McGarity: 'No question' Richt will return in 2011, 'based on the first 10 games'

While all eyes have been on Auburn, there appears to be a bit out of the Georgia side this afternoon.

Georgia athletics director Greg McGarity told reporters in the press box that, essentially, he expects Mark Richt to be the Bulldogs' head coach next year.

McGarity was cornered on the heels of a report in the Denver Post that Colorado, which fired Dan Hawkins earlier this week, was interested in speaking to Richt. McGarity said he had not been contacted by Colorado.

Then McGarity was asked if he expected Richt to be Georgia's coach next year.

"I would say based on the first 10 games, no question about that," McGarity said. "I know we’re 5-5, but you go back and look at all the dynamics and look at how close the games were."

McGarity, who was hired in August, said at the time he had never met Richt, who is signed at Georgia through 2013.

"The bottom line is, it’s the relationship you have with the coaches," McGarity said. "At the end of the day, contracts are contracts. I’ve just always felt like, and it’s the model we had at the University of Florida, the bottom line is just trust the relationship you have with each other. Those things aren’t built in two months."

Then McGarity was asked if he was giving what amounted to a vote of confidence.

"I don’t ever get into that. Because you guys will twist it into however you want the story to be written," he said. "I don’t really go in that direction. I really have confidence in everyone until I learn otherwise."