Mark Richt sure sounded like a man who is still interested in coaching.

The former Georgia coach said the following at his going-away press conference Monday: “There may be other opportunities that come in the next few hours … 24 or 48 hours, that type of thing.

“I mean I’m going to listen to anybody that has interest in me.”

He also said he’s very interested in working more closely with an offense, and especially quarterbacks, once again.

At this point, Richt essentially is institutionalized within the coaching world. Then again, the last three UGA coaches never coached another game and still live in Athens: Vince Dooley, Ray Goff and Jim Donnan.

Atlanta Journal-Constitution columnist Jeff Schultz, writing for DawgNation.com, predicts that Richt will join them rather than taking another job.

“Just a guess: The bowl game will be the last time we’ll see Richt on any sideline, not just in Athens.

“Richt said he misses coaching quarterbacks. He misses being hands-on with an offense. He misses calling plays. That’s only natural. CEOs of computer companies similarly hate board meetings and miss sitting in their garage, tinkering with gadgets. Coaches love to coach. They don’t love the administrative aspects of their job, or going on the burnt-brisket booster circuit, or getting 2 a.m. phone calls about a player in handcuffs.

“… he’s at peace. He loves living in Athens. For the first time in more than three decades, he will have free time to spend with his wife Katharyn. His ego also is not such that he feels the need to go elsewhere to prove the world wrong about something.

“Just guessing, again: He’ll enjoy this down time, the relative absence of noise in his head. He can get the coaching out of his system by holding quarterback camps or making himself available as a consultant. But this is foreign territory, so even he doesn’t know what to expect.”

Most feel convinced that Richt will coach again. Brent Musburger predicted Richt will retire as well — before the news broke that Georgia was moving on.

Stranger things have happened. Richt would be a tremendous employee for the University of Georgia if the team needs someone to do some glad-handling and marketing.

Whatever Richt does after Georgia’s bowl game, he has handled the last 15 years in a way that has earned him widespread respect.