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
needums
September 26th, 2010
11:23 am
It all starts with the caliber of the player they are recruiting, yeah these guys are 4-5 star recruits but the majority of them are thugs who think they can do what ever they want and don’t really care about the consequences. Why? because they don’t really care what CMR thinks and have lost all respect for the man. When I went to the Arkansas game, during the tv time out UGA was losing and some of the players were still dancing in the huddle when there was music playing, we were LOSING and they were dancing around looking like a bunch of idiots. If our coach allows such a lack of focus then this team will go 2-10, be a complete embarassment and lose the respect and support of everybody. I love Georgia football, we teach our boys from rec all the way through highschool to play with pride and vigor and mainly to represent just who we are and what we can do. Is this really the best we can do? Is this UGA football? I say NO and it’s the coaches job to get the right players to represent what this great state is all about and all of these arrests off the field is a true testement that the wrong players are being recruited and CMR has lost all control
jerry
September 26th, 2010
11:23 am
Snake, you are right. The AD will have to be the hatchet man.
Demetre Baker
September 26th, 2010
11:23 am
Tradition! Drinking, Driving, Getting Arrested. Proud to continue the tradition
The Ghost of Wally Butts
September 26th, 2010
11:24 am
Looks like Arrest # 10 (Baker) is yet another Rodney Garner recruiting success story….
UGA clearly has the rep of a place where thugs can do as they please – with no fear of serious consequences from the coaches.
K. Wittingham
September 26th, 2010
11:24 am
Wake up people. Hire me
Damon Evans
September 26th, 2010
11:24 am
Red panties for Coach Richt.
Snake Doc
September 26th, 2010
11:26 am
@ trey – What you just described is the reason MR must go. If you can’t separate personal and professional responsibilities, loyalties you shouldn’t be a head coach.
If you can’t do the hard thing, you can’t do the right thing!
Reality Dawg
September 26th, 2010
11:27 am
Every one in this blogosphere is just a typical loser UGA fan. That includes Trey, Larry, Snake Doc, and the rest of you blue collar time card punchers. Hell, I can’t sense the anger… only a bunch of debate and intellectualizing of the loss. Look at you Snake Doc… weak little sister… trying to come to terms with this loss. We aren’t mean enough… it’s that simple. We don’t compete and our fans are now showing the same softness. I can’t even get a good argument going on this blog. We have hit rock bottom for sure… we are soft.
Snake Doc
September 26th, 2010
11:27 am
@ Jerry – Its a sad day for UGA!
5150 P.O.A.D.
September 26th, 2010
11:27 am
Well, who will be the QB when Tech comes to Athens to play the dawgs? I am pretty sure if Murry tries to run against Auburn, then there will just be pieces left of him after the game.
Russ555
September 26th, 2010
11:28 am
Starting kicking players off the team for good for DUI and drinking, etc. Message will get around. Everytime something happens and no action is taken players get the message it’s no big deal. Can’t win games with this going on.
jerry
September 26th, 2010
11:28 am
trey @ 11:22: ” Richt can’t separate his personal feelings and allow himself to see the work failures of his coaches.”
You may have just described the problem in a nutshell. Way to go.
Reality Dawg
September 26th, 2010
11:29 am
You are wrong, Russ. We need to go the other way and have our players get in some bar fights!
Russ555
September 26th, 2010
11:29 am
Kick them off the team for good for drinking and DUI. Message will get through.
Can’t win games with this going on.
Swooshy
September 26th, 2010
11:29 am
I watched the Alabama – Arkansas game and when the Georgia Game came on i thought i was watching a High School Game
MST8DAWGNGA
September 26th, 2010
11:29 am
Hope yall enjoyed Starkvegas, Yall come back now ya hear! MORE COWBELL
Demetre Baker
September 26th, 2010
11:29 am
CMR said there are serious consquences to underage drinking, driving, and getting arrested. Its called moving up the depth chart baby. Gotta love a coach like that.
Ozzy
September 26th, 2010
11:30 am
Time to put all that Georgia gear back up in the attic boys. Get the box down with all the SEC gear.
That’s what you do when you suck, right?
SEC! SEC! SEC!
down and out
September 26th, 2010
11:30 am
Hunker was hurt in the first game and hasn’t been seen since!!!
Reality Dawg
September 26th, 2010
11:30 am
We are officially soft now. Russ has confirmed it.
Snake Doc
September 26th, 2010
11:30 am
@ Reality Dawg _ We aren’t mean enough. We need coaches that will teach this team to kick a$$ and not worry about taking names! We need a team that when punched in the face, Our team will stomp your a$$ in to the ground, will punch you back so hard that you’ll have drop trou to chew your food!
Hell yeah I’m pi$$ed off. MR is the problem, this team is weak and soft!
I want a team that beats the living daylight out of every team it plays! We haven’t had that type of team in a long darn time!
Russ555
September 26th, 2010
11:30 am
You are wrong, Russ. We need to go the other way and have our players get in some bar fights
___
Bar fights are ok. DUI’s are not.
MST8DAWGNGA
September 26th, 2010
11:31 am
Yall might can get Houston Nutt.
Demetre Baker
September 26th, 2010
11:31 am
I was going to get in a bar fight but I was afraid of getting my butt kicked by those Code Pink folks.
Jim
September 26th, 2010
11:31 am
Georgia may have more highly rated talent (for whatever that’s worth), but they were were out-coached and “out-hearted.” MSU controlled the trenches. MSU has played great defense in all of its SEC games. You can say how bad Georgia is, but MSU is a much better team than it has been this decade, and this young team is only getting better.
Reality Dawg
September 26th, 2010
11:32 am
Now we are talking Russ. I got one convert to the “Get Mean Now Campaign”. Who’s with us?
Is there a website
September 26th, 2010
11:32 am
Is there a website with a replay of last night’s game? Tks in advance.
StillProudDawg
September 26th, 2010
11:32 am
Come on Dawg fans. Its not our job to worry about who’s coaching. Its our job to support the team even in tough times like these. We have a tradetion of great fan support so we need to continue that. It looks like we won’t win our 6th National Championship this year, but it could still be a good year – beating the geeks will help.
As another poster said Hunker Down and go Dawgs!
Bill
September 26th, 2010
11:33 am
Mark Richt is a great coach and a good man. All of his former players have great regard for him. Ask David Pollock, David Greene and Matthew Stafford what kind of coach and man Richt is. People who know Richt, who have played for him or coached with him will tell you the same. He is a great coach and a better man. If you Richt haters get what you want it will be 10 years before GA will even be on the radar again. It is totally foolish to think of bringing Boise or TCU or SMU coach here. Richt is having a tough couple of years. He will be fine. Team will be fine. He is going to lead us through this. I am confident that the AD and President will strongly support CMR. I hope that you Richt bashers do not get what you want. To lose Richt would hurt UGA. What a lack of vision you, “what have you done for me lately” fans are. The sad story in UGA’s losses is not the coaching staff but the fair weather fans who when the going gets tough have one answer and it is to fire everyone in sight. Sad. Sad. Sad. Grow up. Get a vision. Support our coach. Lets not lose CMR.
Demetre Baker
September 26th, 2010
11:34 am
Finally got bailed out. Gotta to go to my pizza delivery job. Better get a six pack before I go. Damn – forgot its Sunday
Snake Doc
September 26th, 2010
11:34 am
All we have is a coach who sends his team to dance in the end zone after scoring a TD against UF. Thereby embarrassing the school, all UGA Fans, alums, the team and himself. Thereby making the Cryer so mad that his team will not stomp the guts out of us every time we play them.
Dancing in the end zone. coming to a tv near you.
What a bush league stunt that was! MR must go!
Reality Dawg
September 26th, 2010
11:34 am
Jim… don’t come on this blog talking X’s and O’s. We are on a mission to restore the Junkyard Dawg to his proper psyce. Demetre… are you on your way to Skyy’s bar?
jerry
September 26th, 2010
11:34 am
In the first half Alabama was in the shotgun about 80% of the time and I did not see any play fakes until the 2nd half, AFTER the running game was established.
buzzwax
September 26th, 2010
11:35 am
If CMR is fired, who would hire him and his lack of institutional control?
Average recruiting rankings the last five years per scout….
UGA – 10.2
USCe – 24.2
Miss St – 31.2
Arkansas – 28.6
Ga Tech – 34.8
NCST – 43.4
stendek
September 26th, 2010
11:35 am
Mark Wretch and Mike Dodo needed as missionaries in Africa…
http://stendekk.wordpress.com/georgia-bulldogs-plummet-to-very-bottom-in-mississippi/
Snake Doc
September 26th, 2010
11:35 am
oops should read Hi team will stomp the guts out of us every time we play UF, until MR is gone and we get a coach with some fire!
Reality Dawg
September 26th, 2010
11:35 am
Snake Doc… you need to grow a pair!
dawgfan
September 26th, 2010
11:36 am
Do you people really think our problems are as simple as hiring a new OC? LMAO. We could have Bill Walsh calling the plays right now and it wouldn’t make a bit of difference. The game is about blocking, tackling, and beating the guy in front of you. We suck at all of those things. We are a poor fundamental football team and it shows. I’m tired of Richt’s emotional ra ra crap. “We all need to look inside of ourselves and blah, blah, blah.” No coach, you need to teach these guys how to play the game of football. If they don’t want to learn, you need to recruit guys that do want to learn. The guy sounds like he’s in a therapy session everytime things go south. He needs to cut the touchy feely crap and get back to basics. I will always remain a fan and wish him the best, but the guy has completely lost his edge. The sooner we all come to terms with that the better off we’ll be. Its over.
He should go coach in the ACC. He’d work that sissy conference like a rodeo clown. I could see him coaching at Clemson or something. I don’t know. I’d be a big fan of whatever school he went to.
Demetre Baker
September 26th, 2010
11:36 am
Any good ideas on how I should entertain next week’s recruits? CMR said I need to show them why UGA is the place for them.
5150 P.O.A.D.
September 26th, 2010
11:36 am
StillProud you can support the dawgs all you want and you can be a pair of Red Panties that support all the balls the dawgs have.
I hope all the dawg fans keep supporting coach richt and bobo. I am sure all the teams uga plays will be more than happy to help cover Richt’s, Bobo’s, and Grantham’s pay for the rest of the season and next years to.
the warden
September 26th, 2010
11:37 am
I believe if you trace the downfall of this program, it started in earnest when Mark Richt “encouraged” his players to do that little stupid celebration in the endzone during the Florida game. Once the coach becomes an enabler of that type of poor sportsmanship and downright thuggery, the program is doomed to failure. Soon afterward came all those stupid penalties and the celebrations and dancing for tackling someone after a 20 yard gain yet you are losing on the scoreboard. It continues with the weekly arrests of players for clearly stupid behavior. Look at the history of great coaches in the game. 90+% of them demanded respect, sportsmanship and class of their players. (a notable exception being Jimmy Johnson). But the Bear Bryants, Joe Paterno’s, etc. just don’t put up with it. Watch Ohio State play, every year they are truly in the National Championship hunt (not to be confused with the deluded UGA fans thinking they are!), but they go about their game plan with professional control. Same with Texas. Same with Alabama. Did you see the discipline being enforced in full Saturday when Alabama was losing by Saban? UGA will never be a true contender until they get a coach who commands respect of the game and of others. And that coach will also need to release over half of the current thugs of their scholarships or spend 4 to 6 years recruiting decent individuals.
It is poetic justice to see this team crumble and self destruct. Learn your lessons DawgNation, act with some class and you may truly become world class. But that is going to be a long time coming !
Snake Doc
September 26th, 2010
11:38 am
Reality Dawg! – I’m on the way to Skyy’s bar, be there in 10, I’ll be waiting for ya! If you got the stones! of course with peas beneath your miniture dingy I know you won’t show up! As Dye said – You ain’t man enough!
Bill
September 26th, 2010
11:39 am
Calling all fans. SUPPORT CMR. Write, call, email UGA with your support. Don’t let a few fair weather fans crying loud impact coaching decision. All who know CMR and know College football know how fortunate we are to have CMR. SUPPORT RICHT.
Liberty Bowl
September 26th, 2010
11:39 am
Memphis is awesome in December, no need for sun screen lotion here!
Wreckmaniac
September 26th, 2010
11:39 am
UGA has just exposed the so-called star rating system by Scout and Rivals as a fraud. If I were a coach, I would never trust these rankings and would say ” Oh yea, look at what those 5 stars have done at Georgia” LIke Brier Rabbit said: ” Please don’t send me any 5 stars”
Russ555
September 26th, 2010
11:39 am
They need to quit drinking and start fighting. That includs Mark.
Snake Doc
September 26th, 2010
11:40 am
@ Dawgfan – You are correct sir! Astute observation and comments.
For Reality Dawg – Astute means – having or showing shrewdness and perspicacity.
Reality Dawg
September 26th, 2010
11:40 am
I’ll be there Snake Doc… and within 30 seconds you will be doctoring my snake. See you in 10 pudgy! Don’t worry, Michael Stipe will come out and tend to you after I knock you out!
Reality Dawg
September 26th, 2010
11:42 am
I love it Russ…
Demetre Baker
September 26th, 2010
11:42 am
We need to support CMR. He gives us players such great guidance and leadership. He helps us in our times of trouble. He encourages us to carry on the great tradition. He’s our best friend. He’s such a great communicator. We’ve learned so much from him.