Interesting update on the DC position

Judging from conversations that people had with Richt at the Gala over the weekend, he already has his man. However, he’s got to wait at least 5 business days after the job was posted, and I believe that was on the 8th. I think we’ll know no later than Wednesday. My guess is Kirby Smart, Bud Foster, or Vic Koenning.

Interesting, huh?

Some more:
UPDATE: According to two sources, Kirby Smart was in the Butts-Mehre building on Friday. He was also at the Georgia Dome on Friday, as was his friend Mike Bobo and Coach Stacy Searels. He was back at the Dome on Saturday to watch Alabama commitment Blake Sims.
BRIEF: Like his college teammate Mike Bobo, Kirby Smart jumped quickly into the coaching ranks following his days as a player for the Georgia Bulldogs in the 1990s. Following a graduate assistant position at Georgia (1999), he went on to first coach linebackers and then become the defensive coordinator at Valdosta State in 2000 and 2001, respectively. After two seasons as a graduate assistant at Florida State, he joined Nick Saban's staff at LSU in 2004 as defensive backs coach. When Saban left for the NFL, Smart moved back in Athens as running back coach for Mark Richt, but not for long as he rejoined Saban's staff in 2006 as safeties coach for the Miami Dolphins. When Saban took over at Alabama in 2007, he named Smart defensive coordinator of the Crimson Tide.
COMMENT: Could the ill-feelings that served as the basis for the barrier between Smart and his alma mater be subsiding? Apparently that is the case. UGASports has recently learned that many of the issues that existed between head coach Mark Richt and Smart have been resolved. Forgive and forget? Perhaps, but getting Smart away from Alabama won't be easy. Smart is extremely loyal to Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban, who first hired him to coach defensive backs at LSU in 2004 before the former Bulldog safety spent the following season in Athens coaching running backs in 2005. But when Saban was named head coach of the Miami Dolphins in 2006, he re-hired Smart to coach safeties and when Alabama lured Saban in 2007, Smart was brought along as well. Basically, Smart feels he owes Saban for helping him get to the position he has at what's still considered a very young age. A Bainbridge native, Smart is married to former Lady Bulldog basketball player Mary Beth Lycett. Should Richt decide to make a call, the Bulldogs wouldn't be the only ones vying for Smart's services. Florida is also looking for a defensive coordinator. Smart's base salary at Alabama currently sits at $325,000 with a buyout of $65,000. Georgia would no doubt have to top that figure should it ever decide to try and entice Smart. But after learning that Smart and Richt have apparently buried the hatchet, Smart's name would be one worth watching. - Anthony Dasher

Name
Vic Koenning
Current Job
Kan. St.- CDC Col/NFL/T/Age
29/0/29/49 College
Kansas State
Hometown
Owasso, OK
UPDATE: Has the former Clemson and Troy defensive coordinator talked with Georgia head coach Mark Richt about the Bulldogs' vacant defensive coordinator's position? \"Georgia's a great place and Coach Richt is a fantastic coach, but I don't think I'm at liberty to say right now,\" Koenning said. \"I'll just say it would be a great honor to be considered for that, but that's all I can say.\"
BRIEF: Following his playing career at Kansas State and the Oklahoma Outlaws of the defunct USFL, Koenning starting coaching as a graduate assistant at Memphis in 1986. Since then, he has coached at Wyoming, Troy, Clemson, and his alma mater. His primary area of specialty is the defensive secondary though he has served as defensive coordinator at one school or another since 1997. The exception to that is the three years he was head coach a Wyoming (2000-2002) where he posted a 5-29 record)
COMMENT: While he hails from the Heartland, his family has not moved from South Carolina following his departure from Clemson and subsequent job in The Little Apple. Inquiring further, sources on the ground in Manhattan, Kan., were not surprised to hear someone from \"back East\" call to ask about Koenning. The gist of what was said next is that the source did not think Koenning viewed his job at KSU as a permanent stop, and that he would like to get back to the southeast. - Steve Patterson


Name
Bud Foster
Current Job
Va. Tech - DC
Col/NFL/T/Age
28/0/28/50 College
Murray State Hometown
Nokomis, Ill.
UPDATE: Rumors were rampant Friday that Foster was a serious contender for the position but none of those have been verified. Since then other Rivals publishers have heard that Foster was in the mix from multiple coaches.
BRIEF: Foster has worked on Frank Beamer's staff since 1981 when he signed on as a grad assistant at Murray State where he had lettered four years as a safety and linebacker. Beamer promoted him to linebackers and special teams coach the following year, kept him on at the same position when the staff moved to Virginia Tech in 1987, and named him defensive coordinator of the Hokies in 1995. In his career, Foster has won the Frank Broyles Award and the Defensive Coordinator of the Year Award.
COMMENT: The Beamer era at Virginia Tech does not seem to be ending any time soon, and, some believe that Foster could be in line as the next head coach. - Steve Patterson

Sounds like 3 pretty good coaches. Don't know much about Koenning, but seems liek the guy is a great pass defense coach. I like Foster's pin your ears back and go, blitzing D. Personally, I would love to see Kirby get the job, but I just don't see him leaving. Thanks for the update, and please continue to post any info that you get.

GO DAWGS

ALLDawgs5, I agree, big risk for KS to leave Bama.

Good \"stuff\" wlayton . . . .

from ajc.com---

Virginia Tech’s Bud Foster talks with Georgia
2:26 pm December 14, 2009, by Tim Tucker

Any college football program seeking a defensive coordinator probably should put in a call to Bud Foster, Virginia Tech’s esteemed long-time DC. And Mark Richt has.

Jim Donnan, the former Georgia coach, mentioned on his 680 The Fan show this morning that he heard from Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer that Georgia is talking with Foster. (Reached later, Donnan said that’s all he knows about it and that he doesn’t want to inject himself into the matter.) Meanwhile, the Daily Press in Newport News, Va., also says on its Website this afternoon that Foster has been contacted by Georgia.

If he’s interested, Foster should rank high –- very high –- on a list of Georgia candidates believed to include Alabama’s Kirby Smart, Kansas State’s Vic Koenning and others. Smart is a former Georgia player and Koenning a former Clemson defensive coordinator (under Tommy Bowden).

From the Daily Press: “It’ll be interesting to see how far Foster gets with Georgia. Of course, there’s always the possibility he could use these discussions for a raise in Blacksburg. If anybody is going to catch Foster’s attention for a coordinator’s job, they’re going to have to put together an awfully attractive financial package. He’s making $402,000 this year, according to the results of USA Today’s recent coach and assistant coach salary study for all available Football Bowl Subdivision programs. He’s the 13th highest-paid assistant coach in the country, and seventh-highest paid defensive coordinator.”

Georgia has indicated it’s willing to pay what it takes to hire the right person.

Two years ago Foster declined an offer from Steve Spurrier to be South Carolina’s defensive coordinator.

Just read that Bud Foster has all but been made an offer by UGA...curiouser and curiouser...

www.onlineathens.com/stories/121409/bre_...tm_campaign=dawgwire