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Friday, August ay, aoio | The Red & Black
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(Top) Georgia defensive coordinator Todd
Grantham is the consummate teacher on the
field, acting as more of a father figure behind
the scenes. (Above) He also serves as Mark
Richt’s rambunctious a iter-ego on the sidelines.
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Todd Grantham keeps his business face on during billable hours.
But when the market closes for the day, he steps into a softer role.
FIRST & GOAL
TODD GRANTHAM’S
ROAD TO GEORGIA
• 1990-96 - Virginia Tech
graduate assistant, defensive line
coach last two seasons under
Frank Beamer
• 1996-98 - Michigan State
defensive line coach under Nick
Saban, served as assistant head
coach in 1998
•1999-2001 - Broke into NFL
coaching ranks as defensive line
coach for the Indianapolis Colts
under Jim Mora
• 2002-04 - Hired as defensive
line coach on the inaugural staff of
the Houston Texans
• 2005-07 - Became defensive
coordinator for the first time in his
career for the Cleveland Browns
under Romeo Crennei
• 2008-09 - After three less
than-stellar seasons in Cleveland,
stepped down to defensive line
coach under Wade Phillips for foe
Dallas Cowboys
By RACHEL G. BOWERS
The Red & Black
In Just seven months, Todd
Grantham’s impact on the Georgia
defense is undeniable.
In just seven months, he has gained
the trust of his players.
In just seven months, he has earned
the ultimate title from his players.
“He’s like a father figure," safety
Bacarri Rambo said. “I feel like I can
go to him and talk to him about stuff
that’s not related to football. Like if
I’m having a family problem or school
problem, I can go to his office and he
always talks to me and [tells] me to
come to his office and talk to him
about my personal problems and
stuff.”
Georgia’s defensive coordinator,
who was hired Jan. 15, has managed
to cultivate worthwhile relationships
with his student-athletes and has
played a significant role in their lives
on a day-to-day basis since arriving in
Athens.
Achieving that was something
Grantham considered essential when
he made the decision to accept his
new Job returning to the college
game after 11 years coaching in the
NFL.
“That’s one of the reasons I wanted
to be in college football, because I do
think you can affect a young man’s life
at this age. I enjoy being around play
ers. If a player is going to go out and
give you everything he’s got, I think
trust is important there,” Grantham
said. “I do think you have to do what’s
best for the player, as a coach.”
Comerback Brandon Boykin said
Grantham is ferocious and impas
sioned in motivating his players to
perform on the field, but Grantham's
ofT-the-field persona is quite contrast
ing, though he still remains a mentor
in both arenas.
“Outside the field, he’s a great per
son. Not even a coach. You wouldn’t
view him as a coach,” Boykin said.
“He’s just someone you can talk to.
Sit down and talk to about anything
sports or girls or anything like that.
I feel like that’s the type of relation
ship you really want with your coach
outside of football.”
With his office door always open
and his text message inbox full of
messages from his players, the acces
sible Grantham established a strong
level of comfort and trust with his
student athletes from his very first
day on campus.
The Pulaski, Va. native came in as
a straight shooter, while using sincer
ity to lay a solid foundation.
“The first meeting we had, he came
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in straightforward. He said, ‘On the
field, I’m going to be a [disciplinari
an), and we’re going to play aggres
sive. But other than that, we’re going
to have fun.' And that’s something he
emphasized,” senior linebacker Darryl
Gamble said. “That’s something that
we’ve been trying to go along with.”
The Virginia Tech alumnus has cre
ated the perfect balance between
fiery, on-the-fleld leader and compas
sionate, off-the-fleld mentor.
Grantham’s cleat-cut, distinct
approach to taking over the defensive
side of the program allowed him to
efficiently introduce and install anew
3-4 scheme to Georgia’s defense, while
simultaneously fiising bonds between
he and his players on a personal level.
“Coach Grantham, you know, any
time y6u can Just call him or text him,
he’s there. He always responds even
on the field, off the field,” safety Jakar
Hamilton said. “He’s always the
teacher at every position. He expects
a lot out of us at all times. He’s trying
to make sure we get the best of every
thing.”
Just as Grantham’s demeanor on
and off the field fall into equilibrium
with one another, his game time
coaching style also balances out with
that of his boss, head coach Mark
Richt.
Though Richt is infamous for main
taining a cool head during pressure
situations on the field, Grantham
brings another facet of emotion to the
Georgia sideline obvious, unbridled
intensity.
“They pretty much seem to bal
ance each other out. Coach Richt is
more of a laid back kind of guy. He’s
going to make his points, but he’s not
going to make them as loudly as
Coach Grantham would,” linebacker
Cornelius Washington said. “That’s
Coach Richt’s personality and Coach
Grantham has his, and he’s going to
be a little bit more intense.”
Grantham’s ability to light a flame
under his defense coupled with his
resolve to ensure the connections
with his players remain steady has
made for a fast-moving, fulfilling first
seven months. And with the season
opener just a week away, Grantham
said he wants to be able to keep the
lines of communication open to dis
cuss and improve on the bad as well
as celebrate the good.
“[Players] have to trust that you
believe in them and that you're look
ing out for their best interest,”
Grantham said. “I think it’s just about
treating each person with the respect
that you would want as a player and
just trying to get to know your players
and always communicate with them.”