https://miami.rivals.com/news/richt-breaks-down-qb-decision
* Richt also commented on his own QB competition back in the day when Jim Kelly was named the starter.
“I used to call him `Lucky Jim’ because the guy was lucky,” Richt said. “I can truthfully say he was better than I was. My mom still would not admit that … it’s not easy being No. 2. There was a moment where I’m like `I’m leaving!’ I left the team for like a week, and I didn’t like how it felt. I felt like a quitter, and I didn’t want to be a quitter. So I groveled, went back to coach (Howard) Schnellenberger and asked him if I could come back on the team. When I said I was leaving, it was after the spring game, he said, `If you change your mind let me know.’ He did open the door for me. Within a few days, I was like, ‘This doesn’t feel right. I love this place. I love my teammates. I’m not leaving.’ Did I play a lot of ball here? No. But God blessed my decision to stick it out and try to do what was in the best interest of the team.”
Of the competition when he was a player and the competition being more public back then, Richt said, “I don’t even remember what was happening. I’m sure that was part of the method to his madness. He would be kind enough to say I’d probably start on 50 percent of the other teams in America. He would make grand statements like that until I threw a pick-six here and there. It was a great experience for me. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”
Is Richt concerned a current QB may think about leaving?
“I don’t know,” Richt said. “Everybody has to make choices in life. But I’d be shocked if Evan did that, or any of them. I’d be shocked. They all know they’re learning, they all know they’re growing, they all know they’re getting better. They understand there’s competition everywhere you go. You can go somewhere for greener grass, well guess what? They got a bunch of dudes there too. They know the system. You’re going to be behind the 8-ball if you go somewhere else. I’d be very surprised.”
* Richt also commented on his own QB competition back in the day when Jim Kelly was named the starter.
“I used to call him `Lucky Jim’ because the guy was lucky,” Richt said. “I can truthfully say he was better than I was. My mom still would not admit that … it’s not easy being No. 2. There was a moment where I’m like `I’m leaving!’ I left the team for like a week, and I didn’t like how it felt. I felt like a quitter, and I didn’t want to be a quitter. So I groveled, went back to coach (Howard) Schnellenberger and asked him if I could come back on the team. When I said I was leaving, it was after the spring game, he said, `If you change your mind let me know.’ He did open the door for me. Within a few days, I was like, ‘This doesn’t feel right. I love this place. I love my teammates. I’m not leaving.’ Did I play a lot of ball here? No. But God blessed my decision to stick it out and try to do what was in the best interest of the team.”
Of the competition when he was a player and the competition being more public back then, Richt said, “I don’t even remember what was happening. I’m sure that was part of the method to his madness. He would be kind enough to say I’d probably start on 50 percent of the other teams in America. He would make grand statements like that until I threw a pick-six here and there. It was a great experience for me. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”
Is Richt concerned a current QB may think about leaving?
“I don’t know,” Richt said. “Everybody has to make choices in life. But I’d be shocked if Evan did that, or any of them. I’d be shocked. They all know they’re learning, they all know they’re growing, they all know they’re getting better. They understand there’s competition everywhere you go. You can go somewhere for greener grass, well guess what? They got a bunch of dudes there too. They know the system. You’re going to be behind the 8-ball if you go somewhere else. I’d be very surprised.”
