The Miami Board of Trustees and James were reportedly urging if not demanding Mark Richt to give up play calling, hire a new Offensive Coordinator and a new Quarterbacks Coach. Richt was not ready to do that and chose to retire instead.
Richt began calling plays again when he was hired by James for the 2016 season. He had given up play calling as the Head Coach at Georgia after their Board of Trustees made similar demands to Richt. Loyalty and stubbornness have been attributes attributed to Richt. Those were probably his strengths and downfall.
Richt did not want to fire Offensive Coordinator and Running Backs Coach Thomas Brown who played for him at Georgia and his son Jon who is the Quarterbacks Coach.