Hall of Fame
Position: Coach
Years: Georgia (2001-15), Miami, FL (2016-18)
Place of Birth: Omaha, NE
Date of Birth: February 18, 1960
Record: 171-64 (72.8%)
During his 18 years as a head coach, Mark Richt established himself as one of the top coaches in the history of college football, winning nearly 72 percent of his games at Georgia and Miami (FL) and never failing to make the postseason. The Omaha, Nebraska, native, and Boca Raton (FL) High School product, becomes the fifth coach from Georgia and the fifth Hurricanes coach to enter the College Football Hall of Fame.
Richt is one of only five coaches in FBS history to record 145 or more wins in their first 15 seasons, including Hall of Famers Bob Stoops, Barry Switzer and Tom Osborne. At the time of his retirement, he ranked No. 48 in the NCAA record books on the FBS all-time win list, behind only five coaches who had coached within five years of his retirement.
Richt headed the Georgia program for 15 years, winning 74 percent of his games, which ranks first all-time among Bulldog coaches, and amassing an overall record of 145-51. His UGA win total is second to only Hall of Fame coach Vince Dooley. He led Georgia to 15 consecutive bowl appearances (10-5), including three New Year's Six bowls (Sugar Bowl 2002, 2005, 2007). His Georgia teams appeared 11 times in the Top 25 rankings, including seven Top 10 finishes (No. 3 in 2002, No. 7 in 2003, No. 7 in 2004, No. 10 in 2005, No. 2 in 2007, No. 5 in 2012, No. 9 in 2014). He led Georgia to two SEC titles, including the Bulldogs' first in 20 years in 2002 and then again in 2005. The Dawgs appeared in a total of five SEC championship games (2002, 2003, 2005, 2011, and 2012) during his tenure. He was named the 2002 and 2005 SEC Coach of the Year, and he is currently the 10th winningest coach in SEC history.
Returning to his alma mater (where he played quarterback from 1979-82), Richt led Miami to a 26-13 record for the final three seasons of his head coaching career, securing three more bowl appearances, including one more New Year's Six Bowl, the Orange in 2017. Two of his three Miami teams posted top 20 finishes, the 2016 team at No. 20 and the 2017 team at No. 13. He led Miami to the 2017 ACC Coastal Division title, the school's first division title since joining the ACC, and he was named both the ACC Coach of the Year and the Walter Camp Coach of the Year in 2017.
Richt coached 15 First Team All-Americans, including 2020 College Football Hall of Fame inductee David Pollack. He coached 52 First Team All-Conference players, and he also coached four NFF National Scholar-Athletes at UGA and one at Miami.
Richt began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Florida State from 1985-86 after being hired by College Football Hall of Fame Coach Bobby Bowden. Richt spent 15 seasons in Tallahassee, with a one-year break in 1989 as the offensive coordinator at East Carolina. During his time at Florida State, serving as a quarterback coach and offensive coordinator, he mentored Heisman Trophy winners Charlie Ward (a 2006 College Football Hall of Fame inductee) and Chris Weinke, and the Seminoles won two national titles and played for another.
Prolific in the community, Richt is active with H.E.R.O. for children, Eagle Ranch orphanage facility and led two mission trips to Honduras. He has been a celebrity spokesperson for the National Guard Youth Foundation and a key supporter of The Healing Place of Athens for men with addictions. While at UGA, he founded the Paul Oliver Network, a program that supports lettermen in their transition to life after football. In 2016, Richt was named the first-ever honorary head coach of the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team for his commitment to giving back to others. In 2013, Richt received the Stallings Award given for commitment to humanitarian and community service efforts, and in 2010, he was named to the AFCA Board of Trustees. Since retiring as a coach, Richt has worked as an analyst on the ACC Network.