Jancek Promotion Won't Change Defense

The title was a nice reward for linebackers coach John Jancek, who was named Georgia's co-defensive coordinator Tuesday, but head coach Mark Richt wants to make one thing clear: Willie Martinez is still the man calling the shots on defense.

Jancek was given the promotion following his decision to turn down the defensive coordinator job at South Florida, but Richt said Wednesday that the move won't change the way the Bulldogs prepare or execute their defensive game plan.

"Just to make it clear, Willie Martinez is our defensive coordinator," Richt said. "It's not like two co-coordinators are on an equal basis. Willie is the tip of the spear so to speak. He's where the buck stops, and he's the leader of the group."

That doesn't mean Jancek won't have an impact on the team's defensive philosophy. In fact, Richt said that had been the case all along.

"This is really a situation where his role is not going to change a whole lot because he really has been very involved in our game planning with Coach Martinez," Richt said. "He's been having an awful lot of input over the years."

Prior to the promotion, Jancek was the second lowest paid assistant on the Bulldogs' staff, and Richt declined to discuss whether the new title would come with a more hefty salary for Jancek.

While it seems as though little will change following Jancek's promotion, Nick Williams, who recently moved from safety to linebacker, said that doesn't mean the move didn't have a big impact.

"I heard about the job he'd been offered (the South Florida job), and I was like, man, I just moved," Williams said. "Coach was trying to get me used to linebacker, and I thought he was going to leave. I'm glad to hear he's staying and co-defensive coordinator, and I'm sure he'll get the job done."

That was a sentiment seconded by Richt, who said the continuity on his staff has been a huge asset both in game planning and recruiting.

Defensive line coach Rodney Garner and offensive line coach Stacy Searels both turned down other jobs this offseason as well, but both chose to remain with Georgia.

"It's tough to be good, it's tough to get anything going when your kids are constantly having to learn a whole new coaching staff or a whole new philosophy or a whole new way of calling a defense or blocking scheme," Richt said. "To be able to continue to keep the same staff, especially when they are as good as the one we have, it's fantastic."