Dysfunctional Georgia could be nearing big football changes

Dan Wolken | USA TODAY Sports

With Georgia all but eliminated from the SEC East race and more speculation bubbling about the future of head coach Mark Richt, the program appears to be in deep dysfunction and headed for major changes that may or may not involve Richt.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution posted a story indicating Richt has been given "a directive to fix" the issues within the program that have led to a disappointing 5-3 start and that dissension among members of the coaching staff has been at the root of many problems.

USA TODAY Sports spoke with multiple people who have insight into the situation at Georgia. They spoke on the condition of anonymity and encompass all levels of the college athletics industry from well-connected supporters of the program to agents to search firms.

Those conversations produced the following conclusions:

► Georgia athletics director Greg McGarity favored a coaching change after last season but was overruled by president Jere Morehead. Richt was then given a contract extension. However, McGarity told USA TODAY Sports on Thursday, "There isn't one ounce of truth to that. That is not right."

► Regardless of the ultimate decision on Richt this time, defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt almost certainly will not be back, as his relationship with Richt and Georgia administrators has grown toxic.

► Georgia does not have one or two mega-boosters with the influence to make the call on Richt, but the displeasure of the Bulldogs' high-dollar financial supporters has made its way to Morehead's office.

► If Richt stays, it will be with a coaching staff that looks very different as first-year offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer has also been viewed as a problem.

It's an untenable situation for any major program, particularly one like Georgia that should be competing for SEC titles annually but has squandered opportunity in the weakened Eastern division over the last few years.

The personality conflict between Pruitt and Richt stands at the center of Georgia's failed season. Pruitt, who came up from the Nick Saban tree and was Jimbo Fisher's defensive coordinator in 2013 at Florida State, was given wide latitude to improve the program from its recruiting operation to autonomy over several coaching hires.

But as Georgia has continued to lose, the intense and brash Pruitt has butted heads with the laid-back Richt, who has never been a fan of the idea that Alabama influence has become pervasive in his program. A lot of the blame internally has also been directed toward offensive line coach Rob Sale, who was hand-picked by Pruitt but has coached a unit that underperformed despite high expectations.

At midday Thursday, Richt tweeted, "Just so everyone knows, Jeremy Pruitt is our defensive coordinator and is in the office working diligently getting ready for Kentucky!"

Many in the industry question whether Georgia will have the stomach to ultimately force out Richt and that it might be better for all parties involved if he chose to walk away after this season. Further complicating matters is the fact that Richt has never before willingly entertained the idea of walking away and that Georgia could potentially bring in the nation's No. 1-ranked recruiting class next year.

If Georgia were to make a change at the top, it would be a highly-coveted job, perhaps even as attractive as the opening at Southern California.

McGarity, who has been Georgia's athletics director since 2010, has never conducted a coaching search of this magnitude. He previously worked under Jeremy Foley at Florida, and it is expected he would lean heavily on Foley's advice should he find himself in the middle of a coaching search.

Multiple people told USA TODAY Sports on the condition of anonymity that McGarity has a very high opinion of Mississippi State's Dan Mullen from their time together at Florida. Though that does not necessarily line up with Foley's opinion of Mullen — he was not considered a candidate for the Florida opening after last season — Georgia is a job that worries Mississippi State athletics director Scott Stricklin, according to one person with knowledge.

Georgia's search, of course, could go much wider than the SEC. Names like Jimbo Fisher, Dabo Swinney, Mark Dantonio, David Shaw, Jim Mora, Gary Patterson and James Franklin would all come up initially with other potentially available big names like Bill O'Brien certain to be linked with Georgia. There is no guarantee any of those coaches would be interested, that is the kind of list Georgia could and should pursue, according to multiple people in the industry.

Then again, nothing is guaranteed at Georgia, which operates differently than other SEC programs and does not like to be viewed as a cutthroat operation. There is a good chance Georgia could win its final four games and muddle along at 9-3 with no significant victories while further falling behind SEC East rivals Florida and Tennessee.

The next few weeks, and maybe even days, promise to be intense around Athens and will determine the course of potentially the next decade of Georgia football.