Richt isn’t commanding Georgia players’ respect or attention
Mark Richt's biggest problem? Players may be tuning him out.
Sometimes it’s not about whether somebody is a good coach or certainly a good man. Sometimes it’s just about whether players are even listening to him.
Mark Richt preaches to his players, “Finish the drill.” They don’t.
He admonishes them about missed blocks and blown coverages and stresses the importance of playing with discipline, passion and a sense of desperation. They don’t respond.
He states the obvious: Don’t get arrested. They do.
I am not calling for Mark Richt’s firing here. Not yet. There are still seven games left in the season. That’s enough time for Georgia to turn its season around, play in a respectable bowl game and most importantly send the message that this program isn’t going down like Pompeii.
But right now, I’m just not feeling it.
Needing to bounce back after a loss at South Carolina, the Bulldogs lost to Arkansas at home for the first time in 17 years.
Needing to play with a sense of urgency to avoid falling to 0-3 in the SEC, they fell behind after two minutes, 43 seconds in Starkville and lost to Mississippi State for the first time in 36 years.
Needing to regain some measure of respect just on their own campus, the Bulldogs lost at Colorado — which had lost to California, 52-7, only a few weeks earlier.
You thought Shreveport was the bottom? Shreveport was just the flashing yellow light.
They used to attack. They used to play with confidence. They used to have resolve. They used to win road games. They used to win any games.
Now the Dogs are 1-4, and there’s probably someone at Louisiana-Lafayette thinking, “How did we lose to those guys?” They’re 2-7 in their last nine SEC games, and Tennessee, Vanderbilt and Kentucky are thinking, “We can beat those guys.”
That’s where Georgia is. What does that tell you?
This is about leadership. Either players aren’t following Richt or he’s leading them in the wrong direction. It is becoming clear that he doesn’t command their attention or their respect because, if he was, Georgia wouldn’t be sliding into oblivion.
When college teams lose, certain things get over-analyzed. Here are two of them:
♦ 1.) Recruiting: Some believe Georgia isn’t getting the athletes it used to. Bunk. Watch the games. The Bulldogs are no slower or weaker or smaller than their opponents. Recruiting services have had Georgia’s classes in or near the top 10 annually. If you believed them before, don’t stop believing them now just because it’s convenient.
♦ 2.) Strategy: Football is about toughness and discipline, blocking and tackling. It’s not about the offensive coordinator not calling enough short passes. Offensive coordinator Mike Bobo may not be the next Mike Shanahan on offense, and Willie Martinez certainly wasn’t Brian VanGorder’s equal on defense. But Georgia’s slide is not about X’s and O’s. It’s about focus and determination and knocking people down.
Richt’s job should be in jeopardy. Why? Because not only are the Bulldogs not very good, but there is no sign that they are getting better.
The offensive line, expected to be the strength of this team, has been less than average. Freshman quarterback Aaron Murray, the biggest question mark, has been one of their best players. A.J. Green reaffirmed in his first game back from suspension that he is a special player but his presence in Colorado also pounded home the obvious: This isn’t about one player.
Richt gets criticized for not showing enough emotion on the sideline. That might be unfair. But here’s something worth asking: Is he obsessed enough?
There’s no question Richt wants to win. But he has a lot more things important to him in his life now, like taking mission trips to Honduras. It doesn’t mean football isn’t important to him. Anybody who has seen him after losses knows otherwise. But college football coaching, particularly in the SEC, has become a 24/7/365 job.
Richt in a conference with some truly obsessed coaches: Nick Saban, Urban Meyer, Bobby Petrino. Watch Derek Dooley and you can almost see sparks coming off his head. If we see that, you know Tennessee players see that.
Do you get that sense with Richt’s players? Are they ready to jump at his every command?
Georgia has players. Georgia has facilities, money and certainly fan support. But right now, there is no direction, and if Mark Richt is leading, the problem is that nobody is paying attention.
♦
Earlier posts:
♦ Now that Braves are here, how far can they go?
♦ Braves make it back to the postseason in typical dramatic style
♦♦♦
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839 comments Add your comment
JB
October 4th, 2010
1:17 pm
Lot’s of folks screaming not to fire Richt because……….ready…………” who would we get to replace him”……….Geez, really, is that all we got……………….Look to Auburn, who had a “WHO” on EVERY Auburn’s fans lips two years ago. In year two, that no name has them position to win 10, maybe 11 games, a top 10 ranking, and has them excited again……………..Who would we hire……..Grow a pair like Bama did, put 4 million a year on the table, with the talent in this state, you would be SURPRISED WHO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What up?
October 4th, 2010
1:17 pm
This kind of thing tends to happen after 9 or 10 years. It’s probably time to get some new blood. In the mean time, the rest of us will sit back and enjoy. I’m having a great season so far. War Eagle!!
Dawg Fud
October 4th, 2010
1:18 pm
Bama in Atlanta said it perfectly. Ditto.
Ponte Vedra Dawg
October 4th, 2010
1:19 pm
Jeff, great article. I couldn’t agree more. I do believe that allowing Richt another year is just prolonging the agony. I love the guy too, but a fresh start may be good for him as well. There are plenty of options, but many aren’t proven such as Smart or Muschamp. I think Dan Mullen is going to be a great coach. It’s time for a new direction.
helmet head
October 4th, 2010
1:20 pm
If only Richt/Bobo would call more play action passes. That will get things going.
JB
October 4th, 2010
1:22 pm
I liken people who don’t want a change in Athens as to people who don’t follow politics who Voted for Obama who are now saying WTF.
Dawg Fud
October 4th, 2010
1:22 pm
Kirby Smart is a solid DC but i don’t believe he’s ready for an SEC HC job.
Muschamp, yes, he is ready. Smart is not ready.
JoeFan
October 4th, 2010
1:23 pm
Its time for UGA to make the hard decision and leave the SEC and join the ACC if the ACC would let them. This would allow UGA to focus on the being a leading University first and a football school second.
John
October 4th, 2010
1:25 pm
The fact that anyone is this livid about the UGA football team/Richt is disheartening at best. Are we bad? Yes. Can you point the fingers at the coaches, players, schemes, etc? Yes. I fully agree that Richt and his coaches are making way to much money to win ball games, but when it comes down to it. . . . . why do we care?
We care b/c some of us bleed red and black b/c UGA is our team. The problem is, a lot of us have invested way too much money (giving absurd amounts of money to the program), emotionally (acting like the world has come to an end when UGA loses) and physically (attending every game- despite friends’ weddings, funerals, family functions, etc.). I used to be this way until I realized one day that there are way more important things in life than Georgia Football. Try missing the GA/FL game the year GA danced in the endzone (not attending, no TV, radio, nothing- I was working and had no idea what was going on). Once you miss something like this, you come to realize that whether you saw that game or not, it really had no affect on your paycheck, your relationships with friends or family (unless they were gators), health, etc. Seriously, try it, don’t go to a meaningful game this year (if there is a meaningful game) like this week’s TN game, GA/Fl, Auburn, Tech, etc. Don’t even bother to watch it, listen to it, or be updated about it. See how much you really missed the next day and you’ll realize that UGA is going to play that game whether you care or not.
All everyone on this blog has done is show how UGA has fooled the vast majority of GA fans into believing that UGA is more important than anything else, and that is what they want, otherwise, they can’t make $$$.
UGA will make the necessary changes, improvements, etc. b/c they have a vested interest in making sure the $$$$ keep flowing. They are fully aware something has gone bad. In fact, all this bickering and complaining about UGA’s play only compounds the issue and makes us look even more like fools.
Impartial Observer
October 4th, 2010
1:27 pm
Some of you Georgia “fans” remind me of all the failed hard-a$$ CEOs we have running so many corporations. The solution is always to fire somebody—anybody. And then corporate management becomes cut-throat and strictly Theory X—betray everybody and trust nobody. And when that doesn’t work and the company has acquired a horrendous reputation with the public, the next solution is to change the corporate name to get rid of the public’s memory of the failure—e.g., Blackwater becomes Xe.
A lot of players and certainly UGA ought to be grateful you’re not running the show. You’ve invested your ego and testosterone in winning at all costs, forgetting altogether that these are college kids. Some of those kids are having to grow up. I wish you would.
Northern Sympathizer
October 4th, 2010
1:27 pm
Brilliant article. This is the first time any one has put their finger on the problem-that CMR sees bigger issues in life than football and his job is to coach football.
JB
October 4th, 2010
1:28 pm
John @1:25…………Interesting post….and a good one……………When 10-20 thousand people start feeling that way ( season ticket holders), that’s when people stand up and take notice, regardless if Mark is a good man or Bobo has 5 kids to feed
turkey caller
October 4th, 2010
1:29 pm
There is no one individual more important than the program itself. If people want to pamper and coddle Richt like that overpaid salary he was given then I guess they are saying he is more important than the program. There are people out there that will earn the respect of the organization and it’s players if Richt would physically vacate his position. He has already mentally given it up. You know it and I know it.
helmet head
October 4th, 2010
1:31 pm
So if Carlton Thomas fumbles on Saturday are we going to go without running backs for the rest of the year. Which in itself is funny because if Carlton Thomas is your starting running back you have serious issues.
coachx
October 4th, 2010
1:32 pm
I’ll be there Saturday supporting Richt & UGA against Tennessee Saturday.
Vince Dooley was below .500 on 5 different occaisons over his 25 years as UGA’s coach. He watched Bear Bryant have some great teams when his team was down. He also beat Bear Bryant when UGA was up.
If Dooley could finish below .500 on 5 occaisons over 25 years……………then has Richt not earned one down season over 10 years ?
UGA fans need to brushin’ up on history and quit agreeing with shock-jock sports writers as if they have clue about football.
Counting Blessings
October 4th, 2010
1:35 pm
Neither Bama nor LSU is on the schedule.
Bags O' (no) Money
October 4th, 2010
1:36 pm
Sadly, and I really hate to say this, but CMR has become the “Jimmy Carter” of SEC coaches. You can see that he does not have an answer to the multitude of problems the team faces. I forsee that he will fire his offensive staff at the end of the year as he did with his defensive staff the previous year. It will buy him some more time as a head coach but that’s about it. I remember someone on here a long time ago stating that they would love to have CMR as their Sunday School Teacher but not their head coach. I believe that sums it up nicely.
ELVISKL
October 4th, 2010
1:36 pm
I have also been driving all over the state looking for someone that would actually talk to me but I’m such a loser the only people who will talk to me are online..
sam
October 4th, 2010
1:37 pm
5150- I think a STAR has been in trouble this year (didn’t Greene just miss 4 games) was he given any punishment other than from the NCAA? or did CMR try to get his suspension reduced?
helmet head
October 4th, 2010
1:38 pm
Counting Blessings—Bama nor LSU are on the schedule but Arkansas and Miss St are…and we lost both. I’d rather play Bama and LSU when we’re down.
dawgster
October 4th, 2010
1:38 pm
Jeff S..way out of line on the mission trip statement..what a classless comment…a comment like that shows us the type persson you are compared to someone like Coach Richt…you have a right to your opinion, but am very disappointed that you would make a statement like that…and don’t try to spin it any other way…you are way out of line on that..very disappointing and sad that a journalist would write that…
Dawg Gummit
October 4th, 2010
1:40 pm
I am a Dawg Fan and will root for the team for the rest of the year win or lose. I do not have season tickets so I do not have a real financial investment in the team. I do have an emotional investment for over 30 years and feel like the program is not going to correct itself under CMR. If this were a one or second down year under CMR it would be different, but 2006, 2008, 2009 and now 2010 appear to be 4/5 years off. 2008 was 10-3 with horrible losses to Alabama, Florida and GT. I feel that CMR had a good 5 year run but for whatever reason peaked and now it is too late to get back. If we keep him 1 more year recruiting will be terrible since most recruits will assume he gets fired after next year. Hopefully, CMR will do the honorable thing and resign and negotiate a buyout which would be the best for all parties.
PHIL
October 4th, 2010
1:41 pm
Even the people who write the stories are stupid. What does respect have to do with fumbling? You think Richt has Ealeys attention since he only played 1 play Sat? You think the defense doesn’t respect Grantham or that he doesn’t have their attention? Yet they still can’t tackle. Jeff, you need to stay in that sandlot playing a scrappy second base and leave the football writing to someone else.
UGABugKiller
October 4th, 2010
1:41 pm
dawgster… get a frakking life, you over-emotional d-bag.
What Jeff was saying, obvious to everyone else, is that while Saban and Meyer and whomever else might possibly want to do the charitable acts Richt does, like the mission trips, they don’t.
WHY?
Because they are paid millions of dollars to win championships. Not build a school in Central America.
So instead, Saban and Meyer act charitably by giving money, not time.
Because they have their priorities in line with their job expectations.
Richt does not.
mdawg
October 4th, 2010
1:41 pm
Richt should have been fired after Moreno and Stafford left. He completely wasted our only shot at national relevance. His accomplishments are nothing when compared to what was happening around the SEC during the same time frame. LSU, FLA, & AL have all won NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS on Richt’s watch. Throw AU in there as well even though the BCS snubbed them. And speaking of AU, they had TRUE success in this league with Tubberville, but still knew when to send him packing. The only thing Richt should be remembered for is squandering talent and running this team further into the ground than we have ever been in the modern era. Richt should have resigned aftter we lost in Starkville, and he shouldn’t have been allowed to ride home with the team after our loss in Boulder. To give him another year is to doom our program for another 5. TRUE DAWG FANS ARE TIRED OF LOSING.
turkey caller
October 4th, 2010
1:45 pm
UGA Bugkiller……I think you are spot on. Good read on what has transpired.
willie b.
October 4th, 2010
1:47 pm
P. O. A. D. —–STANDS FOR PERCHED ON A DICK???
Obama
October 4th, 2010
1:49 pm
Wait until 2012. I can take over the coaching position then. I will bring some real hope and change to the program.
Tyler Durden
October 4th, 2010
1:51 pm
http://www.richtsgottago.com
TruthSirum
October 4th, 2010
1:52 pm
“Is Richt what’s wrong with UGA?”
Yeah! Duh?
Sonny Clusters
October 4th, 2010
1:53 pm
Bobby Cox is going to be out of work soon. Let him call some plays.
Florida Dawg
October 4th, 2010
1:54 pm
Richt’s sideline demeanor hasn’t changed in 10 years…and he did quite well for many years.
Not sure that’s the problem…and not sure what is.
Collectively, he does have too many punks on the team who show no respect for the job he and the other coaches are trying to do.
I do believe that too many players have received hand slaps and should have been dismissed from the team when they got off course.
maybe times have changed but it wasn’t that long ago that we were winning and we were the team everyone dreaded to play.
5150 P.O.A.D
October 4th, 2010
1:55 pm
Willie b are you still dead? How do you type? I was you a few times as a kid and all you can do is ride your Tire Swing and Sling your poop at the patrons.
Tech Sting
October 4th, 2010
1:55 pm
Richt brought fsu’s model to athens (recruit anyone with a pulse who can win, coach dirty when needed, cover up crimes/arrests, act like a preacher…) and it didn’t translate. Bowden’s model died 10 years ago but richt kept using it. Maybe it’s time for another endzone taunting dance to get the team to show “emotion!”
JB
October 4th, 2010
1:56 pm
Two people…………….Dr Adams and McGarity………………….outside forces will help shape their thinking some………………Of course, money………………..As in elections, this will split the fan base some……………What if a great Math professor at UGA all of sudden had 150 of 170 students failing ? Think He/she forgot Math……….My point with Richt, X’s and O’s are a tiny part. Leadership, Management skills, mental fatigue or HIS attitude or drive.
SoCal Dawg
October 4th, 2010
1:57 pm
Everyone says who would you replace him with. I’m not sure but I would start with the same Atlanta firm that brought us the little know Mark Fox, the best coach at UGA. (for all of you who think that football is the only sport played at UGA he is the basketball coach)
$750,000!
October 4th, 2010
1:57 pm
How’s that new high priced D-coordinator working out? Georgia’s D this year is worse than last year. 29 points to Colorado—are you serious???? He needs to go back to the NFL.
A.D.
October 4th, 2010
1:57 pm
Have the team wear red panties with black helments and then have them do a thug dance in the end zone. That should fix things.
dog alum in SC
October 4th, 2010
1:58 pm
I am a graduate and one of the most loyal dog fans ever. I sat through the entire 1974 GA-GA TECH game in Athens. ( It was so cold and sleeting – the band and cheerleaders left in the 3rd quarter). I am amazed that anyone would defend March Richt at this point. This season feels like the Goff years – only Goff did show fire and spirit. A dynasty should have been built in the past ten years. Yes, Richt did win 2 championships, but look what has happened since. It is Richt’s job to fix problems, hire coaches, and coach players. Being “Mr. nice guy” and playing favorites does not cut it. How I long for the days of Erk Russell. That man was a great coach; Dooley was a good coach; Richt is an average coach. Face the truth and let’s search now so that recruiting will not be a disaster!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
5150 P.O.A.D
October 4th, 2010
1:58 pm
Jeff are you doing the live blog from the UGA game? If you are there you need to try to get a photo of Barbara Dooley in her Orange Outfit.
Ed
October 4th, 2010
1:59 pm
The first warning sign was the Sugar Bowl after the ‘05 season. For whatever reason, Georgia came out flat, uninspired, and unprepared against West Virginia, a very good but not great team. We nearly got run out of the stadium before waking up in the second half. The next warning sign was in ‘06, when Georgia had to rally to nip the worst Colorado team in a generation. That season also saw losses to Vandy and Kentucky.
In ‘07 – an extremely overranked season in Georgia lore – we saw an embarrassing beatdown at Tennessee, a home loss to what turned out to be a 6-loss, bowl-less South Carolina team, and one lucky break from a second consecutive loss to Vandy. More importantly, we saw the first signs of a total loss of control over the team, as well as signs that Richt had to manufacture ways to inspire the team.
In ‘08, Georgia beat every team that it could push around physically, and underachieved against the three teams that hit back. The overall won-loss record looked good, but the embarrassing beat down by Florida alone was enough to ruin the whole season. Down 14-3 in the second half, Georgia just quit.
In ‘09, we were treated to a 5-loss season that included another beatdown in Knoxville (this time to a 6-loss team that struggled against Ohio U.) and another embarrassing loss in Jax.
And this season things might have hit rock bottom. Double-digit losses at S. Carolina and Miss. St., and a loss against a Colorado team that Cal (from the supposedly inferior Pac 10) treated like the scout team.
It’s time to acknowledge that the Richt from the early years is gone, and he’s not coming back. The worst part – mediocrity is starting to become the standard. Florida has what looks to be their weakest team since ‘07; how many Georgia fans give us a chance in that game?
It’s time for a change.
dawgster
October 4th, 2010
1:59 pm
UgaBugkiller…i normally wouldn’t respond to someone that would say the things you just did about me…but i will…it takes alot of class to call someone a d-bag…i will promise you one thing you wouldn’t say it to my face…but sit behind your little computer and have at it…thats all the guts you probably have…If you think his comments are fine about the mission trip then that says wonders about you…doesn’t it little man…and when i say little man, i mean little man…so if you feel good about calling me a d-bag then go ahead…I’m a pretty good size man and i can take pretty much any kind of hit…I won’t respond to you anymore…so say whatever you like…i don’t mind having differences of opinion with people on here, but i try to be respectful and i don’t attack them personnally as you did me…Also, i still stand behind my comments regarding Jeff’s article…i thought he went too far with the mission trip remarks….
P.O.A.D. Fan
October 4th, 2010
2:00 pm
Is that the one Herschel gave her?
Next Nick Saban
October 4th, 2010
2:00 pm
MaGarity and Adams need to scour the U.S., spend whatever is needed and find the next Nick Saban, the best coach in America by far. Coaches I would be looking at—money is no object.
Oregon
Utah
Boise St.
But, UGA will probably go cheap and hire an unproven kirby smart from alabama and pay him a couple of mil.
Gator Nation
October 4th, 2010
2:03 pm
Mr. McGarity: Please keep Mark Richt at UGA a long time.
Signed,
your friends in Gainesville.
pws
October 4th, 2010
2:05 pm
UGA has problems since before the 2008 GT game. I am a GT grad, and we have been to the GT/UGA game every year for over 30 years. Two years ago was the very first time that I have attended that game where the UGA players were not concerned if they won the game or lost it. Always before, the attitude on both teams is that they give it their all, and play to win, but the UGA players on that afternoon looked as if they didn’t care. While the GT players who were on the sidelines watching the game, were up, animated, even dancing on the sidelines the whole game, the UGA players that weren’t playing were looking up into the stands, not the game, as if it meant nothing to them. That is coaching, just as you have stated, the players have no fire and no TEAM about them, and haven’t since that day. Yes, they geat GT last year at GT, but even at that game, there was still that same attitude among the players who weren’t playing along th sidelines.
We live in Marietta, and we think UGA should hire Coach Friday, to be their disciplinarian. It could be that Mark cannot relate to the type players he recruits, and he needs coach Friday who can relate. Just a thought.
Also, the Damon Evans fiasco hasn’t helped, you need to put some of the blame on the top where it belongs. When your athletic director doesn’t set the example, where are you?
5150 P.O.A.D
October 4th, 2010
2:05 pm
Herschel just gave her the matching thongs and pushup bra from Maude’s Secret.
Tombo
October 4th, 2010
2:06 pm
Good article. The issue is there’s been little accountability for actions on or off the field in the past and Richt is reaping what he sowed. He’s finally starting to lay down the hammer on some of the kids for off the field issues, but he’s starting too late. Plus, he’s has got to have some more accountability for in game actions or inactions. Sure the RB was benched for fumbling/poor blocking and the league made the center sit for a half for clipping, but it is inconsistent. See Vance Cuff’s performance…gives up a big play and has 3 personal foul penalties…one of which allowed Colorado the opportunity for the game winning touchdown. Why is he in the game still? Put his butt on the bench in the game and all/part of the next game. That sends a clear message to players that you better bring it mentally each and every week or somebody will be taking your job on the field.
Ban the players from scooters for a month when somebody screws up riding a scooter. Put in a strict curfew when somebody gets busted for underage drinking. Make the punishment team wide to get peer pressure to help with corrective behavior.
In short, stop trying to be the best friend of the players…time to be the parent. It’s tough love and hard to do for kids you care about deeply, but it teaches the lessons that need to be taught and will help them in the long run.
Unfortunately, attitudes don’t change overnight…so even with corrective action it may take time to see the benefits. And it may cost us games while we wait to see if he can correct the issues.
Miley cyrus
October 4th, 2010
2:07 pm
Is is still a Party In The UGA???
Miley cyrus 2010
October 4th, 2010
2:09 pm
Is it Still a Party In The UGA??