A real headscratcher...

from onlineathens.com:

Submitted by Marc Weiszer on Fri, 12/18/2009 - 2:28pm.
Vic Koenning was introduced this afternoon as defensive coordinator at Illinois after he said he spent Thursday night talking to Georgia, which is looking for a defensive coordinator of its own.

“There was some dialogue and it made for an interesting last 16 to 18 hours, you might say,” said Koenning, the co-defensive coordinator this past season at Kansas State. “When push comes to shove, the character and the drive and the enthusiasm that Coach (Ron) Zook exhibited makes sure there was no doubt in the outcome.”

A source close to the Illinois program said late Thursday night that Koenning was considering an apparent offer from Georgia.

Georgia coach Mark Richt was asked after Friday morning’s bowl practice whether he could shed any light on Koenning’s talks with Georgia.

“I think everything, this whole search stuff…I’ll just say I think there’s nothing to shed,” Richt said. “I’ve got nothing to shed on it.”

Koenning said he arrived in Champaign “in the dark of night.”

The Chicago Sun-Times reports on a blog on its Web site that Koenning will make $325,000 in a two-year deal. Georgia was paying Willie Martinez $325,815 not including bonuses.

Koenning is the second coach to acknowledge publicly talks with Richt about a position.



So, if we made an offer, and it was less than what Illinois offered (I'm assuming), I thought we were going to make all resources available to get the right guy in here. But, if he isn't the right guy (which I don't think he was), then why make an offer at all and risk him accepting it? I know I'm not behind the scenes of the search and all that, but talking to somebody and making an offer that isn't even competitive with Illinois is making me scratch my head and go, hmmmm.

sadlerdawg, seems to me that this is becoming a mixed-up state of affairs. Have heard it said that Evans likes to control the purse strings, however he seemed to make it clear that UGA is willing to pay and compete. Really don't want political speak at this point, just the facts will do.

I am from the \"Old School\" that believes you get what you pay for. Good example of that would be what WM was paid versus what Coach Foster is receiving from VTech.

Also feel that Coach Richt must feel he has a good grasp on the recruiting trail, sure hope so. Next serious controversy could involve head coach.

Personally, still holding out hope that Coach Sanders finds his way to Athens. Pro experience, longtime UF coach. Really don't think that Coach Sanders coaches at Green Bay and Buffalo if the powers that be don't like his resume. Think that the Red and Black could use that kind of experience. Tennessee seemed to think that Monte Kiffin would help that program. I guess they were right.

Don't care how long Coach Richt takes, really want him to make the right decision for UGA. This is not about EGO's, this is about THE GEORGIA BULLDOGS.

Good thread/post sadlerdawg.

Yeah, Buc, I'm just not understanding this whole episode at all. One would assume that the highest bid would win out, (I'm not buying this \"enthusiasm of Coach Zook\" crap, money talks), and if he accepted an offer that is less than what WM was making, what in the world did we offer him? And why so little, if he was a serious contender. If he wasn't a serious contender, why make an offer? I would love to see Sanders also, or Bumpas (I personally don't think Smart is a realistic option), and this one left me totally befuddled. Kind of kills the theory that CMR has his man if two other DC's have publicly stated that they've been made offers.

There you go again sadlerdawg. You never fail to hit the nail on the head.

Noticing on many blogs that folks don't read, they post, could be about the same subject that is one thread up or down.

Great statement you make in your post . . . . (I'm not buying this \"enthusiasm of Coach Zook\" crap, money talks)

In my opinion, an insult to UGA and those involved to have Vic Koenning pick a program that has been in disarray for too many years to mention, to say to a program like ours . . . NO THANKS. As bad as Notre Dame has been, (not living up to expectations) they had not problem one with hiring a HEAD COACH. UGA can't hire a DC, what the heck.

I would be totally surprised if Coach Smart returned to Athens sadlerdawg, agreeing with you.

Say it again . . . . give me a coach with NFL experience.

You have athletes Coach Richt . . . . just need coaches to what(?) COACH THEM UP.

Forget this CEO crap that helped ruin our program, get your hands back on the program.

Just my two cents worth. Go Dawgs!

What's incredibly frustrating, Buc, is that other schools are hiring HC's (Cincy, Kansas, ND, UVa, among others) and coordinators (FSU, Illinois, among others) while we don't seem to be doing much other than making silly offers to coordinators who have no intentions of leaving their schools or go somewhere else for more money. Like I said before, I'm obviously not in on all the behind the scenes action, but from what's being made public, it's not really instilling much confidence in me. I've seen monkey s#!t fights at the zoo that were more organized than this hiring process is going.

If we can't beat Illinois for a DC coach then we have problems.

I'm thinking we made a low-ball offer in an effort to keep the schools that employ the guys we want in the dark about how high we are willing to go in what will essentially be a coaching price war. Keep in mind that coaching salaries are kind of a delicate subject given the state of the current economy.

Let's also not forget that Damon Evans has a degree in Finance. I would like to believe he knows what he is doing.