Richt and Georgia have a chance to alter perceptions
Mark Richt is only 2-8 in his past 10 games against ranked teams. (Brant Sanderlin/AJC)
ATHENS – It wasn’t Mark Richt’s intention to contrast the recent state of two college football programs Tuesday when he praised Boise State. But the words just sort of tumbled out that way.
“They know what they’re doing, they believe in what they’re doing,” the Georgia coach said Tuesday. “Teams with a habit of winning are hard to beat.”
When the Bulldogs face Boise State on Saturday night in the Georgia Dome, it will be an opener like no other Richt has had. That’s not merely because most believe this season will determine his future. It’s just that nobody can be sure what to make of the Georgia program right now.
We know athletes still flock to the program because recruiting services tell us so. We know they can still sell tickets and romance donors and build wonderful facilities. But are they still a player where it counts most? Richt went 48-18 (.727) in 66 SEC games beginning in 2002 but is only 5-9 (.357) since. The Bulldogs went 24-11 against ranked opponents from 2002 through mid-2008 but are 2-8 since.
Boise State begins this season ranked fifth. The last time Georgia defeated an opponent that highly ranked was in 2006 (37-15 over Auburn). Since then, the Dogs have lost four consecutive to top 5 opponents by 39, 7, 24 and 18 points.
Georgia has had a number of habits in the past two seasons, but winning is not one of them. Losing Saturday won’t necessarily stamp this season as a lost cause any more than winning the game would ensure success. But perceptions swing heavily this week, and they should. If you choose to embrace the endless blather about how an SEC team should beat a bunch of spud boys from Idaho who play home games on blue turf and in a weak conference, fine. But what exactly has Georgia done of late, other than lose to Colorado and Central Florida?
“I don’t personally think the season’s riding on the one game,” Richt said Tuesday. “It’s really not. But it’s a game we absolutely want to win. It’s a game that we expect to win. It has no bearing on the Southeastern Conference race. But what I do think it will do is give us a pretty good feel for what we’re made of. It will give us a pretty good idea what it’s going to take down the road.”
Richt knows. His players, his program and his fan base are in no position to mock diminish Boise State’s accomplishments. Or mock anybody. They finished 6-7 last season and did not beat a team last season that finished with a winning record. Two years ago, Richt fired several assistant coaches, including defensive coordinator Willie Martinez. This year, he demoted strength coach Dave Van Halanger and promoted Joe Tereshinski.
He is running out of scapegoats.
Nobody questions Georgia’s talent. For Georgia to defeat Boise State or South Carolina next week, it will need to excel in areas that it simply hasn’t of late. Playing smart. Playing tough. Blocking and tackling. Showing some semblance of resolve.
Tight end Orson Charles said the first two games “will make or break our season. We’ll definitely know where we stand.”
Quarterback Aaron Murray said, “We want to be the kind of team that’s beating these top teams. We need to go out and prove it.”
Richt struggled to answer why Georgia fizzled in so many games last season.
“Is it because of the physical nature?” he said. “Is it because a guy couldn’t make a play or the ball bounced the wrong way? That may be. But we just need to get beyond that.”
After a while, the wrong things can become habitual. They begin to define a program. If Georgia wants to alter perceptions, it needs to start this week.
By Jeff Schultz
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281 comments Add your comment
Double Zero Eight
August 31st, 2011
9:26 am
Richt needs to set the tone. We don’t want to hear you expect
Crowell or other freshmen to make mistakes. We know that will
happen, but don’t harp on it. Players have a way of living up to
your expectations. If you expect them to only be mediocre, they
will oblige.
PreyDawg
August 31st, 2011
9:31 am
Jeff- in fairness, you called for Richt to make changes last year and he made some that were tough for him. Now you accuse him of scapegoating. Seems harsh. We lost games repeatedly in the fourth quarter. Strength and Conditioning seems like a good area to change and he did. Likewise, I like how you brushed off the DreamTeam (that I think you laughed at back when Richt first said it…not sure I remember that one correctly) and Richt DID assemble a Dream Team. Seems I remember some criticism of his recruiting last year as well.
If this team does not perform then Richt has to take the hit. I agree. Do you agree that if this team plays lights out he should get some credit?
Paul N Destin
August 31st, 2011
9:33 am
Richt is Mike Shula without probation nor the Bible.
RedandBlackDAWG
August 31st, 2011
9:35 am
The AJC would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the trolls for increasing our web hits and making it appear that the useful and meaningful comments you post are really increasing readership on these AJC blogs. It does get the true UGA fan irritated enough to respond, which of course is your only purpose for some of the garbage you post on here. It does not however, have any affect on the UGA football team and once you are forced to change your name, because UGA whopped your team’s hineys, it will appear that the AJC is indeed expanding it’s readership, so thanks again.
GO DAWGS and GATA
Barbara Dooley
August 31st, 2011
9:35 am
Herschel, honey, Vince is going to stay home Saturday night and play with his petunias. Let’s you and I go to the dome. We can go to my special “box” and have some fun while those Thuga fans are watching their dawgs get spanked. Speaking of spanked……….Can’t wait till Saturday night, honey.
Bama in Atlanta
August 31st, 2011
9:38 am
First, just to clarify, I am SEC all the way and will be pulling for the Dawgs on Saturday. That being said, here are my “feel goods” and “concerns” regarding UGA going into the game:
Feel Good About:
1) Lack of distractions – no finalist for the Fulmer Cup; no hit and runs; no shoebox full of outstanding parking tickets; no AD and mistress playing “show me yours and I’ll show you mine”
2) Strength & Conditioning program that actually includes strength and conditioning drills – hands on knees sucking wind in the 2nd quarter is not a good omen….looks like this has been remedied
3) 3-4 D – An attack defense rather than a reaction defense allows you to control the play….hit ‘em long, hard, deep and continuous and the game is yours by the 3rd quarter
4) Murray – plays smart, wants to win, has the respect and trust of his fellow players
5) Special Teams – An understatement to say strongest in college football….never underestimate the power to kick long field goals and pin the opponent inside their 5-yard line
Concerns:
1) Turnovers – IC and Samuel had limited practice time due to injuries and timing is critical for handoffs between QB and RB. If there’s any hesitation or wrong step then risk of fumbles skyrockets
2) Poor Blitz Execution – Not disguising your blitzes or being too slow to get in the backfield is not something you want to do against a guy who’s going to end up being the winningest QB in college football history
3) Underestimating BSU – They have a small D-Line……they play in a weak conference….they lost their two best WRs…..yeah, so did Appalachian State a few years ago before they played Michigan
4) Mike Bobo – do I really need to elaborate
Bottom line prediction is that each team will reach the end zone a few times but the edge goes to the team that can hit more field goals (hint: see #5 above).
SEC Fan
August 31st, 2011
9:38 am
If a “big time” university wants a winning football program, they better get a winning coach. A winning athletic director would not hurt either.
ugawho
August 31st, 2011
9:39 am
Hank Williams Jr. ( Old Bocephus,
The Sunday morning hangover will not hurt as bad as the beating your team took the night before.
B'dawg
August 31st, 2011
9:41 am
Preydawg- Ill be the first one to let you know how the crow was, but I have to say this. With all the pulled hamstrings, groin injuries(Ken Malcome, this has been going on all year) and such is the S&C program really working. I mean come on, if your supposed to be in great shape why the f#$k are these injuries still going on. Also, until we get an offensive cord who isnt as predictable as hurricane Irene was, things will not get much better. I am a die hard Dawg fan and always will be, but enough is enough. Will Mushchamp, Kirby Smart, they all played with Bobo, they know him, all about him. Did you happen to watch the preview special on CSS the other day. When they interviewed Bobo he looked and sounded like he could care less. He wouldnt even make eye contact with the camera! Im sorry dude but dude has got to go UNLESS he can get some life, call games like he should, and take that sprint draw on 3rd and 9 out the playbook.
Now on some more positive news I heard this morning. The pope of college football, Beano Cook, did pick the Dawgs to lose to Oklahoma in the championship game. Kind of a long shot he said, but he was sticking his neck out, but he was goking with Georgia because of schedule. Go Dawgs!!!!!
Now, if we lose saturday night because of poor play calling, Ill expect to see your apologetic post on Sunday morning.
Kiss The Ring
August 31st, 2011
9:43 am
Hopefully UGA wiull pop their cherry one day and get a ring. I think it really makes a lot of the locals enraged knwoing they are still BCS virgins.
Mike Bobo 17 INT
August 31st, 2011
9:44 am
RedandBlackDAWG
A 6-7 season and 1 national title in 117 years is not really “whooping anyone’s hiney.” Anyone care to discuss what Alabama did to you guys at home for College Game Day? What about the UCF bowl game…..Colorado?
UGA is nothing more than a D1-AA program at best.
RedandBlackDAWG
August 31st, 2011
9:48 am
Kiss the ring,
I have a ring you can kiss and guess what? It is not located on my finger. Now go eat your cherrios and get ready for middle school.
GO DAWGS and GATA
ugawho
August 31st, 2011
9:49 am
Mike Bobo 17 INT,
You and everyone else knows that statement about D1-AA is false. However the powerful Uga is only great in the minds of a uga fan. Georgia likes to bow their chest from a 1980 NC while so many other SEC have Championships since then yet georgia fans still dream their school is better. They’re NOT !
UGA man, class of 71 & 73
August 31st, 2011
9:50 am
If we win this BS game,it will define UGA’s season for all of one week. Then, we follow that with SC and that game will also define UGA’s season all year long.
UGA must win both however, in order to regain some modest confidence and dignity, not swagger. Swagger should come AFTER a complete year like 11-1 or 10-2 or 12-0.
Boise State is very important, but only for one week. SEC matters far more than Boise State and if UGA does well all year long in the SEC, they will arrive in a nice bowl game or better …………. with or without the win over BS.
Go Dogs.
RedandBlackDAWG
August 31st, 2011
9:54 am
Mike Bobo 17INT,
You really don’t think that making up statist5ics is somehow going to make you credibal in other peoples eyes do you. I think it is more than 1 title in 117 years, but I guess you bama fans use revisionist history to your advantagwe when it suits you. If it makes you feel good, have at it joker. Your words have no affect on the UGA DAWGS.
GO DAWGS and GATA
Mike Bobo 17 INT
August 31st, 2011
9:58 am
There is too much emphasis on playing in the SEC in Athens. There is no doubt that the SEC is the toughest conference, but when do you stop bragging about playing in the SEC and start winning in the SEC? If the SEC is so tough, then maybe UGA should move to a weaker conference.
All I know is that every fall brings anticipation of watching UGA getting their helmets handed to them, and Boise should start things off right. I can already see UGA fans within this blog downplaying a loss to Boise, with talk about the SEC. They are already preparing their statements for a lost game.
ugawho
August 31st, 2011
9:59 am
RedandBlackDAWG,
You Homers wish you had Bamas record.
Mike Bobo 17 INT
August 31st, 2011
9:59 am
RedandBlackDAWG
Go ahead and break down those titles, and go ahead and name your Heisman winners without using Google.
Kiss The Ring
August 31st, 2011
10:02 am
I really hope UGA can get over their petty jealously either with counseling or winning a national title.
I think this year is a good chance for UGA since their schedule is as big a joke as 1980
Goober Pyle
August 31st, 2011
10:02 am
We need TD’s not FG’s this year.
Rick S
August 31st, 2011
10:02 am
Totally agree with the article! It’s time for Georgia to quit talking about being a championship caliber program and prove it on the field!
Nothing Could Be Finer
August 31st, 2011
10:04 am
“I don’t personally think the season’s riding on the one game,” Richt said Tuesday. “It’s really not.
————————————————————
Boise, no.
South Carolina, yes.
Your entire season is riding on how well you can handle the Lattimore Show – Part Deux.
Mike Bobo 17 INT
August 31st, 2011
10:11 am
The score will tell.
Mike Bobo 17 INT is a nerd
August 31st, 2011
10:20 am
I cannot fathom how you think posting in this blog would bother anyone. We all know you are a GT nerd and that voids your opinion. Triple option lol. I think you are missing at tickle pile somewhere.
Fun Fact
August 31st, 2011
10:24 am
It’s been over 20 years since Tech beat Georgia without ineligible players. Not that is really sad.
Bulldog59
August 31st, 2011
10:40 am
I have to agree with my good friend, Rick S. The bottom line is it’s time to stop speculating, and “prove it on the field!” We (those of us loyal to CMR and the program) have heard enough about “potential,” and good things on the horizon for our program. We need results/success in 2011.
ugawho
August 31st, 2011
10:41 am
Not a Techie but you Homers do not have much more to brag about.
Judge Dawg
August 31st, 2011
10:43 am
So if UGA does not beat the #5 team in America it is a sign that there program is a failure. You wish, AJC. How about holding Tech to the same standard?
Mike Bobo 17 INT is a nerd
August 31st, 2011
10:44 am
You forgot to change your Username, Do you have two names ugawho/Mike Bobo 17 INT so you can agree with yourself. What a loser. I think you are missing at tickle pile somewhere, 20 years lol
Mike Bobo 17 INT is a nerd
August 31st, 2011
10:46 am
OMG, you did talk to yourself at 9:49 GTFO. What an asshat
you just made my day.
Chris Phillips
August 31st, 2011
10:51 am
Coach Richt said the game “has no bearing on the Southeastern Conference race.” True. But it does for the national title race!! Surely he knows that. Georgia is going into the game representing the SEC. If we lose, Georgia will be known as the SEC team that Boise State beat to earn its way into the national championship. Richt needs to let us Georgia fans know, without a doubt, that this game is HUGE and his goal this year is lead us to the national championship game. Therefore, Georgia needs to definitely win on Saturday.
Mike Bobo 17 INT
August 31st, 2011
10:52 am
No GT fan here, just an objective football observer who sees a program which has tanked, and is overrated. The facts and history of this program speaks volumes of how broken it really is. A previous #1 pre-season ranking, then dropped in the polls during the first 2 weeks with wins. That move spoke volumes how how dis-respected this program is by professional sports organizations.
The problem with the UGA football program is denial, major denial. No one could ever say anything bad about CMR, and no one ever will. Alabama wins titles, LSU wins titles, Texas wins titles, but UGA just seems content to tailgate, and get drunk.
Evern when Dooley was there, fans would put pressure on the coaches and program to drive for a title, but now everyone is too concerned about style, and drinking.
Grantham was a hail may attempt by CMR to right the ship, but this will fail also. Van Gorder was your best DC, but he know the program was broken and left for Jax.
I am not a GT fan, but last time I checked, they have 4 national titles compared to your 1 national title, thus the real score is 4-1.
Mike Bobo 17 INT
August 31st, 2011
10:53 am
Fun Fact
You really want to go there regarding eligible players?
The score will tell.
Nothing Could Be Finer
August 31st, 2011
11:01 am
Richt needs to let us Georgia fans know, without a doubt, that this game is HUGE and his goal this year is lead us to the national championship game.
————————————————————————-
You must beat South Carolina and win the SEC East first.
Tall order considering what Lattimore did to yall last year.
RedandBlackDAWG
August 31st, 2011
11:02 am
This UGA homer or whatever you call us has no desire to comment on Alabama unless in response, to a, as usual negative from someone else. I don’t care about a thing to do with Alabama. I vist the place about twice a year to go to a national park and could care less about your football team. I don’t live in Alabama so why do I care what your record is. Unless, we meet in the SEC championship, I could care less how your season goes, or if you beat Auburn or anything else to do with your team. You however, feel the need to come onto a blog concerning UGA and post a bunch of negative stupid crap. Does this somehow make you feel better? Feel more like a man, assuming you have even reached that age? I doubt it, but feel free to make a fool of yourself and try and stir the pot.
GO DAWGS and GTA
Mike Bobo 17 INT is a nerd
August 31st, 2011
11:02 am
“Not a Techie but you Homers do not have much more to brag about.”
East Conf champs 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007
SEC Champs 2002, 2005
6, 10 win season in the past 9 years
7, Bowl wins in the last 9 years
I’m pretty happy with those stat listed above. At least we are not Tech.
Mike Bobo 17 INT is a nerd
August 31st, 2011
11:17 am
Dude, you have been on these blogs for years. Don’t even pretend to be a “objective football observer” we know who you are. You’re just a sad Tech nerd who has to belittle other programs because yours is pertty pathetic right now. I pitty you. Get some help. This is not normal.
Mike Bobo 17 INT
August 31st, 2011
11:19 am
Nice stats….any national titles in there? Do you really want to compared your stats to Alabama? LSU? Texas? OU? Florida? Let’s talk Florida, what do you say……
The comment about Alabama needs to be ignored, they have over 10 national titles, with a very recent title, and this is what really sticks in UGA fan’s guts. Urban Meyer, Les Miles, and Nick Saban….what do they have in common? Winning, correct winning national titles.
Mike Bobo 17 INT
August 31st, 2011
11:21 am
It’s the Donnan of a new ERA.
Mike Bobo 17 INT
August 31st, 2011
11:23 am
Shooting fish in a barrel….
Mike Bobo 17 INT is a nerd
August 31st, 2011
11:29 am
Sure, I will comment about their titles.
Alabam, LSU,Texas, OU, Florida congrats on the titles. You deserved them. The best team won.
This is a UGA blog, we are here to support our team.
You are here for what reason?
Once again, you are a sad little child inside who needs to get help. We genuinely feel sorry that you life experiences have brought you to this. Please get help.
WDE
August 31st, 2011
11:35 am
@Mike Bobo 17 INT yeah there Bobo I’ll take the Gators for a 1000. We own the series record and they will never catch us..never. Now don’t you have to polish your light saber to get ready for Dragon Con? Oh yeah Bama also leads the SEC in vacated wins in the last 20 years.
Mike Bobo 17 INT
August 31st, 2011
11:39 am
WDE, let’s tour the Bryant-Denny museum and we can show you some national titles. In terms of the Gators, overall is nice and I will give you that one, but does it not embarass you and your fellow Bulldog fans that the Gators have drilled you over the past 20 years?
I forgot, let’s not set a lofty goal in Athens, and now we can curve those with special “needs.”
RedPantyDawg
August 31st, 2011
11:42 am
Girls, Saturday night, remove and wave your red panties at the Boise ponies…they won’t stand a chance after that!
ugaclassof2004
August 31st, 2011
11:45 am
Good column today Jeff, every word of it is right.
@Mike Bobo 17INT: Some of what you have said is right. However, lets just wait and see how the season plays out. Our program right now is a question mark. That could be a good or a bad thing. The last couple of years its been bad. But this year who knows?The 2010 team was better than the 2009 team in every way except the final record. Losing AJ Green for those key match-ups vs. South Carolina, Arkansas, and MSU took the wind out of our sails. Mathematically, they knew they were out of contention for any title race, so their confidence was shot and they lost another game to a horrible Colorado team. But once AJ was in the lineup and the offense was able to gel, they put on a string of pretty dominant football. Yeah Yeah… they didn’t beat anyone with a winning record, but they took Florida into overtime and the Auburn game was a lot closer than the final score indicated.
Now as an alum, do I like the fact that this is program is a question mark for the 3rd year in a row? No.
Do I like the fact that we’re the kind of program that tanks it if ONE key player is out of the lineup?No.
Do I think we’re even remotely close to where Alabama is as a program? No.
Do I think our donors make winning National Titles a priority? Absolutely not
However: do I think the Dawgs can win 9 to 10 games with a shot at the SEC title this year? Given our schedule, and the fact that other programs in the SEC are also down; YES. But 7-5 or 6-6 is also a possibility given our inexperience… and if that happens then Richt will be gone and we’ll find someone else who can win with the talent we have. So we’ll see I suppose…
WDE
August 31st, 2011
12:05 pm
@Mike Bobo 17 INT how many titles Bama got if every time they have been on probation they have to give one back..wouldn’t they own a few if that happened? Remember the line from the 50’s and 60’s IF Bama’s not cheating Bama’s not winning?? And lets just see how Suitgate turns out they could be down another one.
azdawg
August 31st, 2011
12:09 pm
Joe
August 30th, 2011
4:02 pm
This post hit the nail on the head. Maybe Boykin likes the bullseye he’s painting on his uniform. These Boise kids are better than Central FL which held GA out of the end zone. They’ll be after Boykin and if he gets beat on a long TD or fumbles a return there won’t be a place in the Dome he’ll be able to hide w/o the boo birds singling him out especially if UGA is on the losing end.
Cut the crap and act like you’ve been there before. Go Dawgs!
Mike Bobo 17 INT
August 31st, 2011
12:15 pm
ugaclassof2004
First and foremost, thanks for your reasonable and knowledgeable comment, and I do agree the Dogs have a shot at 8-4 or better. I actually gave UGA the edge in the Auburn game last year when Grantham appeared to be getting the defense up to speed. The Dogs do have the capability of being a winning and respected program, they are just under-coached.
If you take all of your teams since 2000 and they had been coached by Saban, Miles, Spurrier or even Meyer then UGA would have no less than 2 national titles. No one knows how a season will pan out, and the Dogs could surprise folks, but the Boise game will definitely set a tone.
DougsMugs
August 31st, 2011
12:23 pm
I do hate the tweeting and scooters. The social networking needs to stop once fall practice starts and throughout the season.
The scooters are going to get a player killed. At the least, any player that gets on one should pass mandatory safety training.
DougsMugs
August 31st, 2011
12:29 pm
@dbc, Bobo infuriatingly does often stop doing what is working in order to try to “balance” the plays for some inane reason. But, sometimes, he doesn’t. Example: Georgia vs. Georgia Tech in 2009 – We Run This State
I suspect that we will be able to run on Boise. If we do, I wouldn’t mind if we didn’t pass any. However, if passing is working then I don’t mind if we don’t run any. Stick with what works until they stop it for several downs.