Lakatos Talks About New Gig at UGA

Here's the transcript of today's teleconference with new UGA defensive backs coach Scott Lakatos (pronounced LACK-ah-tose)....

*NOTE: Lakatos' deal is a one-year contract for $180,000.

Lakatos intro…
"I just want to take the opportunity to thank the University of Connecticut for the opportunity I've had the last six years to work with a great group of coaches and players -- a very hard-working group for a very successful stretch, I think. … Secondly, I'm very, very excited to come to the University of Georgia and take the next step for my family and my career. I'm very excited to work with within the community, the state of Georgia. The passion you have for football down here is very excited to me. I'm looking forward to working with Todd Grantham, who is a good friend of mine. And as I'm sure you heard from him, we're both very excited to get down there and start competing in that conference and expressing the passion we have for this game. Hopefully we can pass that along to the players and start to win football games."

On his friendship with Todd Grantham…
"It was probably a little bit of a mystery for everybody to figure that out, but Todd and I have been friends for probably about 15 years now. I met him when I was a GA at Syracuse in 1993 and I think that may have been his first or second year as a D line coach at Virginia Tech. The guy I worked for at the time was Phil Elmassion, who left Syracuse to go down to Virginia Tech as the D coordinator. My relationship with Phil, trying to learn defense and things, when I left for the University of New Haven to become defensive coordinator there, I spent a lot of time down at Virginia Tech. Going down there to visit with those guys and learn that package, I developed a pretty good relationship with Todd. We spent a lot of time together working on football, and I kind of followed him along when he went to Michigan State, I visited him there, I went to Indianapolis to watch when they were doing OTAs and minicamp and those things. I stayed in touch with him when he was in Cleveland and actually had him come visit here (at UConn) when he was with the Browns to discuss some schematic things, the pressure game they were using at that time that we took here and used during my stretch here. Just over time, we've always stayed in contact. We have similar ideas, similar philosophies, and finally had an opportunity to work together. I'm pretty excited about it."

On difference for secondary between 3-4 and 4-3 defense...
"Not really. They're both technically seven-man fronts. We had based out of a 4-3 here (at UConn) and that's been most of the things I've done, but we've had some 3-4 in our scheme as well. For me, those four guys in the back end, it's just a matter of where the open gaps are and what our responsibilities are in the run game may change a little bit, but as far as the pass game, the coverages are about the same: two deep, quarters, man coverage, three-deep, man free… those things are all the same, so there's a lot of carry over between those two packages."

On getting takeaways and playing aggressively…
"I think those takeaways come basically with guys being in position to make those plays when they come about. I think you put yourself in position by being fundamentally sound and that's one of the things I bring to the table with those guys on the back end. It's just really for those guys to master the technique that we're asking them to play and to be fundamentally sound that when it comes time in the game to have the opportunity to run, to make a play, to make an interception, to strip a ball or pick up a loose ball, fundamentally we're prepare from practice through reps and emphasis and those things. … That's something we'll definitely emphasize and practice and hopefully it will carry over into a game situation."

On moving from Northeast to Southeast on recruiting trail…
"I'm from the Northeast and the jobs I've had have been pretty much in this region, but the jobs I've had have had a lot of exposure to different communities. I've recruited in Florida, Louisiana, I've been in California, junior colleges, Kansas, Oklahoma. I've been around those areas and I've seen how important football is, particularly in the Southeast. So from an adjustment standpoint, I look at it like, recruiting is all about communication and hard work and getting coaches, players and getting in contact and being able to talk about your program and what you have to offer. Where I'm from vs. who I'm talking to -- when you present the opportunities you can gain by going to a school like Georgia, I think all those things are less important and it's more important that I can help prospective athletes make decisions."

On how he shut down South Carolina in the bowl game…
"I think it goes back to the thing we've been able to do at UConn is our players have been really great to work with here. During that four or five week span of time you have to prepare for bowl games, our players really put a lot of time into it and did a great job of studying film. They were really knowledgeable as far as what South Carolina was going to do offensively. We were very excited about having the opportunity to play an SEC team because we understand the passion down there and the way that people in the SEC community feel about their conference and I think our kids took that as an opportunity to show what UConn was all about. So they were pretty excited to play against those guys and we played that game with a lot of passion, then put it together with the things we knew about them and the matchups and the things we felt we could do against them. Then our kids went out there and executing the game plan, played with a lot of energy and were very physical. Then when they realized they could hang with those guys, they went through and finished the game off."

On whether he saw footage of UGA-South Carolina…
"We did. When you have four or five weeks to get ready for people, you have chances to watch a lot of people. We went through every game they played just looking for any advantage we could pass along to our players that we could use in the game plan. With that game, it was early in the year, so we did have a chance to see Georgia against them. I saw some of the guys on the field for Georgia that were making plays. They were pretty athletic, pretty fast and made some good plays. We recognized there were some good players running around on the field for both teams, but Georgia really has some guys that were very impressive."

On his relationship with Richt…
"We just met and spent some time this past weekend together. My relationship was with Todd. I know Todd was trying to get me hooked up with Coach Richt, so we had a chance to spend some time together. We've had a chance to talk over the past few days and gotten to know each other a little bit. He seems like obviously a very successful coach. The things he's done at UGA is incredibly impressive. I look forward to learning some of the things when you get involved with that type of program."

On his timetable on recruiting…
"I haven't had a chance to talk with any of those guys yet. We're in the process right now of figuring out how quick I can get down there. There are a few things I need to clean up up here and I'm planning on as of right now getting down there Wednesday evening and getting on the road Thursday and seeing anyone I need to see, getting in contact with the current players and getting in contact with the guys who have committed and whatever else I need to do before signing day."

On special teams responsibilities…
"I was just talking to Coach Richt when I was down there about that and that's stuff he's still working through and has a number of different options he could go, and he's going to explore all of those things. We didn't get into any specifics about that, but I think that's a decision he'll make and I'm sure Todd will be involved with as to whether to hire another position."

Lakatos Hired as Secondary Coach

From UGA release...

University of Connecticut secondary coach Scott Lakatos has been named to coach the defensive backs at the University of Georgia according to an announcement Monday by Bulldog head coach Mark Richt.

“We’re very pleased that Scott has accepted the offer to join our defensive staff,” said Richt. “He has an outstanding resume of success over the course of his career and will bring a great deal of experience and expertise to our coaching staff."

The Huskies defeated South Carolina, 20-7, in the 2010 Papajohns.com bowl in Birmingham which represented the fifth bowl game in Lakatos’ career.

“I would like to thank the University of Connecticut for giving me the opportunity to work with a great group of coaches and players in our football program,” said Lakatos. “My family and I will be forever grateful for the great memories and wonderful friendships we now have.

“I am now very excited to begin our next journey with the University of Georgia. We are excited to become a part of a great university community as well as a nationally respected program and an SEC power.”

In 2008, the UConn secondary helped the Huskies achieve a national ranking of No. 9 in pass efficiency defense.

Cornerback Darius Butler was selected in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots while safety Dahna Deleston signed a free agent contract with the Chicago Bears.

Led by Oakland Raiders draftee Tyvon Branch, UConn was 10th nationally in passing efficiency defense in 2007 and 17th in passing defense en route to the BIG EAST Championship.

In 2005, UConn again led the BIG EAST in total defense. The major reason was its passing defense, where the Huskies ranked fourth nationally in least yards allowed per game and seventh in passing efficiency defense. UConn was 25th nationally in passing defense in 2006.

In 2004, the Huskies ranked first in the BIG EAST, and in the top 20 nationally, in passing defense, yielding just 190.0 yards per game. The low sum helped UConn also lead the BIG EAST in total defense in 2004. Leading the unit was first-team All-BIG EAST selection, and Kansas City Chiefs signee, Justin Perkins, who made five interceptions on the year and tied for 14th in the nation in passes defended.

Lakatos came to Storrs in 2004 after spending the previous three seasons as the secondary coach at Rutgers. He was a part of a Scarlet Knights program which improved from 2-9 in 2001 to 5-7 in 2003. In 2003, Rutgers ranked second in the BIG EAST in passing defense, yielding 216.42 yards per game, a total surpassed in the conference only by national-leader Miami. Meanwhile, the Scarlet Knights' passing efficiency defense improved each of the three years under his tutelage before jumping up sharply in 2004 following Lakatos' departure for UConn.

The 2003 season saw corner back Nate Jones earn CoSIDA Academic All-America honors for the second year in a row and was drafted in the seventh round by the Dallas Cowboys. Also that year, a second cornerback, Brandon Haw signed with the Seahawks. Lakatos also coached free safety Shawn Seabrooks who earned a spot on the All-BIG EAST second team in 2002.

Lakatos graduated from Western Connecticut in 1988 after earning four varsity letters on the gridiron, three of them under the tutelage of former Syracuse head coach Paul Pasqualoni. The 1985 Colonial squad went 10-2 and
advanced to the NCAA Division III Playoffs. Immediately after earning his degree in Justice & Law Administration from WCSU, Lakatos began his coaching career at the Danbury school, working with the Colonials' defensive backs during the 1988 and 1989 seasons.

Just before the start of the 1990 season, Lakatos left his alma mater for Boston University where he coached the Terriers' outside linebackers from 1990-91. Lakatos left Boston to reunite with Pasqualoni as Syracuse's defensive graduate assistant during the 1992 and 1993 seasons, working mainly with the team's safeties. In Lakatos' first season with the Orangemen, the team went 10-2 and defeated Colorado, 26-22, in the 1993 Fiesta Bowl to finish the season ranked sixth in the nation. The 1994 season saw Lakatos serve as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at the University of New Haven.

Lakatos spent the 1995-2000 seasons at Maine, serving first as secondary coach for the 1995 season before adding the title of special teams coordinator for the 1996-99 campaigns. In 2000, Lakatos was named the Black Bears' defensive coordinator and linebackers coach.

A native of Long Valley, N.J., Lakatos graduated from West Morris Central High School in 1983 where he played both linebacker and fullback, earning All-County honors on defense. He and his wife, Amanda, have a daughter, Sarah Bailey (9), and a son, Cole (7).

Be Back Soon

Unless there's some breaking news -- which, given my luck, there will be -- I'm taking Sunday and Monday off from blogging. Be back with a bunch of stuff the rest of the week though.

Saturday Links (1/16)

A couple quick thoughts on the Todd Grantham hiring:

-- I mentioned earlier that the price tag on this is a hefty one. Having said that (h/t Larry D.), if Georgia wants to be considered a top-10 program, they need to pay their assistants like they're a top-10 program. Willie Martinez was the 35th-highest paid assistant. We're still a ways away from determining if Grantham is worth the $750,000 a year, but what's important right now is that Damon Evans and Mark Richt thought their program was worth an investment of $750,000 a year.

-- For all the talk about the process being a wreck, it's funny how few times I heard the names Kirby Smart or Bud Foster on Friday. Seems like most fans have already forgotten about "the process" and are fairly happy with the results -- even though it wasn't a household name that got the job. Funny how that happens.

-- Personnel evaluations are going to be interesting during the next few months. Has there been a spring practice at Georgia that will be quite so highly anticipated as this one? There are probably close to a dozen players on defense who earned significant playing time last year who we have no idea where they'll even line up on the field this spring.

-- Jeff Owens gave his endorsement to DeAngelo Tyson as the nose guard on Twitter yesterday. I'd probably put Tyson as the leading contender for the job, too.

-- I specifically asked Richt yesterday if bringing in someone who was a stark contrast from the previous nine years was a part of what he was looking for in a coach. He said it wasn't. Looking at the candidates he talked to and at who was eventually hired, however, I can't help but have my doubts. And that's a good thing. As much as anything, what this staff needed was some fresh ideas. Grantham is bringing in a ton of them.

-- Two things on Rodney Garner: 1.) It's pretty clear that there is room for him to stay on the staff if he wants to. 2.) You have to wonder how much the near miss with Lane Kiffin last year is resonating with him right now. There's something to be said for upward mobility, but there's also something to be said for a solid foundation.

-- I assume Grantham will be very hands on with the linebackers, and I'd be surprised if they hired two coaches to handle a three-man defensive line. So I'd say there's at least a reasonable possibility Georgia gets a special teams coach out of all this, which would be yet another exceptional example that Mark Richt realized what problems have plagued his team and is making the right moves to fix them.

OK, I now have to drive to Albany to clean out a storage unit and hopefully put a much-needed end to the moving process I began on Dec. 30, so only time for a couple of links...

-- I have a story in today's Telegraph with a few player quotes about the hiring of Todd Grantham.

-- Catfish & Cornbread have some video of Grantham breaking down film on CBS.

-- Macon Dawg does a great job of analyzing the coaching hire for Georgia.

-- Bill King wonders if Mark Richt should have been looking to hire an NFL guy from the start.

-- UGA Blog thinks all the twists and turns of the coaching search led to the right guy.

-- Dawg Stephen is thrilled about Grantham's throwback attitude, which seems to be what has galvanized the Bulldog Nation already.

-- Tim Tucker takes a quick peek at Georgia's 2010 schedule.

-- Bleacher Report sees 2010 as a world of opportunity for the Bulldogs.

-- The Augusta Chronicle has a story on Drew Butler's ties with Ray Guy.

-- If you haven't seen it yet, the situation before Lane Kiffin's final Tennessee press conference was a disaster. Ah, news media. Just a delightful group. (BTW, Chris Low's expression through the entire ordeal is fantastic.)

-- Here's a list of the 10 best one-hit-wonders on "Lost."

-- And if you're a "Lost" fan, this is an awesome read -- 20 things that nearly happened differently on the show. The only problem? It kind of reinforces the notion that the creators really are making it up as they go.

-- And finally, if you get a chance, take some time to read this article on the gory details surrounding the murder case involving Marvin Harrison. It is really some great journalism and a riveting story.

The Rebuilding Project Begins

During the next few weeks, we'll no doubt be parsing a lot of what Todd Grantham said in his opening remarks to the media and sifting through his background to try to get a better understanding of just who it is that Georgia hired to take over its defense.

So far, the reaction from fans has been overwhelmingly positive -- which is certainly no surprise. I'll admit, making a guy who hasn't coached in college football since 1998 the third-highest-paid assistant in the nation might be a bit of a reach in my humble opinion, and we have no idea how the current personnel on the Bulldogs' defense will respond as part of a 3-4 set, but there's definitely a lot more positives to be talking about today than negatives. (And, to be fair, I'd have essentially the same questions about Kirby Smart had he been hired -- limited experience, drastic change in scheme, etc.)

As I noted here last week, I think there's a tremendous amount of upside to this hire, particularly on the recruiting trail. Now, we don't exactly know how Grantham will recruit since it's not something he has done in more than a decade, but if you read any of what he said yesterday, you can probably get an understanding of why players would want to come play for him.

And as I went back through what Grantham said yesterday, there is one thing that jumped out to me. Knowing his stint as DC in Cleveland met with mixed results, I wanted to know his thoughts on how he might handle this job differently. The first thing he discussed was how rebuilding in college football was so much easier because of recruiting. Here's the specific quote:

"The difference between pro football and college football is when you go to a program in pro football, you basically get seven draft picks. So you get seven recruits. That's a major overhaul. In college ball, you can go out and sign as many first-round picks as you need. You just have to do the work."

Music to the ears of any football fan who lives and dies with each new recruiting commitment, right?

You don't know the half of it.

Since Grantham wants to go out and sign a half-dozen future first-round picks, I figured I'd go back and see just how many of them Georgia has had since Mark Richt arrived in Athens in 2001. The results of this small bit of history underscore the recent problems.

2006-2010 First-Round Picks, Defense

LSU (3) -- Tyson Jackson (DE), Glenn Dorsey (DT), LaRon Landry (DB)

Tennessee (6) -- Robert Ayers (DE), Jerod Mayo (LB), Justin Harrell (DT), Jason Allen (DB), Eric Berry* (DB), Dan Williams* (DT)

Florida (6) -- Derrick Harvey (DE), Jarvis Moss (DE), Reggie Nelson (DB), Joe Haden* (DB), Carlos Dunlap* (DE), Brandon Spikes* (LB)

Georgia (0) -- None

(*Projected first-round pick by ESPN's Mel Kiper)

2002-2005 First-Round Picks, Defense

LSU (1) -- Marcus Spears (DE)

Tennessee (2) -- John Henderson (DT), Albert Haynesworth (DT)

Florida (1) -- Lito Shephard (DB)

Georgia (4) -- Thomas Davis (DB), David Pollack (DE), Johnathan Sullivan (DT), Charles Grant (DE)

Since Willie Martinez's first season as defensive coordinator, Georgia has not had a single player taken in the first round of the NFL draft. Florida, Tennessee and LSU meanwhile have combined for 15, including this year's projections.

Turning that tide will begin on the recruiting trail, and Grantham will have his work cut out for him. But at least he's aiming high -- which at $750,000 a year, he should be.

Grantham, Richt Teleconference Quotes

Dive in head first, folks… all the quotes you can digest in one day...

Richt opening statement:
"I'm as excited as I can be. I know this process took a little while, but in the end we got the right man for the job -- I'm 100 percent certain of that and 100 percent confident in Todd's ability to get the job done. Getting to know him a little bit better as this thing has progressed, it gave me confidence that not only is he the right man to lead our defense on the field but he's exactly the kind of man that's going to help our young men grow. He's very serious about that. He's a great family man … and he's got all his priorities in the right way. So we're very excited about this hire and happy for Todd's opportunity to continue to be chasing a Super Bowl and have the people of the Bulldog Nation enjoy watching the Cowboys this weekend and hopefully a few more weekends to come."

Grantham opening statement:
"I look forward to -- not only with myself but with the people we bring in -- to developing an aggressive style of defense that all Bulldogs fans across the country can be excited to watch."

Grantham on immediate plans:
"I signed a contract with the Cowboys two years ago and I committed to Jerry (Jones) two years ago that I would stay through the length of my contract. Right now we're in the process of having one of the best seasons the Cowboys have had since 1996. We won the NFC East. We won our first playoff game. Things are moving along very well. I've always been a big believer that you start what you finish and so I've felt like I'm obligated in the relationships I have with my players and the other people in the organization that I'm going to follow this thing through and take it as far as we can go. I feel that's the right thing to do. I think once you commit to something, you need to stick it out and do it, so right now I'm working hard to see if we can beat the Vikings."

Grantham on talking to recruits:
"I believe you can actually call recruits and we can work on that over the weekend and starting the early part of next week. That type of stuff can be done along with the preparation for the next opponent."

Richt on how he learned of Grantham:
"There were so many names that crossed my desk and people calling from all around that recommended people and when Todd's name came up I was very interested in learning more about him. The more I learned about him the more excited I got about him. It just so happens that a lot of coaches that I know in the business know Todd and know of what he's done in the past and know of his football knowledge. I think a lot of people in the college game who have spent time with Todd and grown as coaches, let's face it, the NFL is really the cutting edge of football and Coach Grantham is one of the best minds out there. And it also turned out that my brother in law, Brad Johnson, who played quarterback for the Cowboys at the tail end of his career and was there last year and got to know Todd as a coach … and was highly impressed with him and his energy and how he would teach and the respect that players had for him."

Grantham on why he took the job:
"This isn't the first opportunity to go back to college that's come up in the last 11 years. There's been others, which some I didn't feel were the right timing and others I didn't feel had the ability to do the things you can do at the University of Georgia. The thing that excites me about Georgia is I love the passion and the excitement of the fans around the program. … Being that I was in pro football, you're evaluating talent. I've watched a lot of players from the University of Georgia over that time, so I knew about the ability to recruit talent to the program, I knew you could get home-grown talent within the state and within a five-hour radius of the school and that talent is the type of talent that you can be a top-tier program and one of the premier schools in the SEC. So that stuff interested me and when Mark and I first began to talk, I researched it and I really like what Coach Richt has done with the program. He's obviously got it headed in the right direction and there is some continuity there. They've been very successful and I think with that we can get the defense back to the way it has been in the past."

Grantham on scheme:
"We'll be a 3-4 structure which basically means that in your base defense you'll have two outside backers, three d linemen, two inside backers and your secondary would be the same whether you're a 3-4 or a 4-3 with two safeties and two corners. But saying that, we're more of an aggressive style 3-4. We're going to play one-gap defense. We're going to attack block up front. We're going to rush the passer. Our outside backers are going to be what we call edge-setters. They're going to be aggressive. They're going to be coming. They're going to be solid setting the edge on the run but we're going to develop those guys as pass rushers. The inside backers, we're going to call them Mike and Moe, they'll be downhill guys to the ball. But in saying that, we're going to still be multiple and have the ability to match personnel, meaning that if someone adds a third wideout into the game, we can add an extra DB. We could end up playing multiple fronts out of that nickel package -- whether it be four down or three down and go that route. The other thing is, when you're coaching pro football, the players that you have, you find a way to make it work. I really believe the best way to go about it is you rank your players, you evaluate your players one through 50 and you find a way to get your top players on the field because to be an aggressive, attacking style defense, to make plays, you have to have playmakers, and you have to put those playmakers in position to make plays. So I think the most important thing is to evaluate the players and find out what their assets are and what they do well, then put them in position to make plays.

Grantham on other assistants:
"This deal was basically done last night so Coach Richt and I will be working throughout the weekend and next week to iron some of those things out. But anything like that would be premature at this time."

Grantham on his role:
"I think as the coordinator it's important that you're tied into not only the front but the secondary. So I'll be coaching the linebackers and that way you can be with both the front and the back in whatever drills you're doing."

Grantham on Rodney Garner:
"I do not know Rodney. I've heard good things about him and I expect to be meeting him here shortly."

Grantham on differences between NFL and college…
"The quarterback is going to run the ball more than in the pro game, so that part of it is a little bit different. You're going to get a few more different style runs in college ball where as in the passing game, pro ball is a little more complex. But outside of that, it's about being fundamentally sound, making sure your gap's secure, making sure you're aggressive and making sure you're playing with the techniques you need to play with to be successful."

Richt on the process of finding a DC:
"Throughout the entire process I was very prayerful that in the end we got the right man for the job and that's exactly what happened, and I'm very thankful for how everything turned out. It was not something I was trying to do at breakneck speed. I was trying to be deliberate. Sometimes it's easy to get a person who's willing to come at the drop of a hat, but when you're looking for the quality we were looking for, it doesn't always happen overnight. I'm just thankful we stayed the course and ended up where we ended up."

Grantham on toughness of the defense:
"We want to get after everybody we play. If you ask me to describe the type of defense I would want, I can tell you I want big, physical, aggressive players and we want guys that want to be relentless every play. I do think that is a habit that has to be developed. I think it's important that you work every day in practice to finish. I think what you want as a defense is, after the game is over, the team you just played, they're happy they don't have to play you anymore. In order to do that, I think it takes great conditioning and it takes great preparation. And you have to have a mind-set that regardless of what the scoreboard says, I'm playing for 60 minutes and you're not going to let the last play affect the next play. I think that is something that can be taught and developed. And no one wants to be the weak link because when you watch the tape, if you're the guy that's loafing, it stands out. So that's kind of what I envision the defense being."

Grantham on what he learned as DC with the Browns:
"That was a major overhaul. And the difference between pro football and college football is when you go to a program in pro football, you basically get seven draft picks. So you get seven recruits. That's a major overhaul. In college ball, you can go out and sign as many first-round picks as you need. You just have to do the work. So that part of college excites me. As a coach, I look at that (in Cleveland), we took the talent that we had there and we maximized our assets. We found a way to win games. And when you look, we actually won more games our first year there than they had the previous two years. The thing about there is, it's totally different than Georgia is that the University of Georgia has won. In Cleveland, they had not won before so you had to go in and change the culture, you had to change the identity. And really, it took us three years, and by 2007, we were 10-6 and that was the best season that they had had in the past 13 years. So from that standpoint, I think the big thing is, you need to play the best players, and if that means you play young players, then you play young players. But it's important that you play the best players and that you evaluate your players and get your best players on the field."

Grantham on his message to recruits:
"My initial message is, if you're excited about being an aggressive defense, about being coached extremely hard, being technically sound at your craft -- because really as a player, you're trying to develop your craft -- and if you're excited about enhancing your performance and developing your craft, then you're going to have fun at the University of Georgia."

Grantham on finding a nose tackle:
"I have not looked around but the nose guard doesn't have to be a prototypical big, square-bodied guy. If you look at the guy we have with the Dallas Cowboys, Jay Ratliff, he was a sixth-round pick but he's really a smaller type nose -- in the 290s. But the guy is technically sound, he has great initial quickness, he's relentless off the ball, understands the defense -- the thing about a 3-4, in the 3-4 there's only certain places you can run the ball relative to the formation and if you understand that, it allows you to play relative to the formation. So if I know the ball is going to go to my left, I can play a little more toward my left. If I know the ball is going to go to my right, I need to break for the ball to go to my right. So as players learn how to play the 3-4, they can understand there's only certain types of plays you can run relative to the formation."

Richt on what he expects Week 1:
"I expect they'll get after it. With Georgia, we say 'GATA.' That means get after their you-know-what. That's what's going to happen. Not only are we going to have that effort we're looking for, but I feel like Coach Grantham is going to have these boys technically sound and playing together as a unit. You can play hard if you want but if you're not handling your gap responsibilities or making a bust on the perimeter, you've got problems. So I know it's going to be a very sound system and it's going to be a very aggressive system and there's going to be a bunch of boys excited about turning that thing loose. And the Bulldog Nation is going to be fired up to see it, too."

High Fives for The Todd

No huge details yet on Georgia's hiring of Todd Grantham -- aside from it being a three-year deal at $750k per -- but be sure to follow me on Twitter where I'll post live updates during today's teleconference.

And in the meantime... high fives to Mark Richt for finally landing "The Todd."

UPDATE: According to ESPN, Grantham will finish out the season with the Cowboys... however long that goes.

Grantham Gets the Gig

From UGA release...

Dallas Cowboys defensive line coach Todd Grantham, an 11-year NFL veteran coach with nine years college experience, has been named new defensive coordinator at the University of Georgia according to an announcement Friday by Bulldog head coach Mark Richt.

Grantham is in his second season with the Dallas Cowboys after spending three seasons as defensive coordinator with the Cleveland Browns (2005-07), and six years as defensive line coach for both the Houston Texans (2002-04) and Indianapolis Colts (1999-01).

“I’m excited the search is over, we have our man, and look forward to what Todd will bring to our defense, our team, and our University,” said Richt.
“I think it is particularly valuable that he has a wealth of experience on the defensive side of the ball at both the NFL and collegiate levels. Now we look forward to moving ahead with the home stretch of recruiting, finishing out the defensive staff, and getting ready for spring practice.”

Prior to his stint in Indianapolis, Grantham served three seasons as the defensive line coach at Michigan State (1996-98). He added the title of
assistant head coach in his final season in East Lansing in 1998. Grantham also spent six seasons (1990-95) at his alma mater, Virginia Tech, coaching defensive ends and inside linebackers from 1990-91 and defensive tackles from 1992-93.

At the conclusion of the 2009 regular season, the Cowboys’ defensive unit ranked second in the NFL in scoring defense (15.6 points per game), fourth in rushing defense (90.5 yards per game), seventh in sacks (42.0 per game), and ninth in total defense (315.9 yards per game). The Dallas defensive unit finished eighth in the NFL in total defense in 2008 and led the league with 59 sacks - 13.5 coming from the defensive linemen.

In addition, Dallas noseguard Jay Ratliff, a sixth round draft choice, has been named to two consecutive Pro-Bowls and was named Thursday to the
sportswriters All-Pro team. In addition, All-Pro Demarcus Ware recorded a career high 20 sacks in 2008.

“I would like to thank Coach Mark Richt and Damon Evans for the opportunity for myself and my family to be part of the University of Georgia community,” said Grantham. “I'm very excited about being part of a staff that will work tremendously hard to return Georgia football to one of the premier teams in the SEC. To the fans and boosters of the University of Georgia, I understand the passion and standard of excellence expected. I look forward to developing an aggressive, physical, attacking style defense that offenses will not look forward to playing against.”

During his career Grantham has worked under several successful head coaches and defensive coordinators on both the pro and college levels including Frank Beamer and Bud Foster at Virginia Tech, Nick Saban at Michigan State, Romeo Crennel at Cleveland, Dom Capers at Houston, and Wade Phillips at Dallas.

While at Michigan State the Spartans ranked 19th in total defense in 1996 and 13th in 1997, making consecutive bowl trips.

In 1995 the Hokies ranked first nationally in rushing defense, fifth in scoring defense and 10th in total defense. Virginia Tech racked up 50 sacks en route to the Big East title and a Sugar Bowl triumph over Texas in 1995.

In 2007, Cleveland surfaced as one of the most improved teams in the NFL by compiling a 10-6 record after posting a 4-12 mark in 2006. Under Grantham's watch as defensive coordinator, the Browns 2007 secondary tandem of cornerback Leigh Bodden and former Georgia safety Sean Jones recorded a combined total 11 interceptions. Bodden's six tied for fifth in the league, while Jones' five tied for ninth.

Grantham's defensive unit ranked 15th in the NFL in pass defense (202.6 yards-per-game) during the 2006 season, despite his secondary being
decimated with injuries (defensive backs Daylon McCutcheon, Gary Baxter and Bodden). His secondary witnessed the emergence of safety Jones and defensive back Daven Holly, who tied for the team lead with five interceptions each.

In his first season with the Browns in 2005, Grantham’s defensive unit finished first in the AFC in red zone defense (44.0 touchdown percentage),
fourth in the NFL in pass defense (179.2 yards-per-game), 11th in points allowed (17.7 points-per-game) and tied for 16th in total defense (316.8 yards-per-game).

Prior to joining the Browns, Grantham served as the defensive line coach for the Houston Texans. In 2004 the Texans defense ranked 13th in the NFL against the run and had a streak of seven consecutive games without allowing a rushing score (10/10/04 - 11/28/04).

In 2003 Grantham's defensive line unit was devastated by injuries, as nose tackle Seth Payne suffered a season ending knee injury in week two and Pro Bowl defensive end Gary Walker played in just four games due to shoulder and toe injuries. Despite the injuries, Grantham was able to mix and match his defensive linemen effectively as defensive tackle Jerry Deloach collected a career-high 109 tackles and nose tackle Steve Martin racked up 92 stops in only 14 games. In 2002 Grantham's three starters (Walker, Payne, Deloach) all produced career-high numbers in tackles and Walker earned his second Pro Bowl invitation after recording 115 tackles and 6.5 sacks.

At Indianapolis, Grantham's 2001 defensive line registered 96 sacks over three seasons, helping the Colts post a 29-19 record and advance to the
playoffs twice. Indianapolis' 10-win improvement from 1998 to 1999 marked the greatest one-season turnaround in league history. In 1999 and 2000, the Colts posted 56 sacks, the highest two-year total for the club since it moved to Indianapolis.

Grantham played guard and tackle for the Hokies from 1984-88. He earned second-team All-South and honorable mention All-America honors as a senior. He earned a bachelor's degree in sports management. Grantham was born Sept. 13, 1966, in Pulaski, Va. He and his wife, Paige, have a son, Corbin, and a daughter, Olivia.

Fifth Time's the Charm?

UPDATE: Georgia has hired Todd Grantham to be its new defensive coordinator.

The school will have a teleconference with Grantham and Mark Richt at 5:15 today.

I'll have updates here as we get them and, of course, all the quotes from today's teleconference.

----

I don't know how many "offers" have been made in this search, but I do know that each time the rumor mill has spun off its axis, it's been incredibly inconvenient for me. Isn't that always the way?

Anyway, here's the latest: Rivals reports (without sources) that Todd Grantham has accepted the job as Georgia's new defensive coordinator.

As yet, I haven't confirmed that, but I can't say it would surprise me.

Tim Tucker has a good run down of the story HERE.

Marc Weiszer tells you about all you need to know on why this is going to be tough to confirm.

I'll post more updates as soon as I get them.

Owens, Atkins Head to Senior Bowl

From UGA release...

Georgia senior defensive linemen Geno Atkins and Jeff Owens have accepted invitations to play in the 2010 Under Armour Senior Bowl on January 30 in Mobile, Ala., according to an announcement by bowl officials Thursday.

Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. EDT in Ladd-Peebles Stadium. The game and all practices will be televised by the NFL Network.

Atkins, a 6-1, 290-pound native of Pembroke Pines, Fla., finished with 36 tackles, was second on the team with 10.5 tackles for loss and was an All-Southeastern Conference Second Team selection. Finishing with a team-leading 28 quarterback hurries, Atkins was named the SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week after equaling his career high with eight tackles versus Vanderbilt in 2009.

Atkins was named Most Valuable Defensive Player following his performance versus Texas A&M at the 2009 Independence Bowl on Dec. 28. He blocked a field goal and had three tackles, including a sack, in the 44-20 win over the Aggies.

“I’m real excited that I get to play against the best of the best in the senior class,” Atkins said. “I want to show all the scouts how fundamentally sound I am and how well I can get off blocks.”

Owens, a 6-3, 300-pound native of Sunrise, Fla., returned from a season-ending knee injury at the beginning of the 2008 season to tally 32 tackles and 1.5 sacks this year. He started all 13 games in 2009 and finished with the most career starts (38) of any Bulldog on the 2009 team.

Owens registered a career-high seven tackles versus #4 LSU early in 2009 season before graduating with a degree in Child and Family Development in December. Owens is also one of only 11 players in NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision to be named to the 2009 Allstate American Football Coaches Association Good Works Team.

“The Senior Bowl is where you have to bring your ‘A’ game,” Owens said. “I just want to turn some heads and have the opportunity to prove that I can play at the next level and compete with the best of them. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity. Some of the best players that played the game have played in the Senior Bowl. It’s a great honor for me and my family and I’m blessed to have this opportunity.”

Corvey Irvin, who plays for the Carolina Panthers, and Mohamed Massaquoi, who plays for the Cleveland Browns, represented the Bulldogs at the 2009 Senior Bowl. Also of note, the first and only Most Valuable Player Georgia has had at a Senior Bowl was Theron Sapp in 1959 (he split the award with Notre Dame’s Norm Odyniec).

Moral Victories Aren't Far From Real Victories

By Fletcher Page

Well, here you are again Georgia basketball fans, opining over another 0-2 SEC start. But don’t rush to negativity. Yes, some people, like coach Mark Fox, say there are no moral victories. A loss is a loss. Two losses can lead to mounting frustration and anxiety.

But I digress.

This Bulldogs team is not getting conference victories. But I tend to add "yet" to the end of that sentence.

And here’s why.

Let’s get this out of the way. Kentucky and Ole Miss are better teams. There aren’t many programs in the country on the rise like the Wildcats. They've got talent and depth. Great young players (Wall, Cousins, Dodson and Bledsoe) and experienced veterans (Patterson, Stevenson). And Ole Miss has turned a potential weakness, predominately playing four guards due to a lack of frontcourt depth, into a lethal mismatch for opponents.

Yet, Georgia played right with these two teams. And lost. Not the other way around. Don’t take this 0-2 start at face value. See what’s taking place.

A season-high 6,743 people watched the 80-76 loss in Stegeman last night. And at one point down the stretch, I told myself, ‘the fans are buying into this. They’re becoming emotionally attached to this program. These players.’ If you were in attendance, I give you my props. Stegeman doesn’t give me goosebumps like Sanford can, but last night was as close as I’ve come to experiencing that feeling during a game yet.

Georgia is so young.

It’s been discussed, so I won’t beat the topic further. And since the season has moved into January, the new system, new coach, new attitudes point is becoming moot. But Ricky McPhee and Albert Jackson are the lone senior contributors. Jackson, probably the most likeable guy on the team (my opinion, he’s always been a great interview) will be missed sorely in the locker room. Remember he voluntarily ditched his dreads for coach Fox. McPhee is stepping into that treasured “I’m the white dude who can hit dagger threes and sometimes come through with another awesome play here or there and everybody f’n loves me” role.

But both can be replaced. And will have to be before next season.

Fox said his team was emotionally fatigued after suffering the loss in Lexington.

“After a hard fought game on the road against a nationally ranked team, that is often the case,” he said. “When you have to dig down so deeply to compete and hang in there on the road, a lot of times your tanks are real empty the next time out.”

I can’t attend practice, so I’m not sure if the drain was evident the past few days.

But here’s the thing about SEC basketball, or any major conference for that matter. The losses have to stay in-between the lines of the court played that night. And the wins too, because in less than four days, another game has to be played. Say it with me, those of you on the cliché panel, one loss must not turn into two losses. And so forth. Yes, much can be learned from each game. Watching tape is essential. But the peaking emotions shouldn’t last longer than one restless night tossing and turning in bed.

But that’s where youth comes in. If you’re 18 or 19 years old, played your heart out and came up just short to Kentucky in Rupp Arena, then chances are you’re going to be bummed. And then if you narrowly lose to another ranked SEC team, then frustration could set in. I know I’d wallow.

Anyway, Kentucky and Ole Miss, as of now, are better. And Georgia is young. For those who believe in Fox, c’mon I’ve seen your Facebook status, those problems are being worked on every day in practice. And hopefully through recruiting.

I truly believe that Fox has a solid starting five. Trey Thompkins is the alpha male. Travis Leslie is playing the role of super athletic, I could be the alpha male if Trey wasn’t here, scorer who just absolutely mug-janks people with dunks. Mcphee throwing daggers and keeping the fans in the game, if nothing else than to make that whoooshhhh noise when he blasts from deep. Dustin Ware is the steady point guard who can occasionally light up offensively just when you forget he can score and won’t make many mistakes. And Jackson is on the court for defensive purposes. Tell me this isn’t a good starting five.

The problem? Players 6-12 just aren’t as good as Kentucky’s and others around the conference. And again, I add "yet."

Chris Barnes played an excellent first half against Ole Miss. He dunks. Well. And he works hard. Jeremy Price could flourish in a scoring role off the bench. He just hasn’t. He’s scored double digits four times this year. His career high is 22, back in ’07. He can score. He just isn’t. And he hurts Georgia defensively at times, but last night he pulled down eight rebounds. Perhaps this is a sign that he’s ready to work harder. But at least Fox has options, with players who have different talents and skill sets down low. On the perimeter, it’s different. When Fox looks down his bench, he sees three players who are hungry, will get after it, play hard defensively and may make mistakes but in a “I see what you were trying to do” kind of way. Freshmen Vincent Williams, Demario Mayfield and Ebuka Anyaorah are a coach’s favorite kind of guy, hard workers with tremendous upside. They just can’t score consistently. Yet. They have a combined 59 points this year. But they’re learning.

So the problem is…if Leslie needs a breather there is no slasher on his level to replace him. If McPhee needs a rest, there is no, and I mean absolutely no three point threat to float out there in his place. Trey’s scoring can be replaced at times by Price, but not consistently. I put it likes this; it’s just not Trey out there. There is certainly nobody to replace what Ware does at the point.

The end result: Against Ole Miss, Leslie, Thompkins, McPhee and Ware logged over 34 minutes apiece. Yikes. They did the same versus Kentucky. Uh oh.

And they will have to do it all over again against Mississippi State this weekend.

But things are on the upswing. Last season’s losses were double-digit laughers, with no real reason to think change was coming.

Last night is good example of how far Georgia is progressing. The Bulldogs outrebounded Ole Miss and committed just 13 turnovers. 14 assists were dished out. They shot nearly 50 percent from the field in the second half. The shooting numbers decreased in the final period, due to the Rebels’ zone defense pushing the offensive execution further from the basket. But at the end of the game, Ware had a wide-open three and if that shot goes, the outcome could have been different. And when Ware shot, it looked like it was going in from all angles. It went in-and-out. Fox said he was more than happy with that shot selection, and that he would have Ware shoot that again. I agree.

So stay positive. This team can win in the SEC. It just hasn’t happened.

Yet.

Thursday Links (1/14)

We're taking a little different approach to today's links.

I'm not usually one to critique the work of my fellow writers and bloggers, and while fisking the competition worked wonders for Keith Olbermann's ratings, it's not a game plan I wish to emulate.

Still, two articles from the past 48 hours have stirred up a bit of buzz, and I think they're both worth addressing. My hope is that this doesn't come off as an opinion piece on my end, but rather an analysis of what's already been written. We shall see.

-- First, we have this column from Mark Bradley, who suggests that South Carolina could be the beneficiary of all the turmoil in the SEC East. The Senator offers some rather stinging criticism of Bradley's findings if you want to start there.

Again, I'm not at this to criticize another writer's take. Bradley is entitled to his argument. But I think it's also worth offering the counter argument.

"They’ll enter next season with a new quarterback, the result of having left Aaron Murray to redshirt. (A wise choice in most years, but not necessarily in the worst season under this head coach.)"

What is conveniently forgotten every time someone mentions the Aaron Murray redshirt is that, in the middle of the season at the point in time he would have been most likely to actually see the field, he was sidelined with a shoulder injury that prevented him from even throwing the football.

While no one would go on the record to say it at the time -- nor should they have, for the purposes of presenting a united front behind Joe Cox -- had Murray not gotten hurt, I think there's a good chance he would have been the starter following the Tennessee game.

"Worse still, there’s a growing feeling across the South that Mark Richt is a year away from feeling the big heat."

I'm not a fan of broad generalizations like this. Who has this growing feeling? I'm not saying it's not true (more on that later) but sweeping statements about a "feeling" are inherently difficult to categorize. No offense to Bradley or anyone at the AJC, but if I went by the "feeling" in the comments I get here or read elsewhere, I could rightly say there's, "a growing feeling throughout the South that the AJC sucks."

If there are legitimate boosters or people within the athletics department or coaches and administrators at competing schools saying that Richt is in serious trouble or that there are glaring issues he's ignoring at Georgia, then let's hear it. But generalizations simply help make an argument that stats or on-the-record quotes can't. I'd like to know more.

"Short of landing Bill Belichick, it will be nigh-impossible for Georgia to emerge from this protracted search with a coordinator who will satisfy the majority of Dog-lovers. And it does seem troubling that three men who worked in the South and have coached against Georgia — Bud Foster of Virginia Tech, John Chavis of LSU and Alabama’s Kirby Smart, who’s a Bulldog born and bred — saw greater opportunity in the current positions than anything awaiting them in Athens."

I've said for the past few weeks that this process is doing nothing positive for Mark Richt's image, so Bradley gets no argument from me on the perception part of this.

But last year when the basketball program bounced from one big name to the next before settling on some guy named Mark Fox, I assumed there would be a reaction similar to the one Bradley predicts will happen now. I was wrong.

As bipolar as the lunatic fringe can be, the overwhelming reaction to even minor critiques I made about Fox in the early going was that of, "STFU Hale." I don't know how long of a leash fans will give the new DC once the season starts, but I'll be surprised if there's not a pretty hefty dose of, "Let's see what he's got" from the fans immediately after the hire.

Moreover, I really don't think Mark Richt has spent a second of this search worrying about what the fans -- or Bradley or myself -- think about it.

"We learned in 2005, when he won the SEC in his first season without David Greene and David Pollack and Brian VanGorder, not to dismiss Mark Richt. We saw it again this season when he took his worst team and beat Georgia Tech’s best aggregation in a decade. That said, the prevailing wind now seems to be blowing against him."

I taught journalism for a few years, and one of the first things I told students was to avoid the word "seems." Now, Bradley's been doing this a lot longer than me, so I'll bow to experience on this one -- but my feeling has always been that "seems" is the ultimate distraction from "is."

And yet, Bradley's best point -- and the reason I ultimately agree with him that the pressure on Richt is now at a high point -- is actually what he says in trying to offer a salient defense for Georgia's coach.

When the stars left in '05, Richt won the SEC. When the chips were down in '09, Richt toppled Tech.

Mark Richt wins when no one expects him to. He did it in 2002, save the lone loss to Florida. But when expectations were ratcheted up with Pollack and Greene the next two years, Richt couldn't close the deal (at least not with an SEC or national title).

He did it in 2005 when his stars left, but he could never turn a Matthew Stafford-Knowshon Moreno combo into an SEC title winner in the years that followed -- despite being a preseason No. 1 last year.

He won the final two games this season, despite everyone counting the Bulldogs out, but he still allowed a talented team to finish with five losses.

When the chips are down, Richt is at his best -- so maybe Bradley's (and plenty of others') sentiments about a decline in the program only serve to boost Georgia's chances going forward.

But as Bradley writes, the East is wide open in 2010, and Georgia's talent on the field should rival anyone else in the division. The same should be true in 2011, when the Dawgs figure to have an experienced QB to go with the rest of that talent. There's every reason to think the next two seasons will be what defines Richt's career at Georgia -- or what ultimately seals his demise.

My guess, however, is that if it all plays out well and the Bulldogs are back atop the East in the next year or two, there will be a lot of folks lining up to commend Mark Richt for taking his time and finding the right guy to take over the defense.

And if things continue to slip and Richt's job is eventually on the line, it won't be the last six weeks people point to as the beginning of the end. It will be the one day it took to announce hiring the wrong guy.

-- The second story that needs a mention is from Buck Belue's blog, which offers his scoop (*Link fixed) on what ultimately prevented Kirby Smart from taking the job at Georgia.

First off, between David Pollack's tweets and Rex Robinson's critiques of the special teams and now Belue's words on Rodney Garner and Dave Van Halanger, I must say that I have a good bit of respect for how the First Amendment seems alive and well throughout the UGA football program. Urban Meyer would probably be on some sort of "American Psycho" killing spree over this kind of commentary from former players, and odds are most former players wouldn't be so willing to call 'em like they see 'em. It warms my heart.

Now, on to Belue's post...

"And the word is, Kirby Smart didn’t want to work with Rodney Garner again."

Belue gives some additional background, and I'll admit that what he writes, I had also heard (or at least most of it). I wouldn't call my sources on that information exceptional -- really little more than rumors -- so I wasn't about to write it. But perhaps Belue's sources on the situation are better than mine.

Regardless, Garner is going to be the elephant in the room in any negotiation. Richt has made it pretty clear that, although he wants the new DC to have a say in filling out his staff, those decisions will ultimately be made by Richt. And it seems clear to this point that Richt wants to keep Garner around.

On the other hand, Garner coaches the D line -- as does Todd Grantham and Travis Jones. Garner also has a pretty strong personality -- which is fine for some, maybe not so much for others. And, as Belue said, Garner has gone toe-to-toe with some of these other SEC coaches on the recruiting trail numerous times, and that type of competition can always stir up some bad blood.

So is Belue right about this? I have no idea. But the bigger question I have is whether or not Richt's insistence on keeping Garner would make you feel better or worse about how this process is playing out?

Next, Belue says Smart was concerned about the strength and conditioning program, but Richt again refused changes.

"There are reports that have some Georgia players going to see a strength coach outside the program. Spoke with one NFL guy who commented that even when Van Halanger was at FSU, the OL/DL prospects coming out of there were great athletes, but not NFL strong."

I've written about all I can at the moment on the S&C program, so I'm not sure what more I can add. The truth is, I have been told by some people off the record that there are concerns among NFL folks that Georgia's S&C program doesn't measure up, but I don't have a single quote from anyone -- scouts, coaches, opponents, current or former players, anyone -- who will go on the record saying that VanHalanger or anyone else is a problem. And while I can't provide numbers from Florida's or Alabama's S&C program as a comparison, I can say that Georgia's strength numbers have continued to go up throughout Mark Richt's tenure in Athens.

So what we get here is a lot of what Belue offers -- innuendo. And perhaps it's true, but as I said, I don't have anyone saying anything negative on the record, and it's not for a lack of trying on my part.

Again, I don't know if there's just smoke or a raging inferno here. I do know that when the team was decimated by injuries in 2008, Richt's response was essentially, "Boy, we've had some bad luck." And when a rash of hamstring injuries befell the team in the fall of '09, Richt's response was, "Hey, no one really understands hamstring injuries. They just happen."

Those answers are fine if they're intended for mass audiences. But if they're the answers Richt is willing to accept behind closed doors, that's a concern.

Because while I can't get an on-the-record critique, Richt can and should. And if he hasn't done that, he's as guilty as if he's simply left Willie Martinez in charge of the defense and carried on as if nothing was wrong.

OK, a few other links before we wrap up...

-- Marc Weiszer has the legal outcome in the Montez Robinson case. I'm told that Robinson is likely to remain on the team but will have some very strict rules he has to follow.

-- Tim Tucker looks at the pursuit of Todd Grantham.

-- Chip Towers says the early indications are that Georgia isn't going to benefit on the recruiting trail from the troubles at Tennessee.

-- The Banner-Herald has a run down of all of Georgia's secondary violations in 2009.

-- WUOG blogs that Mark Richt "seems" to have lost control of his program. (See how easy it is to use that word?)

-- Buck Belue (he's quite prolific lately, eh?) writes that this spring should offer a fun competition for the quarterback job.

-- The Houston Chronicle has an update on Herschel Walker's MMA career.

-- The Detroit Free Press writes that the Lions remain confident that Matthew Stafford has a bright future.

-- Another close-but-no-cigar game for Mark Fox's squad.

-- A baseball player from my neck of the woods is committed to come to Georgia next year.

-- The Red & Black writes that Chance Veazey is finally getting to do some things he'd always wanted.

-- Vanity Fair has an update and photos from "Wall Street 2."

-- "Ghostbusters 3" could start filming this year.

-- And finally, what could be better than a show that combines the '80s with stars from "Kids in the Hall"? It almost makes me wish I lived in Canada. If only they had free health care...

Hoops Preps for Another Big Game

Big game for the Georgia basketball team tonight at Stegeman as the Dawgs host No. 23 Ole Miss.

I have a story in today's Telegraph about how Georgia has made steps in the right direction, but they're hardly satisfied.

CBS Sports has a good profile of the work Mark Fox has done to get this team turned around and pointed in the right direction.

And the Banner-Herald profiles Georgia's new human highlight reel, Mr. Travis Leslie. (And if you haven't seen the dunk at Kentucky yet... what are you waiting for? Of course, don't forget about the one against Tech last week either.)

Here's a bit more of what a few of the Dawgs had to say about the current state of Georgia hoops...

Mark Fox on his reaction to UGA's performance against Kentucky...
“I told them in the middle of the game that I was proud of the fact they were competing toe to toe, that they’d gone 30-plus minutes throwing punches, taking punches and throwing some more. The next step for us is to be able to finish it. We ran out of gas because I didn’t play our bench enough, but our bench has to play better so they can play more. The bottom line is we got beat and we don’t believe in moral victories. There’s another level you have to get to so you can win games like this.”

Fox on his expectations for the team during a 3-game stretch vs. top-25 foes...
“I thought we were going to win at Kentucky. I’m not going to lie. I thought that was a game we could win, the timing and the way that it fill. So if we can win and be 2-1, we’ll take that. But you’ll always say, ‘Dang it, we could be 3-0.’”

Dustin Ware on building confidence...
“I think we’ve learned something about ourselves in the Kentucky game with the type of resilience we showed. I think we all thought with some time we could become a very good team, and I think it’s starting to come around.”

Ware on the team's perceptions of its season...
“Our goals have never changed, never been altered. We always wanted to be great, and that’s still our goal, still what we’re striving for.”

Ware on the Kentucky game...
“We didn’t get the win, so we really didn’t accomplish anything, so it’s on to the next one for us.”

Ware on Ole Miss...
“They have a lot of weapons and that’s something we’ll have to be conscious about when we’re out on the floor. But if we come out and play hard, hopefully we can make it interesting.”

Albert Jackson on what the team has learned so far...
“I think we learned how tough we are and that we can play with any competition. We’ve overcome a lot more challenges and we’re a lot better team than people expected us to be – maybe even more than some people on our team truly believed. Sometimes you have to see it to believe it, and I think everybody truly sees it now, and that just makes us work even harder in everything we do.”

Jackson on what the big performances mean for younger players...
“It’s huge for them to see the fruits of their labor. As a young player, that’s all you see is the results. You don’t really see how the little things lead to the results. So you have to see some success like that to see what you really can do and how much you really have grown.”

Jackson on this year vs. last year...
“At this point in time last year it’s when we went downhill. This year, I think it’s the point we’re starting to uplift ourselves. Last year we weren’t prepared for SEC play and now I think the sky is the limit for us. But it’s all on us how good we do.”

Wednesday Links (1/13)

I just got a bit of breaking news... apparently Tennessee is now negotiating with Conan O'Brien to bring him in as head coach.

OK, yeah, I can do better... you're right... gotta up my game, but I'm still a little groggy.

Seriously though, could this whole situation be any more entertaining? I mean, it's just too perfect. I'm almost surprised that anyone is actually surprised by this.

I'm not sure if there's any truth to the implications in this video... but it almost made me like Urban Meyer for a second.

I also enjoyed this note from Kathleen, put on the blog last night: "Didn't Kiffin say Tennessee would not lose to Georgia as long as he was coach? What a prophet!"

All part of the plan, Kathleen.

My buddy Tom texted me early this morning to let me know he's already turned down an offer to take over at Tennessee. I think that was the wise move.

My favorite quote about the situation came from Georgia Sports Blog, which said, "This is like divorcing a stripper." Indeed.

And as many have pointed out, including an anonymous commenter last night, how much of a screw up do you have to be to make Al Davis look like an intellectual voice of reason.

Schlagdawg posted a link to this absolutely amazing piece of YouTube video of one UT fan's reaction to Kiffy heading west. (Warning: NSFW)

And yesterday, I linked to a list of how various "Lost" characters would make a PB&J sandwich. I figured I could add in Lane's instructions, too:

1.) Complain that Urban Meyer illegally contacted the jelly while it was on UT's campus.

2.) Tell the peanut butter that it'll pump gas for a living if it doesn't become part of his sandwich.

3.) Send players to knock over a convenience store to get the bread.

4.) Include several bananas, a tomato, six Fig Newtons and a Gordita Supreme in the sandwich, but assure everyone that "it's all part of the plan."

5.) Take one bite of sandwich, then trade it in for a pastrami on rye.

OK, OK... enough with the Kiffin jokes. Let's get to some links...

-- Things got pretty ugly in Knoxville last night after the Kiffin news broke.

-- Tennessee's next head coach could easily be a former UGA guy -- either Kirby Smart (you knew someone would have to bring it up, right?) or Will Muschamp.

-- Good point from Dawg Stephen about the foresight by Rodney Garner in this whole mess at Tennessee.

Alright, let's get back to the real subject UGA fans care about -- the DC search.

-- First off, Chip Towers takes a look at how some of the recruits are handling the chaos surrounding the search. I think this is starting to become a bigger and bigger issue. Many of UGA's commitments and recruits have explicitly been told that the search is coming to an end or that they'll be excited about the eventual hire... and those kids have to be starting to wonder right now.

-- Jeff Schultz says if this was how Mark Richt planned for things to shake out, he's got a lot of egg on his face at the moment. I'm inclined to agree with Schultz to an extent, but as others have pointed out, we're debating two separate things right now: The process and the result.

To date, the process has been a bit ugly, and that's not great for business on the recruiting trail. But the result could -- and likely will -- turn out just fine, and that's the real issue.

But I was on 960 the Ref this morning with our pals David Johnston and Stephen Hartzell (where you can catch me each week on Tuesday at 9:05 a.m. -- hint, hint) and I mentioned one other major concern that involves the area where the process and the result overlap.

The names that have been mentioned for the job to date are ones that have gotten fans excited, and for good reason. I'm sure that isn't why Richt talked to them, but that's just the way it is. If Richt goes out now and hires someone that fans are more apathetic (or worse, disappointed) by, that creates a problem of perception.

When Richt canned Willie Martinez & Co., it was for Xs and Os purposes, but also because the environment for those guys had become too toxic, and the heat had been turned up too high for them to stay in Georgia. It was a daily fight against the angry message board mob.

Now, if Richt brings in a guy who was either his fourth or fifth or sixth option, the onus for success once again falls onto the head coach and the new DC. The hot seat is already hot from Day 1. The questions will linger through a long offseason -- did Richt get the right guy? -- and the results will need to occur from Day 1.

If Bud Foster comes in and the defense struggles early, the overwhelming reaction would be, "Well, he's cleaning up Willie's mess. Give him time."

If Joe Schmoe (or Todd Grantham or Travis Jones) comes in as Richt's 5th choice and the defense struggles early, the overwhelming reaction will no doubt be, "See, he wasn't the right guy. Richt screwed this up from Day 1."

That's a ton of pressure to put on the new DC, whomever it ends up being, and that's why the process inherently matters in the end. It's sets the stage through which fans will view the results. Nothing happens in a vacuum, and right now Richt is making it tougher on his next DC with each passing day.

-- Of course, reading Chris Low's commentary on Todd Grantham only further underscores the notion that he can more than handle the job. It seems to me he has essentially the same qualifications (minus a national title) that Kirby Smart has, only he also brings with him an extra decade of experience and and NFL pedigree. He's a Nick Saban protege and clearly someone still valued highly at both the college and NFL levels.

-- One other thing on the DC stuff... I've heard a handful of people suggest Richt simply goes ahead and hires his other assistants to get the ball rolling. That simply won't work. You can't assume the guy you're going to hire as DC is going to be a secondary coach or a D line coach. Who gets hired as DC affects who you need to hire for the rest of the staff. Otherwise you're sort of pigeonholing yourself or asking a DC to take over a position he may not be entirely comfortable with, which makes the sell even more difficult.

Of course, the other question then becomes: If UGA does get someone like Grantham who is a DL coach, what happens with Rodney Garner? And if Grantham brings a 3-4 scheme with him, how does that affect things? There are a lot of moving pieces here.

-- Bill Shanks writes for the Telegraph that Kirby Smart probably made the best decision in the end.

-- The AJC has a really interesting article on the college football "arms race" when it comes to coaches and big salaries asking the question: Is it sustainable?

-- Marc Weiszer takes a look at how different the SEC East is going to look next year.

-- I meant to link to this yesterday, but Florida has a whopping 11 recruits enrolled early this spring. That's fairly impressive, I thought, but then I looked at last year's results and found that, of the 25 players on the SEC's All-Freshman team from 2009, only one -- South Carolina's Stephone Gilmore -- was an early enrollee. So maybe it doesn't make a whole lot of difference.

-- Here's the final Mumme Poll results of the year. I don't have any real problem with how things lined up -- I liked Boise State better than No. 5, but I get it -- so I'm dubbing the 2009 poll a success.

-- It's a Lewis Grizzard Wednesday over at The Grit Tree, which takes to today to remind us that it could always be worse, and it's bound to get better.

-- Libby and Michael will be back on "Lost" for the final season, which is great news. Here are seven more tidbits about Season 6 that we learned from the show's news conference Tuesday. (And as a side note, I think the two things I'll be most upset about if they aren't explained this season are the numbers and what the heck Libby was doing in the insane asylum with Hurley. Those two would nag at me.)

-- I love that Conan is going after NBC and not making this whole mess easy on them. He got absolutely screwed.

-- Jimmy Kimmell spent his entire show last night dressed as Jay Leno.

-- Things aren't exactly going well with the "Scrubs" spinoff, and Bill Lawrence is taking the blame.

-- ABC says it's fixing some problems with "Flash Forward" during the hiatus. I'm not sure I even care anymore.

-- Rotten Tomatoes has its list of the best reviewed films of 2009. I haven't seen "The Hurt Locker" yet, but it's next up in my Netflix queue. (BTW, I went to see "Up in the Air" last weekend... fantastic.)(Second BTW, isn't "queue" the strangest word in the English language to spell?)

-- I know we have a bunch of "Modern Family" fans here, so good news for you -- the show has officially been picked up for Season 2.

-- And finally, I've been embroiled in a rare intellectual (OK, occasionally intellectual) discussion via email with some friends about Mark McGwire's admission of steroid use. Two things worth adding (courtesy of Rob Neyer): 1.) A whole heap o' blame needs to go to Bud Selig, who knew that McGwire was juicing as far back as 1993. And 2.) Just because pro athletes are bad at apologizing doesn't necessarily mean they aren't sincere. I think McGwire might actually feel pretty bad, and this is one of the reasons why.

Tuesday Links (1/12)

No big intro today. Straight to some links...

-- I've been surprised at how emotional the reaction to the Kirby Smart proceedings has been from Georgia fans. Knowing the passion that surrounds the program, perhaps I shouldn't be, but I'll admit, I didn't predict such anger. I still think, however, that in a few months, it'll be a lot of water under the bridge and, in the end, this might have been best for both Kirby and Georgia. We shall see.

Regardless, amid a lot of the hostility, I think our pal Bernie has perhaps the most rational and reasoned response to everything.

-- The Senator isn't ready to jump off a cliff yet, but his solution to the situation is pretty dramatic.

-- Bulldog In Exile takes a more in-depth look at the situation and comes to a firm conclusion: What matters is that Richt eventually delivers on his promise to make a hire that gets the Dawgs back atop the SEC East. (And not to pick nits with Mr. Exile, of whom I'm a great admirer, but I think he's underestimating how far the Vic Koenning stuff went.)

-- T Kyle King thinks this whole situation should come to an end with Travis Jones as the defensive coordinator.

-- Cousin Walter reviews the situation, too, and says he'd still be happy with Todd Grantham.

-- Georgia Sports Blog has a smorgasbord of good info today: From a rather well-reasoned argument to why Kirby Smart is, indeed, a jerk to the importance of Wednesday's hoops game against Ole Miss to the silver lining from yesterday that will hopefully cheer a few folks up.

-- Jeff Owens wasn't invited to the NFL combine, and The Sporting News thinks he got jobbed. (h/t Jim F)

-- And looking over the invite list, Marc Weiszer wonders if it's not an indication of a real talent drop-off for Georgia.

In my humble opinion, I think it is indicative of two things that are both restricted to 2009 alone: 1.) There was no serious NFL talent graduating on offense and the defense simply didn't have that much veteran talent last year. Blame Willie if you must -- after all, he had a hand in the recruiting -- but that simply wasn't a great group of defensive players on the field in 2009.

-- Team Speed Kills has a really strong analysis of the upcoming "wide open" year in the SEC East.

-- This is a few days old but I forgot to link to it earlier: Mark Schlabach's way-too-early top 25 for 2010.

-- This may not be safe for work, but our old pal Brett Jensen has created a tribute to the ladies of bowl season that will no doubt be the highlight of any adolescent male's week.

-- Kiplinger's ranks Georgia as the sixth-best value among college coaches -- ahead of the Trade School but still behind Florida.

-- Here's a good interview with the actor who plays one of the most underrated characters on TV -- Kevin from "The Office."

-- I can't decide if I'm intrigued or concerned by the trailer for the new "A-Team" movie. I think I'm happy that it looks like they're just trying to blow a lot of stuff up and not go through the facade of making a credible film.

-- Here's an interesting bit of info from Netflix that shows the top 10 rentals by zip code in several major cities, including Atlanta. Seriously, what's with all the folks in Palmetto, Ga. renting "Paul Blart: Mall Cop"?

-- If you missed my Tweet about this yesterday... sad news... Riggins is leaving "Friday Night Lights." Of course, I think he's actually closer to collecting social security than being in high school, so perhaps it's time.

-- In a surprise to no one, "Glee" has officially been picked up for a second season.

-- The "Arrested Development" movie will start shooting this year... woo hoo!

-- A new study suggests watching TV can shorten your life. Sure, if you call not watching TV living.

-- And finally, I've read way too much to get psyched up for the final season of "Lost" so I was thrilled to read something that actually made me laugh -- how each character makes a peanut butter-and-jelly sandwich.