Georgia gets hammered and doubts about Richt grow
The looks on the faces of Georgia coach Mark Richt and defensive assistants Todd Grantham (center) and Rodney Garner (left) say it all Saturday night. (Brant Sanderlin/AJC)
(UPDATED: 12:10 a.m.)
This is when you start struggling to remember the good times. This is when a Georgia fan thinks back to an early seven-year span under Mark Richt when Georgia went 24-11 against ranked opponents and wonders, “Wait, did that really happen? Or was it those brownies I ate?”
If it wasn’t bad enough that the Bulldogs were underdogs (get used to that) in their season opener and a relative home game Saturday to a school from Idaho — something difficult for so many to swallow — the team’s response made all past criticism seem understated. With eight months to prepare since a humiliating effort against Central Florida in the Liberty Bowl, Georgia couldn’t give Boise State any tougher of a game than it usually receives from Wyoming.
Save some trickeration — an 80-yard touchdown run by Brandon Boykin that gave the Dogs an early 7-0 lead — it was Boise State’s night. It was Boise State’s celebration. It was Boise State that played smart and physical, the kind of performance that gets teams into BCS bowls. Remember BCS bowls?
Both teams made loud statements. Georgia just made the wrong one. Following that Boykin touchdown, the Bulldogs saw their opponents real off 28 straight points. Boise State went on to win 35-21, and it didn’t even feel that close.
Georgia’s defense looked as bad in its second season under Todd Grantham as it did in the first. The Boise State offensive line dominated. Quarterback Kellen Moore at times seemed to toy with defenders.
If only the Dogs had more than eight months to prepare.
If only they had completely revamped their strength and conditioning program.
Oh, wait a minute …
Since going 24-11 against ranked teams, Richt is 2-9. That’s more than a trend. The next ranked opponent also is the first SEC opponent: South Carolina, next week in Athens. The level of desperation just went up.
Richt must realize that. He just didn’t show it after the game. In fact, what he showed was somewhat alarming. After some standard introductory comments — “They were better than we were. We’ve got a lot of work to do before next week. But we know everybody is 0-0 in league play” — Richt actually laughed. Yes, laughed. He turned to Atlanta Journal-Constitution reporter Chip Towers, who had been pestering Richt all week about the status of safety Bacarri Rambo, laughed and said that Rambo would not be suspended for the South Carolina game. Richt had been playing coy with the media, but Rambo was held out Saturday as expected for an unspecified violation of team rules.
Laughter may be a defensive mechanism for Richt. But his team just got whacked with a 2 x 4 in the season opener. Is laughing in the post-game new conference really a good idea?
Richt has been getting a lot of heat. He should. Fact is, Georgia’s slide hasn’t been merely about the ascension of Alabama and Florida in the SEC. In the last two years alone, the Dogs have lost games to Oklahoma State, LSU, Tennessee, Kentucky, South Carolina, Arkansas, Mississippi State, Colorado, Auburn and Central Florida. How long ago was it when you could not have imagined Georgia losing to many of those teams?
The Dogs suffered borderline humiliation on their first possession. They had a false start penalty before the first snap. They had a false start three plays later. They were whistled for delay of game before punting. Before the first quarter was over, the Dogs also were called for an illegal formation for having five players in the backfield (the penalty was declined) and they burned a timeout before a Boise State punt for having only 10 players on the field.
This is why having the biggest, strongest and fastest players sometimes doesn’t matter.
Boykin’s touchdown would be the Dogs’ only score of the first half and it comprised more than half of the team’s yardage (151). The Dogs totaled 71 yards in the other 29 plays.
Georgia’s defense looked strong for the first few Boise State series. But the Broncos appeared to make some adjustments in pass protection and Moore starting find holes in the zone. He moved the offense well in three of BSU’s last four possessions in the half, two resulting in touchdowns (the other, an interception by Branden Smith).
Boise State’s offensive line took over in the second quarter. Moore wasn’t sacked all game and completed 28 of 34 passes, three for touchdowns. He could’ve had a Baracalounger in the backfield to recline before some of his throws. At the outset of the third quarter, Georgia looked lost and overmatched on defense. Moore went 7-for-7 for 69 yards on Boise State’s first possession of the half. Then on second down from the Dogs’ 7, running back Doug Martin faked Smith into oblivion and danced into the end zone for a 21-7 lead.
It wasn’t over. But it was over. Once Boise State’s offense got going, Georgia couldn’t stop it.
The slide continues. It’s uncertain if Richt can stop that, either.
By Jeff Schultz
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1,481 comments Add your comment
Tennessee 45-19
September 4th, 2011
7:17 am
You’re up early, Buckeye. CMR should be too.
snapshot
September 4th, 2011
7:21 am
Beat South Carolina and you will hire Mark Richt back. You people have hired and fired him for the past three years.
UCF Knights #1
September 4th, 2011
7:22 am
Two straight losses to Non-BCS Teams….Remember UCF! We only needed 10 points to beat Georgia!
GR82BAG8R
September 4th, 2011
7:24 am
George P is correct, but I’ll go one more. Until Tech can beat UGA two years in a row, Tech fans need to just sit back and be quiet. Until Tech wins another bowl game, Tech fans have to accept they are not major college football.
UGA has unparalleled recruiting advantage with no in-state competition. Tech cannot recruit the blue chip athletes and provide them with a Turfgrass Management path. UGA’s perennial top-10 recruiting classes reflect that advantage. What is UGA doing with that advantage?
If UGA beats USCe, all will be forgiven. If UGA loses to USCe, is Richt’s job in jeopardy?
Buckeye
September 4th, 2011
7:25 am
Read it and weep, dogs…………….note the “no longer an SEC elite” part
With its 35-21 victory, Boise State showed that Georgia is no longer an SEC elite
Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/andy_staples/09/04/boise.state.georgia/index.html#ixzz1WywNLY2j
ZinoDawg
September 4th, 2011
7:25 am
Dawgs can’t block, they can’t tackle, and they can’t coach. Time to feed the Christian to the Lions and sell our souls to the devil. Next week we lose to the Cocks 45-7.
wild one 13
September 4th, 2011
7:26 am
THIS JUST IN! UGA now adds double shots of Jim Bean to every glass of their kool aide.
Gatormeat
September 4th, 2011
7:33 am
The first half of georgias 0-2 start is complete. As usual, the dog fans talked alot of bold smack before a game and now are making a bunch of excuses after the game. I can’t wait for that offense to come down here to Jacksonville, the Mighty Gators are going to knock them all over the field. At least you are used to it, that is what Boise just did, they pushed the dogs around all day like they were children
Corny Hull
September 4th, 2011
7:33 am
I do think there is a comparison of Crowell & Lattimore as freshmen. And it does not fare well for Crowell…..at least ,yet. As super duper as Crowell is supposed to be, if Coach Bobo continues to run him between the left & right tackle, he will be just another Caleb Queen, I mean King! Seems like Bobo would run some plays to get him outside. Oh well.
Buckeye
September 4th, 2011
7:35 am
Cocks by three touchdowns
Bank
WmG
September 4th, 2011
7:35 am
I was the second to worst player on a bad high school football team many years ago, so I don’t claim to have any special expertise. But some things did seem obvious to me:
-Boise State was, Richt is right, the best team on the field. Even given that UGA did not play to its potential.
-Murray was hyped as a great QB. He’s not. But he is and will be adequate. His real problem came from lack of protection from the O line. It’s hard to know if that came about because of ability of coaching (and keep in mind that part of it was the superior skill level from Boise State).
-The UGA defense actually looked pretty good for the first part of the first half. But the pace of the game wore them down. Think of how that lack of conditioning would have shown had the game been outside in the summer heat. What many thought would be an advantage for UGA would have been a disadvantage. I don’t think the new conditioning program proved effective.
-Boise State also won the coaching battle.
-USC didn’t look as good as I thought it would in its opening game. It is possible, but not likely, that UGA can win that one. After that it’s a cupcake schedule. But I do think – without massive improvements – there will be some losses during the cupcake portion.
Delusional
September 4th, 2011
7:36 am
Did you Dawg fans really think you had a chance to win? i thought you play a very good game to only lose by 2 touchdowns. You played a far superior team and kept it relatively close.
one game season
September 4th, 2011
7:36 am
very disappointing. . .do not forget that boise is ranked #5.
they beat south carolina or season IS over and so IS Richt
TennesseeDawg
September 4th, 2011
7:37 am
I’m a Dawg fan and alumnus but if it takes losing every game to get rid of Richt and this inept coaching staff then so be it.
Buckeye
September 4th, 2011
7:37 am
Look at the good news, dogs, The Liberty Bowl loss to Conf USA is now but a memory.
The “dream” scream is NOW!
HA!
BigDawg
September 4th, 2011
7:37 am
Now we know why we canceled the Oregon series! If we can’t beat a team from Idaho we certainly don’t want to start with another BCS level school. We could’ve played Tech in this game but did not want them to change the rotation of the series. Glad we didn’t now. That gives us months to get ready for the triple option since that is all there is left to play for. And we thought this was the year we beat Florida and return to relevance. I am sick of hearing next year is the year we should be great. How many “next years” in a row have we had??? How many years do I have to call for Richt’s job? When will we care enough to fire a mediocre coach so we can become optimistic again???
fred
September 4th, 2011
7:39 am
7-5 lookin pretty good now?
Mid Town Joe
September 4th, 2011
7:39 am
looking at the rest of the schedule, and based on lasts night’s performance, I see a 6-7 loss year for the DAWGS.
Hang Time
September 4th, 2011
7:40 am
DragonCon was fun…whats all the fuss about long face?
Mid Town Joe
September 4th, 2011
7:42 am
ESPN replayed the game this AM. GA lost again.
Espn3 sucks
September 4th, 2011
7:42 am
Those uniforms look tight cuz
ole dawg
September 4th, 2011
7:42 am
THE DREAM TEAM JUST HAD IT FIRST OF MANY NIGHTMARES
give me the very ole so so teams with guts and coach Russell
jj
September 4th, 2011
7:43 am
LMAO. LMAO. LMAO.
R2chs
September 4th, 2011
7:43 am
Pathetic, amateurish, weak, poorly executed, lack of any clear discipline, no direction, poorly motivated, emotionless coaching
Coach Mark Richt
September 4th, 2011
7:44 am
Bulldog nation please understand the loss to Boise was PLANNED. Its part of my master strategy to make S.Carolina think we are a weak team with very little talent. That will lull them into a sense of superiority against us and WHAM. The real Georgia Bulldogs show up next week and beat the Gamecocks. So everyone settle down. We also have planned losses to Tennessee and Florida. Gotta run for now…gotta hit the tanning bed before church.
GEORGIADAWGG
September 4th, 2011
7:44 am
DREAM TEAM MY ASS, NOTHING BUT A BUNCH OF THUGS AT THIS CARNIVAL.
Buzzer
September 4th, 2011
7:44 am
At least the recruiting class is shaping up nicely lol
Herschel Talker
September 4th, 2011
7:45 am
TO ALL BULLDAWG POLLYANNAS:
YOU NEED TO GET A BRAIN, MY FRIENDS. YOU ARE DELUSIONAL.
IS THREE YEARS WORTH OF THIS SAME SILLINESS NOT ENOUGH TO CONVINCE YOU? HOW MANY MORE EXCUSES WILL YOU CONTINUE TO COME UP WITH? I MEAN SERIOUSLY DUDE, ARE YOU HAPPY THAT WE ARE LIKE THE 8TH BEST TEAM IN THE SEC? IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT?
BUT MARK RICHT LOVES JESUS, SO I GUESS HE SHOULD KEEP HIS JOB. PATHETIC.
GOD BLESS MARK RICHT FOR BEING THE GREAT MAN THAT HE IS, BUT ENOUGH IS ENOUGH WITH HIS INEPTITUDE.
STEP UP, MCGARITY!!! FIRE THIS LOSER!!!
rward
September 4th, 2011
7:45 am
What happened to these great recruiting classes? We looked dumb, out of shape and totally unprepared. I have supported Richt since he got here. Just ONCE I’d like to see him get fired up on the sideline. No more Mr. nice guy. I remember Dooley was very animated. Richt is like “oh well”.
Totally inexcusable to play this way in our first game basically at home in front of a national audience, Where do we go from here. Light some fire under the coaches and players!!
PADawg
September 4th, 2011
7:46 am
I hope Greg McGarity was watching last night…we were flat out humiliated. He has to clean house and the sooner the better. CMR may be a good guy, but he’s being out-coached and outplayd in every game. We can’t tackle. We can’t block. We can’t make adjustments at halftime. We don’t realize our own strengths. We don’t recognize the other teams weaknesses. We don’t realize when things aren’t working. We can’t make it up and down the field without huffing and puffing. I’m sick of it. All these great players year after year and we under achieve every year. And the sideline coaching staff shows no emotion at all or “laughs” at the situation. Unbelievable. Please, McGarity, do something soon.
Espn3 sucks
September 4th, 2011
7:47 am
Speaking of dragoncon, those uniforms looked awful on the field? Why does UGA always result Gimmickry for a suppose advantage?
davidinvirginia
September 4th, 2011
7:47 am
Any team that shows up to play a game in uniforms that ugly deserves to get hammered like the Dogs did last night. It’s as if Richt isn’t happy just destroying the tradition of winning football at Georgia. He even has to make a mess of the uniforms. Maybe he should be a judge on Project Runway instead of coaching a college football team. He couldn’t do much worse at that than he is in his current job.
Buzzer
September 4th, 2011
7:49 am
Oh, and now that the game is over, the Red Power Ranger wants its uniform back
mowreck
September 4th, 2011
7:50 am
First, I am a GT fan. That being said, I really think, if SC plays the QB they played yesterday against GA next week, GA will win. The QB for SC is very quick to run, but GA has a good defense against the run. The QB’s problem was throwing the ball. I personally like Coach Richt, but if the media and fans keep doing what they are doing to him, he will be gone. Don’t you fans know some of the players read these blogs and will lose a lots of confidence in their coach from them? See what happened to Hewitts and Gailey? It’s all in the saying, “What have you done for me lately”.
Does anyone know of any other coach would risk coming to UGA knowing how quick the fans are to get down on them?
dean
September 4th, 2011
7:51 am
I am accepting donations for an anniversary present for my bride. Please send to suckered@, never mind.
SatchelBuzz
September 4th, 2011
7:52 am
Dream team, dream team,……dream team. Say what?
THWG!!!
Here comes "OH and 2" for Georgia
September 4th, 2011
7:52 am
The team as whole played bad. Poor coaching on offense and defense. Bobo’s play calling was horrible last night. The team has good players but no direction on either side of the ball. The offense wore down the defense b/c they could not stay on the field for more than three plays at a time. It gets worse next week against South Carolina. Spurrier will look to hammer the Dawgs. After next week UGA will be Oh and 2.
just facts
September 4th, 2011
7:52 am
stop complaining about losing to Boise St. because they are just better than UGA. what you need to be complaining about is the fact that richt and company had nine months of knowing exactly what Boise was going to do and they could not even seriously compete. a program like UGA should ALWAYS be competitive regardless of the opponent.
Nauti dawg
September 4th, 2011
7:52 am
Bobo is an idiot. Grantham close behind. MR is responsible for creating and ignoring that situation. A hurry up offense is a joke if ur team is standing up on the line waiting four Bozo to read the defense from a sky box. Delay of game & too few men on the field is coaching. The players reflect the confusion & unpreparedness of their leaders. Dream team coached down. Beat SC & FL or can them all… And that wont happen. Crank up the search committee now.
Beast from the East
September 4th, 2011
7:54 am
What’s to say? BSU dominated the game in all 3 phases. On top of that, the Dawg “D” looked gassed after the first quarter!?!?!?!? Could be a looooooong season for the Dawg Nation. I expected better.
Dadgummit
September 4th, 2011
7:54 am
Must be the ugly new uniforms.
spin it some more
September 4th, 2011
7:54 am
This is gonna get ugly.
Aquagirl
September 4th, 2011
7:54 am
Well, the Dawgs are great at dressing fugly and capering about pre-game. After that it kinda goes downhill.
Bama Fan in Fla
September 4th, 2011
7:56 am
I was hoping for UGA to kill Boise but was let down like the UGA fans. Does the Ga Admin have the guts to shoot this coaching staff and put everyone out of their misery? This GA team did not look good at all and if they lose next week, it will be over. There are problems all over and reminds me of our Dubose/Shula years.
JonO
September 4th, 2011
7:56 am
Bunch of weak fair weather fans, that might be part of the problem
Strange Murphy
September 4th, 2011
7:56 am
For Tech morons to be yelling crap when they can’t beat Georgia shows how ignorant they really are.
jDW
September 4th, 2011
7:57 am
Wish I could disagree. That was just plain embarrassing.
BIG DOG
September 4th, 2011
7:57 am
Bulldogs are the most over hype team in the country,every year people always screaming how good is the dogs, but sometime things never change.
BIG DOG
will
September 4th, 2011
7:59 am
None of you folks give BSU any credit. Tons of 5th year seniors, an excellent quarterback, just a damn good team. Bash UGA how about some credit to BSU-but I do not expect any just hammer on Richt.
Droc
September 4th, 2011
8:00 am
What a beautiful morning. Smell that dawgs? That is the smell of a season ruined before it begun. Delusional idiots.