Richt’s plan for change is good, but why did it take so long?
Georgia coach Mark Richt is coming off his worst season as a head coach. (Brant Sanderlin/AJC)
Mark Richt is not going to fire offensive coordinator Mike Bobo but he did suggest Wednesday that he’s going to be more hands-on with the offense and the team in general from this day forward.
Comment: That’s probably a good idea, given that it’s his job on the line.
Question: Why did it take a loss to Central Florida in the Liberty Bowl for Richt to realize something was wrong?
In his season-ending press conference Wednesday, via our Tim Tucker, Richt said that he’s going to have more time freed up in his schedule “to [spend] more time doing the things I love the most, which is study the game of football …”
Later, he reiterated, “I’m going to have the ability to have the time it takes to truly study the game of football, the trends and what’s going on, so a higher percentage of my time is going to be able to be used for that.”
Those are interesting statements. They suggest that non-coaching activities have been taking up too much of Richt’s time and adjustments will be made in his schedule to prevent that from happening again.
I don’t doubt that can happen. The demands on a college football coach can be enormous, let alone a coach in the SEC. If Richt is going to tweak his weekly schedule and athletic director Greg McGarity does some things to give him more time to be hands on with his players and the game plan, that can only be good for the program.
Loading ...But it shouldn’t have taken a 6-7 season for Richt to realize something was wrong. There have been signs of the program sliding for a few seasons, going back even to the 10-3 season in 2008. The Dogs were preseason No. 1 but were flattened in key games against Alabama and Florida. Both opponents looked better prepared. Both played with a physical and mental edge that the Dogs generally have lacked.
Things obviously have deteriorated since. Georgia is 5-9 in its last 14 SEC games. Since 2009, they’ve lost to LSU, Tennessee, Kentucky, South Carolina, Arkansas, Mississippi State and Auburn. (Also, Florida twice.). Perception that the Dogs have been passed by other programs in the conference is now reality.
For what it’s worth, I believe the criticism of Bobo has been a little excessive. He deserves some credit for Aaron Murray’s development. In the last seven games of the regular season — before the 10-6 loss in the Liberty Bowl — the Dogs scored 41, 43, 44, 31, 55, 31 and 42 points.
What’s the bigger issue, the offense or Todd Grantham’s defense? In the SEC, Georgia finished fourth in scoring offense and seventh in total offense; seventh in scoring defense and fourth in total defense.
I’ve never believed the problems are as simple as changing plays or schemes on offense or the defense. It’s big picture stuff: preparation, mindset, toughness, focus, edge, consistency. It’s having an identity, knowing what a Georgia team is going to give you from week to week. That whole, “Finish the drill,” thing has been an empty rallying cry.
It’s great that Richt believes that something needs to be done. It just shouldn’t have gotten to this point. The question now is whether this is too big of a hole for him to dig out of so quickly.
– By Jeff Schultz
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575 comments Add your comment
Delbert D.
January 5th, 2011
3:35 pm
2010 SEC Champs – Okay, and thanks. Autism/Aspergers is a sensitive issue that everyone should be more aware of. 1 in 110 kids (1 in 70 boys) are the current statistics. That is shocking.
2010 SEC CHAMPS
January 5th, 2011
3:36 pm
ha, good try but no cigar loser.
2010 SEC CHAMPS
January 5th, 2011
3:36 pm
ga gator
So how long till China comes calling?
bigdawg88
January 5th, 2011
3:36 pm
ga gator, that’s yards per play. I was basing my opinion on points per game. I don’t care how many yards you gain, it’s points on the board that count. Mississippi State ranks 44th on your chart. You telling me OUR defense is better than THEIR’s?
And that chart is from OCTOBER 21! Do you have a more up-to-date chart?
gomdawg
January 5th, 2011
3:39 pm
OK , 2010 GONE, it time to move froward and get this back on track , there nothing you can do about past , so let’s move forward the new kids coming in are new Dawgs get behind them because NO I MEAN NO TEAM IS NO BETTER THAN THEIR FANS. GO DAWGS
WOUNDED DOG
January 5th, 2011
3:39 pm
BOBO gotta go. No creativity, no fire, no plans, end results no “GLORY . We as fans deserve more. We spend the time, efforts, and money to show the love and devotion we have for our beloved dogs. But all we get in return is the ridicule, the embrassement, and the “SHAME” of it all. And far as the new defensive coorinator, well lets just say the jury is still out.
5150 P.O.A.D.
January 5th, 2011
3:39 pm
2010 SEC
If Arkansas didn’t fall on the punt block the kid could have just walked into the endzone. Mallet never should have been back on the field. I know we tell players to just fall on the ball, but no OHIO St player was near the ball and 4 Arkansas players were.
UGAKev
January 5th, 2011
3:40 pm
Brian Van Gorder would not be a good head coach , georgia southern proves that theory. But the man knows defense and thats what he should stay doing because he only has to worry about the defense and nothing else like a head coach does.
Delbert D.
January 5th, 2011
3:40 pm
POAD – Gosh oh golly, I never heard that joke (grin). By the way, the college I transferred from was NGC..I’ve never disclosed that before.
2010 SEC CHAMPS
January 5th, 2011
3:41 pm
5150 P.O.A.D.
Agreed.
UGAKev
January 5th, 2011
3:41 pm
Arkansas just dropped too many passes that they never drop. Ohio state played Arkansas at the best possible time and still almost lost. enough said
5150 P.O.A.D.
January 5th, 2011
3:42 pm
NGC great! I loved it there.
2010 SEC CHAMPS
January 5th, 2011
3:43 pm
5150 P.O.A.D.
What does POAD mean?
2010 SEC CHAMPS
January 5th, 2011
3:44 pm
ga gaytor, would you please quit pretending to be me? I mean, I know you envy me and all, but dude, get a life.
Delbert D.
January 5th, 2011
3:44 pm
POAD – My grandfather worked the mines on Crown Mtn.
2010 SEC CHAMPS
January 5th, 2011
3:44 pm
5150 P.O.A.D.
ga gaytor is pretending to be me.
2010 SEC CHAMPS
January 5th, 2011
3:45 pm
2010 SEC CHAMPS keep on guessing funny little man.
5150 P.O.A.D.
January 5th, 2011
3:45 pm
OK 2010 you are not a Dawg fan then. It is a Tech reply to a cheer. Urinate On A Dawg. 5150 is the police coade for a crazy person.
He Hate Gator
January 5th, 2011
3:47 pm
What a bunch of nothing…he has basically admitted that he was not focused…he should be fired…
The Real 2010 SEC CHAMPS
January 5th, 2011
3:47 pm
5150 P.O.A.D.
Seems either Bama Stan or ga gaytor is having fun stealing and using other people’s blog handles.
5150 P.O.A.D.
January 5th, 2011
3:47 pm
Delbert
We used to go drinking in the old copper mines.
2010 SEC CHAMPS
January 5th, 2011
3:48 pm
Now he is typing The Real in front of my name.
5150 P.O.A.D.
January 5th, 2011
3:50 pm
That is the thing AJC should change. REGISTERED BLOG NAMES not stealing other peoples names. I hate that crap.
2010 SEC CHAMPS
January 5th, 2011
3:51 pm
5150 P.O.A.D. agreed.
The G A Y 2010 SEC CHAMP
January 5th, 2011
3:53 pm
You guys are frustrating me.
Delbert D.
January 5th, 2011
3:53 pm
POAD – An old guy offered me a gallon of “local product” for 50 cents one evening in the Dixie Cafe. Not being sure of the lead content, I declined. One of the upperclassmen in my company used to drive us out to get PBRs from a FBL out in the boonies.
Innocent Bystander
January 5th, 2011
3:54 pm
If I were a UGA fan I would be furious at his press conference, but since I am not give him an extension.
Pago Pago Dawg
January 5th, 2011
3:55 pm
Somebody please tell us that CMR has kicked king off the team!
gdawginkalamazoo
January 5th, 2011
3:56 pm
Okay so Richt gets somebody to be the liason with the police dept now. Hires another to work with the court system in Clarke Co. Hires another to teach drivers ed. Scooter trainer. Somebody to teach morales (thou shall not steal #1). Another to monitor the DVM records of his team. Another to keep an eye McGarity. Somebody for his twittering. Facebook monitor. Farmville player. And Voila! Free time to concentrate on football by watching GameDay highlights and You Tube to learn the current trends (nd fancy plays (especially that high school game where the center turns around and hands the ball to the QB who strolls through the lines while they stand there then takes off for the endzone).
Delbert D.
January 5th, 2011
3:57 pm
Pago Pago Dawg – I think that he has delegated those kind of decisions as part of the New Deal.
5150 P.O.A.D.
January 5th, 2011
3:58 pm
A guy in my company was from Haiawassi(/) and he would bring back “Apple Brandy” form home all the time. Damn that stuff was strong. I don’t know how he could drink that stuff and walk around on those mountains without falling off an edge. He had Beauregard’s and Gallon milk jugs of beer.
5150 P.O.A.D.
January 5th, 2011
4:01 pm
Rich Rod had 3 years total. Now Richt has had 3 years to fix the problems he himself created. UGA must love them some Richt Bobo brain trust.
keen observer
January 5th, 2011
4:06 pm
Yep I too have had some of that apple brandy out of ellijay, the apple capital of georgia. Strong stuff. They make some mean corn liquor too.
Gary
January 5th, 2011
4:06 pm
Nayone who looks at the players who are leaving and the ones who are staying and think we will win more games next year is insane. This is going to take years to fix not one summer. I am not happy about it, but the Dawgs need to think long term. Clean the slate. I love CMR but loosing to central florida was the last straw. You have AJ Green and you cannot get 1 touch down against a conference USA team. Sorry, but every coach should be fired after that mess. Get a young coach from a school that plays well without access to pools of SEC talent and you have your solution.
blazerdawg
January 5th, 2011
4:08 pm
Rich Rod was an odd (non)fit from the start. Richt really had it going 2003 – 2006, and although patience is running thin, I think most Dawgs want to give him one more chance to turn it around. It will be tough, he needs at least 9-10 wins, needs to beat the Gators and cannot lose to the Jackets.
Sure do miss Beauregard’s and the Copper Mines. NGA Mountains have not quite been the same since they extended GA 400 & 365….many things for the better though.
Mobile Dawg
January 5th, 2011
4:09 pm
Gary, meet Joey Jones….University of South Alabama….Look up his bio….
Dawg Tired
January 5th, 2011
4:14 pm
He also said that Bobo and Searles “have both done a great job.” I say, “Beam me up Scottie.”
The Real 2010 SEC CHAMPS
January 5th, 2011
4:15 pm
“The G A Y”
Your parents must be proud.
5150 P.O.A.D.
January 5th, 2011
4:20 pm
Yes ga400 was great years back. After you passed Alpharetta it was like the Daytona 500.
Funiest thing I ever saw. Me and Roomate were on the square. Jacked up 4×4 was parked and another one pulled in the lot. A girl pumps out runs over to the driver and jerks her out by the hair. They start punching and kicking. My roommate says pull over and we should stop that. I told do you see her boyfriend doing anything to stop it. He said No. Well why the hell do you think I am going to jump between those 2 mountain women fighting over a man if he ain’t trying to stop it.
Like my name say I am CRAZY not damn Stupid. AHHAHAH
waytogoRicht
January 5th, 2011
4:21 pm
Richt’s a good human being(yeah, yeah, yeah)but a joke of a coach. For $2.8 mil a year he should be calling the plays again, based on consequences since around the time he announced he no longer would. Ironically that’s about the time his salary spiked. I thought that was Richt’s forte play calling. Although he wimps against Florida and always has, against everyone else, he was good against when he was play calling. Its like Richt thinks he’s now above play calling. Plenty of respected coaches want to have that honor, including Spurrier, and wouldn’t delegate that to anyone. When McGarity sits down with him maybe he should strongly tell Richt, show some life and also I want you to start calling the plays. Ain’t gonna happen any more than any McGarity-Richt conversation will happen about anything beneficial to winning football and demanding he beat Florida.
blazerdawg
January 5th, 2011
4:22 pm
5150 – LMAO! I’m out. Take care, Jacket!
dawgfan0711
January 5th, 2011
4:25 pm
I know i haven’t see anything being reported on AJC about the players having a night out on the town the night before the bowl. I read it in a small town paper called the Pike County Journal Reporter but they were printing an article by some guy named Walter Geiger.. You may be able to get to it online but i wasn’t able to find it. In the article he says the UGA players went to a concert (Jay-Z, i believe is what he said) and then were seen in bars all over town after the concert. Just seeing if anyone else had read anything about it anywhere. Thanks for the earlier post guys!
UGADawg83
January 5th, 2011
4:30 pm
I wonder how many of these experts are donors and season ticket holders. A computer and an opinion does not make you a football expert. Richt is our coach thud he deserves our support. Let’s hope for a better 2011. Remember, Dooley had some down years but always took a step back assessed the situation and then fixed it. Rich can do the same. GO DAWGS!
Snoop Dawg
January 5th, 2011
4:30 pm
Richt and McGarrity must take us all to be total idiots. This is just another attempt of da Preacha Man to mesmerize everyone by serving up his Kool Aid. At this point, Richt has been found out, and it’s nationwide. We are the laughing stock of all college football. If Richt is an asset, then why are no other schools interested in him to include his alma mater? This is disgraceful.
Don’t drink the Koolaid, Bulldog Nation. Don’t buy this righteous religious bull crap. This is a world class scam artist practicing the schtick that has served him successfully through ten years and $30Million dollars of incompetence and continual underachievement and blaming others.
OFF WITH THEIR HEADS! The revolution has begun…
Dontavius Supremo
January 5th, 2011
4:30 pm
We’ll see, we’ll see.
82Dawg
January 5th, 2011
4:34 pm
@dawgfan0711 ….I am calling bs on your story…
PaulieOldschool
January 5th, 2011
4:37 pm
See, Jeff, that’s why I say that Richt needs to go now. Not after next year, or, worse, mid-year. Think that wouldn’t happen? If we start to suck bad out the gate, he will be gone. Why does it take this kind of season for him to make a commitment to football? Why does it take this kind of season to “realize” something has to be done? Is he mental, or just living in some blissed out state of existence? Fire him, now. Beat the rush.
Buckeye
January 5th, 2011
4:37 pm
2010,
Since we beat Oregon in the Rose Bowl last year, I find myself pulling for Cam and Fairley. Like most of these games, it will come down to turnovers and special teams.
Remember, the punt is the most important play in football and as Woody said, there are three things that can happen when you pass and two of them are bad.
Interesting that we saw that play out in a matter of seconds when it mattered most last night.
GO BUCKS!
Delbert D.
January 5th, 2011
4:41 pm
My dog thinks I’m a good human being. She’s pretty smart, but I wouldn’t trust her with decisions about people in general.
Einsteindawg
January 5th, 2011
4:43 pm
What a load of crap…I’m surprized he didn’t use “my dawg ate my homework”, “my suit was in the cleaners”, “ran out of gas”, “my watch stopped”, “our coaches have got to stop recruiting thungs”, “Bobo has 5 kids and what else can he do”, and “keep me one more year and I’ll come up with some more excuses”.