University of Georgia Athletics
Zeier Blog: Congratulations Coach Richt
October 14, 2011 | Football
Oct. 14, 2011
The locker room was ecstatic. Players were giving each other high fives, some were crying tears of joy, and some were giving each other congratulatory hugs as they knew this was the last time they would be together in this setting. It is the kind of unbridled joy you would see in any college locker room after you beat your in-state rival and cap off a tremendous year. And this night in Tallahassee, Florida was no different. The year was 1990 and on this first night of December, the Seminoles had just trounced the Gators by 15 points for their 9th win of the year and were on their way to a #4 National Ranking. In the midst of all the chaos, I had made my way over to the locker of Casey Weldon, the highly talented QB of the Noles, to say congratulations. And it was then, in the middle of all the madness, I first met Coach Mark Richt. I had spoken to Coach Richt a number of times through the fall of 1990 as I was working through my Senior year of high school at Marietta, but up until that night I had never met the man I had grown to respect so much through all of those phone calls. As others around us were in the middle of celebrating, Mark came up to me...shook my hand...and made me immediately feel as if I were the only one in the room. While others were boasting, and rightfully so after beating the hated Gators, Richt was humble...more concerned about me than the celebration going on around us. He asked me how my game the previous night had gone. He asked about my family...he asked about how my visit to Tallahassee had been...and he thanked me for being able to attend. It was then that he stared me up and down and put me back to back with Casey Weldon...sizing me up against the height of Casey...and then just smiled and said, "Yep, you are going to be just fine...you are going to be able to play at this level." We talked for a few more minutes before he had to step away and address the media, but in that first encounter, I knew immediately that Mark Richt was more than just a good football coach...he was and is a great man.
Almost a month after that meeting in Tallahassee, I was making my commitment to the University of Georgia and packing my bags to head off to Athens to begin a 4 year stretch of my life that I will never forget. While coaches from various teams were calling me in an attempt to sway my decision...I received one call from a coach who simply said congratulations. That coach stated he had hoped my decision would be to come play with him, but he was confident I had made the right decision. There was no pressure, there was only a genuine happiness in his voice as we spoke for a few more minutes before we both had to go. That coach...Mark Richt. After the Fall of 1990 my path with Mark Richt did not cross for understandable reasons for another 10 years. And then in December of 2000, I would once again have the pleasure of speaking to the man that had unknowingly had an impact on my life 10 years earlier because of the graciousness he had unknowingly showed to me as a Senior in High School.
December of 2000 was the year Coach Mark Richt was hired to be the Head Coach of our Bulldogs. I heard the news just after practice with the Buccaneers in Tampa Bay. As soon as I had the opportunity, I put a call into the Athletic Department to say my congratulations to Coach. I never imagined I would actually get the chance to speak with Mark at the time, but to my surprise he picked up the phone. When you get hired as the head football coach at a major university, there is chaos all around you. Everyone wants a piece of your time. You have to hit the road recruiting, get to know your team, put together your staff. Needless to say you are busy, but no different than my first meeting with Coach Richt...as he picked up the phone I felt as if I were the only person he needed to speak to that day. I intended to congratulate him...but he immediately asked how I was...how my family was...and how my last game was. He was humble in his recent accomplishment and excited about the possibilities that lay ahead...not for him, but for our University of Georgia. We talked for a few more minutes before we both had to go on to other responsibilities, but as I hung up the phone I knew that we had not only a great coach...but a great man leading the charge.
And here we are just more than 10 years after that phone call. Coach Mark Richt has proven that he indeed was and is the right man for this job. S.E.C. Championships have returned to Athens under his tenure and he has brought our Bulldogs back into the National spotlight. There have been great victories that will forever go down in Bulldog history under his watch. And this past Saturday in Knoxville, sight of his first signature victory in the Red and Black, Coach Mark Richt posted his 100th victory as Bulldog. As is typical, Mark Richt deflected the praise...sharing this accomplishment with every player, every coach, and every member of the Bulldog administration that has been a part of the organization through his span as head coach. Humble to the end, yet focused and driven to be at his very best in everything he does. Coach Richt is more that a great coach...he is a great man.
Thank you Coach Richt for a lifetime of memories and congratulations on your 100th victory...now let's go get some more!!
