Evans Reacts to Coaching Changes

Reactions from Georgia AD Damon Evans on the coaching changes on the football staff today...

On his thoughts on Mark Richt's decision...
“I know it’s a tough day for Mark. Any time you have to make personnel decisions, those aren’t easy. They shouldn’t be easy. But I think he’s done a good job of evaluating the program and taking the right steps that he feels are appropriate to move us in that direction of getting back to competing for championships. I’m in full support of him, he has my utmost confidence. But it’s tough. You have families effected with the three that were let go, and I want those gentlemen to know I appreciate their service to this institution.”

On when Richt first talked to him about making changes...
“Mark and I have been talking for quite some time. I don’t want to get into those specifics, but he told me that this was something he was considering, was contemplating doing, and I said, ‘If that’s what you want to do, then you have my support.’ All I’ve ever wanted Mark to do was to be honest with himself, with the program and I wanted him to know I was going to support him either way and he did what was appropriate.”

On what role he played in the process...
“This is Mark’s decision. I’m there to council and provide advice. I want to trust our head coaches to know what they need to do with their assistant coaches. That’s my philosophy. That’s part of his job responsibility is to be able to hire and fire his assistant coaches. My job is to deal with the head coaches and that’s what I’m going to stick with.”

On what resources he will make available to Richt to find a replacement...
“I told Mark to go out and try to find the best coaches possible and that we’ll be very competitive and help him out and do what we need to do to attract the top candidates here. I’ve always said I want us to be competitive salary-wise in the marketplace, and that’s not going to hold us back. We’ll do what’s appropriate for the University of Georgia. But make no mistake about it, we’re going to go after the best coaches that are available, I’m there to support him, and we’re going to be extremely competitive.”

On what he'll be looking for in replacements...
“What I’ve always told Mark is that I like the way he runs our program. I want people who care about young people. We need someone who’s an educator and a teacher, that has a thorough understanding of football, but I’m not imparting any of that on Mark. Mark knows my philosophy. I have confidence in him to go out and get a caliber of person that fits the University of Georgia, that will allow us to compete at a high level and represent this institution well, and he knows that.”

On whether he might consider longer-term contracts for assistants...
“Anything is possible. That’s why I want to say I think we have to look at that situation and if that’s what it takes then we’ll look at it and vet it and make the decision that’s appropriate. I’m not going to rule out what we won’t do for a coach. Because I think what we have to do is we have to be able to position ourselves to go out and get the guy or guys that we feel will make this institution in the best possible position.”

On competition for top coaches from places like Notre Dame and Florida (should Charlie Strong leave)...
“I’ve looked out there and obviously with all these different jobs that may be opening up we want to be extremely competitive. We want to position ourselves where we’re an elite institution and we’re going to do that. I believe if you have to pay to get certain individuals, then that’s what you have to do. Everybody has a different place in the marketplace. This person may command this salary, another individual may command something different. When we cross that road and we get there, we’re going to do what we need to do to get somebody.”