Another Mark Richt story

I’m just wondering how this fits in to the narrative some of y’all insist is the real Mark Richt, the money stealer.

Miami fans may be mad at Richt because of the way last season went and because of the state of the roster he left behind, but they should understand that few coaches in America would have done for a school what Richt did for his alma mater on the way out the door. He’d already donated his own money to spearhead a project to give the Hurricanes the indoor facility they sorely needed, and by retiring instead of insisting to coach or be fired, he removed several financial impediments to future success. He could have chosen to try to coach his way through a no-win situation, which would have forced Miami to pay him this year and pay him a buyout when he ultimately got fired. Miami is a private school, so Richt’s contract isn’t a matter of public record, but since he received an extension that lasted until 2023 and made about $4 million a year, it’s safe to assume his buyout would have been far more than the $4 million Miami had to pay Temple to buy back Diaz. And remember, had Miami fired Richt after the 2019 season, the school would have had to buy him out and probably would have had to pay a buyout for the coach it hired to replace Richt. The total price tag would have easily pushed into the double-digit millions for a small private school that doesn’t exactly have an overflowing war chest of booster donations.

I’m not posting this to start a debate about Richt’s coaching chops.  His offensive guru reputation took a serious hit last season and hiring his son as the quarterbacks coach went about as well as those moves usually do.  No need to go there at this time.

But maybe some of you who insist Richt was nothing more than a greedy SOB can explain how that works in light of the above.  Just wonderin’.

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How dominant was Clemson in 2018?

I’m generally fascinated by the strength of schedule debate.  It’s certainly not irrelevant, but there is a danger in overrating its importance.  The simple truth is that a great team can play a weak schedule.  The latter shouldn’t define the former, but I’ve seen plenty of cases where that’s argued.

What’s important is that a great team should dominate mediocre opposition and do it on a consistent basis.  Take a look at what Matt wrote about Clemson’s latest national championship season.

A little less than four weeks ago, Clemson won their second national title in the past three seasons (and third overall). The Tigers dominated (on the scoreboard if not in the box score) an Alabama team that many thought might be one of the best of all-time. Clemson was touted as one of the best teams in the nation all season, but with the Tide sucking most of the oxygen out of the college football ecosystem, I feel like most casual football fans didn’t realize how dominant Clemson was this (I know I didn’t realize it until I was crunching the numbers for bowl season). The Tigers did survive a few tight games in 2018, edging Texas A&M in College Station and rallying to beat their Orange adversaries in Death Valley. However, those games share a common thread: quarterback Trevor Lawrence did not both start and finish them. In games Lawrence both started and finished, the Tigers won by an average of 36 points per game, with no team coming closer than twenty points!

He concludes, “The ACC was mediocre at best in 2018, but Clemson thoroughly dominated it, and with their non-conference performance (victories against two SEC bowl teams as well as a solid Sun Belt squad) and subsequent playoff thrashing of two unbeaten heavyweights, the Tigers can make a case they are the best national champion of the new century.”  Agree or disagree?  If you disagree, how much do you hold the overall weakness of last season’s ACC against Clemson?

When bad things happen to shitty programs

Well, it’s good to see that at least some folks made out just fine from Jordan McNair’s death.

The investigation into the University of Maryland’s football program cost the University System of Maryland more than $1.57 million, with four of eight members of a special commission billing the university more than six figures apiece for their two months of work, according to recently released documents and invoices…

Much of the investigation’s legwork was done by the Baltimore law firm DLA Piper, which charged the university system $636,772 for its services. The eight commission members each charged an hourly rate of $650 an hour.

Charles Scheeler, the DLA Piper attorney who served as the commission’s point person, billed the university system for $283,855, and Ben Legg, a retired federal judge, charged $161,915. Alex Williams, also a retired judge, charged $155,194 for the work he did alongside an associate.

Bonnie Bernstein, the journalist and Maryland graduate, billed for $118,463, and Frederick M. Azar, the chief of staff at Campbell Clinic Orthopaedics in Memphis, charged $71,129.62.

Rounding out the group, Tom McMillen, the former Maryland basketball star who served three terms in Congress, charged $58,996; former Maryland Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. billed $40,300; and Doug Williams, retired Redskins quarterback and current team senior vice president, charged $30,550.

All that for a whitewashed report the school president ignored a few days later.  So much for you get what you pay for.

Ho-kay, Hokies.

Virginia Tech’s Justin Fuente isn’t having a good week.  He’s got six kids, including his starting quarterback, announcing transfers and Nick Saban’s laterally hiring his receivers coach.  All that comes on top of this:

Throughout last year, the Hokies saw a slew of departures on defense that weren’t because eligibility clocks ran out. They lost 12 players and roughly a whole defense’s worth of production and upside, plus co-coordinator Galen Scott in the spring. The losses included first-round picks Tremaine and Terrell Edmunds and defensive end Trevon Hill, who was dismissed during the season as the team’s leader in tackles for loss.

The head honcho’s reaction is straight out of the Booch “remain calm, all is well” playbook.

Statement from Head Coach Justin Fuente pic.twitter.com/8tQmZTsaPI

— Virginia Tech Football (@VT_Football) January 23, 2019

Yeah, that ought to do the trick.  A year or two more like that and Fuente may be following his receivers coach to Tuscaloosa as an analyst.

The final “Mark Richt has lost control” moment?

According to this report, he’s lost control over his Miami career.

InsideTheU has learned through multiple sources that Richt informed school officials on Sunday that he plans to retire. The news comes just a few days after the Hurricanes were rolled by Wisconsin in the Pinstripe Bowl.

I wonder if he comes back to Athens in retirement.

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UPDATE:  Life comes at you fast.

Mark Richt just retired at Miami pic.twitter.com/XsnwnyXIdR

— Paul Myerberg (@PaulMyerberg) December 30, 2018

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UPDATE #2:  Per Bruce Feldman ($$),

A person with direct knowledge of the matter told The Athletic on the condition of anonymity that a big reason for Richt’s exit is that he was under pressure to remove his son Jon from the Hurricanes coaching staff. Jon Richt was the Hurricanes’ quarterbacks coach.

This is why there’s a good reason for anti-nepotism rules.

Speaking of cancelled bowl games…

… it turns out there’s at least one athletic director in America who gets it.

To our fans who purchased tickets through BC, you will get a full refund by Jan. 2nd. Also, pick any home athletic event between now and next December and get free tickets for the number of bowl tickets purchased compliments of @BCEagles . Thank you for your support! #WeAreBC

— Martin Jarmond (@MartinJarmond) December 26, 2018

A full refund, plus free tickets?  Why, this guy may actually appreciate his fan base as something more than just a bunch of wallets.

Kudos to you, sir.  May you inspire an entire generation of your peers.

(h/t)

“I am incredibly humbled by this opportunity…”

Shot.

Former Houston offensive coordinator Kendal Briles has accepted the same position at Florida State, the school announced Sunday…

“I’m excited about the addition of Kendal to our staff,” Florida State coach Willie Taggart said. “He brings play-calling experience and familiarity with the type of scheme and tempo we will run, which is similar to the offenses he has coordinated. His ability to recruit, manage an offensive staff, develop quarterbacks and make in-game adjustments will be beneficial to us as we evolve in our offense. Kendal has success at the Power 5 level and has also shown his adaptability to personnel and situations that occur during a season. He had multiple opportunities following the 2018 season and we feel the fit here will be a good one.”

Chaser.

“Why is this still happening?” UofO FB coach Willie Taggart said to me after Tracy spoke. “…part of the answer is these young men have grown up in a culture that condones it. They need to be educated & its our responsibility as coaches to educate them.”https://t.co/8EE8KWQA2L

— Brenda Tracy (@brendatracy24) December 23, 2018

Baylor regents reported 19 football players accused of SA or DV between 2011 & 16 including FOUR allegations of gang rapes. A lawsuit alleged 31 football players committed at least 52 acts of rape including FIVE gang rapes btween 2011 & 14

& KENDAL BRILES WAS THERE FOR ALL OF IT https://t.co/B00RMHfOX9

— Brenda Tracy (@brendatracy24) December 23, 2018

Somewhere out there, Zach Smith wonders if he should be angry about a double standard, or if he should submit his resume to Willie Taggart.