ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — A day after Todd Grantham
helped welcome a new class of Georgia recruits, the defensive
coordinator interviewed
for the same job with the New Orleans Saints.
The NFL team said Grantham met Thursday with head coach Sean Payton but had no additional comment on the search to replace
Steve Spagnuolo, who was fired last month after the Saints gave up more yards than any team in NFL history.
"In accordance with his contractual obligation, Todd Grantham notified me Wednesday night of the New Orleans Saints' interest
in interviewing him for the defensive coordinator position," Georgia athletic director Greg McGarity said in a statement.
Grantham said earlier Wednesday that he's happy at Georgia and expects to be coaching in Athens next season — the same message
he gave to the Bulldogs' newest players.
Georgia picked up 32 players on national signing day, including 18 on the defensive side.
"I told those guys, 'I love Georgia, I think this is a great place, my family loves it, I love it, and I fully expect to be
here,'" Grantham said. "I told also told those guys that, as a coach, if things come up, you're always going to see what's
best for your family and see what happens."
At the time, he wouldn't address reports that he was already planning to interview with the Saints, who also have a reported
interest in former Dallas defensive coordinator Rob Ryan. Grantham said nothing had come up that would require him, under
his contract, to notify Georgia he was looking at a similar job in the NFL.
"I have a good job now," he said. "I enjoy
my job. I understand my contractual obligations if I felt like I needed
to do something.
But right now, I fully expect to be here."
A few hours later, Grantham told his boss that he would be interviewing with the Saints.
The 46-year-old Grantham was coaching in the
NFL when coach Mark Richt hired him to run the Bulldogs' defense in
2010, specifically
to oversee a switch to the 3-4 alignment. The coordinator's stock
rose dramatically the following season when Georgia reached
the Southeastern Conference championship game and ranked fifth
nationally in total defense, allowing just 277.2 yards per
game.
This past season, Georgia won another SEC
East title but slipped to 32nd in the rankings (357.8 yards), despite
having Jarvis
Jones and several other NFL prospects. Also, Grantham has received
criticism for his fiery demeanor, which included giving
a choke sign to a Florida kicker before a game-winning field goal
in 2010 and getting into a postgame altercation with Vanderbilt
coach James Franklin in 2011.
Still, Grantham was mentioned as a possible
candidate with the Philadelphia Eagles and now seems to be under serious
consideration
in New Orleans.