BMac be gone

Well, this answers one of this morning's questions.

Bryan McClendon going from Georgia to South Carolina coaching staff https://t.co/irhOigALwQ pic.twitter.com/kEnwFLVRi1

— Marc Weiszer (@marcweiszer) December 23, 2015

On Brown leaving and others staying and then others maybe leaving too

Been on the road and although I'm now back home, I'm up against the last minute Christmas shoppers. But real quickly...

Sounds like Smart really, really wanted Thomas Brown to stay. But a significant pay raise + title upgrade + loyalty to old coach was too much. I hate it because it was great having Brown back. He was a great player turned coach that did things right on and off the field and happened to have loved the gym as much as the field. What a great role model for players...but time to move on.

And whoa! Todd Hartley is gonna be Richt's special teams' coordinator? That's result of Richt calling the plays down in Miami I'm sure. How else could he make room? Just wish he'd've chosen to do that this past January too.

I would expect the Tax Slayer Bowl to be Lilly last run as a Dawg too. Surely he's heading to Miami as well.

Rocker and Sherrer have been retained. That's something I suggested would happen last week but was a week off on the timing. Sherrer has experience with Kirby prior to Athens and Rocker is a hot commodity, both as a position coach and as a recruiter (read: he has his hands on several current UGA recruits).

What's next? Well, who will be the defensive coordinator? Again, I suggested the bowl game could be a test for Sherrer. But if so, I would think we'd already know he was being tabbed. Instead, I would expect someone Smart is close to will get the nod. Meaning, someone either already on staff or currently coaching in Tuscaloosa. The reason I say that is there seems to be less and less chatter from other teams as to who Kirby is talking to. So keep an eye on Mel Tucker, current Alabama defensive backs coach, as well as Sherrer.

Also, while we're keeping an eye on folks. How about current head coach Bryan McClendon. He seems headed for Columbia SC. But will Brown leaving open up something for the long time Bulldog? I hope so. I just can't stand the thought of him working for the 'Chump.

Is bowl game a test for Sherrer at DC?

Rumors that there might be more coaching news coming in the very near future. Maybe as soon as today. 

I’m expecting Sherrer and Rocker to be retained. Not sure if an official defensive coordinator promotion will be made public, but I could see the bowl game serving as a hands on interview for Sherrer. He and Smart have worked together and I think he'd be a good fit on the new head coach's staff from what I've read. And if I'm right about this then Rocker should be held onto as well.

That's just a mixture of tea leaves, rumors, and hopeful prognostications. Enjoy!

Related; take a look at Groo’s post on the staff turnover and transitions. He has a nice chart put together for your eyes to make some sense of things.

Here’s what I don’t understand. (And I apologize for not having a link to this, but yesterday was pretty busy and I just saw it on twitter as I scrolled quickly for some news.) Why was Glenn Schumann in Tuscaloosa yesterday? Jim Chaney and Sam Pittman observed practice in Athens. Why couldn’t Kirby’s lone defensive hire thus far do the same?

That one question is a reminder of just how awkward coaching transitions can be, which Groo’s post alludes to in detail. I’m reminding myself daily that this is something Kirby Smart has been waiting for awhile. In my mind, he can take as much time as he needs to get the right hires in place.

But you can concoct a scenario where we have current assistants who are in flux, coaching our current team, while being rumored to be heading elsewhere next year.

That makes for messy bowl practices and messy recruiting. Albeit during the dead period, but still messy. And Smart's old boss seems to agree.

About Jim Chaney, and also Sam Pittman

I’ve heard for years from people outside of Athens that Georgia fans feel entitled to win. I’ve never been sure how I felt about that sentiment. But the knee jerk reactions to the Jim Chaney hire help me understand that viewpoint a little easier. Did people really think that Kirby Smart would just read the Dawgvent or Twitter for his list of candidates?

Is bringing the long term assistant a bit underwhelming? Sure. I guess. But what did we really expect? It’s situations like these - where we have days to watch plane logs and ruminate and pontificate and speculate - that make it easy to lose perspective. I think Smart wanted Enos and when that didn’t happen, he zeroed in on his next couple choices.

Chaney’s offenses may not jump to the forefront when you’ve been doing nothing but reading the rumor mill for a week. But I come back around to these two points:

1) The addition of Sam Pittman makes the Chaney hire much easier to understand. Georgia is about to get much bigger and more physical along the offensive front. These two coaches have worked well together at Tennessee briefly and then especially at Arkansas. They’ll do much greater things than Schottenheimer and Sale were (not) able to do this past season.

2) Everyone that is so quick to point to Pittsburgh being ranked just below Georgia in total offense this season...well, they have a point. But Chaney also has a track record for getting the most out of his players at key times. Jonathan Crompton comes to mind (all too easily). And so does Arkansas’ two 1000 yard rushers in 2014.

And you know, next season he’s going to have his hands full breaking in a young quarterback (most likely) while getting the most he can out of his backfield. In that frame, the Chaney hire makes perfect sense to me.

Coaching rumors, final episode

Last week was my first time here at the blog in terms of a head coaching search. But I’ve written through many, many assistant searches. And this one is different than those others in that information is extremely hard to come by. So, I’m going to sit back and wait while hoping that the coordinator hires come fairly quickly.

Here’s some other thoughts:

• More and more it is looking like Thomas Brown will be the only holdover for Smart’s staff. (They’re pictured together here visiting with a top defensive back target in Chad Clay.) Just sounds like those we thought might stay are looking elsewhere. It’s going to upset the wife especially that Rocker is leaving. And McClendon and Lilly have been here a long time. Hope they get a proper send off at the bowl game.
• They’ll be missed. But, as I’ve said before, we want Smart to get his guys. He’s been waiting for this.
• I still expect S&C badass Scott Cochran to end up following his friend to Athens. It’ll take a fight to get him. But I would expect Smart and UGA to be ready to drop the gloves and pay the man. Cochran coming to Athens would significantly help Smart’s transition here.
• Back to the coordinators, I wouldn’t be surprised to see someone come out of left field. For all the talk about Kirby not having any experience as a head coach, he’s been around enough places and enough years that he’s met plenty of folks. I bet he knows what he wants as an offense just as much as he does on his side of the ball.
• Some chatter yesterday about Alabama linebacker coach Tosh Lupoi coming to Athens. Here’s some more information on who he is from Roll Bama Roll. The short of it, another former grad assistant that became a position coach. Oh, and also a stud on the recruiting trails.

So, we wait and see. I’ll update if we start to hear something substantiative. Until then, Go Dawgs!

Coaching rumors, "The Smart Way"

One thing is definite, player development and defensive guru is joining new head coach Kirby Smart in Athens.

Great day to be a Georgia Bulldog!! Wheels up ✈️ #CommitToTheG

— Glenn Schumann (@CoachSchuUA) December 7, 2015

All indications are that strength coach Scott Cochran will do the same. Some other tidbits:

• Whether Tracy Rocker is retained is probably up to the defensive coordinator hire, as some say he's definitely staying and some say he's definitely going.
• As for who the defensive coordinator will be, Tyson Summers, currently serving in that role for Mike Bobo at Colorado State, is gaining some traction. 
• On the offensive side, it's as clear as mud. I watched most of the Western Kentucky game Saturday to get a look at the play calling of Tyson Helton, who had entered the weekend as one of the hottest names. My impressions were mixed. A lot of boundary to boundary passes and jet sweeps early on seemed to bog the offense down into punting situations. But once the Hilltoppers started throwing and running downfield things seemed to open up. And the red zone play calling I thought was pretty imaginative.
• Whoever Smart taps here, I would expect things to develop quickly. He has a press conference today to be officially introduced (at a secret location!!) and then he hops on a plane to go meet Jacob Eason. He's going to want to have some clear answers for the top prospect when he walks in that door.
• Remember, the Easons are coming to Athens this weekend for the Gala. I'm sure they'd love to have some face to face time with the new coordinator on that official visit.
• Back to Smart, I'm sure his goal is to at least have the coordinators set before he heads back to Tuscaloosa next week, at a minimum. But, this isn't something he's going to rush into just to fill in his staff. He's waited a long time for this and I'm sure he's developed a list of people he respects in the field.

It's an exciting time. I know a lot of people are on edge as far as Eason after he visited Gainesville last week. But to be honest, I'm not worried. Things would have to really go south quickly for the relationship to sour enough for him to back out. Smart is an excellent recruiter. He's going to sell his vision to the Easons tonight and reassure them that Jacob's best interests are of the utmost importance to the new staff, even as it evolves. The Clevelands were impressed yesterday. Smart knows what he's selling. Even if it's different for Jacob without Bobo and now Richt in Athens, the new guy will close the deal.

Coaches, rumors, bowls, and transfers

Sunday evening is going to be busy. Once bowls are announced plans will start to finalize all over the place. We should find out our bowl destination, gain a clearer picture of coaches that will be helping the players prepare for the bowl, as well as which coaches are planning to join Kirby Smart. Specifically, who is staying and who is going? Also, who will be the coordinators and what coaches do they prefer to bring with them and how that matches up with current staff that want to stay.

Whew. And by the way, before we delve into Smart’s potential staff, I’m very happy for Bryan McClendon. Former Richt player carrying the torch for his former boss’ last team in their last game of the season. Of course it would have been nice to see Richt on the sideline one more time in red and black. But it just didn’t play out that way.

Okay. I’ve seen a lot of strong opinions (myself included) over the possibility of Smart wanting Muschamp to coordinate the defense. This doesn’t excite me for two reasons: namely that I don’t recall having a whole lot of trouble with his defense the times we’ve gone up against Auburn. Sure, Florida’s defenses while he was the head coach there were a different story. So maybe I should cut him some slack. But, the guy’s also a little bonkers. I mean there’s such a thing as intense motivational tactics and then there’s out of control hissy fits that can cost the team penalties, yards, and focus.

However, if this is who Smart wants, who are we to judge? Kirby has waited a long time for this opportunity and should fill his staff with people he wants coaching alongside him.

Defense aside, the offensive coordinator is probably Smart’s biggest decision. I heard Coach Donnan talking about the roster Richt left behind. My brief summation of it would be that the defense is full of young talent and the offense has Sony Michel and hopefully Nick Chubb…

Talk about Eason all you want, but if he ends up coming to Athens (and I think that he will) and he evolves sooner rather than later as the starter, he’s going to need time to develop. That’s why I’m hoping some of the transfers that come out of this coaching change (and I’m sure we’ll have a few) aren’t at the quarterback position.

The name that comes to mind first is Faton Bauta. Can’t think of a better player to put on display the work ethic Eason will need to emulate if he’s to become this world beater people have made him out to be. But given the circumstances, it’s hard to imagine not seeing some attrition at the quarterback position.

Changing channels a bit, Smart is looking to bring in a staff (not just coaches, a staff) that can stand up to anyone off the field. Yes, his success as a head coach is yet to be determined. How will he manage the game, timeouts, the referees, fourth down decisions…? Those are things that, for the most part, have been managed and micro-managed for him until next Fall. But recruiting, strength and conditioning, player development, game planning...all areas that Georgia fans should be excited about, immensely.

Now, some names:

• On offense, appears that Thomas Brown is favored to remain and the feeling may be reciprocated. McClendon and Lilly are more of a question that will probably be determined by the coordinator hire. Although it would be a shame to lose either as they’ve been in Athens so long and are established recruiters, again it comes down to guys that are the best fit for Smart’s first staff.
• On defense, Muschamp is interviewing with South Carolina and (as we talked about the other day) Pruitt may not even want to stay. Sherrer has been mentioned as one that Smart wants to retain. Rocker seems 50/50.
• Staff. Cochran would be a huge get for Smart. And it’s being treated as a foregone conclusion that Bama’s S&C guru is leaving for Athens. But like we’ve said, Saban will put up a fight. After all, the only time I’ve seen Nick honestly, genuinely smile, is when he was talking about Scott Cochran. In the end, friendships between the Smart and Cochran families may (hopefully) run deeper than professional respect. And surely (hopefully) the UGA boosters that have put this all in play wouldn’t balk at competing salary-wise. Surely.
• Also, the mysterious Glen Schumann, as Football Scoop describes as the “well-hidden gear in machine” that is Alabama’s defensive dominance. Can Smart lure him away as well? If you’re scoffing at the thought of spending any time worrying about a staff assistant, if Schumann is important enough in Alabama’s defense to Saban to include in the game planning, there’s no question he’d be someone Smart would want by his side as he transitions from coordinator to head coach.

That’s a lot to chew on. And like you, I’m sure tired of all the speculation and back and forth. I was a little surprised Smart is (allegedly) staying with Alabama through the post-season. But I also recognize he’s been there for many years. If Saban wants him to continue, I’m sure Smart is compelled to stay.

Coaching rumors, episode three

So that Atlanta paper reported last night what we all knew anyway; "barring last minute snags" is the equivalent of saying there is still much that is fluid, but the two sides agree and would like to move forward with more pressing business. For one side that is the SECCG, for the other it is waiting for that to be over.

The assistants being retained is still foggy.

• It seems to me (as I alluded to yesterday) that the UGA admin have relented on its desire to pack up Pruitt's office. However, it's important to remember that it's a two way street. It's not a foregone conclusion that he wants to stay. Although I find it hard to believe South Carolina would give Pruitt more than a casual glance, I can believe Pruitt is as tired of McGarity as McGarity is of him.
• Muschamp also appears 50/50, as I could see South Carolina looking seriously at him.
• I've read conflicting reports on Rocker. I'd love to have him stay (and my wife would really like him to stay). But like Pruitt, he's a guy that is going to get some other interest.
• Thomas Brown appears safe to stay. I would imagine the other offensive positions (namely longtime assistants McClendon and Lilly) would depend on the coordinator hire there.
• Which seems to be zeroing in on Western Kentucky's Ty Helton. If that rumor sticks we'll look more at him tomorrow.
• The sexiest rumor appears to be that Alabama S&C coordinator Scott Cochran is coming with Smart. If you recall from the 2010 flirtations, these two are very close. So it's not surprising that Smart would want to poach his friend from Saban's staff. But I would expect the Alabama head guy to put up a fight. Cochran is the blood that pumps through that program.

Personally, I would hope some (or all) of this has been ironed out behind the scenes since we have so many coaches out on the road recruiting. That can get awkward, especially when some of those guys are being tied to other openings.

As the Butts-Mehre turns....

"Has not signed memo of understanding"

Some key phrasing...

Can confirm @AJC report that Kirby Smart will be named #UGA coach, barring a last-minute development. Has not signed memo of understanding

— Mark Schlabach (@Mark_Schlabach) December 2, 2015

...reminds me of this...

Two words y'all...Glen Mason. If he's still here THREE days after the press conference, THEN the torch is passed.

— Bernie (@BernieDawg) December 2, 2015

Still, we look like we're getting closer y'all.

Coaching rumors, episode two

Had planned to look at Herman today. But that ship has been tethered closer to Houston. And really, truly, this is all about Kirby Smart.

Reading the tea leaves a little more closely, Pruitt, Rocker, and others joined Thomas Brown and Bryan McLendon on the recruiting trail yesterday afternoon. Our defensive coordinator appears to have been a sticking point for Smart and UGA. Again, that's just the way I'm reading things. But suddenly Pruitt leaves to recruit just after Herman agrees in principle with Houston and just before news of Muschamp and South Carolina getting cozier grains national attention.

Pruitt and McGarity don't get along. Hell, sounds like my dear, sweet grandmother Rosalie might not have enjoyed spending time with Jeremy Pruitt. But if you've fired the most successful coach in the program's history just to put all your eggs in Kirby's basket, you better find a way to iron some shit out.

So yeh, my best guess is we'll have something definitive in the hours after the SECCG. And perhaps by then we might even have a better idea of other assistants coming with Smart. Sure, there's always a chance this turns sideways. I mean, it was our own athletic director who couldn't answer the simple question yesterday of who was on the road recruiting. So UGA can definitely screw this up. But it certainly appears as if Smart is satisfied with the details and UGA is all in on bringing him home.

Coaching rumors, episode one

I know. I’m just not there yet with a Richt reflective piece. Gonna need a little more time to get it right. The man deserves that much.

For now, let’s delve into the rumor. Prevailing thought is that a deal is imminent with Kirby Smart to succeed Mark Richt as the head football coach at the University of Georgia. There’s some factors that make this more than just message bored fodder, namely the South Carolina coaching search.

Tom Herman (former Ohio State offensive coordinator and now the head coach at Houston) backed off of the Gamecocks’ overtures (as well as some others I would imagine) a couple weeks ago and that’s when AD Ray Tanner made a push for Smart. From what I’ve read, things progressed quickly, but naturally the Alabama defensive coordinator and UGA alum wanted to see what would happen in Athens before making a decision.

And it appears as if Athens was more than ready to open up backdoor communications.

From there we get that certain coaches like McClendon, Brown and Rocker are being retained and Smart is bringing specific coordinators with him. Muschamp has been mentioned as the potential defensive coordinator and I’ve read where Clay Helton (USC interim head coach)*, Bill Napier (Tide receivers coach) and several others as the possible offensive coordinator.

(At this point I don’t put much credence into assistant rumors. I only mention it as I’m sure a big factor in a coach like Smart’s decision to take his first head gig would be who he could retain and who he could bring with him. Given the recent connections between the Alabama coaching tree and UGA, I would think there is a lot for Smart to sort through.)

Last night after the team meeting there was loud noise, mostly from the defensive players, to #keepPruitt. I doubt Muschamp’s hissy fit on the sideline (and the field, twice) during the Iron Bowl helped his case to “come back home”. But in my opinion, his track record of mediocrity in the SEC as a coordinator speaks even louder than his F-bombs. If Pruitt can be retained along with Rocker, it would be a big plus for me as we played a lot of young players on defense this year.

Anyway, the main point here is that if the Kirby Smart rumor is true it appears to be a counter-move to step in the way of South Carolina getting him instead of us. I’ll be honest, I’m intrigued by Smart. That would win the press conference for sure. What worries me is we have at least a week before any kind of announcement is made as Kirby is a little busy this week continuing as Saban’s minion.

A lot can happen in a week. And most of it is not good considering the traction the story will get. Traction leads to more and more questions which adds more and more pressure. That’s where a confident and poised administration steps in and seizes control.

Unfortunately, everything we saw and heard outside of Butts-Mehre last night speaks to the opposite of confident and poised. Therefore today’s press conference needs to restore order, at an absolute minimum.

*Helton has been promoted from interim to USC's new head coach

Deal for new OL coach near done?

Schlabach thinks so.

Name you need to know in #UGA OL coach search: Rob Sale, McNeese State. Hearing it's close to done http://t.co/PjtiQwCPol
— Mark Schlabach (@Mark_Schlabach) January 10, 2015

From the McNeese State site:

He constructed an offensive line in 2013 into one of the best in the league despite having two players switch from the defensive side.  Three of the five starting linemen earned all-conference honors - Arinze Agada (1st team), Quentin Marsh and Nick Gorman (honorable mention).  Agada was named the SLC’s Offensive Lineman of the Year, earned SLC All-Academic honors, was named a FCS ADA Academic All-Star, earned first team All-Louisiana honors, and was named to four postseason All-America teams (Associated Press, Sports Network, College Sports Madness, Beyond Sports Network). 

A "Schotty" mea culpa

Just as I was publishing a look at potential offensive coordinator replacements for Mike Bobo, where I was very skeptical of the one NFL name on the list, UGA and that name were agreeing on a deal. It's almost as if I planned it that way.

Yeh, I didn't think you'd buy that.

Given some time to reflect on my skepticism of the Brian Schottenheimer addition, and having read more on what kind of man and coach he is, I think it's only fair that I offer a fresh(er) perspective.

Because I believe this is a great hire. I think Emerson makes a valid point on his and Estes' reflective podcast - Roper and Bloomgren would've been safe hires for Richt. They both have their strengths and would've been received mostly favorably by fans and recruits alike. But Schottenheimer has the "wow" factor that neither of those other names did. Even if you're still guarded against any optimism (or outright pessimistic), you have to admit Richt pulled this one from left field. The Rams' offensive coordinator had made some speculatory lists, but wasn't thought to be a serious candidate.

And at the time I was glad he wasn't getting much traction as a possibility. Like I said, I was concerned as to how a career NFL guy would fare in the ever important game of recruiting. Whether you liked Mike Bobo on gamedays or not, he had his finger on the pulse of Friday Night Lights in South Georgia. Could a guy like Brian Schottenheimer step in and keep this 2015 class together? Well, it appears so from initial reactions.

I'm really interested to see who Schottenheimer brings in for the offensive line coaching. It needs to be someone who can pull their weight in recruiting, something Friend was doing okay with when he left. People can say that Schottenheimer's name should be enough to impress young players and high school coaches. But that only gets you so far. Because recruiting is a skill. It's something that requires savvy communication and very hard work.

Yes, I think this is a great hire. And if Brian Schottenheimer can make a name for himself on Saturdays in Athens as well as in the eyes of talented young tackle footballers across the southeast and beyond, it will still be viewed as a great hire in the future.

It's Schottenheimer!

BREAKING: #UGA announces the hiring of Brian Schottenheimer as the Dawgs new offensive coordinator.
— Radi Nabulsi (@RadiNabulsi) January 7, 2015

I guess the murmurings of Richt looking for an NFL guy were on point. I mentioned earlier today I'd rather have someone with college experience, especially with recruiting. Hopefully the OL coach hire can bring that in.

For now, welcome Coach Schottenheimer!

Coaching search, the binoculars edition

Got family business to attend to in the next couple days, so this could possibly be my last look at potential candidates before one is on board. I've mostly used Dash and Radi's "hot board" to gleen from as they offered a full rundown of potential candidates. Here's some thoughts.

- As I've mentioned before, one of the more intriguing things about this search is fitting two coaching hires into what amounts to three positions - a quarterbacks coach, and offensive line coach, and a coordinator. Maybe even four positions, technically, if you believe there's a chance Richt might hire "co-coordinators".
- Mike Bloomgren's name received a lot of traction yesterday before rumors began to die down. A lot of people aren't sold on Stanford's production last year. I try to frame that fairly, considering the offenses that Bloomgren's stats are being put against. But still, hard to wrap my head around finishing next to last in scoring and total offense in the Pac-12.
- However, those numbers may not be reflective of what he could do in Athens with the talent that is already on the roster. Stanford had a lot of holes missing due to attrition and injuries this season. And I think he'd be a great fit for the offensive line. Plus. I keep coming back to MaconDawg's post on how nicely Bloomgren fits, from offensive style and game planning to recruiting.
- Kurt Roper's name has cooled some, but he is one that has gained an interview. Many are perplexed by his inclusion in the pool. I'm not of of those. The guy convinced Trevon Harris to sign with Florida at the last minute, so he can recruit. And then he used Harris several months later to help amass 418 yards rushing against a very hot Georgia defense, so he can gameplan.
- Being from the Cutcliffe "coaching tree" definitely slides Roper's name in a positive direction for me. And if Richt thinks he's a good fit and can find ways to give Chubb and his Committee room to run, I'm all for his hiring.
- Another Cutcliffe fallen apple is Randy Sanders. The longtime Volunteer assistant has spent his long career in the southeast, landing in Tallahassee after a few years in Lexington. His style suits our current personnel well. And if the news of Jameis Winston seriously considering returning for his junior season are true, then that may be enough to make him take a cut in pay just to alleviate the headache.
- All kidding aside, not sure exactly why Sanders just doesn't wow me. He is a bit older than some other names that have been mentioned. But mostly I think it's the fact that his quarterbacks have never really developed into much, have they? At least until he got to FSU.
- Brian Schottenheimer's name appeals to me very, very little. In fact, I'm only interested to see if Richt brings him in for an interview. Richt has been enamored with NFL experience before, enough so to make me a little uneasy. Schottenheimer might be a great offensive mind, but I have serious doubts as to how well he'd recruit. And Bobo left a void in the southeast that must be filled somehow.
- The person I've been most intrigued with from the start of this is Billy Napier. He's Saban's wide receivers coach and has experience calling plays at Clemson. He's also had a lot of experience as a quarterbacks' coach and is an accomplished recruiter. He has ties to Richt, as his son Jon signed with Clemson while Napier was there.
- What's so compelling to me about Napier? Probably a lot has to do with the fact that he's at Bama, I won't lie. That's not just a Saban thing, it's also a recruiting thing. Georgia has become much more aggressive on the recruiting trails since Pruitt arrived and I bet Napier would fit nicely into the role Bobo left. But it also has to do with the fact that he's young and has experience that would seem to jive with what his predecessor was trying to do (pro style with some spread formations) and the personnel that is currently on roster.

It sounds like at this point only Roper and Bloomgren have been interviewed. I'd like to see Napier get a sit down at least. Regardless, we're either nearing the end or about halfway through. Translation, we may be putting the binoculars down in favor of the microscope soon. So stay tuned.

Dust settles, OC search heats up

Remains to be seen if the suits in Butts-Mehre are on the same page as the football coaches, but they're at least in the same chapter. But no question things are more settled than they were before Friday's news of contract extensions and raises.

So it's a good time to talk about the open positions on the staff, most notably the offensive coordinator search and offensive line position coaching spot that's open. Weiszer runs down some names that have emerged. I would suspect more names will come up as the process of a coaching search requires many leaves to unturn and countless beat guys, ESPN personalities, bloggers, and of course random agents to help along the way. (Which by the way is something the latest Seth and Gentry Show hits on this morning in talking about how certain coaches provide links between Richt and certain prospects.)

So coaching searches are a lot like suspense dramas without anyone getting killed. Usually.

The guys being talked about the most are Kurt Roper, Tyson Helton, and Mike Bloomgren. I'd advise you to read MaconDawg's analysis of each those names as he approaches their experience from all angles. For an instant snapshot I'll simply add that Roper is looking for employment (so he'll come up on many lists), Helton is a fast rising star through the coaching ranks, and Bloomgren seems to have a style that favors a lot of Chubb. Which I really like.

But I certainly don't have a preference as yet. Actually, my preference is in the process of being verified - that we search the nation for the best possible successor to Mike Bobo. To simply hire from within is the Mark Richt we knew ten years ago. I really think that ship has sailed and a job that allows an offensive coordinator to feature Nick Chubb and groom some talented young quarterbacks should bring in many, many names.

Sure, we still may promote someone like John Lilly. But if we do it speaks to the fact that Richt was not satisfied with anyone else he interviewed, and that he's most comfortable with his long time colleague. And it might also point to current staff considerations. For instance, someone like Roper who is looking for a job might be perfectly fine keeping the offensive coaches we have, while someone making a move from a current gig may lobby to bring his own guys.

And that's where the search gets interesting. We have a long way to go, but the questions are already hanging in the fog out there. Is Richt only looking for someone that fits current personnel, both players and coaches? Or is he willing to change the scheme Bobo had all but perfected? We know even after he brought Pruitt in last January Richt still had final say so on some of the defensive assistants. Will he also make final determinations on open position coaching spots?

Because I'd love to have this guy, a current GA, on staff full time as the new offensive line coach. He would bring some nasty to those big fellas that this old Dawg would really enjoy seeing.

Bobo poaches Letson from Butts-Mehre

In news that's been expected, Mike Bobo has officially hired UGA's recruiting director ROnnie Letson as Colorado State's new quarterbacks coach.

Ronnie Letson, UGA director of player personnel the past year, has been hired by Mike Bobo to be Colorado State QB coach.
— Seth Emerson (@SethEmerson) January 2, 2015

Hopefully Letson's is the only other position Richt has to hire for in the coming weeks. However if the divide between coaches and admin is truly a problem, there's just no telling. It's an important time for this football program. Could be an interesting month.

Back to Letson, he hasn't been in Athens long, but has proven to be a tremendous asset in Georgia's new and improved recruiting philosophy. Many may gloss over this news today, but replacing Letson is as important as the other hires Richt is mulling over today.

Who else is leaving?

Word last night was Will Friend and recruiting coordinator Ronnie Letson were planning to join Bobo in Fort Collins. Another rumor surfacing that Pruitt is being offered the Texas A&M defensive coordinator job. If that's true then McGarity will need to make a strong play to keep him. But I seem to recall the AD balking in a similar situation last week.

So....next week in Charlotte we may be down to Richt calling the plays and the GA's signaling in the defensive alignment.

Fun times. I'm beginning to think someone has laced my figgy pudding with a hallucinogen.

The Mike Bobo saga - day three, McGarity and Teddy KGB

Fletcher Page preaches. I don't believe McGarity is in this particular choir. But I hope he's not dozing off in the back pew.

Because Bobo has been penalized for staying loyal, for not jumping jobs. His longevity — as a former Bulldogs quarterback and longtime second-hand man to Mark Richt — is being used against him. 

Think about this — Bobo was given a $240,00 raise in the spring of 2013 just to get him to the ridiculously underpaid point that he’s at now. 

In the coaching field, you'd be hard pressed to find someone as loyal to their program as Mike Bobo. Unless I'm mistaken, Frank Beamer is the longest tenured head coach in the nation. But it's clear he's hanging on and potentially causing more long-term problems now than he's solving short-term.

That's not Mike Bobo. He's taken his paycheck and gone to work each and every day to make the team better. As Page points out, the fact that a peer to Bobo like Cam Cameron at LSU can make more than twice what the Georgia offensive coordinator does and only score 19 points a game against conference opponents, good for 13th in the league, is absurd. Georgia scored 38.8 points a game against the SEC. That's good for first by the way, and is four more points a game than Lane Kiffin at Alabama who is making a hundred grand a year more in his first year in Tuscaloosa than Bobo is making in his 14th season in Athens.

Speaking of longevity, here's a closing thought - when is the last time Georgia didn't have one of the best offenses in the SEC? It certainly hasn't come under Bobo's watch. Since he took over play calling full time, the Dawgs have finished 3rd, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 3rd, 4th and now 1st in the SEC against conference defenses, which are the fastest, most talented, and best coached defenses in the nation.

And that's why McGarity should've met that jet on the runway yesterday and told Mike Bobo to get on off the plane. Like I said yesterday, I doubt Mike Bobo is the next coach at Colorado State. But, to borrow from both Page and "Teddy KGB", I do know its past time to pay the man his money.

The Mike Bobo saga - day two, in moving Holiday pictures

December always brings coaching rumors and news in college football. Actually, November brings it and then December douses it in lighter fluid and then flicks its cigarette casually in its general direction. And things have certainly escalated quickly in terms of Colorado State's head coach search and specifically how that relates to Georgia's offensive coordinator. With the help of Christmas Spirit as well as YouTube, let's take a peek at where things stand currently.

Feeling overlooked and underappreciated for his particular skillset, Mike Bobo strikes out on his own towards Fort Collins, Colorado.



Given the news, many fans react with raw and honest emotions. For reasonable fans that dwell in facts, they're pretty pissed at getting a low rent Barbie doll, or a can of soup, or entertaining the possibility of playing with a used dish sponge on Christmas Day. 

The lunatic fringe however, absolutely LOVES their new Mr. Literal Potato Head!!!1



Meanwhile, back at Butts-Mehre, Greg McGarity is just way too excited to operate in reality.



Now, how will these distinct subsets of persons find happiness and joy this Holiday Season, and especially just 13 days before the season finale? Stay tuned.