Richt fires Martinez, two other defensive coaches

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By Chip Towers

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

ATHENS -- Georgia coach Mark Richt fired three of his defensive coaches Wednesday, including beleaguered coordinator Willie Martinez.

Brant Sanderlin UGA is looking for a new defensive coordinator, after Willie Martinez was fired Wednesday.

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Linebackers coach John Jancek and defensive ends coach Jon Fabris also did not have their contracts renewed.

"I did not take any pleasure in the decision," Richt said in an evening teleconference call with reporters. "It was a very difficult thing to do. But after painstaking reflection and time to think about the whole situation I felt like this was the best decision for Georgia right now."

The coaches were asked to stay with the Bulldogs through the bowl game, but it is not known if any will. Regardless they all have been immediately relieved of recruiting responsibilities.

"I have asked them to [stay on] and welcomed them to and want them to," Richt said. "But I don't really want to comment on that right now because it's been such a short time. Even if one said yes, he may want to reserve the right to change his mind. At this point they've been invited to. I hope they do. We'll have a better idea after a little time passes."

Richt said he informed the coaches of his decision Wednesday. He told the players in a meeting at 4 p.m. Wednesday following their weight-room workout at Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall.

"Bummer," senior defensive tackle Jeff Owens said as he exited the first-floor team meeting room immediately afterward. "You need to talk to the young guys. They're the one it affects. I was surprised. You love your coaches."

Reporters were asked by sports-communications office personnel to leave the first-floor elevator lobby before any other players could be interviewed. None of the coaches could not be reached but Martinez issued a statement through UGA.

"I am very thankful to Mark Richt and the University of Georgia for nine great years in Athens," Martinez said. "I am proud to have been an integral part of two SEC Championships, three BCS Bowl bids, four top 10 rankings in the final polls, and 89 victories since 2001. I look forward to my next coaching opportunity."

Under Martinez, the Bulldogs had a hard time keeping opponents from scoring. Since Martinez succeeded ultra-successful defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder in 2005, Georgia's defenses have allowed increasingly more points each season: 14.6, 17.1, 21.0, 25.6 and 26.4 points per game, respectively, over the past five years. The past two seasons Georgia has allowed 34 or more points 10 times.

"It was definitely not a one-year knee-jerk reaction to this year I can promise you that," Richt said. "It was more of a decision that was made over the course of time. ... The bottom line is we want to get back to the top of the Eastern Division and the top of the SEC. That's the goal, and that's what we're going after."

As for who might lead the Georgia defense in the future, Richt could not or would not say. Early speculation ranged from VanGorder, now defensive coordinator for the Falcons, to former Auburn head coach Tommy Tuberville, Virginia Tech defensive coordinator Bud Foster, Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart, South Carolina defensive coordinator Ellie Johnson and former Buffalo Bills defensive assistant Bob Sanders.

"The plan is to bring in the right people, the right coaches," he said. "Not only do you want coaches that are competent, but you want to bring in coaches that will buy into the overriding philosophies that I have as a head coach. Those things can't necessarily happen over night. And quite frankly I don't think it's right to be out there shopping around before I have an opportunity to talk to the men like I had today. I'm not putting a timetable on anything. The goal is that we get the right people in place."

Richt said the amount of influence of boosters and/or administrators on him to making the move was "zero."

It had to be a difficult decision for Richt. He and Martinez, 46, played together at Miami in the early 1980s, and Martinez was one of his first hires when he came to Georgia from Florida State in 2001.

Fabris, 52, also has been with Richt from the beginning at UGA. He was known as a relentless recruiter who landed the Bulldogs wide receiver star A.J. Green and who tutored All-America defensive end David Pollack.

Jancek, 41, replaced VanGorder as linebackers coach in 2005 after serving as defensive coordinator and line coach at Central Michigan.

"We spend more time with each other than we do with our families or any other thing," Richt said. "During the season we're working 80-hour weeks if not 100. So you spend a lot of time with these men and you get to know them and you meet with them daily and you watch their children grow up and you bleed with them and you have wonderful victories and celebrations with them and Christmas parties and all those things.

"We've accomplished quite a lot at Georgia over that timeframe. So it's not been anything easy at all."