Poll time: Who deserves most blame for Georgia’s offense?
Mark Richt, Aaron Murray and Mike Bobo are wondering what happened to the offense.
Before getting to the point of this blog, let me quickly weigh in on Georgia coach Mark Richt’s decision to kick Demetre Baker off the team for a DUI and underage drinking: kudos.
This isn’t to celebrate a foolish youth’s mistakes. Baker isn’t the first college kid to be involved in underage drinking and driving. But Richt’s only hope of getting through to players in his program — which has seen 10 arrests since the spring — may be a zero tolerance stance because clearly nothing else has been working.
Loading ...Baker will be fine. Public humiliation is a shock to the system but it can be good for one’s personal growth.
Now, about the Georgia offense: No kudos.
The Bulldogs were held to two field goals at South Carolina, smothered for a good part of the Arkansas game and were limited to two field goals Saturday at Mississippi State until a meaningless touchdown with 1:27 left in the game.
Pass protection has been erratic and run blocking has been poor, surprising given that the offensive line was supposed to be the strength of the team. Quarterback Aaron Murray has made typical freshman mistakes but for the most part he has been impressive. The running game has been disappointing and Kris Durham has been the lone receiver to make big plays in the absence of the suspended A.J. Green (who returns this week).
So who 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 fault.”
But by now, you should know where I stand on this: Issues always start at the top. To me, the problem is less play-calling (albeit, that’s some of it) than it is attitude and intelligence. That’s on the head coach.
Whom do you blame for the struggles? Here are some options:
♦ Richt: The Dogs did not look prepared to play Saturday in Starkville, nor have they looked well prepared in the past several SEC games (2-7 going back to last year). They often don’t play with a sense of urgency. They’re not committing as many personal foul penalties in the past but we still see too many mental breakdowns and times when they get beat physically. The head coach sets the tone.
♦ Bobo: He has been criticized for not using more high-percentage short passes in the game plan, and for a lack of creativity in the game plan. But as we’ve previously discussed in this corner, Xs and Os don’t work if a team isn’t knocking over the opponent.
♦ Stacy Searels: Either Georgia’s linemen have been way overrated or the offensive line coach isn’t coaching them up. Searels is in his fourth season in Athens. He was highly regarded when he arrived from LSU in 2007 and was believed to have been given a raise to not go to Auburn with new head coach Gene Chizik last year.
I’ll throw two other choices into the poll: All of the above and none of the above (which is a vote to blame the players).
So who takes the hit for this?
♦
SACK SCHULTZ: Dude, this contest is like totally ruining my street cred. Went 10-5 last week. At 31-14 overall. Two guys named Ills (Georgia) and Axmann (Wisconsin) lead at 39-6. I’m pretty sure they’re cheating. If you haven’t played, it’s not too late too humiliate me! Click here for details and then here to enter.
♦
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845 comments Add your comment
Vance Duuley
September 27th, 2010
4:48 pm
Odell T.: Michael Adams is to blame for not putting a stop to bad behavior from the time the Dogs sold their conference rings on eBay. Mark Richt is to blame for recruiting hoodlums with promises of big NFL contracts and not enforcing any standards of behavior. Georgia fans are to blame for turning a blind eye as long as Richt was winning games.
Odell T. sums it up very nicely. And the very first thing that Richt seriously needs to do – right now – is to get rid of Green and Ealey. These punks are like cancer to a program that badly needs to get on the road to recovery. The thug wannabes on the team have to know that unsocial or illegal behavior will not be tolerated. Dismissing the redshirt guy yesterday is not nearly enough. Richt has to regain control of the team, and he’s never going to do that with Green and Ealey mocking him. Get rid of them both now and move on.
coach e
September 27th, 2010
4:51 pm
Who makes the 2 -3 million dollars a year? That is who is responsible for the whole show. They hire (staff), recruit, teach, and call the plays. $$$ = responsibility
Porta Pottie
September 27th, 2010
4:51 pm
Richt is the Captain here on this sinking shipping…Bobo is merely a first mate. Different plays are called all day long but execution is what makes them work. Execution is decipline and assignments being carried out in a workmans fashion…UGA players look confused and unfocused on both sides of the ball this year. Making the first mate walk the plank will not help the ship after it’s already hit an iceberg. The best we can hope for now is to send all hands on deck down to repair the massive hole and try to bale out the water before she sinks further down. There are no life rafts, if it sinks they all go down with the ship. Start building a new boat next year with a new crew….
Jawja
September 27th, 2010
4:51 pm
Ain’t no sunshine til he’s gone away.
huck finn
September 27th, 2010
4:52 pm
well i just patched up my make shift raft, are you serious the DAWGS lost? how is that possible. WELL I WILL TELL YOU, THE OFFENSE FORMATION IS A SHAM, EVERYONE KNOWS WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO DO,ITS OBSOLETE,PERIOD. TIMES HAVE CHANGED, YOU CANNOT KEEP CALLING THOSE OLD TIME PLAYS, NOW IF WERE GONNA LOSE LET US LOSE WITH A LITTLE FLAIR. EVERYONE KNOWS WHAT tech IS DOING ALSO, THATS WHY THEY ARE doa ALSO. MARK JUST TOLD ME TO GET OFF THE INTERNET AND BACK ON THE RIVERBOAT. I NEED A VARSITY DAWG.
Delbert D.
September 27th, 2010
4:52 pm
Hire, excuse me, I mean *recruit* quality people.
Rocket Scientist
September 27th, 2010
4:53 pm
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to to see that the long-term trend in UGA football is down. To start that trend going upward, major changes have to be made.
Unless the fans and alumni are okay with being dead last in the SEC.
dublin dawg
September 27th, 2010
4:53 pm
Mark Richt is good man! i know because i had a relative play for him. It starts at the top! I will leave you with this example to ponder. If 2 people are in a boat and the boat is sinking, but there is only 1 lifejacket guess who I save first. You guessed it ME. Coach the boat is sinking …. save yourself!! Make the necessary changes today and don’t worry about what the Alumns think or any Administrator at UGA!!! Fix it NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Stander
September 27th, 2010
4:54 pm
I don’t think it is remotely fair or productive to assign blame the players as a whole, If one player steps too far out of line like Baker and Green, then you assess whether they are salvagable or not and take appropriate actions based on that anaylsis. To lay a blanket of blame over the players as a whole is ridiculous, in college football much more than any other sport the players as a whole are a reflection of the personality and efforts of the head coach, any vote for the players should be added to the tally Richt has accumulated. I don’t think you can make any where near as strong an argument that the assistants are a direct reflection of the head coach, 25 years ago that would be the case, but football has changed and increasingly head coaches try not to overly meddle with the head assistants.
Jawja
September 27th, 2010
4:56 pm
And besides, there ain’t no competent football coach worth 2 hoots coming to Redneckville (Athens) so you’d better keep what you got. See Smart as in Kirby Smart who wanted to stay with a WINNER,,,A CHAMPION. I read about money earlier. Sounds to me like Bama SHOWED the money.
Delbert D.
September 27th, 2010
4:57 pm
If you can’t use your regular handle to say it, leave it unsaid. Blogs are no place for ‘fraidy cats.
5150 P.O.A.D
September 27th, 2010
4:57 pm
UGAs Oline stops PENERATION as well as a freshman Tri DELTA pledge on a friday night. UGAs and GTs D couldn’t stop Bill Clinton from doing the CIGAR thing to Monica L. if they were Hilary C standing right there when it happened.
Herschel Talker
September 27th, 2010
4:58 pm
“Delbert — Donnan didn’t win 2 SEC titles. That buys a coach some credits.”
Donnan had to reckon with Spurrier and Fulmer in their primes. Richt had Ron Zook. ‘Nuff said.
FIRE MARK RICHT
Yellow Fuzz
September 27th, 2010
4:59 pm
I know these are the worst dog fans in 10 years but is it the worst team as well?
AM
September 27th, 2010
4:59 pm
Remind me –what is Richt’s annual salary? He is ultimately responsible for the UGA’s performance. If he can’t coach with the other “big dogs” of the SEC maybe it is time for him to move on. The team needs more discipline –on and off the field.
fan of another team
September 27th, 2010
5:00 pm
How bout them Dawgs now?!?!? 1-3 *snicker* See you on the field later this year.
English Bob
September 27th, 2010
5:00 pm
I must say the bloody Dogs aren’t playing satisfactorily mates. I do believe a changing of the guard is in order. What in the bloody hell is the matter with Prince Richt’s offense. I score more touchdowns per day with a bloody chamber maiden than the Dogs have all season. Sayeth I. All hail to the Queen of England.
Yellow Fuzz
September 27th, 2010
5:00 pm
Hey DawgInLace:
You workin tonight?
President Obama
September 27th, 2010
5:00 pm
Blaming Bush always works!
That's A Good One
September 27th, 2010
5:01 pm
earlier post,,,ga players don’t let the officials see your ankle braclets.
rincon dawg
September 27th, 2010
5:02 pm
**********ATTENTION ALL DAWG FANS***************
GO TO GEORGIADOGS.COM AND EMAIL THE AD TO FIRE CMR.
thats the only way he will get the message thanks
Lou Holtz aka the Spitting Cobra
September 27th, 2010
5:03 pm
“fan of another team”- not exactly sticking your neck out there, are you little fella?
Consider
September 27th, 2010
5:04 pm
Bobby Bowden might be available.
These are his type of players.
gagirl
September 27th, 2010
5:04 pm
Richt needs to call these kids parents and let them deal with their jailbate dumba**es! He gives the the rules and opportunity but he cannot follow them around and wipe their a** too. DUH! They are stupid as all get out for blowing this opportunity and I know if I had gotten a free ride to school and I did something as stupid as these boys my Dad would have personally kicked my bum and made my life as miserable as possible as a punishment. i am sick of hearing about players going to jail and it’s Richt’s fault or Richt responsibility whatever that is crazy!!! And on the field. Clearly Murray is nervous its intimidating you trash talkers go do it and see how you do. Don’t talk the talk if you can’t walk the walk. But on blocking, my 9 year old son blocks better than these college boys! BLOCK!! Put your hands on the man across from you and do not let him go anywhere. And if you can’t do are you not practicing it? Are you practicing at all? If you are it isn’t showing and that is the only disappointment. BoBo may need to GO GO but he may turn them around this season.
drzlstrangelovejr
September 27th, 2010
5:08 pm
Only one man to blame. Coach Mark Richt. Bobo may have the title of OC, he may even call the plays. I doubt he does. In any case the plays are not designed by Bobo. The sorry play design is courtesy of CMR. Slow developing running plays. The pass plays do not feature a short, quick pass. There is no safety valve RB to dump the pass to. Emphasis is on throwing 40-50 passes.
SOUTHGADAWG88
September 27th, 2010
5:09 pm
Stacy Searles get’s my vote with Bobo nipping at his heels.
Jailbait Jill
September 27th, 2010
5:09 pm
I’m a big Richt fan. Why are all you so angry with Mark ? He’s a good man.
Oh, this answer is easy
September 27th, 2010
5:09 pm
A few days ago, Dr. Adams dressed down the UGA football team about their summer of fun. I suspect that they greatly resented that dress down. They look at the huge $$$ revenue that UGA enjoys and they see that as theirs. Sort of like how obama looks at some business exec’s $300,000 income as his and Pelosi’s.
They resent the money stream at UGA and the fact that they are poor and so, this lousy 0-3 SEC record and Ealey’s 3 yd line fumbles are pay back. Half of the team is aligned with that dumb logic and half are not. Hence UGA is not playing up to par and heads, including some player’s heads, need to roll.
Immediately kick AJ and Ealey off of this team and go forward. Any more loafing, then punt that kid too. This cannot be tolerated.
Alumnus, class of 71 & 73
Charlie Sheen
September 27th, 2010
5:09 pm
It’s a government conspiracy with controlled demolition
Always a Jacket
September 27th, 2010
5:10 pm
UGA needs to make a change at the end of the season. No discipline on the team… you can see it on and off the field. Recruiting may take a little hit for one year, but UGA still has recruiting advantage in Ga in the long run. As a GT fan, even I am having trouble watching the UGA train wreck.
Todd
September 27th, 2010
5:10 pm
Too much prayin and not enough playin….bye bye Richt
BigDawg
September 27th, 2010
5:10 pm
Just sick and tired of all the excuses. Get rid of him before our fan base falls a part. We make a fortune off of merchandise and tickets but another year below expectations will lead to a lack of sell outs. Any CEO of a corporation would have been forced out last year. We gave him another year and it likely ends worse. He blamed the offensive line three years ago and they are all back. Running backs all back. NO excuse. Auburn has a new QB and winning! And we had more depth back than them!!! NEED A CHANGE NOW! This is not Georgia Tech and their basketball coach Hewitt! Both are great men personally but absolutely not the best at what they are hired to do!
NoGaGator
September 27th, 2010
5:10 pm
Jeff-
Enough with the – to use your phrase – kvetching.
How many articles are you “columnists” going to write on this? I guess at the very least, everyone is getting their anger out and y’all are getting record hits.
None of this is new. It’s been going on for awhile and has been showing up on the field for the last 2-3 years.
It could be worse – apathy.
HornyDawg
September 27th, 2010
5:10 pm
I’m just a fan of the UGA cheerleaders. They’re still hot whether the team wins or not…
SOUTHGADAWG88
September 27th, 2010
5:11 pm
Green and Durham are going to be a strong 1-2 punch moving forward.
Yellow Fuzz
September 27th, 2010
5:14 pm
rincon dawg
September 27th, 2010
5:02 pm
**********ATTENTION ALL DAWG FANS***************
GO TO GEORGIADOGS.COM AND EMAIL THE AD TO FIRE CMR.
thats the only way he will get the message thanks
Hahaha. What a complete moron. Hahaha. I mean really. First off, Mark Richt is a very good coach and knows a lot more about the situation than some little man in a little town with a little computer knowledge. Hahaha. I mean think about it. What reputable AD would give a dogs azz what some guy (or girl) named rincon dawg thought about any thing. Hahahaha…….”thats the only way he will get the message thanks”….HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
UGA 6
September 27th, 2010
5:14 pm
Somebody besides Richt please throw me a bone ! I’m gonna pisz on the leg of the next mascot that comes within 10 feet of me.
Paul From Milton
September 27th, 2010
5:15 pm
Jeff is certainly correct on one point – this team does not play with passion. They just don’t look like they are having fun. Around the SEC Georgia’s reputation is that of a soft team – play a physical game against them and they back down.
KARL CHILDERS
September 27th, 2010
5:15 pm
I reckon I’d like me some of them french fried taters hmmm.
SOUTHGADAWG88
September 27th, 2010
5:17 pm
Yeah kick em all off the team so they can go and beat you at another SEC school.I don’t see Urban using that logic.One of his guys would have to murder somebody 1st.They can smoke all the weed they want and get a few DUI’s to boot..all is forgiven as long as they are winning.But maybe the win because they are not going to let things like player conduct interfere with doing so.I see Rainey ended up with a misdemeanor so I expect he will be back by the UGA game.
RMS
September 27th, 2010
5:17 pm
Do I hear the band playing “Nearer My God to Thee”?
Damn, why are those deck chairs sliding away?
drzlstrangelovejr
September 27th, 2010
5:17 pm
Where is how2fish and his ilk? Whenever they all take Mark Richts member out of their mouth maybe their brain will start to function. If so, start showing support to fire Mark Richt.
Ed
September 27th, 2010
5:18 pm
Jeff, I agree that Richt’s 2 SEC titles in 5 years buys him a little more time than Donnan had, but would point out that Donnan caught UF and Tennessee at the height of their powers during his 5 year run. Tennessee won back-to-back SEC titles and a national title during that time. Florida won two SEC titles and a national title during that run. No one else in the SEC East had a chance. Contrast that to Richt’s first five years – Ron Zook at Florida, the Shula era at Alabama, Auburn good but inconsistent from year-to-year, Tennessee on the decline, and the rest of the conference not a factor. Only LSU was consistently good during that period. Bottom line, Richt caught the East at the perfect time.
Since that time Florida and Alabama have hired big time coaches and have absolutely buried Georgia. Georgia appears to have also slipped below LSU. Now, schools like Arkansas, South Carolina and Auburn appear to be passing Georgia. Georgia has lost to UK and Vandy 3 times in a four season stretch. Bottom line, Georgia under Richt is in decline.
Not sure Donnan would have done any worse.
DunwoodyDawg
September 27th, 2010
5:18 pm
Clearly this is George W. Bush’s fault.
John Harbaugh
September 27th, 2010
5:19 pm
Hire me! Hire me! Hire me!
I’m mean and nasty, and I can go toe to toe with Saban, Meyers, and co….
Terry Bolea
September 27th, 2010
5:19 pm
The Hulkster here. I was always a fan of the top teams in the country like Texas,USC,UF,Bama,etc. because they were always good every year. I’ve removed the Georgia Bulldogs from this list. Me and Brooke attend a lot of games every year. We sold this year’s UGA-Auburn tickets on Ebay.
BOBBY JACKTARD
September 27th, 2010
5:20 pm
Is the blackout still on for the Tennessee game? I’m soooo excited. I have the perfect ensemble to wear. It’s going to be glorious. I love you. BJ
5150 P.O.A.D
September 27th, 2010
5:20 pm
UGA VI you are dead and buried in the CESSPOOL ENDZONE. You can’t urinate on anybody but yourself. You are just like Larry Munson. The pretty girls pet you, laugh, and go home with your PAW print on their butts smelling or cigars and scotch.
NotSurprised
September 27th, 2010
5:21 pm
Really guys, is anyone who saw Richt cost Georgia a shot at the National Championship in 2002 by bringing DJ Shockley into the UF game when Green was clearly in a rhythm surprised by any of this. His stubb…er…loyalty has been his downfall from day one. Add to this the terrible clock management, questionable play calling (even before Bobo) and an overall lack of discipline on and off the field, and you’ll see that he hasn’t been the man for the job in a number of years.
Yes, he did a phenomenal job of motivating in a six game stretch during 2007. Keep in mind, however, that Georgia was embarrassed by Tennessee, lost to Carolina and had to struggle to beat Vandy in that very same year.
I’m not just piling on, these have been legitimate issues for years. How many big signature wins are there on his resume at UGA? I bet you can count them on one hand. How many times has UGA struggled against Carolina, Vandy and Kentucky? It just should not happen, ever.
It’s time for a change.
ugafan
September 27th, 2010
5:21 pm
Bobo is to blame admitt it people.If CMR was calling plays we would win.Bobo stunk up the field years ago and he is carring that tradition on with him.