There is no better way to begin the offseason than by updating the Mark Richt Victory Watch.
As all regular readers of Dawg Sports are aware, I began counting down Mark Richt's march to his record-setting 202nd career victory as soon as he won his first game in 2001. Coach Richt was 40 years old at the time of his hiring and he studied under Bobby Bowden, who has coached well past the conventional retirement age.
When Coach Richt took over the Georgia program, I did a little simple math and realized that, if he averaged eight wins a year and coached until he was 65, Coach Richt would finish with 200 wins. By improving upon that average just slightly or coaching just a little longer, he would break Vince Dooley's school record of 201 career victories.
It is, therefore, with great pleasure that I update the Mark Richt Victory Watch following a stirring comeback victory in the Peach Bowl to claim the Bulldogs' third consecutive win over a ranked opponent.
The Mark Richt Victory Watch now stands at 61. Coach Richt is just 140 victories shy of tying Coach Dooley's career total.
Coach Richt's 61-17 ledger gives him the best record of any Georgia coach after 78 games. At the same juncture in their respective careers, Harry Mehre (48-27-3), Wally Butts (55-21-2), Vince Dooley (51-23-4), and Ray Goff (45-32-1) all were less accomplished than Mark Richt.
Go 'Dawgs!