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
rincon dawg
September 4th, 2011
1:12 am
5150 UOAD aka Johnny Knight you are nothing more than garbage. If our fan base is so stupid how do I know your name?
Fire Richt NOW!
September 4th, 2011
1:12 am
I would give Urban Meyer 20 million a season to start tomorrow.
5150 UOAD
September 4th, 2011
1:12 am
Herschel left after CROWELL first run. I mean STUMBLE. Herschel knew it was over.
Richt+Bobo=Clowns
September 4th, 2011
1:12 am
I’ve been saying it for years now. Richt and company have to go now. Bobo is pathetic. Hey hot shot, the linebackers are firing at will at your QB and your line can’t block for crap. Why not drag your tight end through where the backers just vacated? How about running some counter plays to get the defense moving so our big hogmollies can blow them out? How about recognizing that your freshman gained almost 4 yards a carry and he was clearly underused? How about recognizing that running your receivers 10 yards down the field before they make a cut will get your QB killed if you don’t have a dump route? How about throwing some stunts in so that their O’Line won’t just cut your fat boys at the line? How about anything? You are pathetic and are an embarrassment as a coaching staff. You are stealing your money as you sure didn’t earn it!!! These players have enough talent to win or at least be competitive. Man up and get the job done or don’t let the door hit you where the good lord split you.
John
September 4th, 2011
1:13 am
Awwww, someone get interesting a tissue.
iw
September 4th, 2011
1:13 am
RTW, agree, they abosolutely have no fire in their belly. A different coach could do a lot more with the talent they have. I still think the biggest issue is the OC… CMB must go.
Festus
September 4th, 2011
1:13 am
Breaking News! We have Breaking News! The University of Georgia’s Mighty Bulldogs and Notre Dame’s Fighting Irish have been eliminated from the National Championship and BCS consideration. Stay tuned for further developments.
Fire Richt NOW!
September 4th, 2011
1:14 am
Lou Holtz just said he would keep CMR. Lou might be suffering from dimentia.
Dalton Dawg
September 4th, 2011
1:14 am
I fell the time is now and the pressure will be intense on all the coaching staff. I’m a hugh UDA fan and really don’t listen to the negative side of the comments. “Example” yje fact is most fo the country would have loved to have the recruiting classes the Dawgs have had. If you gave Peterson our talents and he would for sure win the national title because be can coach.
I have been a big supporter and will always be a Dawg for life. But the school has to do something amd do it now because the players don’t really know what their doing and the coaching staff looks like deer in head lights all the time. They have no fire or desire and this will continue uder the current coacking staff. THIS NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED QUICKLY BECAUSE THE TIME IS UP!!!!!!!!!!
drew
September 4th, 2011
1:14 am
What everyone here is failing to realize is that there are 4-5 players from Boise’s OL and DL that are going to be drafted into the NFL, two of whom are going to be 1st-round picks.
UGA just lost to a superior team. Period.
bigstack19
September 4th, 2011
1:15 am
Awful. Just awful. They were beat in every phase of the game. Richt will be a head coach somewhere in 2012 but I don’t see it being at Georgia if this is their best effort. Boise is a good team, but not a great one. They couldn’t beat LSU or Oklahoma in my opinion. The o-line looked lost. The receivers were pitiful. The defense showed no signs of improvement from last year and could not adjust to what Boise was doing. Bobo can’t continue to make these obvious playcalls that I figured out watching from my 70 inch flatscreen. Everything needs to change. First and foremost Richt needs to take back playcalling duties from Bobo. Then they need to summon the ghost of Erk Russell to fix the defense. If I were coach I would have been ashamed of this team’s performance. When you put so much into this game and you get your butts handed to you on a platter probably with a Chick Fil A sandwich and some waffle fries you should be embarrassed.
5150 UOAD
September 4th, 2011
1:15 am
Rincon DAWG
Who cares what you know.
You are still a dawg.
Jason
September 4th, 2011
1:15 am
I am trying to make the best out of a bad situation. I am not happy with the way things have gone in the past but Boise is a good team. The Dawgs are talented but young, it’s not realistic to expect them to win a NC or go 12-0 this season. Yes, we should have won a NC when we had Stafford, Moreno and a host of other talents and there is no excuse for that. And yes, other SEC teams have surpassed us over the last several years and I am not happy about it either. Fact is Richt is our coach this season so nothing can change that for now. If he continues on the downward spiral this season then I concede to the “fire him” mentality.
Fire Richt NOW!
September 4th, 2011
1:16 am
drew
they are a great team but would have lost to LSU just as Oregon did. SEC football is supposed to be represented way better than what UGA showed tonight.
John
September 4th, 2011
1:16 am
Drew, you just wrote what the UGA fans can’t admit. That they lost to a better team. The live with blinders on.
rincon dawg
September 4th, 2011
1:17 am
9-1 your still UGA s little pet. Now go back to jerking off to popular mechanics
5150 UOAD
September 4th, 2011
1:17 am
Rincon DAWG
CALL me if you know me then.
SEC SPEED
September 4th, 2011
1:17 am
A victory certainly was not assumed for UGA but at least put up a better showing. The only way you stopped the Boise offense was to call a time out? Really?
What?
September 4th, 2011
1:17 am
Dream team just had a night mare. Mark Richt is not the sly fox he used to be. Plain and simple. Go Jackets!
News Flash
September 4th, 2011
1:18 am
good thing Crowell didn’t go to Bama. If he had he would be on the Scout Team!!!
AU?
September 4th, 2011
1:18 am
Is it possible thuga plays my Tigers in Shreveport for a bowl????
Muddiver
September 4th, 2011
1:18 am
Old joke: How does a bum become a hall of famer? By being traded from the Atlanta Braves.
New joke: How does a 5 star recruit become a bum? By playing for Mark Richt
What?
September 4th, 2011
1:18 am
ricon dawg sure is mad about something. I wonder what? hmmmm.
Fire Richt NOW!
September 4th, 2011
1:18 am
John
The team is better because they are better coached. The raw talent of Georgia’s team is much better than that of Boise. If Saban was UGA’s coach we would have won by 50! CMR stinks!
rincon dawg
September 4th, 2011
1:18 am
I know your name dont I. Why should I call a piece of garbage who rubs dirt in someones face? Your pathetic.
ugakev
September 4th, 2011
1:18 am
sat next to john theus father and mother …Awesome people by the way…His father even said novo has to go.
rincon dawg
September 4th, 2011
1:19 am
go ahead and switch handles a million times.
ugakev
September 4th, 2011
1:19 am
bobo
Houstondawgfan
September 4th, 2011
1:19 am
Its probably time for richt to step down after the season. If you noticed he has not taken advantage of all the good talent that has come to uga they have always been just good enough and always outcoached. Sorry to say it but its time uga will be lucky to win 6 games this year. Poor coaching and
I dont see promise in the years to come with his staff amd himself unless uga wants to be in the miss vanderbuilt level amd watch ala lsu and fla win more titles
around town
September 4th, 2011
1:19 am
I don’t like UGA much. They are perennially overrated — in the top 20 this year. And their fan base is obnoxious and often unrealistic about the quality of their program. Because of a rather weak schedule after next week, they may get a few wins, but the trouncing by BSU exposed them as no better than a second tier program.
tell me again
September 4th, 2011
1:20 am
Bottom line is we got our butts handed to us by a better team. Boise has a mature team – 25 seniors and 18 of those are 5 year lettermen. Our offense was ineffective – our pitiful O line could not keep Murray safe or open running lanes despite Boise not even blitzing. Our D never made the adjustments necessary to slow down Moore. I am afraid we are in for yet another long season. We didn’t look good and I see nothing that makes me think all of the positive off season news we have been hearing is going to make any difference at all. I really don’t understand how UGA with all of the money, facilities and recruits that we get can play so badly. I have NEVER said I wanted Coach Richt to go, but I just don’t see how he can justify this kind of performance any longer considering the resources he has to work with – it’s very sad. I have no realistic hope that we will beat SC next week. And if we lose to SC and then go on a win streak (which I hardly see happening) then we will once again be in a position of having beat teams we should have and losing to the teams that would have marked us as an elite team. We just weren’t even competitive in this game. We looked bad and we looked poorly coached and our schemes on both sides of the ball were ineffective. Kudos to the Broncos. It seems we Georgia fans have endured a long off season for nothing. Tonight was very disappointing.
GT97
September 4th, 2011
1:20 am
he!!….They will probably still beat us.
Fire Richt NOW!
September 4th, 2011
1:21 am
Houstondawgfan
Why should he wait until the end of the season? Tomorrow is fine by me.
Special Ed. Commisioner
September 4th, 2011
1:21 am
Don’t pi$$ on your own financial success.
We won tonight.
AW
September 4th, 2011
1:22 am
5150UOAD:
Lovely response. It still did not answer a single point I made. I have degrees from Georgia, Florida, and Emory. Havent lived or died from a Bulldog loss yet. I love my Bulldogs for the time I spent as an undergrad and high schooler. I agree that none of us on this blog will be in ‘uniform’ when the Dogs play Tech in November. My point was that no matter how bad things get (and they are bad for UGA), I will: (1) never go onto a Tech blog and brag when another team than UGA beats them; and (2) look forward to beating Tech in November, no matter how bad our season is. Good luck with the rest of your season, and enjoy your victory over Western Carolina; I’m sure they will be right up there with Boise St. when the national title is decided later this year.
Fire Richt NOW!
September 4th, 2011
1:22 am
I would bet the guys on the set of ESPN are making fun of David Pollock for being a UGA alum.
What?
September 4th, 2011
1:22 am
Let the Big Dawg Eat, Damnit. hahahahahahahahahaha
tdawgg37
September 4th, 2011
1:23 am
Enter your comments here
Special Ed. Commisioner
September 4th, 2011
1:23 am
Did you see the new SEC/ESPN logo?
Corporate partner baby!
Nick Fairley
September 4th, 2011
1:24 am
If you guys need to talk, I’m here. Actually… right behind you. BOOO!
Seriously not shocked. Just do me a favor and don’t come knocking on Malzahn’s door. He’s busy being all 16-0.
daddydog
September 4th, 2011
1:24 am
With all that time to prepare Ga. was not ready to start the season. Mistakes made that should have been ironed out a month ago. Boise off. line was better than GA’s def. line. Boise def.line was better than GA’s off. line. It may be time to believe Murray can’t get it done against good teams(pads stats vs. weak teams)
The play calling on defence does not deserve a free pass. It was obvious to me by 2nd quarter GA could not get to QB with 3 rushers & with time Moore was always going to find a receiver. Yet, GA was still rushing 3 in 4th quarter.
Only question is: is Boise a great team or GA not very good. Next week will tell: if GA beats SC give Boise their credit. If SC spanks GA; Boise still hasn’t proven anything.
What?
September 4th, 2011
1:24 am
AW is mad too. Tell us Tech fans something we don’t know?
azdawg
September 4th, 2011
1:25 am
Poor Isaih. You’re no Lattimore. More like Jasper Sanks.
Special Ed. Commisioner
September 4th, 2011
1:25 am
The War Eagle onsides kick was SPECIAL.
More proof of our superiority over the WAC
SEC SPEED
September 4th, 2011
1:25 am
That is the best post of the night, Nick Fairley.
Fire Richt NOW!
September 4th, 2011
1:26 am
Maybe UGA should join the WAC and let a team into the SEC that can represent better than they did. The sure played WACK!
Special Ed. Commisioner
September 4th, 2011
1:26 am
You boys layoff I Cromm. He’s VERY SPECIAL
Festus
September 4th, 2011
1:28 am
It makes me mad that Richt gets paid $3 million and laughs after a loss. He really has no respect for UGA. He’s a Floridian that played for Miami and coached at FSU. While any coach from any where can be the UGA coach, UGA needs a former UGA player that bleeds red & black. Not a coach that is laid back and laughs after losses. I’m thinking Mrs. Richt wears the britches in her family…
5 STARS EQUALS GAME OPENER LOSS
September 4th, 2011
1:28 am
hahahahahaha so of you uga goobers on here, is that the best you got to point fingers at GT? You idiots with the same 5 stars year after years went 6 and 7 just like GT and lost to Central Florida for crying out loud. One would think you would just shut the blank up after that pile of doodoo but you just can’t can you? M O R O N S
Dog Returner
September 4th, 2011
1:29 am
Kick the ball to me!