually been hired anyway. Let’s also not forget that CMR had been on thin ice with TPTB for several years to boot.
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I have some contacts in college football coaching in the south, including one client who has been on the same coaching staff with Smart and is a friend of his. I talked to him the day after Richt was fired. He told me that he had talked that day with Smart on the phone and Smart told him that Jimmy Sexton orchestrated the Richt firing by sending signals that SC was about to hire Smart. Smart told him he had no interest in SC and he wanted the UGA job. He told my client that Sexton had already negotiated the financial terms .
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Maybe that accelerated it, but I firmly believe it was done after Jacksonville last year.
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I will always believe that…
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I agree, but at what point did someone talk to Miami on Richt’s behalf?
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I’d imagine there was a lot of back channel communications going on throughout November, but who knows.
I’m just saying that it was a done deal after Florida. Kirby might have played footsie with South Carolina to force the issue, but it just seems to me that it was all basically done by then.
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A chance to buy in to the Process doesn’t come along every day and BM had to make a move when they could. Though we all may have felt some consolation had a proper search [non] process unfolded, when the obvious greatest coach for us out there is available, you just have to act. Screw procedure. This is about results, and now we’re well on our way to reclaiming our distinctive birthright of excellence. The gap between where we were and where we’re going was so great it obviously requires time and patience, but the biggest missing piece of the puzzle (head coach) has been solved. Notwithstanding some angst due to the pain (i.e., losses) that have been part of the price tag, surely everyone knows it’s a journey. And the price tag is worth it. And the obvious improvement (e.g., CKS’ sideline energy) provides empirical data for all but the hard-hearted that we’re on the right road.
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What is it about Georgia fans and a general delusion of what the program historically is and has been? Or is my sarcasm meter just faulty today?
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Yeah, it kind of makes you wonder what we’d think of ourselves if a phenom from Wrightsville hadn’t decided to come to us.
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He’s just foolin’ around.
http://tse2.mm.bing.net/th?id=OIP.Mfccba585893fcd5704cab60466990b17o2&pid=15.1
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@Audit: It is National Sarcasm Awareness Month. I need to buy a new meter.
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I am glad to see that sideline energy has replaced wins and losses (or being able to effectively field/cover kicks) as the benchmark for success, er improvement. Also, love the comment “when the obvious greatest coach for us is out there…”. That’s a very arbitrary comment when you don’t even bother to assess what other candidates are available and how they stack up. I have no disagreement that a change was necessary, but you make it sound like the chuckleheads at BM and their band of merry VIP supporters knew they held the winning powerball ticket before the drawing even occurs.
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That is premium grade sarcasm, sir! Well done!
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he totally had me.
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We are a top 15 program in the history of college football for total wins. How is that delusional?
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Excellent point. And during Richt’s tenure we had the 4th most wins in the entire country, more than Alabama even with their incredible run. It’s delusional to think we are better than that when the best we can claim is ‘top 15’.
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I know this is kind of a stupid question, but should Kirby ditch the visor in order to save Georgia’s season???
By God, sir. A visor is not a proper damned hat. First really intelligent comment I have read in months.
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LMAO – that was pretty funny. Besides, Saban doesn’t wear a visor, so does that mean Kirby hasn’t really implemented the process at UGA (sarcasm, no need for anyone to answer).
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No adult man should wear a visor unless they’re working in a bank in 1919. And then the visor should be made of green glass.
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Who made you the fashion police?
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you would think that, as much as UGA is paying him, Kirby could afford to spring for an entire hat.
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“McGarity was also just the point man for the change. The decision to move on from Richt and hire Smart was an institutional decision, involving the administration and influential boosters. That doesn’t necessarily mean McGarity didn’t favor it. But a decision as momentous as that isn’t left up to one person.”
“McGarity was also just the point man for the change. The decision to move on from Richt and hire Smart was an institutional decision, involving the administration and influential boosters. That doesn’t necessarily mean McGarity didn’t favor it. But a decision as momentous as that isn’t left up to one person.”
“McGarity was also just the point man for the change. The decision to move on from Richt and hire Smart was an institutional decision, involving the administration and influential boosters. That doesn’t necessarily mean McGarity didn’t favor it. But a decision as momentous as that isn’t left up to one person.”
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I think your mouse is stuck.
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Which is reflective of some attitudes here that Greg McGarity is in charge of anything.
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I’m doubting anyone is that concerned at this point if Kirby found a way to pull out the UT and Vandy games. 6-1>4-3.
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No doubt. Instead they are getting ready to light torches and get the pitchforks out after 7 games.
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I don’t know. I think everyone would be happier, but not necessarily not “that concerned”. Because even if our boys had pulled out a win, they still would have been playing ugly football. And Chaney would still have been making strange choices. And CKS would still have been playing his team like they’re the players he wants on his fantasy team rather than the team he actually is putting on the field.
And our special teams would still be arguably the worst in the conference and one of the worst in all of FBS.
And ADGM would still suck.
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What if he’d lost Missouri, UNC, and Nichols?
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Honest question – assuming we give Kirby 3 years (seems reasonable to me), what result/record do you expect in that year that will show Kirby is “the one”?
I have an idea of what I want to see, but I rather see what others think than discuss my ideas.
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UGA has to at least appear and look competitive in the SECCG by the end of 2018. Period.
His ass is grass if not.
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At least 1 East championship, competitive in every game, minimum 10 wins. I’d say that’s a recipe for confidence.
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I want to see:
1) Show up in Jacksonville annually with a bad attitude ready to destroy anything wearing an orange helmet
2) Win the East by 2018
3) Appear in a New Year’s 6/CFP game by 2019
4) See #1
5) Build on the previous coach’s record against our traditional rivals
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Beat UF.
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Same. I’d add that the roster needs to be proper. we already know going in to games against our rivals that the vulnerabilities are obvious and we stress out wondering how bad they get exploited.
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I think everyone has about the same expectations as me. We need a strong showing as the East champ within those 3 years, and put a serious, focused team out there. This year, the focus has been all over the place, but that probably to be expected. Next year should definitely be trending up with the team playing to their talent level (I don’t buy into the “no talent on this team” meme), and the third year we should be kicking some serious ass. All this assumes we don’t have Armageddon-like injuries like we had in 2013. In that case, he gets a pass for that season.
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“Build on the previous coach’s record against our traditional rivals” We better get in gear then. The last time we had a losing record against UT, UF, AU and GT in the same year…2000. At this moment we are likely to go 1-3 and 0-4 is hardly out of the realm of possibility.
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+1 – If Kirby wants to keep the fan base in his corner, I actually think this is the one that drives everything else especially UF (that’s why I have them at #1 even above a championship).
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Confidence abounds. 0-4…LOL
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Win at Sanford.
Win against the East.
Be competitive in the other games.
Should be the goals every year.
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For me, if CKS has not won the SEC outright by the 2018 season, he is not the coach that can win the national title. This team is not as talentless as they have appeared. His recruiting will be top 5 in the country, he will have a senior/junior laden team, and a 3rd year of the SkinnyQB. he has no excuses to not win in by 18.
For the record, I felt the same way about Richt. We should be hell on wheels next year and 18, or we hired the wrong guy. That’s my expectations in a nutshell.
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Win a SEC title by 2018. In the meantime look competitive, although that could be rough this and next year. Third year break out year. Unfortunately, some of the fan base suffers from the TV sitcom syndrome. Solve this in 30 minutes and win a national title now. Not just UGA but most all programs suffer from this. Hell, my place of graduation, UWA had fans ready to fire Petersen during the first year. As the senator had “patience grasshoppers”.
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Correct the comment above. Statement to win by 2018, should be look very competitive and at least win the EastSEC. still that requires a third year breakout.
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win the East or pack your bags ,Kirby…..In the next three years…hell it only took UF one year under a new coach
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True, but we can’t guarantee that Kirby is going to have a divisional blood rival go with a 3rd string QB just for shits and giggles, can he?
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Shouldn’t McElwain be the standard by which CKS is judged and not what Saban did year one at LSU or Bama? Just saying.
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Coach Smart needs a “God a mighty” win this year. Florida or Auburn are the shots he has left. Tech won’t cut it.
Good God, Kirby, ditch the damn visor….you da man, now, you don’t have to differentiate yourself from the head coach with a visor…in case you have not noticed…you are the head coach.
Fuck a buncha visors…really.
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I’m shocked at the near unanimous (and modest) expectations…is the goal really just to appear and be competitive in the SEC title game by 2018?! Personally I think that’s reasonable, but I also thought it short-sighted to fire the most successful coach in program history, and on the latter point I accept that I’m in the minority. Given that however, the expectations from an administration and fan-base that that thought it wise to fire Mark Richt should be much, much higher for the new guy. Did we really fire Richt just to expect 10+ wins, regularly beat our main rivals (I know, I know UF…but IMO Georgia won’t ever again have a 15-year collective run against AU, UT & GT that matches 01-15), and win the SEC East? That is exactly the type of season the prior regime achieved with a decent level of consistency, particularly since 2005, and the type of season that was ultimately deemed not good enough.
You only fire a coach who has done everything but win The Big One in order to do one thing…win the f’ing Big One. Furthermore, history has proven time and again that elite head coaches, and even some very mediocre coaches (looking at you Gene & Gus), can take over a program and within two years achieve the very highest levels of success. The decision to move away from Richt changed (or should have changed) how the University of Georgia defines success and changed what we as fans should expect. To me that new definition has to include winning the SEC & a national title by 2018, and I’m surprised to find such sentiment seems to be the exception and not the norm around these parts. Am I the only one?
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I’m one of the ones who said my expectation is to at least show up and look competitive in the SECCG by 2018. But he has to show up and win it by year 5 and win a spot in the CFP (which will probably be easier to get by then since it will be 8 teams).
Kirby could probably coach the rest of his life at UGA and never win a NC. He just has to look like he knows what he’s doing and beat our rivals regularly. He can do both those things and not win a NC ever.
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It was beyond time for change in Athens. Are the Dawgs were I hoped they would be after 7 games under Kirby? Um, hell no. Have I been disappointed in their overall play in his first 7 games? Heck yes! However, a change in culture and attitude take time to settle in. As a fan I am willing to suffer through a few growing pains (read loss to Vandy #sad) in the hopes of greater things to come. The fact that we are now reading about player dissatisfaction is not shocking given the massive change these kids are experiencing. Hell, we read about player dissatisfaction during Richt’a tenure in multiple occasions. My only concern now is that I am beginning to believe Chubb is in this group of unhappy kids. He looks disinterested and pouty far too often on the field. Yes, may be wrong and Lord knows that I hope I am. All this to say, I am willing to wander in the desert in hopes of finding better days.
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Wow why would Chubb be dishearten? He goes through a rehab that any normal human would need at least 18 months to even walk and what does he get for his hard work. A chance to fall from a Heisman candidate to a laughing stock for other SEC teams. If there has been one thing that to me is borderline criminal is the way Chubb has been relegated to running the football between our not very good tackles while the OC uses a formation that says Hey defense we are going to run Chubb straight at your 9 man box. All I can say is I hope he makes it through the season and gets the hell out of Georgia before they get him killed.
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Glad to see not everyone is delusional. 7 games folks….
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Miami needs to run some QB draws.
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Maybe they have too many energy vampires.
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Bless their hearts.
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Did Miami do a national search?
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Did they even contact Tom Herman?
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by any standard, Coach Richt was by FAR the best candidate any program could have hired last year. It isn’t even close. If his 15 year career had occurred at Auburn, and they fired him for Malzahn, and UGA had an opening, we would have backed the brinks truck up to his house in Auburn to get him to UGA.
Doesn’t mean Kirby won’t win it all, but let’s be honest. Richt’s hire by Miami was a home run of home runs for them.
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I’d like to think that a national search would have been fruitful, but honestly, I just don’t. Oh sure, someone will say “we could have had Tom Herman”, but I’m not sure that is true. We could have had Glenn Mason, but didn’t. Looking back, I think we did better with second place Jim Donnan. Search firm or no, this coach hiring business is something of a crapshoot. Remember when Charlie Weiss had a future? Remember when Petrino didnt? Even the lauded Tom Herman nearly got embarrassed by Tulsa. I don’t think he could survive the SEC all season.
I just wish they hadn’t spent money on a search firm just as a public relations ploy. Take that money and fix the bathrooms would have been my suggestion.
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Miami lost to VA Tech 37-16. Richt is now 4-3, the same record as Smart.
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Terrific comparison, except for Miami coming off an 8-5 season and NCAA penalties. Oh, and beating its home opener FCS cupcake by 67 points.
Whatever gets you through the night, guy.
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It’s only the wins and losses that count, Blowtarsky.
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Nah, man. they have to be the “right” wins and losses. Just ask everyone here.
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Kirby had a lot of Georgia connections and he worked them for years. He really wanted this job. Now that he’s got it, let’s see what he can do with it.
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That’s pretty much it in a nutshell.
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I think this is very true. I actually think Kirby thought he’d have the job several years ago after 2011, then the team went on that run.
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Exactly…let it play out.
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Well then, I am goad The Old Ball Coach hung’em up. Change was coming in Athens sooner or later.
We’ll either enjoy the ride or not..hang on.
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