Plenty of Georgia connections with 4 possible Richt replacements
After 15 seasons and a 145-51 overall record, Georgia and long-time coach Mark Richt have decided to part ways. While Richt guided the Bulldogs to two SEC Championships and six SEC East titles, failed to claim the division title in each of the last three seasons. It appears Houston's Tom Herman is remaining at Houston and lets just skip over Chip Kelly to fill-in-the-blank rumors. Below are four realistic candidates in Athens, Ga.:
1. Kirby Smart (Alabama defensive coordinator): The Dawgs will have to beat out plenty of other suitors, namely South Carolina, for Smart. He's been a prime candidate in recent years as the point man on Alabama's defense. Will he finally leave Nick Saban's side for a chance to lead his alma mater?
2. Dan Mullen (Mississippi State head coach): This won't be a popular name for half of the Magnolia State, but Mullen makes a lot of sense. MSU and Ole Miss aren't gigs where coaches go to retire anymore thanks to Mullen and Hugh Freeze. To pry either coach away it would have to take a top-tier school that can pay elite money. Georgia in some ways is a sleeping giant. Will Mullen trade his maroon and white for red and black? Also, keep in mind Mullen and AD Greg McGarity overlapped in Florida, so there's that familiarity. If UGA wants an offensive-minded coach who can develop QBs, maybe Mullen is their man.
3. Will Muschamp (Auburn defensive coordinator): The former Georgia safety coached at UGA as a graduate assistant and then in state at West Georgia and Valdosta State early in his career before graduating to LSU and Auburn as coordinators. Had he not flamed out so spectacularly at Florida his name might have carried more interest (granted, if he hadn't flamed out, he'd probably still be in The Swamp). If he could bring with him a bright offensive mind, the former Bulldog still could make sense at Georgia.
4. Mike Bobo (Colorado State head coach): This one won't be popular with UGA faithful. The former Bulldog QB and long-time UGA assistant/coordinator was certainly not a fan favorite when he left UGA to take over Colorado State. But, in his debut at Colorado State, Bobo has posted a 7-5 record.
This story was originally published November 30, 2015 at 1:58 PM with the headline "Plenty of Georgia connections with 4 possible Richt replacements ."