GAINESVILLE, FLA. (FWAA) _ Former college football coach Mark Richt has been named this year’s recipient of the Steve Spurrier Coaching Legend Award presented by Chris Doering Mortgage and supported by the Football Writers Association of America.
“Coach Richt is one of the first-class gentlemen who have been a part of our sport,” Spurrier told the FWAA. “Coach Richt’s career at Georgia and Miami (Fla.) speaks for itself: five SEC Championship Games and bowl teams all 18 years he was a head coach. We’re honored to add him to our legacy group."
Richt, who was a 2023 College Football Hall of Fame inductee earlier this month, coached at Georgia (145-51, from 2001-15) and Miami, Fla. (26-13, from 2016-18). Now an analyst with the ACC Network, Richt led the Bulldogs to SEC titles in 2002 and 2005 and three other appearances in the SEC Championship Game.
Richt won ACC and national coach of the year honors after returning to his alma mater at Miami, Fla., leading the Hurricanes to their first ACC Coastal division title in 2017. Spurrier noted Richt was also successful as an assistant coach at Florida State from 1990-2000. “We played FSU 14 times in the 12 years I was at Florida, and 13 of the 14 times they were in the Top 5 in the nation,” Spurrier said.
Richt, who now lives in Athens, is looking forward to bringing family and friends to Gainesville for the awards reception which will be held on Feb. 26 at Spurrier’s Gridiron Grille.
“I have always had a lot of respect for Steve Spurrier, he’s one of the brightest offensive minds in the history of college football,” Richt said. “I learned a lot from watching his teams play, and I'm honored to be a recipient of an award named after him.”
Former Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops was honored as the Spurrier Coaching Legend a year ago in its first year of existence.
Last week, three finalists for the 2023 FWAA/Spurrier First-Year Coach of the Year Award were announced: Barry Odom (UNLV), Jamey Chadwell (Liberty) and Jeff Brohm (Louisville). The winner of that award will be announced in January and is also expected to be honored at the Spurrier Awards reception presented by Chris Doering Mortgage.
For more information on attending or sponsoring the reception at Spurrier’s Gridiron Grille on Feb. 26 for both the Steve Spurrier First-Year Coach and the Steve Spurrier Legend Coach awards, please contact Tricia Garzon of the JAG Agency at 352-214-2331.
Chris Doering Mortgage, based in Gainesville, Fla., was established in April 2007 as a residential lending company providing mortgage products including conventional, FHA, USDA, and VA loans. The branch is a division of MortgageAdvisors.com – 3940 NW 16th Blvd., Suite A, Gainesville, Fla. 32605 – NMLS 70168/1937321. FHA Lender ID 2631500094. For more information, visit ChrisDoeringMortgage.com. College football analyst Chris Doering, a former wide receiver for Coach Spurrier both in college and the NFL, serves as the branch manager.
Founded in 1941, the Football Writers Association of America consists of journalists, broadcasters, publicists, photographers, and key executives in all areas of college football. The FWAA works to govern media access and gameday operations while presenting awards and honors, including an annual All-America team. For more information about the FWAA and its programs and initiatives, contact Executive Director Steve Richardson at (214) 870-6516 or tiger@fwaa.com.