Mark Richt has enjoyed a successful run as coach at Georgia since arriving in Athens more than a decade ago. But had he listened to Steve Spurrier, Richt might never have coached "Between the Hedges."

Richt recalled a piece of advice he received from Spurrier almost 22 years ago, when the coaches attended the 1991 Heisman Trophy ceremony.

"[Spurrier] told me, 'Do not under any circumstances take the Georgia job,'" Richt said Monday while speaking to the Touchdown Club of Athens, according to the Athens Banner-Herald. "That was the one bit of coaching advice he gave me."

At the time of that conversation, Richt was an assistant at Florida State and helped coach then-Seminoles quarterback Casey Weldon, the 1991 Heisman runner-up. Spurrier had completed his second season as Florida's head coach in 1991, when Gators quarterback Shane Matthews also was a Heisman finalist.

Richt eventually was hired as Georgia's coach approximately nine years later, replacing Jim Donnan in December 2000. A two-time SEC Coach of the Year, Richt has compiled a 119-41 record at Georgia, guiding the Bulldogs to two conference titles and three BCS bowl games.