Georgia’s problem is direction, and that falls on Richt
Here's a common sight: A Tennessee receiver (Gerald Jones) making a catch in front of a Georgia defender (Bryan Evans) Saturday. (AP photo)
KNOXVILLE — The problems just became big picture.
This isn’t just about the quarterback looking overmatched or the coordinators looking lost. It’s not about the schedule or the injuries or maybe some conspiracy theories about SEC referees having an agenda because the team got too excited with an end-zone celebration in Jacksonville two years ago.
Plug in, folks. Georgia just lost to Tennessee like no team should lose to Tennessee (45-19). The offense didn’t score a touchdown. The defense just made Jonathan Crompton look like Jonathan Unitas. Lane Kiffin just schooled Mark Richt.
Six games and they’re going backward. Six games and they’re 3-3, their worst start in 13 years. And you begin to realize: If not for those late wins over South Carolina and Arizona State and surviving mayhem against Arkansas, we could be talking scorched earth at midseason.
This is when you wonder about direction. The same coach who two years ago we were toasting for finishing the season with a No. 2 ranking is now walking off the field and into news conferences looking like toast.
On Saturday, Richt was asked a question one never could have imagined two Januarys ago: “Are you worried about the state of the program?”
His answer: “We didn’t play very good today. We haven’t had a game this season where we played a really solid football game. So I’m concerned about that.”
Is it just me, or did he not completely shoot down the premise of the question?
Let’s make this clear. This is not a “Fire Mark Richt” column. His body of work speaks for itself. But Florida and LSU and Alabama have boat-raced Georgia in the SEC, and of maybe even greater concern is the lack of separation between the Bulldogs and everybody else.
This isn’t a former No. 2-ranked team that has maintained its level of excellence. It’s a program that has regressed. Significantly. Whatever Richt was doing before is not working now. Either the wrong players are being recruited, or the right players are being coached the wrong way.
Blame Mike Bobo for the offense. Blame Willie Martinez for the defense. Blame Stacy Searels, the vaunted offensive line coach, who, by the way, hasn’t done bupkis. Blame anybody you want.
But it starts with Richt. It’s his program. He sets the tone and establishes direction. He is the one coaching at a school that hadn’t started a season so poorly since Jim Donnan’s first year in 1996 (3-5 on the way to 5-6). Richt is the one whose team committed three more turnovers against Tennessee and ranks as the worst in the conference and among the dregs nationally with 16 giveaways and a minus-11 turnover ratio.
Volunteers quarterback Jonathan Crompton threw touchdown passes on three consecutive possessions in the second quarter and finished with four. He had been largely lampooned in Knoxville and had never thrown more than two in his career. Well, with one exception. He threw five against Western Kentucky.
So that’s where Georgia’s defense belongs: in the Sun Belt.
Asked what he would think if he was a Georgia fan watching this game on television, Martinez said: “Well, I am a Georgia fan. I’m not happy. We just got whipped.”
Things are no better on offense. The Bulldogs have failed to score an offensive touchdown in 10 of the past 11 quarters. Against Tennessee, the offense (field goal) was outscored by special teams (nine points, off a kickoff return and a blocked punt for a safety) and the defense (interception return).
Didn’t Richt make his bones in offense at Florida State?
He somewhat came to Bobo’s defense: “I like his play calling.”
When asked if he felt quarterback Joe Cox was regressing, he said: “I’ve got to look at the film before I start making comments like that.”
Just as well. This isn’t the time to be throwing anybody else under the bus.
“We’ve got a long way to go before we become a good football team,” Richt said.
And he should know. He’s the one driving the bus.
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1,679 comments Add your comment
Danny
October 10th, 2009
11:35 pm
I was at the Game worst played coached ETC…. I am big Georgia Fan I am just fed up with excuses that I hear , I see bad tackling and team play. Granted there are some great players out there AJ And Rennie. And Butler too. But as a team Bad. And the coffin kick has to stop it is terrible KICK IT IN THE ENDZONE OMG that is such a bad play in my opinion. Is there a D-Fence cor. For hire out there . Well I guess I need make plans to go to the WEEDEATER BOWL ///// OUT
boots
October 10th, 2009
11:35 pm
“Willie Martinez”: Classless to make references to an affair between CMR’s wife and anyone. Are you 12 or just a freaking idiot? Go back to your basement room before your mom finds out you are posting such messages on her computer.
JoshVol182
October 10th, 2009
11:36 pm
coach smith, Tennessee was 10-4 in 2007. We beat Wisconsin in the Outback bowl. So that was our last 10 win season.
Willie Martinez
October 10th, 2009
11:39 pm
boots, get a life
SW Florida
October 10th, 2009
11:40 pm
I have a wonderful suggestion for Georgia fans this year: Spend Saturdays this Fall doing something special with your family. I spent today at a State Park with mine because I didn’t want to watch another disasterous Georgia game, although I never predicted an absolute blowout like this. We will probably have a losing season this year, so make the most of it by planning different excursions for this Fall.
playmeortrademe
October 10th, 2009
11:41 pm
Said it elsewhere…looking back, what has Richt really done? He won the 2002 SECC with Donnan’s guys. 2005 we backed into the SEC title game. 2007 seems awesome but it took a field goal to beat Vandy, only after that did the pure talent of two NFL1st round picks and a Sugar Bowl vs a bad team make us look so great. 2008 we have national title caliber team and get destroyed at home the first real challenge of the season. Richt has not done much. He’s a great guy, good example for young men, but when it comes to winning the big ones, the track record says average.
Please explain
October 10th, 2009
11:41 pm
What happened to FL tonight – they really have not looked impressive in their wins this year -
tulsadog
October 10th, 2009
11:42 pm
Absolutely horrific. And an embarrassment to the fine institution of the University of Georgia, but I would start cutting heads higher up. Be gone Mr. Adams.
Willie Martinez
October 10th, 2009
11:42 pm
sw florida, the okeefenokee swamp is great. saw so many gators there.
Gators 3x National Champs
October 10th, 2009
11:43 pm
Bob your mutts suck just like you do….all you(like yourself)dumb uga fans said tebow can’t throw, can’t do this n that, and you dumb mutts fans been WRONG!! tebow 1 heisman and maybe another this year. 2 nc rings, 2 sec rings. Bring your overrated mutts to jax for their yearly beat down.All the nfl experts said tebow will make it in the nfl.. he not a loser like yourself bob. now bob back to the drive thru, it’s backing up scooter.
playmeortrademe
October 10th, 2009
11:44 pm
Florida’s defense will win for them, no matter how their offense looks. I doubt that defense gives up 20 points to anyone this year, including Bama in SECC or USC/Texas in NC.
Rexwinn
October 10th, 2009
11:46 pm
Longhorns are under rated too.
Nate
October 10th, 2009
11:46 pm
UT Groundskeeper,
Could you help us Free Willie by burying him in Neyland Stadium? Maybe his friend Tebow will say a prayer for him. Or spread his ashes in the TN river after the alumni burn him at the stake….we will send you the ashes and an sweet eulogy (check that I meant an effigy). Can we help the hillbillies with ceremony …we will buy you all some moonshine and sing Rocky Top.
Free Willie!!!
God Bless- Free Willie!!!
Richard
October 10th, 2009
11:46 pm
I have to say that I was shocked with what I saw today but you guys are idiots if you think that getting rid of Coach richt is the answer. So you want to fire a man that has led UGA back to national prominence? There are a lot of teams that would love to have UGA’s record during Coach Richt’s tenure. All of you bandwagon jumpers need to go find a new team to root for because true football fans know that you can’t win every game and you can’t be top 5 every year. UGA is fine, we are playing a lot of young players and they were in a very hostile environment. Our defense is just plain bad and our schemes are weak but that cannot be fixed without letting someone else gameplan and call our defense. Our offense needs to stretch the field more to open our running game but we aren’t in a position to do that either with only one true weapon at WR and JC always checking down for the short routes.
Willie Martinez
October 10th, 2009
11:47 pm
memo to dr adams:
you owe me and cmr big money.
boots
October 10th, 2009
11:47 pm
Willie, you are not funny and your understanding of football does not extend past the Madden games you play with your 7th grade friends. Go to bed, boy, it is late for you. Maybe you can show some restraint, class and maturity tomorrow.
bdawgs87
October 10th, 2009
11:47 pm
since when has UGA been a program about national championships? our last one was with dooley…goff didn’t do anything for the program and we could expect 8-4 teams with donnan…at what point did we start being considered for national championships? when Richt came along…that’s right…think about who he as had each year,,,David Greene, David Pollack, DJ Shockley, Matt Stafford, Knowshon Moreno…each year Richt has been here he has had at least one legitimate star player…this year we have Green but nobody to throw to him…firing Richt will set this program back another five years so that is not the solution…also to say that Richt has not been comfortable at UGA is absolutely insane…he loves this school and when anyone can come up with a better candidate for the job they should hush up…Cowher? yeah right he’ll take a college job when a handful of NFL teams would give their lives to have him…Gruden? laughable….he’s having too much fun with Monday Night Football and neither would have the patience for college athletes…Dawgs fans are doing what everyone expects us to do and freak out over a rebuilding year that EVERYONE saw coming….so man up and get behind your team and Coach….Willie has to go though haha
Early Curly of the squidbillies
October 10th, 2009
11:48 pm
Cousin Bob hold the onions. they give me gas.
Willie Martinez
October 10th, 2009
11:48 pm
whats the griping about joe? his arm is just as accurate as bobo’s
Ed
October 10th, 2009
11:49 pm
Brains, Darren? I hadn’t noticed. I was referring more to the socially awkward aspect of your personality, but hey, whatever gets you through the day.
“Screws over the poor” – well said, comrade! Page 2 of the Democratic handbook – paragraph entitled “Class Warfare”, I believe. Page 1 contains the part where you call me a racist, or a bigot, or a homophobe, but I’m sure in repeatedly calling me a redneck you meant to encapsulate all three smears. Don’t you guys ever come up with anything original?
Arkansas is next
October 10th, 2009
11:49 pm
What I have known all season was shown again tonight – The Florida Defense is a monster. 5 games- 2 touchdowns allowed. There is absolutely no argument, best defense in College Football.
Willie Martinez
October 10th, 2009
11:49 pm
boots, i have more knowledge about the game of football than you will ever learn. i think i hear your mother calling you to go to bed.
Paul's Johnson
October 10th, 2009
11:50 pm
Willie Martinez:
“paul, my debit card is good at publix, yours is on the dont take list’
Yeah..yours is good because you work there.
go dawgs
October 10th, 2009
11:52 pm
Jo Tshinske = Jo Cox = Cory Phillips ………… Willie Martinez = Ray Goof
SLP
October 10th, 2009
11:52 pm
SW Florida,
Not a bad idea, actually.
The Chickenman
October 10th, 2009
11:53 pm
Wow are we really ready to throw MARK RICHT under the bus… i mean guys the boys are not playing good football go to a game watch the defense outta postion.. FIRE WILLIE.. and for gods sake can we see AARON MURRY.. the season is a wash lets prepare the future..
Willie Martinez
October 10th, 2009
11:53 pm
no paul, i dont work there, but have a lot of stock in the company. i’d urge you to buy a few shares. best, willie
fla54uga3
October 10th, 2009
11:55 pm
WOW! We thought the Tn game was bad wait till, Fla, Auburn, hell even Ky and Vandy! This is not going to be good folks.
boots
October 10th, 2009
11:56 pm
Bye, Willie. I think you will be off the boards soon. Making accusations of infidelity about CMR’s wife is out-of-line, even for the junk that gets posted around here. It does no good to reason with a loser, so grow up and show some class.
Willie Martinez
October 10th, 2009
11:57 pm
schultz, why am i taking all this guff for you?
Glenn
October 10th, 2009
11:57 pm
Maybe we can not show up for the Fla. game, we might be batter off to no-show. Why not let Aaron get in on some snaps so we want be starting over next year. We need a defensive cord. bad and MR needs to at least admit that. We may not get into a bowl.
Nate
October 10th, 2009
11:57 pm
Paul,
How can you be so obtuse? The bagger at Publix is above Willie’s cognitive ability.
Remember power I run between the tackles when you play UGA…..we can’t tackle.
Please run up the score and help us Free Willie!!!
Willie Martinez
October 10th, 2009
11:58 pm
boots, never made such an accusation. the water girl was a friend’s moniker in this blog. so take your fantasies and go to bed.
Larry Munson
October 10th, 2009
11:59 pm
But we’re young, we’re beat up and…. the refs are picking on us.
Ed
October 10th, 2009
11:59 pm
Florida’s defense is a beast, no doubt. Their offense is not so impressive, but unless the defense has a bad game or two, it might not matter. Still, they seem a little vulnerable. And Tebow continues to take a pounding. There’s still a long way to go.
dawg4life
October 10th, 2009
11:59 pm
Word is traveling quickly that Dick Bumpas will be contacted about becoming UGA’s next DC! It’s about time!!!
Willie Martinez
October 11th, 2009
12:00 am
paul, i cant understand you. you must be speaking in tongues
Paul's Johnson
October 11th, 2009
12:00 am
Willie Martinez:
“no paul, i dont work there, but have a lot of stock in the company. i’d urge you to buy a few shares. best, willie”
Dee dee dee… ugh…dee dee dee ugh… you’re a tard ..I’m outta here…the wife wants wants me to “go deep’ and she’s not talking football!
Mandy
October 11th, 2009
12:01 am
Darren,
I noticed you spoke of “brains being back in vogue”. Just to let you know…it’s “you’re” not “your” when you are trying to say “you are” and why in the world did you put an apostrophe in gets? What does “get’s” mean?
Have a nice night.
Zulu
October 11th, 2009
12:01 am
At least we can be sure the problem isn’t that Richt is spending too much time getting his hair styled.
Early Curly of the squidbillies
October 11th, 2009
12:02 am
Bob I said no onions damnit.
Willie Martinez
October 11th, 2009
12:03 am
hope you enjoy. she was great last night
dawg4life
October 11th, 2009
12:03 am
Dick Bumpas as next DC!!!
Mutley
October 11th, 2009
12:04 am
I spent seven years lobbying for Ga to fire Ray Goff and now I am going through this again. Everyone worries about firing CMR but maybe that is not a bad thing. Richt has lost control of his team. The constant coddling and excuses for inferior assistants has been a cancer that has spread through this entire team and I am afraid it is too late to turn this around. CMR is being paid to WIN football games, not give old grads a job coaching. Damon Evans show us you have the guts of Jeremy Foley and Mal Moore when it comes to making winning decisions. Is Suzanne Youclan still available for AD?
coach smith
October 11th, 2009
12:04 am
JoshVol182
Sorry BUT in 2007 TENNESSEE LOST to PENN ST in the Outback Bowl
Paul's Johnson
October 11th, 2009
12:04 am
Nate:
“Please run up the score and help us Free Willie!!!”
45 pts. against Crompton’s offense should be enough to Free Willie!
dawg4life
October 11th, 2009
12:05 am
Just got word from a major booster that Richt was asked to consider possibly replacing Martinez at seasons end if things do not improve. The name Dick Bumpas was mentioned as a possible replacement.
Cindy Hendrix
October 11th, 2009
12:05 am
todays loss was a bad one it is going to be a tough year I remember the last 2 years goff coached & I still suppoted ga & almost cried at times. Like Mike Adams said it’s time for a change in the football program he;s gotta go & now I’m talking about martinez he was told last year improvement was expected this year I don’t see it now & we probably wont see it.Cox is doing the best he can considering he;s not had much playing time but if he’s having problems put logan in & see what he can do what will it hurt!! also someone needs to really work with the running backs ga has always been known for having good running backs we need to mix up the run & the throw.coach richt loyalty to your staff is fine to a point if they arent getting the job done, have had the experience of coaching for a few years reprimand them if no improvement is made they must suffer the consquences!! ga fans have been very loyal with you every coach has a bad year or 2 but now is the time to wake up & smell the coffee make some changes now!! maybe you need to go back to caoching the offense give bobo a shot at coaching defense up until this year he’s done a fair job with the QB’s I would like to see Eric Zier offered the QB’s coaching job he was one of the best we ever had & a very smart student I know what ga fans will say he has no experiience but I think he would be a fine QB’s coach just look back at his record Matt Stafford wasn’t the only QB we;ve had with a strong arm zier had a strong arm was acurate & tough did not get hurt until his last game he could show how to really throw a ball, hang in there & never give up a reminder to dawg fans what was said about zier they called air Zier you can’t shake him or rattle him he;s got ice water in his veins he can coach the QB’s about poise never give up & no fear stafford was good just wish he had stayed would not have been offered as much money but would have got it back in later years coach richt ask dooley goff or bobo himself about how good zier was green was jealous until he beat his record not by much but it took 10yrs to do it Zier would be a good addition to your staff & loyal!! I think ga fans would welcome zier as QB’s coachnobody can argue with his record just when he played ga was not as good lets not hold that aganist him!! still support richt but would like to see some changes pronto when the players get penalities let there be serious punishment so they will not be repated a little tough love might go a long way. GO DAWGS Cindy
coach smith
October 11th, 2009
12:06 am
It is sad to see that TECH has resorted to a GIMMICK offense that talent-lacking teams HAVE to run to even the playing field
dawg4life
October 11th, 2009
12:07 am
Dick Bumpas for DC at UGA!!! Say it with me. If not him, go after Bud Foster!!!