Athens, Ga. — Dennis Felton kept an eye on the problems at Georgia, hoping to be entrusted with rehabilitating a men's basketball program left in disarray by Jim Harrick.
Felton will get his chance, leaving Western Kentucky Thursday to become Georgia's coach with a five-year contract worth $700,000 annually.
"As soon as I thought there might be a chance of a coaching opportunity at Georgia, I was very interested," Felton said. "I want to have the opportunity to build one of the next great basketball programs in the country."
He led the Hilltoppers to three straight NCAA Tournament appearances and was 100-54 in five seasons. Felton has worked as an assistant at Providence and Clemson.
"It's a pleasure to have a happy press conference," Georgia athletic director Vince Dooley said. "We haven't had one of those in a long time."
Harrick left amid accusations of academic fraud and improper benefits to players. He resigned, then announced his retirement last month, 21/2 weeks after being suspended with pay.
Felton's Western Kentucky contract calls for a school that hires him away to agree to a four-year home-and-home series with the Hilltoppers. Felton plans to honor the agreement.
"When we came up with that, we thought it was something nobody had done before. And it would be a way for me to repay Western Kentucky for giving me the opportunity. I've never forgotten how lucky I was."
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