Richt looking forward to putting Dogs’ season behind him
Mark Richt celebrated after beating Georgia Tech but he can't wait for this season to end.
ATHENS – The final home practice of the season had ended Tuesday, and Mark Richt acted like somebody just surgically removed a bowling ball from the top of his cranium.
He smiled. He cracked jokes. He probably hadn’t been this relaxed since word first leaked of some NCAA investigation into A.J. Green back in July.
“It’s the last day,” Richt said Tuesday, almost giddy. “It’s kind of like just before the first day of summer when the kids can’t wait to go on vacation. What they don’t realize is the teachers are even more excited than the pupils. I’ve got four days now where hopefully I don’t have to do anything. That would be awesome.”
Can you blame him?
It’s not that Richt isn’t looking forward to Georgia’s final game, the Liberty Bowl against Central Florida. But mostly he is looking forward to this season officially being over. Losses, suspensions and arrests have worn on him (it’s worth noting Richt’s qualifier: “… where hopefully I don’t have to do anything.”)
The season can’t be fixed. It can, however, be dropped into a waste basket.
Richt recognizes the problems. It’s why he churned part of his coaching staff last year and recently demoted his strength and conditioning coach. Defense is an issue. Mental and physical toughness — definitely issues. The Dogs are losing too many games late and too many games on the road, which used to be a staple under Richt.
Resolve, resilience — those are just words now.
Richt: “We played close games but close doesn’t get it done. We talk about finishing the drill, but we certainly didn’t live up to that.”
He won’t wait until the spring to talk to his players about next season, or until the day after the Liberty Bowl. The 2011 season, he said, starts when the scoreboard clock in Memphis hits 0:00.
“Here’s how I look at next year: When we play the [bowl] game, and it’s over, and we’re in the locker room, I’m going to thank those seniors for everything they did, and hopefully they’ll have a smile on their face,” he said. “Once I tell the seniors thank you, I’ll talk to the juniors and I’ll say, ‘OK, from this moment forward, it’s on your watch. This is your team. What are you going to do with it?’ We’ll immediately start talking about next year.”
And then this: “When the game’s over, we’re turning the page.”
Does this sound like a man ready to move on?
Of course, Richt recognizes that it’s really he who’s on watch next season, more than the returning players. He has been questioned in Athens like never before. A segment of the fan base wanted him out. Since winning two SEC titles in his first five seasons, he has seen other programs pass Georgia. South Carolina just won the East. Only three schools – Kentucky, Vanderbilt and Mississippi – won fewer conference games this season than the Dogs.
Georgia’s 3-5 record – the same as the recently imploded Tennessee. Nobody expected that, least of all Richt.
When athletic director Greg McGarity reaffirmed before the Georgia Tech game that he wasn’t going to make a change. I’ve stated before, that’s the right call. Richt has built up enough credits in 10 years that he deserves an opportunity to turn this around. If he can’t do it next year, then the subject is certain to be revisited.
Richt knows this. But he feels good about quarterback Aaron Murray. He feels confident the defense will improve. He thinks changes in the strength and conditioning program are “going to make us better.”
A win in the Liberty Bowl would be nice, Richt said. But it can’t wipe out the last several months — and he is so ready to move on.
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Earlier posts
– NFL MVP race: Vick and Brady are even (Ryan, White close behind)
– Site says Georgia No. 21, Tech unranked going into 2011
– Poll time: Are Thrashers destined for a better year than Hawks?
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344 comments Add your comment
ARdawg
December 21st, 2010
4:56 pm
cantondawg
You really should be back out there pushing those microwave ovens and big screens. There is another difference in my job and Richt’s. The University of Georgia isn’t paying me 3 million a year for performance
5150 P.O.A.D.
December 21st, 2010
4:57 pm
Sounds like Richt is feeling like URBAN. I think Richt is in need of a long long Vacation. Richt needs to be totally focused on WINNING at UGA or he needs to retire.
Herschel Talker
December 21st, 2010
4:58 pm
ARdawg:
“We’re with ya guy really but, you’ve got him at least 1 more year.”
Why? Why do you have to give him one more year? Aren’t the disappointments of 2008, 2009, and 2010 enough? Why do we have to give him another year even though we know the ending will be the same? That will put us one year behind getting the problem fixed. And please learn how to spell “Herschel.”
HT
82Dawg
December 21st, 2010
4:59 pm
@5150 P.O.A.D. what about your coach?
ARdawg
December 21st, 2010
5:02 pm
Herschel
I didn’t give him another year. If it were up to me he would be gone now. Unfortunately that isn’t the case and I’ll guarantee you if he is gone next year it won’t be until December. I feel your pain dude. But the persistent moaning about it him won’t change anything. Trust me on that.
Hit a single.
Git yer head out of yer azz. How do you drink all that kool-aid like that anyway?
5150 P.O.A.D.
December 21st, 2010
5:03 pm
82 this article was about your coach. I have my coach sound he is happy for something to be over and really needs a break. Richt is wanting more and more time with his family. UGA football could suffer if he is not fully commited. Urban realized that this year. When will Richt realize the same thing?
Dawg'88
December 21st, 2010
5:04 pm
Ok Schultz…now remove your foot from your mouth and the bowling ball from your cranium and try to write something worth reading…Oh wait that’s not what makes your blog boring…its just you being you!
dawgster
December 21st, 2010
5:05 pm
Still no confirmation, officially, but it appears that King is not eligible for the bowl game…this may affect his decision on whether to return or not, but again nothing official that i can find, but it has been rumored for several days, but they were waiting for confirmation of grades and evidently some discussions with a professor…
82Dawg
December 21st, 2010
5:06 pm
POAD how do you know he wants more time with his family? If he wanted to get away from coaching he could walk.
82Dawg
December 21st, 2010
5:07 pm
@dawgster …where are you getting your info? Please don’t say inside source…
Snake Doc
December 21st, 2010
5:07 pm
Of course he’s ready to put his season behind hi. Problem will be what do we do after next season?
The Owl of Prophecy
December 21st, 2010
5:08 pm
“Dosta”…if King and Ealey can’t read, then the folks that admitted these underachievers in school should be fired. I haven’t seen anything special that either has done that would warrant bending the rules. Maybe this is the only type of player that CRG is capable of recruiting, and maybe it’s past time for him to be gone, too.
5150 P.O.A.D.
December 21st, 2010
5:09 pm
KING had to pass. He was in the Housing Degree Program. KING went to GAC. He has to be smart right? GAC the Church of Christ school wouldn’t just pass KING and get him to UGA with their Chruch of Christ President, Mr. Adams. How could this happen? Jan Kemp got UGA to FIX everything right?
Ed (The Original)
December 21st, 2010
5:09 pm
I keep reading a lot of comments about how 9 wins should bring Richt back next season. As far as I’m concerned, if he doesn’t beat UF next year, he should be gone. Period. Football is really about two things: 1. winning rivalry games; 2. conference championships. If you can’t do 1., then it is difficult to do 2. Even if you don’t do 1., but somehow accomplish 2. (as we did in ‘02 and ‘05), it diminishes the accomplishment and leaves a bad taste.
Richt is 2-8 against UF. If he falls to 2-9 next season, what more evidence do Georgia fans need that Richt is not the guy to turn this rivalry around? Ole Miss, Miss. St. and Auburn beat Florida at least half the time. If they can do it, there’s no reason Georgia can’t. Someone out there is a coach with the cajones to turn the series around for Georgia just like an audacious Spurrier once turned it around for UF. Georgia needs to be committed to finding that coach.
dawgster
December 21st, 2010
5:10 pm
@82Dawg…several sources and no not inside stuff, just things that have been posted on 247sports, and with Roddy from ugasports. com..again, i have nothing confirmed, but its been swirling for a few days, however, still not absolutely sure…
atlxmen
December 21st, 2010
5:10 pm
bosie st is not even in the same league as UGA. they will be crushed by uga next year. the teams in the sec will be the tough ones next year. no worries about richt winning 10 or so next year
82Dawg
December 21st, 2010
5:12 pm
@dawgster …then why post it if you can provide the facts?
Harry the Hat
December 21st, 2010
5:12 pm
Serious Dawg fans need to start organizing and demanding that Richt be fired. Otherwise, sports writers will be asking the same questions this time a year from now.
Richt represents mediocrity. Saban and Meyer represent excellence and championships. Richt simply isn’t in their class, nor will he ever be. Richt would have to be incredibly lucky to win the division, and the odds against him winning the SEC championship would be at least 50:1.
Those are the simple facts, and there’s no amount of enthusiasm or cheerleading or Top 5 recruiting classes that can get around it.
As they say in poker, “Read ‘em and weep.”
rincon dog
December 21st, 2010
5:12 pm
http://keepmarkricht.com
bdaamwag
December 21st, 2010
5:12 pm
We can always hire Cheez-it after Auburn goes under .500 next year and they can his a$$ for G-Malz. haha! yeah right!
The Owl of Prophecy
December 21st, 2010
5:13 pm
82Dawg…since when has anyone posted the facts on this blog, including the author?
gdawginkalamazoo
December 21st, 2010
5:14 pm
The following link has probably been posted before if so my apologies.
If you are a player at the college level it is nice to know that you might have a shot at the next level. And if you want that shot at the next level why would you want to play for coach Richt?
http://espn.go.com/blog/sec/post/_/id/18099/georgia-leads-way-with-pro-all-americans
He at least teaches the kids something good.
dawgster
December 21st, 2010
5:15 pm
Please..some of you that are saying King and Ealey can’t read or stuff like that, don’t start that kind of rumor…Just because a young man has problems with some classes from time to time shouldn’t be an opening for some to say things that are not true..These are kids that are putting alot of effort into athletics and academics..Trust me its not that easy, you really have to be disciplined with your time…Also, remember its not just the athletes that have problems with their stuidies either, its something that many students go thru…I hope for the best for King and others who might be in the same boat…go dawgs
McNabb
December 21st, 2010
5:16 pm
There were a lot of things for the dawgs to celebrate this year. Let’s see…
1. A drunken, whoring athletic director.
2. Twelve players arrested.
3. A player suspended for violating NCAA rules.
4. Winning the Fulmer Cup for the most players arrested.
5. Winning the title of #1 party school (i.e., the most drunken student body in the USA).
6. A sleazy assistant coach who razzes opposing players, unethical coaching conduct in violation of NCAA rules.
7. A super sleazy head coach who thinks he’s a saint, but recruits thug wannabes, gangbangers, and illiterate morons.
8. A 6-6 record despite having a team full of 4- and 5-star recruits.
Really something to be proud of!
And really sickening to decent people in this state.
gdawginkalamazoo
December 21st, 2010
5:16 pm
How about luring Mack Brown away from Texas after their bowl game. I mean he has had top 5 recruting classes for the past 10 years solid. The man can coach. So after the Texas bowl game I say go to Austin and pay him a visit.
rincon dog
December 21st, 2010
5:18 pm
gdawginkalamazoo
According to georgia dogs.com yesterday there was 34 former bulldogs that played in the nfl games this week If we put so much talent in the nfl why do we not have any NC s?
atlxmen
December 21st, 2010
5:19 pm
he starts winning big again next year as the cycle is going up. we have the players and coaches. a good sign the program is in trouble is by watching the recruiting classes. when uga is still in the top15 -10 all is good.
ARdawg
December 21st, 2010
5:20 pm
zoodawg
You’ve always struck me as a good guy on the blog but, I gotta ask. What does that article have to do with the price of cow turds in Texas? We’re 6-6 and headed to the Liberty Bowl. BTW I do have my tickets
ARdawg
December 21st, 2010
5:21 pm
dawgster
Right on!!
Gawd knows I wasn’t perfect
atlxmen
December 21st, 2010
5:21 pm
most of them are leaving early and uga had a few times where they needed a team team to win and they didnt to get us in the title game. 2 times that if uga played in the National title game under richt they would have won. just didnt work out that way. but now its pretty much a givin that if you win the sec you are in the NC game.
Can it be true?
December 21st, 2010
5:22 pm
We’ve lowered our expectations. We are fine with 9 wins now????? How about SEC East, then SEC champs and then National?
atlxmen
December 21st, 2010
5:25 pm
mack brown would be just like having coach richt…no need to change
Ed (The Original)
December 21st, 2010
5:26 pm
If somehow UCF hands the Dawgs a butt whipping in the bowl game, does anyone see a remote chance that Richt could be gone this season? I’m guessing no, but one can dream.
And no, I’m not actually pulling against UGA in the bowl game. But I wouldn’t cry over a loss in a meaningless game against a non-rival that will only determine whether Georgia is a 6-loss underachiever or a 7-loss underachiever, either.
gdawginkalamazoo
December 21st, 2010
5:27 pm
rincon dog, with the success of Auburn this year it is evident that we don’t pay our players enough.
Joking aside that NC isn’t automatic with the so called talent. Look at USCal this decade all that talent and they have 1 NC. And I would say that their talent level was NFL caliber for most of this decade. I think programs will have ups and down and Richt has had his share of ups this decade, better for UGA than the previous 20 years. A couple of down years with that defense hurting the past 3 years. I think he made the right move there with Grantham. Thing is everybody wants it this year, right now, and we all know a little luck is involved (ask Les Miles). Ask Makc Brown why they didn’t get back to the title game. I think Richt will turn it around with this class coming in I don;t think redshirting the real talent will ever happen again under Richt or with Grantham. They need to win.
JB
December 21st, 2010
5:29 pm
Ed at 5:09…… Great post…..It’s sickens me to see Dawg fans gitty about being pre season in some pre season poll. It makes be sad to talk about maybe beating Carolina or Miss. St. next year….and someone posted earlier when going down the schedule next year, “Well, Kentucky is Kentucky, That will be tough”…. Give me a break. We are standing in the rain waiting on the bus! Ed said it right. With the money and D1 talent in this State, we should be in the Hunt for the SEC title every year. Mark is weak and has a weak staff. Grow a pair like Bama did and go find us a coach !
gdawginkalamazoo
December 21st, 2010
5:30 pm
ARdawg, it has nothing to do with Texas other than people want Richt to see fired and get a new coach in there. If you are looking at “top” coaches who are successful how about Mack Brown just to throw a name out there. And look at the season they had. What do you do? Who knows?
Have fun at the game for me and thanks for still supporting the kids, they deserve it.
rincon dog
December 21st, 2010
5:32 pm
well you have a point but usc had two tittles. we should have been there in 02,05,08. Yeah 07 was a good team but they were young. I will support the staff this off season but if they lose to florida again i am done with them for good.
JB
December 21st, 2010
5:32 pm
Mack had them in the title game last year…we haven’t sniffed that game since 1980…. Texas will be back before us if we stay the course in Athens……
JB
December 21st, 2010
5:34 pm
Rincon dog….Muschamp will have Florida so jacked up next year for us they will have to remodel that locker room. He KNOWS he can’t lose to Georgia
gdawginkalamazoo
December 21st, 2010
5:35 pm
rincon dog, in this era of the BCS only that crystal ball trophy counts IMO. Yes I agree got to start beating those gators again.
JB, we have sniffed it a couple of times under Richt. The back end of it but that’s what dogs do.
rincon dog
December 21st, 2010
5:36 pm
Oh I know brother. check it out
http://keepmarkricht.com
gdawginkalamazoo
December 21st, 2010
5:37 pm
JB, he had Texas jacked up for seven losses this year too. I bet that locker room after the Iowa State game was tore up good.
rincon dog
December 21st, 2010
5:38 pm
there losses came from the offense putting them in bad situations.
JB
December 21st, 2010
5:39 pm
Our new coach will be. 1. Southern 2. More than likely an Assit somewhere. ( good enough for Foley he;ll figure) 3. Will clean house. Not one coach will be retained. 4.My feeling no current head coach who’s already made a name will take the job due to Mark’s success. McGarity knows ONE THING. You gotta beat Florida to make it to the Dome. You have a team that can do that, it all falls into place.
ARdawg
December 21st, 2010
5:41 pm
Original Ed
No my friend I do not think a Liberty Bowl loss would make that difference. It’s kind of like when you are already “in” the gutter, how much farther can you go? Nice try at an attempt to spread some hope though.
I’m with you though guy, about this talk on maybe beating Carolina, Miss St, thats Bvllsh!t! The Dawg fans I know, KNOW we are beating them
ARdawg
December 21st, 2010
5:44 pm
Off topic as h3ll but you know, if Mark Cuban can pull off a 12-16 team playoff, there could reasonably 4-5 SEC teams qualifying every year. That wouldn’t sit well would it?
The Owl of Prophecy
December 21st, 2010
5:44 pm
While I like Richt the human being, I became disgusted with Richt the coach after the ‘08 season, and I haven’t seen anything since to make me change my mind. Give him one more year to turn things around and if he does…great! But, if he doesn’t, fire him and let him forfeit the balance of his salary. Maybe Al Davis was right in doing this with Lame Kiffen.
Headley Lamar
December 21st, 2010
5:46 pm
Mack had them in the title game last year…we haven’t sniffed that game since 1980…
Sure we have. In 2002 and 2007 we were right there. All we needed was for Ohio St or Miami to lose in 02 ( Both came incredibly close to losing multiple times down the stretch) and in 07 if Tennessee doesn’t win out ( They got incredibly lucky to do so ) we play LSU for the SEC title and then for the National title. Nobody can convince me we weren’t the best team in the country in 2007 when two loss LSU won it.
rincon dog
December 21st, 2010
5:47 pm
All I have to say is after a 40 minute practice you let the guys play grass basketball? shouldnt you be trying to figure out if you have a true noseguard for next season, or practicing for the bowl game?
D Fence
December 21st, 2010
5:47 pm
D-U-C-K-S Ducks Ducks Ducks…..For the sake of all of us here in the South – shut these Aubies up. Give them a rope and they all of a sudden think they are a cowboy.