Georgia seizing chance to put problems in distant past
Mark Richt's team has won eight straight since going 20-17 from early in 2008. (Brant Sanderlin)
Every win pushes the agony a little further back into history. Every significant moment – the comeback against Florida, the domination of Auburn – quiets the anger just a little bit more.
Georgia has positioned itself to clinch the SEC East on Saturday against Kentucky in Athens. But of greater significance actually is what the program may be starting to show about the future.
The Bulldogs likely have four games remaining: Kentucky, Georgia Tech, the SEC championship and a bowl game. How they perform in those four will say a lot about where things are headed and to what extent the fan base can again become unified, as it was from Mark Richt’s arrival through 2007 – and until the “blackout” game against Alabama in 2008.
If the Dogs defeat Kentucky, it will secure a division title unlike any other under Richt. He won a conference championship in only his second season in 2002. He won the East again in 2003 (losing the SEC title game to LSU) and 2005 (this time beating LSU). But over the past few years, the good feelings had been eroding, losses had been increasing, doubt had been growing.
When Steve Spurrier punctuated his postgame comments following South Carolina’s win over Florida last week with, “We’ll see what Georgia does when they know they have to win,” it wasn’t the nonsensical ramblings from the SEC’s most notorious tweaker. Fact is, Spurrier had a point. The Bulldogs had something to prove.
The danger signs were far more widespread than Georgia coming off its first losing season under Richt (6-7). After a 4-0 start in 2008, the Bulldogs were drilled at home by Alabama — the black jerseys were quickly put back into a box –and went only 20-17 in their next 37 games (0-2 to start this year) and 12-12 in the SEC.
Through this season’s second-week loss at South Carolina, Georgia was 5-10 in its past 15 SEC games. It had lost not only to recent conference powers Alabama and Florida, but LSU, Tennessee, Kentucky, Arkansas, Mississippi State, Auburn and South Carolina (twice).
The resulting perception: Georgia hadn’t only slipped on the national landscape – losing 10 of 12 to ranked teams — but also was falling dangerously behind the curve in the SEC.
That’s not even addressing losing to Colorado and Central Florida.
Is that all buried now? Maybe. It’s easy for skeptics to point out the East is weak, favored South Carolina imploded and the 2011 schedule lacked the SEC’s three toughest teams: LSU, Alabama and Arkansas. (Georgia plays at Alabama next season.) But an eight-game winning streak is remarkable under any circumstances, let alone in a season that began with losses to Boise State and South Carolina.
The Dogs found themselves trailing 17-3 in the second quarter to Florida. They came back to win 24-20.
They had struggled against ranked teams before last week, even modestly ranked ones like Auburn (No. 24 by AP). But they left no doubt, winning 45-7.
They are showing a toughness and resilience that has been missing in Athens.
Richt was pleasantly surprised this week when a scuffle broke out at practice Tuesday. “We had a very spirited practice,” he said. “We actually had to pull a couple of guys off each other.”
When is the last time you sensed that kind of hunger?
Aaron Murray is coming off his most impressive game of the season. The defense under Todd Grantham seems to get better each week and has risen to No. 4 in the nation. The Bulldogs are second only to LSU in the SEC (tied for eighth nationally) with a plus-9 turnover differential.
I think some folks have even pulled darts out of Mike Bobo’s picture.
When the season opened, Georgia looked disturbingly unprepared against Boise State. But Richt has succeeded in putting out fires, from the 0-2 start to the failed drug tests of three running backs to the postgame mess at Vanderbilt. He has dealt with the immaturity issues of Isaiah Crowell.
Players are responding to him. That’s more than half the battle in coaching.
All are positive signs for the future. This is Georgia’s chance to affirm this hasn’t been an aberration. With up to four remaining games, this is the Dogs’ chance to put all that preceded this winning streak far into the past.
By Jeff Schultz
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430 comments Add your comment
katherine
November 19th, 2011
10:22 am
and right on cue my comment doesnt show up lol should have known
zbulldawg
November 19th, 2011
10:33 am
I don’t see anyone talking about Kent.TODAY is the BIGest game of the season !!! Richt’s more involed with the offense now that he has Grantham !! You could see it more in the S.C game !! 42 points ! Dang what you want from a offense ? BUT all that dosn’t matter today ! Just like the ole saying W H A T have you done for me lately ! THIS IS THE BIG ONE ! HERE KITTY KITTY !!!!!!!!!!! SICK EM
SonOfBoh
November 19th, 2011
10:37 am
Yes. Go dogs! But let’s not forget the Tennessee problem in 2007 when they won the east, but still fired Fulmer the next year. Let’s take this two years at a time.
5150 UOAD
November 19th, 2011
11:01 am
JEFF SCHULTZ……….are you running the live Blog for the UGA or TECH game?
Uh Huh
November 19th, 2011
11:41 am
Bamards better hope GA beats lsu for the SEC so they can slide through the door to the national championship game….There’s no guarantee otherwise….most don’t want rematch, so without playing in SEC championship game, you Bamards better be nice to GA.
ncaa is sniffing
November 19th, 2011
11:48 am
The snake oil salesman (T. Boone Pickens or whatever his bumpkin name is) from OK St. tried to buy his championship for them, but instead will have the wrath of the ncaa on their program soon enough….starting with the suspicious change of mind of the flip of the GA WR to OK St. earlier this year. They were bottom feeders for years and suddenly emerge a powerhouse? I think not, without Pickens dollars in their pockets.
Sid
November 19th, 2011
11:51 am
Someone else said it first but truly, “This is fun”. After the beginning of the season I thought Tech was going to have to carry the torch for Georgia college football. They will dismantle Kentucky and the SEC Championship game will be one for the books……!!
By the way, someone posting under “Sid” in DLeds blog is not me and I won’t be posting there anyway.
Beware of the ncaa
November 19th, 2011
11:53 am
The snake oil salesman (T. Boone Pickkens or whatever his bumpkin name is) from OK St. tried to buy a championship, but instead he’s gonna get the ncaa searching all around their campus. Quick rise to powerhouse? Think not, without a few dollars in the wrong places. Might want to start with a check on the GA WR that flipped a commitment earlier this year to OK St.
LakeDawg
November 19th, 2011
12:03 pm
You nailed it Jeff. A well written summary of the past 4-5 years for UGA. It explains the reason(s) there have been Richt naysayers and confirms the faith that Richt supporters had. All of them are loyal Dawg supporters. Let’s do away with all of the name calling and unite behind the Dawgs.
Sammy
November 19th, 2011
1:43 pm
You GA fans are stupid!!!!!
Figure it
November 19th, 2011
3:28 pm
I’ve never understood how anyone could take any pride in the UGA football team. Look at their history for the past forty years: how can anyone ignore Jan Kemp and the remedial studies scam, the Jim Harrick sleaze, the DUIs in the athletic office (not just Damon Evans), the DUIs and other arrests of players, the #1 party school label (for the most drunk students), the public urinators, the drug use, the suspensions and outright dismissals, the Fulmer Cup, and on and on?
As disgraceful and sickening as it is, I don’t see many alumni and fans demanding an end to this sleazy activity. It sets UGA apart as the kind of school that decent people despise and it’s become an embarrassment to the whole state of Georgia.
Will it ever end? Not while Mark Richt is at UGA. Richt is the biggest hypocrite in the United States. And even with the cheating and lawlessness that he ignores, he still doesn’t win the SEC.
Samuel L. Jackson
November 19th, 2011
4:38 pm
Yet another dominant win for the Dawgs over a monster program!!! LSU won’t be able to contain this juggernaut UGA team…. lmao, you clowns actually earn degrees from UGA?
I can’t wait for LSU to wipe the floor up with this team!
Professor
November 19th, 2011
5:16 pm
The UGA students were missing because they were all at Occupy Athens.
They may as well protest, since they won’t get any job offers with their worthless UGA degrees.
limey4052
November 19th, 2011
5:42 pm
GA is in desperate need of depth at running back.
Sam
November 19th, 2011
6:47 pm
Amazing video of a high school senior from Columbia TN who kicks the ball dead straight 75-80 yards in the air. He was successful on 54 of 54 attempts this season….100%. For some crazy reason, he wants to go to Georgia Tech.
Watch for yourself…it is unreal!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_JKwgwFY3g
Gunsmoke
November 19th, 2011
6:57 pm
Suck it haters!
stendek
November 19th, 2011
7:00 pm
Believe in miracles Jeff?
First I wish to congratulate the Dawgs and Russ on reaching the SEC championship showdown. Nine wins in a row are nine wins regardless of who the opponents were. That being said. If the Dawgs play like this at the Georgia Dome they may as well RSVP out right now. For most of the game it was difficult to determine which team was competing for a playoff berth and which one was primping for next season. My wife asked me what was wrong with the Dawg offense to which I replied they must have been hungover from partying the night before. It was the only thing I could think of which made sense. Aaron Murray was awful. That tiny runner was okay but the fumbles were not. The Dawg FG kicker resurrected back into one of the best in the game. Thankfully since Mark Richt is a big believer in FGs. Terrible playcaller Mike Bobo was on a roll for several games but fell back into a rut with inexplicable inept play calls which left those at Sanford Stadium in a justifiable booing mood. I could not be prouder of the Dawg defense. I could tell after the Wildcats put up their 10th point that the proud Dawgs were determined to close the door at that point. They did. The biggest takeaway of the contest took place right before intermission when a fumble recovery allowed the Dawgs to go into the lockerrom with a 12-10 lead at instead of in a 10-9 hole. Those four FGs were important. The lone Dawg TD ensured the margin was more than a single score. The Dawg offense was not mentally prepared to play against a totally inferior opponent. That is on Richt and Bobo. I have nothing but praise for the defensive coach. The Dawgs are a Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde act this season. I only hope Dr Jekyll shows up in Atlanta. No matter who the opponent is!
doggoneit
November 19th, 2011
8:08 pm
Figure it – your an idiot! Time for you to come out of the closet as the GA. TECH fan you are!
St Simons - we're on Island time
November 19th, 2011
10:18 pm
why does this blog hate us so much? oh..
jealousy is such an unattractive emotion, hatahs. To da Dome, mon
My name is Earl
November 19th, 2011
11:39 pm
They hate you because you’re beautiful.
SatchelBuzz
November 20th, 2011
8:14 am
You can remove the post,..but the truth remains,…he’s a thug.
THWG!!!
Hangtime Memories
November 20th, 2011
9:22 am
I’m old enough to remember when UGA had intelligent athletes, not the dummies and morons that Richt recruits.
Bill
November 20th, 2011
11:43 am
It’s easy to right the ship when you play the easiest schedule in the conference. LSU, Arkansas and Alabama would beat them easily. Just watch the SEC championship game. They haven’t beaten anyone of consequence.
Sam
November 20th, 2011
2:53 pm
Amazing kicker who wants to go to Georgia Tech. Watch for yourself…it is unreal!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_JKwgwFY3g
5150 UOAD
November 20th, 2011
2:56 pm
SAN STOP showing 3 kicks from 5 different angles. We get it. You want to get the kid a Scholarship. Pay the MONEY and send the kid to camps in the summer.
5150 UOAD
November 20th, 2011
2:56 pm
sorry SAM
Burma Shave
November 20th, 2011
3:00 pm
Dawgs can play football
But few can even read
But Richt doesn’t care
It’s all about greed
BURMA SHAVE
Dawgs rule
November 20th, 2011
8:10 pm
the dawgs will beat lsu–take it to the bank! lsu is overrated and Ga’s D will shut them down! Ga wins the SEC—watch that sugar falling from the skies!!!
Honkey Kong Cracker
November 20th, 2011
9:13 pm
Crowell is a dope head and wussy…. He wouln’t last one practice with Nick Saban.. That’s why his crack head self came to UGA…. He truely is the #1 dope head RB in the nation…
SatillaDawg
November 20th, 2011
10:07 pm
Go DAWGS!
Wreck Tech!