Richt needs to end speculation about Martinez
If Willie Martinez has coached his final game in Athens, we should know soon.
I’m not sure what to read into Mark Richt’s sudden decision to cancel his scheduled Sunday night conference call with media members because of a reported “family function,” other than, well, a reported family function.
But with strong and protracted speculation that there are going to be significant changes on his coaching staff at Georgia — including either firing or demoting defensive coordinator Willie Martinez — Richt should not let this matter linger much longer. Either announce the staff will remain intact or make changes. The public guessing game helps nobody.
This generally is the week firings happen. (Virginia already has fired Al Groh.) It’s an important time in recruiting, and teams also want to get an early jump on potential replacements. There’s no reason to wait until after bowl games. Bowls generally are inconsequential, as it relates to a coach’s job security.
All that said, it would stunning if Martinez is back, certainly as coordinator. Martinez’s supporters shouldn’t get too drunk over the 30-24 season-ending win over Georgia Tech. The Bulldogs played better defense at times against Tech than they had this season. But the Jackets were held to only a field goal in the first half largely because Georgia’s running game kept Tech’s offense off the field. They had only four possessions. (The others: missed field goal, interception, time expired.) If any coach redeemed himself Saturday night, it probably was offensive line coach Stacy Searles, not Martinez.
In the second half, Tech scored touchdowns on three of its first four possessions and fumbled to end another drive near midfield.
As our Tim Tucker points out, Richt has done little to defuse speculation that he’ll make changes. Sometimes saying nothing on the subject — as he has done most of the season — is a greater indictment than anything else. Bottom line: Martinez’s body of work, and certainly the Dogs’ defensive problems the last two seasons, speaks loudly. Change is needed.
But regardless of Richt’s decision, he needs to clear the air quickly.
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
481 comments Add your comment
Mark "Baghdad Bob" Bradley
November 30th, 2009
1:06 pm
Once again people, Georgia Tech and Paul Johnson handed the Dawgs yet another humiliating defeat. Wishing it didn’t happen doesn’t make it go away. Tech continues to dominate this series and Saturday night was no different. Tech stopped Georgia’s ground game cold and Dwyer ran wild. I knew this was going to happen and I went to the game and I saw what I saw, so you need to embrace reality. The Dawgs LOST.
HopefulDawg
November 30th, 2009
1:06 pm
goober (12:42), don’t be a goober. Muschamp is the “Head Coach in Waiting” at Texas. Even if he left for some insane reason, it would be for a high-profile HEAD coaching job, not a coordinators job. The same applies for Kirby Smart. His next job will be a head coaching job.
Cuz
November 30th, 2009
1:06 pm
Any truth to the rumor that Coach Martinez is in Charlottesville today?
JB
November 30th, 2009
1:07 pm
BayouBenjie………………………please tell your not a LSU fan on here talking smack. There’s crime scene tape all around the LSU football offices for someone reporting someone impersonating a football coach, which is a crime. That ‘neck twichen, deer in the head lights coach at LSU will soon be toast. Give it one more year.
Eric
November 30th, 2009
1:07 pm
What’s queer is people who say “queer”….you moron!
Cuz
November 30th, 2009
1:08 pm
When will Coach Johnson remove all speculation and announce the firing of Coach Wommack as DC?
SECfan
November 30th, 2009
1:08 pm
Jeff Schultz you are a moron! You suck at your job
JB
November 30th, 2009
1:11 pm
Paul Johnson seen at city hall today turning in his Badge.
Dawg Fud
November 30th, 2009
1:12 pm
Jeff,
i respectfully disagree.
if we have to sell a DC to recruits we have bigger problems. the announcement of a new DC (or that there will be a new DC) is not the most pressing matter for Richt.
Georgia has had excellent recuiting and that has not translated to more wins so i find that the “it will affect recruiting” argument irrelevant…in my humble opinion.
agreed change is needed but that Richt needs to publicly announce that in the next 30 mins is debatable.
Cuz
November 30th, 2009
1:13 pm
Paul Johnson, pull the trigger. Fire Wommack now!
PHIL
November 30th, 2009
1:14 pm
People are stupid and they are led by AJC sports writers.
Jeff, you need to go back to playing second base in little league and stop telling professionals who run football programs how to do their jobs. You’re a sports writer, how, I don’t know. If keeping a job were based on performance, as it should be, you’d be long gone before Martinez. What in the world gives you the authority to announce that someone, ANYONE at THE University of Georgia should do ANYTHING you say? Just go back to your love affair with Tech. They played nobody and beat nobody, that was obvious after Saturdays results.
WOW says: “Where was the defense that played GT been this year? Why did UGA wait till the last game to let the RB run and play? Where was the OL play? All these are valid questions for a UGA fan to be asking….
That’s a pretty easy answer. They were busy playing the SEC not Tech. Nothing was any better, the opponent just wasn’t as good.
DAWGSTER: Why in the world is it that coach Garner always gets a free pass when it comes to how the defense has played???? He recruited these bozo’s first of all. Then we can get no pressure on the QB from the linemen he coaches. So why in the world does nobody blame him as much as Martinez? Martinez calls the plays, but whatever the schemes or techniques used are derived from input of all the coaches, the D-Line coach being the one of the most influential. So why does no one ever mention that he has to go???
WILLIE MARTINEZ SHOWED UP says :LAST in the NCAA in # of running plays called after 7 games.
LAST in rushing in the SEC for most of the season.
LAST in time of possession for most of the season.
LAST in offensive giveaways per game.
But last year he had the number one offense in the SEC, which of course includes UF. What’s the difference? He actually had talented, experienced players. Just like Willie had the number 2 defense in the whole nation two years ago, when there were talented, experienced defensive players.
Fort Worth Dawg : Why would we want someone from TCU? I bet Tech could beat TCU. They play NOBODY. Them along with Boise State will get their butts handed to them in what ever bowl they play in. Cinci would, too if they were gonna play anyone besides the ACC chump.
Not sure what will transpire, but I really don’t believe any set of Defensive coaches could have done much better with the players, circumstances, and turnovers UGA had this year. Look at it this way. Without really bad officiating in the OSU and LSU games. Those are two wins. Without losing to LSU, we don’t lose to TN. And the meltdown against KY doesn’t happen again in 100 years. That’s 4 wins and 4 less losses. I realize if frogs had wings…..still those are real possibilities. The team wouldn’t have been any better, the coaches wouldn’t have been any better yet all you “fans” would be thinking the coaches could do no wrong. And yet everything would really be just the same.
HBTD is right in that Martinez has yet to miss a tackle or drop an interception. Bobo has yet to throw one or miss a block. This bad season is on the poor performance of our players, period. And it’s sad to see that the livelyhood of good families depends on the whims of 19-20 year olds who while maybe talented aren’t robots. We’ve had one bad year. A year that is as good as all but 3 in our conference. You people need to get a life and have some pride in something besides a kids game.
Lifetime Dawg Fan
November 30th, 2009
1:14 pm
Damnit!!! Martinez, Fabris and Jancek all need to go!!!! Either have them resign or fire them!!!!
Mark "Baghdad Bob" Bradley
November 30th, 2009
1:14 pm
Another thing that your humble sportswriter saw this Saturday was the on-going dominance of the ACC. Once again, the SEC was exposed as being an over rated and inferior brand of football. In the head to head match ups, the ACC teams were clearly more physical and the true National Championship game will be played in Tampa as the two sub-conference titans (GT & Clemson) square off for the game of the century. It will be a packed house with a Super Bowl-style vibe. It will be ELECTRIC as the college football nation turns it’s eyes upon the match-up of two dominant programs of the 2009 campaign.
The BCS will be anti-climactic as we will all witness the National Championship this coming Saturday in Tampa.
JB
November 30th, 2009
1:14 pm
We will not get one of the top DC’s in the country. We will get someone whom Mark is comfortable with. Let’s hope he is one of the best…….or turns out to be one of the best………………………But get ready if the new guy turns us around…………..you’ll hear, yea, but they are Willie’s players!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cuz
November 30th, 2009
1:14 pm
I just want hope and change for the future we can all believe in.
Dawg Fud
November 30th, 2009
1:16 pm
Alabama Jack,
run along now to your ACCCG. don’t make daddy give you another whoopin.
your smack talk on this board is a friggin joke. keep ‘em coming.
The Dawgnation
November 30th, 2009
1:18 pm
We beat Tech because they were and are way overrated and play in a weak conference. Beating Tech was no big deal and it was no surprise. UGA plays in the SEC and Richt needs to fire his inadequate, incompetent coaches. That list included Martinez, Jancek and Fabris! Fire them so that the dawgs can compete with Florida, Alabama, LSU, etc. Those are real teams from a real football conference, not some pansy wannabe like Georgia Tech and the ACC.
Dallas
November 30th, 2009
1:18 pm
Funny how a Georgia win (finally) can change the tone of UGA fans. Just last week after Kent. whipped Georgia’s tail, all those so called fans were ready to burn UGA and the coaches down. Just like fans in the SEC and UGA fans–typical!! Don’t forget that GA Tech beat a good Georgia team last year on their home field. I didn’t hear any big flap about how much better the SEC was then. Dawg fans—stay on or off the waggon!!!!!!!!
dx107
November 30th, 2009
1:19 pm
St. Simons – 30 to 24 back to normal – hahahahahahaha!
mowreck
November 30th, 2009
1:20 pm
First of all let me congratulate UGA, they played an inspired game Sat. They also they had plenty of “bulletin board” stuff to probably last all year. You people talking about all the AJC sports writers talking up Tech and talking down Ga. You ask those players that played Sat. for UGA and I’ll bet they will tell you that was part of it. Ask UGA’s Jones about the game and why he played so well at safety. Everytime he looked at a paper they were talking about Rodney Jones TD run being the turning point last year when he missed the tackle. Those AJC writers probably got UGA more fired up than the coaches. Barnhart even still had his headline up Sunday morning (”Georgia Tech rolls over Georgia”) from Friday’s column. He was picking the winners and losers for the weekend. And he is a UGA grad. You think that didn’t fire up the UGA players?
Standing on the sidelines
November 30th, 2009
1:20 pm
Richt is in the process of having an emotional breakdown over what to do about Willie. Long term relationships are so hard to end. Just ask Urban and Tebow.
Dallas
November 30th, 2009
1:21 pm
And if the ACC is so weak, then maybe UGA should join it because they can’t handle the SEC either. Their record shows that!
Dawg Fud
November 30th, 2009
1:22 pm
Dallas,
i was once advised to never play cards with a guy named after a city
Richard Dawson
November 30th, 2009
1:22 pm
Pete is channeling every AD at UGA, ever. How bout the ‘rolling’ 7-year contracts Dooley and Goff used to operate under? How about ND and Weis? That is THE reason I will never give a dime to UGA or any university. The frivolous spending on coaches, and inexcusable extension of contracts to preposterious lengths, is beyond financial mismanagement. It’s beyond gross negligence. It is outrageous.
Dawg Fud
November 30th, 2009
1:23 pm
If Georgia joined the ACC there would be no players to receive conference awards at the end of the season. The competition would be limping off the field like Saturday night.
I am just saying, Dallas…
Chuck Doodle
November 30th, 2009
1:23 pm
This just in: The cancellation of the Sunday night conference call with Coach Richt and media members because of a family function is absolutely true along with changes made in coach Richts staff. Water girl was dismissed from her duties last night. The rest of the staff will remain intact for the upcoming 2010 football season according to Damon Evans.
All Quiet on the Willie Martinez and Co. Front
November 30th, 2009
1:25 pm
[...] Richt Needs To End Speculation About Martinez – AJC.com [...]
flagboy?
November 30th, 2009
1:25 pm
To WOW.
I am seriously not trying to stir the pot here, but I don’t know any SEC team that wouldn’t look at tech and think, “ok, we can run the ball”. So where was the OL play? Why didn’t we let the RBs run more in the season? The answer is very simple. We didn’t play defenses that were as bad as tech. Seriously, I’d say tech’s defense was probably the 3rd worst we saw all year, and again, i’m not tech bashing, i’m just stating my opinion.
Other than that, I didn’t really make much sense out of your post.
SadDawg
November 30th, 2009
1:26 pm
Cuz, yes-we-can, yes-we-can,yes-we-can, etc…….
Dawgs75
November 30th, 2009
1:26 pm
Martinez needs to go, end of story.
He has blamed palyers, and injuries. He can not motivate or discipline correctly. Richt needs to show that the penalties and lack of performanece are unacceptable.
Richard Dawson
November 30th, 2009
1:26 pm
PHIL, you are out of your mind if you think officiating cost us the OSU and LSU games. Nothing else you wrote is worth reading given that’s your frame of mind.
flagboy?
November 30th, 2009
1:27 pm
mowreck, i think you give a little too much credit to the AJC. . . .
Get a life
November 30th, 2009
1:28 pm
Jeff, when any of these coaches choose to ask for your opinion, I am sure that they will (don’t wait up…), since you have spent so much time running a program. Oh, wait, you have never actually done this? Any you feel the right to tell everyone what to do based on what personal expertise?
Just shut up and go back to writing arrest reports and obits..
Section 320
November 30th, 2009
1:30 pm
Richt 12-2 (if you count BC prior to them joining the ACC)…domination of a weak conference.
Say What?
November 30th, 2009
1:30 pm
I hear a report that Georgia Tech is changing their mascot from the “Yellow Jackets” to the Georgia Tech “Cicadas” – you see them about once every 8 or 9 years!!!
Say What?
November 30th, 2009
1:31 pm
Then they go away again…
how2fish
November 30th, 2009
1:31 pm
Alabama Jack “you’ll be in Tampa trying to win the ACC ?? ” Loser we already did that? Love it ! You moron two barely bowl eligible SEC schools stomp mudholes in the “Division Champs of the ACC and you what to talk smack…really ?? And Jeff again stick to “writing” about sports..coaching is above your pay grade. CWM’s defense may at times look like the three stooges..but Tech’s looks like the French…
Common Sense
November 30th, 2009
1:32 pm
I’m sure this has been said – but it’s not gonna happen until after the SEC Title game – but just for the record – the writing is on the wall – Martinez knows he’s gone…
Blackberry Cobbler
November 30th, 2009
1:33 pm
Schultz–
If think you and the entire AJC sports staff should just shut the hell up.
Your darling GT gets beat (actually embarrassed by the UGA running game) and now you, Bradley, and others feel the need to write anti-UGA columns…. you with this crap and Bradley suggesting CPJ really didn’t want or need to beat UGA (that the ACC championship is the real price) although whoever wins the ACC will be a weak sister (b*tch) to the SEC.
So here’s a suggestion, from now on leave all reporting on UGA sports to someone other than the AJC. UGA still has a bowl game to go and if CMR wants to wait until after the entire season is over, that’s his call. You are a moron. What will be done will be in consideration of the coaching staff, their familes, and UGA administration. It should be done carefully and wisely. CMR doesn’t need to do a DAMN thing to please you or the AJC.
Mobile Dawg
November 30th, 2009
1:34 pm
Second that HopefulDawg. If WM leaves, and I’m still not convinced that will happen, hopefully CMR will begin to institute a training program within the coaching ranks.
The process works like this, all successful CEO’s have protege’s working all over the country. At a successful program like UGA we should expect to lose top notch coaches. That says a ton about the Head Coach. If your assistants stay around for years then you’re not doing a very good job developing them. When your DC/OC leave to take a HC job, you should have someone on your staff ready to take that position. When you turn over your coaching positions every few years that changes the blood in the program. When you get to old to coach or lose the fire you step down, aka bobby bowden, or you get fired, tommy tuberville.
Has CMR lost his fire? He sure looked different on the sideline Saturday night than he has previously. Was that pressure to perform, frustration, anger, or just a show? Whatever it was, I liked it. Keep it up CMR, that along with a few good coaches will turn your/our program around.
Dawg Fud
November 30th, 2009
1:34 pm
where are Saint Simons, RAMBLE ON!!! and m?
they usually provide such noteworthy insight…
DawgFan24
November 30th, 2009
1:34 pm
Fire Willie, Maybe GT will be looking for a new D-Coordinator! LOLOLOL!
Jeff/aka Terrance Moore Jr., im still waiting for my apology. Your football insights stink, and your paper is still in the dumps. Try another gimmick, will ya?
Richard Dawson
November 30th, 2009
1:34 pm
Face it, Dawg Fans, we are fortunate CPJ suddenly became Al Davis at the end of the game. The one play he runs a ‘normal’ route, the guy would’ve gotten 10 yards and stopped the clock. GT could’ve easily won if they had stayed with their offense on the last drive. Mark Richt blew it by having the losing field goal mentality at the end, the mentality that called for a middle screen on 3rd and 4 instead of taking a reasonable shot at a first down. Winning coaches like Belichek, Miles, Meyer and Saban take calculated risks to win the game at the end, not get conservative by playing for a long field goal. What those coaches do is actually less risky than the mainstream approach of running the clock, punting, and relying on an ineffective pass prevent defense.
FIRE MARK RICHT.
HT
November 30th, 2009
1:35 pm
Vol and Gator fans hope you keep Bobo. Monte Kiffin & Charlie Strong will continue to dial this kid up!
SadDawg
November 30th, 2009
1:36 pm
PHIL, I think you have selective memory. “Without losing to LSU, we don’t lose to TN”??? Tennessee kicked our ever-lovin butts this year, and 3 out of the last 4!!! Yeah, we coulda pulled out the LSU game, but so could Ark and SC against us. SC just ran out of downs…
atl-xmen
November 30th, 2009
1:36 pm
actually coach j ..yes aj put on 20 extra pounds since last year.his first year ..he hasnt been at uga 2 years yet..he will get bigger and stronger..all these kids do from year 1 to year 3 or 4.
the reason uga is going to be 8-5 this year is not coaching but the fact uga is having to deal with guys leaving early for the pros and they are having to play mostly freshmen and sophs early and when a team has to do that while playing in the sec it will get you 5 losses. look at how many freshmen start/ play for fla and ala on the defense side of the ball. then take a look at the next best teams in the sec and see how many underclassmen are playing on there offense and defense..only south carolina and tenn are playing about the same amount of underclassmen and uga went 1-1..i think tenn actaully plays a little less than uga on offense and maybe defense..but anyways look those stats up and get back with me then you will see the connection..ugha is going through growing paines and it would be alot worse if not for the talent these young guys have..so i say keep the whole coaching staff intact and let these guys get older stronger and faster and you wil lsee that willie forgets more football than tyou guys will ever know…that def coord for fla went through the same thing just two years ago when they lost to a poor mich team..
more pancakes please
November 30th, 2009
1:37 pm
our 5 star recruits won us 7 games, what’s to replace? Now I can strut around and be king of the inbreds. I can laugh and mock 20 yr old GT players while I bask in my 7 donuts that I ate today. You know, I never got to play h.s. ball they made me the water boy but my 790 SAT scores got me in the most pretigious university in the state. I never have to even bend over and touch my toes even though my blood pressure and cholesterol are thru the roof. That is ok, I will just continue to eat all the bacon and sausage bisquits with gravy cause I am D A W G fan. I might be able to get a job at the post office although they seem to be more impressed with the foregin citizens lately than my UGA degree. Do they not know I am a D A W G fan? Just because I have a 40 lb extra weight on my stomach and a bald head with a gray beard, I am a D A W G fan, women will love me. One day, I will ride a scooter around Walmart cause I never did exercise and blame everyone else for my poor physical health cause I’m a D A W G fan.
RxDawg
November 30th, 2009
1:38 pm
“But the Jackets were held to only a field goal in the first half largely because Georgia’s running game kept Tech’s offense off the field.”
Conversely you could say Georgia’s ability to turn the ball over about 3 times per game led to a lot of points because it gave our defense a short field.
Not a Martinez hater, but the offense hasn’t done our defense any favors for the past 2 years.
Saint Simons
November 30th, 2009
1:39 pm
((((( 45 – 42 ))))) hahahahahaha
Dawg Fud
November 30th, 2009
1:39 pm
Richard Dawson,
agreed that we are lukcy. we should have never been in that position.
let the clock run down to 1 second on third down and call a TO. go to the sideline and get you best play.
then you have two options: (a) go for it on 4th or (b) punt the ball and make a rushing team drive the field to beat you.
poor strategy and play calling. i don’t claim to know more than UGA coaches but that seemed like the wisest course of action…in my opinion.