After six years heading up the Bulldog program, Mark Richt has made it clear that winning with consistency will be a standard for years to come. In six seasons, his Georgia teams have won three SEC Eastern Division titles, two SEC championships, and his 61-17 record is fifth best in the country in winning percentage among active coaches (.782).
He is one of only nine head coaches in Division I-A history to record 60 or more wins in his first six seasons, he’s one of only six coaches in history to win two SEC championships (2002, 2005) in his first five years, and one of only five head coaches in SEC history to record four straight 10-win seasons (2002-05).
The excitement produced by Richt’s teams on the field has been matched by many other aspects surrounding the program. Richt has generated an atmosphere of excitement and unity among the Georgia people. Georgia supporters and fans became impressed with his sincerity, openness, family values, and the casual and genuine way he carried himself. They liked his ideas on building a football program, his commitment to discipline, and the importance he placed on standards of excellence on and off the field.
After starting out 5-0, his 2006 team struggled through the middle of the schedule, but rebounded to defeat three top 20 teams in a row: #5 Auburn, #16 Georgia Tech, and #14 Virginia Tech in the Chick-fil-A Bowl. Picked to finish third in the SEC East, his 2005 team exceeded all expectations with a 10-2 regular season finish and SEC championship defeating third-ranked LSU in the title game. He was elected 2005 SEC Coach of the Year by the SEC Coaches. His Bulldog teams since he arrived are also an amazing 23-3 when playing on the opponents’ home field.
His 2004 team finished 10-2, won a third straight bowl game, and finished in the nation’s top six in the final national rankings for the third consecutive season. Along the way in ‘04, the ‘Dogs defeated defending national champion LSU, Georgia Tech for the fourth straight time and upended Florida for the first time since 1997.
Richt had the ‘Dogs in the SEC title game for the second time in a row in ‘03, defeated Purdue in the Capital One Bowl, and had the ‘Dogs in the top ten again with a final USA Today/ESPN Coaches ranking of 6th and a final AP ranking of 7th.
In 2002, he led the Dogs to its first SEC championship in 20 years, defeated Florida State in the Nokie Sugar Bowl, and finished the season with a number three national ranking. Georgia’s championship run was a complete team effort, with the Dogs winning five games by a touchdown or less. Among Richt’s team were three first team All-Americans and eight first team All-SEC performers. Richt himself was a consensus choice as SEC Coach of the Year and was a finalist for the Bear Bryant National Coach of the Year Award. In addition, the ‘02 Bulldogs led the SEC in both scoring offense (32.2 ppg) and scoring defense (15.1 ppg).
By the time his inaugural season in 2001 came to a close, he had become the first Georgia coach since H.J. Stegeman in 1920 to win eight games in his inaugural season. He had also handed Tennessee its only regular season defeat (in Knoxville on national television) and beaten arch rival Georgia Tech (for the first time since 1997).
His career as a Bulldog began as a Christmas present that actually came the day after most gifts had been opened. On Dec. 26, 2000, Richt was named head coach at the University of Georgia after serving on the staff at Florida State for 15 years—the last seven as offensive coordinator.
Richt, a 1982 graduate of the University of Miami, coached the quarterbacks for 14 seasons at FSU. As offensive coordinator, he developed offenses that were among the most prolific in college football history while becoming one of country’s most respected coaches.
Richt’s notoriety at FSU developed over the years through an innovative offensive style and a long list of excellent quarterbacks including two Heisman Trophy winners: Charlie Ward and Chris Weinke.
Under Richt’s direction, the FSU offense had been a national leader. In this seven years as offensive coordinator, the Seminoles finished in the nation’s top five in scoring offense on five occasions, top 12 in total offense five times, and top 12 in passing offense five times.
Richt sent six FSU quarterbacks into the NFL between 1987 and 2000. In addition to Weinke (Carolina Panthers), Washington Redskin Casey Weldon was the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy in 1991. His teammate at FSU, Brad Johnson (now Richt’s brother-in-law), was a Pro Bowl selection for Washington in 2000 and led the Tampa Bay Bucs to the Super Bowl title in 2003. Other Richt pro proteges include Danny Kanell (New York Giants), Danny McManus (Kansas City Chiefs) and Peter Tom Willis (Chicago Bears).
Richt is married to the former Katharyn Francis of Tallahassee. The couple have four children - Jonathan (born 3/11/90), David (born 12/1/94), Zach (born 5/15/96), and Anya (born 2/13/97).
