Georgia Football: Why Mark Richt Is No Longer on the Hot Seat

At this time last year, many Bulldogs fans were wondering if Mark Richt would last the season if they get off to a bad start.

Well, the Bulldogs did get off to a slow start, with losses to Boise State and South Carolina.

But 10 consecutive wins later, the Bulldogs reached the SEC championship for the the first time since 2005, and Richt is getting praised for the work he did.

So now, it's safe to say that Richt is off the hot seat. But not just for this year. Richt is off the hot seat for good, and here are some reasons why.

Bounce Back

When the chips are down for the Bulldogs, they always seem to fight back and make their way back near the top. Last year was a prime example of that because the Bulldogs finished the season with a 10-4 record, which was much improved from their 6-7 record from 2010.

Another great example came in 2006-2007. After a sub-par year where the Bulldogs finished with a 9-4 record, they bounced back in 2007 with an 11-2 record, which included a Sugar Bowl victory. Credit has to go to Richt for keeping his composure and making sure his players stay the course.

The Officials Support Him

Georgia AD Greg McGartity knew he had to make a tough decision if Richt did not have a good season in 2011.

But since Richt was able to lead the Bulldogs to their fifth SEC East title since 2001, McGarity decided to give Richt a contract extension that will keep him in Athens until 2016.

Now, in a day and age where coaches get fired left and right, Richt's extension may mean nothing in the long run. But based on Richt's track record and his personality, he not going anywhere anytime soon.

Todd Grantham

A head coach is only as good as his coaching staff and defensive coordinator Todd Grantham is a a big reason Richt is not on the hot seat.

With his aggressive 3-4 scheme, Grantham has put players like Jarvis Jones and John Jenkins in positions to make plays on a consistent basis. Because of that, the Bulldogs won a lot of ball games last year, which puts a lot of pressure off Richt.

This year, nine returning starters are back from last year, which will give Grantham more options to do more things. This could lead to another 10-win season, and Richt's hot seat will be ice cold.

He Is Recrituing the Right Players

It started last year with the so-called "Dream Team," which featured Isaiah Crowell, Ray Drew and Malcolm Mitchell. All three players were contributors in the Bulldogs' success, especially Mitchell, who emerged as a superstar at wide receiver.

This year, the class is not as popular, but Keith Marshall, John Theus, Colin Barber and Marshall Morgan are expected to play big roles in the Bulldogs success this season.

Richt has always been a good recruiter. But I think his recruiting strategy last year gave this program new life when it comes to bringing in the best talent in the state, region and country.

Calm Under Pressure

Richt has been in the coaching game long enough to know when hot seat talks are brewing. But he never got upset about it and never had to prove to anyone that he was the right fit for Georgia.

Most coaches would have to go over their career record and tell fans, students, officials and alumni how many accomplishments they achieved at a certain program.

But Richt has stayed the course, and because of that, he has over 100 wins, five division titles and two conference titles under his belt in Athens. Like him or hate him, he has done a lot for the Bulldogs, and he knows that he does not have to prove it to anyone.

Richt is going to go out there each week and continue to do the same thing he has been doing since 2001. If he changes his coaching style or doing things uncharacteristic because of the pressure from the Bulldog nation, then he knows that it's time for him to go.