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
Hatfield Geoff
December 22nd, 2010
8:33 am
A big part of Richt’s early success(in addition to the fact that the coaching in the SEC was not as strong as it has been the last 5-6 years)was his hiring of Van Gorder as defensive coordinator. The Defense was in good hands and he could concentrate on Offense. He made a bad choice to replace Van Gorder and it has led to the decline of the program. I hope I am wrong, but I think he made another bad choice with Grantham. While the defense may have improved statistically, they were not good. They were terrible on 3rd down and couldn’t get stops when needed. Grantham doesn’t come across as a great defensive mind and his antics on the sideline such as making the chock sign to the UF kicker makes him seem to immature to handle an important job. Manny Diaz, now at Mississippi State was available at a third the price and he did a great job at Miss. State. He would have been a good choice and the scheme could have remained the same. No question Richt’s DC choice will decide his fate just as it did in 2001. I hope Grantham is better than it appears from his first season.
Rickell
December 22nd, 2010
8:33 am
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 sickening to decent people.
Nick Fairley scares dawg fans
December 22nd, 2010
8:34 am
“Obviously somebody in the AU Athletic Department knew something the rest of us didn’t”
Chizik was d-cord for two undefeated teams in a row. One at Auburn and the other Texas. He was a MUCH better d-cord than Will Muschamp yet for some reason, UGAY, UT and UF thinks he’s just really awesome.
Coraline
December 22nd, 2010
8:36 am
All of you UGAers get your heads out of the sand or wherever you have them
stuck and start worrying about the number one problem with UGA. At the rate
your athlete-thugs are being arrested, you’ll be lucky to have any football team by the end of the season.
UGA has made the state a laughingstock with its reputation as one big party
school with copious job opportunities for bail bondsman, and decent people are fed up with this. Get rid of the illiterate, undisciplined drunks and felons that Mark Richt recruits, and get rid of Richt too. Even with these illiterate jerkoffs, he can’t even win the division, much less the SEC, so what’s the point.
So while you sit there in your delapidated single wide, deciding if the beer will last
until the next unemployment check comes in, think about this.
How much does Vans Halinger get for being his gofor
December 22nd, 2010
8:37 am
Richt must have majored in marketing because he has sold the Hump Nation a line of $h!t and they buy it hump line and stinker.
Moonpie
December 22nd, 2010
8:38 am
Rickell,
You forgot to mention one other?
UGA beat Tech again! 9-1 against Tech in last 10 years!
DelinquentDawg
December 22nd, 2010
8:41 am
BuLLdawg said…
I can name 17 coaches at their current school current coach with a better won/loss record than Coach Richt.
I can name 22 college football programs with a better won/loss record over the last 5 years than The Georgia Bulldogs.
I can name 119 college football programs with fewer arrests / suspensions the last 5 years, than my alma mater.
There were 21 teams who had a better recruiting class than ours this 2010 season and we have ignoble feat of having our recruits that got us even that highly ranked at # 21 recruiting class, who were arrested / suspended or failed to get in academically – before they even got to play in a game.
The 2009 recruiting class is gone from our roster already.
The 2011 recruiting class, is, once again, more of the same.
20 LOSSES last 5 years averages 4 LOSSES PER SEASON.
How much does Vans Halinger get for being his gofor
December 22nd, 2010
8:42 am
Moonpie
December 22nd, 2010
8:38 am
Rickell,
You forgot to mention one other?
UGA beat Tech again! 9-1 against Tech in last 10 years!
This is the problem, Richt has figured out what Donnan didnt. All you have to do is beat Tech and these stupid Rednecks are happy.
Hit A Single
December 22nd, 2010
8:42 am
Rikell – I am sorry UGA didn’t offer you a scholarship!
Hit A Single
December 22nd, 2010
8:43 am
Make that Rickell! Or was it your son?
Doc Dawg
December 22nd, 2010
8:48 am
Love Coach Richt but it is time. If the claim to fame is “well, he beats Georgia Tech”… whoopdeedo. This team should be in the mix every year for the SEC and in the hunt for National Championships. I’m ready for Mike Leach. Some of these kids need to be locked in a shed anyway.
RxDawg
December 22nd, 2010
8:48 am
Geesh, I can’t believe some of you guys on here actualy think we are loaded with talent. Yeh we have some good players, but we have a lot of gaps with players that are not championship caliber. Our secondary has been the achilles heel of this team for 3 years now, not to mention other spots on team. Sure it’s the coaches responsibility, but they have won championships before. It’s not like they suddenly forgot. Sometimes that big fast high school recruit just doesn’t pan out like you thought he would. This is UGA, we will be a force to be reckoned with again.
Rip Vans Winkle
December 22nd, 2010
8:52 am
RxDawg This is UGA, we will be a force to be reckoned with again.
It is time to wake up Rx, you have been asleep for 31 years son.
Junior Samples
December 22nd, 2010
8:56 am
at least there is saint simons and ga tech that we can whip up on. we won’t ever be completely down and out as long as we have a couple of whipping boys like that. bwahahahahahah
(((42-35)))
Kendawg
December 22nd, 2010
9:00 am
I’ve read that Aaron Murray is going to be better next year, and I also believe that he will be better. My only question is where are the receivers? AJ and Kris Durham will not be there next year. I did not see another receiver who could separate from a defensive back. Murray will be better, But I will be surprised if the receivers are of SEC quality. I would not be surprised at another 6-6 season.
Trembling Chihuahuas
December 22nd, 2010
9:00 am
Moonpie,
Enjoy mediocrity at your football factory. You’ve always had a mediocre academic program, now you mediocre football program to match. All you have left is girls gymnastics in Athens. Hope your leotards fit.
How does it feel to be irrelevant? How does it feel to be a doormat in your conference? How does it feel to be a trembling chihuahua? hahahahahahaha go little bitty dawgies woof woof woof
chazzo
December 22nd, 2010
9:03 am
One item that should be on everybody’s honey do list for Mark Richt is:
Don’t allow your players to read any of the preseason press: none of this, no predictions, no BS preseason polls.
The only game that should exist right now is the liberty bowl. Then Boise State…. Then South Carolina.
Conjecture about how many games he needs to win or what games the team will win or what they will be ranked is just that…. conjecture. Face it. No one knows.
All of the down-in-the-mouth fans here are the same ones who said Murray is too short to be a good QB.
Greg
December 22nd, 2010
9:07 am
From now on, every time a Tech fan chimes in on one of our UGA blogs, I’m just gonna quote the AJC article that came out today (12/22/10): “A Georgia Tech student escaped serious injury Monday night when he was pistol-whipped and robbed in his dorm room. He was the fourth Tech student to be robbed on or near the northwest Atlanta campus in just over a month”.
RxDawg
December 22nd, 2010
9:09 am
“But it is always easy to blame the coaches. Kind of like blaming your teacher for your failures.”
ZING!
Moonpie
December 22nd, 2010
9:13 am
@Trembling Chihuahuas
All you have left is girls gymnastics?
Did you forget we beat Tech in basketball this year? hahahahahahah
Man you Techies just cant beat us Dawgs uh?
Doormat in our conference? That would make us Champs in your conference uh?
1-9 1-9 1-9-Has a nice ring to it-wouldnt you say!
Moonpie
December 22nd, 2010
9:15 am
Greg,
It had to be one of our THUGA recruits? Im sure that’s what the Techies will say? They blame us for every other failure in thier lives.
McDawg
December 22nd, 2010
9:16 am
hopefully when he is giving his speech to the juniors he talking specifically to J. Houston and C. Glenn–another year can make both of these guys high 1st rounders
jimmy campagna
December 22nd, 2010
9:30 am
Until Georgia stops leading the SEC in arrests, gold teeth, tattoos and dreadlocks they will never win anything.
RxDawg
December 22nd, 2010
9:30 am
Rip Vans I guess you think other programs see UGA as an automatic win huh? I’m sure Chizic was planning for Bama the week UGA was coming to town.
Duck Fan
December 22nd, 2010
9:32 am
UGA is the Clemson of the SEC. The only reason they’ve ever had any national relevance is that they are in the SEC. Congrats on geographical location.
1eyedJack
December 22nd, 2010
9:32 am
The sky is falling!!!!
One of the greatest things about college football as opposed to pro football is that you can never EVER base how a team will do NEXT year when you are still in THIS year. NEXT year’s team will be much different from THIS year’s team.
Quit crying about losing AJ and Durham and Houston. Somebody will step up. It happens every year.
Quit crying about the defense. It will have different parts and be more experienced.
Quit crying about Bobo. We scored plenty of points to win 9 – 10 games.
Quit crying about recruiting. It’s almost two months until signing day. We’ll have a top 10 class.
Every single year that Universities have been playing college football every single team has lost some players. You can only have them on the field for four years at most. Some players who were not big enough or strong enough to be a STAR THIS year WILL be big enough and strong enough to be a STAR NEXT year.
On a positive note; Scott Blair <——Wide Left!!!
RxDawg
December 22nd, 2010
9:34 am
I’m sure Central Florida’s players are pretty dissapointed they have to play lowely UGA right?
59bulldawg
December 22nd, 2010
9:36 am
NoFKNdog . . . Man you crack me up! You’re more like NoFKNbrain. Why don’t you get off your mama’s computer and go take out the trash?
59bulldawg
December 22nd, 2010
9:43 am
Hatfield Geoff . . . I could not agree more . . . about Van Gorder or Grantham.
T-Bone
December 22nd, 2010
9:47 am
* Multiple arrests
* red panties and a drunken AD
* 5-star recruits and 2-star performances
* a fan base with expectations of a NC every year
* tailgaters who trash their own campus
* a coach who jumps in the pool with his players and sends them onto the field for an excessive celebration penalty
Sounds like a typical year in Athens, to me.
VA.dawg
December 22nd, 2010
9:47 am
Recruiting is always important!!!! The dawgs have to use the players they have now…. Coaches are looking for a nose tackle in the juno sector who has to immediately step in for this 3-4 defense?? If this super tackle can not be found then how bout going back to a 4-3 D? This D has always been good for the dogs….and the linebacker postion has been Ga.’s claim to fame for decades!!!!!!! What in the heck is go’in on?? for coach Richt to be successful next year there will have to be a CALL for the reture of the “JUNKYARD DAWGS” to play every game above the call !!!! NOW IS THE TIME!!!!
Duck Fan
December 22nd, 2010
9:50 am
UGA is all swagger, no substance.
Let's Talk About UGA!
December 22nd, 2010
9:52 am
DawgNation,
After my brief stay in the county lock-up, I wanted to thump my chest and proclaim my superior status as a Dawg Fan.
Who on this blog has done hard prison time?
That’s right. I had a scholarship to UGA but I swapped time in Athens for time in Angola.
Who has sold a baby brother to a Mexican?
Who sniffs his sister’s crotch and claims that he’s pretending to be Uga?
Who has a big ‘G’ tramp-stamp on his hairy lower back?
Who among you live in your Mama’s trailer.
Who eats government cheese and chases it down with Schlitz Malt Liquor?
None of you. You are all posers. I’m a true Dawg Fan and I have a criminal record to prove it.
Anybody want a beer?
Go Dawgs!
Sic ‘em!
Woof! Woof! Woof!
Rip Vans Winkle
December 22nd, 2010
9:56 am
RxDawg yes he probably was, but knew he could count on the Humpers whining after Fairley hit your cute little prancing Nancy Murray.
Grambling Uniforms weren't the first gimmick used in Humptown.
December 22nd, 2010
9:58 am
First there was Uncle Fester and the Junkyard dogs.
Mike Vick
December 22nd, 2010
9:59 am
I would have signed with THUGA if they offered cause I love dogs.
Irrelevant team
December 22nd, 2010
9:59 am
@Hit A Single…December 21st, 2010 6:45 pm
stated…”Yea it paid off for ND, Mich, and the U. Okla has suffered a couple of tough seasons under Stoops, and Ohio State is the most overrated team in the country. For years they had to worry about one team and today they have to worry about only one team, Wisconsin that replaced Michigan. Come up with better proof Irrelevant team”.
Sorry if I upset you over the Holiday Season, as that was not my purpose. Regardless of the outcome concerning W’s & L’s with those teams/schools, the point is they strive to get better. Their programs were suffering due to other schools getting the best players in-state, out-of-state, etc. The other schools changed coaches and while sitting in a recruits living room projected something new…change. They have people start buying into these ideas. Recruits start talking with each other and are sold on where the program is going and get some really good players to come to a school. It is a heck of a recruiting tool. They go to a program that hasn’t been relevant, but has a great football tradition, with a chance at getting on the field sooner, playing with a core group of players with the same vision for 3 or 4 years, and bring back a program like UGA.
Now, I will admit that at some of the schools I mentioned didn’t work out, but their “football nation” was tired of being irrelevant.
Ohio State may be the most over rated team in the country, but they get excellent players, they get the national rankings, they get great ink, they get excellent TV exposure. As bad as ND has been they still have a TV contract and regardless of their record will always be relevant because of their tradition and fam base following.
If Bobo gets demoted, if the OL coach gets released, if, if, if…well if that all happens then all the parts will have been replaced (defensive side done last year, S&C coach this year) and then you have the same person steering the ship. But of course, the enablers will want to give CMR more wiggle room, more time, another year, another change, something/anything to keep this good guy in place. “Just wait until next year” should be on his business cards. Well, next year will be the telling year. Has Ark, SC, MS, Aub, moved ahead of UGA for the best players available? Guess we’ll find when CMR is “given enough time to turn things around”.
Nick Fairley scares dawg fans
December 22nd, 2010
10:02 am
THIS is a great Bama fan!!!!!!! WDE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwbsSoW2k-E&feature=player_embedded#!
Surprised
December 22nd, 2010
10:02 am
@RxDawg
Who said:
“I’m sure Central Florida’s players are pretty dissapointed they have to play lowely UGA right?”
If UGA waltzes into Memphis, UCF will hand them their little furry nads.
Stop with the elitist attitude. It’s not becoming of a fan of a 6-6 team.
Dan Mullen and the #21 ranked Bulldogs
December 22nd, 2010
10:08 am
You mutts are lucky your season is over because that beatdown in Starksville is only the beginning, we will come to athens and cream you mutts next year
Nick Fairley scares dawg fans
December 22nd, 2010
10:08 am
This is my favorite play of the year.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOi2hj_sjyY
how2fish
December 22nd, 2010
10:12 am
Duck Fan we are 6-6 in the SEC that pretty much equates to 11-1 in your comic book world of college football…I bet Auburn beats your butt and you never have a lead in the game…and I notice the Bugs are out in force on the blog today…but then they are too scared to leave their mom’s basement or dorm rooms as the North Ave Natives are again on the prowl…
DawgByte
December 22nd, 2010
10:13 am
For those dawg fans who are analyzing the roster and then correlating that to post season honors, you’re on track!
For those fans who think UGA is loaded with talent, you’re WRONG. There is a growing talent gap at UGA and it needs to be fixed. If Rodney Garner is such a superior recruitor why don’t we have more players on the first string All SEC Team, or All American’s etc.? With all the coaching vacancies why aren’t more new head coaches going after our coaches such as Rodney Garner? I’ll tell you why… they aren’t that good.
I hope someone makes Garner an offer and he takes. The quicker we get rid of him the better our program will be. He’s a lame defensive line coach and he’s not pulling in the right type of guys at UGA.
Yes, I’m scapegoating Rodney Garner. He’s far too comfortable and it’s time for him to go.
how2fish
December 22nd, 2010
10:14 am
Dan Mullen and the #21 ranked Bulldogs we kick your butts by 10 points minimum…if Mullen is still coaching…they didn’t offer him the UF job for a reason and his recruitment of Cam was that reason.
Mooty Squarefinger
December 22nd, 2010
10:17 am
Memo To Tech Fans:
(((42-34)))
(((9-1)))
(((5 INAR-B @ Bobby Dodd)))
(((73-72)))
You’ve got an entire year to dwell on it. I hope St. Simons is still crying his eyes out. Tech doesn’t even deserve to be on our schedule they suck so badly.
Dan Mullen and the #21 ranked Bulldogs
December 22nd, 2010
10:18 am
how2fish
December 22nd, 2010
10:14 am
Dan Mullen and the #21 ranked Bulldogs we kick your butts by 10 points minimum…if Mullen is still coaching…they didn’t offer him the UF job for a reason and his recruitment of Cam was that reason.
24-12 loser, the mutts got a beatdown by the real bulldogs from MSU
1eyedJack
December 22nd, 2010
10:18 am
how2fish
They’re getting pistol-whipped and robbed IN their dorm rooms now.
UGA' two backs might be academic casualties?
December 22nd, 2010
10:23 am
If true and UGA loses their two backs, who really cares/??? They are slow, they fumble and they
are self centered and I say let them BOTH go. Also, if we do let them go, then we ought to be able to sign two great HS backs knowing that know they will come in and start. Maybe UGA could sign three really good backs if this rumor is real.
Ealey and King ought to be gone anyway ………………it is time for these kids to learn some over due lessons ……………..when you play you pay. UGA grads are sick and tired of the summers of fun stuff.
Go Dogs. A new day is dawning with AD McGarity.
Alabama | MrSEC.com
December 22nd, 2010
10:27 am
[...] is not expected to be academically eligible for the Liberty Bowl16. It sounds like Mark Richt is ready to put 2010 in the rearview mirror.17. For all the talk of Greg McGarity easing the Dawgs’ schedule, the new AD has had [...]
MSU in Athens in 2011 and UGA qbs
December 22nd, 2010
10:32 am
UGA has marked the date for MSU in Athens in 2011 and we will punish Mississippi State and it will be a long day. Tavarres King, Marvleous Marlon Brown, Michael Bennett and Orson Charles and Fred Lynch and Wiggons and Rontavous Wooten and more coming like Chris Conley and such. Aaron Murray will make you pay. Ealey ought to be gone too. You recall him? He fumbled into your end zone and lost the ball. TG and GH that he is gonna be gone.
Our QBS are suddenly a very strong part of the UGA team vs 2010’s with 0 depth. In 2011 UGA has Hutson Mason and the Wilcox County QB, Nick Marshall, and that NC kid, LeMay.
Yes, UGA fans are always pumped up about the future with football. Richt is motivated too and all of his coaches know what it on the line, baby. Their JOBS ……………….$375,000 per year up to $750,000 and $2.7 mill for CMR.
Coach em up boys ………………… McGarity is watching and I like it.