The University of Miami will have a press conference at 10 a.m. Friday at the Donna E. Shalala Center on campus “to introduce the 24th head football coach in school history”.
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A person with knowledge of the negotiations tells The Associated Press that the former Miami quarterback has reached a tentative agreement to be the Hurricanes’ next head coach, pending the completion of contract talks.
Each of those four went on to win national titles in Coral Gables, and now Richt will be asked to contend for the same. He is the receivers coach and assistant head coach, is also the team’s recruiting coordinator and passing coordinator.
Richt’s record at Georgia was 145-51 with two SEC championships in 15 seasons.
Richt had brought in a top five class to Georgia this year, including five-star quarterback Jacob Eason, who ranks as the second best quarterback in the 2016 class. Eason’s father has said he hopes Eason and Richt have a “lifetime” relationship. Richt made $4.1 million at Georgia this year, USA Today reported, making him the 12th-highest-paid coach nationally. Richt has said that he wants to work hands-on with players, specifically quarterbacks, and Miami is returning quarterback Brad Kaaya next year.
Richt will take over a Miami team that finished the regular season 8-4 and third in the ACC-Coastal division (5-3). At Miami, it is a similar story, as the Hurricanes have still yet to appear in an ACC Championship game, and the Hurricanes have not been to a BCS bowl or College Football Playoff since the 2004 Orange Bowl (16-14 win over Florida State). He’s been committed to play for the Bulldogs since July 2014.
Then he accepted Miami’s offer on Wedneday to be its head football coach.
Other names were mentioned, including Mississippi State’s Dan Mullen and former Rutgers coach Greg Schiano.
One high-ranking UM trustee not involved with the search heralded Richt, 55, as a major boost for the Hurricanes. When Georgia running back Knowshon Moreno scored a one-yard touchdown to give the Bulldogs an early 7-0 lead, the entire team came running off the sidelines to celebrate in the end zone.
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Miami didn’t need long to change his mind.
