Several items on the Georgia front today, and that’s before we get to tonight’s NFL Draft.

Fox Rewarded

Men’s basketball coach Mark Fox received a $400,000 raise and a one-year extension on Thursday taking his total compensation to $1.7 million per year. Fox’s contract will now run through 2016. After returning the program to the NCAA Tournament and raising attendance, Fox deserved this action for a job well done.

The raise brings Fox squarely into the middle of the pack among SEC coaches. Four earn more, and Kevin Stallings at Vandy is right there with Fox. It’s interesting to hear Greg McGarity explain why there wasn’t a longer contract extension for Fox. “You really want all your staff and coaches on edge a bit,” McGarity noted. “Five years that is a strong commitment. We don’t get caught up in five years, six years. There’s not a whole lot of difference in that because if we keep marching in the same direction I’m sure this won’t be the last time we come as a group to meet.”

McGarity’s cautious not to go overboard and commit to a Paul Hewitt contract especially with the rebuilding job still ongoing. Fox has taken a team to the tournament, but now he’ll face a tough challenge in 2012 getting back there. He’ll also have to win more big recruiting battles to assemble the kind of team he’ll need to continue the program’s growth and climb up the SEC standings. As McGarity says, if that progress continues, Fox will be recognized accordingly.

Leonard Floyd commits

Recruiting services are reporting that Georgia’s defense picked up a big in-state commitment from Dodge County OLB Leonard Floyd. Floyd picked Georgia over offers from Alabama and Florida, among others. At 6’5″ with a long frame, he’s well-suited to line up outside in Georgia’s 3-4 scheme.

Joni Crenshaw added to WBB staff

Andy Landers’ staff took a blow a few weeks ago when assistant coach Kim Hairston headed to Virginia to reunite with a former boss. Georgia filled that vacancy with a good one. Joni Crenshaw comes from the LSU staff after spending time at Louisiana Tech and her alma mater Alabama. She has a reputation as an effective recruiter in the south and has been part of several top signing classes and individual signings over the past few years. She earned a promotion to associate head coach at both La. Tech and Alabama.