ATLANTA — Fans of the two biggest college football teams in the state of Georgia will now get to watch two of its respective legends head into college football glory.
The University of Georgia's Mark Richt and Georgia Tech's Paul Johnson were inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame on Monday.
Richt coached the Bulldogs for 18 years from 2001-2015, winning two SEC Championships in 2002 and 2005, and six SEC Eastern Division titles (2002, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2011 and 2012) and reached nine bowl games while at the helm of the Dawgs.
Richt won 151 games in his 15 seasons at UGA and left the Bulldogs in 2015 as the second-winningest coach in program history, only behind the late great Vince Dooley.
Richt also coached at Miami (FL) for three seasons from '16-'18, going 26-13.
“During his 18 years as a head coach, Mark Richt established himself as one of the top coaches in the history of college football, winning nearly 72 percent of his games at Georgia and Miami (FL) and never failing to make the postseason and landing himself in the NCAA record books among the all-time winningest coaches," a spokesperson with the National Football Foundation said.
Longtime Georgia Tech head coach Paul Johnson was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame by the National Football Foundation on Monday, as well.
Known for running the famous triple option, Johnson led the Jackets for 11 seasons. He was named ACC Coach of the Year three times in his tenure on The Flats, including leading the Yellow Jackets to three ACC Championship Games.
Georgia Tech finished first or second in the ACC Coastal Division six times in his 11 seasons, and played in eight bowl games.
With an 82-59 record, Johnson is the fourth-winningest coach in school history.
“Capitalizing on his patented spread option offense – one of the most innovative offensive schemes in all of college football, Paul Johnson took three programs to the top of their respective conferences and the national rankings, winning two national titles and five conference championships and making 18 bowl appearances.”
They will both be inducted at the National Football Foundation Annual Awards Dinner in December.