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
DawginLex
September 27th, 2010
2:10 pm
Richt is responsible.
He has earned the right to fix things but he needs to act now.
Bobo needs to be demoted.
Richt needs to call the plays.
Demote Ealey to 4th team behind King, Thomas and Malcome
Spread the field and pass to set up the run.
This kid Murray is a great football player surrounded by a bunch of idiots. Let Murray do his best Eric Zeier impersonation and hope that the defense can actually grasp hold of things a little better.
takedowndawg
September 27th, 2010
2:10 pm
Please do not recommend any raises for any of our coaches. Historically, their performance, and the team’s performance goes downhill!!!!! UGA coaches are not earning their pay in most of our minds, including, especially, our STRENGTH COACH. We have, for the most part, been manhandled by our other SEC brothers!!!!! Yes, Coach Richt, be introspective. BE very introspective.
crossdawg
September 27th, 2010
2:10 pm
To Jim B, my realtor friend in Athens. Please take bobo a “for sale” sign for his house. You may need to leave word for CMR that you have 1 for him too.
SNL Really? Segment.
September 27th, 2010
2:12 pm
Is Orson Charles dead? I have not heard about him the whole season.
MURPHY
September 27th, 2010
2:12 pm
Reality Check,
Good Point!!!
Russ, the Temporary Mascot
September 27th, 2010
2:13 pm
Well, I’m sure glad Schultz never gave any more choices. One nut on another blog wanted to change mascots as a way to turn things around—from me to a guy in an orange jumpsuit wearing handcuffs. Anyhow, the white paint is beginning to wear off my caboose, and I’m ready for a trip to Colorado. Hope it isn’t chilly out there. I like to be comfy while I watch these bozos drop the ball and act like the end zone is the Bermuda Triangle.
JB
September 27th, 2010
2:13 pm
TICK TICK TICK………….2010 or 11………gonna happen……Next years team looks on paper thinner than this one, for we have no way to gauge last years class or the one coming in. Schedule gets a little harder to. I don’t see anything to change much….I hate to say it, But I don’t…….Everyone on this blog wants the same thing at the end of the day.
Uugh...
September 27th, 2010
2:14 pm
Richt.
Richt is WAY too passive. I think that he spends so much time passively teaching the kids what to do when they fail that the players miss the point of the play in the first place. It is always “Keep your poise when you screw up…keep your head up.” Urban Meyer and Nick Saban actively teach their kids NOT TO FAIL in the first place. If you set the expectation for success maybe you realize success. If you set the expectation for failure…you probably get that too.
Richt should also shoulder the responsibility for our complete failure on Special Teams. Have you ever in your life seen a team look like we do when the other team is punting!? We look ridiculous! No punt return set up and no block on either? What a joke–It looks like a walk through taking place in a real live game!!!
While much of this failure is attributed to Richt I would like to congratulate him on one achievement. He has recruited and coached up the single best Fair Catch Specialist in the history of college football. Logan Gray has all the tools–he does everything right: he waves his hand as the ball is coming towards him, catches it, hands the ball to the ref, and jogs back to the sideline. Incredible job with this one coach!
One question though…why hasn’t any other team in college football ever needed a Fair Catch Specialist? I’ll bet it is because some of the teams try and actually return punts. That might take practice though. I know, I know…our hectic practice schedule is way too tight to add 15 minutes for Special Teams–what with all the trips to the pool and the NOT tackling going on.
Keep’em coming Schultz…love the Weekend Predictions!
JB
September 27th, 2010
2:14 pm
Russ…………OK, I laughed out loud…I needed that.
Baddawg
September 27th, 2010
2:15 pm
O line is horrible!! Murray, Durham and Gray are the MVPs right now. Wake up coaches and rest of team before you make more losing history! Stop making excuses and just do it! Undisciplined off and on field is embarrassing!
Ace
September 27th, 2010
2:15 pm
Clean house is the only answer to a program in decline. You donors must live for this.
Washaun Ealey
September 27th, 2010
2:16 pm
You folks better stop calling me “Washout Early” cause I resembles that remark.
SuperB
September 27th, 2010
2:16 pm
Here’s the UGA scenario: You throw incomplete on first down– then run a straight dive play up the middle on second down. (Which is as predictable as darkness at night) Now you have 3rd and long– and you have Mike Bobo’s idea of play-calling! Three and out.
Dawglasville
September 27th, 2010
2:17 pm
SOGADOG – I love the attitude. It is getting harder and harder to fight the battle, albeit it is only the blog battle. I believe Coach Richt deserves one more year no matter how painful it is.
Dawg Trainer
September 27th, 2010
2:17 pm
Derek Dooley will NEVER, EVER coach at Georgia. Why would he want to be compared to Vince?
The Most Interesting Man Alive
September 27th, 2010
2:18 pm
Unless Bobo threw away Richt’s playbook when he took over and if he didn’t throw it away, the last time I checked, the Head Coach has shirked his responsibility of having a veto on every play called it is College Football’s Helen Hunt Lookalike contest winner; El Marko Richto.
Maybe he could coach Mars Hills offence.
winderdawg
September 27th, 2010
2:18 pm
Enter your comments here
JB
September 27th, 2010
2:19 pm
How can we put any blame on Grantham (yet) with no scoring………Think of the pressure on our D and Grantham knowing going into a game that 6-10 points was IT…Good luck.
lpdawg
September 27th, 2010
2:20 pm
Mark Richt is Vinvce Dooley’s clone. Both outstanding invdividuals, excellent recruiters and not so good head football coaches. No killer instinct, always be a gentleman and niether woiuld ever hurt anyone’s feelings. Richt had something in Todd Grantham. But after those terrible curse words he used on the sideline in the first game, Richt has totally taken the fire out of his belly. Bear Bryant, Erk Russell and a lot of others did a lot of cussin’ and a lot of winning and produced outstanding young men. No, as long as we have Mark Richt, it will always be like it was with Coach Dooley. We won’t win squat unless another Herschel wlaker trots out of that tunnel. And even if he did, we’d probably only win one out of three.
Paddy
September 27th, 2010
2:20 pm
I am starting to forget how UGA football is supposed to look like!! Oh, and by the way, this is all Mick Vick’s fault!
Honky Talkin'
September 27th, 2010
2:20 pm
TO:
Shocked & Awed Bulldawg
September 27th, 2010
2:16 pm
Michelle Obama is actually a very attractive woman. That comment was unnecessary. Just because UGA is the SEC bottom dweller with no signs of improvement, doesn’t mean you should displace your anger.
ga gator
September 27th, 2010
2:21 pm
While we all agree that Murray is handling the physical part of QB very well as a freshman, we have no idea how he is handling the changes that QB’s handle at the line of scrimmage. Stafford was superb at that, and I haven’t noticed Murray changing the play. Could that be a problem that the offense is having?
dissappointed
September 27th, 2010
2:21 pm
Many, many reasons for our fall. O line is very over rated.
Our backs couldn’t break a tackle and gain and extra inch.
D holds for a few plays and then is gashed.
AJ has been a cancer.
Bobo is vanilla in play calling at best.
Mr. $750,000 was outcoached by the lesser Diaz from Mrs. State.
Season looks like it is already a gonner.
Washaun Ealey
September 27th, 2010
2:22 pm
I wasn’t really dazed in the endzone. I was just admirin the fan applause for my score, er fumble, er, er… play. Yep, that was some play, weren’t it? I was robbed!
Lowcountry Bulldawg
September 27th, 2010
2:22 pm
Whats the deal with several post mentioning CMR coming down on CTG and his language? Please explain this…
ga gator
September 27th, 2010
2:22 pm
lpdawg agreed. Read St. Bobby and the Barbarians which is about the FSU program. Several of the FSU players stated that St. Bobby would occasionally throw 4 letter bombs.
Damon Evans
September 27th, 2010
2:23 pm
I’ve noticed a lot of regular UGA bloggers are absent today. What’s wrong? Can you not face the music being the laughing stock of the SEC? Don’t worry, CMR will keep the prayers going and look to God for answers.
Good luck with that.
dog fan
September 27th, 2010
2:23 pm
it appears that the punishment for each player arrested is based on his starting position and perceived value to the team.
Uugh...
September 27th, 2010
2:23 pm
Schultz–don’t block me bro.
ga gator
September 27th, 2010
2:24 pm
ROLL TIDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope that we can keep it respectable saturday. Bama 27 UF 13 I am afraid the score will be.
winderdawg
September 27th, 2010
2:25 pm
The offense is horrible in the red zone! Throw in the two touchdowns lost from Ealey’s fumbles we still would be near the bottom of the SEC in scoring. We are the best field goal team in the SEC!!!!
Our recruiting the past two years has not secured a top tier running back. Defense is playing better than last year. CMR needs to take over this part again!
Bo
September 27th, 2010
2:25 pm
Georgia has 3 problems:
One, the O-line cannot run block. Stacey Searels hasn’t gotten the job done and needs to go. This line has underachieved for 3 years and there’s of talent for that to be a top flight unit. UGA’s record would look drastically different with good run blocking.
Second, we have no Nose Tackle. We knew this going into the season and I’m not surprised that we can’t stop the inside run. It just hurts to see it happen.
Third, learning the 3-4 is much more difficult than we hoped. Although, I suspect that a lot of the open receivers in our secondary is a result of corners and linebackers trying to cheat against the run instead of staying on their assignments. You’d have to see the coach’s tape to know that.
DawginLex
September 27th, 2010
2:25 pm
ga gator,
I noticed Murray called some audibles Saturday night. It could be that he is limited by bobo as to what he can check down to.
superDawg
September 27th, 2010
2:25 pm
If Georgia is going to stink then they should line up backwards and use it to their advantage.Maybe they could blow somebody off the line.
JB
September 27th, 2010
2:26 pm
I’ll take Diaz and his Starters from MSU in ATHENS today. even trade…..3 stars vs 4&5 stars. Big difference.
sunny purdue
September 27th, 2010
2:26 pm
It is all Jeff Schultz’s fault and that crappy mascot Ruff or Russ – whatever his name is. You created expectations far beyond what a reasonable person would expect. The mascot has a brown a$$.
ga gator
September 27th, 2010
2:27 pm
DawginLex thanks, I was switching back and forth between TV’s from our game and yours.
MURPHY
September 27th, 2010
2:27 pm
ga gator,
after watching Mullet and the pigs play against Bama I think yall have a good shot of winning. Your defense will keep it real close. You must play all 4 qtrs though! Bama is relentless!!!
DawginLex
September 27th, 2010
2:27 pm
JB,
Everybody on here laughed at me last year when I was advocating for hiring diaz. They play the Saints defense. It is high risk/high reward. They got rewarded Saturday night.
ga gator
September 27th, 2010
2:27 pm
Enter your comments here
Vince Dooley
September 27th, 2010
2:27 pm
What a disgrace! All these recruits and nothing to show for it. How the hell can we be this bad???
Demetre
September 27th, 2010
2:27 pm
Sheesh! A few beers and a drive home and I’m off the team! So I got tired of being the only player without a record. Just wanted to fit in—that’s all. People always looked at me funny and called me Twinkletoes. Now they’re trying to talk me into going to play ball at some junior college in Arizona. Some dump this is!
things need to change
September 27th, 2010
2:28 pm
I am a born-gain Christian and Jesus Christ is my Lord and savior – so I have great respect for Coach Richt. Now though I feel it would be best for the program and the coach to lead another program such as the likes for a Georgia Southern or a Georgia State. Only then I think Coach Richt would experience tremendous success both personally and professionally.
JB
September 27th, 2010
2:28 pm
You need GREAT LB’s and a stud Nose tackle for the 3-4 to shine…………We ain’t there.
Baddawg
September 27th, 2010
2:28 pm
Put Logan gray as running back and in the secondary when AJ returns!
tony
September 27th, 2010
2:28 pm
If the players don’t respect you or like you they won’t play hard for you. Our young men don’t respect favoritism Mr.Richt. Also he was not a genious at FSU; they just had the best defense and qb(Charlie Ward) in the country back then. Charlie Ward had to run for his dear life under Mr.Richt’s system. That’s the truth.
Jim007
September 27th, 2010
2:28 pm
Richt is to blame
He hired Bobo
Has his Team Totally out of control
Has the Dawgs Lacking Emotion
Has multiple rules for breaking team rules ( Ealey 1 game….Baker gets kicked off ? ? )
Recruited multiple undesireables aka thugs
Has got UGA the deserved nickname as ” The Athens Correctional Facility “
True Dawg
September 27th, 2010
2:29 pm
At least McGarrity is trying to help out. He just cancelled the home and home with Oregon. He knows how to pad a schedule. It works for Florida. I bet he brings the Florida game to campus once the Evans extension runs out, too….
ga gator
September 27th, 2010
2:29 pm
Murphy, Bama is still easily the best team so far this year. Until the duckeyes beat an SEC team they arent squat.
pat
September 27th, 2010
2:30 pm
It’s not 1 person’s fault. I want to give Richt through 2011 before making any knee-jerk decisions. He has earned it.