ATHENS — Former Georgia coach Mark Richt has been invited to return to Athens to attend the Bulldogs’ annual Senior Gala on Saturday. But he won’t have any interaction with UGA’s recruits while he’s in town.
Quarterback Jacob Eason and many other of the Bulldogs’ elite recruits who will be in town on an official visit this weekend will be “attending another event” at the same time as the Gala, according to UGA officials.
That’s different than usual. In past years, the Senior Gala has been a highlight event for some of the most important recruiting prospects the Bulldogs entertain every year.
Whether or not Richt will actually attend the Gala remains unknown. He did not respond to messages seeking comment on Wednesday.
Now head coach for the Miami Hurricanes, it’s also a big recruiting weekend for his new program. And, as has been well-documented, Richt would like to bring Eason to South Florida.
While Georgia was transitioning from offensive coordinator Mike Bobo to Brian Schottenheimer to the recent limbo, Eason and his father Tony Eason maintained their primary attraction to the Bulldogs was Richt and his history of developing pro-style quarterbacks.
Richt addressed the Gala invitation during an interview with radio station WQAM in South Florida this past Friday.
“I might go to the senior awards banquet,” he said. “The seniors asked me if I would come back. If it doesn’t disrupt the business of getting ready here at Miami, I’ll be there. Other than that, I’ll be here working.”
