Barnett Visits Georgia, but Is It to Recruit Players or New Job?

Georgia Athletic Director Vince Dooley said Saturday that Northwestern football Coach Gary Barnett was in town to discuss the opening left by Ray Goff’s firing.

Barnett offered a different explanation for his visit Friday.

“I was in Georgia on a recruiting visit and decided to stop by and see Vince Dooley and tour the facilities at Georgia,” Barnett said Saturday in a statement. “It was simply just that. I’m not a candidate for the job at Georgia and have not thrown my hat into that ring.”

Barnett, 49, who guided Northwestern to its first Rose Bowl since 1949, is said to be Dooley’s top choice to replace Goff, who was fired Nov. 15.

“Coach Gary Barnett of Northwestern visited our campus Friday to provide him and us an opportunity to explore any mutual interests which may exist involving our head coaching position,” Dooley said. “He’s obviously done a magnificent job at Northwestern, and any school would be interested in learning more about him.

“It was a good opportunity to have conversation, exchange ideas and to determine if there was enough mutual interest to have further discussions,” Dooley said. “I would expect that determination would be made by both of us as soon as possible.”

Barnett received a five-year contract extension in the middle of the 1994 season.