Richt, Johnson answer off the field questions

By KEN SUGIURA

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Georgia football coach Mark Richt and his Georgia Tech counterpart, Paul Johnson, spoke Tuesday at an Atlanta Sports Council luncheon to preview the college football season. Before the event, each coach fielded a few questions that had nothing to do with whether Joe Cox can replace Matthew Stafford or if ACC defenses will be able to solve the Jackets’ spread-option defense.

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Brant Sanderlin, bsanderlin@ajc.com Tech coach Paul Johnson and Georgia head coach Mark Richt fielded questions about the up coming season during the annual Atlanta Sports Council luncheon Tuesday.

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Brant Sanderlin, bsanderlin@ajc.com If given the opportunity, Tech head coach Paul Johnson says he "would have something to do with recruiting, to try to slow down the train. It’s getting out of hand."

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Brant Sanderlin, bsanderlin@ajc.com For Georgia head coach Mark Richt, sometimes, the best place to catch a game is on the recliner, "it’s nice to just kick back."

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What’s the most relaxing thing you did this summer?

Johnson: I went to Scotland with Coach [Mike] Smith from the Falcons. [Minority Falcons owner] John Imlay hosted us in Scotland for a few days, and we played golf and we had a great time. I had never played there before. We played St. Andrews. We played Muirfield, Troon, Prestwick, North Berwick. Mr. Imlay’s well-connected in Scotland.

Richt: Sleep. I actually took a couple naps this summer. Highly unusual for me. Anywhere from 30 minutes to, I might have maxed out at an hour and a half, here and there. It was during vacation. Even during vacation I usually don’t do that. It was good.

What’s something you weren’t able to get to?

Johnson: I don’t know that there was anything, really. I’d love to be able to spend a little more time in the mountains back at home [in North Carolina], but we can’t ever seem to find time to do that. We got up there for about four or five days, but that was it.

Richt: Our goal this summer was to do a whole lot of nothing as far as family and vacation time. We spent time at the lake. [Lake Hartwell] We have a home there. Actually, my family moved into the lake home as soon as school ended. I’ve been commuting [to Athens], actually.

Is there a way that Mark Richt/Paul Johnson is different than his public persona?

Johnson: I don’t know that I know Mark that well. Mark’s a very approachable guy. He’s pretty laid back. I think most people view him as that way, though. I think that that’s probably legit. That’s just kind of the way he is.

Richt: I’ve known him prior to him being at Georgia Tech. I like him. He’s very personable, he’s got a good sense of humor, and I know he’s a good family man. I like him.

Who’s a player on the Georgia/Georgia Tech roster you’d like to have on yours?

Johnson: They’ve got quite a few we wouldn’t mind having. I’m not going to name one, because it’ll make the others mad.

Richt: Well, I’m not going to get into that one. Anytime you say something like that, you make one guy happy and somebody mad.

Outside of places you’ve worked, what’s the best place to watch a college football game?

Johnson: Gosh, I don’t know. I’ve never had a chance to go watch one anywhere. I don’t know what that answer would be. Once the game starts, I couldn’t tell you if there was 200 people there or 20 people there or 200,000. I get dialed into the game.

Richt: In a recliner with TiVo. That’d be about the best. I think fans ought to go to games, but for me, in my busy life, it’s nice to just kick back. I love the days we have an early kickoff. I might get home, 5, 6, 7 o’clock, whatever it might be, and have a chance to catch a game. I love just kicking back and watching the game and let somebody else sweat.

If you were president of the NCAA for a day, what change would you make?

Johnson: I think it would have something to do with recruiting, to try to slow down the train. It’s getting out of hand. If we’re not careful, we’re going to turn into basketball. You’ve got so many people now offering [scholarships to] 10th-graders. It’s crazy.

Richt: I think one thing that I’d probably do is try to incorporate some kind of [recruiting] dead period in the summer. I don’t think everybody could have the same dead period at the same time, but I think if everybody had to have a two-week dead period, [including] no unofficial visits, that way, high school coaches, players, college coaches would have a little more sanity to their summer. [Currently], we might have an unofficial visit almost every day in the summer. I think what [high school players] are doing is wise, but I think if there was a time earmarked by every school that would say, “This is our dead period in the summer,” I think the kids could still schedule around all that, but I think there would be a little more sanity to coaches trying to get vacation time.