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
GW Dawg
September 18th, 2010
7:02 pm
Fire Mark Richt. Hire Kirby Smart or Chris Peterson
We (UF) own UGA
September 18th, 2010
7:03 pm
Jeff, and when will you learn your lesson to quit buying into the BS hype, and start picking against UGA? While my Gators have issues on offense, the defense alone can win games.
UGA has NOTHING on either side of the ball. Fact! Fat boy Grantham is as big of a JOKE as his resume suggests. He was fired the only time he was a DC.
UGA is a sinking ship, and until CMR is let go, the SEC will continue to look and laugh…..hahaha
Enjoy 6-6 and a return trip to the “who cares?” bowl Dawgs! hahaha
Still A Dawg FaN
September 18th, 2010
7:03 pm
I know that I am not on the field or in the meetings or at the practices…but there doesnt seem to be any fire or accountability from the program…hence us continuing to rack up arrests…penalties..etc. For example…i was watching the play today when Murray dived into the end zone on 4th Down..and every inch of Sanford Stadium was going bonkers..except for one place; the place where Coach Richt was standing. I am going to steal from the guys at ESPN…C’MON MAN…you made a hell of a play..get fired up..get pumped….it inspires the team…his lack of inspiration is what has caused our downfall. Remember when we had that enthusiasm…. when we stormed the endzone in Jacksonville and beat the Gators..WE NEED THAT BACK!!!!
hugedawgfan(not)
September 18th, 2010
7:04 pm
Just pathetic-We do need new HC blood-10 yrs into a tenure and regress this much? Blame CMR, Bobo and all the coaches. No coaching at all-recruit top ten teams and this is what we get. Stop donating, stop buying tixs, stop attending games until the upper echilon gets the message of a time for change.
BLUE
September 18th, 2010
7:04 pm
Let see as a coach you cancel two a days and dont allow the defense to tackle to the ground and then when your team plays soft you wonder why
Sick Of It
September 18th, 2010
7:04 pm
It’s time to clean (the Dawg) house. I’m sick of the conservative play calling and uninspired defense. It looks like the Dawgs have been playing in slow motion this season. I think CMR is a good man and was once a great coach, but I believe he’s lost his passion and is just going through the motions. It’s time to let him go. He’s done a UGA. The Dawgs will be nothing but average (or less than average as they are now) until CMR is gone.
Did y'all hear the ESPN tv girl say about TG?
September 18th, 2010
7:04 pm
The ESPN girl today spoke to TG this week she said and he told her that “the transition from rough and terse NFL to college was a culture shock”. He spoke of having to “tone down” his languauge and how he “delivers” his message and “be more of a teacher”. AH HA !! Eureka i knew it !!!
Richt has instructed Grantham to tone it way back and let his boys steal helmets and side swipe cars with impunity. I knew that TG was soft sellling in that SC debacle and today is yet another example of Frriar Richt. darn it !!!
This is why Van Gorder left richt and why we will never have a team of winners. He wants only to be their good shepard. I am sick of it all.
UGA grad
UGAJD
September 18th, 2010
7:04 pm
Some of the play calling was hard to understand…. especially, the 3rd and 4 during the last offensive possession. Why wasn’t there a short option to which Murray could check down? Why wasn’t at least one receiver (preferably two) running a 5 yard route? Very puzzling.
On defense, tackling was pathetic. Regardless of “talent” (I use the term loosely), teams that tackle poorly and don’t execute the fundamentals don’t win championships. In fact, they don’t win, period.
Speaking of pathetic… You Tech people on this board are pathetic. You lose to Kansas, one of the worst teams in FBS, and you squeak by a UNC team missing 12 players. Then you get on here talking smack? I’ll say it again. Pathetic.
70s Bulldog grad
September 18th, 2010
7:05 pm
I love the footbal geniuses who put everything on the coaches. I’m sure that Grantham and his defensive assistants instructed the clueless Georgia DBs to bite on run fakes, ignore the guy coming out of the backfield on the wheel play and to impersonate Rick Ankiel at the plate while trying to make tackles in the secondary.
Coaches can only do so much, but “expert” analysts like Schultz and front running fans who think Cover 2 is something a big umbrella does, point fingers at the coaches because they don’t know any better.
Georgia lost because their supposedly hot shot line didn’t block any better than it did (not necessarily Searles fault) and the DBs can’t think on their feet or tackle in the open field. For the most part, the Georgia defense did OK today, but they suffered some huge breakdowns, which is almost an inevitability against a team with a stud QB, some quality receivers and a coach who may be a jerk but knows how to design a productive offense.
Nice comeback in the 4th, but the last drive was a disappointment, which is going to happen with a freshman QB and the best WR in the country on the sidelines thanks to the fascist organization running college football.
And while pointing fingers, save one for the 2009 All-American punter, who had a chance to put Arkansas in a hole in the final minute and failed to do so.
Neon yellow shirt guy
September 18th, 2010
7:05 pm
Lesson Number One: When in trouble, divert attention elsewhere. Next week: black jerseys and helmets!
hugedawgfan(not)
September 18th, 2010
7:05 pm
Hire John Gruden now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DawgNColorado
September 18th, 2010
7:06 pm
I’ll say it again.. First year new defensive scheme… 3rd game… anyone who has ever played realizes its not an overnight transitiion. Everyone is calling for the death penalty the case hasn’t started. Everyone thought UGA sucked and needed new coaches after the 2006 season.. then they finished #2 in the country in 2007. You never know how the season will end. Everyone will agree that the defense had been atrocious. Give Grantham time, and Jeff if you really think that Grantham and the D is so bad… admit it.. when he was hired you mentioned him being the “Right man for the Job” and could be great.. now your writing him off… why don’t you right something and stick by it.
BLUE
September 18th, 2010
7:08 pm
@70s Bulldog grad CMR chose the players
Y'ALL SEE THE FANS IN RED LEAVING???
September 18th, 2010
7:08 pm
Butler on the WSb radio call in show said quite a few fans left in early 3rd qtr. THAT will get the AD’s attention …………..that is how it began for Goff. The administrators have to view that to make a change. It began today and it will get very, very ugly if UT comes in and works UGA over. Wow!!
The uGA program has been passed by by the better teams ( all of them ) in the SEC and we are alone in LAST PLACE in the SEC East.
Go Dogs. Fire ALL of that staff …………all of them
SadPuppyDawg
September 18th, 2010
7:08 pm
We Own This State!!!!!!!!!!! (at least for a few more weeks until Tech comes into Athens and kicks our lousy butts all over the dad gummed field) Todd Grantham is not better than Willie and Bobo is a Dodo….head butting before the game….what an embarassment. Aaron Murray is ok, but without Cheatin AJ on the field…..he cant do it by hisself. Coach Mark “Don’t Call Me Goff” Richt had better clean off those shades and look at whut a mess he has…….help us Herschel!!!!
Six Feet Under
September 18th, 2010
7:08 pm
Does Elton John still sing at funerals?
Wallydawg
September 18th, 2010
7:08 pm
This program is going down like the Titanic. The longer we stay with Richt, the more rebuilding the next coach will have to do.
Philco
September 18th, 2010
7:08 pm
Richt’s biggest flaw is that he is not hiring the “right” assistants….and then when they are not getting the job, he waits toooo looong to replace them. We have all seen his teams over the last 3 years taking steps backward (under Martinez & Bobo). Why isn’t Richt calling the plays??…..apologies to Bobo’s mom, but he is not a SEC offensive coordinator!
Most of Richt’s best teams were with Richt calling the plays and VanGorder leading the defense.
………..maybe Will Muschamp will be here next year…wel need a leader that is either high energy and/or attitude (in addition to talent)…and Richt has neither. Since the firey VanGorder left, each year the team has become softer and less emaotional……in addition to wasting sooo much talent….
Eric C.
September 18th, 2010
7:08 pm
We (UF) own UGA, frankly I’m surprised you are giving UGA six wins this year. Man, I can’t believe you are talking smack this year…UF is going to get #$%#$% handed to them when they play at Ala.
DDDAAWWGG
September 18th, 2010
7:10 pm
FIRE MARK RICHT NOW!
The State of Arkansas
September 18th, 2010
7:10 pm
Schultz,
I hope you can stop by the Starbucks on Ponce tomorrow morning so I can buy you a nice hot cup of shut the hell up. Nice prediction, fishwrap hack writer. Oh, and Bobby Petrino appreciates your hate; it fuels him to victory.
Enjoy sweating out the selection committee for Birmingham.
Love,
Razorback Nation
Chopper
September 18th, 2010
7:12 pm
How cheap are tickets getting?
The State of Georgia
September 18th, 2010
7:12 pm
On consolation prize we won today:
we do not live in Arkansas.
Three cheers!
ok for now
September 18th, 2010
7:12 pm
I want to see CMR get mad – but he’s too COOL for that. Maybe Bobbie Bowden (CMR’s mentor) had it right when he said that MR was a great man and great asst. – but not a head coach. For all the fun that Dawg fans take at the Evil Genius (Steve – the old ball coach) for throwing visors – perhaps CMR needs to do the same – throw his headset or those dark fishing sunglasses – do SOMETHING. Hel* this is FOOTBALL – SHOW SOME EMOTION and some STONES.
I think Bobbie might be right – CMR (though a fine man) is not head-coaching material.
LakeDawg
September 18th, 2010
7:13 pm
Hey! Everybody quit panicking. Coach Richt has everything under control. Heard him say they were going to use “very, very intense ‘thud’ this week.”
Summit Dawg
September 18th, 2010
7:13 pm
Up until this point I have stood by Coach Richt…….But the new AD needs to make a complete sweep of the coaches…..Bobo (Boo Boo) is the worst play caller out there…..3rd and four….and two straight uncompleted passes…..run the damn ball!! BOO BOO!
SadPuppyDawg
September 18th, 2010
7:14 pm
I just heard from my contact at the Athens International Airport – New AD just picked up Phil Fulmer at the airport….could it be???????????????????
larry
September 18th, 2010
7:14 pm
3-4 4-3 split 60 you still have to cover the receivers, most undisiplined team at UGA I have ever seen, will not attend any more games this year or next until we at least have a D1 program again, good thing we don’t p;ay Southern Miss, by the wat who is their head coach?
Richie Cunningham
September 18th, 2010
7:15 pm
Coach Richt, what are you doing? Don’t get on that motorcycle and jump that shark? Stop imitating Fonzie!!
ok for now
September 18th, 2010
7:15 pm
Some posters have mention about getting Will Muschamp – but he is already off the table – he has that contract to become the next headcoach for Texas.
SadPuppyDawg
September 18th, 2010
7:16 pm
another news flash…..Phil had red panties on his head!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
joseph
September 18th, 2010
7:16 pm
i am starting to think since cmr came to uga he has managed to take some exc players and turn them into avg players now he is trying to take some above avg players and turn them into below avg players.
should he be fired? i don’t know, because i not sure that the powers that be at uga would find someone better.
as for bobo he did not have enough experience to be made oc, right now he is following cmr advice and is calling plays that cmr wants called. he is doing what he has been taught.
Eric C.
September 18th, 2010
7:16 pm
“The State of Arkansas”, squeaaaaaaaaallll!!!! Petrino will skin your little piggies up and invite his next team over BLTs fast than you can say “Woo Pig Suey!!!” Bank on that razorback
TampaGator
September 18th, 2010
7:16 pm
What happened……aren’t all of you the same Dawgs fans that were on her all summer raving about how good your head coach, DC, and players were….and that this would be the year you would put all the other SEC teams in their place. I guess summer ended and the dream once again became a nightmare….maybe a real serious nightmare this year becasue I would favor Miss. State next week right now. The Gators aren’t playing great on offense….but they have one of the best defenses in the country……and by the way…..who has the better DC now?
SadPuppyDawg
September 18th, 2010
7:17 pm
Muschamp should coach UGa…its a much better program than Texas….wait…who the heck am I kiddin??!!!!
Borodawg
September 18th, 2010
7:17 pm
Let’s all take a step back and look at the big picture. Before Richt got here the program had been average at best for the previous what 18 years? He has two SEC titles and multiple bowl wins. While we were scrubbing around in the Goff and Donnan years the rest of the SEC caught up. Florida was a garbage program before Spurrier got there and now they own us. A losing record this year and I say yes it’s time for a change but I am one that is willing to give CMR the full season to show us if he can be the coach of 02 and 05. I love UGA as much as anyone but it’s times like these we all need to take a deep breath and realize there are 9 more games left in the season. If you can’t deal with the down years then you don’t deserve the good ones. All you cry babies stop being fans of my beloved Georgia Bulldogs.
Tech fans, again you play in the ACC, a road win there is worth as much as Boise State’s win against Va Tech…..laughable.
country dawg
September 18th, 2010
7:17 pm
Greg McGarity, let me give you some advice. FIRE Mark Richt. FIRE Mike Bozo. Bring in ole Kirby Smart NOW!
DawginOH
September 18th, 2010
7:17 pm
I disagree with you on Grantham not looking better than Willie, Jeff. He has no size up front to run a 3-4 like we see in the NFL. Give the man some time to get his recruits in there and the D will prove more consistent. For proof, take a quick look at Bama. However, I will have no faith in the future of the Dawgs’ offensive coaching until a coaching change is made. Bobo is ruining a brilliant, talented young QB. Pretty sad that our season is over before it could begin…
Krogunner
September 18th, 2010
7:17 pm
I am thinking we just need another “Blackout”. That will solve our problems!
South Georgia
September 18th, 2010
7:20 pm
Two games do not make a season. The offense and defense have done well in spurts. If we become more consistent, we can win some games. We miss Caleb King and Shaun Chapas as much as AJ at moment.
Since 1980....
September 18th, 2010
7:20 pm
CMR will be ok. Its early and he will figure it out. Would not be having this discussion if AJ was in there.
listen-up
September 18th, 2010
7:20 pm
We are not recruiting the right players. We are not coaching them up and we don’t seem to have a plan to change it. As painful as it is to say, the coaching staff must take full responsibility and a change of course will eventually be necessary. The question remains, how long will it take. I have confidence in G. McGarity to right the ship, but it will take some time.
playing time
September 18th, 2010
7:21 pm
I went to the GSU game today. I was very impressed with preparation by the coaching staff after last week. The effort by the players was tremendous. I realize its at a higher level of play, but I just don’t see that a Georgia.
HB Ando
September 18th, 2010
7:21 pm
I’m kind of surprised no one else has locked into the essence of the Richt conundrum: IF you believe he should be replaced, name a coach who is a definitive upgrade on both recruiting AND on-field coaching, who is absolutely willing to leave their job and come to Georgia. The seeming, and frustrating, reality is that he’s one of the top-five recruiters in the country. And in the SEC that’s a must to compete.
Doesn’t appear that he’s as good a coach as Meyer, Saban or Spurrier, but who is? And I don’t know of anyone in his “peer” group who will leave the gig they have to coach Georgia (great job, but who is leaving another top-10 or 20 program for it). So your prospective talent pool is guys who either are doing awesome at lesser programs, or “hot assistant of the week” types that surge to the front of the media line every season.
It’s unlikely that you can find a guy who can out recruit Richt. And the coaches who are clearly better than him all have great jobs. Days like today are frustrating for a Georgia fan (alum), but I don’t see a drastic move that assures us that things would be better.
Good points about the O-line. What the heck is up with that? New D takes time to jell, as does a new QB. Seems like Georgia never meshes a supposedly “great” line with an experienced QB.
SEC is better than ever. Still seems like Georgia players think they can win games just because they wear the red and black. Can only hope that they’ll respond to two “L’s” and improve. But the season is only 3 games old, and talk about firing coaches is a waste of breathe. When the last time Georgia made a big coaching change mid-season? Better plan on dancing with the one that “brung ‘ya” and hope this team steps up……
Damnthebutcher
September 18th, 2010
7:21 pm
FIRE MARK RICHT FIRE MARK RICHT FIRE MARK RICHT
athdog
September 18th, 2010
7:21 pm
Freshman q.b. without AJ, Caleb, Chapas, Brandon Smith. Having said this, our OL is starting as slowly as last year and our D looks lost, as I expected, with the new scheme.
Still can’t tackle, and we should seriously stop giving scholly’s away to TE’s. We NEVER freakin’ use ‘em anyway.
TampaGator
September 18th, 2010
7:22 pm
You guys really want to fire the great Mark Richt? Hasn’t he won 8 games 10 years in a row or something? I think you should keep him….and I like your new DC too. The Gators have a lot of work to do….and thank goodness they have the coaches and the players to get better and contend in the East. I don’t think that is the case in Athens. It could get ugly this year. Sheveport might be a unattainable goal this year.
But….Aaron Murray does look like a future great QB. Very talented. I still recommend booing A.J. win he returns. He has a lot of this on his shoulders. Georgia is a much better team with him on the field…and Murray will get even better when “Mr. Green” returns.
dawgster
September 18th, 2010
7:22 pm
Watched Caoch Saban of Bama being upset even when his team was up by about 40 points…he doesn’t seem to accept mediocrity but the dawgs seem to these days..very disappointed in Coach Bobo’s play calling for the most part…he did throw in a few wrinkles and the our )-line coaching doesn’t seem to be there and if it is then they are not as good as we once thought…Please correct me but did O. Charles get any passes thrown to him today…”0″, i think…and to make matters worse we had one of the top tight end recruits in the nation on hand today and yet we throw maybe one pass to them…absurd that we can’t find ways to get the ball to some of our playmakers…I keep hearing if only AJ were here, well he isn’t and won’t be next year so we better start finding ways to develop our talent…I know we are young and are missing some key players but thats where coaching should come and players stepping it up…I’m proud of how we fought back, but disappointed in some of the blown coverages or whatever the situations were that left their receivers absolutely wide open…I’m afraid that Coach Bobo is going to get the rash of the blame and unless the season turns around the dawg fans will be calling for him to be relieved of his duties at the end of the year…I’m still behind the dawgs but am very concerned in the direction we are headed…
SadPuppyDawg
September 18th, 2010
7:22 pm
BoroDawg….don’t make those Techsters mad…..they might come in and kick us around again in Athens this year…..if that happens, i might just puke, but how much would it take to get Paul Johnson to coach us….he is so much better than our wimpy coaches
JSS
September 18th, 2010
7:23 pm
Ugly, just U-G-L-Y when a fan base turns on its beloved team in such a fashion… Ain’t it grand, turn your painted booty little Russ, you don’t want to watch such behavior!