[su_spacer size=”20″] University of Georgia Director of Player Development John Eason, the last remaining member of head coach Mark Richt’s original staff at UGA, has announced his retirement, effective at the end of the season.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Eason and Richt have served together a total of 23 years — eight at Florida State and 15 at Georgia — during their careers.
[su_spacer size=”40″] ”I’ve had the pleasure of working with John for over 20 years,” said Richt.  ”We shared a lot of championship seasons together. I remember being named head coach at Georgia and talking to many of John’s former players that wanted the job of coaching receivers at UGA.  They all said they would do it like Coach Eason did it.  So I decided, ‘Why not get the teacher?’ And it turned out to be a great hire.  I know he will finish strong this season, capping a great career in college athletics.”
[su_spacer size=”40″] Eason came to UGA with Richt as wide receivers coach and assistant head coach in 2001. He also served as Associate Head Coach at UGA from 2005-08.  He moved in 2009 to Director of Football Operations and to Director of Player Development in 2010.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Following his 14 years at FSU from 1981-94, Eason served as offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach at South Carolina from 1995-98.  During his tenure at FSU, the Seminoles won one national championship (1993) and eight bowl games. In his 14 seasons, Eason coached seven wide receivers who received All-America recognition including three first-team selections. At UGA among others he coached receivers Terrence Edwards, Fred Gibson, Reggie Brown, Mohamed Massaquoi and A.J. Green.
[su_spacer size=”40″] A Ph.D. graduate from FSU, he also served as an assistant professor in the Department of Human Service and Wellness at the University of Central Florida in 1999-2000. In addition, he held positions as offensive coordinator and associate head coach of the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League during the 2000 season while on leave from UCF.