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.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
1,679 comments Add your comment
Ginger
October 10th, 2009
6:55 pm
Hi Jeff,
Glad that you wrote this. Agree with you. The program lacks a winning edge…The team is not playing good fundamental football…don’t beat yourself…captialize on the other team’s mistakes.
This was very sad day for me. Absolutely love UGA football…..CMR and CWM say “I am not Happy”…… that’s not good enough….I want to hear “I am mad and we are going to do something about this”
If the recruiting services are correct and we are getting top 10 classes every year—what is wrong.
I think it is our approach…..1. Not demanding excellence in every phase of the game. 2. Putting up with sloppy play….3. defensive scheme–bend and don’t break..stay back don’t attack….4. can’t run the ball….5. sloppy kick coverage………
Corrections: 1. CMR go back to calling plays—mix pass and run better….2. more playing time for another QB….3. Put some more speed in the backfield…want to see #1 on offense more….4. Get another defensive coordinator CWM just can’t do it…If we are not going to fire him now….consult and get some good defensive minds in there this week to help CWM….CWM should readily admit that he needs help. And no reason why we can’t hire some extra help and get a fresh set of eyes looking at stuff….fresh eyes,,,fresh eyes….5. Attack more on defense…6…teach D to strip ball and make fumbles happen…rush passer more…we let Cromptom pick us apart and UT is no good this year…
We got some work to do and it starts with the top man CMR….He has got to admit to himself that change is needed….It is not fair to the players and Ga. supporters…Change must be made.
bob horner had a sweet compact swing
October 10th, 2009
6:55 pm
Re hire Donnan..??? anyone..???
Class of '98
October 10th, 2009
6:56 pm
I agree with every word.
I hope Martinez has a good real estate agent.
firemarkricht.net
October 10th, 2009
6:56 pm
Thanks to the UGA student who sent in that very telling email about Richt practicing against TENN’s band.
http://www.firemarkricht.net
just saying...
October 10th, 2009
6:56 pm
Any coach would leave if the AD started demanding he fire assistant coaches. CMR is no different. Add to that the fact the staff is like family and that’s where you are…the co-DC is not the solution. Splitting the ‘run coordinator’ and ‘pass coordinator’ between Bobo and Searls isn’t, either. You need ONE DC, and ONE OC. Oh, what the h#!!. We have problems in every phase of the game. How did it happen so quickly?
Courage
October 10th, 2009
6:56 pm
Alright Bundy, aka coach smith, your junk don’t fly here!!! LMAO
Richt is the problem!!!! God love him for doing what he did, but he is out coached and out smarted. I won’t say he is out classed because No one could out class him, except for that classless end zone thing 2 years ago. Damn, I repudiated my own statement.
He has been measured and found wanting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
coach smith
October 10th, 2009
6:56 pm
firemarkricht.net
Do you want TENNESSEE’s record over the past 3 seasons?
18-19?
Two 7+ loss seasons and NO Bowls?
No SEC titles in 12 years?
Do you want that?
coach smith
October 10th, 2009
6:57 pm
Courage
you are talking out of your LOWER opening
Eric
October 10th, 2009
6:58 pm
I really appreciate your effort today UGA. But as nice as it was to see you stink up the place, it really doesn’t ease my pain very much. Thanks anyway. We’ll be back. I promise. It’s still great to be an Auburn Tiger. War Damn Eagle!!!
Class of '98
October 10th, 2009
6:58 pm
Florida is going to absolutely annihilate us.
It’s going to be very, very ugly.
bob horner had a sweet compact swing
October 10th, 2009
6:58 pm
great post Ginger……………!!!!!!!!
Praise Jeebus
October 10th, 2009
6:58 pm
New Low, —-First in the Richt Era—Second was losing to the yellow bees last season.
Coach Richt–we don’t need your testimony–We Need a True Football coach.
Macho Man
October 10th, 2009
6:58 pm
DEMOTE WILLIE TO THE PRESS BOX LINING UP THE BAND
MAYBE AFTER A FEW YEARS OF OBSERVING HE MIGHT BE ABLE TO COACH THE SECONDARY
Coach (2010- Mr. overrated retires)
October 10th, 2009
6:59 pm
Ditto that Mark. It starts and ends with the head coach. Richt’s teams are undisciplined, poorly coached and have continually underachieved given the talent available.
The man has become the Bobby Cox of College football.
coach smith
October 10th, 2009
6:59 pm
Ferret
I’m tired of giving you FACTS to ignore
you just can’t argue with STUPID
firemarkricht.net
October 10th, 2009
6:59 pm
Maybe we SHOULD rehire Donnan OR Goff…we’d save $2 MILLION and get the SAME reults that we’re getting THIS YEAR!!!
Unbiased opinion
October 10th, 2009
6:59 pm
UGA fans,
If your coach doesn’t make the necessary changes in regards to coordinators, it’s not far fetched to say he has worn out his welcome……
Good luck the rest of the season. Could be a long one.
Ferret
October 10th, 2009
7:01 pm
Coach Smith
No you can’t argue with that. So I won’t try either. And I do have a few facts of my own from a few years back.
curtis jones
October 10th, 2009
7:01 pm
Haven’t I read in recent years about Georgia’s great recruiting classes? What happened to THOSE guys?
CrawforDawg
October 10th, 2009
7:01 pm
Here’s his email address…
devans@sports.uga.edu
………………………………………………………
I just sent my email.
Try to be short, to the point and clean. For those of us who can remember, this is the route (through administration) we took to replace Ray Goff.
We don’t need to replace CMR but we do need to shake up the staff…and he can’t/won’t do it.
Courage
October 10th, 2009
7:01 pm
We are Georgia and we should compete for NC’s. Whos better the UGA? Certainly not UF!!!!! If we had had a real coach since Dooley retired, do you think UF would be where it is today? I say no way! Vince beat UF with such regularity that UF considered dropping football all together!
GO DAWGS! Hire Gruden, Hire Cowher, get a real coach so we can lay the smack down on the liar Saban, and Urban Cryer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thats what I say! However, until UGA gets a real HC, ain’t gonna happen!
bob horner had a sweet compact swing
October 10th, 2009
7:02 pm
Unbiased…..stop telling the truth…..I prefer to be in denial….
UGAMike84
October 10th, 2009
7:02 pm
I do not agree with thr article, the refs did not lose the game, but of course the pass interference started the ball rolling in the 1st qtr and UGA can not win with the worst game changing calls I have ever seen. Yes, Martinez has to go and the play calling is not good, but no team can play through consistant bad ref calls. If it were not true, Jeff’s aeticle would not have mentioned it.
Mississippi Dawg
October 10th, 2009
7:02 pm
I saw ZERO emotion from CMR again today and it looks to me like he has lost his desire.
SANTA DAWG
October 10th, 2009
7:02 pm
jeff, [if that is your real name] if you are such a great football analyist why are you writing for this fish wrapper and not coaching some major college, so that the other so called writers can nick pick the %&#$ out of you. boy you writers have nothing to do but throw some mud at some body. why don`t you get a real job, get off your butt and tell all football coaches how to run there team. you make me want to throw uo. you are just as bad as furman [the fishman]bisher
RAMBLE ON!!!
October 10th, 2009
7:02 pm
Wow, even a left-wing, liberal moonbat can be right once and a while.
Atlantalawyer
October 10th, 2009
7:02 pm
Bingo. Best analysis I’ve seen to date. It starts at the top with a feckless offense and ends at the bottom of the NCAA on BOTH offense and defense. Our boys look like they are standing on the bow of a rudderless ship in the middle of a squall. It’s time for a change.
Bat Masterson
October 10th, 2009
7:03 pm
It looks like Richt has let the program get away from him. Lane Kiffen promised his team they would never lose to Ga. again. Either the players can’t be coached ,or the coaches are the problem. Ga. has too much talent to lose this way.
firemarkricht.net
October 10th, 2009
7:03 pm
Coach Smith, you’re giving us STATS and STATS are for losers.
I want serious changes to the football program at UGA. If Richt won’t make them, then Damon Evans should make even bigger changes.
BTW, if you’re a Coach, why aren’t you coaching right now? Maybe you should apply for a job at UGA. Are you up for it?
Denver Dawg
October 10th, 2009
7:03 pm
thank God I didn’t waste my money and travel to TN to watch an even-worse performance than I saw there in 2007. Egad. Who saw this coming?
HH
October 10th, 2009
7:03 pm
Absolutely on the money, Schultz. I wonder when the powers that be will wake up. If I were donating in the five figures yearly, I would be having a heart to heart phone conservation with Adams—NOT Evans— and tell him I can flush that money down the toilet and get as much bang for the buck as waste it on Richt & Co. Unfortunately, UNLESS and UNTIL the big money talks, ain’t nothing going to happen. As for me, they have gotten their last dime until changes are made.
DawgCowboy
October 10th, 2009
7:03 pm
“THERE IS NO EXCUSE”. The numbers show the results. Since Van Gorder left the defense and Richt left the offensive play calling to Bobo, the Dawgs have suffered. There is no correct adjustments to the opposing offense’s by Martinez. Week after week the fans see the results. You see the defensive players on the field with their hands on their hips wainting for the call while the offense lines up and runs plays. Every week, you see the defensive players upset with their teammates because they were not in the correct position. The Dawgs have talent, both young and experienced but yet we get outcoached every game. What happen to the great shots of the QB’s, coming over to chat with Richt and go out and make amazing plays. Where in the world does a QB spike the ball on the field with 1 second on the clock? There is no confidence whatsoever, that next week we will get better because you can see the results thru the past years that we aren’t. The time has come for some changes. The talent is on this team. I say if there are players who aren’t going to tackle but bump the player, GET HIM OFF THE FIELD and put someone out there who is going to tackle. Where is the leadership? Joe Cox is not playing well and is not making smart decisions. Where is the coaching?
SatchelBuzz
October 10th, 2009
7:04 pm
Courage,…put down the crack pipe.
THWG!!!
Atlantalawyer
October 10th, 2009
7:04 pm
And another thing – Richt looked like a deer in the headlights today when the camera was on him . . . then so did his kids. They play scared.
RAMBLE ON!!!
October 10th, 2009
7:04 pm
Ginger, you need to start gold digging and jump on the train that rolling over FSU tonight!!!
Courage
October 10th, 2009
7:04 pm
Bundy, you ain’t right int he head. Too many concussions during that 4 touchdown game in high school? and you sir should know what a lower end is! you been talking out yours all day!
Sweet Home Alabama
October 10th, 2009
7:04 pm
mark rigcht is the best coach you can get at georgia.no big name wants to go three because of the crappy town.Roll tide ROLL……………….
DAWGHATER:
October 10th, 2009
7:04 pm
Your team is a friggin joke! Good Ole Rocky Top, Rocky Top Tennessee! Come on…………sing it with me. Good Ole Rocky Top, Rocky Top Tennessee. Man, how sweet it is to hate UGA and see your team get their azzes kicked. THWG! Hey, maybe you can beat Vandy! LOL!
paul johnson
October 10th, 2009
7:06 pm
See you punks at the end of the season, and the next, and the next.
Love,
Paul Johnson
Ps – Richt is a loser!
firemarkricht.net
October 10th, 2009
7:06 pm
BTW, coach smith, if you can’t see that this team isn’t well coached, as the vast mjority of the people can, then I have no idea why you are claiming to be a coach.
Josh
October 10th, 2009
7:06 pm
If Richt hasn’t played for a national championship with the teams he has already had, he will NEVER play for one. The opportunity has sailed right past us, and another regime will be the one to take us to BCS glory. Unfortunately, because Richt is a “good guy,” we’ll let him keep us in mediocrity for years to come.
coach smith
October 10th, 2009
7:06 pm
firemarkricht.net
You want “serious changes”
Like what?
Going back to finishing 7-5 or 8-4 EVERY year and losing to the big teams?
Never winning SEC Titles?
Never being in the top 10?
Losing all the recruits?
Is that the changes you want?
Because that is what we had before Richt!
DAWGHATER:
October 10th, 2009
7:06 pm
Maybe, you better worry about Middle Tenn or Tenn Tech, or whoever it is you play out of conference. LMFAO! Hey, Crompton just threw another TD and Roddy Jones just ran for another TD. NO WAY do you beat GT! Not this year and not in the future. THWG!
Bat Masterson
October 10th, 2009
7:06 pm
Don’t blame the messenger, SANTA DAWG.
Courage
October 10th, 2009
7:06 pm
Keep drinking the kool aid!!!! Crack, I don’t smoke no stinking crack! I snort coke you crack head! Crack is for losers like you!
WE ARE GA and WE are # 1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
How’s that for a Techie bundy?
Cuz
October 10th, 2009
7:07 pm
I just want the student to know that I used to take the first team in a bus to Sanford a Wednesday or Thursday before big games. No loud crowd noises through the PA then. Coach would put the offense on the ten and they had three shots to get it in the endzone. The number one defense had to stop them. It was some of the most intense OL DL battles I ever saw. They would do it til they were ready to drop. I do not know what the victors got but both sides were busting their butts. What Richt did is really not that new, just with added sounds. That and taking the team to games are priceless memories.
JimmyB
October 10th, 2009
7:07 pm
CMR does not have the fire. He is a stickman. The players may like him but do not respect him. He is not a Saban or even a Kiffin. The penalties and turnovers tell the whole story. Until the A.D. cleans house, not only will this season be painful, expect a repeat next year as well.
Big Fat Alligator
October 10th, 2009
7:08 pm
Nice game dogs!
DawgsSeasonOver
October 10th, 2009
7:08 pm
Without trying to presume upon daily activities of the team, I am going to assume that discipline is not stressed much (team dancing on the sidelines when they are loosing…constant penalties and lack of focus)…there is not seem to be much motivation or desire…Ritch seems to be comfortable taking a couple years off from coaching and fine with being a mediocre team…and does not have the vision to develop a solid running game, defense or quarterback…this is the first year in possibly history that we do not have a running back, quarterback or even a basic defense. I have sold my tickets for 1/2 of what I paid for them and each time I sold them to the opponents fans. My kids don’t even care to watch the games anymore.
Joe's Cox:
October 10th, 2009
7:08 pm
I think I should be a front runner for the Heisman! Whatcha redneck UGA fans think? I deserve it with my awesome play. I mean we are kickin teams azzes.