ESPN College Football

STATESBORO, Ga. -- Chris Hatcher was hired Friday as the football coach at Georgia Southern, which has won six national championships but fell to 3-8 last season.

He replaces Brian VanGorder, who left Tuesday after one season to become the Atlanta Falcons linebackers coach.

Hatcher was 76-12 at Valdosta State, winning the Division II national championship in 2004.

Hatcher will earn $200,000 annually, and received the standard one-year state contract. The school's booster club will guarantee an additional three years.

"This is a tremendous program," Hatcher said at a news conference. "I plan, and we will, add to the six flags, 16 playoff appearances and eight Southern Conference championships. And, make no mistake about it, we will do that early."

Valdosta State named David Dean as its new coach a few hours after Georgia Southern athletic director Sam Baker announced Hatcher's hiring. Dean served as Hatcher's offensive coordinator and special teams coach the last seven years.

Baker said Hatcher's success at Valdosta State and recruiting ties in the area made it easy for the Football Championship Subdivision school to move quickly. The NCAA is phasing out the terms Divisions I-A and I-AA in football. I-A is now the Football Bowl Subdivision, while I-AA is the Football Championship Subdivision.

Hatcher served for one year as quarterbacks and tight ends coach at Central Florida, where he worked with Daunte Culpepper. He then was an assistant at Kentucky for three years and helped quarterback Tim Couch become a first-round draft pick.

Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press