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
LagDawg
January 6th, 2011
8:10 am
Top Recruit, I agree with you, but he came from Fla. St. and our offense should look the way theirs did 13 years ago but, maybe he really wasn’t running the show, maybe it was Bowdon. I’ve been looking for that for ten years and still haven’t seen it happen. Looks like the coaches need to take a lesson in preparation, mental and physical toughness, strength and conditioning and need to earn their paychecks.
NoFKNdog
January 6th, 2011
8:55 am
It does not matter. The dogs will always SUCK.
GOD BLESS AMERICA!!
dawgfacedboy
January 6th, 2011
9:04 am
When was the last time UGA looked good on both sides of the ball against a quality opponent?
gomdawg
January 6th, 2011
9:22 am
Sugar Bowl against Hawaii 2007
DawgByte
January 6th, 2011
9:29 am
Richt and his staff have not forgotten how to coach. That is a fact.
Our problem over the last 4 years is RECRUITING and S&C. We are not getting the type of big physical players that can out play our opponents in the trenches. It all starts up front. If you’re not winning the LOS it doesn’t matter how many Stafford’s, Moreno’s, Green’s you have… by the end of the game you’ll lose if you can’t control the opposing line.
McGarity is off to a good start in suggesting we replace Van H. as our S&C coach. The next step is to help Richt hire a recruiting guru and give that person the budget to focus solely on recruiting. I’ve never understood how a person can lead recruiting and still be a full-time coach. Garner needs to focus on coaching his DL, not on recruiting.
Clemson fired their top recruiter
January 6th, 2011
10:21 am
The Clemson head recruiter was just fired. He was hot on Florida kids and also was also the O co ordinator, I believe. His boss has held the head job for 1.5 years and he already has fired two assistants but Richt keeps on with his prayer group buddies. Madness this is.
UGA will be fine in two or three years. We are stuck with Richt because of his contract and the world knows it. We have no choice …………….try to allow him to right the ship and come 2011 December, he either resigns or he is fired. He will resign.
I have seen this with all of UGA’s coaches including Dooley in the early 70s and late 70s and he made strides because he knew that he had too. Goff and Donnan and now Richt. They all had their chances to win big with quality facilities, and resources. These three clowns failed in the NC endeavor. Oh well.
Go Dogs.
The Watergirl
January 6th, 2011
10:29 am
I really wish Richt would bring back the hurry up offense he used to run with David Green, you would think with our simplistic offense that we shouldnt even need a huddle! Bobo offense is just to vanilla
Now for the defense Grantham came in and said something to the effect of QB’s won’t know where the next blitz is coming from, but every game our blitz can be seen from a mile away. Last thing is our players never learn from their mistakes (DAMN WHEEL ROUTE, etc..) is that coaching or just dumbass players?
JSS
January 6th, 2011
11:06 am
I’m always so surprised when reading comments by some of the self professed experts on college football… Coaches are limited in the amount of time they can be with the players. That goes for strength and conditioning too!
Here is the funniest thing I read in a long time…
“Go find a Green and Pollack. Smart, hard working kids. Kids that want to play for you and the team.”
This is thing that will always keep Georgia and their fans lost in the wilderness… Look at your opponents, now name more than 4 top line players on each of them who meet the criteria that you put on yourself? And for heaven sake, it is David Greene! You people are always throwing his name around and you can’t even spell it! For every Smart, who by the way only had winning an Outback Bowl as the highlight of his playing career, there was a Champ Bailey who was a star and played his heart out for your institution… For every Greene, there was someone like Hines Ward who did everything for your institution… And for everyone like Pollack, there was a Boss Bailey who brought it every single day he was in Athens. Still, it is funny is funny who you point out as the type of player you want as the face and personality of UGA football…
Today is the 50th anniversary of the most important day in higher education in this State. Sad thing is most of you don’t even know of it…
1992 Dawg
January 6th, 2011
11:12 am
He’s getting ready to have plenty of time “freed up” on his schedule. Should have taken that Miami gig coach! This press conference looked like an alcoholic at “AA” who can’t come to terms with the issue that he has a problem! CLUELESS.
Mudd
January 6th, 2011
11:51 am
5150 CHOAD,
Dude, we get it. You are jealous of the SEC and your big brother down the street that has ripped you a new one nearly 30 more times than you have him. You are bitter that your joke of a conference has EXACTLY the same number of BCS wins as UGA. But you are only getting more pathetic and embarrassing. Why don’t you take a break for a while, ok?
GEE I WONDER WHY
January 6th, 2011
12:34 pm
Quan Bray and Xzavier Dickson both rejected UGA’s recruiting advances, picking Auburn and Alabama respectively.
ITS MARTINEZ’S FAULT- LMAO
ITS BOBO FAULT- LMFAO
ITS NOT RICHTS FAULT- ROFLMAO
Bulldog79
January 6th, 2011
12:56 pm
CMR said Bobo and Searels have done a great job? That’s a lot like George W. saying, “You’re doin’ a heckuva job, Brownie” after Hurricane Katrina.
Ron Smith
January 6th, 2011
1:02 pm
It seems that the phrase at UGA “wait ’til next year” is unrealistic because “next year” never comes. The football program continues its slide into mediocraty. Learn to live with mid-level bowl games and 7-6 or 6-7 seasons and trouble recruiting top 100 players. Very sad
DawgsOnline » Richt’s new org chart
January 6th, 2011
1:24 pm
[...] might seem obvious to the point of “what took you so long,” but there are reasons why coaches sometimes get bogged down in the peripheral stuff. Going [...]
Top Recruit
January 6th, 2011
2:01 pm
Do not think Pollack and Greene were high profile recruits like Ward and Bailey. Posted at midnight and did not proof the comments, JSS. The point is you do not need to have all [or a top 10 class] the media / recruiting services players to have a successful program. Ward, Bailey, Greene, and Pollack were very good players. Ward still is and is a favorite. And Smart, he like Ward, played on one of the few teams to beat the Gators. But for me Greene and Pollack had some quality plays…game changers. Those are the players that are not always your 4 or 5 star players. I simply used those as examples, but then JSS, like most, have thin skin and are an elitist.
Top Recruit
January 6th, 2011
2:56 pm
Another tidbit of info for the JSS types and those who drool over a recruiting list. I in the 2009 season that Auburn and Mississippi State would be the teams in the SEC and West to beat. Saw Auburn’s game against UT. Saw MSU against LSU. Those games convinced me that [using the words of CMR] “they were very close”. Now run out to the rivals list for MSU. Do you notice how many “NRs” they have listed and the rankings of any ranked recruit. Same way last year. They look for a certain type of player and coach them up. I saw South Panola HS play, the # team in HS, how many of those kids do they have. Donnan saw “players”. Not sure CMR and staff does.
JSS
January 6th, 2011
3:26 pm
Top Recruit
January 6th, 2011
2:56 pm
“Another tidbit of info for the JSS types and those who drool over a recruiting list.”
Fool, who do you have me confused with? That 2, 3, 4, 5 star stuff is for credit bonds! Either you can play football or you can not… If you can’t play, you better either practice harder and get the most out what you have and not be deluded like say a Fred Gibson, Caleb King, or a Reggie Ball to thinking you can just show up! READ THESE WORDS: I can care less about UGA, the SEC, the ACC, or D-1 football. I can stand back as a dispassionate observer of the whole rotten fish!
BoWeevil
January 7th, 2011
4:28 am
61 percent say 2011 will be more of the same
39 percent say 2011 will be unbelievably great
Scout.com Team Rankings
1. Texas 23 Big 12 4826 11 7 9 7 13 10 0 23 0 4.00
2. Ohio State 20 Big Ten 3918 5 3 11 6 9 11 0 20 0 3.85
3. Florida State 22 ACC 3688 7 3 8 11 10 12 0 20 2 3.64
4. Alabama 21 SEC 3628 7 2 11 8 9 12 0 18 3 3.71
5. USC 23 Pac-10 3282 6 4 5 9 8 12 3 19 4 3.35
6. Stanford 22 Pac-10 3119 0 0 7 15 13 9 0 22 0 3.32
7. Arkansas 26 SEC 3045 1 1 6 17 15 11 0 23 3 3.23
8. Notre Dame 19 Indep 3020 4 0 9 10 8 10 1 19 0 3.47
9. Oklahoma 18 Big 12 3017 3 2 6 10 10 8 0 18 0 3.56
10. Clemson 23 ACC 2937 3 3 4 13 14 9 0 23 0 3.30
11. Auburn 16 SEC 2811 2 0 10 6 8 8 0 16 0 3.63
12. North Carolina 21 ACC 2751 3 2 4 12 9 11 1 20 1 3.24
13. LSU 19 SEC 2723 4 2 5 10 10 8 1 18 1 3.32
14. South Carolina 28 SEC 2695 1 1 3 19 13 15 0 27 1 3.00
15. Oklahoma State 23 Big 12 2645 4 1 6 13 10 12 1 19 4 3.13
16. Oregon 18 Pac-10 2534 3 1 7 8 11 7 0 16 2 3.39
17. Virginia 24 ACC 2477 0 0 3 17 10 14 0 24 0 2.96
18. Florida 16 SEC 2474 2 1 6 9 8 7 1 16 0 3.50
19. Georgia 16 SEC 2452 1 0 8 6 8 7 1 16 0 3.38
Rivals, no different :
This is the “DREAM TEAM.” Working hard is not good enough. We are not getting the job done in any area of the football program, especially SUSPENSIONS / ARRESTS. What about Christian LeMay, for example ? 9-4 for 2011 will make us # 32 in the nation at 9-4. 9-4 in 2010 is # 32. 9-4 in 2009 is # 32. Surely, we are more than # 32, Greg McGarity.
BoWeevil
January 7th, 2011
6:13 am
Mark Richt vs SEC
LOSS Auburn
LOSS Florida
Win Kentucky
Win Vanderbilt
Win Tennessee
LOSS Missy State
LOSS Arkansas
LOSS South Carolina
LOSS Kentucky
Win Auburn
LOSS Florida
Win Vanderbilt
LOSS Tennessee
Out of the last 13 SEC games, Mark Richt has Won 5.
cmac
January 7th, 2011
3:08 pm
It happened because richt thought the program was on autopilot. He waited to long to fire the defensive schmucks. Now he has offensive schmucks that are just that … offensive. Searles has got to go. His lines have been terrible for several years now. Also, the woeful recruiting is compounded by the woeful coaching. Richt has run his course. Can him & bring some new blood in here that is HUNGRY!!
JSS
January 7th, 2011
4:38 pm
@ Delbert D….
SC final appeal set for January 22nd…
http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/ncf/news/story?id=5952908
Chuck Uga
January 7th, 2011
11:36 pm
We can fantasize our delusional beliefs all we want. FACT IS Richt will be gone next season aftert the Tech game (a likely loss by the way). He will not be the UGA coach in 2012. You can take that to the damn bank.
roc5542
January 8th, 2011
11:11 am
CMR needs to own up to his responsilibilties as Head Coach. If he see’s the offence is not up to par then step the hell in and do something about it, any other COACH will. If that is his specialty then USE IT!!! Our program has been slipping for seasons now, and reality has to set in at some point. Recruiting is down also, these younger kids see programs like Ala, Aub, LSU, and Fla so they leave the state.. They want to be winners not a wait until next season team! Hell I think we need a motivational coach as well because they lack enthusiam at times…. I truly hope this 3-4 works better this year, I can understand the playes had to adjust but giving up all of those rushing yards is embarrissing. Our running backs compared to the elite programs in the FBS is sub par as well… The enire organazation needs to take a look in the mirror and BULLDOG UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Take PRIDE in what you are doing and let it show in the Classroom, off season, weight room, and especially on Saturday morings on the FIELD.. Man the HELL up DAWGS!!!!!!!!!!!
Alex
January 9th, 2011
5:17 pm
Unfortunately, I think its just a lot of talk, CMR doesn’t have the “killer instinct” needed to compete in the SEC
birds1
January 11th, 2011
11:08 am
I SAY CMR, NEEDS TO HIRE ME AS DEFENSIVE CORDINATOR,GET BACK TO 4-3