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
John
September 4th, 2011
12:41 am
GEORGIA – where opponents come to shine
Jason
September 4th, 2011
12:41 am
Some perspective here:
1) Dawgs played the #5 team in the nation. A loss was always a possibility. I am frustrated with Richt too but I am not calling for his head just yet. If we continue with more of the same from last season going forward then I will jump onboard.
2) The season is not over after a loss against a top 5 team. Lose 3 or 4 in a row then I will concede.
3) USCe did not impress me. Fell way behind E. Carolina early and finally battled back in the 2nd half to beat them. I do not foresee total domination against the Dawgs next week.
4) Give Murray a chance. This was the biggest game of his short career and he simply played a bad game. It happens…even Tebow experienced that before. Not comparing Tebow & Murray…just saying that it happens regardless of talent.
5) Members of the “dream team” played their first college game tonight against a top team. Give them a chance before you call them a bust. Mitchell is a stand out.
No excuses here, just stating that all is not lost on the season. Don’t put your season tix on Ebay/Craigslist just yet fellow Dawg fans. Congratulations Boise, you played to win. Dawgs stunk it up tonight but there are a lot of games left to play.
3rdn8
September 4th, 2011
12:41 am
I’ve supported Richt in discussions, in the past. Hard to do that now. That was an ill-prepared, ill-conditioned team that played Boise tonight. Zero excuses for that abortion.
My only suggestion for UGA is to add a sequined belt to the uniforms. It will give the players somewhere to hang their football bats.
interesting
September 4th, 2011
12:42 am
It amazes me that we, as UGA fans, are not allowed to be optomistic about our team. GT, UF, UT, and all these other “fans” come on here and criticize us for having hope that things will be better.
Hmmm…. GT- what is that 1, maybe 2, wins in the past 10 years against UGA. UF – didn’t you go through a Zook era? UT – there is a reason its called the Fulmer Cup and a reason Phil was run out of town years ago, and wasn’t it approximately 10 years after taking you to a MNC.
All of the “fans” from other schools need to get on to supporting your own team. You really just sound like the idiots that we all deal with in life who find it easier to criticize and insult, instead of just win or (or in GT’s case) lose graciously.
Seriously, get over yourselves, and feel free to not leave your stupid comments on the UGA blogs. We all have to deal with the realities of our own lives, we don’t need your rude or snide remarks.
Truth
September 4th, 2011
12:42 am
Van Gorder left and the decline began,,, Without saying “anybody”, who could Georgia hire that is better than Richt?
John
September 4th, 2011
12:42 am
At least we own Tech. A sure win in the ATL as always.
Lifelong Dawg
September 4th, 2011
12:43 am
The first offensive play of the game for Georgia is an illegal procedure penalty. Why? Bad coaching!
Richt and Bobo are incompetent!!!!
WHOMP
September 4th, 2011
12:43 am
We’ll stop bashing you when you stop crowning yourself national champs every preseason.
Direct your respect towards Idaho.
How About This?
September 4th, 2011
12:43 am
Rich was laughing because he knows he still has the fanbase in his back pocket. You guys don’t really want a d-bag head coach, you want a nice guy. It’s more about appearance than results, otherwise he would’ve been gone 2 years ago.
Barkley
September 4th, 2011
12:43 am
Jeff, if you were making $3 million bucks a year and not held accountable you could laugh too. It would be like you not writing any articles for 8 days..
Fire Richt NOW!
September 4th, 2011
12:44 am
I don’t think Mike Bobo (the clown) could coach H.S. football. He is an idiot and Richt is an idiot for not firing him two years ago. Why did they let Van Gorder go and what did take with him when he left. Did he castrate UGA?
Chan Gailey's Revenge
September 4th, 2011
12:44 am
Boise State: LOSS
South Carolina: LOSS
Coastal Carolina: WIN
at Ole Miss: WIN
Mississippi State: LOSS
at Tennessee: LOSS
at Vandy: WIN
Florida: Are you kidding? LOSS
New Mexico State: WIN
Auburn: LOSS
Kentucky: WIN
Georgia Tech: LOSS
FINAL TALLY: 5-7
Reality Check
September 4th, 2011
12:44 am
The Gamecocks will beat the Dawgs worse than Boise State did.
Is there a worse coached team than the Georgia Bulldogs? I don’t see how.
Dawgs1965
September 4th, 2011
12:45 am
I’m about to puke listening to the apologists on WSB. When Richt couldn’t get to the 2008 SEC championship with Knowshon Moreno and Matthew Stafford we should have known it was over. Three years later, we’ve been more than generous in giving Richt a chance to right the ship. That first offensive series told me everything I needed to know about the “changes” that were supposed to shore up this year’s edition. Sorry, folks! We looked as bad as we looked against UCF. And that’s saying something. FIRE MARK RICHT.
SEC
September 4th, 2011
12:45 am
A QB that holds the ball way too long + a soft offensive line = a recipe for disaster.
I thought this Aaron Murray cat was supposed to be good?
Read where one of the UGA homer clowns said that he’d be better than Kellen Moore tonight..
Murrary was garbage tonight but I won’t be too hard on the kid because his offensive line sucks.
He might be the only good thing UGA has going for them this year but all that talent will be wasted.
Gadawg30
September 4th, 2011
12:46 am
I’m a Georgia alum and a fan for many years. I know coach Richt and have always found him to be an extremely accommodating man. But this business about respecting the man as a fine Christian has gone too far. We didn’t hire a preacher to coach our boys. We wanted a football coach. His approachable personality and kind nature have helped sustain him through the tough times these past few years but we should all see the writing on the wall. The rest of the SEC is moving on and we will either make the change now or be left behind. There’s too much passion and money at Georgia to sustain such mediocrity.
JP
September 4th, 2011
12:46 am
To bad the games are not played by recriuting rankings…UGAY would be a powerhose if they were…LMAO. Nothing funnier than watching a bunch of redneck UGAY fans cry and pout when they lose…again LMAO.
FIRE MARK RICHT
September 4th, 2011
12:47 am
Do it now! Adams should fire him Suinday before lunch. We know McGarity does not have that kind of power. At UGA it’s all Michael Adams and he needs to fire Richt immediately, let Grantham be interim coach. Also fire Bobo. Bobo is a pathetic joke.
Snowdawg
September 4th, 2011
12:47 am
Buzz ME, there is nothing more pathetic than the loser who relishes another’s misfortune in order to feel better about themselves. You are that loser!! Please go back to your Dungeons and Dragons game with the rest of your nose picnic buddies at the North Avenue Trade School.
How About This?
September 4th, 2011
12:47 am
Apparently, some folks need to see 3-4 losses IN A ROW to prove that Richt has lost it and that the program is on the decline. As if the record over the past few years overall and vs ranked opponents isn’t convincing enough.
Is it time to blame the uniforms again?
Barkley
September 4th, 2011
12:47 am
Jason, you want some cake & ice cream with those rose-colored glasses ?
matt
September 4th, 2011
12:47 am
i was at the game and while much of this article is true, the simple fact is boise had the bigger, stronger and faster players, not UGA. we were pretty clearly out of our league on a physical level.
bobo is definitely in way over his head though. the playcalling made no sense. why didn’t we run crowell earlier and more often?
WHOMP
September 4th, 2011
12:48 am
How does it feel to be on the same tier as Miss St, Kentucky, and Vandy?
Get this: There is a chance Les Miles, yes that is -LES MILES-, will win another national title this year before Richt.
BEEFENSE
September 4th, 2011
12:48 am
Please-please don’t fire Richt–he is such a good recruiter–he has assembled the DREAM team and the re-incarnation of H.Walker–and he dresses jis team soooo CUTE–and his team is always in the preseason top 20–why they were even #1 a few years ago. I LOVE watching the nadlicker natiion implode–next week the “old ball coach” is gonna kick some dawg ass—–lol!
5150 UOAD
September 4th, 2011
12:48 am
UGA where rich Jock Sniffers give money for Stupid kids to fake getting an education & PLAY BALL and coaches to keep getting worse but getting pay raises.
Hell it is a great opportunity if you can get it.
Richt is not going on Mission trips….He is going to visit his Illegitimate kids and makes it look like his is doing God’s Work.
Athenzdawg
September 4th, 2011
12:49 am
Dear UGA players and Coaches,
As a fan who is was so disappointed with his team last year, I waited for this season for so long. I haven’t seen UGA football in 9 months and I all heard was how great your O and Dline were. Well now that I just saw that horrible poor ass showing from you tonight…I realized I still have not seen UGA football in 9 months. Richt you have no one else left to fire. You had all summer to prepare and watch and scheme and to start the second half after resting for 15 minutes we have to have substitutes because our lazy ass linemen couldnt keep up with the pace. Disrespectful. Richt you are a great recruiter and maybe when the next coach comes to town he can make you head recruiter. But for the last few years you couldnt coach your way out of a paperbag.
Orange11
September 4th, 2011
12:49 am
Hey, Bobo has more wins as a player than Murray.
SEC
September 4th, 2011
12:49 am
Kellen Moore finishes the night 28-38 for 261 yds, 3 TDs & 1 Int. I’m glad we heard so much about UGA’s vaunted defense…
broncogirl
September 4th, 2011
12:49 am
This was for the grandma that flipped the bird at our ‘05 team.
interesting
September 4th, 2011
12:50 am
“We’ll stop bashing you when you stop crowning yourself national champs every preseason.
Direct your respect towards Idaho.”
It’s amazing to me that you let “over the top” UGA fans be your basis for every one of us. Obviously the fans who troll the boards all day long have nothing better in their life than this, and don’t truly understand the current situation/state of UGA football.
Most people who truly understand where UGA is in the program cycle, were pretty nervous about the game because we knew it could be a good game or we could play pretty bad.. I think most people who are not overly obsessed would tell you they had reservations about how good we were, and that we could be good, but we could just as well be pretty bad again… There are obviously issues.
Rabbit
September 4th, 2011
12:50 am
Maybe Richt will have a preminition at church tomorrow to first fire candy a$$ Bozo and then retire!! Richt get a sack cuz your a$$ is fired!!! All the media hype and all we get is the same ole sh**…pathetic!!! We are an embarasment to the SEC. 32 year die hard fan and I am finally done…..was actually done last year but got sucked in by the media for one last run….What a joke!!! We are an absolute joke….
randy_bottoms
September 4th, 2011
12:50 am
it really tells you how crappy our team is when we get mostly crap-talking comments from our in-state column. richt and his staff have to go if the rest of the season goes anything like this game.
Where's Fran Tarkenton when you need him?
September 4th, 2011
12:50 am
<— Can't WAIT to hear his thoughts on this one.
The Truth
September 4th, 2011
12:51 am
Here’s an idea, NEXT YEAR when you return to these blogs and annually thump your collective chests about how GREAT YOU ARE – why not schedule State again in the Dome…… GEORGIA STATE. You’ll sell it out, be 1-0, and can CONTINUE to believe the hype that the AJC continues to always throw your way. Forget REALITY, it’s never really set in with 90% of your fan base anyways! 1980 is STILL long gone, and the win over Hawaii in your little precious BCS BOWL GAME might as well been against North Gwinnett. (And I apologize for the disrespect given to N. Gwinnett just now!)
dbc
September 4th, 2011
12:51 am
Same song and dance from Richt, year after year. They talk, they wish, they posture — they are in over their heads. At least Auburn avoided an embarrassing loss. UGA IS embarrassing. To the SEC and to the people who support them. Case closed. There is nothing Mark Richt can say that will change it. He’s a nice guy, but time for a change. This is not emotion talking. This is reality. The dream team. The new outlook. The lack of dead wood. The new found strength and conditioning. New juice. The energy bus. The studying football. The vampires… all that crap translates into a coaching staff that once again, had their team unprepared to even really show up and put up a fight. Like most opponents, Boise had a few rough series, and then adjusted like good teams adjust. And UGA just sits there glued to their dusty game plan and rides it into the ground. Until it’s too late, and then a brief flurry of hope — only to be dashed because the Georgia coaching staff is the team’s worst enemy. The USCe game will be no different. This UGA team is a dead man walking. And for all you homers, yes I’m off the bus because it’s been broken down for years and I’m tired of it draining my bank account.
Fire Richt NOW!
September 4th, 2011
12:51 am
matt
I can answer why we didnt run Crowell more often.
1. Mike Bobo is an idiot
2. Mark Richt is an idiot
3. We would rather line up in the Shotgun and throw the ball 30-40 yds down the field into double coverage every play.
4. Our QB was not prepared because of reasons 1 and 2.
azdawg
September 4th, 2011
12:51 am
Move Samual back to LB, he still can’t run the ball for as big as he is.
We all knew what was wrong w/the dawgs and what needed to be fixed. It was apparent and in print no matter what you were reading. The coaching staff was supposed to correct the ineptness of the OL, the pass coverage and tackling and the conditioning. Well, nothing has changed and none of those problems were corrected. The coaches cannot fix it so they all must go. We’ve had enough and the press conference after the game put the nail in Richt’s coffin. He’s done and had his time at UGA. Bring in someone like the Iowa coach. he takes leftovers and they play hard and win. All we have are press clippings and how great our players are. You have to be blind not to realize this staff cannot win games anymore that really count except the directional schools. Enuf is enuf. Change is needed and now not later.
JP
September 4th, 2011
12:52 am
John…quit crying man…it’s over…believe it or not the world does not revolve around a bunch of teens playing football…let it go and face reality, which is…UGAY is not that good!
chase
September 4th, 2011
12:52 am
first the defense was put in bad field position all night by the offense…the offense is predictable to say the least run up the middle, run up the middle, pass on 3rd and long.
Unless GEORGIA makes the SEC Title game, URBAN MEYER will be the coach of UGA next year…he is the best buddy of our Athletic Director
Tech Fan
September 4th, 2011
12:52 am
If Richt were at Tech, he’d been gone 2 years ago.
Fire Richt NOW!
September 4th, 2011
12:55 am
Tech Fan
If Richt were at Georgia Southern he would have been fired three years ago!
Jason
September 4th, 2011
12:55 am
@ Barkley I am a Dawg fan so I support this team. I have provided a realistic viewpoint on the state of our union after the FIRST game of the season. Yes we have been on a downward spiral for quite some time and yes we should be able to drill opponents like we used to. My point is this is a new season; I am not basing it on season’s past. Boise is a top 5 team so it’s hard to see that the whole season is lost on a loss against a higher ranked opponent. Give them a chance before we start the whole “this is 2010 all over again” talk. If we get drilled next weekend and the weekends after that then I will eat crow.
Yum Yums
September 4th, 2011
12:55 am
INTERESTING, will the puppies ever get out of the middle of the pack lower tier portions of the SEC?
How Bout This?
September 4th, 2011
12:55 am
Disagree with the notion that Richt is a great recruiter, at least on the defensive side. We haven’t seen a load of blue chip NFL prospects getting drafted in the first round. What we’ve seen is a bunch of Rivals.com Hall of Famers arrive in Athens and become marginal players at best. Nick Saban IS a great recruiter AND coach. Richt is… meh.
Tech Fan
September 4th, 2011
12:55 am
ESPN about to say that if Richt loses to SC he could be gone. Tune in.
Dream Team
September 4th, 2011
12:56 am
Where are all you idiots like athensdawg who said you would kill boise? Or that the DEFENSE would be great!! 35 points. 14 point loss. LOSERS. Show some humility and don’t show up for a week LOSERS.
I can’t wait to play you losers next week. We will win by 21
Fire Richt NOW!
September 4th, 2011
12:56 am
Yeah I give props to Boise State they beat our brains out…. no wait none of coaches have a brain to beat out!
5150 UOAD
September 4th, 2011
12:57 am
The BEST thing about those Uniforms………..No player will be able to sell them and get in trouble for it.
Damon Evans Red Panties Revenge Uniforms….see Phil Knight and the Nike designers do have a sense of humor. Too bad you UGA Players, Coaches, and Fans didn’t know the JOKE was on them.
The RED PANTIE REVENGE UNIFORMS designed by Damon Evans in secret.
Tech Fan
September 4th, 2011
12:57 am
And Richt never would have even been at LSU,Bama,or Florida… They hire real coaches…
Ya Think
September 4th, 2011
12:58 am
Duh!
Jeff you’re always on top of it. Soooooooooooo insightful!
Start the chant…
Special Ed. Confernce….
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Special Ed. Confernce….
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Special Ed. Confernce….
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Special Ed. Confernce….
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Special Ed. Confernce….
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Special Ed. Confernce….
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Special Ed. Confernce….