Mark Richt might need 9-1 finish to keep job at Georgia
Georgia coach Mark Richt is 0-2 for the first time in his career. (Brant Sanderlin/AJC)
ATHENS – Nobody is going to admit now what tight end Orson Charles acknowledged two weeks ago: “Our first two games will make or break our season.”
Because when a team is 0-2 after two perceived make-or-break games, players and coaches must nonetheless publicly cling to a series of improbabilities. Otherwise the rest of the season morphs into a three-month death march.
But reality is that it will take a miraculous finishing kick for the Bulldogs to have a successful season and possibly save coach Mark Richt’s job. What does that amount to? Try 9-1 in the next 10 games.
That may seem extreme. But Richt’s contract situation, the backdrop of the past two-plus seasons, the demands of coaching in the SEC, the divided fan base and a cryptic comment at a recent athletic-board meeting indicates if the Bulldogs do anything less than win the SEC East, which may take a 9-1 finish, Georgia may make a change.
Richt insisted Tuesday, “There’s not a cloud hanging over us” after losses to Boise State and South Carolina. Maybe he just hasn’t gone outside.
He said the attitude has been positive since Saturday’s 45-42 loss to South Carolina, adding, “If the game went the other way, then Georgia’s the front-runner in the East and everybody starts thinking about the positive possibilities.”
The problem being that Georgia didn’t win, and the SEC isn’t about “ifs.” The game actually just reaffirmed what many have suspected. The Dogs have talent. They can compete with most teams when they play hard and, for the most part, smart. But they seem to have forgotten how to win these kinds of games, either because of a turnover, a special-teams breakdown or a penalty.
Richt would prefer that the rest of the season not be about his job status. It’s not exactly a conducive atmosphere for wins and pep rallies. But it’s reality.
Consider:
• The contract: Richt will have two years left on an eight-year deal after this season. That’s basically death in recruiting unless Georgia extends the contract, probably by at least two to three years. To not extend the contract also would set up the extreme rarity, particularly in the SEC, of a coach potentially entering his third straight “hot seat” season and working on a contract that had not been amended since after the 2007 season (when Richt received a raise).
• The schedule: Every remaining game is winnable. To put it another way, there are no “good” losses left. Florida? Maybe. But how would Richt dropping to 2-9 against the Gators go over with athletic director Greg McGarity, school president Michael Adams and the fan base? Losing to Florida means losing tiebreakers to both the Gators and South Carolina in the East. Beating Florida could salvage division hopes, but only with a strong finish.
• The record: McGarity probably doesn’t have a specific number of wins and losses in mind. But let’s look at this logically. Going 9-1 the rest of the way means a 9-3 finish, while 8-2 means finishing 8-4. Two losses mean the Dogs probably will have lost to Florida again. And/or Georgia Tech (making Paul Johnson 2-2 in the series). Or Mississippi State (for the second straight year). Or Tennessee (to Derek Dooley).
• The backdrop: It’s significant that at a recent UGA Athletic Association meeting, board member Tommy Lawhorne stated, “There are many of us who are really concerned about the status of the football program. Yet we have confidence in Greg McGarity to get us where we want to be.” Note that he referred to McGarity and not Richt.
Winning this week over Coastal Carolina, an FCS (formerly Division I-AA) school, won’t change the important numbers. If you take out wins over FCS (Tennessee Tech, Idaho State) and Sun Belt (Louisiana-Lafayette) schools, Richt is 11-14 overall since 2009. He’s 6-10 in the past 16 SEC games and 2-10 against ranked teams. To go 9-1 overall and 6-1 in the SEC the rest of the way is possible. But it would be a stark contrast to what we’ve been witnessing.
Richt said the South Carolina game “could’ve gone either way. Did we improve tremendously? There’s no doubt about that. I left the field sick about losing but encouraged about the team.”
Improvement is good. But winning saves jobs. Richt has left himself no room for error.
By Jeff Schultz
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698 comments Add your comment
Jeff Schultz
September 13th, 2011
8:57 pm
Thanks, JDawg1785.
Steve S
September 13th, 2011
8:58 pm
Allll those recruits…same ol GA
BOBBY
September 13th, 2011
8:58 pm
I AGREE WITH SCHUTLZ I THINK HE WOULD HAVE TO GO 9-1 OR 10-0 TO KEEP HIS JOB BUT IF HE GOES 8-4 AND WIN THE BOWL GAME AND GO 9-4 I THINK THE ONLY REASON HE WILL BROUGHT BACK IS IF HE FIRES BOBO.
Delbert D.
September 13th, 2011
8:58 pm
Jeff – Don’t let the b@$*&*#s get you down.
Jeff Schultz
September 13th, 2011
8:59 pm
DawgGone — Yep, moral victories are a problem when you’re a major program in the SEC.
Old Dawg Fan
September 13th, 2011
8:59 pm
What is so bad-who really cares anymore? CMR has destroyed UGA Football. I have said it over and over because the UGA Athletic Department has let CMR continue this program.
UGA should leave the SEC and possibly trade places with Texas A and M. A shame and disgrace!!!
Runnin With The Dawgs
September 13th, 2011
9:00 pm
So! What happens if we lose to Costal Carolina? JUST LIKE WE LOST TO CENTRAL FLA.
beanster
September 13th, 2011
9:00 pm
I don’t see how any dawg fan could want CUM. Not that the guy would ever come to UGA anyway, but you would seriously want that guy in Athens? I think he is about as far from a fit in Athens as any coach could be.
THIRTY FOUR POINTS to your thirty one points
September 13th, 2011
9:04 pm
Just a reminder…
((((((((((((((((((((((((34-31))))))))))))))))))))))
Jeff Schultz
September 13th, 2011
9:04 pm
Will — You are correct that every AD (or general manager in the pros) has a list. But I’m not going to get into potential candidates because I’ve long believed it’s not right to discuss or write about possible replacements when somebody is holding a job.
bugsquacher
September 13th, 2011
9:04 pm
WHY GEORGIA SHOULD BE CONSIDERING A COACHING CHANGE.
1-Georgia is a combined 0-5 against Top 25 teams in 2010 and 2011
2- GEORGIA has lost 10 of its last 12 against ranked teams. (2-10 record)
2- GEORGIA is now 14-14 in his last 28 games
3-GEORGIA is 6-10 in the past 16 SEC games.
4- REMAINING SCHEDULE. Games they will probably lose: 1- Miss St. 2- Tenn 3-Florida 4-Auburn. Games we should win (if we don’t have an off week): 1- Costal Carolina, 2-Miss, 3- Kentucky, 4- New Mexico, 5-Tech, 6-Vandy.
LOOKS LIKE A 50/50 CHANCE OF ANOTHER LOSING SEASON.
5- Its been 30 yrs since our last national championship…. Can Richt get us there? Are we trending in the right direction?
A Murray
September 13th, 2011
9:05 pm
I’m 6 and 9 as a starter…am I over rated and over hyped, or what!?
Tommy West
September 13th, 2011
9:06 pm
The coach better be focused on Coastal Carolina.. You cannot look ahead. One game at a time. Stay focused. Execution (not of the coach….just yet) is the key. No wait…damn….
Turnovers is the key!
DamntheButcher
September 13th, 2011
9:08 pm
Jeff Schultz
What do you think the realistic chances are that Urban Meyer would take the Georgia job? Would he have any interest at all?
Jeff Schultz
September 13th, 2011
9:10 pm
Chuck UGA:
“Jeff, When is the last time Mississippi State beat Georgia in Athens? NOT SURE THEY HAVE! Perhaps they have own there, but not in the past 45-50 years (or longer).”
Answer: 1956. Miss State won 19-7. Georgia is 9-1 all time at Sanford Stadium.
Jeff Schultz
September 13th, 2011
9:12 pm
Mike G — “More Schultz garbage…………….the only thing hurting recruiting is you and Bradley.”
Didn’t Georgia have one of the top recruiting classes in the country last year?
beanster
September 13th, 2011
9:12 pm
Don’t you remember the “bad deal” speech he gave? How “it’d forever be etched on his mind and the mind of the University of Florida” or something close to that.
Ryan
September 13th, 2011
9:12 pm
You give no respect to GT. I said many times on here that this offense would become explosive once we got a qb that could pass. Everyone thought it would always be run run because that’s what we did the past 3 years. Now we have a smart qb who can throw. Saturday will be a thrird straight blowout and the defense is just going to get better. Tech’s schedule sets up nicely, and when they are 10-1 or 11-0 entering the ga game, maybe you dunces will wake up to cpj.
Fungus on my Toenail
September 13th, 2011
9:14 pm
I t hink they should go ahead and make the announcement that Richt will not be back next year and name Urban Meyer the next coach.
Jeff Schultz
September 13th, 2011
9:14 pm
Flat Tire — Mark built up the opponent a bit today. But it’s what coaches do.
Delbert D.
September 13th, 2011
9:15 pm
Boise State’s sanctions include this: “In addition, Boise State will be prohibited for two years from recruiting prospective international student-athletes for cross country and track and field, as well as for women’s tennis.”
Somehow that must tie in to the (now) Boise St. assistant coach from the Netherlands who had brought the football players over for a camp at Boise St., and 3 of them stayed and finished high school in Boise. They got scholarships with Boise St. But womens’ tennis, track and cross-country?
Fungus on my Toenail
September 13th, 2011
9:15 pm
As a matter of fact,,,, Maybe Urban can go ahead and join the staff this here to start getting in on recruting.
Jeff Schultz
September 13th, 2011
9:15 pm
Damnthebutcher — I’m like most folks. I think Ohio State is a greater possibility than Georgia for Urban Meyer. I don’t think he has any interest in burning bridges at Florida.
Fungus on my Toenail
September 13th, 2011
9:15 pm
year*
Mark Schlablach
September 13th, 2011
9:15 pm
I wonder if the AJC has a “list” for when they can Jeff Schiltz?
DamntheButcher
September 13th, 2011
9:17 pm
Ohio St probably makes the most sense unless CUM dont want to go back to a cold climate. I know money talks but what if GA offered the same money. Not saying GA is equal to Ohio St as a football program.
JB
September 13th, 2011
9:17 pm
Ryan….writers like readers. It tells people wanting to run ads that people check in and look at Nalley car ads. Tech just does create a lot of traffic. The AjC does the best they can with that program. It’s just so division 2′ish.
derek
September 13th, 2011
9:19 pm
Columbus is exactly right! The AJC bias by Bradley and Schultz against UGA is very obvious. He is also right that these blogs are driven by the mindset of the 19-30 year olds. It will be a shame if somehow the AJC and other Richt haters stir the pot enough to get–not a good coach–but a great coach fired. Just makes me sick. Richt is the finest coach in UGA history. Short-term perspective gets us the Obama’s of the world. Richt is a Reagan.
JB
September 13th, 2011
9:21 pm
Folks, to a successful div 1 coach, money is third on the list, maybe fourth.. One is, can I win there. 2. Will my wife and family be happy. and really 3 is will I be happy. Guys like Meyer have 20 mil in the bank and don’t worry about house and car payments. They’re set.
Ryan
September 13th, 2011
9:21 pm
Huh? Has nothing to do with the ajc. My post was to one and all on here who think CPJ can’t coach, call him retarded names like man boobs and well you know all the other things. Anyway, you’ll see it this year and in the future. It’s not like every game since he came here hasn’t been close. Now we got a passing attack to go with the option, something richt and your def coord haven’t been able to stop 3 years running.
derek
September 13th, 2011
9:21 pm
A damn shame what Schultz and Bradley are doing to stir the waters of hate against Richt.
Dawg Fire
September 13th, 2011
9:21 pm
If richt beats florida and tech and wins 8 games, he will keep his job. You can’t fire a mission man with 8 wins.
GT93
September 13th, 2011
9:22 pm
hey Ryan … I hate UGA just as much as you do, but what kind of FOOL spouts off predictions like that on a UGA blog, the team who has beaten us 9 out of the last 10 years. You’re obviously young … otherwise you’d understand that GT hasn’t faced any REAL competition yet this year, let alone anyone in our own conference. You need to learn a little cautious optimism there, sport.
Ryan
September 13th, 2011
9:23 pm
And go ahead and say the games were against weak comp. Doesn’t matter. The passing was bad against the same type opponent the past 3 seasons. Nesbitt would miss wide open receivers all the time. Well, enjoy discussing JS’s column.
JB
September 13th, 2011
9:25 pm
Jake @ 9:21. Funny you mention that. I ,on a good source, that there IS problems with Georgia’s recruiting aka Rodney Garner. Refuses to pursue the Pollack types. The lunch pail types who are real workers and character guys.
Bigdsel
September 13th, 2011
9:28 pm
What a bunch of traitors. You have no faith. Richt will put us back where we need to be.
JB
September 13th, 2011
9:28 pm
All this will be settled by Thanksgiving weekend.
JB
September 13th, 2011
9:29 pm
Bigdsel………….” put us back” IS a correct term for our current state.
The AntiRicht
September 13th, 2011
9:31 pm
I think you’re right. I suppose victories over Tech, FL, and the SEC East crown might buy him another year, but the 2-10 against ranked opponents and 0-5 against Top 25 teams is tough to ignore. In many ways he is a victim of his own success.
Delbert D.
September 13th, 2011
9:31 pm
Navy is at South Carolina Saturday night. That should be entertaining; Navy scored 76 on East Carolina last year. Ricky Dobbs is gone, but the big FB, Teich is still there, and the QB has started 3 games in the past 2 years when Dobbs was out. Ricky’s cousin, Jamel is starting at DE.
lj
September 13th, 2011
9:33 pm
UGA might as well face the facts. UGA is not going to go 9-1 the rest of the way. Tenn will beat you and possibly GT will also. That is 8-4. What about Auburn? 7-5 Maybe Miss ST 6-6 is more likely and that is if UGA beats Florida. How about 5-7 as more realistic.
Pierce County DAWG
September 13th, 2011
9:35 pm
Jeff shultz you are sickening
cvilledawg
September 13th, 2011
9:37 pm
red rover, red rover, send John Gruden on over its time we get a real coach with that killer instinct. I think cmr would be a good coach for Vandy.
tdawgmoney
September 13th, 2011
9:38 pm
2 things that Sargent Schultz and Martha Bradley have in common……1) they tell us what we already know (sort of like talking to your mother-n-law about a sporting event from 3 weeks back, and 2) they are more fickle (wishy-washy) than a 5 year old in a candy store. And not just just on the Dawgs…the Braves, Falcons, you name it. Their entire world of prognostication is made up of the last 2 -3 contests. Oh, they will cite YEARS of examples, but their opinions are as volatile as a Corvair motor. You mark my word, when CMR beats both Miss’s and UT badly, which he most CERTAINLY will, and both of these mouthpieces will be singing Richt’s praises and hollering about how he has “righted the ship” and “fastened the wheels back on”. When the dust settles on this season…..say the 1st week in Jan…….the victory count will read 10.
Delbert D.
September 13th, 2011
9:40 pm
Gruden was quoted 2 years ago as saying he wanted to spend a year at Oregon to learn the offense. His wife told him he was crazy to give up his TV job to go to the west coast as an assistant coach for a year.
Richt isn't going anywhere
September 13th, 2011
9:41 pm
Haven’t you paid attention? Look at your OOC schedule next year. It’s atrocious.
Buffalo Fla Alt and Ga southern and tech. Come on. He did this to help marky mark. You’ll lose 4-6 this year. Then next year it’s 3 automatic wins plus 5 more which gets you to 8 and that is enough to appease redneck nation.
GatorinAtl
September 13th, 2011
9:43 pm
Ok…UGA AD is holding on to MR expecting some sort of miracle. Damn it..this is exactly why MR is
around…maybe MR gets fired and humilated after a devastating loss to UFL this season in OCT….
What is this 9-3 or 8-4 drama. It is simple. UGA is done with MR. Make a move. Every SEC team has made a move..heck, TN took a chance on dooley and he HAS turned it around…..
UGA fans..STOP supporting ur loser coach. He actually is done coaching. He will make a good father of a church..that is his destiny….
Maybe, UGA got a a incompetent AD..Mark Bradley and Schultz cannot see it or refuse to acknoweldge…wow..
biggdawgfan1
September 13th, 2011
9:44 pm
Time for a change. Dawg fan for 40+ years. The DAWG NATION likes CMR but is tiring from all of the excuses. Great recruiter and leader but has to win on the field. The DAWG NATION has high expectations. Look at his record over the past several years against meaningful opponents. PATHETIC! Wish him the best but it is time for a new leader. McGarity knows this and so does CMR. By the way, McGarity will change (and has already) Georgia athletics significantly for the better.
2DPoint
September 13th, 2011
9:44 pm
Man – Richt is a nice guy but I’m predicting he won’t last the season if he loses another game soon.
He should either quit now and go full time on those Ford F-150 (or F-250) commercials or let them alone until Our Dawgs put more bite in their games – and WIN them!
Jake
September 13th, 2011
9:44 pm
Jeff, I think you and Bradley have a little bit of the Mississippi leg hound in you. Just can’t let the Richt stories go. How about some new material?