Report: Mark Richt unlikely to coach in 2016 unless it’s at Virginia, not Miami

Mark Richt has options if he wants to coach this year, but will the former Georgia head coach be on the sidelines in 2016?

Former Georgia Bulldogs head coach has interviewed for the Miami and Virginia jobs this week after parting ways with Georgia on Sunday after 15 years in Athens. Richt said he’s open to coaching again and about five teams reached out to him when he came on the market, but will Richt take this year off and pursue a job next season or jump at one of the openings this winter?

According to ESPN’s Travis Haney his sources indicate Richt is not likely to coach in 2016. However, if Richt decides he wants to coach this year the most likely destination for him is with the Virginia Cavaliers who interviewed Richt on Wednesday.

It wouldn’t be surprising to see Richt take the year off from coaching and reassess things next year, but it would be surprising to see Richt take the job at Virginia instead of the job at Miami, his alma mater, which according to the Miami Herald’s Susan Miller Degnan is his job if he wants it.

Miami is not the job it used to be 15 years ago, but to think one of their own would think the Virginia job is a better fit than The U is a sign of just how much shine has diminished from this once prestigious job.

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Wherever Richt decided to continue his coaching career, he will likely have more control and input over things at his new spot than he was allowed at Georgia and a renewed enthusiasm from Richt could help life a program like Virginia from a  4-5 win team to a potential 8-9 win team.

Nine wins was good enough for him to get fired at Georgia but if he can win 8-9 at Virginia, they’d build a statue of him outside Scott Stadium.