Former coach Richt suffers heart attack
Despite setback, analyst for ACC Network plans to return this week
Former Miami Hurricanes coach Mark Richt survived a major scare after suffering a heart attack on Monday morning, according to a post he made on social media.
“I am assuming word travels fast. So I wanted to be able to inform everyone that I did have a heart attack this morning,” the 59-year-old Richt tweeted on Monday. “I am doing fine. As I went through the experience I had peace knowing I was going to heaven but I was going to miss my wife. I plan to be at work this week.”
Richt, a college football analyst for ACC Network, abruptly retired on Dec. 30 just three days after the Hurricanes suffered an ugly 35-3 loss to Wisconsin in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl, which dropped UM’s record to 7-6.
Richt said his health was one reason he decided to stop coaching.
“Long story short, I really didn’t do a great job taking care of myself physically,” Richt said on The Joe Rose Show on 560 WQAM earlier this year. “You can get into a grind of
the job. I’ve coached, I guess, over 30 years. When I left Georgia after 15 years as head coach, I probably could have used a little decompression break at that time or at least considered it.
“I just kind of wore myself down to the point where I got a little concerned about the pace I was going at. And I also cared about Miami. I felt like maybe someone else at this point in time would do a better job than I was. Going into the final game, the bowl game, it was running through my mind pretty heavily.”
Richt, a former Hurricanes quarterback, compiled a 26-13 record during his three seasons after replacing Al Golden.
“On behalf of everybody in the University of Miami community, our best thoughts and wishes go out to Mark and [his wife] Katharyn,” said current UM coach Manny Diaz, who was defensive coordinator under Richt. “He is and will always be a Hurricane, and it’s good to know he’s doing well and resting well.
“That was quite the news to get this morning, but we’re really glad that Mark’s OK.”
Richt led the Hurricanes to 10 straight wins to open the 2017 season — climbing as high as No. 2 in the College Football Playoff rankings — and their first ACC Coastal Division title. But not long after, things began to sour.
After becoming a studio analyst, Richt further explained his decision to retire in April after watching Miami’s spring game in Orlando.
“I just thought it was the right time,” Richt said. “I felt it was the right time for me, as a person. And, I felt like Miami would be in better hands. I just felt like, me knowing it was time for me to not do it anymore, I didn’t want to fake it. I didn’t want to just do it for the money. … I felt like, for me, to know it was time for me to stop coaching, it was just obvious that it was going to be good for everybody.”
In 2016 — his first season with the Hurricanes — Richt led Miami to its first bowl win in a decade, a 31-14 victory over West Virginia in the Russell Athletic Bowl in Orlando.
Prior to joining the Hurricanes, he spent 15 seasons as Georgia’s coach before being fired in 2015.
Richt posted a 145-51 record with the Bulldogs, leading them to SEC championships in 2002 and 2005.