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
Old Joke
October 11th, 2009
11:57 pm
UGA has a big time drug problem.
Yep, they got drug from one end of the field to the other on Saturday.
Oh comeon people, that is kinda funny.
cat burglar 1976
October 12th, 2009
2:46 am
Enter your comments here
SickandTired
October 12th, 2009
5:36 am
Oh this is going to be one fine week. Listening and reading all the ranting of the Dawg Nation that is sinking. Great weather outside this morning with the rain that should make it for a dreary day in Athens and really help the mood of the folks at the Butts-Mehre as they go through that stinking gear from the game in Knoxville. No indoor practice facility to work out in and no hope for the future. Look for the arrests to pick up in downtown Athens the next couple of nights as the team goes to the bars and the fans start giving them a hard time and the fights will start and the arrests will pile up like the losses for dawgs this season. Georgia you got some more beat downs coming this year no doubt, but hang in there you should get used to it as long as Mark Richt is taking the big bucks to give appearances of a nice clean program and letting the players dance on the sidelines to Soulja Boy. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, I love me some Dawgs.
Slick Willie
October 12th, 2009
8:30 am
I’m still here. Bite Me!!
MrSEC.com » Blog Archive » Hmmm, Didn’t Someone Get Blasted For Saying Richt’s Seat Would Warm?
October 12th, 2009
9:20 am
[...] assuming their coach still can.”Jeff Schultz, also of the AJC, wrote on Saturday that the problem at Georgia is “direction,” and that traces back to Richt. In his latest offering, he writes that Richt “is facing more [...]
Ashley
October 12th, 2009
9:21 am
What I endured in Knoxville on Saturday was awful. I have been a Dawg since before I was born, I’m an alumni, and I have never given up on them. But I feel as though they have given up on us. That is greatly disheartening.
Joe(not)Dog
October 12th, 2009
9:48 am
It was a great day on Rocky Top!
The poll question asked what was the biggest problem with UGA. The options were Offense, Defense, Coaching. There should have been an option for ALL of the Above. GA Special Teams are always very good. But offense AND defense were just as bad. With 45 points scored(6 TD’s) its obvious the defense was like swiss cheese and greatly overmatched. GA’s offense never got closer to the Red Zone than TN’s 32 yard line and only scored 3 points in the game. Its obvious the GA offense was terribly overmatched. And then there’s the coaching. At the half, the score was TN up 21-12. In the second half, TN scored 24 points and GA scored 7. So obviously, the coaches had NOTHING to offer to stop the bleeding. The answer to the poll question should have been, “ALL of the Above”.
Dawg Bone
October 12th, 2009
10:31 am
Richt needs to dump half his worthless coaches and stop recruiting all these undisciplined thugs who commit penalties that cost games. He needs to recruit the type of players that bama and florida get, and not their leftovers.
Yellow Fuzz
October 12th, 2009
11:29 am
3-3 and free falling. I hate it for Coach Richt, his coaches and his players. But I absolutely LOVE IT for the dog nation’s azzhole fan base. You guys need a steady diet of humble pie for at least 2-3 years. Until further notice, you are officially Yellow Fuzz’s bitch.
Yellow Fuzz
October 12th, 2009
1:45 pm
georgia = irrelevant
Yellow Fuzz
October 12th, 2009
4:20 pm
http://blogs.ajc.com/jeff-schultz-blog/2009/10/12/if-georgia-tech-wins-this-week-the-door-flies-open/?cxntfid=blogs_jeff_schultz_blog
volhater
October 12th, 2009
5:35 pm
Wanna hear something quite frightning? I made a depth chart of what Tennessee will have in 2 seasons. Their talent is gonna be off the charts, especially on defense.Add that to the fact that we were severly outcoached on Saturday and Im sick.
Caleb
October 12th, 2009
7:11 pm
WTF, Why don’t we fire him and we will just let you take his job. Here is some facts(oh boy run away!!!). Vince Dooley(I’ll assume you guys kknow who he is) had 12 seasons where he didn’t have more than 7 wins, Bear Bryant 10 seasons with no more 7 wins. Do i need to go on? Richt has yet to have under a 8 win season. I guess Vince and Bear sucked too right? I bad game and he should be gone? Thank the goood lord that you don’t get to make that call. We would be in deep trouble. BTW, coach smith knows his stuff. The rest of you guys……it is pretty easy to run the show from your computer isn’t it? So sad that you guys call your self Dawgs fans, More like fair weather fans. Boy you guys are going to feel stupid when he has a great season……If i wasn’t a true Dawg then I would wish that he would have that great season with a new team but I know he will be one of the best the NCAA has seen and I am happy he wears the G. Hunker Down and Go Dawgs!!
Why is Georgia regressing? | The Recycle Bin
October 13th, 2009
6:44 am
[...] have not written a lot about the ass kicking UGA took last week, but the ajc’s Jeff Schultz has plenty to say on the subject of the Bulldogs miserable season. This isn’t a former No. [...]
dawgfacedboy
October 13th, 2009
10:09 am
Great column Jeff. Could not be more true. It’s now Tuesday and I feel the same as I did on Saturday, embarassed.
Joe Cox without A.J. Green is about as good as Reggie Ball.
Mike Bobo is so overmatched most Saturdays its scary.
No pass rush + poor tackling + defensive backs who consistently look lost and out of position = Willie Martinez.
We once again made a sub par QB look like a Heisman candidate.
Our run game sucks but not because of the RB. Hard to gain yards when you get swarmed behind the line by 2-3 defenders.
Could go on and on but don’t have that much time. We’re supposed to be a top notch program???
Can’t wait to do this again next as we break in a new QB with no game experience.
For those of you who want us negative fans to “come up with a solution”, that’s not our job. It’s also not my obligation as a “true fan” to sit by and keep watching that crap they call football every saturday without criticism.
mark
October 13th, 2009
10:17 am
Caleb- i’m not sure anyone is calling for Richt to be fired. I think most people are questioning his leadership right now sticking with coaches who aren’t getting it done. So we lost Stafford and Moreno, do you think Florida is going to have a .500 year when Tebow leaves?? I don’t. Do you think Oklamo, Texas, USC, Ohio St will do the same? I think McCoy through 30 something TDs the year after VY left. If you don’t have players who can step in when it’s their turn then you aren’t recruiting the right players. Shockley won the SEC his first year as a starter, he came in ready and prepared.
mark
October 13th, 2009
10:18 am
8-4 is one thing for a rebuilding year but 6-6 is unacceptable
45-42
October 13th, 2009
10:47 am
Georgia = Gymnastics, Equestrian, Park & Leisure Services degrees
Tech = Football, Basketball, Baseball & Engineering degrees
Georgia = Few athletes can spell Calculus
Tech = All athletes take it
Georgia = Fits the mold
Tech = Makes the mold
Georgia = Tech’s bitch
Tech = Georgia’s daddy
barneyb
October 14th, 2009
7:51 am
What a train wreck this season has become, with no sign of improvement on the immediate horizon. The problems are numerous and systemic within the organization and there is no easy fix. Lack of passion & committment even from Richt- if he had it, this would have been fixed a long time ago. Time for Martinez, Bobo, and Fabris to go. Anything short of that is just unacceptable. And if CMR is unwilling to do that, it’s time to send him off as well. Sad to say- good man, but maybe not a great head coach, since some of his duties demand he makes those tough personnel decisions.
And I’ll say it again- no more thugs on the team! No dreadlocks, no Soulja Boy, bring back dignity and class to the game. There’s never any excuse to act like a ghetto thug. Discontinue the thug music playing over the PA in Sanford. When you are nailed for violations off the field (criminal, team rules, whatever), your butt sits out. When you commit penalties, you sit out. Stop “loving” these young men (as Richt put it), and show them there are consequences.
Like it or not, it is a business, and the fans & financial supporters are the clients. With the war chest UGA builds every years from ticket sales (minimum ticket $45 each), donations, merchandising, concessions, and other forms of revenue, there is absolutely no excuse for this conduct & performance from anyone associated with that team, from Richt on down the food chain. Sorry that’s harsh, but it’s a different world from when Dooley coached (so not fair to make comparisons). For over $2 million a year plus endorsements, appearances, and other income, the Dawg Nation deserves better. And sorry, if CMR cannot perform to that level, he needs to go as well.
This was the perfect storm brewing for several years now. Just think about all the little things that have been accumulating over the past 4-5 years that have brought UGA to this point. Not one perosn on that staff was proactive and tried to prevent all these little things from cascading. Maybe UGA should hire some kind of analytical planner to map out all these things from year to year. A radical idea, but in hindsight, it all seems so clear now.
Big Dog
October 14th, 2009
11:01 am
Jeff….you hit the nail on the head. It all starts and ends with the Head Coach! The thing that bothers me the most though are all the penalties and while there have been plenty of “terrible” calls, we are consistently one of the most penalized teams in the SEC and College Football.
TBags
October 14th, 2009
5:10 pm
Another UGA thug arrested today. How many is that since Richt came onboard? At least two dozen. Richt tolerates this because it was par for the course at FSU.
So as long as Richt is at UGA, you’re going to have a very high percentage of players who are semi-literate thugs. Why does anyone expect that a team of criminals and future burger flippers can work together and win?
Richt has to go, along with his cronies Bobo and Martinez, and the sooner the better.
Steve Spurrier will move from SC to UGA in a heartbeat if the offer is made.
In your heart, you know I’m right. Richt has to go now. Right now.
TBags
October 14th, 2009
5:11 pm
Actually barneyb said it just perfectly.
REVIRDAWG
October 14th, 2009
9:26 pm
Riding a scooter in a construction zone? What a thug. Fire Mark Richt hire Steve blah blah blah…
Yahoo! Falcons to Super Bowl; Richt hammered again | Jeff Schultz
October 16th, 2009
1:02 pm
[...] never written that Richt’s job should be in trouble, only that the team’s direction can be questioned right now and that whatever he was doing before isn’t working now. But the criticism of the program and [...]
lamedog
October 18th, 2009
8:58 am
Seems that Mr. Richt has been enjoying his celebrity status too much – selling Ford F150s and discount furniture….Meanwhile his team has no discipline – on or off the field. It is a disgrace to the coaching profession, how little he has achieved the last 2 seasons wkth the talent he was provided. Ii see some tough recruiting years ahead unless Richt’s head rolls…
Richtcanbeatupyourcoach
November 1st, 2009
3:36 pm
Come on are all of you out of your minds? We were barely a top 25 team before Richt. and Catholic Hammera or whatever your supposed to be the SEC has won the last how many National Championships and has a winning record against the PAC 10 THIS YEAR AND OVERALL! Oh an Garbage UGA is 1-0 against one of the PAC 10’s better teams so say or throw some Hail Maary’s if you think the SEC isn’t the best by far!
Dr. John Forshner
November 4th, 2009
3:14 pm
Now, in November your comments are even truer.
May there be positive changes…and soon.
Even Urban Myer can see that Georgia gets the recruits, but then something happens.
damail
November 5th, 2009
12:22 pm
Is this a joke? Perhaps we should consider you resignation after a few months of bad columns.
Jerry
November 6th, 2009
7:28 am
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