Mark Richt will be back next season — and he deserves to be
The sideline hasn't been as enjoyable a place for Mark Richt the last two seasons as during his first eight. (Brant Sanderlin/AJC)
ATHENS – It’s probably best that we start with the latest indication of Mark Richt’s future employment.
“Mark’s going to be our coach in 2011,” Georgia athletic director Greg McGarity said. “I haven’t seen anything in 11 games that would lead me to any other decision. I’d be stunned.”
The thinking is, it’s always best to end such declarations with even the smallest of escape routes. Because if for some reason Georgia were to lose to Tech 42-10 Saturday, finish the season 5-7, not go to a bowl game and later that evening 17 players find themselves in handcuffs for whatever reason – well, let’s just say you want the escape route.
But Richt will be back. And he should be back.
Let’s be clear about something. There are significant problems at Georgia. There are problems that may not go away under Richt.
The team has disappointed and underachieved. The Bulldogs are 7-9 in SEC games in the last two seasons. That nearly equals their conference loss total in the previous four years (22-10).
Celebrated recruiting classes haven’t turned into celebrated teams, an indictment of the coaching. Changes in Richt’s staff have not significantly improved the defense. Physically and emotionally, the team too often still seems overmatched by good teams.
But we should judge coaches like we judge athletes – in fact, like we judge all people. Life is a series of credits and debits. Mark Richt has built up a lot of credits. He deserves a chance to fix this.
He won two SEC titles in his first five seasons. I know. That’s so yesterday. As even McGarity joked when alluding to the fact the program’s off-field issues have quieted somewhat: “You’re only as good as the last few minutes.”
It’s the same on the field, especially in the SEC. When Nick Saban, Urban Meyer and Les Miles are combining to win four straight BCS titles, and Gene Chizik is undefeated at Auburn and – cover your eyes – even Mississippi State seems to have passed you by with Dan Mullen, nobody in the fan base is talking about that great 2005 season.
Greg McGarity said he and Richt are "brutally honest" with each other in their meetings. (AP photo)
The more likely response is: Fire the coach.
But dial it back for a moment. Richt was 82-22 overall and 44-15 through his first eight seasons in Athens. There were some bad performances in 2006, hiccups in 2007 and the smack downs by Alabama and Florida in 2008 that quickly extinguished any national title hopes. But the bottom line numbers are too overwhelming to ignore so quickly.
McGarity hasn’t been in his job for long. He said he understands “that everyone is frustrated.” He added, “The bottom line is we’re 5-6 and nobody is happy with that. Nobody is pleased, and nobody should be.”
But he has spent the past several weeks analyzing various aspects of the program, particularly since the Colorado game – “That’s when things began to slow down for me,” he said — and doesn’t believe a change is warranted.
“We’re dealing with a team that’s competitive every week,” he said. “I know people don’t like to hear phrases like, ‘We’re competitive’ and, ‘We’re giving it everything we’ve got.’ Trust me, I get that. We all want different results. But I also see a program that is not in disarray.
“The bottom line is we need to close games better and I also believe this is a critical recruiting class for us. I feel like there are a lot more positive signs than negative signs, even though it hasn’t shown up in the win category.”
McGarity and Richt have a standing meeting every Friday. McGarity said the two have a great and open relationship. “We’re brutally honest with each other,” he said.
He declined to discuss specifics of their discussions but said: “We both want the same thing. The question is how we get there.”
It’s justified for anybody who follows the Georgia program to be upset about the record, about the loss in Colorado, about the fact the team hasn’t been a player in the SEC East for two years. It’s justified to wonder about direction. But Richt deserves another season to figure it out. His resume has earned him that.
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706 comments Add your comment
JB
November 23rd, 2010
3:56 pm
Poll: does Bobo come back next year? or get demoted?
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
November 23rd, 2010
3:57 pm
Say what you want about Vince Dooley’s record yr in and yr out
But I can tell you one thing for certain
Under Dooley, it did not matter what team we played or where they were ranked in the polls
You always knew that his teams had a chance to win every time, not this coaching staff
gdawginkalamazoo
November 23rd, 2010
3:57 pm
Exely Dawg, right on the UT call. Now they are fighting in Europe and hoping the Russians don’t schedule them for next year. Talk about the death penalty. Once those Russians reach das Knoxville UT is done.
I bet when Dooley called the recruits they didn’t have a clue that they were being recruited for that.
Bug Zapper
November 23rd, 2010
3:57 pm
If something happens with CMR there had better be a definate game plan to replace him with who can salvage this recruiting class and right the ship…..Who is the replacement?…..Do’nt give me Muschamp whos stock is plummetting, Smart? no, he still makes no defencive calla….Forget Harbaugh, NFL bound!……And I do’nt want to chance another Boise St coach after what happened at CU……..So whats the answer people?…..Do’nt fire CMR just for the sake of not being happy!…..The next coach, if not the perfect one, will set this program back to being terrible for another 5 yrs and us UGA fans are’nt that patient!
OkefenokeeDawg
November 23rd, 2010
3:59 pm
Bobo? Demoted to QB coach. Hopefully.
Jeremy r
November 23rd, 2010
4:00 pm
Why do you guys give richt so much leniency. 4 of the last 5 years have been disappointments. Yes 2008 was a disappointment we were ranked #1 at the start of the season. Plus if he loses to tech we will be 0-4 against our main rivals this year south Carolina florida auburn. No other coach has lost to those 4 programs in a single year here. Not even ray goff
Dawg '88
November 23rd, 2010
4:01 pm
The MNCs that have been won by Satan, Meyer and Miles were luck….just to get to the title game. 2002, 2005, and 2007 didn’t provide the same luck for CMR. Coaching didn’t get those coaches into those games. The records were comparable in almost each and every situation as the 2002, 2005 and 2007 Dawg teams. So that argument is moot.
Now lets address the Mullen has passed UGA too statement. That is the stupidest comment made ever by JS the blogger with no facts. Yes….there are better this year and beat UGA. But just as one year shouldn’t get CMR fired…MSU passing UGA is hilarious for the same reason. One season or game doesn’t make it so. Ask CPJ and Ga Yech along with JS….After the 2008 loss by UGA to Yech…JS said that Yech had passed UGA as a program. One loss in now 9 years makes them better. See 2009’s game to discover that one game/year doesn’t make a good case. Yech lost to an average UGA team during what was supposedly a joke of a championship season. Here we are this year with UGA likely to hand Yech its head again. As far as Chizik and Auburn…talk to me about how great they are after the NCAA slams their entire season to great big goose egg 0-12! Do we do it their way JS? Win em all then forfeit them all…great idea! Your hate for everything UGA and especially CMR are transparent. So quit trying to hide behind the ramblings of empty thought and give it a rest. I’ll take CMR over an egomaniac (Satan), a man who plays someone who threatens to kill another person….no integrity (Meyer) and deer in the headlights (Miles) along with the champion cheater of 2010 (Chizik). BTW what did CMR’s team do to Chizik before this year? The last time UGA played LSU…the hung 50 on them in Death Valley! And Satan lost to a non-BCS team while at Bama….something CMR has never done.
Jeff Schultz
November 23rd, 2010
4:01 pm
Bugsquasher — No, the program is moving in the wrong direction. I’ve written that. All I’m saying is he deserves a year to change the direction.
Jeff Schultz
November 23rd, 2010
4:01 pm
Paul in RDU — Thank you.
DAWGMAN
November 23rd, 2010
4:02 pm
He has no passion for Georgia. He has no fire in his belly. Can’t coach what you don’t have. Adios
Courtney Fuhrmann
November 23rd, 2010
4:02 pm
Has anyone seen any red panties??
JB
November 23rd, 2010
4:02 pm
Bug Zapper………..true if we look in the want ads,,,,,,,We need to get bold IF WE NEED TO and reach. We will get turned down some, but damn, don’t reach for the stars and then call a temp service. Call Bill Cower……….Sure he’ll say no, even at 5 mil ,because Jerry Jones is going to offer him 10 mil………..HIRE SOMEONE AWAY….HATS OFF TO BAMA
realistic dawg
November 23rd, 2010
4:03 pm
So many IDIOTS posting on here. Keep complaining and talking about firing one of the best coaches, record wise, in college football which you know is not going to happen and you can ruin our recruiting for next year and the year after. You IDIOTS already have Justin Scott-Wesley looking around. Keep it up. Or go Pull for Tech. They have lost 5 games and nobody cares.
Dawg '88
November 23rd, 2010
4:03 pm
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville…This Team has had a chance to beat every team on the 2010 schedule. What games have you been watching. Even in the one so called lopsided loss to Auburn…the Dawgs were up 21-7 on the road! The other 5 losses were easily winnable. Pay attention before spewing inaccurate statements.
5150 P.O.A.D.
November 23rd, 2010
4:04 pm
Bobo couldn’t be a 4AAAA High School coach. If bobo never palyed for the Dawgs his azz would never have been given the chance to be an OC. Mike Bobo and Pat Nix need to be in the Independant Privite High School 8-0n-8 league as head coaches.
The Most Interesting Man
November 23rd, 2010
4:04 pm
I really dont care if Im 2-8 vs FL and I drive the program into the ground
What you should care is your bank account, and mine is at $30 million
“Stay Thirsty My Friends”
Jeff Schultz
November 23rd, 2010
4:05 pm
DaWg — Appreciate the comments.
kral
November 23rd, 2010
4:06 pm
The other nite I gave you respect poad now your back to toad with your 3:41 post..will be on back and forth love the sharing of intelligent ideas love to rip on a stupid blogging a-hole..and hey i’m having an extremely great day and some of you fart heads or making it that much more enjoyable
Dawg '88
November 23rd, 2010
4:06 pm
DAWGMAN…I assume you’re talking about CMR? But its without proof!
Tell me how you know for sure that he has no passion for UGA or fire in the belly? Have you been to practice?…In the lockerroom?…Talked to players?…What proof do you have?
I know….NONE!
You have an opinion…well opinions are like behinds…everyone’s got one!
OkefenokeeDawg
November 23rd, 2010
4:07 pm
Dawg ‘88,
Um, Saban (Bama) went 14-0 last season. He didn’t lose to inferior teams like our guy did (UF in ‘02 and ‘05), (SC and UT in ‘07).
GT
November 23rd, 2010
4:07 pm
NC every three years? Man the players aren’t the only thing on drugs in Athens. You haven’t won a national championship in 30 years. Practically every team in the SEC has won at least one since you did, even Tech has one and Auburn got one stolen from them as USC should have been on probation making Auburn the NC. You are 5 and 5 and all ,even your benefactors, can say is you are the best looking fat girl at the party. You lost to Colorado, with GREEN in the line up. About equal to Tech’s lost to Kansas except we are embarrassed and after all we are the worse 6 and 5 team in the country.
Jeff Schultz
November 23rd, 2010
4:09 pm
Dirty Dawg — Thanks. I understand both sides of the issue. Always have. Just felt I better finally take one. Was going to wait until the end of the season figured I might as well write it now.
Can Georgia Tech upset 5-6 UGA?
November 23rd, 2010
4:09 pm
Go Jackets!
Jeff Schultz
November 23rd, 2010
4:09 pm
‘94 UGA Alumni – Thank you, kindly.
tj
November 23rd, 2010
4:10 pm
If we do not change OC at least send him somewhere to learn more about different and successful offenses than what we are doing. Even Bear Bryant changed his offense to evolve back into the winning ways by changing his offense when he had a few lean years….Why not search out the successful programs that worked in the past. Not just the plays but the philosophies and programs of successful teams. No one seems to understand the importance of a running game anymore.. If Tech, Navy or anyone else that uses that offense ever develops a passing game for balance,,,watch out. You have to be balanced. UGA has not been balanced. We score big on the poor teams and the good teams stop our offense by keeping the ball on the ground vs our defense. Keeping our defense on the field so long has been a disaster this year. Whose fault is it? There is a factor of time of possession vs the defense that has a lot to do with the outcome of a game. UF and AU killed us by running. The defense was on the field a long time because of our quick scoring attack or our short drives or three and kick drives.
SoCal Dawg
November 23rd, 2010
4:10 pm
I want to give CMR ONE more year but if not why not Dan Mullen. He has done a great job at MS and is use to winning at UF. He and our new AD know each other very well.
Frank
November 23rd, 2010
4:10 pm
I can’t wait til this weekend when clemson beats sc and then they can say they are sec champs in 2 weeks. That would be so funny right! Just like the idiot uga fans who said the same thing last year!
What would be even more funny is clemson would be the team that
A. played auburn the closest…so far..still bama left
B. Beat the sec east and possibly the sec champ!
Fsu is going to roll over Fla and show you stupid sec morons your conference is only where it is today because of brand image. Most see that your conf is very overrated this year.
That will be proven on Saturday
Jeff Schultz
November 23rd, 2010
4:10 pm
PaulieOldSchool — How much credit? One more season. Then we re-evaluate.
realistic dawg
November 23rd, 2010
4:11 pm
GT – So its been 30 years since we won a NC? A few years ago you guys were saying it been 20 years since we won one and we were living in the past. How many years has it been since Tech won one. Outright!
A Big Dog
November 23rd, 2010
4:11 pm
Dang, just about all the anti-Richt rants are from the MidTown Flamers, dang boys, ya’ll oughta worry about Jugs Johnson instead of hoping Richt leaves. Yes sir, Tech where some of the men are men and most of the women wanna be!! Yikes!
Rod
November 23rd, 2010
4:11 pm
Richt needs to sign a new long term contract. We have a great coach and the best way to ease recruits minds is by showing them Richt will be here along time.
Jeff Schultz
November 23rd, 2010
4:12 pm
Jeff Schultz Fan — (Feels weird typing that) … Thanks. Some fans unrealistic but really most just want to win. It’s OK to be passionate. There’s good arguments on both sides of this issue, really.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
November 23rd, 2010
4:12 pm
Dawg 88
Seriously are you delusional
Almost, should of, could of, is poor coaching
It should have been obvious to all UGA fans when AL rolled 31 unanswered points in the first half against a UGA team that field 7 NFL draft picks
Keep drinking your kool-aid bud
Oh and do me a favor, when we have at least 4 loses (1 being against FL) next year, make sure you come back and spew more of your delusional kool-aid crap so everyone can see how stupid you are
Jeremy r
November 23rd, 2010
4:12 pm
I understand cmr had some good years but its not like he won a national championship. How many more bad seasons are y’all going to allow him to have
5150 P.O.A.D.
November 23rd, 2010
4:13 pm
Kral
Just keep Richt, please. Most everybody in the SEC will be happy and you know it. So many SEC teams have new coaches and are wanting to get better, but UGA has the same coach and not getting better. Richt is the OLD MAN in the SEC and it is showing. Bobo has to go for sure.
SoCal Dawg
November 23rd, 2010
4:14 pm
Jeff Schultz- Thanks for being our punching bag. It is very therapeutic.
A Big Dog
November 23rd, 2010
4:14 pm
5150 P.O.A.D….hey ain’t you a MidTowner
kral
November 23rd, 2010
4:15 pm
Go back and read your post again gt..let’s see SC..Vandy..ARK.. both MISS.. Kent.. Aurb..none of them have even won an SEC cham..
Jeff Schultz
November 23rd, 2010
4:16 pm
Tech Tard — If you can find me one clip where I called for Mark Richt’s head, I will give you $1 million. No, let’s make it $2 million. In fact, let’s make it $2 million and a 22 pound Butterball turkey for Thanksgiving.
OkefenokeeDawg
November 23rd, 2010
4:16 pm
GT,
How dare you. We aspire to be .500.
We are 5-6, not 5-5.
Bucky Belue hand it to Herschel
November 23rd, 2010
4:17 pm
CMR is a DAMN good Dawg, hes not going anywhere, Murray is going to be great, need some new RB to tote the rock, & some playmakers on defense are needed. Did anybody notice, damn McGarity has some big azz ears, think he gets the NFL package with em??? lol Go Dawgs Sic Em
ARdawg
November 23rd, 2010
4:17 pm
Schultz
I don’t get the “deserves” part. No part of the downhill slide of the last 5 years equates to he “deserves”. The debits and credits have left Richt severly in the red. If you “want” him for another year just say so and get off the “deserves” crap wagon. Richt has been handsomely paid for his 10 years. He doesn’t “deserve” anything. The University “deserves” a better return on the investment they’ve made in him.
gdawginkalamazoo
November 23rd, 2010
4:18 pm
Well IF Richt doesn’t get it done next year and McGarity cans him look for him to take over at Penn State as next year should be JoePa’s last. Then Richt can go there and make 15 million a year (half of what JoePa is making) and coach in the less stressful Big Teneleventwelve.
Jeff Schultz
November 23rd, 2010
4:18 pm
Courtney Fuhrmann — Hey! Where’ve you been?!?
gomdawg
November 23rd, 2010
4:18 pm
Jeff why are you bring this up , you know and I know CMR is going nowhere , so get a real job.
gdawginkalamazoo
November 23rd, 2010
4:19 pm
Schultz, you can afford to just throw away a weeks, no, two weeks pay like that?
Jeff Schultz
November 23rd, 2010
4:19 pm
SoCal Dawg — Fire at will, sir. That’s what I’m here for. (By the way, what part of SoCal?).
MAKO
November 23rd, 2010
4:19 pm
JS…good job….some people actually made some decent points pro & con on this topic…good job
Al Ciraldo
November 23rd, 2010
4:20 pm
Toe meets leather Saturday. If GT wins and gets CMR fired, I’m gonna miss watching you bulldogs squirm in your mediocracy. Clearly 5-star athletes are not the recipe for winning. Like Paul Hewitt, you can recruit all the talent you want – and still suck. Maybe Mark and Damon can join forces at the unemployment office.
kral
November 23rd, 2010
4:20 pm
I will never change the mind of a person who certianly knows what is right a wrong with UGA..yessir buddy toad we will never go farther under Richt…Hel’… why do I know that cause you said soo.