Athens, GA -- Georgia head football coach Mark Richt received a contract extension at a specially called executive committee meeting by the University on Wednesday.

The executive committee approved the new deal that will run through December 31, 2013. Richt's old contract would have expired on December 31 in 2010. The new deal is worth $2 million annually.

"I'm pleased and appreciative of the administration extending the contract," Richt said. "It says that the University wants us to be at Georgia and this is certainly where my family wants to be."

After his second season at the school, Richt signed an eight-year deal worth $1.5 million annually that placed him among the SEC's highest-paid coaches.

In five seasons at Georgia, his teams have won three SEC Eastern Division titles, two SEC championships, and his 52-12 record is sixth best in the nation since 2001.

Richt's 2005 team finished with a 10-2 regular season record and the SEC championship, defeating third-ranked LSU in the title game.

The victory made him one of six coaches in SEC history to win two league titles within their first five seasons joining Alabama's Frank Thomas, Florida's Steve Spurrier, LSU's Bernie Moore and Nick Saban, and Georgia's Vince Dooley. After the championship, he was elected 2005 SEC Coach of the Year by the SEC Coaches.

"Mark has done a magnificent job since taking over our football program," said Georgia director of athletics Damon Evans. "This contract will put him in the upper echelon of coaches in the SEC and nationally as well. "