VanGorder not interested in UGA coordinator job

By D. Orlando Ledbetter

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

FLOWERY BRANCH -- Falcons defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder is not interested in the vacant defensive coordinator position at Georgia.

"I'm here with the Atlanta Falcons and my commitment is to this job, and I'm not interested in any other jobs, period," VanGorder told the AJC on Thursday. "I enjoy tremendously working for [owner] Mr. [Arthur] Blank and his family, [general manager] Thomas [Dimitroff] and [coach] Mike Smith."

VanGorder coached at Georgia from 2001-04. His last defense in 2004 finished ranked eighth in the nation, and the scoring defense ranked ninth.

VanGorder, 50, is in his third season with the Falcons and second as the defensive coordinator.

The Falcons are in the process of rebuilding the defense, as they attempted to replace five starters this season.

"I'm excited about where we are," VanGorder said. "We have a young team that as we go through the process, I look forward to being a part of their growth and being important in that growth. That's where I, am."

VanGorder has gone back-and-forth between the pro and college ranks in recent years. After spending the 2005 season as an NFL assistant at Jacksonville he left to become the head coach at Georgia Southern for a season before joining the Falcons in 2007.

He accepted a job with South Carolina after Bobby Petrino left the Falcons, but VanGorder returned as the defensive coordinator under Smith.

"I'm a football coach," VanGorder said. "I enjoy the NFL. Mostly, I enjoy being a part of the Atlanta Falcons. We have a tremendous organization. I go to work excited every day. I look forward to being a part of our process as we move forward. "