After another flawed win, are Dogs ready for Florida? (Updated with Grantham video)
Aaron Murray and Georgia had some shaky moments Saturday at Vanderbilt. (AP photo)
(UPDATED: 11:50 p.m.)
NASHVILLE – There’s a saying in sports: It’s not how, it’s how many. That assumes, of course, we’re not talking about college football polls or perceptions heading into the Florida game.
Georgia won again Saturday night. That makes five straight. If ever a five-game winning streak can cause discomfort, this is it. Vanderbilt, a team that had managed just three points in its previous two games, scored three second-half touchdowns. One came on a 96-yard kickoff return. Two others came on alarming efficient drives of 75 and 84 yards against a Bulldogs’ defense that was thought to be improving. So much for thought.
The Bulldogs, after leading 23-7, held on a for a 33-28 victory. The words “held on” never should appear before “victory” for a team that aspires to something higher than the Liberty Bowl again.
The Dogs’ four straight SEC wins have come over teams — Mississippi State, Mississippi, Tennessee, Vandy — with a combined record of 1-13. No, it’s not their fault they’re playing lousy teams. But this game wasn’t secure until time expired. A blocked punt with seven seconds hope gave the Commodores one last gasp of hope. An ensuing pass from Georgia’s 21-yard line went off the finger tips of a Vandy wide receiver, Chris Boyd in the end zone.
Is this progress?
The Dogs struggled to finish drives on offense. They wilted on defense. They were absolutely dreadful on special teams. They had discipline problems — from the players down to the combustible defensive coordinator. After this one finally, mercifully came to an end, players and coaches from both teams met at midfield. It looked like the stare-down before a rumble between the Jets and Sharks in Westside story.
At the center of it were Vandy coach James Franklin and Georgia defensive coordinator Todd Grantham, who exchanged heated words. (Go to the end of the column for the video.)
Georgia coach Mark Richt wasn’t happy after the game, nor should he have been. First, he put an asterisk on the win: “I just don’t know if we’re ready to continue at the top of the Eastern Division the way we played. We’re thankful for the victory but we’ve got a ways to go.”
Then he addressed his team’s lack of discipline and short fuse. He said he didn’t get a good look at the post-game exchange, but commented, “All I know is I hate the fact at the end of the game that we can’t just shake hands like gentleman and walk off the field. … It’s like the end of a play. When it’s over it’s over. Go to the sideline. And we didn’t do a very good job of that. It is heated. It is battle. It’s not war with real bullets but it’s war in a sense and tempers do flare up. I don’t mind our blood [pressure] getting high but we can’t do something that may get us beat, or make us look less than a first-class operation.”
Grantham was cryptic with his remarks, saying only: “Everybody’s competitive. I love my players. I support my players.”
Franklin: “I went to find coach Richt and didn’t find him, so I found one of his assistant coaches and it didn’t go well.”
Was this a Vandy game?
In short, this wasn’t the kind of performance that is going to inspire confidence going into the Florida game in two weeks, even with the Gators themselves struggling. (Less we forget, the Gators were struggling last season when they won for the 19th time in 21 meetings.)
A blown transformer caused four banks of lights at Vanderbilt Stadium to go out with 2:53 left in the first half. Some of the game was played amid dark shadows. Just as well. Most Vandy games are best played in the dark anyway.
Richt was hoping his team would quick start. That didn’t happen. The offense was as dim as the half-lit stadium. The first four possessions: missed field goal (50 yards), punt (three and out), field goal (53 yards), missed field goal (42 yards). Twice the Dogs failed to capitalize on Vandy turnovers. Their first touchdown came only after a botched Commodores punt.
Also contributing to the early problems: The absence of running back Isaiah Crowell. Richt benched him for the entire first quarter. He confirmed after the game it was not injury related but rather for something off the field. But he wouldn’t specify. (The logical assumption: Some kind of disciplinary measure.)
The five straight wins aside, the Dogs still show flaws. The fact they’re showing them against bad competition is the biggest concern. After driving to a field goal to open the second half, they allowed Vandy’s Andre Hal to return a kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown, which narrowed the lead to 23-14.
Discipline and intelligence remain issues: On the ensuing kickoff, Shawn Williams hit a Vandy player late, drawing his second personal foul of the game. (Later in the game, Kwame Geathers was flagged for punching Vandy’s Logan Stewart on the ground after a play, but officials called offsetting personal fouls.)
Aaron Murray threw for 326 yards but he also misfired at times (22 for 38). The Dogs couldn’t finish drives, and Murray missed a wide open Marlon Brown at the five-yard line for a certain touchdown before the team settled for its fourth field goal of the night. The lead (26-14) was comfortable. The performance was not comforting.
It took two trick plays before they found the end zone against Georgia: a 35-yard pass play on a fake punt, and a 43-yard, half-back pass from Zac Stacy to Jordan Matthews for a touchdown. But there they were, reeking havoc late. First came the kickoff return. Then came the 13-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that closed the lead to 26-21. When Murray responded with a 75-yard touchdown pass to Brown, Vandy — Vandy! — showed its resiliency with another long scoring drive, this one ending on a 19-yard run by Stacy with nine minutes left.
The Dogs kept us guessing to the end.
Going into the Florida game, that’s a problem.
Grantham goes ballistic
By Jeff Schultz
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958 comments Add your comment
REALUGAFAN
October 16th, 2011
1:17 am
Absolutely Matt, im with you 100%. Go Dawgs, all day every day, win, lose or tie.
dawg555
October 16th, 2011
1:19 am
@oldfart….I must be older than you, because I watched Erk go off on many occasions and would butt anyone’s head to protect his players
Buzz2011
October 16th, 2011
1:19 am
Where is Georgias wins? Did you beat any one with even a winning record. Why not play LSU, Alabama or even Arkansas.. Dog meat for sure>.You barely nipped on Vandy, as they were driving to win..We have won 6 games , Uga 3 and 1/2
kerryb
October 16th, 2011
1:20 am
Buzz2011, You want to leave now before I start to light you up real good. Your HEAD coach is a complete joke. You can see him cursing out his own players on the sideline and you say Grantham is a joke. When Tech is through losing to Clemson and UGA you guys will start wanting to can him. #12 in the country. I think NOT.
Matt
October 16th, 2011
1:22 am
Buzz – judging by you name I am guessing you are a fan of “the other Georgia team” GT would be so lucky to have a coach like CMR but you can’t pay him in car parts. How many times has tech beaten Georgia in the past ten years? How’s that ACC Title doing in the trophy room? Whops forgot it’s GONE! You can come look at CMR 2 SEC championships and 2 Sugar Bowl championships anytime.
kerryb
October 16th, 2011
1:23 am
Buzz2011, You lost to Virginia and are about to lose your next three games to Miami, Clemson, and VT. After you lose again to us you will be 7-5. Chew on that.
Tossed Salad
October 16th, 2011
1:24 am
Ray Drew tried to suggest they bow their heads in prayer.
kerryb
October 16th, 2011
1:25 am
7-5 is a pretty good year for Tech.
Buzz2011
October 16th, 2011
1:25 am
You like that 12 rating don’t you leghumper.. UGA ranked at 56..
Welcome to Bobby Dodd stadium and you will play a ranked ACC team
not a high school team as you now play..Richt can’t even keep players
out of jail much less coach.. No discipline, no discipline and UGA will
never compete again in the SEC..Well maybe if Ray GOFF RETURNS..
Miss You VanGorder
October 16th, 2011
1:27 am
But don’t try to look at any of the players’ rings because they were probably sold. That’s the problem, punkish behavior from a lot of guys. Embarrasing! The championships you speak of are old news, and we are on a downslide.
M. Payne Dalton Ga.
October 16th, 2011
1:27 am
I’m going to say this once, so read and remember. A W is a W, if you are a REAL dawg fan you know that, as for the rest of you that complain about a WIN you must not be a real DAWG fan , take it , or find another team to pull for. As for coach Granthan, I’m proud he stood up for his players, As for coach Richt at the time he did not know the head Vandy coach was the one that started the hole blowout . We are lucky to have coach Richt and coach Granthan if you don’t like them pull for TENNESSEE or FLORIDA……..,
REALUGAFAN
October 16th, 2011
1:29 am
Miss You Van Gorder, GO BE A BAMA FAN!!!! it kills me one week its, “Man our players dont have any emotion, the coaches suck, when is our coaching staff gonna get fired up,” well guess what they did, and now we are complaining about discipline this discipline that. Buddy, they are 18 and 19 year old students playing for a fan base that expects perfection and nothing less. No wonder they are soo emotional. I see big improvements from last year especially since our big play makers are FRESHMAN, thats 18 years old guys. We are headed in the right direction, lets make the adjustments and keep pushing. Go Dawgs
Buzz2011
October 16th, 2011
1:31 am
I am not a Dawg fan, but the comment about the combined record of UGA’s opponents can’t be true.. The total record for Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Vandy & Tennesse is 1-13?? 1-13?? I can’t even believe a Dawg fan would post. How embarassing…Play Alabama or LSU
kerryb
October 16th, 2011
1:31 am
Buzz2011, I guess we saw today that the #12 ranking was totally undeserving. You know why Tech players hardly ever get arrested? Because APD has better things to do in that cesspool around Tech to worry about football players.
kerryb
October 16th, 2011
1:33 am
Buzz2011, You’re real funny. A fan of a team that plays in a third tier conference talking about who UGA is playing. I bet Miss State, Vandy and TN can beat anyone that Tech has played in the ACC.
Really?
October 16th, 2011
1:34 am
kerryb and Buzz2011,
Neither team is very good this year. Both teams had ugly games that could’ve gone the other way for both of them. These comparisons are ridiculous. We’ll settle this in November, but saying the other team isn’t any good because they haven’t played anyone applies to BOTH teams.
Buzz2011
October 16th, 2011
1:35 am
We should win at least two of the games with The U,,Clemson or Va. Tech, which are all much better than Vandy High School and Miss State Vo-Tech by the way. What we are going to ” chew on” is some Dawg tail
as we blow you out in Atlanta in November…
kerryb
October 16th, 2011
1:35 am
REALUGAFAN, AMEN!!! You noticed that none of the players really got into the middle of everything. It looked like they were coming to the aid of their coach. I applaud Grantham for not letting anyone go after his player.
Buzz2011
October 16th, 2011
1:36 am
1 -13. 1-13, 1-13 …..Is this a joke?? You mean all four of the teams UGA played have only won 1 game between them??
kerryb
October 16th, 2011
1:37 am
Buzz2011, 7-5 and another trip to Shreveport is in store for you
kerryb's mom
October 16th, 2011
1:38 am
kerryb,
get back in bed and start taking your meds again! i’m tired of dealing with you son! you’re a teenager now so please act your age!
kerryb
October 16th, 2011
1:38 am
If Tech played in the SEC they would be 2-4 right now.
oldfart
October 16th, 2011
1:38 am
@dawg555 – Your memory is faulty. Erk butted heads with his own players. He was fiery for sure but to inspire his kids to do it with intensity on the field, between the whistles. I take no pride in seeing a Georgia player kidney punch a guy on the ground. Not in the middle of a scrum mind you but out in the open in front of the linesman not to mention the camera. There was a time in the college game that brought about an immediate ejection along with the 15 yards. This is just one example of poor coaching but highlights the example set by the DC, not only doing something stupid in retaliation but doing it out in front of God and everybody.
kerryb
October 16th, 2011
1:39 am
Simpletons always resort to high jacking your name when they have nothing else to come back with BUZZ2011
kerryb
October 16th, 2011
1:40 am
oldfart, I believe the only reason Geathers kidney punched the guy was because he cheap shotted him from behind with a low block.
kerryb
October 16th, 2011
1:42 am
Vandy players were doing it all night and not getting called. I guess he thought he might as well since the refs were not going to do anything.
DuluthDawg
October 16th, 2011
1:43 am
@Oldfart: good comments. We have enough to worry about regarding discipline without the DC creating the wrong example. This isn’t the first time (remember the choke sign) he’s been out of line. Let’s hope CMR reels him in. Regarding his defense, well, I thought we were making progress but tonight showed otherwise. Let’s hope it improves before meeting the Gators. Good night all. A win is a win, period. Let’s move on and get ready for JAX.
M. Payne Dalton Ga.
October 16th, 2011
1:44 am
Buzz who is your team Florida Atlantic ????
Miss You VanGorder
October 16th, 2011
1:45 am
A win is not a win! I love UGA football as much as the next, I just want to win with class and for our players not to act surprised when they win … and to win the games we’re supposed to by playing disciplined and fundamental football. Even when we win it usually looks sloppy or we need some last second save to pull it out … then players act like punks and like they just won the National Championship. That shows lack of leadership and acceptance of mediocrity. UGA should have hung their heads tonight and walked off mad at themselves for a lackluster performance, ready to get on the practice field to prepare. I hate to say it, but several probably said “a win is a win” and couldn’t wait to get back to Athens to party like a superstar. Just being objective – leadership!
LakeDawg
October 16th, 2011
1:45 am
For some reason I can’t quite put my finger on, this game disturbed me. I expected UGA to be flat tonight. No biggie there. Wasn’t expecting a blow out. But the regression into personal fouls and not rising to the challenge when Vandy was about to steal the game, bothers me. CMR’s teams rarely reach their potential and seem to unexplicably flatline right when they’re on the cusp of becoming very good. With CMR’s career in the balance, I thought they might avoid that this year. However, they were not only flat tonight, but regressed into the undisciplined, low football IQ bunch of the past three years. In a season where the team is on a mission,trying to run the table and improve weekly, how does this performance happen? Add to that Grantham’s meltdown and it indicates that there are some serious problems with the coaching staff that will never be fixed.
I thought CMR should have been fired last year, but he wasn’t. So I’ve been hoping for him to turn it around, because I like him and I love the Dawgs. I would rather he succeed and UGA not have to go through a coaching change and all that entails. The first game was worse than I thought it could be, but since then the Dawgs have really turned it around and have improved every week. Yet, I have had a since of dread that CMR couldn’t keep it up. Its a pattern with him. Like I said, its not that the team was flat, but that they melted down tonight (coaches included) as if the whole past year of changing the culture never happened. What happens when CMR receives an extension and he’s not “all in” anymore? My worst nightmare is CMR goes 9-3 or 10-2 against this weak schedule and gets extended, because at this moment I believe CMR can never compete with the elite of the conference.
kerryb
October 16th, 2011
1:45 am
Man, some of you people need to grow a set and get over it. It’s FOOTBALL. What a bunch of wusses.
kerryb
October 16th, 2011
1:49 am
What is wrong with all of you? WE got a W. I don’t care much how it happened. We got a W in a road game in the SEC. Much better than losing. Yea, we need to clean up some things but we now have 2 weeks to do it. Let’s see how they look in 2 weeks after rest, getting Ogletree, Mitchell, and Crowell back healthy. A win is a win.
Alza
October 16th, 2011
1:49 am
Funny how only Grathams face is highlighted and not Franklin!!!
kerryb
October 16th, 2011
1:51 am
Everyone is getting on Grantham and this was instigated by a HEAD COACH of another team. Maybe everyone should be talking about what a jerk Franklin is.
llf
October 16th, 2011
1:53 am
Shultz, if you had any integrity, you would post video of the entire incident. It very clearly shows that the vandy head C instigated this incident. I agree that Coach C should not have let his players see him loss his composure, but it would be nice (and unusual) for the AJC to give an accurate, fair and balanced report of the facts. I suspect that the vandy head C intentionally baited Coach G, and the he got the reaction he wanted.
Who had a camera focused directly on Coach G’s face as the mouthy vandy coach verbally assaulted the UGA players near Coach G? Why did this person think to capture a close up of Coach G at that particular moment?
VANDY PLAYED DIRTY
October 16th, 2011
1:54 am
I ALWAYS RESPECTED VANDY BUT TONIGHT THEY THEY LOOKED LIKE CHOP BLOCKING THUGS!YOU CAN END A YOUNG MANS CAREER LIKE THAT,THTS WHY COACH GRANTHAM EAS MAD.FILM SHOULD BE SENT TO THE SEC OFFICE AND VANDY SHOULD BE DISCIPLINED. GO DAWGS AND TO TECH FANS HA! HA!
dawgster
October 16th, 2011
1:55 am
I like a coach that is intense and has alot of fire, the dawgs definitely need that, but I saw some things from the dawgs players on at least 2 occassions tonight that should result in some kind of disciplinary action…As far as Coach Grantham…yes he is intense, but tonight it looks, now I say it looks like he carried it too far….I don’t have a problem with him defending his players, as he should, but his actions at the end of the game went too far in my opinion, but again, don’t know the whole story, but based on the language i could see from lip reading, it was uncalled for..He appeared more out of control than Coach Franklin, I hope this doesn’t hurt the dawgs when the SEC reviews the tape…Don’t believe our AD is going to be pleased and based on Coach Richts comments or lack of comments, I would say this will be looked into much further….glad to get out of there with a win, but the dawgs are at best middle of the road..
@TampaGator…have to agree with you the dawgs and gators just are not that good this year, and you are correct, if we don’t win in Jax this year, when will we….I hope in two weeks we will finally put together a complete game in all phases…The RB situation concerns me greatly as it seems we cannot run the ball very well…Crowell, as good as he is does not appear to be very durable, but he is very talented…Things should be better next year if we bring in K. Marshall…I am very impressed by this young man as i think all dawg fans will be, not for just his talent, but as just a fine young man with a great head on his shoulders…Whomever gets him is getting a special talent….go dawgs
kerryb
October 16th, 2011
1:56 am
Like I said earlier. I get Grantham going off on Franklin. His guys are getting chopped all night then Franklin has the nerve to come up complaining and yelling at Shawn Williams. I would have gone off too.
Schultz is Not a Good Writer
October 16th, 2011
1:57 am
The Dawgs need a rest and it showed…..Mitchell will be back for Florida and Crowell will hopefully start and get the offense in a flow early against Florida…….I think the defense will be ok….Vandy scored on a kickoff return and one trick play…..Grantham is intense and may have been justified in defending his player…..I would like to see what Shawn Williams supposedly did after the game which began the issue with Franklin to begin with….
LakeDawg
October 16th, 2011
1:58 am
As for Grantham, having fire is good. Not having the discipline to control that fire is a loser. This isn’t a one time incident. Also, I’m really disturbed that all that focus and new team attitude went out of the window tonight. Cheap shots, players throwing punches, players throwing the ball or their helmets. And yet they all continued to play in the game. Half the time it appears CMR is almost pleading with IC to cool down. CMR has allowed a true freshman way too much power in their relationship. I guess I just figured out what is really bothering me. CMR still doesn’t have control of this team and never will. He tries to negotiate with them instead of dictating. Football is like the military, you’ve got to have a boss. Grantham is the same way. He’s in the trenches with his players, “fighting” for them, when he needs to be leading his players from above.
kerryb
October 16th, 2011
1:59 am
dawgster, See my last post. I understand Grantham going off and don’t fault him for it. Wouldn’t it rile you up if your players are getting cheap shotted all night and the head coach has the nerve to yell at your player afterwords?
Booker O'Brien
October 16th, 2011
2:00 am
Here’s how Rivals rated college recruiting classes over the past decade:
1. USC (nine Top 10 classes)
2. Georgia (10)
3. Florida (six)
4. LSU (seven)
5. Texas (seven)
6. Florida State (eight)
7. Oklahoma (seven)
8. Auburn (six)
T9. Michigan (four)
T9. Tennessee (five)
We are the only school in the top 5 without a title over the past decade, and we are the only school on the list without a title over the last 15 years. Coaching matters, people…coaching matters.
kerryb
October 16th, 2011
2:00 am
LakeDawg, what game were you watching? It wasn’t Vandy-UGA.
kerryb
October 16th, 2011
2:03 am
LakeDawg, I don’t think IC has any power. If he did he wouldn’t have been held out the 1st quarter for some infraction. The cheap shots were done by Vandy players not UGA players. I didnt see any UGA players throwing their helmets or balls. Like I said. What game were you watching?
M. Payne Dalton Ga.
October 16th, 2011
2:04 am
LakeDawg ………….100 WINS in 11 Years and you give up…think about that. How the H e l l do you think Coach Richt fills about people that give up on him . He needs support, I think he should be allowed that at this time. If you gave up on him. support TENNESSEE, they have done so well after canning Fulmer
kerryb
October 16th, 2011
2:04 am
Booker O’Brien, Wasn’t USC’s title taken away from them?
LakeDawg
October 16th, 2011
2:06 am
kerryb …obviously not the same game as you.
Miss You VanGorder
October 16th, 2011
2:08 am
@ kerryb, that last comment shows the acceptance of mediocrity that so many UGA fans have now. So what if USC’s title was taken away, at least they won it to be taken away. I think the point was touted recruits, no results … got an explanation for that?
LakeDawg
October 16th, 2011
2:08 am
M. Payne Dalton Ga…Oh, I’m supporting him. I fervently wish UGA runs the table. I hope I’m wrong about what I posted. I’m just depressed, because I don’t think I am wrong.
M. Payne Dalton Ga.
October 16th, 2011
2:09 am
Lafe Dawg Youi need to change yoiur name to Lake Wus