Update: He's Staying Put as Expected
-- Foster staying put - Richmond Times Dispatch
-- Fostering staying at VPI - ABH
-- 5 year deal for Bud - Hampton Roads Pilot
-- This Bud's not for UGA - AJC
Original Article:
This morning on 680theFan Jim Donnan said that he knew for a fact that Mark Richt had talked with Virginia Tech Defensive Coordinator Bud Foster about the DC job in Athens. This news was then confirmed by the Daily Press of Virginia and the Athens Banner-Herald.
In terms of his stature as a defensive coordinator, Foster is Bill Brasky. He's 10 feet tall, weighs 500 lbs, runs about a 3.2 40 yard dash, and no one has scored on his defense in about 23 years. Or said differently...I don't have the time to pull his impressive stats right now, but they are outstanding.
But he's arguably the best, most proven and most consistent defensive coordinator in all of college football over the past decade, and I'd be shocked out of my chair to land a whale like that.
He's everything I'd ever want in a DC. He's tough as nails and extremely demanding. His teams bring a level of violence, tackling and tempo that we haven't consistently seen in Athens since 2004.
Think back to the 2006 Chick-Fil-A Bowl vs. Virginia Tech. They didn't lose that game because of Bud Foster's defense. They lost because VT committed 4 turnovers including three second half interceptions...two of which were returned inside the Georgia 10 yard line resulting in 14 points off 9 yards of offense. They also lost because Beamer Ball gave up the onside kick early on. Foster's Defense only allowed 200 yards of total offense. For the 2006 regular season, they only allowed a stunning 9.3 points per game.
Virginia Tech hasn't won more games under Beamer and Foster for 1 reason and 1 reason only...a complete inability for Beamer to develop a consistent passing offense. That's it. It's not because of anything Foster is doing on his side of the ball.
I'll post his defensive stats later, but I'll say this first...I'd really like to have Kirby Smart, but I would love to have Bud Foster. There's not another candidate (including Brian Van Gorder or Tommy Tuberville) you could name that would be more appealing to me...short of a DNA-oriented reproduction of Erk Russell...and that technology won't quite be ready for the start of football season (Source: I watched 60 Minutes last night, and I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express).
I don't think we'll end up with either of them. But damn, I'd be thrilled.
If we do get Foster, I don't think he would start until after the Chick-Fil-A Bowl. Foster is a legitimate candidate to replace Beamer at VT in 3-7 years. He likely wouldn't burn a bridge there by walking out prior to the Bowl game.
If we don't have a press conference on Tuesday to name someone else, I like our chances a little more with Foster or Kirby. Tomorrow is Day 1 after the Job Posting from which Richt can announce a hire per state guidelines.
PWD
