Georgia is showing problems are deep and widespread
There are more than a few problems with Mark Richt's football team, as evidenced by a 2-6 record in the last eight SEC games.
ATHENS – It’s not about one player not being here. It’s not about playing a freshman quarterback or having a certain soft spot on the depth chart or the big, bad NCAA being out to get Georgia.
When a program sinks to lows not seen since the Ray Goff administration, it’s not an aberration.
The head coach (Mark Richt) is 2-6 in his past eight SEC games. The vaunted offensive line coach (Stacy Searels) frankly hasn’t done bupkis since his arrival, recent evidence being that his supposed top group of linemen just allowed six sacks to a projected average defense. The new defensive coordinator, Todd Grantham, isn’t looking much better than the old one (Willie Martinez).
When all of those things happen, we’ve transitioned from downward trend to potential new identity. Georgia is an average team right now.
The Bulldogs lost to Arkansas 31-24 on Saturday for the first time since 1993, dropping to 0-2 in the SEC for the first time since opening 0-4 in that same season under Goff. Richt has built far more credits than Goff ever dreamed off, including two SEC titles. But there’s as much uncertainty about direction right now as ever before.
This latest loss was not devoid of positives. The Dogs displayed the kind of resolve that seemingly was missing last season, scoring two touchdowns in a four-minute span in the fourth quarter to tie the score at 24-24. But one late-game rally can’t whitewash the flaws.
The question now is: What direction do they go? Next week’s game at Mississippi State hardly is a gimme. Then comes a non-conference game at Colorado, before the Dogs return to Sanford Stadium for an emotional meeting against Tennessee and the new coach with a familiar last name (Derek Dooley).
Is there any game one can mark down as an automatic win right now?
Richt maintained Georgia continues to “get better,” but he conceded: “When we reach that peak [later this season], hopefully the games will still be meaningful. Right now it’s hard to say if they will be.”
Aaron Murray goes down for one of Arkansas's six sacks, a poor showing by the offensive line. (Brant Sanderlin/AJC)
It’s easier to project success when the problems are limited. Not the case here. Consider:
♦ Last week at South Carolina, the defense got ripped by the ground game. Saturday it got ripped by the pass. Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett threw for 380 yards and three touchdowns. He was sacked just once (with three minutes left). Almost as disturbing: Grantham put it all on the players, seemingly accepting no blame. Quote: “Guys have to do what the calls tell them to do. If you don’t do that, that’s why there’s inconsistency. You may play for 60 plays and 54 of them you look good, but then all of a sudden you give up six explosive plays and those can override a lot of good things.”
Coach: 54 out of 60 doesn’t get it done, especially when there’s not a defender within a zip code of a receiver on touchdown plays of 57, 22 and 40 yards (the decider with 15 seconds left).
♦ The offensive line was supposed to be the strength of the team. The Dogs ran the ball better this week, but quarterback Aaron Murray was sacked six times. Some of that was Murray holding onto the ball too long, but most of it was poor protection. Searels has not lived up to his billing since leaving LSU in 2007.
Murray was knocked dizzy at times and afterward wore a bandage under his chin to cover cuts (he said from his chinstrap).
Bobo looked like a wounded soldier himself, as if he had been punched in the nose. A gash ran down the top of it, but he said he didn’t know how it got there.
“I just saw blood trickling down [in the first quarter],” he said.
Maybe it will show up on film. All of the wounds will. They’re significant, they’re widespread and there is no indication that they’re going away any time soon.
♦
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981 comments Add your comment
Dangerous
September 19th, 2010
2:16 am
Like Spurrier has always said, it’s never been from a lack of talent on the field……………..it’s always been from a lack of talent on the sideline!
Dangerous
September 19th, 2010
2:18 am
DR Johnson……no,but I do like cocaine.
Dangerous
September 19th, 2010
2:20 am
and cutting down trees.
JR1967
September 19th, 2010
2:22 am
Message to Wallydawg: “And the band played on”
Dirty Dawg
September 19th, 2010
2:32 am
In just a couple of hour period today, for me, it went from ‘we’re just not very good’, to, ‘we’re actually a bad’, football team. In other words Mr. Schultz, you give us too much credit when you say ‘we’re average’. At this rate we’ll be lucky to win four games. – who we’re gonna beat? I don’t see three more wins. Damn, whoda thunk it? Besides our friends on North Ave, of course, and they were just wishin’ it.
Ironwood
September 19th, 2010
2:43 am
Maybe UGA will beat Miss. State next week and start building on that.
RELAX
September 19th, 2010
2:44 am
Everyone needs to relax. You could not have really expected to beat both USC and Ark. We should not have been favored today, but we had an opportunity to win. We also had an opportunity in the USC game until Ealey fumbled the ball. All UGA fans are going to have to take this season in stride. It is true that there really are not any “gimme” games with perhaps the exception of Idaho St. left on the schedule. However, there are also not any games on the schedule that we cannot win. As for Coach Bobo, I am not one to jump on the “let’s criticize Bobo when we lose, but say he’s doing a pretty good job when we win” fan, but it has become apparent after looking over the last couple of seasons and this season that he really is in over his head with the play-calling. Richt needs to become more involved and help him out. If we make a change in the middle of the season, it will not help us. All in all, if we can make it through these next two games without AJ picking up two wins, then I will not be surprised if this team goes on a run like the 2007 team (of course they will not sniff a national championship or BCS bowl like they did that year). The key is going to Murray’s maturation and the O-line’s ability to run block and pass block. Keep the faith Dawg fans and have some patience.
Rocky Mountain Bulldog
September 19th, 2010
2:46 am
Why can’t the O line drive people off the ball?
Richt needs to start calling plays again.
D way out of position and inconsistant.
Signs we have a long way to go: to turn it around.
UGA graduate 1977
September 19th, 2010
2:52 am
I have been following Georgia football since the mid 60s and I don’t remember a worse start to the season. I expect that this will be the last season for Mark Richt, unless he can beat Florida. Georgia needs to negotiate an end to the Jacksonville games. No more home field advantage for Florida, why not alternate with games at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.
swd311
September 19th, 2010
2:56 am
Guess what? The dawgs suck again!!!!! Georgia State is a better program!!! What a joke the dawgs are….again!!! Season over after 3 games!!!!! How does it feel to be losers….again!!!! Hey at least your QB can throw it 70 yards!!! hahahahahahahaha Dawgs suck!!! Dawgs suck!!! Packed house full of losers!!!! hahhahahahaa dawgs suck!!!! Leaving Athens losers!!! Hahahahahaha!!! Dawgs Suck!!!! Maybe if you call Idaho you can schedule your bowl game in Shreveport now!!! Hahahahahahahahaha
swd311
September 19th, 2010
3:22 am
Furman scored more points than UGA did against USC therefore Furman is better than UGA….hahahahahahahahaahahah
Leather Helmet Blog: Dawg Daily 19Sep
September 19th, 2010
4:03 am
[...] Saturday, the Bulldogs have more than a shaky defense to deal with. They have a shaky psyche. The head coach (Mark Richt) is 2-6 in his past eight SEC games. The vaunted offensive line coach (Stacy Searels) frankly hasn't done bupkis since his arrival, [...]
BoWeevil
September 19th, 2010
4:19 am
Lose to an Arkansas team who is going to lose 3 games this season.
Our quarterback has 9 sacks in his first 2 SEC games, an interception, a fumble and 1 touchdown throwing and 1 running.
He also made a lot of mistakes
The 3rd down and 4 after the predicable run the previous play, was obvious pass play, one Aaron Murray had to know he had to get rid of. After all he already had had bone-jarring sacks, 5 of them already in the game. I wasn’t sure he was going to get up on some of them. When Aaron Murray took that 8-yard sack, we punted with 54 seconds left in a tie game at HOME vs Arky. 3 plays later, we had lost our 2nd game in 2 weeks both SEC games.
Please insert your excuses why a coaching staff in year 10 of this regime has failed once again to prepare our Quarterback. Such as we will be a LOT BETTER NEXT YEAR losing 15 seniors & 4-5 juniors after this season.
Uh, no we won’t.
And, we have a harder schedule next year too.
Our Offense makes every SEC team we play look like they are all Lombardi Trophy Winners.
In the end, as I said all along pre-game, we do not have the Offense to keep up with Ryan Mallett. We have played 2 SEC teams, and their Quarterback has been much better than our Quarterback BOTH times.
It is a LOT worse than Coach Richt has LOST 3 SEC games in a row to the likes of Kentucky, South Carolina and Arkansas. In fact, he has also LOST 11 and won only 10 vs SEC East since we last went to The SEC Championship Game. This is 2010 and that was 2005.
Please do not tell me Aaron Murray is great, or that we will be better next year.
We are 0-2 in The SEC for the 1st time since 1993.
Please start with your EXCUSES for 0-2 vs SEC
Grantham = Overrated
September 19th, 2010
5:08 am
That was bushleague for Grantham to throw his players under the bus after the game. A good coach puts his players in the best position to make plays and win games. He failed to do that, especially on the final drive.
Why would you allow one of the best QBs in the nation to not face ANY pressure at all? No blitz. Just rush four and drop seven and hope the QB misfires. Yeah, that’s a great strategy. Brilliant! Worth every penny he’s being paid. It was a boneheaded move by Grantham not to send extra bodies at Mallett. He should take some blame for that.
And Bobo’s play calling is so juvenile its ridiculous.
Bdawg
September 19th, 2010
5:33 am
When the OC starts blaming the freshman QB for the offensive problems, It’s time to look for a new OC. Bobo has the nerve to blame Murray for the awful playcalling and the lack of his very visible coaching skills. Richt should have fired him on the spot. It is Bobo’s job to have the offense ready to go every week and for the past three years they have underachieved due to his lack of coaching skills. Excuses,excuses , that’s all we hear from this coaching staff. Do what they pay you to do and that is when. Frankly I’m tired of the excuses and again, for him to put this on Murray, it’s time for Bobo to go. Now, not later. This is the worst I’ve ever seen UGA look. They didn’t play this bad for Donnan. Maybe, Grantham should try using a rover on defense to disrupt the other teams offense since our pass rush is not working and our CB are not gettint the job done. Right now UGA is not SEC worthy and it sucks. Time for some big changes and I’m not talking about the players. With this coaching staff, we couldn’t win with Alabama’s great team. Our coaching staff sucks.
Pickel
September 19th, 2010
6:21 am
How do you fire a former UGA Player with five kids under five? I don’t know, but Bobo is one of the problems. 3rd and 4 and nobody in short routes. Let’s not leave Grantham out-How do Arkansas receivers get down field without anybody with a G on their helmet knowing it? And Searels O-Line of Juniors and Seniors looks bad too! We have the talent, but like the Goff era we are getting outcoached.
dawg gone
September 19th, 2010
6:21 am
kirby smart for head coach sounds good to me
timboy6
September 19th, 2010
6:44 am
I’m an ex quarterback and I know you don’t send all of your receivers deep and not leave a safety valve for your quarterback to throw the ball to or at least be able to throw it away in somebody’s area. Poor scheme and play calling. Bobo, you’ve got to do better than that. You’ll get Murray killed.
Rosezeee
September 19th, 2010
7:00 am
Hey this is brilliant – – – – lets go it on 4th down on our own 30 IN THE SECOND QUARTER.
We’re down by 7 and cant given them the ball back with a short field – except, of course, if we dont make it.
Man am I smart
Rosezeee
September 19th, 2010
7:03 am
Bozo and Richt
Dumb and Dumber
willie_m
September 19th, 2010
7:10 am
Hey Athens !! Wuz Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuup !!!
Where's BullDawg...
September 19th, 2010
7:23 am
Some where that crazy BullDawg guy is sitting in front of his pc saying “tol-u-sew”
ol balls coach
September 19th, 2010
7:24 am
Schultz has it right. QB is the bright spot of team. No O-line, no defense – especially DB’s. What struck me this weekend was watching our passive, slow, soft D versus the fast, hardhitting, take no prisoners defense played by Clemson and Auburn – same kids we get at UGA – lets face it – its coaching.
Dawg2010
September 19th, 2010
7:31 am
To all you fellow dogs fans that are ripping Mike Bobo on EVERYTHING. Remember what Coach Grantham said about guys not doping what they were supposed to basically, well maybe the receivers & backs weren’tt either. As for no TE’s hardly being used that is probably on Bobo and Murray. One more thing, this is Coach Richt’s offense, he installed this when he got here, Bobo calls the plays, mark Richt can change those plays, he doesn’t. Would it really be much different? This is not to defend Coach Bobo, he has plenty of blame for this so far. But so do ALL of the offensive coaches, Stacy Searels especially, as well as Mark Richt, and to some extent our vaunted recruiting co-ordinator Coach Garner.
stan
September 19th, 2010
7:53 am
being a falcons guy was pulling for uga to beat quitrino / petrino
reality
September 19th, 2010
7:59 am
You UGA fans are really tough on your team. I thought Murray played well and showed alot of promise.
Ph.D
September 19th, 2010
8:07 am
Back before the internet let all you hicks get together, i could count on a few early season losses to get the Dawg hysteria to die down and less drunks would be in Athens. Cursed Internet!
patrocket
September 19th, 2010
8:09 am
We’ll be ok. Probably win 9 like Brad predicted.
Ealey got Murray killed more than the o-line.
With Richt, it is always well NEXT year we will ...
September 19th, 2010
8:14 am
The real deal coaches like Urban Meyer and Sabin take a program and within wo years or three, they win it all. We see this time and time again, except at SC.
Richt has been at UGA since D Day and we are always, always in “wait till next year” mode when so and so “is no longer a red shirt” such and such and when “we sign that back” from east Afghanistan that “will make us great”. A bunch of hoooowee that is.
This team supposedly had a top flight offensive line. Wrong and in fact, this is a weak link. Our running backs are only back ups at any other SEC programs ……….we are in last place, so maybe they are in fact the worst backs in the league. Vastly over rated they are. Ealey blew two or three blocks, apparently because he lacks the intellect to play big boy ball.
The defense is atrocious. They are confused and always out of position ………..maybe they will get better. I think not. Richt has toned TG down and that is bad ………….that is why Brian Van Gorder left him.
Punting? It too let us down yesterday. Play calling? Ditto.
UGA is in deep T this year.
Go Dogs.
Jim007
September 19th, 2010
8:21 am
Lets see 47 seconds to go and you let the other team drive the field and win…
Bottom Line
Defense Sucks
Team is out of Control
Just waiting for Next Football player to be arrested !
General Ledger
September 19th, 2010
8:21 am
You know it’s bad when you long for the days of Willie Martinez.
valleyboy32
September 19th, 2010
8:21 am
LETS FACE THAT REPORTER FROM ORLANDO WAS RIGHT WASNT FOR H. WALKER OUR TRADITON WOULD BE ON THE LINE WITH SOUTH CAROLINA I DONT HAVE ANYTHING GOOD TO SAY MAN ALMOST TEN MILLION PEOPLE LIVE IN THIS STATE WE’ER A #8 TEAM IN RHE SEC WHAT A JOKE GO PEACH COUNTY TROJANS!!!!!
valleyboy32
September 19th, 2010
8:23 am
YOU MIGHT AS WELL FIRE RUSS THE MASCOT TO GET ‘EM OUTTA THERE TO I THOUGHT HE WOULD BE OUR LUCKY CHARM
theproblem
September 19th, 2010
8:25 am
The problem is………those stars in rivals and scout.com reveal nothing at all about character and heart. Sometimes it doesn’t matter. Sometimes it does. Yesterday, it did.
I have seen quite a few UGA squads over 50+ years
September 19th, 2010
8:27 am
Think that it cannot get worse? Try this:
UGA vs Vandy at UGA HOMECOMING and they kick off to us in the Goff era and we muff the kick, fumble ……….they score …………..Vandy 7-UGA 0 within like 2 minutes. Boom! Did UGA win? Ah, nooooooooooooooo, it did get worse that day. Cannon fodder for Vandy at Sanford Stadium. Ugly that was.
So, with this squad, as we continue to fumble around, stumble around, miss blocks like ealey did and make bad calls …………..by late October, it will be very, very ugly in Athens. You youngsters have no idea how horrible the cat calling can become ……….no idea. The money contributors who play golf with President Adams and now McGarity, will DEMAND changes.
Hold onto to your seat belts …………….UGA administrators must look at where we have been lately ( last 3 or 4 years ……..not very good ) and where they EXPECT UGA to be and weigh it all. With the recent past …………..there is no indication that Richt has it left in him ………..simply look at his record. Why??? Why?
Frankly, I think Richt in his heart, deep down, wants to do missionary work in Haiti and Africa, etc. Fine, just announce and go do it and not leave UGA in this misery any longer. THIS is really where the rubber meets the road for UGA.
Time will tell. It is gonna get worse, gang. I have seen this movie before.
Go Dogs.
Monty Cash
September 19th, 2010
8:30 am
Somebody needs to teach Ealey. How to block. He whiffed twice on pass protection blocks and that lead to 2 sacks. Pathetic.
secfan
September 19th, 2010
8:34 am
As a Vandy fan, I am amazed at the emotion by uga fans after they lose. No rational football fan picked uga to win the east regardless of how many 4&5 star recruits you have. The reality is that uga, this year, is a very average 4-6 win team. Too many mental mistakes made…while I do not like Petrino, his team punched uga in the face and uga did not hit back. How does it feel being 0-2 in the SEC play ? The uga coaching staff should stop making excuses and coach your 4 & 5 star players up….
tell me again
September 19th, 2010
8:40 am
We lost, but – New D / New QB / injuries / playing two ranked temas that we could have just as easily beat as lost to…..we knew this year was a transitional year – or should have. The kids played with great heart and got better. I think we are fine. All of you falming doom sayers – grow up, please. Did you really expect to win the SEC this year with a rookie QB? Well, then – you really are too stupid to be posting here.
tell me again
September 19th, 2010
8:44 am
On the down side – I see where Bobo is blaming Murray for holding the ball too long for that 3rd and 4 sack…..um, Coach……maybe if he would have had a quick out safety valve instead of three guys running deep he might have gotten rid of it, don’t you think? I have not been a “Get rid of Bobo” advocate but I really think Bobo is better off as our QB coach – it is really starting to look like he is out of his depth as the OC – CMR, please take over the play calling – you can’t afford to give Bobo a “Martinez Pass”.
Ole Ball Fan
September 19th, 2010
8:51 am
Tech fan here: Bobby Patrino is all the bad things everyone calls him, but he is also an excellent football coach. If Mallett stays healthy, Arkansas will prove to be a very good team by the end of the season. Freshman QB and new defense do not add up to a 10 win season. Expectations were unrealistic from the get go. That being said Auburn, Tenn, and regrettably Tech all look very beatable. UGA will be there by the end of the season.
tell me again
September 19th, 2010
8:53 am
As a Dawg alumni I too wish that we would win the SEC every year and contend for the NC every year but the fact is a lot has to fall your way for those things to happen – hey, Bama was just a blocked field goal away from not getting there last year – if getting there was easy it wouldn’t mean much. We have a new D – CTG has to recruit his type of players to fit his demands. Takes time. We have a geat QB but he is young and you can tell he gets confused at times out there – he’ll be fine. He will grow into the job. A few injuries right now – AJ out — we are just a little bit off – we could just as easily be 3 – 0 as 1 – 2…..we’ll get over the hump. We’re just working out the bugs. Why so may of you get so down on the team – really incredible – open your eyes and engage your brains before opening your mouths. Well, I know some of you are just Techies posing as fans – we really don’t care what you have to say. Reasonable and truthful comments are always the spice of any good blog. The rest is just Internet toilet paper. Who’s got some good insight into these Dawgs? I say we’re on the right track. Just be patient!
tell me again
September 19th, 2010
8:54 am
As a Dawg alumni I too wish that we would win the SEC every year and contend for the NC every year but the fact is a lot has to fall your way for those things to happen – hey, Bama was just a blocked field goal away from not getting there last year – if getting there was easy it wouldn’t mean much. We have a new D – CTG has to recruit his type of players to fit his demands. Takes time. We have a geat QB but he is young and you can tell he gets confused at times out there – he’ll be fine. He will grow into the job. A few injuries right now – AJ out — we are just a little bit off – we could just as easily be 3 – 0 as 1 – 2…..we’ll get over the hump. We’re just working out the bugs. Why so may of you get so down on the team – really incredible – open your eyes and engage your brains before opening your mouths. Well, I know some of you are just Techies posing as fans – we really don’t care what you have to say. Reasonable and truthful comments are always the spice of any good blog. The rest is just Internet toilet paper. Who’s got some good insight into these Dawgs? I say we’re on the right track. Just be patient
Techmaninathens
September 19th, 2010
9:03 am
During the game I saw Bobo put his arm around Mark Richt’s shoulders. That is very condescending making the appearance that “don’t’ worry, everything will be all right.” That is not what a staff coach does to he head coach. It may seem trivial, but Richt should never allow Bobo to do that. It makes Richt look venerable.
dawgs3211
September 19th, 2010
9:12 am
Arkansas blitzed the entire game. How many screens did BoBo call? Duh!!!!!!!!!
The football equal of Kentucky now in East Ga..
September 19th, 2010
9:16 am
Welcome to being firmly entrenched in the second tier of the SEC….It’s our new home, get used to it…Yes, time for a new head coach, plain and simple……until then, get used to a predictable milk toast offensive scheme, pourous defense, wasted talent, and a team of thugs laughing behind the back of their holy-joe coach…how’s that for a Sunday morning?
Dissapointed Dawg
September 19th, 2010
9:20 am
Good for you Jeff for telling it like it is, not with a spin like most. The only thing I could add is don ‘t leave out the special teams coach. Punter dropped the ball, hadd difficulty getting and hanlde on it before he could pick it up and start running and th Gerogia defenders didn’t have a clue what was going on until one look to hios right and saw the punter running with the ball. Thats what I call keeping you head in the game.
HardTruth Soldier
September 19th, 2010
9:21 am
UGA fans, Let’s be realistic about this team and the coaching(Or lack there of). UGA loyalist lets face the truth and know that Mike Bobo can’t call plays at this level, he utilizes his players in an inconsistant manner, and time after time he lacks the ability to get it done under pressure. To validate my point when UGA had the ball with a little over two mjnutes left, not once did he use his Tight Ends as check down receivers, while Bobby Petrino made his TE his primary target on the last drive. Why also, were we using Ealey in the “Wild Dog”, when you clearly have a dual threat in Logan Gray, and Carlton Thomas is got to be the worst used athlete in the SEC. No swing passes, reverses, he doesn’t get used as a check down on third downs. See Bulldog nation I could go on and on. Back to the lack of use of your Tight Ends, How is it that you have a third team all SEC Tight End (Aron White), and a freshmen Tight End who made Freshman All American last year( O Charles) and between the two of them they have one catch ! Our O Line looked pathetic, and Brown (Marlon) all 6″5 219 pounds of him isn’t being used to his abilities. CMR, you’ve gotten comfortable, and it shows. ALABAMA is playing for National Championships, Florida has won two in the last four years, LSU two this decade,and even S.C. looks like there on there way up. I watched the FLA-TENN game and even in there loss they played with a fire and passion we lack. Bulldog nation we are suppose to be playing for National championships. Expecting to win and having guys like Cam Newton, Connor Shaw,and so many of these young Men clamoring to come to Georgia. CMR get it right or get outta Athens and wait on the Vandy job to open up. We need a “Rex Ryan” type in here. This is gotta change, and soon !
DDAWG
September 19th, 2010
9:24 am
Read BOBO’s Resume…….Nuff said. How did he get this job in the first place? Internship officially over.. You’re Fired!! And if CMR won’t do it He’s Fired..
HardTruth Soldier
September 19th, 2010
9:26 am
Disappointed Dawg, There’s an spelling 101 class at Kennesaw State. Please take it soon!
ViningsDAWG
September 19th, 2010
9:27 am
It’s the little things and we aren’t paying attention to them. Stupid penalties, lining up wrong on defense. A def. Coordinator who is still trying to figure out the college kid. Stupid arrests, it is time for Mark to quit tanning and start paying more attention.