His Sporting Life

University Of Miami Football Coach Mark Richt Reflects On Winning And Giving Back

University of Miami head football coach Mark Richt knows he's a tough act to follow.

Since taking the job in late 2015, he's led the Hurricanes through two of their best seasons in years. In 2016, UM enjoyed a 9-4 record, winning its last five games of the season for the first time since 2001. The following year, the Hurricanes won 10 games, securing the Atlantic Coast Conference's Coastal Division for the first time in the team's history and earning them a place at the Orange Bowl for the first time in 13 years. Richt himself won 2017 ACC Coach of the Year and was named the 2017 Walter Camp Coach of the Year.

Yet, with spring and summer practice underway for the 2018 season, Richt, 58, isn't worried about topping himself. Instead, he welcomes the challenge.

"Every year is a new year," he says. "In college football, one thing you know for sure is there's going to be change. Your seniors move on; some juniors who decide to turn pro move on. On the other end, there's always going to be brand new freshmen going into your program. The thing I'm most excited about is we have 10 freshmen who graduated early and got here in January and will be able to participate. We won't really know what we have until we see them in practice."

Fittingly enough, Richt's own football career started right here in South Florida. His father moved the family to the area from Colorado when Richt was a teen, and it didn't take long before he was star quarterback at Boca Raton Community High School. His talent quickly earned him the nickname "All Turnpike," for the many awards and accolades he received up and down the state.

He went on to play at UM under renowned head coach Howard Schnellenberger and accumulated almost 1,500 passing yards.

After a short stint as a free agent for the Denver Broncos that ultimately didn't work out, Richt held a variety of jobs, including valet, insurance agent, bartender and gym membership salesman.

"I did a lot of things just trying to find my way," he recalls with a laugh. "I tried a lot of things, that's for sure."

Then came a call from the head football coach of Florida State University, Bobby Bowden, offering Richt a graduate assistant coaching position. From there, he was hired as the offensive coordinator at East Carolina University, but he soon returned to Tallahassee as the quarterback coach, and he trained two Heisman Trophy-winning quarterbacks: Charlie Ward and Chris Weinke.

Prior to the 2001 season, he was hired as head coach of the University of Georgia Bulldogs, whom he led to two SEC championships, six SEC Eastern Division Titles and nine bowl games during his tenure, which came to an end in 2015.

Shortly after, UM found itself with a head coach position to fill. It was an opportunity that Richt although not necessarily looking for another coaching commitment so quickly after his 15-year run at Georgia knew he couldn't pass up.

"If the Miami job wasn't open when it was, I probably would have sat out a year or done something in broadcast, because it takes a lot to do what I do," he explains. "But I knew that, if someone else took the job, it would be quite some time before it opened again, so it was now or never."

An offer was made, and Richt accepted. Since rejoining his alma mater, Richt has undoubtedly made a huge impact on the playing field. But, off the field, he encourages players to do their part as well. Last year, in fact, they led all the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision schools in the nation in community service.

"We get our players very involved," he notes. "It teaches them to understand what it feels like to help people who maybe can't help them back. I think it does something to your spirit in a really positive way."

Richt and his family lead by example. In 2016, he and wife Katherine, who have four children, launched The U Network, an organization dedicated to helping former teammates find new career opportunities once their playing days are over. For Richt, making a difference in the lives of his players is a bigger mission than just winning games. Being a Hurricane is a lifetime decision, he believes strongly. And what players are asked to sacrifice for the game, they should get back when it's all over.

"They pour their whole lives into football, and, when football ends, they really don't know what to do next," notes the Coconut Grove resident. "Some guys have family members or someone who can help them figure it out, and some don't. It can be hard to find your way. The network aims to put together people who want to help with those that need it. We want the players to know that, at the end of their football career – whether it's after college or an NFL stint or even 10 years down the road – we'll be there for you in the next phase of life."

While the network is still in its early stages, Richt has already seen several former players find success in new fields.

"It's been really awesome how quickly we've made progress," he says.

Richt chalks up all of his achievements as a coach, a member of the community and a family man to his faith. In 1986, while Richt was a graduate assistant at FSU, Seminoles lineman Pablo Lopez was shot and killed following an argument outside a campus dance. His death affected Richt profoundly.

"In a nutshell, in 1986, I became a born-again believer in Jesus Christ," he told the Miami Herald. "I went from [being] a really self-centered guy to an other-centered guy. My goal became to try to live a life that God will be pleased with on a daily basis."

These days, his faith permeates every choice he makes, including how he leads his team.

"Any decisions I make are based on my belief system," he says. "It affects everything I do in my life. I don't compartmentalize my faith over here and my vocation over there and my personal life over here. It's all connected."

Richt was essential in pushing for UM's new $34 million indoor practice facility and football operations building that's currently scheduled for summer completion – so much so that he donated $1 million to help make it happen. With a talented roster of players and Richt at the helm, all signs point to an exciting 2018 season.

"I keep telling people that I didn't come here just because it was my alma mater," Richt told ESPN.com. "I came here because you can win. If you do things right and get the support you need, you can win." O