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
@Tired of Hype
September 27th, 2010
4:15 pm
Hmmm……dude, you have absolutely no point since I proved your ignorant knowledge of college football to be just that. Ignorance!!!
BryanH
September 27th, 2010
4:15 pm
Coach Bozo needs to go…and Richt is obviously not what this group of guys needs. I have always respected Coach Richt, but this is ridiculous. We need to BLOW OUT Colorado this weekend to make a statement. And even then we have a long way to go.
Tide Rising
September 27th, 2010
4:16 pm
Jeff,
That is true that the 2 svcs do raise the star rating of particular recruits AFTER certain bigger name schools going after them as you say. But that’s only natural to do that if they missed a player that the top tier teams didn’t miss. It just means that they are also valuing the input of the coaching staffs of major programs. Nothing wrong with that and it doesn’t mean they were “exposed”.
I’m just saying that when their final rankings are said and done those svcs are in fact pretty accurate. There’s a reason why the teams that consistently are top 10 teams are also usually the teams with the highest recruiting rankings. And again there are exceptions to the rule but as a general rule USC will have more guys going to the pros than Boise will no matter how much better Boise does this year.
Tired of Hype
September 27th, 2010
4:16 pm
And what mighty SEC teams they have been @Tired of Hype. I am sure Vandy is quaking in the boots about playing UGA this year. BTW, I am a Bama fan.
gadfly
September 27th, 2010
4:16 pm
“A fish rots from the head back…” Michael Dukakis
NYC Dawg
September 27th, 2010
4:16 pm
So I just had one of my gator buddies send me this website…
http://www.keepmarkricht.com/
ugatiger
September 27th, 2010
4:16 pm
Jeff, it is not just one thing, when you look at Alabama players, you see muscle, I mean pup-wood worker’s muscles, sure, Bobo could not call a High School game but you also have to be conditioned all the way around the board. I sure hope CMR is not keeping Bobo because he is Coach Dooley’s son-in-law, and I hope he is not keeping Joe T. because he has been there for so long. Put Bobo back in the booth so he can at least see what the defense is doing, who is in the booth anyway?
wells
September 27th, 2010
4:16 pm
Jeff,
If GT loses to this horrid UGA team, do you think it will sped up the end of the Johnson experiment?
dawginduluth
September 27th, 2010
4:17 pm
Richt owns the process from beginning to end. If you blame it on lousy recruiting, Richt owns recruiting. If you blame it on Bobo, Richt picked Bobo and stuck with him. If you blame it on player off-field conduct, Richt hands out the scholarships. If you blame it on a lack of game readiness, Richt owns that, too. Richt is the common thread. Other programs have left the station with Richt standing on the platform. Florida and Alabama have taken their programs to new levels of performance while UGA is backsliding under Richt. Meyer would say that he is a head COACH. Saban would say he that he, too, is a head COACH. Richt says that he is a CEO. We need a C-O-A-C-H, not a C-E-O. If Richt is indeed the great coach many say he is (read: Jeff Dantzler), then he should be able to win with his current stable of talent. However, he is not a great coach…he is a failed CEO.
DAWG Fan undercover
September 27th, 2010
4:17 pm
Let’s face facts:
1. Richt is soft on discipline
2. Coaches have been weak on recruiting
3. Coaches have not demanded results from the players
4. Players have not been held accountable
5. Coaches have not been held accountable
I guess when you add it all up my vote would be for “ALL OF THE ABOVE”
The way that we are headed now we will do good to finish off the season 6 and 6.
For what its worth
September 27th, 2010
4:18 pm
Kentucky Fans: 129 years; never won one.
Vanderbilt Fans: 120 years; never won one.
South Carolina Fans: 118 years; never won one.
Mississippi State Fans: 115 years; never won one.
Florida Fans: 90 years before winning in 1996, then again in 2006 and 2008. Two years since last one.
Auburn Fans: 53 years since last one. Split with Ohio St in1957.
Mississippi Fans: 50 year since last one. Split with Minnesota in 1960.
Tennessee Fans: 47 years before winning in 1998.Twelve years since last one.
Arkansas Fans: 46 years since last one. Split with Alabama and Notre Dame in 1964.
LSU Fans: 45 years before winning in 2003, split with Southern Cal, then in 2005. Five years since last one.
Georgia Fans: 30 years since last one.
Alabama Fans : 17 years before winning in 2009. One year since last one.
@Tired of Hype
September 27th, 2010
4:18 pm
I think SC and Arkansas were both ranked pretty high last week and each held their own. BTW, you are a Yechie fan and you make it obvious.
Delbert D.
September 27th, 2010
4:18 pm
Jeff – Right you are, plus beating Georgia Tech 8 out of 9 years. Donnan didn’t fare as well. Tech beat Georgia 3 years in a row under him.
Ark Dawg
September 27th, 2010
4:19 pm
Jeff, what top college programs run a 3-4 D scheme? We are getting killed on the edges, understand the personnel on the field issue for this D, but if they can make some stops on 3rd and whatever it might create some positive momentum.
Also, T. King has looked good when we throw him the ball, unfortunately if we are running him on short routes either Murray can’t see him or he’s not shaking coverage.
The Wad
September 27th, 2010
4:19 pm
Start playing the freshman O lineman. Might as well get started on the next generation of dawgs and let future recruits know you will not be allowed to be mediocre and still eat at the big boys table. This O line was supposed to be the next big thing and they have proven to be an epic failure. No need to try and salvage this year. Go ahead and start on next year with players who earn their keep. Searls may leave now and it won`t hurt a thing. Bobo needs to be replaced also. He has been middling as an OC for too long now.
Delbert D.
September 27th, 2010
4:20 pm
Paul in RDU – Vad Lee passing for 1st downs would be a big development for the Jackets.
Honest Lee
September 27th, 2010
4:20 pm
Richt looked rock-solid as UGA’s head coach until the WLOCP in 2008, when revenge-minded Gators came to collect an overdue bill. It’s all been downhill since then. So tell me dawg fans, do you still think that endzone celebration was a smart move by a brilliant coach?
THE AVG UGA FAN
September 27th, 2010
4:20 pm
Get me a nat champ this year or quit !!!
They Lied To You
September 27th, 2010
4:21 pm
To all of you media types and UGA fans who were told that UGA was a “national” upper echelon football program.
THEY LIED TO YOU!!!
UGA don’t even compare to the Bama, Florida, USC, Texas, Oklahoma, Ohio State, etc.
UGA has always been known as a 2nd or 3rd tier football program.
The Reality of the Matter
September 27th, 2010
4:21 pm
Richt will have another year or two to work it out. Especially given the fact he has a stud freshman QB to play with. If UGA isn’t back in Atlanta by the end of Murray’s junior year then I suspect he will be gone.
jerry
September 27th, 2010
4:22 pm
It really doesn’t matter whether the players are over rated or under coached. It is still up to Richt to recruit and coach.
They Lied To You = Bitter Tech fan
September 27th, 2010
4:22 pm
Enter your comments here
Top Dog
September 27th, 2010
4:22 pm
Bottom line is the buck stops with CMR. Does he have the time and intestinal fortitude to make the tough and necessary changes for the best interest of his players and the fans?
Wally
September 27th, 2010
4:22 pm
Hey moron Alabama runs a 3-4 and they seem to be doing alright
Booby's booger finger
September 27th, 2010
4:23 pm
Who wins first Braves or Dawgs ?
EagleNationRising
September 27th, 2010
4:23 pm
This begins and ends with Mark Richt, who has yet to deliver one Georgia quarterback. David Greene and DJ Shockley were already in the fold when Richt was hired. Since then, he has delivered out-of-state starters that have NEVER been winners like Greeney and DJ. Stafford, Cox, & Murray simply do not have the same pride in wearing the Red & Black. It meant more to Greene and Shockley. Their play and leadership displayed pure pride in being on the field.
Mark Richt is responsible for discipline. His players clearly do not have any. Their undisciplined nature off of the field is reflected on the field. I often believe people are too quick to get rid of coaches. However, Georgia football is in a State of Emergency. In my view, falling in Starkville should signal the organization of a Selection Committee. We go out to Colorado and lose, negotiations on his buyout should begin.
He is a nice man. We have compensated he and his family very well. The guy is not earning his check. He is not an effective CEO. Steve Spurrier calls plays. Mark Richt better take a page out of his book. Mike Bobo is a worst coach than he was a quarterback…and he was about as bad as it could get in Athens.
Delbert D.
September 27th, 2010
4:23 pm
Falcons Roster 4 & 5 star recruits???
Wake Forest leads all schools with 3 players
Schools with 2 players include:
Alabama
California
Florida St.
Louisville
Missouri
Montana
NC State
Oklahoma
South Carolina
Stanford
How does it feel
September 27th, 2010
4:23 pm
My, My, how the mighty have fallen. How does it feel Dawg Nation to be currently the worst team in the SEC. That’s right even Vandy has a SEC win.
The Dawgs are in last place in the SEC, who would have thunk it. See what happens when you have to play with the players you pick….huh, huh……
Maybe you can get Stafford and Moreno to come back and finish their Senior years….. OHH wait they saw the writing on the wall and got the hell out of dodge.
Face it, the dawgs just don’t get the caliber of players that all the other big boys get in the SEC. That leaves one to wonder is the braun of the players that is not getting the job done. Or could it be the mental aspect of following all those X’s and O’s around the chalkboard that they can’t comprehend.
ricejc
September 27th, 2010
4:23 pm
Notice how successful Tennessee has been since firing Fullmer. That’s how successful Georgia will be if they fire Richt. The problem as I see it is the players do not have football on their minds as ten have been in trouble and who knows who is next. A zero tolerance policy needs to be instilled and enforced and make sure recruits fully understand it. Richt is the man – he has been before and he can be again. Bobo needs to get more imaginative – his offense is the college version of the Carolina Panthers. Either that or he needs to go. And a personal thought – I don’t think being compared to Vince Dooley is all that bad.
Chalk
September 27th, 2010
4:23 pm
How many coaches has Spurrier been through during his time at SC???
Hayseed Dixie
September 27th, 2010
4:25 pm
@Hayseed is a Moron
Name one thing in my post that was not uncontrivertable fact.
J
September 27th, 2010
4:25 pm
Enter your comments here
Wreckmaniac
September 27th, 2010
4:25 pm
The rules have always been:
1. Recruit in the top 10. CMR does it every year
2. Beat Tech
Nothing else MATTERS. You folks can yell and scream about SEC losses but everybody know UGA fans will accept a losing in the SEC ANY DAY.
Paul in RDU
September 27th, 2010
4:25 pm
Delbert D – I agree with you about passing. I have been shocked at how bad the passing game (Josh and the receivers) has been.
Delbert D.
September 27th, 2010
4:26 pm
The Steelers have 14 players from non-BCS conferences.
Tired of Hype
September 27th, 2010
4:26 pm
@Tried of Hype;
Georgia is supposed to swat teams like that as if they are gnats and UGA started out the season in the top 25. I could care less about GT and their high school offense. I am just amazed how lowly UGA is this year. With all the so-called talent that heads to Athens each year, what the hell happens to them? Roll Tide.
J
September 27th, 2010
4:26 pm
How about the strength and conditioning coach? I definitely believe the Georgia football program hasn’t been hitting the weight room to the extent of elite SEC programs.
Hobnailbooty
September 27th, 2010
4:26 pm
Coaches and players all deserve blame – other than Murray and Durham
carlton smithee
September 27th, 2010
4:27 pm
If you see the replay,after his helmet was knocked off,Ealey looked back at the ball then he looked away.He did’nt go after the ball because he thought he had scored!
They Lied To You
September 27th, 2010
4:27 pm
Ain’t nothing bitter about believing in a LIE!!!
The UGA football program doesn’t compare. Does that make you bitter? To learn the truth.
Just like the Tech program don’t compare but they more than likely will readily agree and admit it. And, I don’t think the Tech fans haven’t been lied too and are not so stupid to believe it.
Obama's Mama
September 27th, 2010
4:28 pm
If it wasn’t for George Bush ruining the economy maybe UGA would have enough money to pay for better athletes like some of the other colleges do.
rattler
September 27th, 2010
4:29 pm
Georgia must start recruting a higher standard,morally ethical type player rather than the intellectually challenged player they seem to attract now.Most can’t remember their assignments.How are you supposed to coach these types.Listen to some of these kids talk to the press.How they got in school much less stay is beyond me.
@Tired of Hype
September 27th, 2010
4:29 pm
Pointing out the obvious of your sorry team doesn’t make you any less of a Tech fan. What’s happened to you would-be Heisman winner???
minime
September 27th, 2010
4:29 pm
1st Richt…no other reason than he’s the headknocker. 2nd BoBo. 3rd defense that bounces like pinball off’n the opponants offense. 4th Al Quida…..that funny lookin dude that don’t wear a helmet cause he don’t like it. 5th, Man, it hurts to loose experience. Lookin forward to next year when the other team is outta jail, dude.
r2chs
September 27th, 2010
4:29 pm
99% strongly negative comments on 5 pages of posts here and on every other blog discussing UGA football…but is anyone in Athens listening? Apparently not.
BlountDawg
September 27th, 2010
4:30 pm
Schultz -
It’s amazing to me how yourself and Bradley insist on continuing these Richt bashing. The man has managed to keep this Georgia program consistently at a top 10 level for years. Why don’t you go jump on Paul Johnson’s backside for a while? Or would that make too much sense?
They Lied To You = Bitter Tech fan
September 27th, 2010
4:30 pm
Poor little bug fan
EagleNationRising
September 27th, 2010
4:30 pm
They Lied To You: I agree with your assessment, in means of wins and losses. What makes Georgia a top tier program is the money that Georgia creates every single season. At some point, you have to say that the team that creates the most revenue is in the upper tier. Programs with much larger stadiums (i.e. Michigan (operating on annual deficits), Penn State (paying their coach peanuts and making no money), and Tennessee) do not make nearly the cash that Georgia makes.
Look, at the end of the day, Georgia has one National Championship in the modern era. From that standpoint, yes we are a second tier program. However, when you talk about overall football program (revenue, jersey sales, etc) you are FOOLING yourself if you are dumb enough to believe that Georgia is not a top tier program.
That would be like someone being stupid enough to deduct that Notre Dame is not a top tier program, when they command the more lucrative television contract (by far) of any single program in college sports. When you play on national television EVERY week, you are a top tier program…even if you only have one major bowl win in 20 years. Wake up!
Kenny Powers
September 27th, 2010
4:30 pm
@ Realistic DAWG…Met was never ahead of Murray. Met was still working on his footwork. Met had a cannon for an arm, but had feet of cement. Met could not get out of his own way. Met was at least a year from challenging for the QB position. Met would not have survived behind this O-line. Met is gone, he let the team down with his actions, not to mention his parents. UGA needs people with character, not being a characters. Murray is putting up solid numbers on a less than stellar offense. Imagine what he would be doing if the O-line/running game wasn’t so pitiful.
GwinnettDad
September 27th, 2010
4:30 pm
Am I entirely old fashioned to suggest a curfew for Georgia players, at least during the season? Say, 1 am? Say, be caught once, you’re suspended for a game, and the 2nd offense, you’re kicked off the team? Seems to me that everyone of these arrests take place after 1 am, when no responsible, dedicated athlete should be during the regular season.