Georgia’s embarrassment grows more historical by week
Mississippi State's Arceto Clark leaps high to catch a touchdown pass over Branden Smith, one of many plays to not go Georgia's way Saturday. (AP photo)
STARKVILLE, Miss. – Was this convincing enough? Georgia just made Mississippi State look like a major force in the SEC. It’s seldom a force even within state borders.
Last week the Bulldogs lost to Arkansas for the first time in 17 years. This time they lost to another conference opponent for the first time in 36 years.
Doesn’t that suggest this isn’t some aberration?
The Bulldogs are 0-3 in the SEC. They stand alone in the conference in that regard. Behind Mississippi State, behind Vanderbilt, behind the schools you used to joke about. They are no longer the team that can beat everybody except Alabama and Florida. They are the team that can lose to every team well below Alabama and Florida.
After a 24-12 loss to Mississippi State on Saturday night, Georgia is 2-7 in its past nine SEC games. That’s not trivial, and it’s certainly not an aberration. The opponents in those seven losses are LSU, Tennessee, Florida, Kentucky, South Carolina, Arkansas, Mississippi State.
Such widespread failure screams this isn’t about missing one suspended player, no matter how good A.J. Green is.
“We’ve got to fix a lot of things,” said the maligned offensive coordinator, Mike Bobo. “It’s not just A.J. Green. We got beat on the field. You’ve got to go earn it.”
Turn back the clock. Cover your faces. The Dogs just lost to Mississippi State for the first time since 1974 and the first time in Starkville since 1951. Their humiliation becomes more historical by the week.
Embarrassed?
“It’s one of those things where you’re not embarrassed to be a Georgia Bulldog,” wide receiver Kris Durham said, “but we’re embarrassed at the way we’re playing.
“Our season could turn into a catastrophe if we don’t stay together.”
Georgia was coming off losses to South Carolina and Arkansas. Mark Richt remained optimistic (of course). He didn’t believe his team would come into Starkville in a funk. But in the first three minutes of the game, the Dogs went three-and-out on offense and allowed Mississippi to drive 53 yards to a touchdown in four plays.
If that’s not a funk, it’s the early stages of rigor mortis.
Offensive-line play remains mediocre, particularly in the running game. The offense had three red-zone possessions in the first half, resulting in a net of six points (two field goals, one fumble). Georgia’s only touchdown came with less than two minutes left.
At least give Bobo credit for throwing himself under the bus: “You can’t turn the ball over, and you can’t have penalties. That’s coaching. It’s our fault.”
Starkville is cowbell central. Think vuvuzelas, only slightly less obnoxious, thanks to an SEC rule that allows fans to ring their bell only during the pregame, timeouts and following Mississippi State touchdowns and field goals. The video board at Davis Wade Stadium even carries the message, “Respect the bell.”
Regardless, coach Dan Mullen implored Mississippi State fans to make life as miserable for Georgia as possible. Just 15 minutes before kickoff, he stood in the end zone with a microphone and yelled: “Our team is ready to go, and I know our students are ready to go!”
Glad somebody was.
Many of Georgia’s early problems were self-inflicted. Washaun Ealey fumbled at the Mississippi State 1 following a 20-yard run after he was clocked by safety Nickoe Whitley. The Dogs also fumbled when a Mississippi State punt inadvertently was touched by Bacarri Rambo, then quickly recovered by the home team.
The offense has gone from a mild concern to a five-alarm blaze. Bobo has replaced Willie Martinez, the departed defensive coordinator, as fans’ primary punching bag.
But this is about more than one assistant coach or one suspended player. Once again, Richt did not have his team ready to play. The Dogs should have played desperate. They didn’t. They certainly didn’t play smart or play well.
They are 0-3, having lost three in a row under Richt for the first time. They are somewhere south of ordinary. And it’s not a blip.
♦
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1,247 comments Add your comment
'65 Dawg
September 26th, 2010
10:06 am
Sinking Ship: When you have thrown everything overboard that is not nailed down and the boat still sinks.
loving a good show
September 26th, 2010
10:07 am
Suck it up. Fire Richt and the Dawgs will still be paying him 4$ out of every ticket sold for the next umpteen years. Honestly I have not enjoyed anything as much as this hysterical squalling since I left highschool back in the late fifties. It is better than the movies!!Keep it up. i am going to spend the rst of the day reading these redneck bleats.
SirTennyson
September 26th, 2010
10:07 am
We saw this at Tennessee when Phillip Fulmer began his descent almost a decade ago. Oh, dear God… When your butt hits concrete, it takes a little more meat with it each time. We call those 5-7 seasons. Relax and enjoy! That’s where you’re headed. In fact, your deal could be even worse. I told somebody the other day (when SC was putting it to them) that the Dawgs looked just like a Fulmer coached team. Drink hard, my friends, and remind the players to continue to do the same. Keep the status quo! Please!… It makes recruiting down there easier.
another arrest
September 26th, 2010
10:08 am
another DAWG arrest! does it ever end?
FLA DAWG
September 26th, 2010
10:09 am
If I were a Dawg Player now I’d be drinking too.
Heck, I’m not a Dawg Player now and I am drinking.
Snake Doc
September 26th, 2010
10:09 am
As bad as it is for THUGA, another arrest reported this morning. I’d still rather have my sister and mother be ho’s, then be a Tech or Gator fan!
Dagny
September 26th, 2010
10:09 am
For the record, the arrest this morning of another drunk football player is #10 for the season, and the 45th in the last three years.
All of you UGAers get your heads out of the sand or wherever you have them stuck and start worrying about the number one problem with UGA. At the rate your athlete-thugs are being arrested, you’ll be lucky to have any football team by the end of the season.
UGA has made the state a laughingstock with its reputation as one big party school with copious job opportunities for bail bondsman, and decent people are fed up with this. Get rid of the illiterate, undisciplined drunks and felons that Mark Richt recruits, and get rid of Richt too. Even with these illiterate jerkoffs, he can’t even win the division, much less the SEC, so what’s the point.
So while you sit there in your delapidated single wide, deciding if the beer will last
until the next unemployment check comes in, think about this.
And suck on your red panties.
Dan Mullen
September 26th, 2010
10:09 am
Another GEORGIA MUTT got locked up, guess the mutts had a good time after the loss in strakville
TrishaDishaWarEagle
September 26th, 2010
10:10 am
SirTennyson,
Fulmer just wasn’t cut out to wear Tennessee’s particular visually offensive shade of orange..He looked like the great pumpkin.
Dan Mullen
September 26th, 2010
10:10 am
Georgia MUTTS win the Fulmer Cup LOSERS
Ironwood
September 26th, 2010
10:10 am
It sounds like everyone want to get rid of Richt. Let’s hire Bruce Pearl. He has brought prominence to Tennessee.
Jim007
September 26th, 2010
10:10 am
10 th arrest of the season this morning…….
You have got to be kidding me…….
UGA will soon be known as FSU North !
Terza
September 26th, 2010
10:11 am
Dismiss AJ Green and Wash-Out Ealey from the team immediately.
That will at least help.
Dan Mullen
September 26th, 2010
10:11 am
ONCE AGAIN GEORGIA IS THUGU
DawgFan Dill
September 26th, 2010
10:11 am
I can see how it looks like Coach Richt is a better coach than Dooley. Yes, he has a higher winning precentage in his first 10 years than Dooley. But, count how many SEC championships Dooley brought to UGA. Then add a National Championship. And I would like to point out that Dooley did this without the talent that Richt has been blessed with. Even Larry Munson will agree. Dooley inspired his teams to play beyond their talent. Richt’s teams are not inspired. Time for a change, folks, plain and simple.
Brice Hunter
September 26th, 2010
10:12 am
By the way, Murray is a nice kid but he was never Mettenburger. If any of you have had inside connections like I do, all the players do not respect Murray as a player. Mettenburger was the real deal. Murray is overrated and all we got!
DUI Dawg
September 26th, 2010
10:12 am
Woof…woof.
How bout them dawgs
September 26th, 2010
10:12 am
Tech, dawns and next falcants. Yes you have some great teams in Georgia. Gators can’t wait to see the dawns in Jacksonville.
TICKED OFF DAWG FAN
September 26th, 2010
10:12 am
The problem is 90% plus coaching and it starts with the head coach…… Great what he did compared to the Donnan years but he has lead us right back into that same place.
No other school in the last 5 yrs has GA’s overall recruiting classes and our record… They are better.
I will keep cheering them on each week, however Mr Good Guy Richt MUST GO……..
He and his coaches are no longer coaching, developing and getting the most of the kids… They are NOT prepared to play each week.
PERIOD
Dan Mullen
September 26th, 2010
10:13 am
Does anybody know the score from last nights game
#1 Georgia Fan
September 26th, 2010
10:13 am
Snake doc- you mama and sis are ho’s
The WAC
September 26th, 2010
10:14 am
After the events of this morning, with yet another arrest of a player, we withdraw the invitation to join our conference. We cannot in good conscience see adding your institution in the face of all your shortcomings.
Snake Doc
September 26th, 2010
10:14 am
At least they aren’t tech or gator fans!
BullDawgMike
September 26th, 2010
10:15 am
Coach Peterson brought his Boise St. team to Athens once. Anybody remember that ? Boise St. was lucky they even managed to score that day. Look folks , a coaching change may end up being necessary, but let the AD do his job. If CMR was ever to be replaced, it would absolutley have to be with someone with big time SEC coaching experience. But anyway you slice it, this is a catch 22 situation we have here. Keep losing to the Kentuckys and the Miss St teams , or fire the coaching staff and lose recruits. Then we will sure enuff be re-building for 2-3- years. What we have here is a heck off a mess on our hands!
Dan Mullen
September 26th, 2010
10:15 am
Arrest number 10 will put some fire on richt’s butt, he is on the hot seat
catlady
September 26th, 2010
10:15 am
This is a serious question: IS it the coaching? Or do we have players who are less than stellar, on the whole? Are we being seriously out-recruited?
Hairy Dawg
September 26th, 2010
10:16 am
Somebody needing to start blaming Adams. We got to be recruiting talents without restrictins a pres Adams. I embareassed with the blaming of Coach Richt when he more Christain. We got to cut lose the stinkys boys and brings up the Hargraves mens. The stinkys should be ashaming to put on red and black after we give thems women and run Athens to then playing like dung. Once we gets talent up and Green back then we goning on table running to dominants but we got to rid stinkys from team to get back winning.
Snake Doc
September 26th, 2010
10:16 am
catlady – Its a combination of all three!
Da'Rick
September 26th, 2010
10:17 am
THUGA has a lock on the Fulmer/Richt Cup this year!!!
Be thankful for little things.
Dan Mullen
September 26th, 2010
10:17 am
LOCK UP ALL THE THUGS
TrishaDishaWarEagle
September 26th, 2010
10:18 am
snake doc, are you Dez Bryant?
Snake Doc
September 26th, 2010
10:19 am
Donnan got fired for losing to the little trade school and lack of discipline with his players. Why is Richt given a pass on discipline? Oh yeah we beat that JUCO/High School team from north ave 8 of 9 years. If thats all we got then things are worse then we could ever have imagined!
gatechcdv
September 26th, 2010
10:20 am
I’m honestly not trying to pile things on here and realize that Tech’s not any better than UGA this year, but Wow! This is the game where I though the Dawgs would turn it around. The previous losses were attributed to playing better teams, but there’s really no excuse for this game. There were numerous opportunities to put Miss St away, but the offensive play calling was downright predictable and the defensive didn’t play with much intensity. But, the problem lies with a total lack of offense. Bobo runs the most vanilla offense I’ve ever seen from UGA; it’s about as exciting as watching paint dry. Obviously am an evil Tech fan, but the wife’s got the house divided as a UGA alum, so I’d love to here from other Dawg fans. How on Earth did Mike Bobo land this job? It has to be because of what did as a player, which doesn’t always translate to coaching. If he gets fired, which seems to be inevitable, he stands no chance of landing a job with a Division 1 school.
South Dakota DAWG
September 26th, 2010
10:20 am
Anybody want to send me their GA/CO tickets so there will be at least one person wearing red at the game. Is it just me, or is there anyone else getting tired of the “red-shirt freshman” excuse? What’s that song “Pants on the Ground”? That’s where the UGA coaches are today and I hope they are starting to fell some hot flashes. To preserve his job Coach Mark Richt needs to make some coaching changes in house this week to show everyone he is willing to do something to spot the flood waters. Watching him one the sidelines against Mississippi State he looked like an abused wife, cowering in the corner, wringing her hands, while she watched her children get a beating. If he cares about Bobo he will make some in house change beyound his getting more involved in the offense, which hasn’t worked. His entire staff need to understand that in house changes are whats best for the team and if they don’t create positive change coaches can and will be replaced. Grantham is in the spotlight because his system isn’t working as we all dreamed. Bobo’s seat should be red hot because year in and year out he hasn’t improved. Promoting Coordinators from within is nice when they produce but we are not in a position to live with the growing pains this Offensive Coordinator has caused us this year. Tomorrow’s AJC headlines should read “Bobo goes back to QB coach and Ball named interim OC more changes could follow”
Big Dawg
September 26th, 2010
10:20 am
4:26 a.m. this morning and another one of Mark Richt’s players is in jail. Nice way to top off this wonderful weekend. And I just read on Twitter that AJ Green was caught trying to sell more jerseys. Said he wanted to be suspended for the rest of the season. LMAO
5150 P.O.A.D.
September 26th, 2010
10:20 am
Stay calm, the red panty covered iceburg we hit will not cause the UGA Titanic to sink. This ship in unsinkable. Looks like the coaching staff has lost the players. It looks like more fans are now against Richt. Even fans that wanted to keep Richt last week are starting to turn. I guess it is true that when the AD gives the public ststement supporting the coach the END is truly near. Has anybody seen Bobo at church? Did Bobo get home to find his wife and children already packed and the moving company pulling the trucks out of the driveway last night? Bobo just leave in the middle of the night so you don’t have to see all the fans lining the streets cheering as the Bobo clan leave Athens.
Snake Doc
September 26th, 2010
10:21 am
TrishaDishaWarEagle – No comment! LMAO
Brice Hunter
September 26th, 2010
10:21 am
Snake Doc and Catlady, you are correct. We do not have the intensity from our players to have a good football team. Hell, look at GA state in their first season. Under a good coach, most players can over achieve. Not with this team.
Mark Richt is the IDIOT not BOBO
September 26th, 2010
10:21 am
You numbnuts blaming Bobo are ignorant , stupid or both. MR runs the OFFENSE, its HIS OFFENSE. The BLAME IS ON HIM
Yellow Fuzz
September 26th, 2010
10:21 am
another 45-42 in Athens will be the final nail in the dogs coffin this year. Then, not even a Shreveport Bowl. Hahahahahahahahhaahahahahahahh
((((((((((((((((((((((((( Conference Chumpions ))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
MATHDAWG
September 26th, 2010
10:21 am
There is no excuse for CMR letting our team sink this low. He has the facilities, the budget, and a wealth of players in GA high schools. It is impossible to know which of those on his staff are to blame for the poor results we see on the field, but the buck stops with the head coach. McGarity will need to make an important coaching hire at the end of this year. I hope he goes for a proven winner rather than one who shows promise and used to the a Bulldog like Smart or Muschamp.
JB
September 26th, 2010
10:21 am
Ok, lot’s of mis information here……I read that Richt has two years left on contract, 2011 and 2012, so that’s about a 5.7 mil buyout….. Grantham got 3 years, so UGA will owe him 1.5 mil……… I don’t think money is the problem…..The problem is the old grand lady is in such disrepair that Big names will balk at this job, ( See Vols getting their man after 4-5 calls made to the “names”.)Peterson will not come. Muschamp might, but he’s unproven ( great salesman don’t usually make great managers theory) Pl;ease, Not Kirby….He’s Saban’s lackey………….I trust McGarity……We must trust him…….
MrDan
September 26th, 2010
10:22 am
I just heard from a psychic who lives in Bogart: UGA is under a curse! The curse descended two years ago when Alabama came into Athens, and it was ESPN game day. Look what happened after Lee Corso and Co. stepped onto campus. Tickets were being outrageously scalped, people were throwing up all over the place (night game-remember?), and all of a sudden everyone looked up and it was 0-31 halftime. Before the game started, everyone, fans, players, etc, thought they were something-big time team, big time program! They had made it on ESPN Game Day. But the fact is, by halftime, they realized the bus had left town already, and Nick Saban was driving and laughing, thinking boy we burst that bubble.. (psychic’s words, not mine). Last night was the culmination of what happened in Athens two years ago. Alabama’s goal was winning the national championship. Georgia’s goal-showtime; if you can call that a goal. It’s the nature of what type player(s) you recruit. Last night was the poorest excuse for a Bulldog football team I’ve witnessed in my lifetime (exception Aaron Murray-UGA has a QB). Not only mistakes (the only constant these days), but mistakes at the most critical of times and plays. A defensive secondary that ranks with only the worst of sub-tier teams. Georgia should have realized two years ago what they needed to do to keep this program competitive. They didn’t and now everyone needs to settle in for mediocrity.
BIG TECH FAN
September 26th, 2010
10:22 am
UGA Football is the Secretariat of the SEC but running fast and winning the wrong way!!!! LOOOOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Keep running to lose you idiots!!!! Go Bees!!
Just Saying
September 26th, 2010
10:22 am
IF I WERE A RECRUIT, THERE IS NO WAY I WOULD CONSIDER GEORGIA
running backs coach
September 26th, 2010
10:22 am
I have a new practice drill for the UGA running backs——-for 2 hours every day. the line of scrimmage is the center only—And there is a quarter back to hand off the ball—–no blockers!!—-the ball is hiked and handed off to the lone running back and there is 4 defensive men waiting for him——the task is to learn to run over people and also not fumble. I am sure it would be frustrating but the running backs would in time learn to do what they are supposed to do—-if they get injured, bring up the next backs, if you dont have anymore, create some—-the universe is vast—-get over your fears uga coaches—-or suffer. Now I have to go to my back yard and pet my baby dinosaur that wandered into my property yesterday. Peace be with you all. The sun is going to shine tommorrow.
Bama fans for bammers
September 26th, 2010
10:23 am
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
mowreck
September 26th, 2010
10:23 am
You UGA fans wouldn’t know a good coach, if he bit you in the AZZ. Why do the UGA fans ALWAYS want to blame coaching. This is one small example: You say “coaching” is why Washburn fumbled at the one, but you don’t know how hard he was hit or what contributed to the fumble. Every team works on fumble drills at practice every day. The coaches weren’t carrying the ball; Ealey was and a sophomore at that. Figure how many touches he has had since at UGA, then how many fumbles. I’m sure the percentage will blow your mind. Well, maybe not, cause its the coaches fault? What you need to do is GET BEHIND THE TEAM and COACHES and quit acting like cry babies. I don’t care how many “good recruits” you have or will have, if you don’t stay together and support the TEAM and COACHES, you will have NOTHING. And, this comes from a GT fan that is just as sick of losing as UGA is. We don’t have all the five star recruits and have to play with the cards we were given. I am down to we just don’t have the talent at certain positions on offense and defense to get it done.
AJ Green
September 26th, 2010
10:24 am
Man I aint got no jersey foe da Coloraddo game nexx week. I solt da only one i hadz.
harold
September 26th, 2010
10:24 am
Hear are some interesting facts. Georgia football under Richt has finally hit the wall.Richt is 20-15 in the SEC the las four years up to the humiliating loss yesterday. He has like a 65% winnining percentage in the SEC now. He has not been to the SEC Championship game for five long years now. Four people rejected the D coordinators job & Richt hires a guy that got fired from the Cleveland Browns.
Richt was a poor 4-4 last year and this year will be worse in the SEC. Mississippi State IS NOT a good football team, but they are better than Georgia. Georgia is 1-3 overall and 3-8 in its most recent games games against every other league member.
GEORGIA HAS LOST 7 OF ITS LAST 9 SEC CONFERENCE GAMES. THIS DEFENSE SUCKS AS THE MEDIA HAS INFERED, ( PLAYS OFF & A LOST SECONDARY), AND BOBO IS A BOZO. BUT THE REAL PROBLEM IS MARK RICHT.