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
johnnydawg
September 27th, 2010
8:52 am
I’ve been a dawg fan as far back as can remember.
I wacted them win the national championship in 1980 when I was 9 years old with my father and they played for 3 and won 1 in those years.
after vince retired I endured the Goff years and the Donnan years and both coaches will never be as good of coach as Mark Richt.
You guys can bash him all you want but he’s a great coach and knows what he’s doing.
A freshman quarterback and a new defensive coordinator it’ll just take some time to work things out.
this might not be the year of the dawg but we have had some great years under Mark richt.
Hell even as great of coach as Vince Dooley was he had some bad years.
I’ll stand by Mark Richt any day.
Jeff schultz as far back as i can remember all you’ve ever done was bash the dawgs in your little sports reports. you need to stick to the jackets footall page and lay-off our coach
Corninmypooh
September 27th, 2010
9:16 am
What makes the DawgNation think Chris Petersen is jumping at the chance to be the next head coach at UGA????
Here are the facts Schultz & Co.
1. Richt is going to be our head coach in 2011. I don’t care how many games we lose this year.
2. Why? He’s earned the credits.
3. After the 2010 season you can be assured Richt is going to make more coaching changes.
4. Georgia has enjoyed a 7-8 year stretch of excellence and like most programs it’s our time to run into a slump. That’s the nature of sports. We don’t like it, but it’s a fact of life. I can point to a half a dozen programs that were once powerhouses and are now floundering in an undercurrent of mediocrity.
5. We DO NOT have the personnel to effectively run Grantham’s defense, therefore Todd needs to re-evaluate his scheme and play to the strengths of what he has on hand (i.e. go back to a 4-3 until we can recruit a monster NT and find linebackers who can stop the run).
6. Lastly, like a I said before… there is NO guarantee a coach like Chris Petersen is going to leave Boise St. He’s a God in Idaho, why leave that situation to come to a fan base like ours? Doesn’t make a lot of sense to me. We owe Richt another season to right the ship regardless of what idiots like Jeff Schultz say. Schultz is in the scummy business of stirring up trouble to sell newspapers. He’s nothing more than an arm chair QB, just like the rest of us.
Snoop Dawg
September 27th, 2010
9:38 am
I don’t care what rabbit Preacha Man pulls out of the hat at this juncture. We need to get rid of him immediately. Make Grantham the interim coach until the end of the season. Richt’s payout will be a bargain!
Lofton
September 27th, 2010
9:44 am
Richt goes if the money goes. I am for one will not renew my season tickets next year. I wonder how many will not renew next year?
Corninmypooh
September 27th, 2010
10:08 am
Now is time to support the program, not jump ship when the kitchen is getting warm. You guys sound like a bunch of babies!!! Wawaaawaaa, I’m going to take my money and run. I have a recommendation for you… take your money and stick it where the sun doesn’t shine.
Ernest Sutton
September 27th, 2010
11:09 am
This is the worst looking Georgia team I have seen in 20 years. A worse statistic than the 1-3 start is the 2-7 record against the last 9 SEC opponents. I cannot recall the last time I saw a Dawg team play with such a lack of focus & pride…..and that is a direct reflection on the coaching staff. I believe Bulldog Nation deserves a thorough house cleaning in Athens.
ChippersLoveChild
September 27th, 2010
11:24 am
I’m curious as to why so many of you thought Georgia was a national powerhouse to begin with? They had a good stretch under Richt, but they are back to where most of the country viewed them in the first place.
JacksonvilleDawg
September 27th, 2010
11:40 am
Fire Richt and company, 2009 was his year to fix things and he failed, 2010 is another year to fix things and so far he miserably failed! what else we should do? I see Georgia need a new identity, new fresh blood. I think Richt made huge mistake by hiring Bobo as OC. Bobo is terrible
mdawg
September 27th, 2010
11:43 am
Richt is the 6th highest paid coach in college football. Everyone above him has won a NATIONAL TITLE. The time for change was after Moreno and Stafford left. That team was our best hope to contend nationally. Rich tried and failed…all at the expense of the Bulldog Nation. Shell out the cash and bring in a coach that has already won a national tile. No up and comers. Not even Smart. I always thought Bob Stoops would be a good fit. He is the highest paid coach, but might be more apt to come to the SEC in light of the realignment in the BIG 12. Richt does not deserve another year. He didn’t deserve this year. He really doesn’t deserve another day, but I guess we’re stuck with him for this season. We only have one more automatic win and that’s against Idaho St. Pretty sad.
Joey
September 27th, 2010
12:02 pm
Hey Jeff,
You’ve sensationalized the situation—AGAIN!!! Then again, this is the AJC.
Truth:
Richt’s top 5 win % for coaches with more than 5 years, and yes, Richt’s ranked in the top 20 for wins SINCE 2005 too!!
Richt finished in the top 10 in the country as recently as 2007 (#2), and 2008 (#10).
You simply like to exaggerate.
Just wanted to share the truth.
Itchy Dawg
September 27th, 2010
12:20 pm
Hey something to cheer about. 10 arrests, which is more than any hope for potential victories. When will this charade ever end? Maybe Richt can go back to the Criminoles.
Wonderful
September 27th, 2010
12:26 pm
What a great way to start the week: All the loud-mouth, barking, trash talking UGA rednecks are quiet for a change. I truly feel sorry for the students and alumni, but for the rest of you clowns that have never had any connection to the school other than to cheer for their football factory, “Happy Days Are Here Again.” Most of the UGA fans can’t even spell the name of the state they live in, let alone ever hope to have any real connection to the annex of the Clarke County Jail aka UGA football!
Dawgforlife
September 27th, 2010
12:27 pm
http://pricezack.wordpress.com/2010/09/14/can-georgia-win-a-championship-with-mark-richt/ georgia can not win with Mark Richt. He can not coach and has only had success because he gets good players. imagine if he could coach these guys up
Dawg Gone
September 27th, 2010
12:28 pm
Wonderful:
As much as I would like to punch you out, you are absolutely right. Nuff said. By the way, I live in Goergia…
Bonehead
September 27th, 2010
12:34 pm
GEORGIA: G-glory as in glory days are done, E-embarrassment, O-offense as in criminal offenses, R-red panties, G-grimace on your faces, I-There is no I in TEAM, A-Awful, just plain awful.
Dirty Dawg
September 27th, 2010
12:40 pm
Someone needs to bring some honor back to the program. No more administrators arrested for DUI with his pssenger’s panties in his lap. No more recruiting the thugs that get in trouble with the law. No more pampering those who do run afoul of the law. What the hell happened to a once proud program?
Bob
September 27th, 2010
12:41 pm
That once proud program got a big dose of FSU style football and look where it got us.
DawgBone
September 27th, 2010
12:44 pm
Firing Richt isn’t the answer. Putting him on a two, three years tops, short leash sure, but not terminating now. He has something special with Murray, assuming he doesn’t get seriously injured running for his life this season. He can build a team around him. The defense will come around in the new system. This season is a nightmare no doubt, but the future can be bright. Richt has earned another season or two to rebound, but if it doesn’t improve under the Murray era then it will undoubtedly be time to cut ties.
@ Wonderful
September 27th, 2010
12:46 pm
Who is your team? Do you have the stones to admit it?
Wonderful
September 27th, 2010
12:49 pm
I am 1986 alumnus of the University of Alabama. So, I do have a real connection to that school.
Typical Tech fan
September 27th, 2010
12:49 pm
I’m not ashamed to admit, I’d gladly have my own program go 0-12 every season if it meant I’d get to enjoy watching a UGA humiliation like this one unfold in return.
@Wonderful
September 27th, 2010
12:50 pm
Suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuure you are
Tarus
September 27th, 2010
12:51 pm
wonderful — Since it took throwing the kitchen sink at Saban just to get him to come there, what will you do once he leaves for the NFL again in another season or two? Just curious……
Evan
September 27th, 2010
12:53 pm
I’d gladly take our driving infractions and underage drinking over the felony criminal garbage that has come out of Tuscaloosa over the years.
hahahahhaa!!!!!!!
September 27th, 2010
12:58 pm
How convenient!!!! The most vocal faceless bashers of the Dawgs on here now are all at once “Bama” fans!!!! If Boise by a miracle wins it all this year then next season these same “Bama” fans will all at once be Broncos.
Come on gutless bug fans, at least be man enough to stand by your pathetic program!!!!
Devil's Advocate
September 27th, 2010
1:01 pm
If CMR kicked each and every gangbanger off the team today, things would improve today.
Miss State fan
September 27th, 2010
1:10 pm
Saw a tee shrit in Wal Mart… It read “Losing Never heard of it”… Guess what team? Here is your clue…. colors are Red and Black..Boy talk about having a healthy concept !! And Mr Schultz, I am from New Orleans and my family still lives there.. You made the comment that you were leaving Starkville and going to go back to civilization.. I know a lot of people who have never thought of New Orleans being civilized.. Yep Starkville is a small college town. I graduated from there and my 2 boys, who by the way grew up in Marietta, Ga, go to school there and they love the small town atmosphere.. To each his own….
Poll time: Who deserves most blame for Georgia's offense? | Jeff Schultz
September 27th, 2010
1:25 pm
[...] should take the most blame for this? Offensive coordinator Mike Bobo has been the most criticized. He deserves some credit for falling on the sword in Starkville, saying: “You can’t turn the ball over, and you can’t have penalties. That’s coaching. It’s our [...]
Miss State fan = lowly Yechie
September 27th, 2010
1:36 pm
How is that Nesbitt Heisman campaign working out for ya? LOL!!!
j-dawg
September 27th, 2010
1:37 pm
wonderful –
Do you know how we know you are full of it? For a Tide fan to dare talk about a base’s fans that never attended the university is probably the pinnacle of hypocrisy. Thanks for the laugh, nerd!!!
C Redding
September 27th, 2010
1:55 pm
I am taking up a collection for the “FIRE BOBO NOW” campaign.
Anyone wish to contribute?
Your Mom
September 27th, 2010
2:18 pm
To all the Mark Richt Haters: I would like you to go to a Division 1 school as a head coach and try to deal with 18-23 year olds. Think about what you were doing when you were that age, or what you are doing. You people are idiots if you think that Coach Richt has no discipline. Dealing with young adults is a difficult task in general because they are YOUNG adults!!! Have you ever been to down town Athens and just looked (or taken part in) what there is to offer. Not to mention keeping the team disciplined on the field. Its tough to battle every area in life.
As far as recruits go, I can think of at least 7 GREAT players that left the team early to go to the NFL. Two being Stafford and Moreno. Well you say that had their chance, sure they did, but what if that would have stayed. They have only been gone a year. Then we lose Rennie Curran who was a GREAT linebacker, leader, and person. COME ON PEOPLE!!!!!! Get a grip!!!!!!
Sure I agree there are some major problems with play calling, defensive assignments, and lack of motivation. Mark Richt needs to bget back to the offensive genius he is and take over the plays. Grantham needs to get his defensive installed already and quit shifting guys around. And Bobo needs to go somewhere! Richt is a great man with AWESOME integrity with a love for the Lord that some of you may want to look into. All I am saying when God is for you who can be against you? Things will come back together, and Richt will do what it takes, but it is dummies like all you nay sayers out here that will kill a program quick! No support=ultimate fail! I am behind my Dawgs 100% and I always will! Richt I am praying for you! To everyone else….GET A GRIP!!!!!! (oh and btw it is just a game)
Russ
September 27th, 2010
2:24 pm
If it’s true that, as some have said, last Saturday night’s game was Dan Mullen’s audition for the UGA job, he obviously passed with flying colors. I wanted Manny Diaz as the D coordinator at UGA when Willie was fired and we would get him if we got Mullen. UGA has become UT in the last days of Fulmer. It has become Auburn in the last days of Tuberville. We all know what happened at those schools.
j-dawg
September 27th, 2010
3:32 pm
Russ,
Mullen has strong ties with our new AD, that’s for sure. That’s no guarantee for the job, if there is an opening in the near future, but it certainly puts him at the top of the list. Personally, I’m just writing this off as a down year. A VERY down year at that, but I wouldn’t throw in the towel just yet.
marcus caldwell
September 27th, 2010
4:21 pm
I’m a Georgia Bulldog fan and I live in Alabama its awful to see how the dawgs have been playing. The players can’t tackle,the running backs can’t hold on to the ball. The game plans seem very can we at least try to throw the ball downfield. I mean cmon the offense looks terrible and the defense looks even worse. Its not the players fault they aren’t prepared to play ball. Its time for a new era we need a coach who is not affraid to let these young talented guys play some ball.
Dogfan85
September 27th, 2010
5:09 pm
As a Georgia graduate and life long Bulldogs fan, I am embarrassed to claim them as my team. The majority of the players act as if they are doing us a favor by showing up. Reality check – these guys don’t act as if they even want to be on the field. Come on Coach Richt, get mad, show some emotion, bench these “starters” if they don’t want to leave it on the field. This is supposed to be Georgia Football – not Ga Tech Football – what a joke!!!
Dogfan85
September 27th, 2010
5:14 pm
PS – Your Mom – I don’t hear about Nick Saban having these issues with players. If you break the rules, your off the team – no more scholarships for those that don’t appreciate them. How many 18-24 years olds get full ride scholarships? Not many. I agree Coach Richt is a great guy on a personal level but as far as a coach of a major university with a history of greatness on the football field, I just don’t know. And…it’s not just a game
RIP UGA
September 27th, 2010
5:29 pm
Rest in peace UGA. Born of a bitch fathered by a jackalow and killed by a mad dog.
RIP UGA
September 27th, 2010
5:32 pm
Ugalo, oh Ugalo, where art thou oh Ugalo. I be chilling the cement hotel with my homies.
RayDawg
September 28th, 2010
9:33 am
Before go firing them all we have to consider the recruiting class we just landed and getting them signed…fire Bobo now, then in March fire ‘em all!!!!
RayDawg
September 28th, 2010
9:42 am
YOUR MOM-
Enough is enough…YOUR MOM your are exactly the type of apologist that I am referring to! I’m a Dawg from Tampa, (actually HB Plant HS, the same school as Aaron Murray and Orson Charles) and up until the evil genius, ol’ ball coach, showed up I enjoyed watching UGA regularly beat up on the gators, since then (excluding a win every 6 years) I have been subjected to vicious tongue thrashings from friends and family alike. Not to mention a chronic broken heart. So maybe I am a little hyper sensitive to our performance on and off the field. With that said, enough with the apologists (e.g. YOUR MOM) excuses and support for CMR and his staff’s performance…by no means am I calling for CMR’s job (yet), but I’m tired of reading articles and blogs and hear how great his winning percentage is, how great a man he is and how strong his faith is…(since I share his faith and trust in God, I know that God’s grace is abundant), but on the football field I want a general who will not turn the other cheek, but crush our opponents, not a lamb who extends the olive brach. CMR just doesn’t have the “it” factor, as he did his first 5 years…and we, the Bulldog Nation (BN), seem to accept a few SEC titles, and a high winning percentage, as being enough to accept this lack luster play of late. Most of my family (God forgive them) are Gators…their attitude and swagger (of which I am extremely jealous) is a direct reflection of their team and their Coach(es). I want that back! Has the BN forgot what it was like to dominate the SEC and FL? If those of you reading this think that is too much to ask maybe you should support that trade school over on North Ave…but I think UGA should be winning championships; SEC and National. We have great talent, but they are consistently under achieving. Their lack of discipline, on and off the field can only be contributed to coaching. And the BN is acting timid; afraid to confront the coaching staff and hold them accountable to the level of success that UGA is deserving of…So I ask you; will you stop with the apologizes and support for CMR just because he is a great man? We should expect him to be a great coach, a fearless leader and a field general, who draws up the strategy that beats down our opponents, that’s what he owes UGA and the BN…let God judge him as a person, we can only judge, Performance: CHAMPIONSHIPS!
Go Dawgs…beat the gators!
TampaPlant_Dawg a/k/a Super Gator Hater!
UGA
September 28th, 2010
10:02 am
Alright damnit, stop making me roll over in my grave. I’m trying to sleep down here.
Dawg 43
September 28th, 2010
10:07 am
Man I catching it from these Oklahoma Sooner fans, please Georgia do something. I can’t go outside right now without my neighbors ragging on me and my co workers are rubbing my nose all in this dawg mess.
Georgia Sucks Tuesday – Sept. 28 « Jean Shorts Torture
September 28th, 2010
10:22 am
[...] Schultz: Georgia’s embarrassment grows more historical by week [...]
Pablo Escabar
September 28th, 2010
2:58 pm
Has anyone considered the fact that our strength coach is one of CMR’s best friends. Have we not been completly dominated since Van gorder left? We get pushed all over the field. Since our 06 lost to Vandy on homecoming I have yet to witness a GAME we couldnt have lost. Thank the gods for sending us a A.D. like McGarrity. Quit making excuses and come up with a game plan. Quit hitting the bars and get in the weight room.
wilddawg
September 28th, 2010
3:50 pm
C’mon people! Sheesh! Look at Mark Richt’s record before these past 3 years. Where Georgia is hurting is not on the field but the Recruiting Battles! Every week we play against teams that have a ton of players from our state. Look at South Carolina that is where we really have lost a lot of players not to forget Alabama and Auburn. If Richt is going to be successful 2 things need to be done. Get someone that can recruit and get rid of BObomb! His play calling is so predicitble. Everyone give the new Defense a chance to work. This guy is trying to install an NFL style defense in but it will take time. We can write off this year so let see if Georgia doesn’t improve on and off the field and if we fail next year then time for Richt to go.
JukesHokie
September 30th, 2010
8:46 pm
Georgia is not the worst college football team in America; it’s Virginia Tech by a landslide !!!