It took 42 days, but Coach Mark Richt landed a new defensive coordinator. The Todd Grantham hire came just a few days before the final push leading up the National Signing Day. Big. Huge. And it looks like a good hire. Grantham has worked under Beamer, Foster, Saban, Mora (dad), Capers, Crennel, and Wade Phillips. That’s an impressive list. Surely he learned some things. 

              Recruits will be impressed that Richt hired “an NFL guy.”  And getting the Dallas Cowboys D-Line coach will help grab some attention too. It sells because high school guys know this guy has expertise into what it takes to play at that next level. And he has a rep of being “fiery.” The ‘Dogs defense could use some of that.

Sources inside the Dallas Cowboys tell me that Todd is an outstanding teacher and probably the staff’s best position coach. And this reliable source also is a big fan of his attacking 3-4 scheme. He won’t be playing a 2-gap, read and react scheme. Grantham will be going with a penetrating, stunting style of 3-4. Georgia’s defense under VanGorder and Martinez was played a 4-3 scheme. So changes are on the way.

The ‘Dogs defensive personnel should be excited. He’s got to find a menacing nose tackle to create havoc in the middle. Not sure who that is. Might see some of the D-tackles (Tyson, Jones, Lott) move outside in this scheme to D-end. Houston, Robinson, Washington, Ball and Longo might get a look at the OLB spots. The inside LB spots are guys who are protected and allowed to flow to the ball. They get most of the tackles. Gamble & Dowtin get the first look…but keep an ear to the ground about Richard Samuel moving over from RB.

              The money is large, but it’s money well-spent. Georgia can afford it. And again, I’m proud of Damon Evans and Coach Richt stepping up with a 3-year contract offer. It’s about time. In today’s world of college football, you’ve got to reward the top assistants to lure them and keep them.

              Todd Grantham is the guy. You might hear some negative things about his departure in Cleveland, but these things happen in the NFL. Assistants bounce around. And strong-willed people knock heads some. Some might paint that as a red flag, but if he was a bad guy, he’d have a tough time finding a job. He hasn’t had a problem.

              I’d say Richt has done a good job here. It took longer than expected, but he got an excellent coach. Richt went after the “best fit” in Kirby Smart and waited to do so. And then, he reacted quickly when that didn’t work out. All the bad P.R. is almost silly. Everybody knows you clearly want to talk with the top people. Doesn’t mean you offer everyone a contract. And at the very least, you might get an endorsement (Bud Foster tells Richt to hire Grantham).

              The most important live recruiting period begins on Sunday night. Richt, Bobo, Garner, young McClendon, and the rest of the staff are going to be out in Newnan (Ogletree), Warner Robins (Whitaker), Gainesville (Sims), Calhoun (Rogers), and other places talking up the new DC. Georgia got Todd Grantham. And it looks to be a really good hire.