Grantham now providing the right highlights at Georgia
Mark Richt and Todd Grantham both earned contract extensions. (Brant Sanderlin/AJC)
ATHENS – Once you get past the standard, astronomic, cartoon-like expectations of spring — Will Georgia go 13-1 next season? Maybe 14-0 if the dang, cheatin’ refs ain’t from Bessemer? — it’s worth noting that Todd Grantham has accomplished something pretty significant in Athens.
Something even bigger than evolving from sideline sideshow on YouTube — and who knew that was possible?
The Bulldogs, the team headed by a former offensive coordinator (Mark Richt), the program that recently had produced the likes of A.J. Green and Matthew Stafford — only to too often get punched in the mouth by Alabama, Florida or LSU — has discovered the key to success in the SEC.
Defense.
Who knew?
It’s important to note that college football in general, and the SEC in particular, doesn’t mirror the changing NFL. The pros have become pass-happy on offense. That means nickel defenses are now the rule, not the exception (which means old-school middle linebackers such as Curtis Lofton, who neither pass rush nor drop into coverage, can’t command the lofty free-agent dollars they used to).
But defense still rules in the SEC, and this is where Georgia’s return to relevance comes in.
When Grantham — Richt’s fourth choice as defensive coordinator — was hired two years ago, the Dogs were coming off a season in which they ranked 38th in total defense and 63rd in points against. The question wasn’t whether Willie Martinez would get fired, the question was whether he would be able to make it out of the parking lot.
Oh, boy. Here we go again.
Grantham, now in his third spring with the Dogs, has brought success — the defense ranked fifth in yardage last season, 23rd in scoring and third in third-down efficiency– but more important he has changed the mentality and the focus at Georgia.
When asked what is different now from what he saw on tape from Georgia players when he arrived, Grantham said, “The biggest thing we’ve done is we’ve become more resilient. We’ve learned to play every play. Did guys learn our system better last season? Yes. Were guys more comfortable? Yes. But playing the next play, competing, playing the game the way you’re supposed to, with effort, with toughness — that’s it. We’re tougher mentally. We’re tougher physically.”
There will be no cartoon-like predictions here. But that change in philosophy, combined with the Dogs’ soft-as-nougat-schedule next season, does set up for a potentially — potentially — special season. Also, Grantham seems to have learned from his own head-exploding tendencies.
“I’m driven,” he said, in comical understatement.
Driven — sort of like how Yosemite Sam was driven to get Bugs Bunny, only to inadvertently wire his boot to the dynamite.
Grantham admits he has “lived and learned. There are cameras everywhere.”
Two years ago, one spotted him grabbing his throat and yelling, “You’re gonna [bleepin'] choke” at Florida kicker Chas Henry, as the 21-year-old was lining up for a potential game-winning field goal.
Last season came the postgame skirmish with Vanderbilt coach James Franklin, fueled in part by Grantham’s beliefs that the Commodores were playing dirty.
Days following each incident, Grantham expressed regret. “I’ll use it as a learning experience,” he said of the Franklin confrontation.
So it won’t happen again?
“We’ll see,” he said, smiling. “When you put a hundred hours a week into something, you’ve got a pretty vested interest in it.”
Two embarrassing incidents had the potential to derail things. But Grantham has managed to overcome, well, himself.
The defense succeeded last season despite having 11 different lineups in 14 games because of suspensions and injuries. Georgia has great athletes, but that always has been the case. College teams aren’t defined by the number of stars on letter-of-intent day, they’re defined by how players develop and play.
“In this profession you either get better or worse, so you can’t stop teaching,” Grantham said. “In the pros [as an assistant with Dallas] I saw that if a guy knew that you could make him better and extend his career, you never had issues with him. At this level, you’re obviously developing more. But when players know you have a genuine interest in them and they believe in you, that goes a long ways.”
Grantham spent 11 years in the NFL. When asked if he prefers coaching in college, he said, “Obviously, I wanted to come here. I was friends with Nick Saban and used to watch him when he was at LSU. Systematically, we’re pretty similar. I felt like we could have that kind of success.”
The Dogs aren’t nearly at the Saban level of success. But at least they’ve figured out which side of the ball matters most.
By Jeff Schultz
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458 comments Add your comment
Joe
March 28th, 2012
8:47 am
Finally a coach that “gets it”…Erk would be proud!!!!!!!!! We have been missing this type of fire for YEARS!!!
Tide is rolling and nothing can stop it
March 28th, 2012
8:49 am
The fact that you guys love a coordinator who averaged 39 pts to ranked teams is one of the key reasons you cannot win a championship.
The UGA offense was 4th in pts scored last year, third in yards/game and Bobo didn’t have a Jarvis Jones to work with.
I still cannot get over an entire states football stupidity.
Keep waiting on another Herschel, Dawgies…
TampaGator
March 28th, 2012
8:55 am
“How the heck did Georgia lose that game 42-10 after allowing LSU no first downs and 10 net yards in the first half? Despite the fact that Georgia matched LSU athlete for athlete.”
@Slydog…..
Matched LSU athlete for athlete???? You need to change those rose colored glasses. The only team that did that last year….was Bama….and they only did it 50% of the time.
TampaGator
March 28th, 2012
8:59 am
Also….Georgia’s defense did not play well again top ranked teams…and gave up 30 plus points in a loss to a Big Ten team. Georgia’s defense still has a lot to prove before anyone outside of Athens and Atlanta rates that defense…..GREAT…..or their DC….GREAT. Right now….the two great DCs reside at Bama and LSU. PERIOD.
dawgfan
March 28th, 2012
9:04 am
I could not disagree more with this column. The key to UGA’s success in 2012 and beyond is the offensive line. We will not be winning any championships until that group grows a little sack and starts blocking better. They’ve been getting a free pass from the fans for too long now while the QB takes all the heat. It is not Aaron Murray’s responsibility to run block people. We have absolutely no running game against good teams. You won’t beat any good teams in the SEC, or the Big 10 for that matter as we saw in the bowl game, without a running game. It puts too much pressure on the rest of the team. The QB starts pressing trying to make plays. The defense gets tired. Defense DOES NOT win championships. Defense AND a strong running game wins championships.
Class dismissed.
Matt
March 28th, 2012
9:06 am
THis program needed a hard a$$ and they have one.
dawgfan
March 28th, 2012
9:09 am
TampaGator, the facts speak for themselves and I cannot argue with them. But if you watched those games, particularly LSU and MSU, you would know that our defense played well enough to win. They weren’t perfect and there is room for improvement, but with a little help from the offense we could have beat MSU and at least stayed in the building with LSU and perhaps even won. The offense put the D in absolutely horrific situations with turnovers and 3 and out after 3 and out. It all comes back to the lack of a running game. Our O-line was absolutey humilated in both of those games and got their tails whipped bad. That’s why we lost those games.
Thanks.
BulldogBen
March 28th, 2012
9:12 am
The best part about Grantham’s success is that it will now put the spotlight DIRECTLY on Mike Bobo.
If you are losing with a Top 5 Defense, then the problem sir, is you.
GT
March 28th, 2012
9:13 am
Penalties kill Georgia. It is an attitude that drugs the whole program. There is no disciple, lots of talent according to reports, but most of it never sees the field. The other team is dirty? A huge amount of these penalties come from cheap shots taken by the Georgia defense, it is documented. And when they are not being penalized they are out of position trying to make ESPN kind of cheap shots instead of playing disciple football. The only thing that has saved Georgia is the demise last year of Florida, Tennessee and Auburn. Nothing to do with defense, just pure luck. They didn’t beat South Carolina, and didn’t play anybody else until they played LSU which killed them. Nothing in that game showed anybody they are in that class of the SEC, and then Alabama beats LSU about like LSU beat Georgia. Smoke and mirrors ,and paid PR, can’t hide the truth this team is always one wild night from disaster. I dealt in the history of the SEC has more talent been wasted by poor coaching and poor administration. You should be making them including Grantham earn this respect not cheap grace for a job yet done.
Ed Pilcher
March 28th, 2012
9:14 am
I would, just once, love to see Grantham’s defense shut down that GT option. Yes, we’ve beaten them both years under his watch, but it was more of a ‘bend but don’t break’ defense that was used, primarily because of GT’s weaknessess with the passing game. I know GT will get their yards, but I’d just like to see UGA hold them under 300 yards for a change.
Jimmy Crack
March 28th, 2012
9:16 am
GT, still working on that post-doctorate GED?
5150 UOAD
March 28th, 2012
9:17 am
Year of the Dawg
March 28th, 2012
6:23 am
It kills me to see everybody talk about how easy our schedule is . Its still in the SEC thought people on here and the ajc had football knowledge. Go Dawgs it;s going to be a long hard fight.
Is it really an SEC schedule
Sat, Sep. 01 Buffalo Athens, Ga………………………..hahah SEC
Sat, Sep. 08 Missouri * Columbia, Mo……………SEC? lite
Sat, Sep. 15 Florida Atlantic Athens, Ga…………haha SEC
Sat, Sep. 22 Vanderbilt * Athens, Ga………………..SEC? lite @ Home
Sat, Sep. 29 Tennessee * Athens, Ga………………..SEC? lite @ Home
Sat, Oct. 06 South Carolina * Columbia, S.C……SEC? they finally they are Good
Sat, Oct. 13 Open
Sat, Oct. 20 Kentucky * Lexington, Ky…………….SEC? lite
Sat, Oct. 27 Florida * at Jacksonville, Fla……………SEC not good but they OWN UGa
Sat, Nov. 03 Ole Miss * Athens, Ga………………..SEC? lite @ Home
Sat, Nov. 10 Auburn * Auburn, Ala……………………….Usually a good game no matter what
Sat, Nov. 17 Georgia Southern Athens, Ga………….hahah SEC
Sat, Nov. 24 Georgia Tech………………………………….10 of 11
Looking like the SEC Least schedule. Call it the SEC when you play Good SEC Teams. You play a bunch of traditional Losers. The traditional good team you play have been down due to some coaching changes.
dawgfan
March 28th, 2012
9:23 am
“I would, just once, love to see Grantham’s defense shut down that GT option.”
You must have been sleeping under a rock when it did just that this past season.
1eyedJack
March 28th, 2012
9:23 am
“The Dogs aren’t nearly at the Saban level of success. But at least they’ve figured out which side of the ball matters most.”
I think that CMR and CMB have also finally realized that you “have absolutely got to” be able to run the ball. Down their throats. When they know it’s coming.
Maybe then we’ll attain “the Saban level of success.”
JB
March 28th, 2012
9:24 am
Excited about the Dawg defense this year. Grantham will show his worth in the 2013 season as we’ll have 10 new starters on defense with a lot harder schedule.
dawgfan
March 28th, 2012
9:24 am
5150 UOAD, run your mouth about UGA’s schedule when you aren’t playing in the pile of crap ACC and losing to Utah and Air Force in bowl games clown.
Thanks.
Vince
March 28th, 2012
9:25 am
Folks—You sound like nations going to war–You just can’t remember lessons from history. Here’s what it takes to win in the SEC—(1) A defense that can stop the run—(2) An above average sustaining running game—(3) Exceptional special teams play. Simple–Easy
JB
March 28th, 2012
9:26 am
This year would of been the year to play Bama, not 2013. THEY have 12 new starters this year, and in 2013, Dawgs will have about 15 new starters.
GT
March 28th, 2012
9:26 am
Russel was a great defensive coach coach. Muschamp and Smart were and are great defensive coaches. Tommy Spangler at La. Tech is even a good defensive coach, it is not like you haven’t seen one or know what one is, you have supplied the rest of the SEC with them. It is this coach, this era ,this administration that is at fault.
1eyedJack
March 28th, 2012
9:27 am
“disciple football”?
Is that what they play at GT or Alabama?
Dawg Whisperer
March 28th, 2012
9:32 am
How you know UGA has a good coach. Virtual unanaminity among the dawg faithful on AJC sports blogs that praise Grantham’s abilities. Virtual unamanity among the UGA haters that despise and ridicule him. One constant stat thrown out there by the haters is the points per game given up against good teams. Anyone watching the games knows the UGA offense was the primary culprit. Stats are frequently used to prove or disprove an argument. UGA fans watch the games and can see the huge potential that Grantham has wrought. Keep on hating…. Wet Willie and other UGA groupies.
Thank God for Reggie Ball
March 28th, 2012
9:43 am
the thing is though, Missouri, Vanderbilt, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Ole Miss are MILES better than Virginia, Miami, Maryland, Duke, North Carolina, and Boston College lol
and don’t talk smack about us playing Buffalo and Georgia Southern when you have Presbyterian, and Middle Tennessee State lol
Wet Willie...keep on smiling
March 28th, 2012
9:43 am
@columbus dog…UGA beat Nick Saban’s 1st team and worst team in OT! That was your best team 2007..you know the one that beat that powerhouse Hawaii team. In 2008 which was Nick’s 2nd team and your so called #1 ranked UGA leg humper deal were blasted 31-0 at the half. You recall that now don’t you sport!
Granthan has beaten nobody as of today that has beaten somebody but that could change. He supplies the discipline just like Calloway and VanGorder did in the good years.
Good ole UGA…the best college football team in America from now until August! Ruff Ruff..even Jeff called you out as the same…LOL 1980..Oh Boy..as Buddy Holly sang.
Thank God for Reggie Ball
March 28th, 2012
9:44 am
btw 6 of those 8 games are at HOME (granted GT does have one of the smallest home field advantages of any BCS conference team)
A Father
March 28th, 2012
9:45 am
Wow: GA say I am not a fan when I mention the fact that Todd Grantham, then one most on this thread are saying is great, is not going to sign a new contract and it has been over 6 months now since it started negotiations. Todd Grantham is gone, without a doubt he is gone if Richt signs through 2016.
Facts: Todd Grantham has brought a life to the defensive team not seen since BVG who is now at Auburn, however, the GA defense has been less than stellar in many games having had their a^^ handed to them by B ST, S Carolina, Vandy, LSU, M St. Some weaker teams had some very successful halfs of football against us as well.
GA biggest issue continues from 09,10,11: we do not have a QB that is any good. Every fan needs to quit blaming OL etc and realize that until a football team has a TOP LEVEL QB, many let downs will occur. Look for a 9-3, 10-2 season against what is undoubtably the easies schedule ever and the worse home schedule ever.
The leadership of UGA athletics is at an all time low:
Wilson
March 28th, 2012
9:45 am
Since it keeps getting brought up:
FYI- UGA has won 3 of the last 4 against Bama, 6 out of 10 against LSU and 9 of 11 against Ark. Just sayin.
Thank God for Reggie Ball
March 28th, 2012
9:47 am
@Wet Willie
in fairness though, talking of the 07 UGA-Bama game, I think EVERYONE here will agree that that UGA team was not NEARLY the same team that ended that year. You can thank Richt’s Celebration move against UF for flipping the switch a few weeks later.
I got a bone about the bammers when it comes to 07 UGA (2011 Bama)
Spike 80DF
March 28th, 2012
9:48 am
Tampagator, you can’t look at the final score to determine how the defense played…..i seem to remember a pick 6 Murray threw in the bowl game to let them back in it and I’m sure he turned it over a few other times so NO, the defense didn’t give up over 30 points to MSU.
Didn’t the D also keep LSU from getting a first down in the first half before the turnovers happened and the flood gates opened in the second half? It’s hard to stop a very good power running team like LSU when our D is on the field the whole second half…..
GA 'P'- funk
March 28th, 2012
9:50 am
I love my dogs, but Coach Grantham needs to improve the defense against teams with winning records. The thing I hate most is looking back at the games against LSU and Michigan State. The first half of both games the defense was exactly what i want to see from a Bulldog Defense. The second half of both games, the defense did not look so good. Not sure if it was conditioning, prevent defenses or Murrays bad field position with costly turn overs. This upcoming season, we must sustain the 1st half play throughout the entire game to be in the LSU, Alabama class. Grantham needs to finish the drill in this upcoming season in both halves of the game against good competition.
mcdaviddawg
March 28th, 2012
9:54 am
Who knew? Not Richt, he’s got other things to do. You can’t win 13, 14 games without a head coach.
GT
March 28th, 2012
9:55 am
Wilson, you are saying Alabama in the same breath with Alabama is that on purpose. If so, Georgia doesn’t need to win they have it built in their imagination. Who knows maybe you people have decided like Tech that there is something lost in not being a football factory, and if so good for you, but stop spending so much money. Do you think any coach in the SEC or the ACC for that matter could not do just as well with the talent you have? And do you think that talents shows up there because of Richt or is it the state of Georgia that has the talent? Georgia and Florida high school talent, make the SEC the best conference in the nation, but for a long while it has not helped either school in Georgia be the best.
Spike
March 28th, 2012
9:55 am
@GT.. We beat you again. How is that bowl record doing? The Emerald Bowl sure misses you guys.
Spike 80DF
March 28th, 2012
9:57 am
Dawgs finished 5th in total defense and finished 39th in total offense.
Dumb dawgs
March 28th, 2012
10:03 am
“the program that recently had produced the likes of A.J. Green and Matthew Stafford”
They will have more success in the NFL than UGA. Most UGA players who go on to the NFL do.
Wake me up when UGA plays a hard schedule.
5150 UOAD
March 28th, 2012
10:05 am
dawgfan like UCF and MSU and playing all the weak SEC teams. go to sleep Moe Ron
truedawg
March 28th, 2012
10:06 am
Thanks coach TG for all your hard work!!
Glad to see the Dawgs finally get it. Good D and run the ball..gets it done..
GO DAWGS!!!
dawgfan
March 28th, 2012
10:06 am
“Every fan needs to quit blaming OL etc and realize that until a football team has a TOP LEVEL QB, many let downs will occur.”
LOL. LSU won the SEC with a two QB rotation last year. What in the hell are you talking about?
A Father
March 28th, 2012
10:09 am
GA p funk: the most concerning aspect of what you post is the actual Linebacker play in those games. The offense lineman fired straight off the ball into the linebackers knocking them backwards. The defensive lineman made zero plays during this time.
The vandy game was horrible, the Vandy offense fired straight off the ball and wore the linebackers out. Never seen such distruction. Franklin is a top Offensive Coach and he put it to our defense. Thankfully the game came to an end when it did. What concerns me about our defense is good quality teams knock our linebackers straight back running the ball inside our tackles.
The key to pro football defense is forcing the ball to the sidelines as a 12th man. Does not seem to work at the college level as well. I am concerned about our 2012 defense because the first two years had improvement, but no where near dominate against QUALITY TEAMS.
A Father
March 28th, 2012
10:13 am
dawgfan: a player mutiny occured before the NCG by many LSU players against Jefferson starting against Alabama. Les Miles for whatever reason refused to play the best QB.
I dont care about what Les Miles does at LSU, Mark Richt has fallen in love with a short weak armed panic stricken QB. It will continue to kill us in 2012.
G-Dawg
March 28th, 2012
10:17 am
Schedule, schedule, schedule….and why is it our fault other teams have had a few down years? I betcha Saban, Spurrier, Miles wouldnt complain about that schedule. I dont see any SECW teams complaining about playing any of the east teams during the regular season. So quit all your beotching and whining. Regardless…Tenn, UF, Vandy, and SC will not be a cakewalk for any teams they play next year…cause they cant get any worse…each team will be much improved.
truedawg
March 28th, 2012
10:18 am
You don’t need a Elite QB , just a good one, if Murray learns ball control, we’ll be fine. Look at Bama and LSU. Great running game, and deeeeeeeep defense, and tough D. That’s what it takes to win in the SEC. look at even the gators last NC, Tebow couldn’t throw, they ran the ball and had short passes and a great D. Don’t lose it on turn overs and special teams and you can win. It’s that simple! Dawgs came a long way last year, and look for them to improve more this year. mark it down..GA vs Ark in the Dome, both teams will be one loss teams and the winner goes to the NC game. Go Dawgs!!!
Dumb dawgs
March 28th, 2012
10:19 am
“Dawgs finished 5th in total defense and finished 39th in total offense.”
Yet they didn’t beat one top ranked opponent. Humiliated on national tv twice and losing to a Big 10 team is hilarious.
Dumb dawgs
March 28th, 2012
10:20 am
“LSU won the SEC with a two QB rotation last year.”
False. LSU won with an incredible defense.
what of it?
March 28th, 2012
10:21 am
Imagine that, playing every down, making open-field tackles, and playing good fundamentals improved the defense. Surely no one could have predicted that when Martinez was here.
Fair play to Grantham. He’s done well, but you have to excel on both sides of the ball and the offense lacks that discipline. Also coaches don’t exist in a vacuum like the media. They rely on instinct and split-second decisions. At least one of our coaches has fire in his belly.
Dumb dawgs
March 28th, 2012
10:21 am
“I betcha Saban, Spurrier, Miles wouldnt complain about that schedule”
Those coaches win against quality opponents. Those coaches all have national title trophies. Even Auburn has one and they played a tougher schedule.
Dumb dawgs
March 28th, 2012
10:21 am
“You don’t need a Elite QB , just a good one”
It doesn’t hurt to have a Cam or a Tebow on your team.
Dumb dawgs
March 28th, 2012
10:22 am
“UGA has won 3 of the last 4 against Bama”
UGA is scared to play Bama. Bama destroyed UGA the last time they played. What’s the ALL TIME record against UGA/BAMA?
Try again, mutts.
Dumb dawgs
March 28th, 2012
10:23 am
UGA is the most irrelevant wannabe school in the SEC. All talk and nothing to show for it.
I-DOG
March 28th, 2012
10:24 am
loyalty is wonderful, but I think most of us would agree that Richt’s firing of Martinez was not only justified, but made the defense better. One might argue that the players are better or that the schedule was easier last year, but I would submit that there was PLENTY of talent and experience on many of Martinez’ squads, but the defense wasn’t playing well. In Grantham’s first year, we had a BIG problem getting off the field on 3rd down, but you could see signs that the defense was getting better. In year 2 of the 3-4 and with 2 Noseguards ready to play, it took a giant step forward. Hoping year 3 shows continued improvement.
truedawg
March 28th, 2012
10:25 am
Bama had no Tebow or Cam and they won..and Bama won with John Parker Wilson….D wins titles. and a good running game..look what Tebow and Cam were..RB’s in the QB postion. Run the ball and have a great D it’s that simple!! The dawgs got the Dgoign in the right direction, and signed the fool out of some RB’s….Go Dawgs!!!