Georgia’s win not art, but we’ve come to expect this
The Dogs celebrated after Justin Houston's interception in final seconds sealed win. (Brant Sanderlin/AJC)
ATHENS — It was supposed to be easier than this.
But then, so was the Colorado game.
So was the Mississippi State game.
So was . . . well, let’s just assumed “easy” left town with Louisiana-Lafayette 12 weeks ago.
The offensive line hasn’t been the dominating unit that Georgia expected. The defense under Todd Grantham certainly hasn’t improved like expected. (Did Willie Martinez leave just his playbook in Athens or was that his spirit?) The physical and mental edge that the Bulldogs have often lacked over the past three seasons? Still lacking.
This is what Georgia fans get in 2010: a 6-6 record in this season’s deep sea of 6-6 records. The Dogs won 42-34 over Georgia Tech on Saturday. They became bowl eligible, not because they were much better than the Yellow Jackets but because — until a touchdown with 1:29 left — the opposing kicker had missed an extra point.
The teams combined for six turnovers plus a botched opening kickoff return by Georgia. When the Dogs and Jackets accounted for three fumbles in four exchanges, I’m pretty sure every bowl official in attendance stood up and left.
But if you’re a Georgia fan this season, you take it. Why? Because a win at least makes the 6-6 record far more appealing aesthetically than 5-7. Because a bad bowl game is better than no bowl game. Because this season has predominantly lacked beauty from the outset, save the acrobatics of A.J. Green and the surprising play of freshman quarterback Aaron Murray.
In retrospect, it was silly to think that the fact the Dogs were two-touchdown favorites suddenly would propel them to a dominating performance.
“It would’ve been sickening to be 5-7 right now and for the season to be over,” coach Mark Richt said.
Who knew a bottom-tier bowl game in Birmingham or Memphis could look like paradise?
It was nearly three months ago to the day Saturday when Richt looked ahead to this season like a child peering through the window of a toy store. He talked about his offensive line. He talked about veteran leadership. He talked about a turnaround on defense. But when asked for a won-loss projection based on the schedule, he balked.
“I used to do it more than I do now,” he said in August. “What year was it — [Matthew] Stafford’s freshman year [2006]? I kind of did it that year a little bit. We didn’t have a great season. Everything looked different than it was.”
Sort of like this year. There’s no spinning it. The season went sideways, and the Dogs have been wobbling almost from Day 1.
Richt will be back next season, and he should be back because winning two SEC titles in his first five seasons earns him the right to fix the problems. But he has a lot of problems to fix.
Aaron Murray completed 11 of 14 passes with three touchdowns in first half but didn't throw much in the second (4 for 5). (Brant Sanderlin/AJC)
He can leave Murray alone. The young quarterback entered this season as the team’s biggest question mark, and he ended it as one of its few strengths. But almost every other area is due for an overhaul.
It wasn’t difficult to tell this was a game between 5-6 and 6-5 teams. The Dogs’ Shaun Chapas dropped the opening kickoff and Tech recovered (technically it’s not a fumble, just early humiliation). But the Jackets failed to score on that possession or the next one, despite starting at the Georgia 27 and 46. Their second drive? It ended with a fumble.
In the end, it wasn’t so much which team had fewer thumbs — we’ll call that one a tie — but which best took advantage. The Jackets’ first three fumbles all led to Georgia touchdowns. The Dogs’ fumbles led to bupkis for Tech.
Murray was phenomenal early, completing 11 of 14 passes for 220 yards in the first half and touchdowns to Kris Durham, Orson Charles and Bruce Figgins. But the Dogs couldn’t get through this without some drama. They jumped to a 14-0 lead and to fizzle ad see Tech come back with touchdowns on three of their next four possessions to tie it at 21-21.
The Dogs jumped back ahead by two touchdowns on a Washaun Ealey run and a Justin Houston 18-yard return of a fumble. But the Jackets, who had 512 yards in offense (411 on the ground), drove through the Dogs’ defense for two more scores.
Only a missed a extra point by kicker Scott Blair with 4:57 left kept the Dogs ahead, at 35-34.
Defensive end Akeem Dent, on the field, turned around just in time to see the miss.
“I turned and looked and was like: I know he didn’t miss it. Did he miss it?” Dent said.
A 20-yard touchdown run by Ealey with 1:29 left made it 42-34. Tech had one last possession fall short.
Two 6-6 teams stumbled over the finish line.
“I don’t care what bowl game we’re going to,” Green said in likely his final game at Sanford Stadium. “It’s better than going home right now.”
After the disappointment of the 2008 season with Matthew Stafford and Knowshon Moreno and the pronounced slide of the last two years, it’s clear Georgia’s future doesn’t come with any guarantees. Richt doesn’t need to fix the quarterback. But he needs to fix everything else.
♦
Follow me on Twitter @JeffSchultzAJC and Facebook.com/JeffSchultzAJC
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
447 comments Add your comment
Bewildered
November 28th, 2010
8:09 am
Just enjoying my morning coffee and haven’t read the posts. I’ll offer this and read the other comments. Coach Richt HAS to make a change on the offensive side of the ball. I couldn’t believe on several drives in the second half that Bobo simply refused to try and establish a ground game to keep his defense off the field. I was surprised Grantham didn’t punch him in the mouth.
Mike seems to live out his unfulfilled playing dreams (throwing the ball on every down) with his young QBs and the playcalling. It was that obvious.
If Georgia establishes a run and keeps it defense off the field for an extended drive, this game is won by two TDs easily. Someone please tell Bobo to watch at 1.00 this afternoon for a lesson in “if they don’t have the ball they can’t score” football, courtesy of Mike Mullarky and the Falcons.
Georgia’s win not art, but we’ve come to expect this – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) | Like My Comment
November 28th, 2010
8:15 am
[...] See the original post here: Georgia’s win not art, but we’ve come to expect this – Atlanta Journal Constitutio… [...]
Tech Tony
November 28th, 2010
8:20 am
John Galt–
I don’t know you but from what little I have seen of your posts I wouldn’t call you developmentally challenged. I will, however, respectfully disgaree that the 3-4 is well suited to counter the proliferation of spread attacks across the nation. I was always under the belief that the 3-4 was to help take away the short passing game and create different lanes to help a defense generate a pass rush.
I just fail to get why Richt would allow this change when recruiting D-linemen has been a real strength during his tenure.
independent
November 28th, 2010
8:21 am
Thanks for trying Tech, we were pulling for you. No one wanted to see the filthy swine that is georgia go to a bowl. You got cheated a couple times last night, that touchdown georgia scored on that screen pass was bogus, the reciever was past the line of scrimmage so the lineman should have been called for ineligible reciever downfield. but that is how it goes sometimes. The dogs can only win by cheating, no surprise there, what can you expect from a bunch of classless, criminal, flea market flunky trash? The bright spot is it will be fun watching the vermin scramble looking for a coach when Richt steps down to take the Miami(Fl) job. He has already been contacted and look for an announcement this week.
Rosezeee
November 28th, 2010
8:21 am
Grantham fits in perfectly with this coaching staff. Great minds think alike.
Tom, Resident Georgia Fan
November 28th, 2010
8:22 am
St. Slimeons: When you get through washing the dishes and baking cupcakes you can come to this blog and congratulate the Dogs. (((42 – 34))) HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
NoRichtFan
November 28th, 2010
8:24 am
Well said Schultz. A meaningless game in which one lousy team with a lousy defense defeated another lousy team with an even lousier defense. That makes the winning team’s record a sparkling 6 wins against 6 loses, all wins comming against the bottom feeders of the SEC, a sorry ACC team and two nobodies. The winning team will go to a “zero” bowl that desperately needs to find two teams to justify its worthless existance. In that bowl an irrelevant game will be played that has no significance beyond the fact that one lousy team will defeat another lousy team. If UGA wins that game, then the loyal followers of that over-hyped, over-compensated, over-rated Coach will again proclaim that their hero Coach will “make things right” next year and that UGA will be a sure bet to win the SEC East as well as the conference championship and even be a national title contender. Seems like we have heard all this before. Well, “hope springs eternal”.
MC
November 28th, 2010
8:30 am
95 plays and Paul Johnson still couldn’t beat a 5 win team. Pitiful.
bdog10
November 28th, 2010
8:33 am
Whoever wreckmaniac is needs to go fix tech’s problems. Let us look back on the last 10 years.Regardless if Ga. is 6-6 or 0-12 or if your coach is a triple option guru we beat you all over and over and over. Fix your own problems and I can assure we will fix ours. Oh, I know you all are just trying to see how many fumbles and interceptions you can commit in a game and stay close. Answer me this just how embarrassing is it to have 417 yards rushing and still loose? 92 plays to 48 or something like and 38 minutes to 22 in possession time. And I do believe your record is 6-6 in the fabulous acc.If your team played in a real conference you wouldn’t be 6-6 and Nesbitt wouldn’t be the only 1st teamer on the bench with something broken.
OkefenokeeDawg
November 28th, 2010
8:33 am
In the entire history of college football, has there ever been a pair of coaches who could lose their own team’s offensive rhythm, and give up momentum faster than our own Richt and Bobo?
ATL is TigerTown
November 28th, 2010
8:37 am
Congratulations on your big Dud Bowl win! Now on to the Mediocre Bowl! Go Daags!
Now let me hear you all say “WAR EAGLE”!
It’s Great To Be An Auburn Tiger!
Okay, I’m ready. Hit me with some whining.
» SEC: Arkansas is sweet; Georgia survives; Florida flops John Clay’s Sidelines
November 28th, 2010
8:44 am
[...] Georgia’s win isn’t art, but Dog fans have come to expect that, writes Jeff Schultz of the AJC. [...]
OkefenokeeDawg
November 28th, 2010
8:50 am
So classy, Tigertown. Congrats on your third trip to a BCS Bowl.
Oh wait, no, it’s UGA, not Auburn, that has been to, and won, three BCS Bowls. In fact, if your boys don’t get past SC, you won’t get in one this season.
I think Auburn has been to its share of Dud Bowls also – and not too long ago . . .
OkefenokeeDawg
November 28th, 2010
8:52 am
Whoops – . . . won two of three BCS Bowls . . .
Facts
November 28th, 2010
8:53 am
Lets just say easy left town with Louisana-Lafayette 12 weeks ago?? Then who was Idaho St. on “Nov. 6″??? Oh just that team that has won 3 games in 3 YEARS…..that’s not easy????
feeels goood
November 28th, 2010
8:55 am
analysis season not so good tech played better than expected defence needs more players inside ga was not outcoached coaches dont miss tackles or fumble how is it bad coaching on last touchdown play happened in seconds.
Rosezeee
November 28th, 2010
8:59 am
UM FIRES ITS HEAD COACH – UGA SHOULD DO THE SAME
Paul Johnson has Moobies....
November 28th, 2010
9:01 am
Folks, the extra point that was missed was not why Tech lost this game. Although Techies will use this as their excuse UGA had driven down the field before they “LET” Ealey score. Even if you had shut us down we would have kicked a field goal and needless to say Washington remineded me of former UGA mvp Reggie Ball when the pressure was. In the words of the great philosopher Ogre….NERDS!!!!!
Dublin Dawg
November 28th, 2010
9:13 am
Grantham should either resign or forfeit his salary. He certainly did nothing this year to earn any of it. Mark should consider giving much of his back also. We were out coached and out played by a team that did not have the 4 and 5 star recruits, their starting quaterback or the officiating. We were lucky, lucky, lucky. Next year will tell if we will ever be great under these guys. I love Mark but doubt it.
OkefenokeeDawg
November 28th, 2010
9:14 am
On another topic, I am also a Falcon fan, and I hated how Bobby Petrino left for Arkansas, but that guy can coach.
That 4th and inches-pass play for a TD was amazing to watch, especially for a Dawg fan. What stones Richt used to have for taking chances like that, apparently have now shriveled up to the size of english peas.
I was thinking that Richt/Bobo would have called forsomething up the middle in that situation, and lo and behold, hours later, what play did they call?
Ole dawg
November 28th, 2010
9:15 am
Congrad to GT..you really beat our A@@ and out Coached our million $$$ staff. We were lucky to win. Enough said. Glad we won but not the way we played.
OkefenokeeDawg
November 28th, 2010
9:17 am
“We were out coached and out played by a team that did not have the 4 and 5 star recruits, their starting quaterback or the officiating”
*************************************
Don’t worry, Dublin Dawg, winning 6 games a year will weed out those 4 and 5 star recruits. Pretty soon, we have the same talent as Tech . . .
Wake-up call
November 28th, 2010
9:17 am
Losers talk about “what could have happened”……..bottom line is once again the NA Trade School was smart enough to stay in the game but not to win it…..It’s an “L” It’s an “L”
bdog10
November 28th, 2010
9:19 am
You Auburn people need to comment in those bama papers to start with and then you might want to run your mouths after the investigations are all over. Isn’t it true that 2 of the 3 times Auburn has gone undefeated they got caught paying some players and screwed up everything they accomplished. I think I heard that somewhere. Looks like someone needs to get the alumni under control.
Larry
November 28th, 2010
9:20 am
It bothers me that Richt said Paul Johnson outcoached him by letting Ealey score at the end. Richt (and his entire staff) was outcoached the entire game! Just like all year long. Rather than go to a completely undeserved bowl, this team should be reconstituted from the top down. I have no faith in the team (the entire program for years to come) any longer.
bdog10
November 28th, 2010
9:21 am
Oh and I had another question —-I almost forgot did “Bo Jackson” ever graduate?
Wake-up call
November 28th, 2010
9:26 am
Try for about a second to name five coaches in the nation that have a better record than Richt in the past ten years. A down year with “W’s” but those 4 and 5 star men know who is playing on Sundays. We will reload with some existing and new talent and step this thing up a few notches. Grantham……get your act together…..quick! We scored enough points this year to win 10. Big time player from Columbus….. I hope you see the slot that is available for you! Name the runnings back in “the League” from Alabama that are showing up on Sunday! Stick with your home state I.C. Commit now and let’s all have a happy holiday season!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Emmysmom
November 28th, 2010
9:28 am
DawginDFW, neither is better than their record.
bdog10
November 28th, 2010
9:28 am
And as for you rambling wrecks. You guys engineered another loss to Georgia. Here’s a triple option for you—Loose again next year and that will be 3 in a row to go with the 9 of 10 …….
Katherine
November 28th, 2010
9:33 am
independent
November 28th, 2010
8:21 am
Thanks for trying Tech, we were pulling for you. No one wanted to see the filthy swine that is georgia go to a bowl. You got cheated a couple times last night, that touchdown georgia scored on that screen pass was bogus, the reciever was past the line of scrimmage so the lineman should have been called for ineligible reciever downfield. but that is how it goes sometimes. The dogs can only win by cheating, no surprise there, what can you expect from a bunch of classless, criminal, flea market flunky trash? The bright spot is it will be fun watching the vermin scramble looking for a coach when Richt steps down to take the Miami(Fl) job. He has already been contacted and look for an announcement this week
Whoa…bitter much?
Atticus
November 28th, 2010
9:34 am
Nic job Coach Richt, Bobo and Grantham. You had a week off, GT had a backup QB and you give up 517 yards?? McGarity, save yourself a year and can them all now. That is the WORST defense I have seen in 30+ years in Athens. At least the guys back in the mid 90s still got after it. They weren’t as talented but they knew how to tackle.
BirdDog
November 28th, 2010
9:35 am
You nerds are hilarious with your excuses. Poor, poor, bitter nerds. But I guess 1 win in the last 10 years will do that! Ha Ha Ha! Y’all really suck bad. Have fun in Shreveport, karma is a b!tch losers!
Mike Bobo 17 INT
November 28th, 2010
9:36 am
The win by UGA was expected, and quite frankly nothing to get to get excited about. GT is a worse program than UGA, however the UGA progam is about to get alot worse.
I called it years ago and now it is finally evolving. Miami fired Shannon last night and had timed the hiring for CMR perfectly. Miami, being a championship program expecting more from their coaches, fired Shannon while CMR is under fire for a 6-6 season.
I suspect within the next 3-4 months CMR and family will be in Coral Gables back with his home school and Miami program and within 4 years of his hiring he will have a national title, which will prove the problems with the UGA program run deeper than CMR.
Competing programs are getting better, UGA is getting worse.
The Bagman
November 28th, 2010
9:36 am
The simple fact is that Ugag is a physically soft team. Sure they won the game, due to Tech miscues, but the longer the game went on, the more Tech looked like the physically tougher team. The last TD drive for Tech was physically dominating.
Mike Bobo 17 INT
November 28th, 2010
9:37 am
If anyone is thinking that Miami cannot buy CMR out of his contract, you are dead wrong. Miami spends 10 times as much as UGA on their football program, and CMR would prefer to step out of his backyard and get his talent vs. shopping in the state of Georgia or travleing to Florida.
joe taxpayer
November 28th, 2010
9:39 am
This is how far the UGA has fallen. We are excited about beating a 6-6 Tech with a backup qb. BTW Tech racked up over 500 yards. Tech lost this game more than UGA won it. I’m sorry dog fans but I am less certain about this program today then yesterday.
Katherine
November 28th, 2010
9:39 am
blah blah blah…yes we all know uga needs a lot of improvement. But, as they say, a win is a win is a win. It was a fun game to watch and tech played really well. If coach richt leaves, he leaves. Georgia will be fine.
Benjamin
November 28th, 2010
9:40 am
Georgia was less terrible than the Jackets last night. It shows up as a win in the box score and game column, but if UGA fans really want to hang that game and a 6-6 season on their walls to show off the neighbors in Alabama, Florida, and South Carolina….
acowa
November 28th, 2010
9:42 am
Shultz, you pansie! Where is the original column that was pulled?
thegooddawg
November 28th, 2010
9:47 am
Tech – listen up. You guys kicked our a$$es up and down the field all night. Watching the game I was in awe of how Johnson made quick adjustments and moreso the guts he showed at the end by letting us score to give your offense another shot. We were lucky to win and surely would not have except for several key mistakes on your end. My hat is off to you…
Slick
November 28th, 2010
9:50 am
Bobo – in response to your comment about Miami spending big bucks on their football team, check out what ESPN has online:
Shannon is expected to receive a buyout of around $1.5 million. Miami — a private school that doesn’t have the deepest of pockets when it comes to paying coaches — has had a fundraising drive to support athletics for several years and believes it will be able to put together enough money to lure a top-notch staff.
They’ll go after Mike Leach hard. Richt will be in Athens in 2011
Southernfan
November 28th, 2010
9:50 am
Georgia does not get to claim any state championship rights with its amateurish performance last night. I f any team deserves that right it is Georgia Southern who won its playoiff
: “”Georgia Southern lost starting quarterback Jaybo Shaw to injury in the first quarter, but it didn’t matter as the Eagles routed South Carolina State 41-16 Saturday in a first-round Football Championship Subdivision game.”"
41-16!!!!!!!!
Now that gives a team bragging rights not THUGA after losing after a string of inexcusable fumbles with a half witted defense. Sorry UGA is second rate and rules nothing but a party school with a bunch of academically challenged players who have arrest records longer than their touchdown records..
OkefenokeeDawg
November 28th, 2010
9:50 am
“If anyone is thinking that Miami cannot buy CMR out of his contract, you are dead wrong”
*****************************
Haha. You really think somebody would have to “buy out” richt’s contract? I expect the only provision would be that Richt would have to take his assistants with him when he goes out the door!
dawgster
November 28th, 2010
9:51 am
For all you dawg fans, tech fans, Bradley and Shultz. Ga 42-Tech 34…The “W” goes in the ga win column and the “L” goes in the tech loss column…Not a great season for either team and both teams need to fix problems with the defense….give the new DC’s a chance to do that next season with some of their own players…Also, maybe, just maybe Coach Johnson will start taking some field goals every once in a while instead of always going for it on fourth down, maybe its time some people give him some grief for his playcalling as seems to be the case for Coach Richt and Coach Bobo…As far as Tech letting the dawgs score, i have never seen another team whether that be in middle school, high school,college or pro…I just wasn’t taught to think like that and never, ever, had a coach allow us to do that nor did i ever let any of my players or coaches call for that…Yes, it would have been better for the dawgs to take a knee, but had we kept doing that its possible Tech would have gotten the ball back anyway, but to anticipate your opponent allowing you to score is just not something you really think about, maybe the coaches should have, but i just haven’t seen a team do that before…As for Ealey breaking thru the hole, you have to remember instincts take over and you do what you practice to do, i don’t anyteam works with their RB’s and have plays designed that have drop to a knee after you know burst thru the line and see the goal line, but don’t score, just fall down…Ok, experts tell me where and what coaches teach that…go dawgs…
LT
November 28th, 2010
9:55 am
Oh, and for all of those “he won with Gailey’s players” morons, GT put up 512 yards on your sorry defense with 9 of 11 offensive starters that were recruited by PJ.
the real Old Gold
November 28th, 2010
9:56 am
Johnson can walk on water! He will never leave Tech!
gss303
November 28th, 2010
9:56 am
We won thank God.
Our defensive Coordinator needs to visit some school that can teach him
how to defend the triple option. I know he is a NFL guy but leave your pride
at the door and make a trip this spring.
We were soft.
Tech is even softer.
Law Dawg
November 28th, 2010
9:57 am
Hey, St. Simons!!…….Nice kick
joe taxpayer
November 28th, 2010
9:57 am
Please somebody tell me why CMR deserves another chance to right the ship. He has had 10 chances against Fla. The 2008 team had 10 NFL players on it if you include A and the 2010 draft projections. If he could not win with the 08 team just how much talent does he need He is a wonderful man with great character but do we waste another year with him or cut bait now. The Tech game did not help CMR case. I am not a CMR hater however I do love UGA more. Do you have faith that he can turn it around. He had 2 years to turn it around and he has not. What is magical about next year. It seems we are getting worse every year.
My DAWGS are down
November 28th, 2010
9:58 am
@LT 9:55
GT lost…………. Yes GA’s defense was horrible, but in the end, GT had less points that GA… That means you LOST
Envision all the moral victories you like, however it will not change the outcome….