UGA blog finds new home
Morning all. As I’ve said a couple of times this week, we’re converting this blog over to a WordPress platform and it will be a permanent move the first of next week.
Those of you who are regulars probably know that I’m not what you’d call techno-wizard when it comes to these things. But from what I understand the technology offered in this new format should make the blogging and commenting experience better for all. Of course, I’ll be learning as we go along, too. But I’m hoping to provide more pictures and video and things like that which should bring the blog more to life.
Of course, this blog is nothing without all you guys so I want to heartily invite (read: beg) you to come over to the new site by CLICKING HERE ON THE NEW ADDRESS and save it in your browsers. As of Monday, Feb. 23rd, this will be the permanent home of the UGA blog you so love or, in the case of some of you, love to loathe. If you’d prefer to copy and paste or just memorize, the new address is: http://blogs.ajc.com/uga-sports-blog/.
See at the new place!
AJC > Sports > UGA > Blog > Archives > 2009 > January > 05
Monday, January 5, 2009
Garner on sticking with Dogs
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I just got off the phone with Rodney Garner. As you might imagine, he is exhausted after all the overtures from Tennessee. They were significant, and the fact that Garner remained at Georgia despite it all is extremely significant.
“I’m drained man,” Garner said. “It’s been a hectic couple of days.”
Here’s some details I learned from our conversation:
Initially UT wanted him to come and be assistant coach/offense, coach offensive tackles and tight ends and be something called “running game coordinator.” Rodney wouldn’t validate the $400,000 salary offer but said the raise would have been significant from his $250,000 salary at Georgia.
Rodney mulled the offer before telling UT he’d decided his heart was on the defensive side of the ball. He said the Vols countered by offering him the D-line position. Ed Orgeron, who had already been named recruiting coordinator and D-line coach, was going to coach LBs instead.
Rodney said it was never about the money or titles. He said the lure was to work alongside UT defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin. “That was a major attraction, wanting to just be a sponge and soak up all the knowledge I could from a great defensive coordinator.”
Garner will receive a moderate raise from Georgia — “nothing like what they were offering at Tennessee,” he said —but no other promotions from his current titles of asst. head coach, recruiting coordinator and D-line. I asked him about the notion of being “Co-defensive coordinator” and he said “we have a defensive coordinator.”
As for the main reason he stayed with the Bulldogs, Garner said: “The attraction of Georgia to me is Mark Richt, I’m going to be honest with you. I love the institution and the community but I work for a great man and that’s the main reason I stayed.”
Rodney said he was immediately heading out on the road recruiting. Had at least one in-home Monday night. Said in his conversation with Richt that Gerogia “needed to get after it and work as hard as we possibly can because the competition is working hard.”
I talk to CMR at 1:30 p.m. In the meantime, here’s what he said in the UGA release.
“Rodney has been an integral part of the success we’ve enjoyed over the past eight years,” Richt said. “He’s produced some outstanding defensive linemen and is nationally known as one of the country’s very best recruiters. But he also has been instrumental in many areas of our football program in addition to coaching on the field and recruiting. He’s done an outstanding job in all areas of his responsibility and we’re excited about moving forward with Rodney, Kim and their daughters as part of our coaching family.”
I’ll find out more during CMR’s teleconference.
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