Mark Fox was not the only coach to benefit from Georgia’s appearance in the NCAA basketball tournament this past season.
All three of Fox’s assistant coaches were recently approved for raises in the wake of the Bulldogs’ 21-12 season. Lead assistant Philip Pearson received a $60,000 increase to $230,000 a year, while fellow assistant coaches Jonas Hayes and Yasir Rosemond had their compensation increased to $210,000 from $150,000 and $160,000, respectively.
Fox, the head coach, signed a two-year extension in March on a contract that pays him $1.7 million annually.
A year after finishing in a tie for second in the SEC and winning 20 games, the Bulldogs tied for third last season. It represented just the third time in school history Georgia recorded back-to-back 20-win seasons and was just the 13th time overall in 110 years of basketball.
Fox was asked about that accomplishment Thursday night at UGA Days in Rome.
“What’s important to us is to do it a third time,” Fox said. “It’s really important to me that we establish a foundation of success both on and off the court. When you’re hired you talk about a vision and what you plan to do. Eventually you have to do it. And once you’ve done it you’ve got to go out and repeat it. For us to consider ourselves in the upper half of the league, we’ve got to try to do it again.”
That will be a challenge nest season as the Bulldogs lost to graduation their top two frontcourt players, Marcus Thornton and Nemi Djurisic. But Fox believes Georgia can reset quickly. Sophomores Yante Maten is one of three returning forwards and the Bulldogs signed two more in recruiting, led by 6-9 players Mike Edwards of Westland, Mich., and Derek Ogbeide of Mableton.
Including guard Will “Turtle” Jackson and wing E’Torrion Wilridge, Fox’s 2015 recruiting class has been called his best yet. And that’s while Georgia continues to pursue Wheeler’s Jaylen Brown, the state’s top prospect.
“I would say we’ll judge them at the end of their careers,” Fox said. “But I do think we’re bringing in two really quality frontline posts players. They’re like defensive linemen in that they’re so hard to get. Obviously Will Jackson is going to be terrific. Then with E’torrion, the combination of those four guys puts us in a position we’re excited about.”
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