The Georgia Bulldogs capped their season with a win in the Belk Bowl and are preparing to lock up head coach Mark Richt with a contract extension.
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Mark Richt has been the head coach at Georgia since the Bulldogs hired him in 2001 and that tenure could reach into the next decade as he and Georgia work to complete a contract extension, according to the Athens Banner-Herald.
Marc Weiszer writes Georgia and Richt are working on an extension according to a letter athletic director Greg McGarity has sent to donors.Richt’s current deal runs through the 2017 season and pays him $3.2 million, which is suddenly among the lowest as far as compensation is concerned in the SEC.
With recent raises to Hugh Freeze and Butch Jones and a potential raise for Dan Mullen, Richt is in line for a raise I would expect would be in the $4 million range. Considering Florida just gave first-year head coach Jim McElwain a six-year deal worth $3.5 million, Richt could easily command that much, if not more.
Richt’s last raise was a 400,000 one in 2013 and after hitting the 1o-win mark ninth time in his career and first since 2012 it would stand to reason that his raise this time around would be slightly more than his most recent one. Coupled with the fact Richt and his staff is tearing it up on the recruiting circuit, $4 million would be a bit of a bargain.
Georgia has the nation’s No. 3 recruiting class in the nation, according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings and have the foundation for a run at the SEC championship with freshmen phenom Nick Chubb running through opposing defenses since he took over for Todd Gurley when he was suspended and later injured.
His hire of defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt last year was an immediate success but he does face a crucial hire on the offensive side of the ball after losing Mike Bobo who took the head coaching job at Colorado State left vacant after McElwain went to Florida.
Following the Bulldog’s win in the Belk Bowl, the 54-year old Richt was met with questions about retirement and how much longer he plans on coaching, but that doesn’t look like that will in the works any time soon.
Richt has a career record of 136-48 in 14 seasons with six SEC east division titles and a 9-5 mark in bowl games.
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