Georgia Athletic Director Says School Will Honor Mark Richt's Unsigned Contract

Georgia Bulldogs head coach Mark Richt has not officially signed a new contract drafted before the 2015 season, but the school says it still plans to honor the terms, according to Chip Towers and Matt Kempner of DawgNation.com:

“To me a handshake is an agreement and the board approved it. Everybody approved it,” Georgia Athletic Director Greg McGarity said Friday. “Just because somebody hasn’t signed it doesn’t mean we’re not going to honor it, if it ever reached that point.”

That is significant for Richt because it includes an $800,000 raise this season the school will retroactively award him. He also will make $2.5 million more if the school fires him this season, under the new deal.

That may seem crazy for someone who was 136-48 since 2001 with Georgia coming in to the season. However, at 5-3 this year and without a touchdown the past two games, there have been calls for the veteran coach to be let go.

ESPN's Darren Rovell is shocked why coaches like Richt leave it up to the schools to honor the contract without a signature:

The raw numbers don't add up for Richt to be fired, as the head coach currently is one of the winningest active coaches in the SEC, per the SEC Network:

On the surface it seems odd, but sometimes it's time for a school and a coach to part ways. Richt has been in Georgia for 15 seasons, and despite finishing in the Associated Press Top 25 poll 11 times, has not won a national championship.

It's good to see the school honor the handshake agreement, but that doesn't mean Richt won't be fired this season.