But why did Richt want Georgia? Sure, it's a major program in the football-mad SEC with all kinds of recruiting possibilities. But Richt has had feelers before. LSU reportedly had him on its short list last year. Two days after firing Larry Smith in November, Missouri athletic director Mike Alden was in Tallahassee to interview Richt. Virginia reportedly offered Richt its job Sunday night.

That's just a glimpse at Richt's worth to the outside world in the past year. He has been at Florida State 14 years. Why he took the Georgia job on Tuesday afternoon is a bit of a puzzler. For sure, Richt was ready to step out from Bowden's shadow. Georgia is one of the SEC old guard. It is watched over by athletic director Vince Dooley, one of the SEC's great coaches. It pulls great recruits.

'I knew if I left (Florida State), it would have to be a place where I could spend the rest of my life,' Mark Richt said.(AP)

So why can't it win more? Before answering that, ask why former coach Jim Donnan got fired after the third-best record in the SEC since 1996. Short version: Donnan couldn't beat Florida, Tennessee and Georgia Tech. Longer version: Georgia has lost its way both in the athletic department and on the field.

By the time Richt gets his first check, Georgia will be paying three football coaches -- Ray Goff, fired in 1996; Donnan and Richt. Perhaps because of that baggage, Georgia probably won't be paying Richt the going Division I-A rate of $1 million per season.

On the field Georgia hasn't had anyone committed to throwing the ball since, well, when? OK, we'll give you Eric Zeier and Mike Bobo, SEC passing efficiency leaders in 1992 and 1997 respectively. But Georgia's all-century quarterback was John Rauch -- class of 1948.

This is Herschel Walker's school, but it is Steve Spurrier's conference. The SEC started to turn when the Florida coach forced it to change tactics around 1990. Georgia hasn't been able to keep up despite having one-time Heisman candidate Quincy Carter.

Not so coincidentally, Georgia hasn't won an SEC title since 1982, two years after its national championship season.

The Bulldogs hope Richt is able to make Georgia competitive in the modern SEC in one offseason. He will attract top quarterbacks. He knows how to beat Florida. But will he win enough to find that something that was missing under Donnan? Currently, Georgia is the third-best program in the SEC East with Lou Holtz and South Carolina nipping at its heels.

Dooley -- and president Michael Adams, who fired Donnan out of the blue -- will supposedly demand better.

The simple solution is to allow Richt to take the offense, leave defensive coordinator Gary Gibbs in place and hire an aggressive recruiting coordinator. By "aggressive" we mean the SEC standard -- going right up to the line without crossing it. Or at least not getting caught.

Recently fired Alabama assistant head coach Ronnie Cottrell is available, having once coached with Richt at Florida State. He knows recruiting in the South better than he knows his own family. Bobby Bowden better watch out. Richt might even decide to take up-and-coming Florida State tight ends/recruiting coordinator John Lilly with him.

In that sense, Georgia is lucky to get Richt. But there is risk on both sides. Georgia could be nothing more than a steppingstone for Richt. For a time, it was assumed that either Tommy Bowden or Richt would succeed Bobby Bowden when the venerable coach retired. But Florida State athletic director Dave Hart Jr. prefers to hire head coaches with head coaching experience.

Had he stayed, Richt might not have replaced his boss. Tommy has a leg up on Richt having already directed programs at Tulane and Clemson.

It still could go bad for Georgia either way. If Richt loses, the program is back to Ray Goffville. If Richt is successful at Georgia, Dooley might just be renting a coach for a few years until Florida State calls him home.

More likely, Richt's alma mater could come get him sooner. Antsy Miami coach Butch Davis doesn't look he is going to be in South Florida much longer. Richt, a 1982 Miami graduate, played for Howard Schnellenberger and once backed up Jim Kelly.

Georgia had no choice but hire Richt at this point. Donnan didn't do the little things like schmooze alums. Fans and boosters never took to him. If nothing else, Richt was a "name," perceived to be the hottest candidate available.

He might work out, he might not. Either way, Georgia is fortunate for now. The Bulldogs didn't chose him so much as Richt chose them.