A boxed-up portable crib waits by the door, ready for this weekend’s visit with his infant granddaughter. A blue bottle of Coppertone Sport sits on his desk.
Aside from that, nearly everything else in Mark Richt’s new office is inherited. The five framed photos of Miami’s national championship rings on one wall. The photo of Andre Johnson hoisting the BCS-era crystal ball on the other. The helmets bearing the ‘U’ logo sitting on various tables around the room – all left by the previous tenant.
Richt may have the same view Al Golden had, overlooking Miami’s weight room and practice fields, but his standing in college football is much higher. That’s why Hurricanes fans today feel lucky – blessed, some might say – to have him as their coach.
The remodeling, though, will not happen overnight.
“I’m trying to learn names,” Richt said during a relaxed, 30-minute sit-down he conducted Thursday.
“I’m watching some practice and trying to figure out who’s leaving, who’s staying, who’s a senior, who’s not. There might be a guy making a play and I’m like, ‘Oh, man, that’s awesome,’ and they’re like, ‘Nah, he’s leaving’ and I’m like ‘OK.’ ”
He conveyed no disappointment as he shared that anecdote. Even if he was handed the worst news possible, it’s hard to imagine Richt being rattled. He is a serene man, wholly guided by the Christian faith he found some 30 years ago. When he was at Georgia, he was colorfully described as having the lowest resting pulse of any SEC coach.
So don’t expect the pressure of rebuilding his alma mater, of making the middling Hurricanes nationally relevant again, to spook him.
“I personally think, we’ve got a long way to go,” said Richt, who was introduced Dec. 4. “Not in a negative way. Only thing I’m going to predict is we’re going to work really hard, and try to earn the right to win games. That’s the only thing I’m going to promise right now.”
It’s also not his style to bark orders. He wants to be respectful to interim coach Larry Scott, who is 4-1 since taking over for Golden and drew praise from the incoming boss. “There’s no reason for me to come in and try to take over,” he said. “They’ve been on a good path. The players have really responded in a positive way to an adverse situation, a tough time. I hear and see a bunch of guys that have come together.”
He’ll stay out of the spotlight until after the Dec. 26 Sun Bowl against Washington State. He won’t even attend the game. As such, he wouldn’t reveal Thursday the names of any assistant coaches he may hire. “We’ll let you know,” he said, with a thin smile on his tanned face and a twinkle in his eye.
After all, he’s got plenty of other business to take care of. The names and faces he sees every day are hardly familiar. He and his wife, Katharyn, are still looking for a place to live. “I’ve heard every suggestion you can imagine,” he said, “from living at the Ritz, to having a condo, to having a house with a pool and whatever land, everything in between.”
He wears Miami’s ‘U’ on his shirts, but a few of his belts still have a “G” logo on them. Some black shoes still have red laces. Those are stark reminders of how abruptly his 15-year run at Georgia ended. Just 17 days ago, he was sitting at a dais with his former boss, explaining how he didn’t know what his next step would be. He said he might take a year off.
Then Miami called again.
“The right job was there, now,” Richt said. “So I said, you know what, let’s go.”
Back to where he once tried – and failed – to win the starting quarterback’s job. Back to where he learned how to run a pro-style offense from Howard Schnellenberger. Back to a campus that always held a place in his heart – even as he coached 15 seasons at Florida State.
He cut his teeth in Tallahassee, where the streets are paved in garnet and gold. He put down roots in Athens, where everyone’s a Dawg. At 55, he wants to retire in South Florida, where holding people’s attention is nearly impossible – especially if you’re not winning.
Richt understands that. He wants to “embrace Miami for what it is,” with all its challenges. He also knows how sweet the payoff could be.
On a table next to his desk stands a trophy from the Governor’s Cup, the annual Georgia-Georgia Tech clash. Richt was 13-2 in that game, and enters next year 17-3 against ACC teams. His Georgia players asked him to display it as a reminder of their bond, but maybe now it’ll bring good luck against Miami’s conference opponents.
As far as the walls, Richt has a few ideas.
“I think I still have an old jersey somewhere,” he said.
Soon enough, he’ll make the place his own.
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