Todd Grantham Updates
As you know by now, Todd Grantham was hired by Head Coach Mark Richt last night. Check back here for any and all updates.
Here’s the conference call with Coach Richt and Coach Grantham
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Here the Friday Pregame Show breaks down Grantham and Richt’s conference call
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Georgia held a teleconference on Friday to introduce new Defensive Coordinator Todd Grantham. Currently the defensive line coach for the Dallas Cowboys, Grantham has an extensive pedigree of coach experience including working with Virginia Tech and Frank Beamer, Michigan State and Nick Saban, the Cleveland Browns, Houston Texans and more. Grantham will coach with Dallas for the remainder of their season.
Head Coach Mark Richt said that he was very excited about the hiring of Grantham. “I’m as excited as I can be,” said Richt. “I know this process took a little while, but in the end we got the right man for the job — I’m 100 percent certain of that and 100 percent confident in Todd’s ability to get the job done.”
When asked what about UGA is appealing, Coach Grantham said, “The thing that excites me about Georgia is I love the passion and the excitement of the fans around the program.”
Grantham is responsible for one of the most feared defensive fronts in the NFL headed by Demarcus Ware. Coach Grantham will bring that scheme, a 3-4 (three down lineman and 4 linebackers) to UGA to become the base defense. He said repeatedly that his defense would be a very aggressive 3-4 that will attack the blockers and fill the gaps. Grantham said that he will coach the linebackers, meaning that current defensive line coach Rodney Garner will most likely be retained.
With signing day in the near future, Grantham offered his initial message to recruits, “My initial message is, if you’re excited about being an aggressive defense, about being coached extremely hard, being technically sound at your craft– because really as a player, you’re trying to develop your craft — and if you’re excited about enhancing your performance and developing your craft, then you’re going to have fun at the University of Georgia.” Both Richt and Grantham expressed their goal and desire to have a tough, aggressive defense that will get after the opponent. I asked Coach Richt what he expects in next season’s first game against Louisiana, “I expect they’ll get after it,” said Coach Richt. “With Georgia, we say ‘GATA.’ That means get after their you-know-what. Coach Grantham brought and confidence and pedigree that sure impressed this Dawg fan.
I am absolutely stoked about a possible return of the Junkyard Dawg mentality from back in the 1980s, and it’s only January. I can’t wait for the first beautiful Athens day when Defensive Coordinator Grantham makes his debut between the hedges. Welcome to Bulldawg Country, Todd!
Reporting for WUOG- 90.5 FM,
Dayne Young
