Mark Richt’s tenure as Miami football coach more success than failure
The Mark Richt tenure as the Miami football head coach was one filled with a lot of consternation on talk radio and social media. The Richt era was far more success than failure.
Former Miami football head coach Mark Richt left a legacy and solid foundation for his successor and former defensive coordinator Manny Diaz to build one. The first two seasons of the Mark Richt era with the Miami football program put the Hurricanes on a positive path.
They won their first bowl game in ten years in the 2016 Camping World Bowl, their first ACC Coastal Division title and made their first ACC Championship game appearance in 2017. During his three years leading his alma mater, Richt was 26-13 overall and 15-9 in the ACC.
Sports Illustrated’s Laken Litman recently wrote an article that was “Gauging the Success Rate of College Football Head Coaches Who Are Also Alumni.” The coaches were divided into different categories. Richt was analyzed as “Coaches who recently retired from or were fired by their alma mater.”
When Richt returned to Miami in December 2015 he was the prodigal son returning home. At the end of last season, Richt’s 171 career wins rank 40th all-time and fourth among current head coaches. Two of the three ahead of him also retired. Kansas State’s Bill Snyder and Ohio State’s Urban Meyer also bowed out.
Richt’s time at Miami had a big impact off the field as well as one it. He was instrumental in getting the Soffer Indoor Practice Facility built. Richt donated $1 million of his own money towards the project and headed the fundraising effort to make sure it was built.
Richt also helped Miami receive national attention for the first time in a decade. The bowl win over West Virginia and the 2017 Coastal Division Champions have left a lasting impact. The 2018 season was a step back, but under Richt, the Hurricanes became nationally relevant again.
"“Richt, 58, abruptly retired after compiling a 26–13 record over three seasons at his alma mater, leaving Miami scrambling to lure DC Manny Diaz back from the Temple head coaching job he had just accepted.“My love for The U is simply great,” Richt said in a statement after stepping down. “My true desire is for our football program to return to greatness, and while terribly difficult, I feel that stepping down is in the best interest of the program.”Richt played quarterback for the Hurricanes in the early ’80s, backing up Jim Kelly. After being forced out at Georgia after 15 seasons, Richt’s return to South Florida started out promising, as the Canes finished 9–4 in 2016 and then started 10–0 in ’17.Last year, fans criticized Richt for rotating quarterbacks with limited success through a 7–6 season”"
Diaz will take what Richt built and attempt to take the program to the next level. Under Diaz, the Miami football program has ventured into the transfer portal to add more talent to the roster and is poised to win their second ACC Coastal Division title in three seasons. Diaz has repeatedly emphasized Richt’s importance to the program.
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The timing was right for a change in leadership in the Miami football program. That doesn’t diminish what Richt accomplished in his three years. Without Richt being hired its debatable if Diaz would have been ever been able to return to Miami.