Mark Fox succeeding in changing basketball culture at Georgia
The lower hand shows where Georgia used to be. The upper hand shows where Mark Fox has brought them. (Jason Getz/AJC)
ATHENS – Not that it was some great revelation but Georgia officials were pretty up front with Mark Fox during the interview process in 2009 about the state of the basketball program. It was a mess. So in that sense, he knew he wasn’t stepping into Eden.
But have you ever booked a room in a low-budget hotel, had low expectations and when you arrived wondered if you had just missed the hurricane? That was Fox last season. He expected bad and witnessed something worse.
“I know last year I said that I wasn’t surprised with where we were because they were so honest with me when I got here,” the Bulldogs coach said Thursday. “But as I reflect, it was probably in worse shape than I wanted to admit. We’ve made progress. But there’s still days where you feel like the train ran you over.”
Possibly. But these days, that train mostly runs through Paul Hewitt’s office at Georgia Tech.
Of the two major college basketball programs in the area, only one obviously is going in the right direction. Both open conference play this weekend. The Bulldogs are being talked about as a dark horse in the SEC in only Fox’s second season. The Jackets, after non-conference losses to Kennesaw State and Siena, project as the gum under the rest of the ACC’s shoes.
Fox isn’t in a position to gloat. He is 2-0 against Tech and says, “That’s important. We didn’t come here to finish second.” But he also knows that the stated goal of having a rich basketball tradition in Athens is far down the road.
Nonetheless, the job he has done in a short time is nothing short of remarkable. He took over a wreck of a program, engineered a few upsets, put a scare into Kentucky in Lexington and finished 14-17 — a losing record, but a clear 180 for the team.
Remember where Fox started. Three players forgot their shoes on the first road trip last season. One asked the coach, “Do you really think we can win?” Others blew off tutoring sessions.
“We’ve had some academic battles, some issues in how to work and how to function as an athlete, how responsible you had to be, how much effort it took,” Fox said. “There wasn’t a winning mentality.
“I don’t want to indict [former coach] Dennis Felton. He had his own issues that he walked into here, so I have to be fair to him. But all that being said, it wasn’t in great shape. But I’m not focused on where the program was or even where it’s going to be two years from now. I’m focused on how we’re going to get there, on the present.”
Here’s the present: The Dogs are 11-2 going into Saturday’s SEC opener against Kentucky. Their only two losses came in a tournament to Notre Dame (double overtime) and Temple when a rusty Trey Thompkins was playing his first two games following an ankle injury. Georgia has won eight straight for the first time since 2002-03. Expectations are high enough that Fox laid into his team for poor play after the last win over Eastern Kentucky. (Quoting: “I wasn’t wowed how we played or how I coached.” If only the football coach on campus was so forthcoming after games.)
Fox said he is “making progress” in changing the basketball culture in Athens. More recruits are looking at Georgia as an option (”We’re in more races traditionally than we’ve been in.”). Fan support has been good. But his objective is to grow the program to the point that “everybody has to check the score of our game before they go to bed.”
He likes his team. He likes the chemistry. He likes the fact nobody forgets their shoes any more.
He also likes the sudden high expectations.
“It’s funny because last year I had to tell them, ‘Don’t believe anything anybody tells you when they say you’re not very good,’” Fox said. “Now I have to tell them, ‘Don’t believe them this year, either.’ You still have to do the things that equate to winning. This is not a perception contest.”
If it was, the game is over. Fox has won.
– By Jeff Schultz
♦
Previous posts
– Aaron gets wish: Steroid users kept out of Hall of Fame
– Richt’s plan for change is good, but why did it take so long?
– Playoff rankings and why Falcons can get to Super Bowl
– Fortunes of Georgia, Richt can turn on recruiting Crowell
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167 comments Add your comment
Dawg'88
January 6th, 2011
6:08 pm
Even in a basketball article, Schultz takes a shot at CMR. You are lower than scum JS and a coward. Go and say the say thing mentioned in your article…but do it face to face with CMR. You would never do that…too much of a coward. And BTW…CMR has always been forthcoming after games and practices…what rock have you been hiding under?
GEEZ>>>>LAY OFF THE MAN…Wimp!
KevinM
January 6th, 2011
6:14 pm
Calm down, its all about Enes right now for Cat fans! Let’s win 2 on Saturday and good luck to Coach Pope on Coach Fox’ staff. I hope he’s taking good notes so he can rise up in the coaching ranks.
You know how Pope can excite the local fan base? Let everyone touch his championship rings…..
KevinM
January 6th, 2011
6:27 pm
Nevermind Dawg fans, didn’t know Pope actually moved on to Wake Forest.
That picture of Fox and Pope confused me!
Lagdawg
January 6th, 2011
6:36 pm
Fox is a great coach and I wish the local kids would give him a chance instead of commiting to out of state programs. I followed Coach Fox while he was in Nevada and he did and excellent job. Given the chance to build the program, we can be a national power house in Bball. I hope UGA has enough sense to pay him properly and sign him to a long term contract. Coach Fox was a great hire. Now we need the same for the football program.
D-MAN
January 6th, 2011
6:37 pm
DA what the hell did you see this season to get fired up about G-Day!
PHIL
January 6th, 2011
6:52 pm
Love CMF, but I think we should temper expectations. The reality is that the team is probably no better than the football team. A couple of excellent players and a few good players and a few walk ons. We will begin to play teams with 6-7 excellent players. Consistently winning basketball is even more about having sheer talent than football. You can coach ‘em up a season or two and get lucky, but to be a consistent winner you have to have top talent 6-7 deep. Not there yet. I think we will get there but it takes time to go from the outhouse to the penthouse.
One other thing Dadoubleudawg is hereby banned from ever posting on the ajc because he makes too much sens to fit in with the rest.
PHIL
January 6th, 2011
6:59 pm
@SimpleDawg I’d say one your name fits you well. Two yes being a “blind homer” as you so eloquently (look it up) put it, is indeed better than other fans, especially those like you who hurt our reputation with recruits and I would totally agree with the poster you denigrate (again, look it up) that an alum is much better than a trailer trash beer guzzler in a wife beater. It’s obvious it’s you that are what you called the target of your manure spewing.
CrackDaddy
January 6th, 2011
7:14 pm
Know how to do the “Rocky Flop” (Tn)? Trail in the game for 50 mins., then go up 3 with less than 5 mins to go. Then get 3 15 yd penalties while allowing the opponent to drive 80 yds in 31 secs. Then throw an interception in OT. That folks is called the “Rocky Flop”.
Belcher
January 6th, 2011
7:15 pm
It was all Damon “Red Panties” fault!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Billy Jack aint no wimp
January 6th, 2011
7:17 pm
@Dawg’88 dude we only scored 6pts against Central Fl. we stunk this year our program is in serious trouble..you didn’t know that.???
@PHIL..I think you are underestimating the BB team..I see them going 10-6 in SEC play and being a 6 seed in the dance
PHIL
January 6th, 2011
7:21 pm
@Simple dawg First your name seems to fit you well. Just want you to know that I and many like me disagree completely with you. It is nut jobs like you, as opposed to the poster you referred to, that is a major problem to this university. Kids who are being recruited are just that, and they don’t realize that indeed no one cares what you anbd those like you think. They believe you speak for the fans of the university when you spew this manure from your mouth. In that vein a “blind homer” as you so eloquently (look it up) put it is indeed better than so called “fan” such as yourself. And there are hundreds of thousands of us who do indeed believe that being an alum is indeed better than being a beer guzzling moron in a wife beater who’s only tie to the UGA is that he gets his total ego and pride in life from a game played by kids .
This is for you and those like you. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3GbAq9mNI4
It’s a video of a flying saucer over Stone Mountain. It’s obvious that you don’t know a football from a flying saucer so I thought this might help.
PHIL
January 6th, 2011
7:23 pm
Billy Jack I hope I am underestimating their record. Hope you are right. Hope they can upset some people. But to win against UF and UK plus elite teams outside the conference it will take a while as the talent level isn’t at elite level yet.
St. Clarkston
January 6th, 2011
7:33 pm
I think the techies are too hard on Hewitt. It’s a tough conference and there ate more good teams than ever…the parity thing.
As for Fox, he’s was a great hire and I look forward to the conference play.
Upstate Dawg
January 6th, 2011
7:51 pm
Nice article…the team still hasn’t really clicked for 40 minutes. Free throws and turnovers have been problems at times along with some poor outside shooting. The good news is the team doesn’t panic in close games and has already won three games on the road. When you add that Coach Fox is on the sidelines, the future is indeed promising. Go Dawgs!
Billy Jack aint no wimp
January 6th, 2011
7:53 pm
@PHIL….we have a great front court, something UGA has often never had..plus we finally have a guard that can push the ball up the court this is our best team since the Harrick coached team that got screwed because of Tony Cole..(I loved that team..all Georgia boys) they could have gone deep in the NCAA tournament that yr…and Harrick I think his half court offense was good as anybodys….he could flat out coach….
girldawg
January 6th, 2011
8:36 pm
I am a avid football fan but I am also a B-Ball fan especially the Dawgs… Looking forward to opening SEC Game. Mark Fox is impressive in what he has done so far. Great job team!!!
Go Dawgs… Beat the Cats!
Nate
January 6th, 2011
9:06 pm
This program will be okay as long as Fox or some other coach decides the GA basketball coaching gig is a final destination and not a temporary vacation. Tubby did well here obviously. A missed shot by Syracuse and they would’ve gone to the Elite Eight. Harrick took the team to at least one sweet sixteen that I remember. If Fox stays here for two decades he MIGHT be able to do for Georgia what Denny Crum did for Louisville, what Jim Boeheim has done for Syracuse, and what Mike Kryzewski has done for Duke.
BG
January 6th, 2011
9:17 pm
Mark Fox is the man!!!!!
Hit A Single
January 6th, 2011
9:23 pm
UGA has cleaned up themselves on the court in appearance, effort, and knowledge of the game. That is a credit to Coach Fox.
Paul Hewitt's Buyout
January 6th, 2011
9:41 pm
Just give Fox a contract like mine. I promise you will never regret it….
Paul Hewitt's Buyout
January 6th, 2011
9:43 pm
St. Clarkston, personally, I think Tech is a lot easier on Hewitt than he deserves. One winning season in the ACC in ten years so far (it will soon be one in eleven). A career conference record of 67-93. Basically, one year of leading Tech to the runner-up finish in the nation saved his job for years to come. Did Mark Richt’s one season of finishing #2 in the country save his job for six seasons of mediocrity or worse? Of course not. One season of mediocrity (previous years were short of expectations but definitely not mediocre) and there is talk of canning the guy already. If Georgia goes 1-7 in SEC play, would you want him fired? (note: see Paul Hewitt 2008-2009) Well, that is what Georgia Tech is dealing with. If he didn’t have a golden contract (which he has far from lived up to), he would have been gone a few years ago.
As for the state of UGA basketball, they are definitely a team on the rise. If Fox can continue bringing in skilled players to compete in the national scene, Georgia should increase their basketball reputation. Unfortunately, I don’t see him staying long. He is a good coach, and I will be relieved to not have to see him on the other bench. But Georgia is not where a guy dreams of being the basketball coach. Heck, with fans like some of the guys on here, it obvious why. He will do his job and bring Georgia back to relevance, but don’t expect him to become a savior and coach the team for the next twenty years. Good luck this season though. Hopefully we will give you guys a better fight next year without Hewitt (fingers crossed) Otherwise it could be another ugly game.
Coffee Bluff DAWG
January 6th, 2011
9:44 pm
Mark Fox was a great hire for UGA. Win or lose this weekend (and this will be tough) against a UK team that looks better than their team last year Fox has this program going in the right direction.
I like what he asked every player when he arrived “Why did you come to UGA?” Every player except one gave him a different answer than what he was looking for, which was “I came to UGA to win”.
Fox is a winner and is on a mission to make UGA a winner. I’ll be there on Sat. and am optimistic about BB at UGA.
Outside Observer
January 6th, 2011
9:44 pm
St. Clarkston, personally, I think Tech is a lot easier on Hewitt than he deserves. One winning season in the ACC in ten years so far (it will soon be one in eleven). A career conference record of 67-93. Basically, one year of leading Tech to the runner-up finish in the nation saved his job for years to come. Did Mark Richt’s one season of finishing #2 in the country save his job for six seasons of mediocrity or worse? Of course not. One season of mediocrity (previous years were short of expectations but definitely not mediocre) and there is talk of canning the guy already. If Georgia goes 1-7 in SEC play, would you want him fired? (note: see Paul Hewitt 2008-2009) Well, that is what Georgia Tech is dealing with. If he didn’t have a golden contract (which he has far from lived up to), he would have been gone a few years ago.
As for the state of UGA basketball, they are definitely a team on the rise. If Fox can continue bringing in skilled players to compete in the national scene, Georgia should increase their basketball reputation. Unfortunately, I don’t see him staying long. He is a good coach, and I will be relieved to not have to see him on the other bench. But Georgia is not where a guy dreams of being the basketball coach. Heck, with fans like some of the guys on here, it obvious why. He will do his job and bring Georgia back to relevance, but don’t expect him to become a savior and coach the team for the next twenty years. Good luck this season though. Hopefully we will give you guys a better fight next year without Hewitt (fingers crossed). If he is still here, expect another victory…
He Hate Gator
January 6th, 2011
10:08 pm
Mark Fox is a breath of fresh air after all the smog surrounding the football program. The basketball program IS in the right direction…now for the football…
Jeff Schultz
January 6th, 2011
10:08 pm
Master Blaster — Check back at the end of the season.
SoCal Dawg
January 6th, 2011
10:20 pm
Love the Dawgs no matter the sport! I’ve watched a lot of games over the past few years just because it was the Dawgs. I’m glad now to watch them because it’s good BB. By the way I’m not an alumni but I love UGA as much as any alumni. (didn’t have my major)
chaddy daddy
January 6th, 2011
10:21 pm
All you single interest football only homers need to accept the fact UGA hoops will win a conference title before UGA football will. Now go talk about ‘recruitin’ Cletus while we enjoy some quality hoops.
rm
January 6th, 2011
10:42 pm
dude can coach!
rm
January 6th, 2011
10:47 pm
And if I remember correctly, Damon Evans hired Coach Fox. Great hire and he deserves the credit regardless of the other BS that the techies want to dwell on.
Jeff Schultz
January 6th, 2011
11:03 pm
JSS — Agree, Paul Hewitt is not a “clueless” coach. For whatever reason, it’s been an epic fail lately and I don’t know why.
misconceptions about Fox
January 6th, 2011
11:07 pm
Fox left Nevada because he and his wife are involved in a major corruption scandal. Fox was a bad boy in Nevada. Story slowly unfolding. Hold your breath it does not leak to the Georgia media.
Gen Neyland
January 6th, 2011
11:50 pm
You may not wish to hear it but Fox is at least twice the honest, moral man that CMR is…A dam good hire and will elevate the Mens BB program that the last dude couldn’t. I expect UGA will do quite nicely with Fox…
Coastal Dawg
January 6th, 2011
11:50 pm
I am extremely proud of the changes brought about thus far with UGA BB.
I am proud of CMF and hope he enjoys Athens and UGA BB AND that he is fully appreciated and rewarded by them so he will remain there. If so, I believe the sky is the limit.
Folks, it is the beginning of his 2nd year….give him a break.
Tdawg
January 6th, 2011
11:53 pm
Sorry dawg fans, but the dawgs are not even as good as they were last year. Expect a dead last finish in the SEC this year. I mean who have we beaten this year? A bunch of nobodies, and we barely beat them. All fo the top talent still deserting the state, nail biting victories over teams that we should be blowing of the court. To me and I hope that I am wrong, it looks to me that last year we simply over achieved. This years version just seems to be average at best.
KakNiqueTree
January 7th, 2011
1:26 am
Ah, an article about how good things are starting to get in men’s bball, and football STILL has to come up in this…wouldn’t be UGA otherwise.
BoWeevil
January 7th, 2011
3:40 am
Here are the Top 10 Football Recruits in the state of Georgia :
Scout.com Top 10 state of Georgia :
TE 1 Jay Rome (Valdosta HS) Valdosta, GA 6-6/240/4.68
RB 2 Isaiah Crowell (Carver HS) Columbus, GA 6-0/210/4.43
CB 5 Malcolm Mitchell (Valdosta HS) Valdosta, GA 6-1/190/4.40
CB 6 Damian Swann (Grady HS) Atlanta, GA 6-0/175/4.50
DT 7 Gabe Wright (Carver HS) Columbus, GA 6-4/300/4.98
MLB 7 Shannon Brown (Cook County HS) Adel, GA 6-2/237
DE 8 Ray Drew (Thomas County Central HS) Thomasville, GA 6-5/248/4.74
MLB 9 James Vaughters (Tucker HS) Tucker, GA 6-2/232/4.55
DE 10 Xzavier Dickson (Griffin HS) Griffin, GA 6-4/248/4.90
We have zero -0- of them.
NONE.
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 :
2011 Team Rankings
Rank School
#1 Alabama 22 2 15 5 3.86 2,482
#2 Texas 23 1 16 6 3.78 2,410
#3 Florida State 22 2 9 11 3.59 2,074
#4 USC 23 2 7 9 3.09 1,822
#5 Oklahoma 17 2 8 7 3.71 1,805
#6 Ohio State 20 0 9 11 3.45 1,787
#7 Oregon 20 0 10 10 3.50 1,703
#8 Clemson 23 1 7 12 3.26 1,687
#9 LSU 19 1 7 10 3.42 1,669
#10 North Carolina 21 0 8 12 3.33 1,577
#11 Stanford 22 0 8 12 3.27 1,450
#12 Texas Tech 21 0 6 15 3.29 1,445
#13 Nebraska 16 0 10 5 3.56 1,414
#14 Mississippi 24 0 5 19 3.21 1,370
#15 Florida 16 0 8 7 3.44 1,366
#16 California 15 0 9 6 3.60 1,342
#17 Notre Dame 19 0 6 12 3.26 1,336
#18 Auburn 16 0 7 9 3.44 1,326
#19 Georgia 16 0 8 7 3.44 1,261
This is the “DREAM TEAM”
BoWeevil
January 7th, 2011
6:18 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.
pricedawg
January 7th, 2011
6:29 am
I never went to UGA (graduated from GCSU), but I support all UGA sports. Please don’t be ignorant about who is supporting UGA. I have probably donated more money and time than most UGA grads. By the way, all you “true UGA grads” are not supporting the basketball team because I have been to every game and there are about 4,000 fans per game in the Steg.
BoWeevil
January 7th, 2011
6:35 am
pricedawg,
Don’t worry about them sir; those vocal minority only make up 39 percent of the fan base, while you and I make up 61 percent of the fan base – and it is THEY who are MARK RICHT FANS, not UGA fans.
Sloan
January 7th, 2011
6:50 am
I love what Mark Fox is doing in Athens. I am a UGA season ticket holder for football and for the first season since Ray Goff was our coach, I chose NOT to make a single 4.5 hour drive from my hometown to Athens this fall for a football game. But I do have plans to come to Athens for a basketball game in February and I was able to make it to the win over Tech earlier this year. I think that says it all about the state of those two programs at my alma mater.
Buzz
January 7th, 2011
7:17 am
Enjoy him while you can ….. just like Tubby.
Big time?? Not
January 7th, 2011
7:33 am
Sold out tomorrow. tech running specials.
» BBL: Could Enes Kanter case come to a close today? John Clay’s Sidelines
January 7th, 2011
7:39 am
[...] Jeff Schultz: Mark Fox succeeding in changing the basketball culture at Georgia. [...]
suwaneedawg
January 7th, 2011
7:53 am
Felton took over a program in a mess and added to the mess. Fox took it over and started the process of cleaning it up. I don’t know if they will beat Kentucky this Saturday but, it would not be a huge upset if they did. This team is 1-2 years away of being a power house in the SEC and a solid tournament team. GO DAWGS!
A Big Dog
January 7th, 2011
7:56 am
Think McGarity can get Fox to motivate the football coaches and team?
charliecole
January 7th, 2011
8:22 am
http://www.secsportsworld.blogspot.com
NewnanDawg
January 7th, 2011
8:32 am
I just know that not only have I had a lot more fun at the basketball games since Coach Fox arrived, the players have too. It’s a completely different atmosphere. They still have lapses, and we’ll know shortly after 4pm tomorrow how far we’ve come, but I’m excited about where this program is going. To the crowd that has to try and tear down anything good happening at UGA by saying things like “He’ll be gone in a year or two,” think again. Tubby didn’t have the $30M practice facility, new coliseum upgrades, or the upgraded academic facilities that Fox has to help with recruiting. Fox can also bring recruits to sold out games, something that didn’t happen in the past. He also knows he can be a legendary figure for taking an afterthought program and turning it in to a perennial tournament contender. Have no doubt, if he brings the program to national prominance and keeps it there, UGA will pay him every penny he’s worth and there will be no reason to “move on.”
Go Dawgs! Beat the Cats!
hmmm
January 7th, 2011
8:35 am
Just found this:
“Devil Went Down To Georgia”
Letter from a reader:
I have been reading up on your case and am astounded by the number of criminal acts committed by Cindy Fox. Some of her actions certainly meet federal jurisdiction as they have crossed state lines.
I cannot believe for the life of me that the administration at the University of Georgia is aware of what she has been doing. Her behavior while married to one of their high profile employees is very dangerous to UGA.
I could not help but think of the song “Devil Went Down To Georgia” as I reviewed the evidence against her. In the end Charlie Daniel’s said, “The devil bowed his head because he knew that he’d been beat”.
Keep the faith and engage the Fed’s. Fox made it their jurisdiction.
NewnanDawg
January 7th, 2011
8:49 am
Good Grief, unless some of the people on this blog are federal investigators with a bunch of concrete evidence about all of the veiled accusations they are making here, can we just not allow this little witch hunt? I’m certainly not going to the Kentucky and Tennessee blogs listing all of the rumors about their coaches. Heck, it would take too long anyway. They all may be as dirty as some people think, but they are the coaches, and until somebody gives concrete evidence that they shouldn’t be, let’s just talk about the coaching part.
Go Dawgs!
NewnanDawg
January 7th, 2011
8:52 am
Because when it come to the pure coaching, tomorrow will be a battle for Fox. Calipari is as good as they come when it comes to gametime and preparation.
Go Dawgs!