Fortunately, Dogs aren’t about impressing pollsters anymore
Let's assume Blair Walsh and Drew Butler were not declaring, "We're No. 1" after the win. (AP photo)
ATHENS — If after one game you were convinced that this would be a dreadful season, and after two games you figured maybe the quarterback wouldn’t be so bad after all, and after three games you once again were ready to catapult Willie Martinez out of Athens, out of the state and out of a job, well, guess what? They’ve come full circle.
Maybe it’s best to just not assume anything about Georgia this season — certainly not an easy victory.
Blair Walsh kicked a game-winning 37-yard field goal as time expired Saturday to give the Bulldogs a 20-17 win over Arizona State at Sanford Stadium. And that’s really all you want to know without a bottle of Tums.
Given that this is a bottom-line business, the Bulldogs will try not to think about how they got there. There was an offense that committed three more turnovers, leading to 14 of the visitors’ 17 points and left the team at a minus-9 in turnover differential this season. There also was an offense that produced only two field goals (and the three turnovers) in 10 possessions after two early touchdowns.
Joe Cox completed only 12 of 23 with two interceptions after the first quarter. (Brant Sanderlin/AJC).
There was bland and unimaginative play-calling and a stunning decision by coach Mark Richt to pass up a potential winning 45-yard field-goal attempt earlier in the fourth quarter to go for it on fourth-and-one (and the play was stuffed).
Good thing nobody is paying attention to polls this season.
“You’d like to think you’re progressing over the last three weeks,” Richt said. “It’s almost like we’re that record that gets stuck and the same things keep happening over and over again. The good news is at the very end we’ve been winning. We’d like to remove some of the drama if possible.”
The defense was strong. That would be the good news. But somewhere it is written that you should not be tied with Arizona State in the fourth quarter on your home field, particularly after leading 14-3 in the first quarter.
Haven’t figured this team out yet? Stop trying.
It was far different circumstances when these teams met at this time a year ago. The Bulldogs still had national championship aspirations. They won in Tempe 27-10. It was one of their best performances of the season, setting up meteoric expectations for Alabama week.
Then came the blackout. Then came the knockout. Bama jumped to a 31-0 lead and it was over. Neither the Dogs nor expectations were the same the rest of the season.
That wasn’t an issue Saturday. The season-opening loss at Oklahoma State smothered the rankings talk early. The wins over South Carolina and Arkansas were fun to watch, much like cartoons are fun to watch. Great offense, no defense, too many penalties and turnovers and exploding body parts.
The game was tied 17-17 when Georgia got the ball back with 5:40 left. But on first down, Joe Cox threw behind A.J. Green right into the hands of safety Jarrell Holman (who earlier returned an interception for a touchdown). This one he brought back to the Dogs’ 20. But the defense held again, and a 38-yard field goal attempt was blocked — by A.J. Green.
Green also caught a 56-yard touchdown earlier in the game. On the ensuing Dogs’ possession after the blocked field, he made a third-down 22-yard catch at the Arizona State 22. That ultimately set up the winning field goal. Pretty sure he was player of the game.
It looked for a while liked Georgia might have an easy night. Didn’t happen. Maybe we should all just assume at this point that there won’t be any easy days or nights.
First the offense stalled, then it started dropping engine parts on the highway (a fumble set up one touchdown and an interception was returned for another score). Suddenly, ASU led 17-14. The Dogs came back to tie it. After forcing ASU to punt, the Dogs drove into Devils’ territory again. But Richt elected to go for it on fourth-and-1 from the 28 — passing up a potential go-ahead 45-yard field goal. Result: fullback Fred Munzenmaier ran into a wall.
They seemed destined to lose. But at this point we should just assume they’re not destined for anything. Except maybe to keep us guessing.
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617 comments Add your comment
Hawk n the Ham
September 26th, 2009
11:48 pm
AJ got robbed by the refs on the touchdown catch.
Start Caleb King, he is coming into his own.
Hire David Pollack to coach defensive ends.
Oh, and if it wasn’t for AJ we might be 0-4 right now.
AJGREENFAN
September 26th, 2009
11:48 pm
AJ Green is amazing
BigMike
September 26th, 2009
11:48 pm
Can anyone in Dawg nation explain how we are getting these top tier backs who can’t run the ball? The Caleb King affair is over, and the dogs need to look deeper into the stable. He, like R.Samuels can’t hold the ball,they don’t seperate well and neither has shown dominate break away speed. Unlike Moreno, neither seems to play with that fire in there belly, and I would feel better giving Shaun Chapas the ball if he lined up at T.B. in short yardage situations. Hats off to the “D” tonight, Atkins and Houston along with Big play Curran played there butts off tonight. Hope they left something in the tank for L.S.U. We going to need it
Dawgsarenumber?
September 26th, 2009
11:49 pm
It is not as bad as so many on this board think it is…today: tedford lost, paterno lost, bowden lost, nutt lost on thursday showing that we beat good SC team. bama, fla and lsu will all lose at least one…uga is getting better in different areas each game…we definitely backed up on offense tonight, but it is probably good for the offense to have a little humility going into lsu next week. Get off Ritch’s back…he is a steady coach/mentor to his players and has done more the UGA football than any coach in the last 30 years and if he stays around, he will do more than coach ever did at Georgia…once Tebow is gone, Myer will actually have to get back to coaching and it won’t be all that great.
41 38 49 38 45 24 37 41
September 26th, 2009
11:49 pm
this program under CMR will NEVER win a MNC! His luck will run out starting next week!
As My Stomach Turns...
September 26th, 2009
11:49 pm
Oldmanfan, your immediate loss of composure is telling.
Keep it together, man.
Barkin'Dog
September 26th, 2009
11:50 pm
Georgia 20, Pac10 team 17. The D held them to 17. AzSt did get a few TOs, but they’re good at that, aren’t they? And the Dawgs were due for a letdown… I read that frequently this week. So, now they can get up for LSU next week and maybe we’ll have a little sunshine, for a change. Relax. A win’s a win, as all coaches say. And I say “keep on winning Dawgs, and shut these non-believers up.”
TampaDawg
September 26th, 2009
11:50 pm
Jeff,
I haven’t chimed in at all this season but I read the AJC and all our Dawg Nation (and other) comments daily. I finally agree with the masses.Demote Willie and get a new QB.
CMR, “I am a huge supporter but EVERYTHING RISES AND FALLS WITH LEADERSHIP and your leadership is really being called into question. Changes are needed now Coach. Please, for the love of all that is good and holy, demote CWM, take back over the playcalling, and start Logan or Aaron at QB. I really don’t want to drive up from Tampa next weekend to get slammed by a mediocre LSU team. I would love to see my boy Aaron Murray shake it up like he did while here in the Tampa area.
Geez, Cox was so far behind in his throws to AJ tonight. AJ had to wait on too many floaters that would have been in stride TDs by a gunslinger like Murray. Does no one else agree with this.
I end with a classic quote from William Wallace (Mel Gibson) in BRAVEHEART… UNITE US!!!!!!!!!
coach smith
September 26th, 2009
11:53 pm
Win and move on…this wasn’t Jacksonville State or Charleston Southern the Dawgs were playing it was a real team from a BCS conference and no matter how you slice it….the DAWGS WON and are 3-1 and 2-0 in conference
dawgmatt
September 26th, 2009
11:53 pm
victory,by the way aj green is the maybe the best player ever at georgia,
Cuz
September 26th, 2009
11:54 pm
Did I mention that I was first, second and third. Yeah me!!!!
2N4YEARS
September 26th, 2009
11:54 pm
Hawk n the Ham
Absolutely
Not quite sure
Yes, have been saying this for 2-3 yrs
Possible
coach smith
September 26th, 2009
11:54 pm
LSU didn’t look to be any great shakes either
rvadawg
September 26th, 2009
11:54 pm
UGA75, thank you for that post. one of the funnier things ive read on this blog.
AJ GREEN IS A MANIMAL
As My Stomach Turns...
September 26th, 2009
11:55 pm
Dogsarenumber?…you should REALLY check your math. You said that Richt “…has done more the UGA football than any coach in the last 30 years…”
UGA had this coach named Vince and he won something called a National Championship.
Please don’t make an a$$ out of yourself and compare the two.
Cuz
September 26th, 2009
11:55 pm
Willie needs to stop those turnovers by the offense. Or the Dude is toast. Burnt on both sides.
BigMike
September 26th, 2009
11:55 pm
Joe Cox a little piece of advice for you and Bulldog nation, you have a senior receiver who will be a steal in next years draft in Michael Moore. USE THE GUY MORE OFTEN!
mr me
September 26th, 2009
11:56 pm
Dawg Fan here-Hope Tebow’s OK looked like a bad concussion. Don’t need any injuries looks like the Dawgs came out good tonight with no injuries. And look at the Bravo’s only 2 1/2 back
Cuz
September 26th, 2009
11:56 pm
Start Zach Metzenberger. I wanted to be first again.
senoiadawgs
September 26th, 2009
11:58 pm
TampaDawg, I am with you 100% on all of the above. Just go back on watch the film all other Dawg fans. Unless Joe is meaning to underthrow about 50% of his passes then we have a problem. Yes he did the same against SC and AR and got away with just like AJ bailed him tonight time and again. This team without some miracle has no shot at the SEC or MNC this year so what will it hurt to have Logan or Murray playing. As Larry would say old Lady Luck is really smiling at us right now.
gTa oLdSchOOl
September 26th, 2009
11:59 pm
NICE WIN TONIGHT UGA!
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH
td
September 27th, 2009
12:01 am
The Dawgs are playing as expected. They had three underclassmen go to the NFL (two were drafted in the first 12 picks). We are young and playing people in key positions that should not be playing these roles until next year. They make a lot of mistakes and the young ones are trying to play outside of the game plan and do to much instead of just doing their jobs. CMR, CWM and CMB will coach them up and this team will improve as the year goes along. Will the win the SEC, probably not but they should not either when you look at the team Florida has on the field. BTW: How good would FL be this year if Tebow, Spikes and Duncan would have turned pro after last season?
For all you unrealistic DumbA**es that just want to blame the coaches for everything and talk negitively about these 18-22 year old young men. Please go find another team to root for and leave the dawgs alone.
BigMike
September 27th, 2009
12:01 am
Dogsarenumbers, Twenty nine years ago a Coach named Vince Dooley won a nat’l championship, and convinced a guy named Herschel Walker to play at UGA that alone gets you fifty years of GOD LIKE treatment. CMR hasn’t. Nuff said !!!
hamburger lips
September 27th, 2009
12:02 am
Joe Cox will have more pick 6 next week! Mark it down. Teams will be dialing in on his under thrown telegraphed passes too. Bank on it!
2N4YEARS
September 27th, 2009
12:03 am
TampaDawg
Martinez actually coached one of his better games tonight (held ASU Offense to 10 points). Murray has some tendinitus in his throwing bicep, so count this option out. Besides, we all see what Stafford did with his gun-slinging (no touch, overthrowing the long ball). Cox is far from perfect, but he’s completed more long balls in three games than Stafford did in 3 years, but I agree he was behind the WR’s tonight.
Dawggrl
September 27th, 2009
12:05 am
Can I also mention how horrible the commentators on ESPNU were? Can someone explain how rain was going to help ASU – a team from the desert? Do they practice with the sprinklers on or something else I don’t know about?
Steve
September 27th, 2009
12:05 am
Once again we barely get by on pure talent alone. Once again, we are out coached. We have so much raw talent, it’s a shame it can’t be harnessed and used to it’s full potential!
Yellow Fuzz
September 27th, 2009
12:06 am
Except for AJ Green, what a disgrace!
Since 1980...
September 27th, 2009
12:06 am
Were talented as all get out but definitely not playing like it. Like most of you I think it’s coaching. Cox is a good QB but appears will lose a game faster than win one. AJG is sick.
CMR is a class act! I heard a story about how he helped a kid not eligible for UGA get to Miss. St. We can bash him all day for coaching decisions, but I cant think of anyone else I would want my kid to play for.
kauai dawg
September 27th, 2009
12:07 am
A few years back we look horrible against Tennessee and then was playing pretty bad at Vanderbilt. We kicked a game winning kick to win 20-17 and then finished strong. I hope we have found our stride???? I did say hope…… again the turnovers are killing us. Putting the D in bad positions. Yet tonight they came through. Didn’t have much O tonight but after 4 weeks we are 3-1. Could be 0-4 and could be 4-0. Hard team to figure out. In some ways it appears LSU is having a similar year. This is a make it or break it week. Go Dawgs!
BigMike
September 27th, 2009
12:07 am
Gta oLd SchOOl- Let’s see now you on the blog talking shizell ? I guess you gonna pull an all nighter waiting to see if the huble BEES get back into the top 25. Where the DAWGS constantly LIVE!!!!
coach smith
September 27th, 2009
12:07 am
some of you are a JOKE, COX throws a couple of bad balls in horrible whether conditions (after 5 tDs last week) against the #1 rated Defense in the country coming in, UGA WINS and you want to bench him??????
Get real
It was a gutty win against a REAL opponent
Even the most pessimistic Dawg has to admit that this team has GREAT Character and Resolve…there is tons of heart and fight in them and they have showed it every week for the past 3 weeks
As My Stomach Turns...
September 27th, 2009
12:08 am
Again, the best players on UGAs D were Rennie Curran, The Weather, and AZ State’s QB.
Martinez had NOTHING to do with it.
DawginTexas
September 27th, 2009
12:08 am
Look how many good or great teams have lost or almost lost to non ranked teams this year and last. Parody is here. Great win… Not perfect, but they rarely are, unless you play UTEP. Yes it is nice to win by 30, but if you are playing a BCS conf. team………Take the win and be happy about it!!!!!! Samuel was a great LB in high school and many recruited him as a LB…. I think that is the best spot for him.
2N4YEARS
September 27th, 2009
12:11 am
TD, everyone has an opinion. I agree that some take it too far, and I am one to say we don’t need a new HC. I do think these guys are unpreparred often, but do think they have heart. Martinez? That’s a different story. Facts are clear: 97th, 108 & 112 in D stats this year with 4-5 star talent across the board. Go figure. Think about this: If not for fireronzook.com, the Gators would have 2 less NC (in the last 3 years). Go figure that, too.
45ACP
September 27th, 2009
12:12 am
Thank you Yellow Fuzz.
It’s a start.
senoiadawgs
September 27th, 2009
12:13 am
Here is a quote from above: “We are young and playing people in key positions that should not be playing these roles until next year”
Let’s see from watching the games this year these are the players who I have seen make the most mistakes and they are pretty consistent and making the same ones again and again, over and over and there is not way anyone that can say otherwise unless you just do not want to admit it:
Evans SR Penalties and blown coverage
Cox Sr The turnover captain of the team
Prince SR Blown coverage and Mr. Penalty if he is close enough to the WR Notice how other teams constantly throw in his direction
Owens SR No pass rush, practically never here his name during a game
Vance SR Mr. False Start and holding king
Jones JR Blown coverage time and again
I would challenge anyone to blame a FR or SO with the same amount of mistakes the guys below have made. Is it really the young guys causing the problems? HMMMMMM
BigMike
September 27th, 2009
12:14 am
UGA fans thank the puppies at MSU for putting a scare in them, the next Dawg up will Bite harder!!
Yellow Fuzz
September 27th, 2009
12:14 am
4542ACP,
Can’t wait to pound the hound in Atlanta this November. We still want it much more than your guys.
kauai dawg
September 27th, 2009
12:15 am
Tonight Martinez did a good job. Why in the world is he still getting some heat? The D looked good most of the night and only a few runs here and there were concerning. We flipped the last few games and we stopped the pass and gave up a little more of the run tonight. I will take that. Just a night with rain and turnovers. Should have iced it early but a win is a win! Go DAWGS!
hamburger lips
September 27th, 2009
12:15 am
Nothing but youth excuses….. its the same ole crap!
Dawggrl
September 27th, 2009
12:17 am
I have to agree with Coach Smith, we are forgetting that ASU had the nation’s #1 defense coming into this game and they made key plays tonight that gave ASU 14 points. Our D looked much better and Cox has had some moments of brilliance that I never thought we would see watching the OSU game. I do think that Richt needs to look at CWM and see if he really is the right man for the job, but we did see some major improvement there tonight. A W is a W no matter how we got it – Let’t stop focusing on bad mouthing the coaching and start standing behind our players and coaches!
hamburger lips
September 27th, 2009
12:17 am
Face it Dawg Fans you are not a top 10 team. UGA is a joke so go out and buy a coke!
Cuz
September 27th, 2009
12:18 am
We are young….
Was somebody quoting Pat Benatar?
Cuz
September 27th, 2009
12:19 am
Lips. I agree. We are not top ten, yet. Top twenty, you got that right.
Cuz
September 27th, 2009
12:20 am
Fuzz, congrats on the win. You helped my College picks, thanks.
2N4YEARS
September 27th, 2009
12:20 am
Dawggrl
ASU having the #1 D is mis-leading: these stats were from playing high school teams.
senoiadawgs
September 27th, 2009
12:20 am
Hey, 3-1 is great and sure has been fun except for the first 1 and tonight. I personally just hate to see all the talent out on that field and it seemingly wasted. There are playmakers all over the field on both sides of the ball and quite frankly it appears to me we do not know what to do with it. I hope the FG like someone mentioned above proves to jump start the team and they play as 1 each week. I personally the think the talent on the field is as good as any team I have seen this season except for ALA and TX.
AZDawg5
September 27th, 2009
12:20 am
Willie the Fraud must go for christ sake…Jumpy Joe was clueless again tonight and Bozo brought a pathetic play book…You know I frankly do not give a damn what all you “a win is a win crowd” say anymore…that was a pathetic game on all sides of the ball…and our D is horific!!!!! That was the luckiest win i can remember in 25 years…had the Devils fielded a QB half as good as Cox we get smoked…How the hell do you go 2nd and 1 to third and 5 all night long getting the run stuffed??? Can anyone step up at the tailback???…But we actually ran the first 2 screen passes of the year tonight….wooopie…..Bottom line….this program is in really shape in so many ways that there are few immediate fixes…other than lady luck….
Sick to my stomach!!!!
Cuz
September 27th, 2009
12:21 am
2N4, how could you say that? They were JC teams.