Mark Richt feeling heat at Georgia

Despite 90 wins, two SEC titles and complete dominance of instate rival Georgia Tech, Mark Richt is still fielding questions about if he is coaching for his job this season. While there is evidence to build a case against Richt — a 2-7 record versus Florida and last year’s eight-win season — the past decade as been one of the most successful eras in Georgia’s history.   For those arguing one way or the other, Richt isn’t paying much attention. “Not really. I understand the business,” he said. “I understand just how things go. So I don’t worry about it. My goal is to focus on the important things and the things I can control. I can control my attitude. I can control my effort. I can control, you know, certain things. That’s what I focus on. Then the things I can’t control, I just trust the Lord with that. That’s kind of how I’ve been operating since 1986.” – Macon Telegraph

South Carolina poised for big year in SEC?

A “humbled” Steve Spurrier, already armed with bulletin board material for Game 1 against Southern Miss, may have his best South Carolina team yet. “We’ve got excellent players, the best group of athletes since we’ve been there,” Spurrier said. “I know they have the best attitudes. Their work habits and so forth have been excellent. Now we need to get past seven wins. We need to win big at South Carolina.” Spurrier’s intolerance for losing is evident, South Carolina senior fullback Patrick DiMarco said. “You can see the frustration in his face sometimes,” DiMarco said. “He was used to winning games by 40 points at Florida. Hopefully, this is the year we can win like that at South Carolina.” – The Clarion-Ledger

Vanderbilt hires Tulsa OC Herb Hand

Tulsa co-offensive coordinator Herb Hand appears to have accepted a job on Vanderbilt’s coaching staff, sources told the Tulsa World… The Golden Hurricane players were informed that Hand will take a job at Vanderbilt in an early evening team meeting, a source confirmed. An official announcement isn’t expected until next week. – Tulsa World

Pat Hill gets Fresno State extension

Fresno State coach Pat Hill told The Bee this week that he has agreed to a new contract (through the 2013 season) and taken a pay cut. By the time he finishes this contract — if he finishes this contract — he could have the longest tenure of any coach in major college football. As of the 2010 season, only five men have been at their schools longer: Joe Paterno at Penn State (45 years), Chris Ault at Nevada (26), Frank Beamer at Virginia (24), Larry Blakeney at Troy (20), and Bill Snyder at Kansas State (18). In the spirit of the asterisk, both Ault and Snyder left their jobs and then returned, and Troy wasn’t a Division I program until 2001. However you want to qualify them, the youngest is Blakeney, who will be 63 in September, so all five could be retired by 2013. Pat Hill at Fresno State lives on, in all its dynamics, nationally admired and locally tolerated. You know what they say about other people’s grass. — Fresno Bee

SEC commissioner open to future expansion

In the end, SEC commissioner Mike Slive said the rumors of SEC expansion were much ado about nothing. But he still won’t rule it out for the future. In his annual “State of the SEC” address Wednesday, Slive said the conference “was not and is not interested in initiating or provoking membership changes” despite multiple reports and rumors that it was in serious talks with Texas A&M to do just that. Slive hinted that changes could have materialized if the proposed “Pac-16” came together and the Big 12 folded. “As it turned out, the paradigm shift never materialized,” Slive said. “It afforded us the opportunity to remain comfortable in the position in which we find ourselves.” – Opelika-Auburn News

USC AD Mike Garrett was fired

USC forced controversial athletic director Mike Garrett to retire Tuesday and appointed former Trojans quarterback and college football analyst Pat Haden as his successor. The moves were made by incoming USC president Max Nikias, who decided to fire Garrett six weeks ago but was initially rebuffed by Haden. Sources said Nikias was furious over comments Garrett made to a booster group June 11 over NCAA sanctions handed down to the school. “As I read the decision by the NCAA,” Garrett told boosters that day in the Bay Area, ” … I read between the lines and there was nothing but a lot of envy. They wish they all were Trojans. Today I got a purpose for really wanting to dominate for another 10 years.” – LA Daily News

Indianapolis, Cleveland, Chicago, Green Bay bid for Big Ten Championship Game

Indianapolis has begun preliminary conversations with the Big Ten about hosting a conference championship football game and about remaining the host city for the Big Ten’s postseason basketball tournaments. The Big Ten football championship, if played locally, would be held at Lucas Oil Stadium. Seating capacity for the venue will be 70,000 for Super Bowl XLVI in February 2012. The city is expected to face competition for the conference title game. Officials connected to four other venues — Chicago’s Soldier Field, Cleveland Browns Stadium, Detroit’s Ford Field and Green Bay’s Lambeau Field — have expressed interest in hosting the event. Minneapolis also might be interested. Conference officials have yet to officially announce they are going to conduct a title game. The addition of Nebraska to the conference in 2011 will give the Big Ten a 12th school, the minimum required to conduct a title game. An announcement about the game could come during the Big Ten Kickoff Luncheon next month in Chicago. – Indianapolis Star

Kiffin welcomes Haden at USC AD

Fresh off a vacation, USC coach Lane Kiffin was back in Heritage Hall on Tuesday afternoon. Soon after, the first-year coach released a statement on the hiring of athletic director Pat Haden. Here’s what the 35-year-old coach said: “I’ve known Pat Haden for a long time and my congratulations go out to him. I know he’ll do a wonderful job as our athletic director. He’s been such a vital part of the USC fabric for so long, he’ll be able to contribute immensely to our athletic department. I know the entire Trojan Family will readily welcome him.” It’s important to note that Haden was reported to be on the committee — made up of members of USC’s Board of Trustees — that helped former athletic director Mike Garrett make the decision to hire Kiffin. – ESPN.com

June Jones gets contract extension at SMU

SMU football coach June Jones confirmed Thursday that he intends on signing his two-year contract extension with the school when it is approved by attorneys. Jones, who has three years remaining on his initial five-year deal, and SMU reached an agreement in November that would extend his tenure through the 2014 season. – Dallas Morning News

Tyrone Willingham announces his retirement

Ty Willingham, who is 56 and said he had “no problem announcing that,” insisted his coaching days are behind him.  The former head coach at Stanford, Notre Dame and Washington has no wish to return to the sidelines.  “I’m retired,” he said. Willingham, who also served as the president of the American Football Coaches Association two years ago, said no more until he was nudged by another question.    “I’ve done 30 years of collegiate and professional coaching. That’s not a bad career. I think I’ve had failures. I think I’ve had successes. I think I’ve been places that most people will never go in life with my career. It’s a good career,” he said.  – Jacksonville Daily News

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