[Note by Joel, 12/31/09 3:40 PM EST ] Good news for all involved who aren't Georgia fans: Chavis is apparently getting more money from LSU and staying put.
Twitter is all, well, a-twitter with news that former Tennessee defensive coordinator and current LSU defensive coordinator John Chavis is not denying rumors that he will soon be Georgia's defensive coordinator. (HT to raynoch46.)
No, I don't see any official confirmation except from the AJC on the sidestepping. The comment reads like an honest man not wanting to answer a question, so if I had to stake my life on it, I'd say it's true. So there.
Instant reaction? First hmm. Then uh-oh. Then yikes.
Hmm. Sounds like a good move for Chavis. He's always been an excellent DC. Well, most of the time, meaning downs not named "third." And he's a good guy. Loyal, too. Which makes him a good fit with Mark Richt. Best wishes for him.
Uh-oh. It is Georgia, you know, and with the talent down there, Chavis could give our offense fits for years to come. Willie Martinez, he is not.
Yikes. If true, the LSU DC job is open, and Ed Orgeron has said it's a great opportunity for somebody. And lest we forget, Orgeron is somebody. Yeah, he didn't take a job down there when the decision was between that and the position he ultimately accepted with Tennessee, but was "that" a DC position or something less than that, like a recruiting coordinator position or something? If I remember correctly, they put a ton of money on the hook for a lesser position. What might they do to lure him to Baton Rouge as DC?
A possible silver lining. Word is that Chavis and Rodney Garner, who was the only defensive coach retained by Georgia this season, didn't get along, so perhaps he's on the market. He's been here before, and hey, we're the Chimera.