Mark Richt flashes The U at Miami hiring press conference

Mark Richt during his introductory press conference as the new head coach of his alma mater Miami Hurricanes flashes the signature The U hand gesture.

The Mark Richt Era in Coral Gables is officially under way. He was formally introduced as the 24th head coach of the Miami Hurricanes, a place where Mark Richt played collegiately in the late 1970s to early 1980s.

When Richt played at Miami, the program was awful and he graduated shortly before the Howard Schnellenberger/Jimmy Johnson days of the Miami Football, better known as The U, Part One. At his press conference, Richt proudly displays the signature hand gesture long associated with Miami Hurricanes football.

Richt put up The U after saying “My goal is to finish my coaching career at The U.”

Mark Richt built a program built on character and high class while at the University of Georgia from 2001 to 2015. While he never played for a national championship while leading the Dawgs, he became arguably an even more beloved coach in Athens than possibly Vince Dooley in some circles.

When Georgia athletic director Greg McGarity informed Richt of his dismissal from the program he brought back to prominence on Sunday, it took less than a week for Richt to get the head coaching gig at his alma mater.

Richt will still get to clobber Georgia Tech annually in the ACC Coastal, but won’t have to face SEC East nemeses like Florida or South Carolina anymore. Given his ability to develop quarterbacks both at Georgia and at Florida State, Richt could have made Miami a national destination once again. Expect to for Mark Richt to have his Hurricanes playing for an ACC Championship by 2018. A great hire for Miami, as they are getting a great man in head coach Mark Richt.