Damon Evans Arrested on DUI Charges

This counts as a REALLY bad story.

UGA Athletics Director Damon Evans was arrested overnight on charges of driving under the influence in Atlanta. MyFoxAtlanta.com has the full story and the mug shot. I'm still working on details, which I'll post as soon as I get them.

UPDATE (12:50 p.m.)

-- The AJC has a few more details including comment from a police spokesman. Still no word from UGA or Evans.

One interesting nugget out of the AJC report is this:

Wright said a passenger with Evans also was taken to jail. Wright could not immediately provide further details.

This adds a bit more intrigue to an already volatile story, depending on who the mysterious passenger was. If it was another UGA employee, that could be significantly more problematic.

As for the actual charges, Evans' apparent refusal to submit to a breath test violates the state's implied consent law.

Under Georgia's implied consent law, you are agreeing to chemical testing when you driving a motor vehicle. The implied consent law basically means that if you are driving you are "consenting" to DUI testing upon being suspected of DUI.

In the state of Georgia, you are required to submit to a breathalyzer is required by a police officer. If you refuse, you could lose your license or receive other penalties.

What that means is, Evans is subject to various automatic penalties which could include loss of driving privileges, but it is not legal evidence of guilt on DUI charges. So, there's still much we won't know regarding the situation for a while.

Of course, as has been said numerous times of Georgia's players following an off-field incident -- sometimes guilt is less important than how the situation appears. And this looks really bad.

I would expect some comment from UGA or Michael Adams at some point, but I've not been informed of a time table on that.

Notes: Smith Will See Work on Offense

A year ago, Branden Smith had five more touches on offense than he had tackles on defense. But for the speedy cornerback, his sophomore campaign figures to include a lot more time in the defensive backfield – and perhaps a bit less time making plays for the offense.

While Smith is currently listed behind Vance Cuff at corner on Georgia’s depth chart, he still has a strong shot at winning the starting job in the fall, and he would almost certainly be the first defensive back off the bench in nickel situations. That could complicate things a tad when the Bulldogs’ offensive coaches want to give Smith a chance to get a few touches on that side of the ball this season.

“We want to use Branden offensively still because he was very effective,” Mark Richt said. “But he will probably be getting a lot more work on the defensive side of the ball, and he may very well be the starter by the time the season rolls around.”

That doesn’t mean the increased workload on defense will necessarily stifle Smith’s potential on offense. Richt said his goal is to make sure Georgia’s most explosive players get a chance to score as often as possible on offense, and that includes the speedy Smith. Just how much Smith sees action on offense, however, likely depends on the progress of Georgia’s other receivers and on Smith’s conditioning in the early part of the season.

“Those first three games are going to be high noon, and it’s going to be tremendously hot,” Richt said. “So we’re going to have to look in his eye and decide if he’s got enough juice to go run that reverse or whatever play and still have the energy he needs to cover guys throughout the ballgame. But I think as the weather cools down, that shouldn’t be a factor.”

BIGGER, STRONGER, FASTER

Marlon Brown’s slow start to his college career came as a surprise to many fans who expected the highly recruited wide receiver to blossom as a freshman the way A.J. Green had the year before. Richt knew better.

“Marlon played in a league (in high school) that didn’t challenge him much physically in my opinion,” Richt said. “He was kind of a man among boys in that league, and I really felt like it was going to take him a little time to get up to speed with SEC play.”

At Harding Academy in Memphis, the 6-foot-5 Brown had an easy go of things. At Georgia, however, growing pains were in store.

So none of Brown’s early struggles proved disappointing to Richt. Instead, the coach is thrilled to see just how much his young receiver has developed since catching just two passes his rookie year.

“He’s in tremendous condition, and he’s big, strong, physical,” Richt said. “He might be the best blocking receiver right now, and he’s only getting stronger.”

ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENTS

After saying goodbye to five senior defensive tackles – including three who were taken in April’s NFL draft – Richt figured there would be some big transitions in store on the defensive line. On the plus side, however, the team’s move to a 3-4 defensive scheme – with just three down linemen used in a base set – there was one fewer hole to fill.

“Interior D line, we lost five seniors inside, and you’d think that would be a big issue,” Richt said. “And it probably will. That’s one of our concerns. Some guys might just mature fast enough to play that position. But just people learning in general, there’s a lot to learn out there.”

Still, there are some reasons for optimism, including the progress made by junior DeAngelo Tyson, sophomore Abry Jones and redshirt freshman Kwame Geathers – all who figure to play prominent roles on the line in 2010.

The wild card, however, might be Justin Anderson – a converted offensive lineman who has yet to practice with the defense, but whose 330-pound frame could make him a one-man wrecking crew at the nose position.

"It's going to be a challenge to see if these guys can really control the double teams that they need to inside,” Richt said of the nose position. “That's part of the reason we moved Justin Anderson in there is because he is a big, giant, powerful man and if he can take to it, I think he's going to be tough to block."

EXPANDING ISSUES

With the first dominoes of conference expansion beginning to fall, the questions about what will happen in the SEC continue to abound.

With Colorado and Nebraska appearing close to a move, the ripple effects of what could be the demise of the Big 12 could be huge. And with that in mind, even Richt, who had been skeptical that any big changes were in store, admits things are heating up everywhere.

“There’s some really serious stuff going on out there,” Richt said. “I don’t know about our league. I really feel like we have a great league, and a lot of people believe that. … I don’t think we’re in a rush to change much, but I do think Commissioner (Mike) Slive will make a good decision. I’m sure he’s thinking about what’s going on in the college football landscape and I think he’ll keep us on top.”

While teams like Texas, Virginia Tech or Miami have been discussed as potential SEC additions should expansion occur, the most prevalent rumors seem to surround Georgia’s neighbors on the recruiting trail, including Georgia Tech, Clemson and Florida State.

While the Bulldogs already go head to head with those schools for the top recruits, Richt’s coaches currently have the distinct advantage of being the only one among that group that can provide the prestige of a career in the SEC. And while that’s no doubt a luxury, Richt said, he doesn’t believe expansion would necessarily have a big impact on how the Bulldogs recruit.

"Some (recruits) really want to play in the Southeastern Conference, but there's a lot of them that are just trying to find the best fit for them," he said.

EVANS TAKES BLAME

Two weeks ago, Georgia athletics director Damon Evans told the school’s athletics association board of directors that he had a clear mission for the Bulldogs’ teams in 2010: “We must do better.”

While that means ratcheting up expectations for sports like football and baseball – both of which drastically underperformed expectations during the 2009-10 seasons – Evans isn’t taking any heat off himself for Georgia’s unusually lackluster athletics during the past year.

“I take full responsibility because at the end of the day the buck stops with me,” Evans said. “I’m not the guy doing the Xs and Os and recruiting and all of that, but I do believe that as the leader of an organization that I’ve got to provide them with the necessary resources to be successful – whether that’s from money to facilities or what have you – and at the same time, am I providing the leadership that’s going to allow us to rise and be where we should be. That’s why I have to take a look at myself as well. You can’t run away from things.”

Bulldog Road Tour Kicks Off in Columbus

It's going to be a long wait until fall camp kicks off in August, but you can get a small fix of Bulldogs football during the UGA Bulldog Road Tour this spring.

The first stop is in Columbus, where Mark Richt, Mark Fox and Damon Evans are scheduled to meet with fans at the Columbus Civic Center.

The event is sponsored by the Chattahoochie Valley Bulldog Club. Here are the details:

When: April 22, 2010 (Thurs.)
Time: 6 pm - Autographs, 7 pm - Question and Answer session
Where: Columbus Civic Center Hospitality Suite
Cost: Free to all 2010 paid members

If you're not a member but would like to join, you can find info at www.cvdawgs.com.

SEC Tourney Post-Game Reactions

About to close up shop here in Nashville, but some final input from Mark Fox and his players...

Fox on the game and the season:
“I’m upset we lost. I didn’t plan on losing. We were planning on being here (Saturday) afternoon. I am proud of this team because when I came everybody kept telling me how terrible we were. I don’t know if we were necessarily a great basketball team, but we beat some people maybe we weren’t supposed to beat, we’ve given our program some momentum, and we earned some respect back. In rebuilding, those are steps you have to take. So I don’t feel empty because we did take some steps forward, but I’m angry that we lost.”

Fox on Travis Leslie's 34-point performance:
"Travis played very well. I think that he's really matured as a young man and as a player, and he played very well last night, and was able to put back-to-back games together. I wish we had a couple more guys that could have done that. He's really maturing as a player, and that's good to see."

Fox on Trey Thompkins' scoreless first half:
"They zoned us the majority of the ballgame and they were shaded towards Trey. We had a tough time finding openings for him, but he's been our best player and our leading scorer all year. So obviously when you go into a game, the defense is going to be geared to slow him down. And when we've been most effective, we've had more than one guy that has scored next to him. Tonight, we really only had Travis effectively scoring around Trey and just couldn't draw some of that attention away from him."

Fox on his post-game message to his team:
"I just told them that we were prepared to play tomorrow. I never felt like this team wanted this season to be over. I didn't have that sense at all today. Often times at the end of the year, you sense guys that are just waiting for it to end. I never sensed that with this team. And they were excited to come to the gym every day, and today also. I just told them that they've made some momentum forward and earned some respect back for our program, and I'll always be appreciative of that."

Fox on the decisions facing Trey Thompkins and Travis Leslie about the NBA:
“They need to decompress, but I’ll sit down with them and talk about their futures and find out what the pro people say and manage the process. Travis has already said he’ll be back, but Travis needs to approach the offseason the right way, and both of them mean a lot to me. Those are great kids and I’ll help any way I can.”

Fox on UGA's chances of a postseason tourney bid in the CBI or CIT:
“We’re not going to get an invitation somewhere to play. We don’t have a winning record, and I’m pretty sure we’re done playing.”

Jeremy Price on his thoughts if UGA did get a chance to keep playing:
"We're a competitive team, and if there's a chance to compete of any kind, we'll go in and win it."

Price on the second-half shooting of Vandy's John Jenkins:
“Jenkins is a great 3-point shooter and it seemed like he just made those 3s at the right time for them and the wrong time for us. Right when we were making our run to get back in the game and get ahead, he squeezed in two wide-open ones and two tough ones, and that was a game-changer.”

Trey Thompkins on Vandy's performance:
“They’re at home. They had momentum. They had a crowd, and they were confident. They played hard, relentless. And that rewards you.”

Thompkins on his NBA decision:
"That's something I don't even want to think about right now. If that time comes, I'll talk it over with my coaches and make the best decision for me."

Thompkins on whether the team's progress makes him want to stick around another year:
"We're maturing as a group and everybody's getting older -- we'll all be a year older and more experienced. A lot of those games we were close in and we lost, we'll start pulling out."

Travis Leslie on his future:
"I'm not thinking about that right now. If I do, it's going to be up to my parents, and we'll figure that out whenever we get a chance."

Damon Evans on his assessment of the team:
"I saw a lot of growth this year. We're building a program, and I'm excited we were able to come to this tournament and win a game to move our program forward. The young men fought hard, and I think Mark and his staff did a really good job to start that process, and I'm excited about what the future holds."

Evans on whether the team exceeded his expectations:
"I always felt Mark would come in and do a good job, but where this team really showed me something is the improvement from the players individually, the improvement from the overall chemistry together, and how hard they fought. I think they exceeded a lot of people's expectations, and I'm pleased with the progress -- extremely pleased."

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.”

The Latest on the Coaching Rumors

Today, we come to the end of the regular season. Tomorrow, we're likely to start a whole new whirlwind of activity.

The rumor mill on the fate of Georgia's assistant coaches has been swirling for two full years now, and it's about to reach a fever pitch. It's hard to say what will happen, when it will happen or how dramatic the effects will be. But I can tell you two things for certain:

First, there will be changes. That doesn't necessarily mean that coaches will be gone, but while fans have taken much of Mark Richt's unflinching approach to this year's problems as a tacit endorsement of the status quo, I'm told that what has gone on behind closed doors is not so calm, cool and collected. Again, I have not been told that any changes are definitively in the works, but those fans who thinkRicht will not take a hard look at his program are underestimating him.

Second, a new set of assistants will not be an instant fix. A cursory look at the history of programs that have had massive coaching overhauls on one side of the ball or the other reveals as many instances where the head coach has been gone within a year or two as it reveals situations in which the problems were solved. Most fans look at coaching changes as a necessity, but there are drawbacks in terms of recruits being lost, the time it takes for players to adjust to a new system and the time it takes for the new coaches to adjust to their surroundings. In many cases, it's a situation of being careful what you wish for.

Beyond that, there isn't much that's set in stone for next week. If changes are going to be made, they could come quickly to avoid a lot of negative recruiting during the all-important contact period next week. Or coaches could stick around for the bowl game. Or changes could me made, then more happen among the assistants after a new coordinator is brought in. Or nothing will happen at all.

But while we're waiting to find out, here are a few issues I've come across in recent days...

What will happen with Rodney Garner?

In the discussions about Willie Martinez's future, Garner's name invariably comes up. The assumption is that if Garner isn't going to be offered a coordinator job, he might choose to leave rather than settle for being passed over for a promotion. This is worrisome for fans who have seen Garner turn Georgia's recruiting into a juggernaut during his tenure.

Garner was a hot commodity last season, interviewing for Auburn's head coaching job and being offered spots on the staff of both Lane Kiffin at Tennessee and Gene Chizik, after he was eventually brought in as the head coach at Auburn.

Even beyond recruiting, Garner's potential departure could cause other problems. Much was made a few weeks ago about Montez Robinson's potential transfer, and that issue would no doubt rise again if Garner left. The two are extremely close, and Robinson told me that had Garner left last season, he would have followed. Robinson is hardly the only Georgia player with close ties to Garner, so it could certainly shake things up if he leaves.

But there's more on Garner…

I spoke with Garner earlier this week about his interest in potential head coaching vacancies throughout the country, of which there will be more than a few at both theFBS and FCS levels. He was a bit reserved in his comments for obvious reasons, but he said he would not rule out pursuing another head coaching job regardless of any changes at Georgia. Beyond that, however, he was keeping quiet.

"My whole focus is Georgia Tech," he said. "Let’s get this behind us and we’ll deal with whatever comes.”

But there's even more on Garner...

Dean Legge at Dawg Post ($$$) submitted a Freedom of Information request for all the assistant coaches' contracts last week. UGA reported back that Garner, in fact, didn't have a contract.

This seemed odd, so I asked Garner about it. His response was short and sweet:

“Ask Mr. Evans."

I then asked if that meant that it was not Garner's decision not to sign a contract.

"Someone else would be in a better position to explain it,” he said.

Well, I took Garner's advice and talked to Damon Evans about it. Here's how that conversation went:

Me: Why is it that Coach Garner doesn't have a contract?
Damon: "He just hasn't signed one."
Me: So did he have a problem with the contract that was offered?
Damon: "No, he just hasn't signed his contract."
Me: So is that something you would have liked to have seen happen?
Damon: "I'll just leave it like this: He hasn't signed a contract."

Sounds like a great relationship, eh?

Of course, that leads us into our next big issue regarding potential coaching changes...

Will Damon Evans open up his wallet to bring in a top guy if a job opens up?

While most fans seem to be upset with Richt for his lack of interest in making changes, it might be fair to wonder what kind of resources Richt would have to work with should changes be required. I have had a couple of sources tell me they aren't sure how much money Georgia would be willing to spend to lure away a top defensive coordinator, let alone buying out a contract that might add to the overall price tag.

(NOTE: According to USA Today's recent analysis of coaching salaries, Georgia currently spends $2,029,816 on its assistant coaches, which ranks sixth among the 11 public institutions in the SEC. Florida ranks seventh, $65,000 behind Georgia, and Kentucky ranks eighth, $80,000 behind theDawgs.)

Hearing this struck a chord with me. I had actually talked to Evans in the spring about this very subject. After Lane Kiffin broke the bank to bring in a staff of heavy hitters at Tennessee, I asked Evans if he thought that might change the landscape of what assistants at Georgia make. Here's what he said at the time:

"My philosophy is this: We want to keep up with the marketplace. Three institutions don't set the marketplace from my standpoint. They have to do what they feel is appropriate for them, but what I like to do is look at the big picture and see where everyone is big picture and ask, where is Georgia in that marketplace: Lower, middle or upper? Wherever we are, do we feel comfortable with where we are? That's the question I have to answer every day. I tend to believe that we have kept our coaches in a good position in the marketplace.

"Do I think that marketplace is going to change? Yes, I think it's going to change. Will we at Georgia do what's appropriate for the University of Georgia with regard to that marketplace? Yes, at the right time, but I'm not going to overreact to what a handful of schools have done."

Of course, that's what Evans had to say this spring, long before Georgia was a 6-5 team and surrounded by coaching rumors. So, to be fair, I asked him again this week if he had changed his philosophy at all, and I didn't exactly get the response I was expecting.

"First of all, I never gave a philosophy with regard to that, and I don't know if right now is the appropriate time to be talking about that," Evans said. "We've got coaches that are under contract and are paid what they're paid. When you say 'philosophy,' I'm kind of lost when you say 'philosophy.'"

I then proceeded to explain exactly what I meant by "philosophy" and here's what Evans said:

"Let me say this: I never gave you a philosophy with regard to what we would do salary-wise," he said. "I said that I'm not going to overreact to what one or two institutions do. So I always say, what we'll do at Georgia is what we believe is appropriate for that particular coach and for that particular time."

Now, maybe I'm way off base here, but it seems to me when your comments begin with "My philosophy is this" and you go on to explain a philosophy, I don't see what's particularly confusing about me referring to that as a philosophy.

And just to be clear, I had emailed Evans the full quote for him to read, but he said he did not receive the email. Regardless, it seemed silly to argue over semantics.

Still, I think we can parse what he did say a bit:

-- "I'm not going to overreact to what one or two institutions do."

What this tells me is that anybody who thinks money won't be an object is not going to be pleased.

-- "We'll do at Georgia is what we believe is appropriate for that particular coach and for that particular time."

What this tells me is that a bump in the overall salary structure won't necessarily be ruled out for the right guy.

As to which of those two statements takes precedent, should a vacancy arise, will likely be the biggest factor in who Georgia would bring in to fill out the staff.

Will Mark Richt even make a change?

A year ago, Richt was definitive in saying that he would not be making any changes to his staff. This year, he has largely avoided the topic, save a few minor examples. When asked this week about how he would handle things, he said he wouldn't be letting public sentiment dictate his evaluation process.

“You can’t let public opinion run your program is probably the best way to say it,” Richt said.

That didn't exactly engender a ton of excitement in fans hopeful for changes, but Richt also alluded to possible moves earlier this year in what was perhaps his most damning statement about the staff, way back in mid-October.

"I think a lot of people expect blood," Richt said after a loss to Tennessee. "They want somebody to be let go or fired or that kind of thing, and maybe that's what needs to be done, but at this point right now, we're going to do what we know is the best thing to do and that's to focus on this game this week."

Well, in the two losses since then -- both of which involved Georgia allowing more than 30 points -- the blood lust from fans has hardly dissipated. And regardless of how muchRicht has avoided the topic in favor of a bunker mentality the past few weeks, he must be aware of the public opinion.

As for how likely changes might be, Dean Legge notes that at least one change ($$$) has come on Richt's staff in all but one season since he's been in Athens.

2001: Entirely new staff save Rodney Garner
2002: Tony Pierce dismissed
2003: Ken Rucker
2004: None
2005: John Jancek, Kirby Smart
2006: Tony Ball
2007: Stacy Searels
2008: John Lilly
2009: Bryan McClendon

Of course, it should also be noted that, of all those changes, Pierce's dismissal was the only one that wasn't voluntary.

What role will Damon Evans have in deciding what changes will be made?

I posed this question to Evans this week, too, and while he offered more support for Richt, he stopped short of saying that he wouldn't be involved in making those decisions.

"Like with everything, all programs are evaluated at the end of the year," Evans said. "As I've stated before, I have confidence that Mark will evaluate his program and do what he feels is appropriate, just like he does every single year. Right now I think our focus should be on the Georgia Tech game, and whatever we deem or CoachRicht deems appropriate, we'll handle at that time."

That's what we'll all be waiting for, no doubt. It should be an interesting week, regardless of what happens tonight.

And while you're waiting, here are a few more tidbits on the coaches that might interest you…

Per the USA Today report, here are the contract terms for each of Georgia's assistants:

Coach	Salary	Max Bonus	Nat'l Rank*
Willie Martinez	$325,815	$92,150	34
Mike Bobo	$325,000	$92,150	35
Stacy Searels	$290,000	$92,150	68
Rodney Garner	$290,000	$92,150	70
Jon Fabris	$202,041	$76,852	196
John Lilly	$165,480	$62,882	312
Tony Ball	$165,480	$62,882	312
John Jancek	$163,000	$57,650	332
Bryan McClendon	$90,000	$34,200	657

*National rank also includes other income from things like shoe and/or apparel contracts, TV and radio appearances, speeches and public appearances or camps. ForUGA's staff, that amounts to $1,600 per coach, with the exception of Garner who is not eligible due to his lack of a current contract.

** All coaches are on one-year contracts, except Garner.

And finally, here's an email from John B. that I figured I'd pass along...

David,

I was searching the internet tonight for any info on the rumor that Willie has turned in his resignation effective after the Tech game....

I found this site for a petition to fire Willie.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/3/fire-willie-martinez

Its been signed 517 times. The last one coming on Feb 19th. I couldn't help but reading some of these comments. It seems like they were ripped from this years head line. I particularly like #453. It seems like it is pointing to this year's defense.

# 453:
2:09 pm PST, Dec 5, John McCarthy, Georgia
For UGA fto ever challange for a National Title they must do the following: On offense, quit being nice to your opponents...GO FOR THE JUGULAR AND PILE UP THE POINTS! Otherwise theBCS will keep saying Georgia Who?. On defense, pull out some old film and learn how to play REAL defense without mistakes. Last but not least, Defense winschampoinships and has forever. Put your coach on notice...win here or go lose somewhere else. Earn your salary for a change! Coach the players to stop making key dumb mistakes. Quit giving the momentum back to the opponent. Theupperclasmen make to many freshman mistakes.

As a side note I wonder if that is "Big John" McCarthy from UFC fame making comments on the dawgs.

The Cost of a Big Game

I wrote earlier today about Georgia's tough scheduling philosophy during the past few years. Since 2005, the Bulldogs have played (or will play this year) seven out-of-region opponents as part of Damon Evans' plan to market the team outside of the Southeast.

The thought process was that big games against non-regional opponents would create national attention. But until the Bulldogs head to Stillwater, Okla. on Saturday, I'm just not sure how true that has been. Let's take a closer look at how I'd rank the overall significance of the seven games through this season:

7. Arizona State, Sept. 26, 2009. I think I've heard more discussion of Tennessee Tech than of this matchup. Despite the name, I think most Georgia fans are essentially looking at this as a cake walk for the Dawgs.

(NEXT UP: LSU at home.)

6. Colorado, Sept. 23, 2006. There were really only two things to remember about this game: 1.) Joe Cox came in and led the Dawgs back from a 13-0 second-half deficit, and 2.) Colorado brought its mascot, Ralphi, the 1,300-pound Buffalo, with them to Athens. Colorado finished the season 2-10, which actually made Georgia's 8-4 campaign look pretty darned good.

(NEXT UP: Win over Ole Miss in Oxford, 14-9)

5. Central Michigan, Sept. 6, 2008. This was hardly a marquee matchup, but it did bring Dan LeFevour, who was garnering some early niche support for a Heisman, to town. This game was actually closer than most people remember in the first half -- probably a sign of things to come for Georgia -- but it featured two of the most memorable plays of the year for the Bulldogs: Demarcus Dobbs interception return for a touchdown at the end of the first half and Knowshon Moreno's leap. The latter didn't even make "SportsCenter," which in the end, probably turned into the most talked-about portion of this game. Final score, Georgia 56, Central Michigan 17.

(NEXT UP: Win over South Carolina in Columbia, 14-7)

4. Arizona State, Sept. 20, 2008. At the beginning of the season, this game looked like it was going to be a crucial step for the Bulldogs. Instead, the Sun Devils' offensive line was so bad it made Georgia's defensive ends actually seem impressive. Yes, as many as 30,000 Georgia fans traveled to Tempe for the game, but that probably helped gain respect for the Bulldogs far more than their 27-10 win over a lousy ASU team did.

(NEXT UP: Loss to Alabama in Athens, 41-30)

3. Oklahoma State, Sept. 1, 2007. In retrospect, it's hard to say what this game really meant. On one hand, the 35-14 beat down of the Cowboys put Georgia on the map following a disappointing 2006 season. On the other hand, a home loss to South Carolina came a week later, essentially ending Georgia's hopes for an SEC title. The Bulldogs spent the rest of the season trying to make up for the Gamecocks' defeat, and it's easy to wonder if things might have been different had Georgia opened against a less challenging opponent.

(NEXT UP: Loss to South Carolina in Athens, 16-12)

2. Boise State, Sept. 3, 2005. It might be hard to remember now, but there were a lot of people who thought the upstart Broncos would come to Athens and teach the Dawgs a thing or two about the impressiveness of the mid-majors. Instead, Georgia delivered a 48-13 beatdown that officially ushered in the D.J. Shockley era.

(NEXT UP: Win over South Carolina in Athens, 17-15)

1.) Oklahoma State, Sept. 5, 2009. No question about it, this is the biggest opponent to date, and it appears to be a tough test for Georgia. The Cowboys are a top-10 team from a power conference opening up a remodeled stadium before a lively crowd. But wouldn't you have said essentially the same thing about Arizona State before last year's game? I think the Cowboys will be decent this year, but they're still -- at best -- the third biggest name in the Big XII (and you could make an argument that they're actually closer to the fifth or sixth) that still has a lot of questions about the validity of their advanced billing.

(NEXT UP: South Carolina at home)

Now, you may disagree a bit with my rankings, but I think at the very least this should illustrate that the reward of a marquee matchup has hardly been worth the toll preparing for and playing a high-level team has put on the Bulldogs.

That, of course, is not to say that the plan has been a failure -- but rather that it simply hasn't been a success yet. There are some big games on the horizon, too. (*All schedules tentative, courtesy of Sic 'Em Dawgs.)

In 2010, Georgia plays at Colorado on Oct. 2.

In 2011, the Bulldogs open at home against Louisville on Sept. 3 and host New Mexico State on Nov. 5.

In 2012, Georgia goes to Louisville on Sept. 15 -- one week before traveling to Alabama.

In 2013, Georgia opens the season at Clemson on Aug. 31 with the Tigers returning the favor in 2014 in Athens.

So... what do you think? Are the tough opponents worthwhile -- particularly with an already arduous SEC slate and an annual date against Georgia Tech on the docket? Does the fact that Georgia is 5-0 with a number of blow-out wins in these games so far validate Evans' philosophy? Or does the fact that Georgia is just 3-2 the week after these games (with all three wins being decided by fewer than seven points) mean that the toll these games takes is more than they're worth?

Has Damon Doomed the Dawgs?

The grand plan seemed to make enough sense at the time. When the NCAA added a 12th game to the regular season, Damon Evans decided Georgia should add a big(ger)-name non-regional game to fill its annual slate. The idea behind the theory was that the games would garner national attention and help Georgia market itself beyond the Southeast.

Again, in theory, it was a win-win scenario. From a business standpoint, fans who had never been within 1,000 miles of Sanford Stadium would have a chance to see Georgia up close and personal, and maybe become fans of the Bulldogs along the way. From a TV standpoint, Georgia would be in line to headline the day's slate of games thanks to a matchup with national appeal. And from a football standpoint, the games would help Mark Richt and company widen the team's recruiting base.

In theory, it made sense. But with with easily the biggest of these supposed marquee matchups looming in Stillwater, Okla. in five days, has it really worked?

That probably depends on who you ask.

For one, the games haven't exactly lived up to the national billing. Last year's Arizona State trip was a lot of fun for the fans, but after the Sun Devils lost to UNLV the week before, the matchup lost much of its national appeal. As it turned out, the rest of Arizona State's season went down the toilet, too, meaning the win didn't even register as a particularly impressive one for Georgia by year's end either.

What did register was the inconvenience of making the trip.

"One of the biggest issues with it, just living through the Arizona State travel, that’s a tough trip to fly all the way over there and come back and be ready to keep grinding. The travel part is tougher than who you’re playing,” Richt said. “If all these teams we wanted to play would always come to Sanford Stadium or even Atlanta for that matter, I think it would be better for us.”

Richt has made no bones about saying he thinks the scheduling hasn't particularly worked in Georgia's favor, and while its hard to pin too much of the blame on the travel, Georgia did fall behind 31-0 in the first half of its next game after the ASU trip.

Of course, Richt's viewing the schedule from the perspective of a football coach, and Evans is obviously taking more of a business approach. On that level, he said, there's no questioning the success of the plan.

"It was an exciting time at Arizona State," Evans said. "I haven’t met a person yet who said it wasn’t a great trip, who said it wasn’t a great game. I remember Kirk Herbstreit saying, 'This is what Georgia needs to do.' I’ve always believed that and I will continue to believe that we need to continue to step out of this region. That’s why Oklahoma State, that’s why Arizona State, that’s why Colorado. Some might say, 'Damon, it’s too tough.' Maybe it is, but I’m not so sure. When you schedule those games, you don’t know how it’s going to play out. I know we’re in a tough conference but I want to get around and help grow that presence nationally, and I have confidence in us to be able to compete and beat those opponents, so that’s the route I’m going to continue to go.”

Evans may deem the tough scheduling as a win for Georgia, but the only wins that really count are the ones in the standings, and fans are getting a little tired of looking up at Florida -- a team that has made no bones about keeping a manageable schedule.

"Do we wake up and say, (UF AD) Jeremy (Foley) and I sit down, let's put together the most difficult schedule in college football? Absolutely not," Florida coach Urban Meyer said. "We have some great rivalries within the state. We're going to do that. There's not a whole lot of discussion about going out. Once again, our scheduling philosophy is we want to play at least one big time program. That's built in our schedule every year. Sometimes when you see USC play Ohio State, that's their big one. We already have FSU. Then we'll try every couple years to get another one in there. That's kind of what we've done."

That might be a valid point if Florida State had been a remotely "big" opponent at any point during Meyer's tenure, but that simply hasn't been the case. Still, it's a big-name opponent and the talent level on the field at FSU certainly takes its toll on the Gators.

Only... it doesn't really. That games ends the regular season for Florida, meaning the wear and tear of playing a top-tier opponent would only really be felt in a potential SEC title game (and yes, the Gators looked a bit "off" in the first half of last year's SEC championship) before the team got a month off to relax and recuperate before its bowl game.

That could be true for Georgia, too, but Evans isn't putting Georgia Tech in the same category as Florida State.

"In Florida, they have two teams (Florida State and Miami) who have historically competed for national championships that they play," Evans said. "We haven’t had that in-state rival that’s been at that high of a level."

Food for thought for those Tech fans who sit and wait patiently for each new AJC blog to post so they can immediately add a snarky comment.

But there's also this argument from Evans: If you win tough games, it gives you a clearer path to the national championship.

"What big games do for you is give you national exposure in the voters mind, so that’s what I hope these games will do for us," Evans said. "I don’t think it will backfire."

Oh no?

Well, it seems odd then that many of those voters are the ones penning preseason prognostications that say things like, "If Florida gets past its lone tough game at LSU, a national title seems a near certainty" and "The winner of Texas-Oklahoma will almost surely play for the national championship."

That's three teams that each play essentially one marquee opponent all year (at least "marquee" in the sense that the writers seem to be applying the term) and they're getting a free pass to a national title shot.

But let's take this scenario: If Georgia loses to Florida by 3, but Florida loses to LSU by 10, and both teams win the rest of their games -- including the Bulldogs' season opener against Oklahoma State -- both would have one loss, but the Gators would go to the SEC title game. Do you think there's any chance that Georgia would then play for a national championship over Florida? Hey, beating Oklahoma State in 2007 sure didn't help put the Bulldogs past a two-loss LSU team.

The bottom line is that the scheduling has been a business decision, and even that is only true if your business's mission statement doesn't begin with: Win football games.

I'm in no way suggesting Georgia shouldn't have a challenging schedule, but life in the SEC with an annual matchup against Georgia Tech is pretty challenging. That's the way Richt sees it, too.

And even if you want to award some bonus points for appealing to a broader audience, the fact remains that the new SEC TV deal with ESPN tends to negate that argument, too.

“The plan was never to have Oklahoma State and Arizona State and Georgia Tech," Richt said. "That was never the plan. We did it because we wanted to do it for the fans and to get out of the Southeast region, but living through it is a little bit tougher. We had enough to get Georgia out there, but now it’s every game, every SEC game at least.”

In the end, winning SEC and national championships broadens your national allure. Losing in Stillwater -- or perhaps more likely, at home to South Carolina a week later after an exhausting trip West -- doesn't make you a whole lot of new fans.

Evans has gone on record as saying he wants Georgia to emulate the success Florida has achieved. That just doesn't seem to apply when it comes to scheduling.

ADDENDUM: I'll have more on this in a little bit, but for those touting the worthiness of the schedule, here's one other note to consider...

In the five out-of-region games Georgia has played since 2005 (Okla. State, Ariz. State, Central Mich., Colorado, Boise State), the Bulldogs are 5-0 in those games, with only the Colorado game being remotely close.

But look ahead one week. In Georgia's next game after playing a non-region opponent, the Bulldogs are just 3-2, with all three wins coming by 7 points or less (and if you remember any of those three wins, you know they all could easily have been losses).

That simply underscores what both Richt and I are saying: It's not necessarily about the final score against the tough opponent, it's about the toll it takes to play them.

UGA Announces Radio Details

From UGA release...

A new Georgia football season is also bringing a revamped lineup of personalities to the broadcast booth and to the official Bulldog website, "georgiadogs.com" according to an announcement Wednesday by the University of Georgia Athletics Association and rights-holder ISP (International Sports Properties).

The new season will also provide an additional hour of pre-game programming prior to kickoff which will now total four hours. A two-hour post-game call-in show will also continue.

As previously announced, longtime Bulldog radio personality Scott Howard will provide the gameday play-by-play with former Georgia All-America quarterback Eric Zeier adding color analysis. The pair has done road games the last two seasons and handled home games after the early season retirement of Larry Munson last year.

Longtime "Tailgate Show" co-hosts Loran Smith, who also provides in-game sideline reporting, and Neil "Hondo" Williamson will continue in those roles along with Howard and Zeier. New to the broadcast will be several familiar faces and voices: WSB TV sports director Chuck Dowdle will conduct the post-game locker room interviews; long-time versatile Georgia radio personality Jeff Dantzler will co-host the new first hour of the pre-game show and also the post-game call-in show; former Georgia quarterback David Greene will co-host with Dantzler the first hour of the pre-game show and post-game call-in for road games; and former Bulldog All-America placekicker Kevin Butler will fill the same role for home games.

"We are pleased to have such an outstanding group broadcasting Georgia football," said UGA Director of Athletics Damon Evans. "It's a group that can uniquely provide the coverage and analysis to the Bulldog Nation and we look forward to them being a big part of Georgia football Saturdays."

In related programming, Dantzler and Butler will also host the Sunday morning Bulldog Brunch radio show. Howard will continue hosting the Monday night Bulldog Hotline show with Georgia head coach Mark Richt. Dowdle will continue as host of the Sunday "Inside Georgia Football" television program with Richt.

Howard, Zeier, Dowdle, Williamson, Dantzler, and Butler will also serve as contributors to "georgiadogs.com."

Fox Hire Just the Beginning

Mark Fox had one regret Friday. He didn't get much time to say goodbye to the place he called home for most of the past 10 years. He spent about 90 minutes at Nevada, mostly talking to his players, and then he was off on yet another flight, back to Athens where he would be introduced as the new head coach of Georgia's men's basketball team.

"When you leave a place that you love, it's very hard," Fox said. "But when you find a place that looks so terrific, it's easier to go, and we found that with Georgia."

It's a long way from Reno, Nev. to Athens. His wife and kids will stay behind and finish out the semester, and Fox will have his work cut out for him at Georgia from Day 1. Several players have announced they plan to transfer. Other said they were considering it. The roster was already low on talent and chock full of players who have spent the better part of the past two years wondering how long their current coach would remain with the team or when the new coach would be hired.

"You look at the last month-and-a-half, and they were uncertain of their future," Fox said. "That can lead to some frustrating moments, I'm sure."

No doubt there will be some frustrating moments ahead for Fox, too. But he came to Georgia for one reason: Potential. Fittingly, that's the same reason Damon Evans hired him for the job.

During the search process, Evans said he wanted a coach to engage the fans, something Fox's predecessor, Dennis Felton, failed to do on a regular basis. In the hours after news of Fox's hiring broke, however, most fans weren't even sure who he was.

But building up the excitement surrounding Georgia basketball and cultivating the history of the program is an essential initial step in turning the Bulldogs' potential into success, Fox said, and he made that clear during his interview with Evans on Thursday.

"You can't have success without the support of the Bulldog Nation, and he understood that, expressed interest in wanting to get out and meet people," Evans said. "He also wants engage former basketball student-athletes, the alums."

Fox brings an impressive record to Athens -- 123-43 in five years at Nevada -- but it's that interaction with the fans and alumni that make him more than simply a head coach, Evans said.

"A leader of the program has to truly be the face of the program, and that doesn't mean just sitting in an office and doing Xs and Os," Evans said.

The job of turning around the program doesn't begin and end with Fox.

During the past several weeks, Evans and the search committee he hired spoke with numerous candidates around the country, and the overwhelming response they received was that Georgia was a sleeping giant, a job that could be great with the proper dedication from the athletics department.

So when Evans offered Fox the job, the offer came with a promise as well. Evans said building the basketball program into a national contender is the ultimate goal, and Fox won't be without the resources to make that happen. Although no plans have been officially approved yet, Evans said he hopes to renovate Stegeman Coliseum, expanding the concourses, knocking out walls and replacing them with glass, creating a more modern look similar to the new practice facility that sits adjacent to the old arena.

It's all part of what Friday's announcement was all about. The hiring of Fox starts the process of turning Georgia's potential into results.

"The commitment to basketball is not going to stop," Evans said. "We can't ask people to support us if we don't support ourselves."

Fox Introduction Video

Mark Fox Notes and Quotes

Some quotes and notes following today's news conference...

Damon Evans on the future with Mark Fox...
"We're about transforming and building Georgia basketball into a national power, and Mark Fox is the right man for this incredible opportunity."

Evans on how the hire came about...
"We made a commitment that we were going to go through this and not rush to judgment on any particular candidate until we went through the entire process. Once we finished that process, Mark just stuck in my mind, and sometimes you just go with that gut feeling."

(NOTE: Is anyone else a little concerned that after hiring a search firm and spending two months finding the right guy that the term "gut feeling" is involved so prominently here?)

Evans on reaction to the length of the search process...
"All these jobs started opening up, and I was reading in the paper that Georgia's in trouble now. We just stayed on course, and that got us to where we wanted to be."

Evans on Fox not being a "big name" guy...
"This wasn't about winning a press conference. This was about finding the right person for the University of Georgia. My job is to find the right person, and I'm sitting here extremely excited that we got to where we wanted to be."

Evans on how the search played out...
"The process played out like I wanted it to. We were able to maintain a certain level of confidentiality, but I also understood that when jobs were opening, I understood there might be some competition out there, but I couldn't let that make me deviate from the course that we set. By sticking to our plan, we got Mark Fox."

Evans on his approach to doing five interviews on Thursday...
"You always go in and say, we knew we were getting near the end of the process, and I was thinking, maybe today could be that day. But I said to myself if I don't think we've got the right guy, then I've got to keep going. This was not something you'd just concede and hand over, but this guy, I felt was the right guy."

Mark Fox on leaving Nevada...
"When you leave a place that you love, it's very hard. But when you find a place that looks so terrific, it's easier to go, and we found that with Georgia."

Fox on what style of basketball he wants Georgia to play...
"Ultimately you have to find success in every style. You can't control what kind of game you get into, and if you want have success at the highest level, you have to succeed at every style of game. But it's going to start with the premise of defending and rebounding. We want to play as fast as we can play, but it's hard to play fast if the other team is putting the ball in the basket. We're a man-to-man defensive team, we've had a lot of success with that, and offensively we want to play as fast as we can."

Fox on when he expects to be competitive at a national level...
"Once you can compete in the SEC, you can compete just about anywhere. We're very excited about the future in front of us, but we do have to make an accurate evaluation of what we have. I can look at the stat sheet right now and just see certain things. We have to get kids and watch some tape and see what they're capable of. We may not be able to play exactly like we want to play until we get the roster we need. Certainly I think we do have some issues we're going to need to address."

A few thoughts following the press conference...

-- I must say that Fox seemed pretty engaging. He's got some personality, and that will definitely help.

-- Evans dodged a few of the tougher questions about the search process, but he never wavered in saying that he was happy with Fox. I don't think Fox was the first choice, but I also don't think Evans has any regrets about hiring him.

-- Here's the details of how the process played out yesterday: Fox left Reno on Wednesday afternoon, got in early Thursday morning in Atlanta, met with Damon Evans, Michael Adams, Arthur Johnson and Frank Crumley on Thursday for about three hours at the offices of the Parker Search Firm. During the meeting, Evans asked him if he would accept the job should it be offered, and Fox said yes. He then went back to airport where he had a return flight scheduled for 3 p.m. Evans called him at 1:30 to offer the job. When Fox returned, Evans said he had changed out of his suit into jeans and sneakers. "I said, 'I knew you were my guy,'" Evans said of the attire. Fox then signed a memorandum of understanding for a six-year, $1.3-million deal. He flew back to Reno last night, arriving around 9:30 p.m. Pacific time, met with his players at Nevada, then boarded a flight back to Atlanta 90 minutes later. He met with his new team here at 6:30 this morning and was on hand for the press conference to announce his hire at 10:45 a.m.

-- I must say, it's a bit concerning that the process of hiring Fox came together so quickly. Yes, the search firm handled a lot of the background stuff, so there wasn't much for Damon to do other than to make a decision. But (and I'm not saying this is a fair comparison at all) when Fox said the first time he had ever met Damon was Thursday morning, I couldn't help but be reminded of Sarah Palin saying she'd met John McCain just once before he added her to his ticket. Not saying that's a good thing or a bad thing, just what first came to mind.

-- I liked the energy Fox clearly had for the opportunity in front of him, but I'll also say that he didn't answer many questions with a lot of specifics. He sort of gave some generalities on questions about a time table to compete and an approach to recruiting, and you'd like to have a guy who sounds like he has a plan. I'm not saying Fox doesn't have a plan -- and the truth is, given the timetable of how things happened, he was probably flying blind a bit -- but it would have been nice if he could have added a bit more detail to his overall pitch. One thing I did like though was that Fox spoke completely off the cuff. He had no prepared statements and didn't seem like he was trying to whitewash anyone. He spoke pretty extemporaneously and still managed to be pretty charming.

-- Damon said that he had serious conversations about the job with seven candidates. He said that every candidate he talked to told him they viewed Georgia as a good job and that he was surprised by the enthusiasm people had for the opportunity.

-- Another slight criticism: When asked about recruiting, Fox talked about how he had sent five players to the NBA, none of whom had been recruited by a Big Six conference. I like that he is able to coach up talent, but I think fans would have preferred to hear a guy say he planned to bring in the best talent and then make them better, not discuss bringing in marginal talent and coaching them up. Given the state of the Georgia program, however, the latter is more likely to be what Fox has to work with for the foreseeable future.

-- Overall, I stand by what I wrote last night. I think this is a good hire and a good fit, but Fox still has a lot to prove. Only time will tell, and Season 1, won't be an easy one for him. Just looking at the roster, there are eight scholarship players right now, one of whom had to be dismissed from the team for the final three weeks of the season to concentrate on academics and two others who have publicly admitted they are considering a transfer. There is not going to be a lot for Fox to work with in 2009-10.

The Fox Factor

I've gotten a few emails and comments asking my opinion on this hire. In truth, I'd love to give you one. But here's what I know about Mark Fox: Nothing.

Well, that's not entirely true. I've read his credentials just as you have. He has won a lot of basketball games. He has worked under some good coaches in his career as an assistant. He's certainly earned a shot to prove he can win at the next level. For all of those reasons, this is a good hire.

In fact, I would go so far as to say this is exactly the type of coach -- and maybe the specific coach -- that Georgia should have targeted. He has a good background and lots to prove. That's who Georgia needed and who it could get.

The truth is, to look back at how this search played out, the problem fans should have right now is not with the result but with the process. I believe fans should be excited about Fox. I can also understand why some are not.

Fans were led to believe that big names were within reach. There was Anthony Grant, the biggest name from the small schools. There was Mike Anderson, the guy Georgia was willing to shell out huge dollars to get. There was Jeff Capel, the biggest name that really never had much chance of landing here. There was Tubby.

Those were people who would get fans excited. They would signal that Georgia was really taking that next step -- perhaps not immediately in terms of wins and losses, but a sign that winning was a priority.

Moreover, Georgia had nearly three months to prepare for this hire. They had, reportedly, millions (plural) of dollars to lure in a top candidate. And in the end, the school played the role of leverage for guys like Anderson and Grant, and the big paycheck wasn't enough to lure a big name.

Fox, as good as he might end up being at Georgia, is not a headliner. My guess would be that 95 percent of fans had to Google his name to find out anything about him. I know I did. (Interesting side note: Fox and I share the same birthday.)

Go back and look at what Damon Evans said about this hire. Think about what he said he was looking for. Fox could certainly fulfill the qualifications Evans set forth, but it's far from a slam dunk.

The truth is, Fox has no ties to the South, so while he may be a great recruiter, there's little evidence he'll immediately lay claim to Georgia's fertile recruiting base. And the truth is, Fox has experience -- but just five years of it as a head coach. Granted, he's done more in those five years than Georgia has done in the past 10, but I think most fans assumed "experience" meant winning at a level higher than Nevada. Evans said he wanted a CEO of basketball. Fox may fit that bill, but it's understandable why fans need to be convinced first.

So the problem isn't that Fox is who Georgia finally ended up with. The problem is that the long road to get here had fans hoping, knowing, believing Georgia would do better. Well, perhaps not better, but definitely bigger.

And that's where the silence of the past two months has hurt what should be an exciting time in Georgia basketball. From the Bobby Knight stories to the hope of Tubby Smith to the daydreams of Jeff Capel, the expectations were never tempered. In politics, it's smart to under-promise and over-deliver. Temper expectations, then wow them in the end.

That's a good plan for coaching hires, too. Unfortunately in this case, fans' expectations were never reined in until the news broke that Fox was the man. That's not fair to him, the program or the fans.

I will say this though: There has been more interest in Georgia basketball in the past two weeks than there had been in a long, long time. Job No. 1 for both Fox and Evans should be to keep that interest going. Where Dennis Felton failed the most wasn't on the court. It was in connecting with his audience. Fox won't have fans selling out games to see him in a nifty suit on the sideline, but I think most are ready and willing to give him a real shot.

There is an opportunity here, and fans are ready to embrace anything but more silence.

Where Do We Go From Here?

After a dizzying 24 hours, I think it's important to take a step back and get a fresh look at this coaching search.

First off, what do we know?

For one, I'm tired. I'm very, very tired. Why does this have to be so complicated? And why does it have to happen right in the middle of spring football? Please, Damon, for my sake, let's get this over with.

OK, enough of my whining.

What else do we know?

We know that Anthony Grant isn't coming here. Georgia apparently never offered him officially, despite the hopes of many fans.

We know that Mike Anderson isn't coming either. If Anderson's agent is to be believed, no official offer came from Georgia on him either, although I have to believe there was a good bit of "preliminary" talking that occurred.

Web outlets reported that offers to both candidates took place, reported specific dollar amounts and reported a decision would come soon.

So how did the information for these stories turn out to be wrong? (Or at least, reportedly wrong, depending on who you talk to.)

A lot of that has to do with how the search has been handled from Georgia's standpoint.

There is good reason for why Georgia would want to be tight-lipped about the process, but what has occurred has been a lot of attention, a lot of interest and very little actual information. Most of the info that sources have had -- both my sources and those belonging to the other reporters, including the ones who have penned stories saying an offer was made -- has come from agents or outsiders, not from Georgia.

So bad info has been floated, the rumors have heated up, fans have gotten into a tizzy over this guy or that guy, and through Georgia's silence, they've lost control of the message. This has become problematic. I remain confident that Damon is going to get the right coach for the job, but from a P.R. standpoint, things don't look great for Georgia right now.

Fans are hesitant to trust that a good hire will be made after a long track record of failure since Tubby Smith left, and this represents the first time Damon Evans has had to make a marquee hire. There was tremendous excitement surrounding Anderson today, and now anything less is going to seem like a disappointment, even if it's actually a wise move.

So, the big question at this point is where do we go from here?

With John Calipari heading to Kentucky, the picture is both clearer and more complex. We at least know who the players are, but with Memphis in the mix (along with Arizona to an extent), there are programs with better historical pedigrees than Georgia and potentially more cash to offer.

Given that popular names like Grant and Anderson have now come and gone, the rest of the pickings appear to be either a.) thin or b.) unlikely, particularly given that Georgia is potentially third in the pecking order for luring the best talent.

That isn't to say there aren't plenty of names being floated out there by everyone from legitimate basketball people to guys on the street who have never seen a Georgia basketball game in person. (And as a side note, isn't it odd how much more interest there is in this hire than there had been in the program at pretty much any time in the past six years?)

So, who might it be? I absolutely caution you by saying that I know no reason to assume these names are likely candidates, possible candidates or even candidates at all. But given that so many fans are about to leap from tall buildings after losing out on Anderson, I think it's a good idea to open the refrigerator door and scan the leftovers for a few minutes to see what we've got.

The Prodigal Son

Tubby Smith -- He's a name people around Georgia will get behind, he obviously can recruit Georgia well (he's still getting them in Minnesota) and it would be a heck of a story to have him come home. Having said all that, I highly doubt it's happening. Tubby has said repeatedly that he's staying in Minnesota, and he has -- to my knowledge -- a rather cumbersome buyout if he leaves.

The Big Names

Tom Izzo -- Sure, his name has been out there, including for the Kentucky job. But while Georgia might have a lot of cash to throw around, they'd likely have to top Mark Richt's salary to land Izzo.

Jeff Capel -- From Day 1 of the search, his name was near or at the top of fans' wishlists, but the general consensus has remained that he's sticking it out at Oklahoma. And if Mizzou has the cash to match a Georgia offer, you can be pretty certain Oklahoma does, too. FOX Sports is reporting that Capel is now back atop Georgia's wishlist, but this also from the site that floated the Capel rumors with little sourcing several weeks ago.

Sean Miller -- He has a long-term deal at Xavier, and while some fires were stoked early on him, there hasn't been much talk in a while.

The Biggest Name

Bobby Knight -- It isn't happening. No way, no how.

The NBA Guys

Sam Mitchell and Reggie Theus -- anything is possible I guess, but while there hasn't been much said by Damon Evans or Michael Adams, they have made a point of saying they want a coach with a proven track record on the recruiting trail, and these guys are pretty far removed from their last recruiting trip.

The ACC Also-Rans

Oliver Purnell, Leonard Hamilton and Frank Haith -- Each of the three names has been mentioned at one time or another, and ESPN's Andy Katz floated Purnell and Haith on Tuesday as potential replacements should the Anderson thing fall through. Of the three, Haith seems the most likely to actually take the job if it's offered, but Damon would have to work some serious public relations to smooth over that hire with a fan base that had expected more.

The Outsiders

Herb Sendek -- He has SEC ties after being an assistant at Kentucky, has recruited the South as a head coach at N.C. State, and has won at a football school at Arizona State. He's got a lot to like, but the name is pretty far out of left field at this point.

Scott Drew and Tim Floyd -- Both candidates have some impressive name recognition and both fulfill another important aspect of the Georgia search -- they've proven they can win at a football school. Floyd reportedly was a candidate when Georgia hired Dennis Felton, so he could certainly be on Georgia's radar again this time. The problem with both candidates is that they come with a certain level of baggage that, given the scars of the Jim Harrick era, Georgia may not be willing to accept.

The Surprise Candidates

Ummm... your guess is as good as mine. Hey, everyone is pretty bummed about the swing-and-miss on Anderson, but Damon Evans is no dummy either. There's just as good a chance that, given the tight-lipped nature of the proceedings thus far, Georgia has another candidate targeted who will come completely out of left field. Remember, the search firm in charge of identifying the next coach handled the same situation for LSU a year ago and plucked Trent Johnson seemingly out of thin air. That could certainly be a possibility again this time, and given the amount of money it appears Georgia is willing to spend, there can't be a lack of candidates willing to sign their name on the dotted line.

So, who am I forgetting?

Coaching Search Update

The rumors surrounding Anthony Grant's impending arrival in the SEC swirled again Monday, but Georgia officials were quick to offer a flat denial of any contact between the school and the Virginia Commonwealth head coach.

A day after several media outlets reported an offer had been extended to Grant by Georgia, sports information director Claude Felton explicitly denied any involvement on the part of school president Dr. Michael Adams or athletics director Damon Evans in an email to several media members.

"I can say with complete authority that neither Damon Evans nor Dr. Adams has ever had a conversation with Anthony Grant as of today, Monday, March 23," Felton wrote in the email.

Felton said that both Adams and Evans attended Georgia's women's basketball game in Duluth on Saturday afternoon and then took a private plane to Nashville, Tenn. for the gymnastics team's meet. They did not return until after 10 p.m., Felton said.

The Telegraph reported Sunday that, while sources said there was interest in Grant on the part of Georgia, Evans was adamant in his denial that the school was close to hiring any candidate, including Grant.

Meanwhile, another SEC school could make any discussions a moot point.

The Richmond Times-Dispatch confirmed that Alabama had asked for permission to discuss its coaching vacancy with Grant. Virginia Commonwealth sports information director Norwood Teague said Alabama athletics director Mal Moore contacted the school about Grant on Saturday night, but Georgia's Scout.com Web site that no such communication had occurred with Georgia.

SEE ALSO:

-- Scout's comments from VCU athletics director.

-- Gentry Estes' continuing coverage from the Bama side of things.

MY THOUGHTS:

I mentioned in yesterday's post that there were tons of rumors swirling yesterday. I honestly haven't been on this beat long enough to have people I trust with 100 percent accuracy, and I'm not sure any reporter should ever do that anyway. That said, I have no doubt that reporters beyond myself heard information that certainly sounded accurate, because I heard it, too. After talking with Damon Evans yesterday evening, however, I was convinced that no hire would happen soon, and I was not convinced enough of anything else to run with it. Some of it sounded awfully accurate, some of it not so much. That's to be expected, and that's why our paper has a rather high standard for what we are allowed to print.

The question, I think, becomes this: When are rumors news? I was watching ESPN today and the network ran a commercial touting Buster Olney's coverage of baseball's rumor mill. The rumors section on ESPN.com is one of the most popular destinations on the behemoth's Web site for good reason. Fans love it.

As journalists, it is our job to report the news in as factual a manner as possible. Sometimes, however, the simple fact that there are so many rumors is news in and of itself. False reporting is always inexcusable, but to ignore the elephant in the room becomes increasingly burdensome as the news cycle gets faster and faster. From ESPN using anonymous sourcing regularly to Internet message boards that post any rumor, no matter how baseless, the line between what should and should not be reported becomes more and more blurred. It's my goal -- as it should be everyone who does this for a living -- to stay on the right side of that line.

I say all of this for two reasons: 1.) Because while it is my goal to get you breaking information first as often as possible, I can't make that promise if it means running with information I'm not comfortable with, and 2.) while it's easy to offer a critique of information other outlets have, it is a very, very rare occasion in which that information doesn't come from a good source. It's just a matter of where you draw the line, and that, my friends, is a much bigger debate these days than I care to have here.

Coaching Rumors Heating Up

UPDATE: The UGA athletics offices confirmed Monday that no one from UGA has contacted Anthony Grant at this point and no offer is on the table.

UPDATE: VCU's athletics department confirms no contact has been made between Grant and UGA as of this morning.

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Georgia may be getting closer to finding its next head basketball coach.

Several sources confirmed Sunday that Virginia Commonwealth head coach Anthony Grant was a leading candidate for the vacant head-coaching job at Georgia and said that Grant was in Atlanta over the weekend, reportedly for a recruiting visit.

Georgia athletics director Damon Evans said Sunday, however, that no hire had been made and an agreement was not imminent with any candidate.

Georgia fired Dennis Felton as its head coach in January, and last month the school hired a search committee to assist in identifying his replacement. The school has been tight-lipped about potential candidates, however, refusing to address any individual possibilities specifically.

Several media outlets in Alabama have also reported that Grant tops the wishlist for the Crimson Tide, too, but several other candidates remain possibilities in that coaching search as well.

Grant, a former assistant under Billy Donovan at Florida for 10 years, has spent the past three seasons as head coach at Virginia Commonwealth. In two of the past three seasons, he took the Rams to the NCAA tournament, losing in the first round this year to UCLA.

TotalUGA.com is reporting that an offer has been made to Grant.

The Tuscaloosa News says Alabama is also close.

Stay tuned.

ADDITIONAL...

I just wanted to add a few thoughts... what's above is my story for the paper, and that's absolutely the extent of what I'm comfortable reporting for the paper. There are certainly a lot of other rumors out there, but I'm not comfortable enough with them to go any further than what I've written.

That said, Anthony Grant is clearly a hot commodity right now. Alabama and Georgia have interest, and I'm told Virginia at least kicked the tires. Add that to the potential vacancy at Kentucky (and the rumors there get louder every day), and there could be an all-out bidding war for someone like Grant. Will Grant be the likely candidate at UK? Probably not, but should the Cats can Gillespie and go with someone like Billy Donovan, Tom Izzo or Travis Ford, Grant could easily be a top candidate to fill the vacancy they leave behind.

So basically what I'm saying is this: Georgia probably would have liked to wait to make a move, but there's incentive to move quickly on this. On the other hand, there's incentive for Grant to hold off on a decision because the market could change quickly.

With things at Kentucky in such flux, it sort of freezes the market. Think of it like a free agent in baseball. It doesn't matter if he ever plans to sign with the Yankees, but he can only benefit if they're bidding.