Will Muschamp To Replace Urban Meyer As Head Coach At Florida

Mack Brown won't have to worry about Will Muschamp's shadow any longer. The longtime defensive assistant is returning to the SEC.

The former Georgia Bulldog alumnus will step into the big shoes of Urban Meyer to coach at his alma mater's most hated division rival—the Florida Gators.

The hire is a great 'get' for Florida athletic director, Jeremy Foley, as Muschamp's name has been on the short list of many big jobs over the last several years and his ability to develop great defenses is well-known—particularly in the south where he worked at both Auburn and LSU.

That said, his arrival in Gainesville will come as a surprise to the many who believed that Bob Stoops was already signed, sealed, and about to be delivered. As early as this morning, Stoops was the man whom many felt was AD, Jeremy Foley's first choice—not Dan Mullen (Mississippi St) or Bobby Petrino (Arkansas).

Stoops would later deny the story as rumor, and it wasn't long before Muschamp's name was replacing Stoops' as the newest possibility.

The one sticking point appeared to be his desire to leave the Texas Longhorns. Many felt he was the heir apparent to Mack Brown's position—whenever the popular coach decided to hang up his headset—if he were patient. Muschamp was named head-coach-in-waiting in 2008 and was being paid handsomely for his defensive services ($900,000/year).

However, after the Longhorns finished the 2010 season with a 5-7 and without a bowl bid, being in Austin might have become a lot more heated than in recent years—especially given the heavy backslide the defense took this year.

Whatever the reason for Muschamp's decision to leave, if you're a Florida fan, you have to feel very good about the success he's had in the SEC—particularly in molding defenses.

Urban Meyer pulled in the top ranked defensive unit in the country last season and now Muschamp will have the opportunity to mold those players into the top-tier talent they are destined to become. He's a guy who will be fierce on the recruiting trail, phenomenal on the sidelines, and has just enough SEC experience to make something happen almost as soon as he touches ground.

That said, what's Texas to do next? They've lost both their defensive coordinator and their, assumed, next head coach. Is Muschamp's exit the beginning of some major changes in Austin or is this just a great assistant making his move sooner, rather than later?

In either case, it will be interesting to see what happens next in Austin. As for Florida, it's simply business as usual.

Related articles

• AP Source: Muschamp to Be Head Coach at Florida (nytimes.com)
• Florida Gators hires Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp (sports.espn.go.com)

A Few Possible Candidates For The Georgia AD Job (Updated)

Damon Evans is officially out as the Athletic Director (AD) for UGA Sports. His departure means that at some point, hopefully soon, a new AD will be appointed and the university will officially be able to close this sordid chapter.

Although no official word has been given as to when the search will begin or who the candidates will be, there is no shortage of opinion on who the prospects should/could be once the wheels are set in motion.

What follows are a few of the names that have surfaced more than once since Evans' departure became an inevitable probability and a brief look at their qualifications:

Greg McGarity, Executive Senior Associate Director (Internal Affairs), University of Florida: McGarity joined the University of Florida Athletic Department in 1992 and has assisted current AD, Jeremy Foley, in the supervision of both the football and basketball programs. He's a Georgia graduate and worked under former AD, Vince Dooley. He was also a candidate in 2003 when Georgia hired Damon Evans.

Carla Williams, Senior Associate Athletic Director, University of Georgia: Played basketball for UGA in the 1980's and was promoted to the job of Senior Associate AD in 2007. Currently serves as the administrator over women's basketball, gymnastics, men's and women's swimming and diving, and the equestrian program—which recently celebrated it's fifth National Championship.  She also served as the assistant AD at Vanderbilt from 2000-03.

Claude Felton, Associate Athletic Director for Sports Communications, University of Georgia: Has served as a member of the Georgia Athletic Association since 1979. His resume includes stints as the Senior Associate AD for External Affairs, Associate Athletic Director for Sports Information, and in his current capacity since 2004. He is a well-respected member of the Georgia sports community.

Dave Hart, Executive Director of Athletics, University of Alabama: An Alabama Alumnus (71') with more than 20-years experience as an AD—including stints at both FSU and East Carolina—Hart is widely thought to be the man behind the magic at Alabama. Current AD, Mal Moore, has passed most of the heavy-lifting on to Hart and it is thought that when Moore's contract is up in 2011, Hart will glide into the big man's chair. He would be a long shot, at best, for Georgia's vacant AD position.







Again, this is merely speculation and nothing has been said or done as of now.  Expect more in the coming weeks as UGA sorts out the Damon Evans situation, completely, and sets a course for finding the right man—or woman—for the job.

(Updated, 2:22 PM) Michael Adams has released his statement regarding the Damon Evan's situation:

"Yesterday, July 4, 2010, University of Georgia Athletics Director Damon Evans submitted his resignation, which I have accepted. As I said on Thursday morning when I first learned of the situation, this is not an example of the kind of leadership that I expect our senior administrators to set. I have high regard for Damon personally; I care deeply about him and his family.

"Under a separation agreement and release endorsed today by the executive committee of the board of directors of the University of Georgia Athletic Association, Mr. Evans will receive a $100,000 longevity bonus for his prior service, in accordance with the terms of his contract, as well as 3 months' salary as severance. We acknowledge the many positive accomplishments of his tenure, including an increased focus on the academic success of student-athletes, the overall financial strength of the athletic department and the hiring of many very good people as head coaches and senior leaders in the athletic department.

"I will address the future leadership of the athletic department during my regularly scheduled media briefing at 2 p.m. Tuesday, July 6, in Mahler Auditorium at the Georgia Center for Continuing Education."

 

It sounds like the president is already getting ready for the future and the Tuesday press conference should be forthcoming with, hopefully, more concrete information as to what the next step will be and when the search process will begin.