Richt: It’s ‘sickening’ how close Dogs were
Coach Mark Richt said today that he discussed last Saturday’s controversial unnecessary roughness call on safety Reshad Jones with SEC head of officials Rogers Reddding, not so much because it was a bad call (which Richt thinks it was) but because he wanted to be able to coach Jones about “what he can do” on such plays in the future.
“I spent a lot of time on that,” Richt told the UGA Alumni Association’s Bulldog Breakfast Club gathering at the Tate Center in Athens. “I can’t tell you how many times I watched the film” on the play.
Richt said Redding explained to him that the new NCAA rule forbids the defender to lead with the helmet, leave his feet to launch himself like a missile or hit above the shoulders.
“Everything Reshad did was within the rule,” Richt said, but unfortunately the Oklahoma State receiver ducked his head down as he was hit in the chest, making the Big 12 officials calling the game believe it was a helmet-to-helmet blow. “It happened so fast,” Richt said. “And it was a devastating hit,” but “I didn’t agree with [the call].”
Richt did note with a laugh that earlier in the game an OSU player led with his helmet in hitting the Dogs’ Shaun Chapas “but for some reason the Big 12 boys waved it off.”
Richt greeted the crowd of a couple of hundred UGA alums and guests by noting ruefully, “Usually when we do this breakfast, we’re undefeated.”
But, he said, “we did play a very good team, a team that’s now ranked No. 5. Of course, they’re ranked No. 5 because they beat us.”
Richt said the loss to the Cowboys is not one the Dogs should be ashamed of because “we were really close to making things 180 degrees different,” citing the block in the back that negated a big punt return, Richard Samuel being tripped up on what looked to be a touchdown run and Darryl Gamble dropping what should have been an interception. “It was kind of sickening how close it was and [yet] we didn’t get it done.”
The lesson for his players? “Little things are so crucial.”
Still, he said, sounding like his mentor Bobby Bowden, “I thought our defense played pretty dadgum good.”
Plus, he said, “at least we have some experience under our belts. If we’d played a team that wasn’t as much of a challenge, we might not have learned some of the things about our team that we learned.”
The coach quickly addressed what he called the “hot rumor” that circulated this week that Logan Gray would start at quarterback in place of Joe Cox against South Carolina, repeating the joke he used in his Thursday media briefing by first saying, “That’s not true. Aaron Murray is gonna start,” then quickly adding, “No, I’m just kidding. … Joe’s gonna start. Joe’s ready to play.”
Richt again said he thought the rumor started because the Georgia coaching staff has started giving Cox a day off from throwing on Wednesdays “to make sure he’s fresh” for Saturday’s game.
Tailback Caleb King, he said, is still struggling to come back from a hamstring injury and was easily fatigued in practices this week. Richt said it is “very doubtful” King will play this week.
Asked about true freshman Washaun Ealey, Richt said that the practice time Ealey missed due to an injured elbow held him back. “He looks good,” the coach said, but “he still doesn’t know what to do like he should. We could just hand him the ball [in a game] and we may do that. But we have to keep giving him reps [in practice] on blitz pickups.”
Assessing upcoming foe South Carolina, Richt said their defense “is very very stout,” but he’s hopeful if Georgia’s offensive line can hold off the rush, Cox can exploit the Gamecocks’ young secondary.
On offense, he said, Carolina is “struggling” like Georgia is.
The kicking game, he said, could be crucial. He singled out Georgia punter Drew Butler out for praise, drawing a laugh for noting, “Some of y’all might have known his daddy.”
Richt said he believes that football should be fun, but “we need a victory. If you’re not winning, you’re not enjoying it like you’d like to enjoy it.”
He urged Georgia fans to turn out at 5 p.m. Saturday for the Dawg Walk “to give us momentum” and said he’s pleased that student seating at Sanford Stadium will be first come, first served this season “so the student section should be full” at the start of the game, which will “add to the electricity.”
The breakfast was a diverse gathering, with a scattering of older alums and quite a large contingent of more recent grads. At my table, there were several graduates from the early to mid-1970’s, a couple from the early 1990s and a couple of recent grads, one from 2008. They’d come from Athens, metro Atlanta, North Carolina and even Chicago.
Asked by one of the alums how Georgia fans differ from what he was used to before coming to Athens, Richt noted that because of all the success Florida State had in his years there, the fans were a bit “spoiled. It was kind of hard to get them excited about more than a couple of games a year” while UGA fans know what a tough league the SEC is and “appreciate a victory.”
While in Florida, he said, there was one Georgia alum at his church who stood out in his enthusiasm for his school. “He was nuts.” But in visiting with Bulldog Clubs around the state, Richt said, he’s discovered that “80 percent of the fan base is just like that guy!”
Other topics Richt touched on included another Blackout (he doesn’t know if fans would support one again this soon but says “there will come a time again” when he rewards a senior class that wants one), Trinton Sturdivant being out for another season (“Technically he could play three more seasons for us, but I doubt he would do that because he’s really on track to graduate. … He might get his Ph.D by then.”) and the BCS (he would favor a playoff with four or eight teams but no more so as not to “devalue the regular season”).
After speaking, Richt promised to “hang around” for a while and when last seen was still patiently posing for pictures and signing autographs, an aspect of his job that he genuinely seems to enjoy (unlike his predecessor).
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197 comments Add your comment
DirtyDawg
September 11th, 2009
11:02 am
And I’d add that the ‘phantom’ block in the back on that punt return was just that. The OKSt guy fell down in front of our man – Prince already having avoided him (the tackler). Yeah, we were close, but then we were close last year too – even in the two ‘blow-outs’ – we’ve just got to start getting those ‘close calls’ and ‘bad calls’ to go in our direction enough so that the other guys are saying – ‘man, those guys were really lucky’.
Mike Bobo 17 INT
September 11th, 2009
11:02 am
Look, the program is in the tank. King and the rest of the Cartel are always looking for some excuse, like a penalty to make excuses.
1. There were no excuses when Alabama beat the hell out of you last year.
2. There were no excuses when Florida beat even bigger hell out of you last year.
3. There were definitely no excuses when you lost to that inferior Nerd program on North Ave.
Bottom line, clean out the coaching staff and back to the drawing board. Athens is in major denial, always has been and always will be.
Athens is all about playing in the SEC and not focusing on teams. The Dogs had not opened on the road outside the South since the OSU game, which is a major reason your program gets no respect from the major sports media outlets.
stoopid
September 11th, 2009
11:03 am
PLLEEEEASSSE NO BLACKOUT!!!!
TommyP
September 11th, 2009
11:04 am
That was your best blog, Bill. Excellent job.
Yeah
September 11th, 2009
11:06 am
What TommyP said.
Saint Simons
September 11th, 2009
11:19 am
24 – 10 !!!!!!!!!!!! hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
Kdawg
September 11th, 2009
11:20 am
Today is September 11th. Let’s remember to be grateful we’re all here and able to watch Georgia Football. Win or lose it’s still just a game played by young men. Life will go on if the Dawgs season is less than expected. Be thankful we are able to enjoy it with family and friends.
ButlerDawg
September 11th, 2009
11:21 am
Only thing “sickening” to me is how poise and toughness left both sides of the ball after Van Gorder exited in 04′.
uuugh...
September 11th, 2009
11:24 am
Daddy always said “Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.”
Not sure I care to hear coach qualify such a poor performance by saying we were close. His job is to get them ‘right on the money’…not close.
Hopefully they will be ‘right on the money’ tomorrow night. Go Dawgs!
What's sickening...
September 11th, 2009
11:25 am
…is how poorly coached the UGA team is coached!
ksleezy
September 11th, 2009
11:25 am
Why isn’t Dontavius Jackson getting any carries big Bill? Think you can ask your contacts for us? He’s from around my neck of the woods and ran with a lot of heart in high school. He’s not the quickest, but runs with good power, pretty good speed, and a ton of heart. Think Verron Haynes but with more speed. I thought surely after Thomas fumbled last week, he’d get a shot.
MiltonDawg
September 11th, 2009
11:28 am
Forget last week’s game- it’s over and done with. Move On, lets take care of business on Saturday. Learn from the mistakes and send the chickens back to Columbia. GO DAWGS!!
MiltonDawg
September 11th, 2009
11:29 am
good point Kdawg @ 11:20
Regarding the Big 12 officials...
September 11th, 2009
11:30 am
…it seems to me that in most other inter-conference games (AL – VT, MD-Cal, etc) the “visiting team” officials called the game. Why did we not have SEC officials call the game?
L-Dawg
September 11th, 2009
11:32 am
GLORY GLORY TO OLE GEORGIA!!!
SO EXCITED TO HAVE A GAME DAY IN ATHENS AS OPPOSED TO BOOING MISERABLY FROM A BAR IN ATLANTA!!!!
GO DAWGS!!!!
1 DAY TIL HOME/SEC OPENER!!!!
Dontavious...
September 11th, 2009
11:34 am
is not playing because he is not good enough to play. You guys need to learn that just because a kid was good in HS does not mean he is good in college – if he were, he would play!
St. Bernard
September 11th, 2009
11:36 am
Bobo, concerning no national attention. I seem to remember alot last year. We’ve also played some small schools like Arizona St., Colorado, and Okl. St. Maybe you should go back to your own team’s blog. Talk about what a powerhouse Clemson is.
1eyedJack
September 11th, 2009
11:39 am
The sky is falling, the sky is falling!
If Chicken fans had any confidence in a victory this Saturday, they would be here in droves talking crap!
Chirp…….chirp…….chirp.
Go DAWGS!!! Woof!
Herschel Talker
September 11th, 2009
11:41 am
Yes, the refs sucked. But that’s part of the game, as much as it sucked. If Richt isn’t disappointed in the way the team played and how flat they were, then either he just isn’t paying attention or he’s talking his book.
Herschel Talker
September 11th, 2009
11:42 am
KDawg – very prescient comment
1eyedJack – you’re a loser. I bet you were fan of the Ray Goof era. You tool.
Saint Butt Cut
September 11th, 2009
11:44 am
It’s too hot to practice today…let’s practice tonight when it’s cooler. Or let’s go swimming!
And you wonder why your players aren’t tough enough…
1eyedJack
September 11th, 2009
11:48 am
Hershel
You are right. I was a fan of the DAWGS in the Ray Goof era, and the Jim Donnan era, and the Vince Dooley era. I pull for my DAWGS in every era good or bad.
Just sad to see so many so called “Dawg fans” try to bring down the program. After 1 game!
Dawg Fud
September 11th, 2009
11:53 am
Amen, Kdawg (11:20). My sentiments exactly.
Rudy
September 11th, 2009
11:54 am
Seems like it takes our running backs years to fully understand our offense. Why does every other highly recruited RB, come in and produce right out of the gate?..Is our system more complex than others?
HeHateMe
September 11th, 2009
11:55 am
Georgia Tech was lucky to win last night, and anybody that watched the game and knows anything about college football knows that.The Tech team has no character and is very one dimensional. They cannot rely on their running game to continue to pull out wins for them.Better teams await them and will shut them down just like LSU did last year.If you are a high school athlete with aspirations to play in the NFL why in the world would you want to go play at Tech in a gimmic offense.By the way…I know who Saint Simons is and have something in store for him that I will reveal to everyone shortly.
Dawg Fan 4 Life
September 11th, 2009
11:55 am
KDawg, you are right on the money. Life is bigger than college football. Go Dawgs!
realist
September 11th, 2009
11:56 am
the blaackout games are great!!!! Stop hating because we lost one freakin game!!!!! As an opposing player looking into a mob of fans like that is a little intimidating. Quit hating. It was one of the few times I have actually seen our fans get freaking excited and try to give us a homefield advantage!!!!! There is a reason that we are not mentioned as a tough place to play…its not the size of the stadium its the fans that are in it. We allot more tickets than most teams do for our alumni and most of them are not spring chickens which translated means they do not get that loud and do a lot of sitting. UF and LSU allow more for the students which really helps for crowd noise and home field advantage. we have lost a lot more wearing red than we have wearing black
Herschel Talker
September 11th, 2009
11:59 am
1eyedJack:
1. It’s Herschel, not Hershel.
2. We were all fans of the Dawgs during that era. But we were not fans of that era. I said the latter. Not a difficult distinction to understand. Based on your comments, I bet you were.
Dawg Fan 4 Life
September 11th, 2009
12:00 pm
Hey Saint Loser, was that Reggie Ball playing QB for Tech last night? LOL!
Cuz
September 11th, 2009
12:05 pm
I don’t see why we can’t have another blackout. It fires up the fan base more than the team anyway. I was watching the Tech game last night and believe it or don’t, I was pulling for the other instate team. Georgia not South Carolina. I noticed that they had for all intents and purposes a whiteout. They came close to losing but pulled it together in the last of the fourth quarter. Because they came close to losing should they retire the white jerseys and the fans wearing white to the game? Will they have another whiteout? My guess is yes. It seems that we are the only team that if we lose in a specific color scheme we want to throw that idea away. Cue up Stevie Wonder or Ray Vaughn, “Superstition”.
When you believe in things that you don’t understand then you suffer.
Superstition aint the way.
1eyedJack
September 11th, 2009
12:05 pm
Hershel
There is only one Herschel, and you sir are no Herschel
Mike Bobo 17 INT
September 11th, 2009
12:05 pm
Amen Kdawg.
St. Bernard
You are missing the point, your program is poorly coached and until you come to the realization that is time for a house cleaning, you will continue to struggle.
Maybe Clemson is not a powerhouse, but I doubt your defense could stop Spiller or Ford. You better focus on programs and not conferences, otherwise you will continue your downward spiral.
Look, I am only here to help. Admitting you have a problem is the first step to recovery.
Herschel Talker
September 11th, 2009
12:06 pm
1eyedJack:
Yes, you’re right. There are no other Herschels in the world. Very prescient. You’re a genius. And you like men.
TenSpeed
September 11th, 2009
12:07 pm
Go DAWGS!!
college official
September 11th, 2009
12:08 pm
It seems that officiating (all conferences) has had more of an impact on game outcomes over the last couple of years vs prior years. Not sure why it seems this way?
Perhaps because the games are shorter, there are less total possessions and plays by an offense.
Last night’s examples: Clemson’s 4th quarter effort was cut short by a poor call on an interior lineman, a block in the back on the punt return (for a touchdown) was missed and leg whip in front of the official was ignored on a Clemson K-off return.
other notable ex: Boise state-oregon game was full of missed and blown calls, UGA-OkST game had several calls that directly impacted scoring opportunities on both sides of the ball. ALA-VT game had several calls that were examples of poor officiating.
My guess is there will be calls in the Athens tomorrow night that will creat a 14+ point swing for one of the teams.
NC Dawg
September 11th, 2009
12:11 pm
I am curious how much T. Bone paid the refs in that game.
1eyedJack
September 11th, 2009
12:12 pm
It’s a sad state of affairs when fans of the same team cannot be civil towards each other. I could expect name calling from the nerds or even SC fans.
If you don’t agree with someones opinion, just shout over them or call them names.
Right out of the ACORN/OBAMA playbook.
Brogen's Hero
September 11th, 2009
12:12 pm
St Simons go play on your on board. Tech to win the ACC, what a joke couldn’t even cover the spread against Clemson. You’re team is like you a loser.
Kevin
September 11th, 2009
12:15 pm
Instead of coaching the SEC officials on calling penalties, coach up this team to do something. That call did not cost us the game….dropped passes, poor play calling, and turnovers did. WHEN ARE WE GOING TO START ACCEPTING RESPONSIBILITY FOR OUR BAD PLAY INSTEAD OF LOOKING WHO WE CAN BLAME. THE PLAYERS SEE THIS AND IT GIVES THEM THE FEELING OF HAVING TO ACCEPT NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANYTHING.
Cuz
September 11th, 2009
12:18 pm
There was a Herschel who cut my hair at Five Points baber shop in the seventies and eighties when I still had hair.
Cuz
September 11th, 2009
12:19 pm
barber. must proofread.
TBOMACHINE
September 11th, 2009
12:19 pm
TECH fans are always painted white.
Coach Mark Richt
September 11th, 2009
12:20 pm
To help build team spirit, instead of practicing today I am taking the team swimming and horseback riding after that. For lunch we are going to Chucky Cheese and will have a sleep over at my house tonight. Before the game tomorrow, I will do the “Soul-ja Boy” dance on the 50 yard line wearing a red & black thong. It this does not motivate the team to win then I don’t know what will! Woof Woof
TBOMACHINE
September 11th, 2009
12:20 pm
go dawgs
joey
September 11th, 2009
12:27 pm
nc dawg….I said the same dadgum thing!
Jeff
September 11th, 2009
12:35 pm
That’s always been our problem…..we’re always “just that close to breaking thru”. in 10 years, we will be saying the same thing…..what makes me mad is it’s always the same crap….penalties, turnovers, playcalling…what if …what if…..what if…..at some point it has to stop and our guys need to perform.
Dawg Lover
September 11th, 2009
12:37 pm
Hey “Coach Mark Richt”, I’m LMAO right now! This is one of the funnier posts that I’ve seen in a loooooooong time. I’m a huge Dawg fan and big a fan of Richt, but I know great humor when I see it. Very funny stuff and thanks for the laugh!
senoiadawgs
September 11th, 2009
12:37 pm
Question, why do I always see posts saying no more blackouts? What do you all have against the blackout? Personally I love it. It’s pretty darn cool to me and the energy with the fans surrounding Auburn and Alabama was just awesome.
Jeff
September 11th, 2009
12:38 pm
At UGA, we always seem to have a problem with officials and game calling. Funny….you never hear that from a UF, UA, TX, USC.
Harry Dawg 73
September 11th, 2009
12:40 pm
To make negative comments about UGA is only part of the game. Graduate or not. We are all experts. Heck I played in the 7th grade and was all YMCA league. 52″ tall and 68 pounds of bucked teeth and pimples, so i know.
UGA fans want to win the NC badly. UT,LSU and Florida and others near by like FSU, Miami and even the year tech tied Colorago and Miami and maybe one more ( depending on what part of the nation you lived in and what newspaer that you read ) all won the NC. Yes, tech tied with Colorado and Miami. South of Vasldosta, the NC was Miami and I skiied in those days and out in Denver and west of the Chattahoochee? Colorado was NC is it how it went. Sad but true teches.
UGA fans are also very correct in their desires for a NC. If the current coaching regime cannot get it done, then maybe we can move on with a new one. If they do make a change, the school must hire a proven man or a guy that has a program like Utah or Boise State ( like where the Urban Disturber came from ) or even a Jimmy Johnson with an agenda to win big in two or thee years. If he leaves, then fine, we go out and get another. NCs are nice and I for one, want one more.
Geeeeez, I am in my 60s. We do not need a coach that speaks well and preaches well and wins the East every 6th or 7th year. Come on fans. We can do better IF we desire a NC. SEC East? Then, we can rock along and be really good every 5th or 8th year and we just rock on. Fine. Citrus Bowl and Chic Fil A Bowl will be glad to have us.
Let us watch the DAWGS vs SC, if they play badly, we all know that there are insurmountable issues that only change with new regime. We supposedly have the 4star and 5 star talent and the speed. Let us see if the regime can recover and win 7, 8 or 9 out of 12. 9 wins would show solid coaching with some upsets over some key schools like LSU or maybe a U of T. Right now? Don’t count on this. Even the tech game will be a toss up.
Gooooooooooooooooooo Dogs!!! Woof, woof, woof!!!
Harry Dawg 73
Mike Bobo 17 INT
September 11th, 2009
12:41 pm
Amen Jeff.
UGAY always has some sorry ass excuse why they lost a game, and CMR tends to start it everytime. UF, UA, UM, TX and USC just go out and get it done, but also have higher expectations for their players and the program.
UGAY is nothing but a whiner, and when they squeak one out, they are obnoxious as hell, thus another reason this program is so hated.
senoiadawgs
September 11th, 2009
12:42 pm
I am with you all of being so tired of the were so close excuse. Come on, being close and failing just that tiny bit is most often on the coaches in the end. Whether it’s having the right player in to make the play complete or whether you brought the right guy into the program to begin with.
timthebrave
September 11th, 2009
12:49 pm
My problem is that after that personal foul hit on the Ok St reciever there were 3 or 4 officials that threw a flag. Did all of them actually look at the same thing and see it wrong? I could see one missing the call but it looked like all of them missed it. There was horrible officiating in the Arizona St game last year as well. Does the heat cook their brains out west. Go Dawgs
Friday lunch buffet « Get The Picture
September 11th, 2009
12:50 pm
[...] Richt was “sickened“ by the OSU game. Well, kinda, sorta, anyway. I don’t think he meant from the flu, [...]
Johnny DangerDawg
September 11th, 2009
12:51 pm
Bill King,
Great info! What was the mood/attitude of the fans in the Tate Center? It sounds like they weren’t experiencing the apocalypse-fearing meltdown of the folks here on the AJC blogs.
Lakisha Tanisha Canisha
September 11th, 2009
12:52 pm
It’s sickening how close they weren’t.
Jake7
September 11th, 2009
12:54 pm
It’s sickening cause we had ALL OFF SEASON to prepare!! Talking about coaches NOT on the same page…..On receivers (4 only) playing against the pokes…..CMR said we didn’t want to play the freshman so we wore out those guys.Mike Moore said that wasn’t the case it was a miscommunication with Coach Ball who was in the pressbox! How can THAT happen??? I’m a LIFELONG DOG FAN but….that’s NOT acceptible!
Jake7
September 11th, 2009
12:59 pm
Those who say this is just ONE game……It’s how you come out of the GATE that sometimes sets the season !
Vote For Pedro
September 11th, 2009
1:01 pm
Richt should start Joe Cox every game this year. Joe earned it. Just don’t forget to take him out after the first play and put in your best QB.
GetReal
September 11th, 2009
1:02 pm
So without the bad calls Georgia would have won? Hmmmmm.
john
September 11th, 2009
1:04 pm
Two things:
1) Dawgs will win this weekend
2) We will see Logan Gray play
When we actually see Logan tomorrow IMO will depend on how bad Joe sputters and how well SC offense responds to our sputters. Several 3-and-outs, and if SC scores in response, Logan comes in very early in the game (probably 1st Q). Several 3-and-outs, SC does not score in response, and Logan will probably come in about mid-2d Q. But regardless of whether Joe Cox continues to be a limp noodle, or whether he comes out like the QB that CMR and Co. billed him to be during their off-season PR campaign, we will see Logan play. I just don’t see how Joe Cox will be able to handle the SEC grind. He simply is not that level of a QB. So it is critical that CMR get Logan some game experience or yes it will be a horrific season for the dawgs.
I do, however, find it very interesting about the rumors of his shoulder “problems”. I am wondering if they are building up his protective cocoon story in the event he is pulled from the starting lineup due to poor performance. Much like the way they allowed Joe Terrible-shinski to come out of the game with that phantom “leg injury” (you know, the one nobody ever saw him limping over). CMR will not allow Cox to be publicly humiliated by benching him over “poor play”, but he will allow a benching over an “injury, poor Joe, he tried his best, but his shoulder just got hurt in a recent practice” story.
GO DAWGS!
Coach Mark Richt
September 11th, 2009
1:08 pm
Hey Dawg Lover…thanks for your words. One more favor, please shop @ Carpets of Dalton and when you do tell them Coach Richt sent you. I get a 10% cut on everything you buy when you mention my name. Ask about their “Same As Cash” financing too. I need that Carpets of Dalton job in case this coaching thing goes south….as in South Carolina. Woof Woof
john
September 11th, 2009
1:08 pm
>>>UGAY is nothing but a whiner, and when they squeak one out, they are obnoxious as hell, thus another reason this program is so hated.
Replay “UGAY” with “GT” and you have the same thing. There is absolutely no fan base that has been more obnoxious than the yellow one from North Ave since they squeaked out a win over UGA last year.
who cares
September 11th, 2009
1:10 pm
The only thing that is sickening is the fact that Richt is in denial when it comes to how poorly coached his team is. It starts with the over the hill special teams coach that continues to kick the ball in the corner of the field and sits there and watches as the ball goes out of bounds or the other team returns it 75 yards. Or he sits there and watches as a true freshman returns 2 kickoffs from 7 yards deep in the endzone. Didn’t hear bobby bowden’s clone mention this pathetic part of his teams performance. UGA is the laughing stock of college football now, and Richt is the man responsible for this downfall. He will not change his coordinators, or his special teams coach, and thus he deserves every bit of criticism he gets from the fans and the national media. This problem has been going on for 3 years now, it didnt just start last week. Any coach in his right mind would have never promoted 2 unproven coaches to take over the offense and defense. And no coach in his right mind would continue to allow these two clowns to call the plays on offense and defense. Richt should look at what happened to Tuberville and Fulmer, and realize that it is only a matter of time before his time is up. But to be honest, i dont think he cares. His priorities lie elsewhere, and nothing the alumni, or Damon Evans, can say to him really matters. So UGA fans, get accustomed to the excuses, and his favorite quote, WE DIDNT EXECUTE!!! Great play call by BoBo, players didnt execute, nothing like blaming your players for the inept play caller you have as O.C. Richt is pathetic and every coach in the SEC laugh at bobo and martinez. The Ray Goff era is here again.
Herschel Talker
September 11th, 2009
1:11 pm
1EyedJack – you’re my boy, blue. Not that kind of boy.
Herschel Talker
September 11th, 2009
1:12 pm
who cares:
Excellent comments. Spot on. Phenomenal stuff.
258DAWG
September 11th, 2009
1:14 pm
HireJohnGruden@UGA.com
258DAWG
September 11th, 2009
1:15 pm
HireWillMuschamp@UGA.com
hussien
September 11th, 2009
1:16 pm
I am going to call ACORN and see if we can get a prosititution ring to hang out in front of the USC hotel this weekend.
PHIL
September 11th, 2009
1:17 pm
Last season the AJC promised me that all responders to these blogs would have to pass an IQ test that showed their score to be above their shoe size. I see they are full of empty promises just like our government. Few of those who have written would be above that.
Nolabigdawg
September 11th, 2009
1:19 pm
Geez, all you hindsight coaches out there make me want to wretch. I am so tired of all the immature handwringing and nitpicking from you band wagon fans. Either you are a DAWG fan or your not. It’s just FOOTBALL!! CMR and his assistancts are great coaches and finer men. The state of sports culture in this nation is just indescribably pathetic. As a matter of fact, I am done with these dumb azz blogs. I will just enjoy some Saturday football and cheer my BELOVED DAWGS win, lose or draw. I’ll leave you all now to your self indulgent bravado and drivel. PEACE OUT!!
CHDawg
September 11th, 2009
1:25 pm
Folks,
It was a lousy, game changing call! OKST committed worse offenses on two plays and they weren’t called. A comment is not an excuse. I played it back on my DVRHD and I don’t know what Jones was supposed to do either. I guess he could have touched him with two hands? The real problem with the game wasn’t the coaches or the breaks…UGA doesn’t (yet) have an SEC caliber tailback or QB. Like Stafford’s first year, the season will bring one to the top of the carton in time (for both positions). Just look at the comments on the depth chart over the last few weeks–the coaches are at a loss for words and players. Samuel is barely 18 years old, King is hurt, and the rest are all very young, too. My bet is that Gray and King will end up starting, but maybe Cox was sick and Samuel will have a steep learning curve. He has the gifts except one: balance. Maybe he will improve, but I noticed it on his HS youtube highlight reel–if somebody gets near his legs, he falls down.
wardamneagle
September 11th, 2009
1:26 pm
HA HA HA……we were close? Your stupid coach says “we were close”….are you kidding me? What a fruit loop.!!!! LOL LOL LOL
Gator Growl
September 11th, 2009
1:28 pm
First of all, let me say that I have the utmost respect for Mark Richt, the man and the coach. The way he leads his personal and family life and his values speak for themselves. So this is just an observation, not a criticism. As we all know, there is more than one way to skin a cat. ( I wonder where that expression came frome?) However, for the first time ever and quite by accident, I happened to catch the “Georgia Football show with Mark Richt” on Sun Sports the other day. I was particularly very interested on seeing what he had to say and how he re-acted after suffering his first opening day loss. He was very calm, very matter of fact, very cool and even cracked a little joke during the show. In fact he hardly even moved or even shuffled, no Nick Saban rocking back and forth. There was so little “body language”, I had to look twice to make sure it wasn’t a cardboard cutout they had put up there. It brought to mind the first time I watched Urban Meyer’s show his first year after they had just lost. No, he didn’t rant or rave because that’s not what those shows are about, they are designed to put on a positive face to the program no matter what. But I remember Meyer looked devastated and his words were tinged with anger. There was no frivolity, not even a hint of a joke. Even Mick Hubert, the always cool and positive host, looked uncomfortable. And I remember saying to my brother in law that I wouldn’t want to be a player at those practices the following week…
Herschel Talker
September 11th, 2009
1:30 pm
Nolabigdawg at 1:19:
“Either you are a DAWG fan or your not.”
1. Let’s please learn the difference between “you’re” and “your” so as not to embarrass the university further.
2. So calling out coaches and not toeing the company line is all of a sudden not being a fan? You pollyannas are pathetic. Anyone who can’t see that Richt doesn’t have the fire, moxie, and discipline that guys like Saban, Urban, and Carroll have just isn’t removing his blinders. “Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!” You people are living in the Matrix. Take the red pill and get a dose of reality.
Herschel Talker
September 11th, 2009
1:32 pm
Gator Growl:
Spot on, my friend. That is why UF is a stud program, and UGA is solid, but unable to take the next leap. Urban would have been angry. Richt just calmly chalks it up to lack of execution. “Nothing to see here, move along.” Excellent analysis.
SECWrapup
September 11th, 2009
1:33 pm
Just Shut-Up and Play!! We need to stop making excuses for why we’re not winning and play hard nosed, SEC style football. And, for Christ’s sake, stop blaming the dadgum officials! With UF dominating not only the conference but the nation, Alabama right behind them, LSU being LSU, and Tennessee on the rise (not to mention Ole Miss who happens to have the best QB in the country), we can ill afford to waste our time on the past! Show some passion, play at a high level and with high energy, and finish the game and we’ll be alright; otherwise, look for another 3 – 4 loss season, 9 – 10 wins, and a medicore bowl. You become mediocre when you accept mediocrity. Nine win seasons are unacceptable!
Melanie Oudin
September 11th, 2009
1:36 pm
Where can I find a wonderbra in Atlanta?
258DAWG
September 11th, 2009
1:37 pm
Im a Die Hard DAWG, Always will be but I deserve a crystal ball and these same symptoms keep coming around stoping the nation from getting what they deserve and thats a couple of crystal balls.
Strength and conditioning coach is worthless. especially when you take in account the facilities we have.
Bobo’s playcalling has been horrible since they day we started making the calls. there is no killer instinct. with the WR’s we have had lately along with the Qb’s AIR IT OUT DEEP!!!!!! After you pound the rock to get the early 14 point lead
Wllie’s Defense just doesnt swarm like VanGorder’s. No coverage only SS’s and All Run stoppers and NO PASS rush……… don’t get me started on the “Special” teams. that soooo aren’t special
There are good coaches available right now (which is rare) that we wouldn’t take a step back but “Finish the Dawg Nations Drill” which is get us our crystal balls.
Just imagine Chucky, Will Muschamp an Uga…. now imagine the 4-5 crystal balls we should have with the talent we are recruiting.
Either way lets go out and run up the score on someone!
Manhole Stealer
September 11th, 2009
1:38 pm
Did your coach see how badly we stomped Clemson. I bet you guys are really scared now. The officials haven’t figured it out yet, but we release one extra player down field on pass plays, that way we always have someone open. It doesn’t mean we are any better for it, but it makes the safety drop of momentarily and then our recievers get one on one with the CB. If we only could throw the ball to em once they are open
Pago Flyer
September 11th, 2009
1:42 pm
Did you watch the Clemson coaches…their enthusiasm and their intensity was way over 100%!! And the DAWGS coaches…..nothing!
Nolabigdawg
September 11th, 2009
1:45 pm
Talker,
)
Thanks for correcting my grammar, that truly proves YOUR a wizard. You are not a coach, and as far as I can tell, not connected to the program in any substantive way, so just enjoy the game. Spend a little less time hyperventilating on the internet about things to which you have no control and appreciate the game for what it is. Just some kids out playing a game. I will repeat, IT IS JUST FOOTBALL. Incidentily, referencing Matrix and red pills and telling someone else endorse reality, why, that was funny right there, I don’t care who you are!! Take care my man
hugedawgfan
September 11th, 2009
1:50 pm
yeah, and if a frog had wings, he wouldn’t bump his arse. Of course if there was not an illegal block, an interception and if Samuel could keep his balance longer than 2 seconds, so yes we would have done an 180 if all the cards fell our way. What a stupid ass comment, no wonder we suck this bad already. 2010 hurry up!
Jake7
September 11th, 2009
1:51 pm
Nolabigdawg,
First of all, we’re NOT talking PEWEE league sports. To call the GA. coaches GREAT (except GARNER,SEARLES), I have a problem. CMR is a GREAT human being,role model,recruiter,etc….but not a GREAT coach…..yet!.The rest of the coaches are suspect!
KSo
September 11th, 2009
1:53 pm
Anyone remember the 4th & 2 where Georgia stopped Ok St. in the red zone (inside the 10) and the Refs gave them a FAVORABLE spot for the firt down??? They went on to score. Take that score away and where are we?
Saint Simons
September 11th, 2009
1:55 pm
Mark Richt is a drama queen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dawg'em out!
September 11th, 2009
1:57 pm
joe cox and company bounce back going into SEC play and shut up all the so called ‘bulldawg natin’ fans hating on him like they did stafford last yr!
Let the Big Dawgs Eat’09!
Nolabigdawg
September 11th, 2009
2:00 pm
Jake, please enlighten me on the difference between peewee sports and any other level of sports. That is, other than the size of the atheletes. Isn’t the goal of all athetics, college and amateur athetics in particular, to teach the fundamental ethics of team, perserverance, hard work, and just playing for the joy of the game? I like winning as much as the next guy, but not at the expense of what is important. I want a GREAT human being leading my team and these impressionable young people. Maybe that’s just me though.
Manhole Stealer
September 11th, 2009
2:06 pm
Who cares is really m who is really St Simons. He knows a little about writing and less about footbal, none about coaching.
Nolabigdawg
September 11th, 2009
2:07 pm
Jake 7,
my apologies for the misspelled words.
Okefenokee Dawg
September 11th, 2009
2:12 pm
Gator fans don’t whine when they lose? Bama fans don’t whine when they lose? Now that’s funny, I don’t care who you are!
GetReal
September 11th, 2009
2:20 pm
Gator & Bama fans may whine when they lose, it’s just not that often these days.
Herschel Talker
September 11th, 2009
2:23 pm
Nolabigdawg @ 2:00:
“I want a GREAT human being leading my team and these impressionable young people.”
Fair enough, but know what comes with that. We all love Mark Richt and think he is a great man. However, it is becoming increasingly evident that Mark Richt has taken them as far as he will. They will win 10 games and be a top 10 team pretty much every year. That is great. It is much better than Jim Donnan, who himself was much better than Ray Goff. But for any UGA fan to suggest that Mark Richt is going to bring a national title to Athens just smacks of wearing blinders. He doesn’t have the moxie and fire that is necessary. And he needs a bit more of a jerk factor. Most successful coaches are jerks. Urban, Saban, Carroll, Spurrier in the 90s, etc… Or they run gimmicky systems like Paul Johnson (which gets you success to a point because people can’t keep up with it, but I think is overall kind of limited – I don’t think Paul Johnson can get Tech to a national title, but he can make them a perennial Top 15 team). Would a Nick Saban or Urban Meyer team have come out against OSU as flat as they did? That isn’t to demean OSU – they are a very talented team, and their defense seems vastly improved. However, that is not the point. It’s not that UGA lost, it’s the way they lost. Same thing, year in and year out. Undisciplined play (penalties and turnovers) and no adjustments mid-game. Joe Cox seemed to regress during the game. To me, that is all coaching. UGA has as much talent as anyone (maybe not as much as USC and Florida, but the disparity really isn’t that great, if one exists). UGA gets all the HS studs they want, for the most part. Why is it that they always seem to be busts, with some exceptions, and then go on to put tons in the NFL, whereas the guys at UF are always studs in college and can’t make it in the pros? For anyone to look anywhere but coaching is just being silly. Richt’s assistants are clowns, but he remains fiercely loyal to them. Eventually that will have to fall on him, but in the meantime, it is a complete hindrance to the program.
So, in summary, yes, Richt is a good man. And, yes, Richt is a massive upgrade over Donnan, who was a massive upgrade over Ray Goof. But it is obvious that there is a limit to where a man with his personality can take the program.
RxDawg
September 11th, 2009
2:28 pm
Good post Bill.
I hear ya Nola.
Lol okefenokee.
I know theres the doom and gloom internet fans out there all the time. But guys, we lost to a top ranked team on the road. Not only that, we gave up 2 turnovers (3rd was irrelevant) and a long kick off return to give them short fields. Thats 3 plays that led to OSU scoring. Richt is right in that we were that close to be able to win. I also know there is enough talent on the team that we can win. Clean up the turnovers and maybe grab some ourselves and we have a different game. Joe wasn’t great, but he wasn’t THAT bad. The biggest problem I saw on offense was a combonation of things. Not just Joe. In Mark Bradly’s colum today a poster named robodawg posted the best summary I’ve seen of why we lost. But still, we didn’t get whiped. We can bounce back from this and this topic by Bill makes me believe a little bit more.
Jake7
September 11th, 2009
2:29 pm
Nolabigdawg,
You seemed to be a pretty mellow guy…….Maybe you need to go to California with the “fruits and nuts” or Maybe Mary-LAND in the ACC!
Okefenokee Dawg
September 11th, 2009
2:30 pm
Get Real – My point exactly! Nothing stops the whine like a win. But for Bama fans and Gator fans to talk about someone else is just too funny. They lead the league as whiners.
Evil Richt 2009 S.E.C. World Tour: "Banned in Columbus"
September 11th, 2009
2:30 pm
Nice report. Good to read Richt’s thoughts on things as we countdown to kickoff tomorrow. Thanks.
Jiminey freakin crickets
September 11th, 2009
2:30 pm
Close? Close? Close????????????????????????? What game was he watching? Play like crap, you lose…..
birddawg92
September 11th, 2009
2:32 pm
If Richt thinks the defense played “dadgum good,” it’s time for him to pack it up and head back to Tallahassee. Daddy Bowden took Amato back in after he was canned, I’m sure he’ll do the same for CMR.
We did not pressure the OSU QB ONE SINGLE TIME with a four-man pass rush. We are going to get smoked in conference. The OSU game was for me like the 1999 Auburn game—when we got down to The Barn 31-0 at the half at HOME, I knew Jim Donnan was in over his head. So is Richt.
RxDawg
September 11th, 2009
2:32 pm
Robodawgs post
“Public outcry against Joe Cox is a little exaggerated isn’t it? He’ll be fine. It’s normal for a vocal group of fans to want the next guy in line to take over at QB if things don’t look so good — James what’s his name to be replaced by Wayne Johnson to be replaced by Greg Talley to be replaced by Eric Zeier. But most Bulldog fans are just pulling for Joe to get better and are hoping the flu explains his performance in Saturday’s game. (Which wasn’t great, but that’s not why we lost — we had at least 3 key dropped passes, one of which led to an interception, we couldn’t handle at least three Ok St interceptions, we fumbled twice, and with a useless block in the back we annulled a great punt return that would have likely led to a TD — give us half of those back and we probably win, even with the bad 4th down spot and the bogus unnecessary roughness. We lost b/c as a team we weren’t sharp. We lost b/c we played like freshmen.).”