Progress pleases McGarity, but he’s still not ‘comfortable’

Greg McGarity is pleased but not content with Georgia's turnaround under Mark Richt. (Curtis Compton/AJC)

Greg McGarity is pleased but not content with Georgia's turnaround under Mark Richt. (Curtis Compton)

Greg McGarity is avoiding amusement parks and costumed cartoon characters this week. He found his own “Happiest Place on Earth” in Orlando – roaming the aisles of a Barnes and Noble while clutching a gift card.

“I’m going to spend all of this,” he said by phone.

McGarity loves books, particularly anything on leadership. His favorite is, “Great by Choice: Uncertainty, Chaos, and Luck — Why Some Thrive Despite Them All,” by Jim Collins.

“There’s a section in there on productive paranoia,” Georgia’s athletic director said. “I think all ADs have a level of that.”

It is why, despite the generally positive feelings that surround the Georgia football program these days, McGarity isn’t nearly satisfied. In fact, when asked if he felt comfortable about the program’s turnaround and direction, he all but chewed up the word and spit it out.

“I don’t think you ever get comfortable,” he said. “There’s always something that needs improvement. You always have to find ways to get better. Comfortable? No. I don’t think that’s the word I would use at all. I don’t think anybody should feel real comfortable with any part of our football program, or any program.”

Step on the gas.

McGarity walked into a mess in August 2010. He replaced Damon Evans, who was fired following a DUI arrest. He started work a week before the first game of what turned into a 6-7 football season. He watched as the Bulldogs started the following year 0-2, as speculation grew about Mark Richt’s future. So much for easing in.

As Georgia prepares for the Capital One Bowl against Nebraska, the view has changed significantly. The Bulldogs fell five yards short of going to the BCS title game, losing the SEC championship to Alabama 32-28. Since going 6-9 to begin McGarity’s tenure, Georgia is 21-4. The four losses: two in SEC Championship games (LSU, Alabama), one in a bowl (Michigan State), one in the regular season (South Carolina).

What does Richt get for this? A pat on the back, mostly. He didn’t receive a raise in June. His new five-year contract kept the salary about the same ($2.8 million) but doubled incentive bonuses ($200,000 for an SEC title; $800,000 for the BCS). Richt also was allowed to walk away at any time. No buyout. In other words: You want to go? Go.

“There were some things important to Mark and some things important to me,” McGarity said. “Performance incentives are important. They sort of make all of us work a little harder. I’m not saying that’s the end all, but if you have the opportunity to maximize your potential, any competitive person will justify that.”

Step on the gas.

There’s little sense of satisfaction with McGarity. Don’t misunderstand. He’s pleased with the program’s turnaround. “Gratified,” was the word he used.

He is holding off giving a final grade on this season because, “We still have a final exam against Nebraska. I would just say thus far I’m extremely proud of the way our team and coaches have approached the season. I see tremendous potential for the program continuing to develop, if we have that same commitment and that same drive.”

He understands there’s still an unhappy segment of the fan base. But he refers to them as, “the society of the miserable. They’re going to vent when things are going really well and when they’re not.”

McGarity could have listened to “the noise,” as he calls it, but he didn’t fire Richt after that 6-7 season. He took notes. He asked Richt what he needed and provided support. The nutrition and strength-and-conditioning programs were revamped. When there was a subject that bothered McGarity in the middle of the night, he would wake up the next morning, go to work and ask Richt about it.

College and professional sports aren’t any different in this regard: It’s still about leadership, laying out a blueprint and problem solving.

The 2010 season “wasn’t acceptable,” McGarity said. “Not to Mark, not to anyone. What you saw from that point was perhaps a refocus, a lot of hard work. Mark has said this before, but when the team was 0-2 there wasn’t a lot of finger pointing. Credit goes to the staff and everybody in the program for not disintegrating. The proof is in the record.”

The loss to Alabama still stings. McGarity called it one of the three most difficult defeats he ever has been associated with. The other two: Georgia’s 27-23 loss to Penn State in the Sugar Bowl (1982 season). The Florida women’s tennis team’s NCAA championship loss to Stanford (after leading 5-3 in the deciding set).

“What made the Sugar Bowl loss even worse was the winning touchdown was scored by a player named Gregg Garrity,” he said. “No relation.”

That game was for a national championship. The defeat four weeks ago wasn’t, but the stakes were almost as big.

“You’re fortunate in this business when the great wins in this business outnumber the tough days,” he said. “It just seems the tough losses stay with you the longest.”

The losses mean there’s room for improvement. The losses, and even fear of losses, keeps you a little comfortable. Maybe even paranoid. Nobody should expect that to change.

By Jeff Schultz

364 comments Add your comment

Ghost

December 29th, 2012
11:47 am

Cash the Check, UGA football graduation rate in 2011 was 68% well over where it was 5 years ago when it was at 41%. Get out much?

GB's Hamburgers

December 29th, 2012
11:50 am

I believe there is a fundamental flaw in the UGA program. The offensive scheme works against the defense instead of complimenting it. It’s a great scheme but it results in quick touchdowns. It’s hard to complain about that but it does forces the defense to stay on the field for many more plays than the opposition. Result? Even with our great atheletes on defense, they cannot hold up. To reverse that we need to be able to run the ball when it’s absolutely necessary like Bama did on us. And so you see the difference between the two teams and why one wins national championships. Bama gets the elite offensive linemen while that remains a problem for UGA under Richt.

Ghost

December 29th, 2012
12:22 pm

Cash the Check , Weak schedules? 2008 SOS # 11, 2009 SOS # 7, 2010 SOS 30th, 2011 SOS 23rd, 2012 SOS 39th. Is it Georgias fault that Tenn and Auburn programs have slipped ? . Just for reference Bamas schedule is 33rd , S Carolinas 34th, LSU 29th, Notre Dame 31st.Florida 15th.

My-Guy

December 29th, 2012
1:02 pm

All this media, radios, & blogs hating on Georgia’s football program are people with envy, jealously, and hatred! They know a lot of players from Georgia are in the NFL, they know all the talent comes from Georgia, they are trying to get recruits to come to GT, Florida State, Ohio State, and other schools instead of Georgia! 4-5 star recruits will continue to come to the DAWG NATION & nothing is going to stop that! All of y’all haters are jealous and want y’all recruits to come to y’all schools. Georgia is not falling into Tennessee’s trap, NEVER!

Put in Timeout by Ken Suguira,Filtered by Mark Bradley, Banned by Bill King, Chip Towers & only slightly loved by Jeff Schultz.

December 29th, 2012
1:15 pm

Ghost….I’m not sur how the SOS is decided but just the EYE test says UGa’s schedule was EZ like butter. UGa has a Bowl eligible EZ schedule pretty much every year anyway. USC finally got good but that is usually and ez win so I guess it is swapped with Tenn these days. Kentucky, Vandy, Mizzou, Tech, Ga Sou or the likes, Fla Atl, and Coastal Carolina on the schedule every year, UGa should be in a Bowl while walking blind through the season with the talent the dWags get.

Gwinnett Finest

December 29th, 2012
1:17 pm

Jenkins obviously was focused on the NFL and not academics since he let himself become academically ineligible by bowl season. What a damn joke. Richt and staff didn’t know he was in jeopardy? Yeah, right. GA reaps what they sow.

Put in Timeout by Ken Suguira,Filtered by Mark Bradley, Banned by Bill King, Chip Towers & only slightly loved by Jeff Schultz.

December 29th, 2012
1:20 pm

My-Guy….but Georgia can’t get’m & under-educate’m all the state of Georgia recruits that can play D-1 ball. LOL

Ghost

December 29th, 2012
1:35 pm

Timeout, It’s basically the same schedule every other SEC team plays. The SEC is a tough league Mizzou lost 7 games 5 of those losses came to teams that finished in the top 10, everyone plays 2 weak OOC teams.Next year Ole Miss is replaced by LSU. and Buffalo by Clemson. Put teams like Mizzou , Vandy Ole miss is a conference like the ACC and they are a bowl team competing for their division titles.

MT

December 29th, 2012
1:40 pm

South Carolina Gamecocks have owned UGA the last 5 years

SC only has 17 wins over UGA total. UGA HAS 45+
First time ever they have won 3 in a row over UGA.

Tough love

December 29th, 2012
3:04 pm

Ghost

Not sure where you got your football Grad numbers from but during the last 5 years the numbers have fallen.

As for USC they have owned UGa the last 5 years.

You keep wanting to go back 10 plus years to spin things but get up to date a look at the last 5 more relevant years.

It takes losers like you who always spin things and use outdated facts and figures to spin that point.

How about the number of UGa players who have criminal records playing for UGa going up during the last 5 years?

Your arguments fail and your points are not sharp!

Bad Dawg, Bad Dawg

December 29th, 2012
3:25 pm

Been 32 years since one and only football national championship. LSU, Bama, Gators, Auburn and Vols ALL have won national titles in ’90’s through ‘12. How is that with SO much talent?

Tough love

December 29th, 2012
3:31 pm

MT

Spurrier owns UGA

Dave

December 29th, 2012
3:36 pm

JB nailed it

My-Guy

December 29th, 2012
3:51 pm

Three Simple Reasons Why We’ve Strugged against South Carolina Lately!

2010: AJ Green was suspended 4 straight games, look back at the Georgia @ South Carolina Highlights 2010, I guarantee you AJ Green would’ve made a lot more TD passes to the endzone. That’s one of the problems with our football program lately, suspensions & no descipline have cost us football games.

2011: We were at home, too many turnovers, special team mistakes, our O-line failed to protect Clowney! South Carolina faked us several times & our defense gave up so many yards. We were embarassed by Clowney’s fumble making it 45-35! Although we finished 45-42 but the on side kick failed…

2012: If we would’ve beat SC in 2010 or 2011, the 2012 game would’ve never been so big for gamecock fans, they knew 2012 was their best chance for a 3 year streak against us bulldogs, which made the crowd so electric & we never protected Clowney again… it seems like our coaching staff will never learn that Spurrier will always play us hard no matter what, we never prepared for it, suspensions cost us that game as well.

If Alabama was able to handle LSU in death valley, why couldn’t we handle South Carolina in gamecock territory, idk….

The last two South Carolina teams we beat (2008 & 2009) were 7-6 South Carolina teams we barely beat, BARELY, even in 2008 we were ranked #2 and still struggled with South Carolina. South Carolina has not been easy these past several years whether we are at home or in Columbia, SC!!! 2013 we get home field advantage against the gamecocks, the good news is, our O-line & hopefully Aaron Murray will be coming back with Gurshall, Mitchell, Bennett, etc. The bad news is, our defense will be rebuilding trying to go against Senior QB Connor Shaw with an experienced O-line, OUCH!!!!

DawgNole

December 29th, 2012
4:12 pm

Birdhair
December 28th, 2012
1:02 pm

I think the fact that we get to bring in a new recruiting coordinator will provide a positive impact to the program. We need a fresh start in this area. Read too often about top guys getting offered too late in the process. And too many players in the recent past have gotten kicked off the team for disciplinary reasons.
_________________

Agree with you on this one, BH. We’ve gotten highly ranked recruiting classes, but we just need a breath of fresh air in this area–along with more empasis on the interior lines. Hopefully the new guy will bring that.

DawgNole

December 29th, 2012
4:56 pm

Steve
December 28th, 2012
1:40 pm

Ohio State vs. the SEC in bowls since 1989:
Hall of Fame – Auburn – Loss
Citrus – UGA – Loss
Cirtus – Alabama – Loss
Citrus – Tennessee – Loss
Outback – South Carolina – Loss
Outback – South Carolina – Loss
BCS – Florida – Loss
BCS – LSU – Loss
Sugar – Arkansas – Win
Gator – Florida – Loss
I see where the hatred and jealousy comes from.
________________________

You can strike that W vs Ark; they had to vacate it due to NCAA rules violations.

Ghost

December 29th, 2012
4:57 pm

@Tough love,Since when does losing 3 in a row get turned into being owned for 5 years?The grad rates are up ;
http://onlineathens.com/uga/2012-10-25/uga-athlete-graduation-rates-continue-edge-upward
Outdated facts and figures last 2 years East Division champs. The last 5 years is fine they would be 4 th in the SEC in wins and that would include the aberration that was 2010. Its good to see a tradition-less program like S. Carolina enjoy a little success ,Spurrier has done a great job. Maybe someday they will actually play in a major bowl or win a conference title.

FLA DAWG

December 29th, 2012
5:27 pm

ND will beat Bama by 7 or more.

Herman from Mineral Bluff

December 29th, 2012
6:38 pm

In the last two seasons of Georgia football (the rebirth, if you will) Kansas State and South Carolina have as many wins as Georgia…Bama has more wins… LSU has more wins… Oregon has more wins… Boise State has more wins… Stanford has more wins…UGA has played 5 games vs. the 7 other best records of college football the last two seasons….owning an impressive 0-5 record (Boise, LSU, BAMA, SC x 2)…a top 8 record, built on a foundation of cupcakes…numbers don’t lie…

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

HOW CAN YOU UGALOSERS DEFEND THAT PATHETIC RECORD?

UGA OWNS gtu

December 29th, 2012
6:39 pm

Always better than gtu in every way.

DawgNole

December 29th, 2012
6:51 pm

Veteran Fan
December 28th, 2012
3:46 pm

Uga played way over their heads and Bama took them lightly in the first half to come close! It was a very good showing by the fifth best team in the conference(Bama, Texas AM, LSU, and USC)!
___________________

Three of the top 4 teams (according to you) in the SEC were beaten by 11-1 fla, yet you don’t include fla in your SEC top 5? Hello? There goes your credibility.

Game Changer

December 29th, 2012
6:56 pm

@Ghost

South Carolina beat every east division team in 2011, something Georgia has never done in a season since the beginning of division play in 1991. Spin this

UGA OWNS gtu

December 29th, 2012
7:04 pm

Hurts don’t it? BWAAAHAHAHAHAHHAHAAAAAA

We’re simply better than you.

DawgNole

December 29th, 2012
7:11 pm

BigJim
December 28th, 2012
7:45 pm

Hey bill…you gotta beat the ranked teams! Don’t you? If not, what kind of elite program do you have?! Especially if you are making $2.6 million a year. Just beat the ranked teams…not just the cupcakes! Can’t argue with statistics or facts…Mark Richt can’t beat ranked teams!
__________________

gators were ranked #2 when UGA beat them. Does that count as a ranked team?

Herman from Mineral Bluff

December 29th, 2012
7:13 pm

hey Dawgnole…see my post at 6:38…spin 0-5 for us….

Herman from Mineral Bluff

December 29th, 2012
7:19 pm

But Mr. Herman, we had the lead for a couple of minutes against Boise…we won the first half against LSU….we are still celebrating our loss to Bama…the South Carolina losses were abborations…we are a top program…we really are…NOT…great record against cupcakes…everybody in the SEC plays cupcakes, right?…GO DAWGS!!

Tough love

December 29th, 2012
7:27 pm

Ghost,

Easy when you lose 3 in a row that is being owned, it is called a trifecta!
Your graduation rates are for one year only, you still avoiding the other guys comments on the growing number of criminals admitted to the UGA over the past 5 years.

While you avoid those questions and answers you are have your head buried in the sand.

DawgNole

December 29th, 2012
7:27 pm

goFalcons
December 29th, 2012
2:17 am

MY DREAM AS A DOG FAN IS TO KEEP BOZO AND NOT SMART ON THE D,(THAT NOT MY DREAM) I WOULD NOT REJECT BUT I WANT JOHN CHAVIS AS OUR D CORD…………….THAT IS MY DREAM AS A DAWG FAN
_____________________

My dream as a Dawg fans is to not see any more embarrassing posts like this from a so-called Dawg fan.

UGA OWNS gtu

December 29th, 2012
7:28 pm

Hey gtu, don’t be bitter. It’s ugly.

DawgNole

December 29th, 2012
7:57 pm

Otto
December 29th, 2012
11:47 am

It may have been said before in here, but I’ll say it again..
How about a decent OOC schedule Greg?
___________________________

CO-SIGN!!! It hasn’t been said enough. Our OOC schedule is shameful, and if McGarity has anything to do with it (and he does, unfortunately) it won’t get much better. (Clemson was slated before he came on board.)

Evans at least tried to “spread the brand” by playing decent OOC teams home-and-home.

McCaysville Mickey

December 29th, 2012
7:59 pm

Herman, you can’t wake up them disneydawgs with facts! They still think they beat Alabama! I don’t think you have to be an idiot to be a Georgia fan. But, it certainly seems to make it alot easier to fit in with them. That is one sad, pathetic bunch.

DawgNole

December 29th, 2012
8:09 pm

Tough love
December 29th, 2012
3:04 pm

As for USC they have owned UGa the last 5 years.
___________________________

Let’s see, UGA beat USC in ‘08 and ‘09, yet USC “owns” UGA the past 5 years? You have the mathematical skills of a gamecock.

UGA OOC SUX

December 29th, 2012
8:13 pm

After Clemson series, nothing…LSU has TCU in Dallas this year, and home and home series scheduled with Arizona State, NC State, and Oklahoma all before 2020. Want respect? Go earn some. Charleston Southern in Athens next season certainly won’t earn you any respect.

Ghost

December 29th, 2012
11:17 pm

Gamechanger, Spin this, South Carolina is the most tradition-less program in the SEC. Hoo fllipping Ray they beat everyone in the East . Once. How many eastern division titles? 1 How many conference titles? ZERO How many major bowl appearances? ZERO , Top ten finishes? one
43-17 -2 spin around on that for a while. I respect what Spurriers done at Carolina, 2 years in a row he hasn’;t lost 5 or 6 games like he did his 1st 5 years.

Ghost

December 29th, 2012
11:39 pm

Tough love, all those criminals at UGA? Growing number of criminals? 6 UGA football players have been arrested since Dec. 2010. Over the same period 7 Gamecocks have been arrested. How many times did Stephan Garcia get suspended before he was kicked off the team? What about this?
South Carolina loses 12 football scholarships for NCAA violations …
http://www.tampabay.com/…/south-carolina-loses-12-football-scholarships-…Apr 27, 2012 – The NCAA has fined South Carolina and given the Gamecocks three years of probation for violations including failing to monitor its athletics …

Ghost

December 29th, 2012
11:46 pm

@ tough Love , You stated Georgia graduation rates had dropped every year the past 5 years, actually they have increased each of the last 5 years, perhaps you should have learned to read when you attended South Cackalacky.

Make Room

December 30th, 2012
12:44 am

Ghost,

I think Tough Love was trying to say that UGA has admitted onto the team incoming freshmen that have criminal records at a rate that is twice what it was 10 years ago. I also read the article I think he was trying to compare stats to.

If I remember correctly( the article was published in September) it stated that UGA and Florida had more than any other teams by a pretty big margin of players who PRIOR to arriving at UGA or Florida had arrest records as juveniles and or adults. LSU was third, Tenn was 4th, and surprising was that Vanderbilt was in the middle of the pack, but UGA and Florida were head and shoulders above everyone else in admittance to their respective schools.

Buckeye

December 30th, 2012
7:13 am

stevo,

From US News – the gold standard for ranking colleges:

The Ohio State University #56

dogs: #63

Funny!

Buckeye

December 30th, 2012
7:18 am

“Tub” Jenkins:

Heading to Waffle House. Going to eat the entire menu, smothered and covered, TWICE!

YUM

Buckeye

December 30th, 2012
7:28 am

stevo,

How’s the dog basketball program looking this year?

SCEC! SEC!

Buckeye

December 30th, 2012
7:51 am

“Tub” Jenkins:

Ah, that was good.

Whaddup for lunch?

Buckeye

December 30th, 2012
8:01 am

dogs will be cryin’ and a humpin’ until further notice.

RHall55

December 30th, 2012
8:30 am

Birdhair…you are really analyzing the wrong people…maybe Bobo needs to be more creative, but the real issue on offense is Coach Will Friend who has trouble recruiting the taller, bigger offensive lineman…ie: Brandon Shell, Antonio Richardson, Brandon Greene, Jesseman Dunker, Avery Young, Trenton Brown, Brandon Hill, etc (all @ SEC schools)…if he loses out on Tunsil this year…let him go!! And please send Coach DVH will him…cannot produce from his position as Director of Player Development!!

Game Changer

December 30th, 2012
9:29 am

@Ghost instead of demanding UGA win every game in the division you choose to attack me the poster with questions about South Carolina history. I am a UGA alum and could care less about South Carolina.

It is those like yourself that do not demand results on the field and judge themselves by comparison to others. If you win all your games you end up in first place – ” IF YOUR NOT FIRST YOU ARE LAST “. Only one bowl game matters, Alabama vs Notre Dame. All the others are no different than other shows giving entertainment. Bowl games are for the players, admins etc. to get a free trip at the EXPENSE of everyone else. Some of these games are at good venues while others suck for the fans. We are playing a team that got beat by 50 points or more twice and gave up 70 plus, this is not a joke is it? Nebraska has sold less than 4K tickets, UGA will not release the numbers but are way under the total guarantee, much like last year when UGA paid hundreds of thousands for unsold tickets to the Outback Bowl. This is not on the fans, the fact that UGA is not any longer respected nationally for bowl games Florida gets the trip to the Sugar Bowl. WEAK LEADERSHIP AT BUTTS MEHRE and no power in the SEC conference because of Michael Adams, McQuackity and others who chose to water down everything regarding UGA SPORTS. While we did experience exciting moments at times this year, the 2012 Season has to go down as a total failure. Why? we did not WIN THE SEC or make it to a top tier bowl against a top tier opponent – much less the NCG. One thing about our former RED PANTIES AD, he wanted to compete on a national map and was always pushing UGA to the very best bowl and venues available. McQuackity in nothing more than a leader that enjoys soft weak opponents because enough wins against ” ANY WEAKLING ” is enough for UGA fans to ” BLINDLY ” follow and allow them to keep ” EXHORBANENT SALARIES ” each year while never really accomplishing anything. The UGA sports programs are the gutter of all programs while you people ” SCREAM ” that we generate the third most revenue national yet finish continually in the middle of the pack for SEC Football and the other sports programs are failures.
” UGA SPORTS FAILURE CONTINUES OUT OF BUTTS MEHRE AND STILL NO ONE IS HELD ACCOUNTABLE OR PROVIDES LEADERSHIP “. UGA MENS SPORTS PROGRAMS ARE A DAMN DISGRACE.

McQuackity needs to go with Adams, patience is not an excuse for the failure to act . McQuackity comments and quotes show nothing more than a weakness at leadership and fosters the continuing divide among the old blue hairs in power and the younger UGA ALUMS who strive for excellance and being number one in all competition. EXCEPTING FAILURE HAS BECOME THE NORM FOR McQUACKITY AND THE UGA ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT!!!

Cobb Dawg

December 30th, 2012
9:43 am

Buckeye, your mommy wants her computer back. Guess it back to pimple-popping and World Of Warcraft for you!

Ghost

December 30th, 2012
10:13 am

Gamechanger, Sorry guy, I got half way through your post and puked at the part where going 11-2 winning the East is a total failure. You might want to take a look at who everyone in the SEC plays out of Conference, Georgia is just following suit. If you knew anything about the BCS and bowl structure you would realize Georgia wasn’t passed over for a BCS game . Florida finished in top 4 therefore they are automatically extended a BCS offer.Since a conference is limited to 2 invitations Georgia by playing and losing in the SEC championship game gets left out.It has nothing to do with with being disrespected.As for Nebraska , no one gets to choose who they play in a bowl. In case you missed it Northern Illinois and Louisville are playing in BCS bowls.
Georgia did get the best bowl available for an SEC team , outside the BCS. But keep believing what you want to believe , but I suggest that you take a look at the rest of SEC and who they played OOC. Perhaps you should do a little research before posting .

Put in Timeout by Ken Suguira,Filtered by Mark Bradley, Banned by Bill King, Chip Towers & only slightly loved by Jeff Schultz.

December 30th, 2012
10:19 am

Michigan St waited until the 4th qtr to play but they made the game exciting last night. What a crazy win.

I know people were unhappy with many of the bowl match up but we have had some upsets and some pretty good games so far. New Years Eve & New Years Day game will be the real tell. Most games don’t look loke must see TV but we could be surprised.

DawgNole

December 30th, 2012
10:48 am

Ghost
December 30th, 2012
10:13 am

Gamechanger, Sorry guy, I got half way through your post and puked at the part where going 11-2 winning the East is a total failure. You might want to take a look at who everyone in the SEC plays out of Conference, Georgia is just following suit . . .
But keep believing what you want to believe , but I suggest that you take a look at the rest of SEC and who they played OOC.
__________________

Yes, Game Changer’s post was mostly mindless, with one exception: His take on UGA’s disgraceful OOC scheduling and Damon Evans’ willingness to “spread the brand” is spot on.

Hiding behind the old “But everyone else is doing it” excuse is cowardly at best. DON’T be like everyone else! Step up and play somebody for a change. DON’T drop Oregon. Play Clemson EVERY year. DON’T play any more weak-azz FCS teams! No more Buffalos, Coastal Carolinas, New Mexico States, LA-Lafayettes, FLA Atlantics, Idaho States, Tennessee Techs, Central Michigans, Western Carolinas, Troys, etc. It’s disgraceful.

And above all, DON’T hide behind that “tough SEC schedule” BS. When you play Vandy and KY EVERY year, you already have two built-in cupcakes. And NO, Vandy’s not worth a damn. Don’t believe it? Check our record against the mighty commode doors. Total domination.

Enough already with the marshmallow OOC scheduling. You earn respect by playing respectable opponents–HOME & HOME! It’s WAY past time for UGA to start down that path.

tony

December 30th, 2012
10:56 am

Here’s how the dawgs fared in the rankings(O/D) compared to the other sec teams that won a national championship. I’m only showing rush offense and total defense since the sec is a smashmouth football leaguee. I also included win and loss record against rank opponents

2003 Rushing Offense……..Total Defense
LSU 27th………………..LSU 1st..w/l Rank Opponents 4–0
Georgia 74th…………….UGA 4th….w/l Rank Opponents 3–3

2006 Rushing Offense……..Total Defense
Florida 38th…………….Florida 6th..w/l Rank Opponents 5-1
Georgia 71st…………….Georgia 8th..w/l Rank Opponents 3-2

2007 Rushing Offense……..Total Defense
LSU 11th………………..LSU 3rd…..w/l Rank Opponents 7-2
Georgia 37th…………….UGA 14th….w/l Rank Opponents 5-0

2008 Rushing Offense……..Total Defense
Florida 10th……………Florida 9th…w/l Rank Opponents 6-0
Georgia 56th……………Georgia 22nd..w/l Rank Opponents 3-3

2009 Rushing Offense……..Total Defense
Alabama 12th…………….Alabama 2nd..w/l Rank Opponents 6-0
Georgia 47th……………Georgia 38th..w/l Rank Opponents 1-3

2010 Rushing Offense……..Total Defense
AUburn 5th………………Auburn 60th..w/l Rank Opponents 6-0
Georgia 73rd……………Georgia 23rd..w/l Rank Opponents 0-4

2011 Rushing Offense……..Total Defense
Alabama 16th…………….Alabama 1st..w/l Rank Opponents 4-1
Georgia 49th…………….Georgia 5th..w/l Rank Opponents 2-4

2012 Rushing Offense……..Total Defense
Alabama 19th…………….Alabama 1st..w/l Rank Opponents 4-1?
Georgia 42th……………Georgia 28th..w/l Rank Opponents 1-2

Top recruiting sec teams from 2002 to 2012

fla 30 (5stars) & 128 (4stars) 2 NCs
uga 13 (5stars) & 125 (4stars) no nc
lsu 19 (5stars) & 117 (4stars) 2 NCs
ala 17 (5stars) & 94 (4stars) 2 NCs

Ghost

December 30th, 2012
10:58 am

Dawgnole, I am all for playing tough home and home schedules, but not while everyone else in the conference is scheduling cupcakes. Everyones OOC is disgraceful not just UGAs.Georgia is harnessed with having to play GT every year, perhaps we should treat GT like southern play them once every 4 years in Athens and schedule Oregon and others to take their place.