Big win doesn’t negate UGA’s need for change
Win over Tech shouldn't be a factor in the decision on Willie Martinez. (Brant Sanderlin / AJC)
One game, victory or defeat, shouldn’t determine the fate of any college football coach or assistant.
That’s why Saturday’s big win by the Dogs over Georgia Tech should not be enough to deter Mark Richt and the UGA athletic association from making the changes that are needed in order for the program to once again rank among the SEC’s elite.
We’re talking, of course, about the future of defensive coordinator Willie Martinez, whose job security has been questioned for the past couple of seasons as the Georgia defense generally has underperformed and routinely has allowed more than 30 points a game. From all accounts, Martinez is a good man and beloved by his players. But the results speak for themselves.
Martinez is not without his supporters, and I will concede to them that he is capable of getting his players to rise to the occasion. He did it late in the 2006 season and again at the end of 2007. And he’s done it a couple of times this season, most recently against Tech.
But getting good defense a couple of times a season won’t cut it in the SEC. Georgia needs consistency in order to succeed, and that’s where the defense has fallen short. The true blame may belong with the players, but the ultimate responsibility is Martinez’s. And if change is necessary in order to get the Dogs’ defense up to snuff, that means a new coordinator.
There’ve been plenty of rumors about Martinez’s departure already being a done deal, but most of those reports sound more like speculation than leaks. Richt might not want to get rid of his longtime friend and colleague, but at this point it seems unlikely that Martinez can stay. And you’d wonder why he’d even want to. It can’t be fun to be Willie Martinez in Athens any more; he gets blamed for everything that’s wrong with the program, even when it’s not his fault.
Hopefully, Richt and Damon Evans will bring in someone who can take the obvious talent that Georgia has on defense and make more effective use of it. That might mean cleaning house on the defensive staff, never a pleasant process or anything to celebrate.
But the good feelings generated by a season finale win over the traditional in-state rival shouldn’t overshadow the way Georgia’s defense has been trending ever since Martinez succeeded Brian Van Gorder.
Bulldog fans are delighted the Jackets were defeated and that a winning season was assured. We’re even pleased that the Dogs probably will get a slightly better bowl. But we’re not happy with 7-5 and getting drilled by the likes of Tennessee and Florida. And we haven’t forgotten the second-half collapse against an inferior Kentucky team.
It’s still time for Mark Richt to make a change. Judging by the noncommittal way he talked about his staff after the Tech game, he appears to recognize that fact.
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273 comments Add your comment
takedowndawg
November 30th, 2009
3:40 pm
There is only one coach that I personally would like to see hit the road faster than CWM, that is,
Fabris. Other than the skills of Walsh and Butler, you can write off the special teams performance.
Terrible, terrible all year long. No kick off coverage, no punt rush, directional kicks no effective blocking by our returning players over and over again all year long. Watch when we are kicking off. No Georgia players in the picture untill our opponents running back crosses their 20 ending up generally beyond their 34 yard line. Just awful. Please coach Richt, send him packing and we dawgs would appreciate it. Hit the road Fabris!!!
hamburger lips
November 30th, 2009
3:41 pm
Jeff Owens needs to curb his visits to mickey D’s…. he is so slow that big ole blob. Stay off the tweeter while you super size that order.
Not shocked and Not sad
November 30th, 2009
3:42 pm
Congrats to UGA and glad you get to celebrate – I am simpley glad entertainment has returned to the Tech – Georgia Game for two years in a row.
Looking forward to 2 more games and more greenery from Georgia’s hedge next year.
Make Sense
November 30th, 2009
3:42 pm
Dogster, is the only person who has posted anything on here today that makes sense.
hamburger lips
November 30th, 2009
3:44 pm
Quit blaming Fabris. Sometimes Walsh just outkicks our coverage. Its the player stupid.
Rival?
November 30th, 2009
3:45 pm
Enter your comments here
AltamahaDawg
November 30th, 2009
3:45 pm
FLDAWG, hasn’t it been our offense spotting the other team 2 TD as often as our defense? Defenses get score on, but it is inexcusable to have an offense as responsible for poor field position and points scored as much as ours has in the past 2 years. Willie will go, we will get somebody else, somebody good I have no doubt, BUT if we dont fix the real problems, the reasons we have actually lost the ballgames lately, it wont matter who.
SAD TECH FAN
November 30th, 2009
3:46 pm
This was the worst defeat in Tech history… The best tech team in 20 years got manhandeled by a bunch of traffic violaters and underage drinkers. Now all I can do is call them names and say I make more money and say they live in trailers. Excuse me while I go out and take the tech tag off my car.
SEARCHING
November 30th, 2009
3:46 pm
Still can’t locate any college football poll this week that has UGA in the rankings!!! One game still doesn’t define your season does it UGA fans?
D
November 30th, 2009
3:46 pm
Muschamp…
SAD TECH FAN
November 30th, 2009
3:47 pm
Searching… UGA is #1 in the state of Georgia. The poll was conducted Saturday night at Bobby DUD Stadium at Grunt field. Suck it boy and task it like a man… Glad it hurts so bad.
Jon
November 30th, 2009
3:49 pm
Bend but don’t break is no longer a option, how about insisting on 3 and out for a change. Georgia has the talent, now to find a defensive coordinator with the will to make it happen. If other teams can do it with 2 & 3 star players, we can do it with 5 star players.
dan
November 30th, 2009
3:50 pm
I think the fact that Richt let Willie stay made it harder for him in the long run. I saw Willie celebrating with the players and us fans in Bobby Dodd on Saturday, and he had his kids with him. I couldn’t help but feel bad for him and his kids. You know his kids have to be having a tough time in school with all this. By not addressing the problem immediately, Richt allowed it to go on a lot longer than it should, and it hurt the program. And I’m sure it’s been tough for the Martinez household. These coaches take every loss home with them. But the fact of the matter is that Willie is just in over his head. And if the players perceive that a coach is weak they won’t play for him. And that’s exactly what has happened at UGA, these kids just aren’t playing for Willie. Perception might as well be reality in that situation.
Firing a coordinator is like pulling off a bandaid: you can either choose to do it fast or slow but it is going to hurt either way. Richt has chosen to remove this bandaid “slowly”, and has allowed the pain to drag on.
PTC DAWG
November 30th, 2009
3:50 pm
Who said it did?
SOUTHGADAWG88
November 30th, 2009
3:51 pm
Tough call….I don’t know fellas I keep hearing Garner is more likely to leave than Willie..who knows maybe we will have 2-3 coaches leave 1 maybe even none.My honest take on Martinez is this….to many kids have blown assignments,lost one on one battles ie missed tackles,bad angles etc it looks bad on the DC.Just the way it goes…players make plays and they screw up too but at the end of the day the coach either gets to much praise for winning and to much blame for losing.To me the D has struggled these last two seasons due to poor play at LB in general and small CB’s.The LB’s have been terrible in pass coverage for two years and the CB’s have been physically over-matched against bigger WR.Last year I thought lack of pass rush was the problem…now the pass rush has improved but teams are attacking our LB’s underneath and going after the smaller CB’s with big WR’s.Watch the games people…yeah we are out of position some but honestly I see too many people not making plays when they are in position to do so…bottom line…put it on the coach if you want but like Boykins said “you got to have pride…you go out and compete man on man…win your individual matchup…if everybody did that we would be fine” give me 11 kids with that attitude and i could care less who the DC is.
Cuz
November 30th, 2009
3:52 pm
Searching, I will give you a yes, one game does define this season. I just hope the one game does not define the 2010 season.
PJ to Oklahoma and Willie as HC at Tech. It could happen.
Otto
November 30th, 2009
3:53 pm
Bill, how can Fabris be a good DEs coach? DE has been one of the biggest weak spots on the teams since BVG’s recruit left the program.
Dawgster, If it is talent the coaches picked and recruited that talent and the slide has continued for 4 years. If talent is the problem it is even more obvious new coaches that can evaluate and sign talent are needed.
IMO:
Give Bobo a desk job.
CMR calls plays
Hire Beamer’s son from S Car. as recruiting coordinator and special teams coach
Hire another players coach for the defense that can get players fired up and teach the defense to finish the tackle.
SEC fan
November 30th, 2009
3:53 pm
Bill,
GT has allowed over 200 yds rushing 3 times this year. All 3 times to SEC teams who ended up middle to bottom of the SE Conference. UGA definately has some defense problems. How bout GTs defense? Anytime they play an SEC team their defense looks weak. LSU embarassed GT last year in the chicken bowl and LSU was not in the top of the SEC. Now UGA beats GT and piles up the most rushing yards of any game since RIcht has been at UGA. GT needs to either get a decent DC or forget about ever being significant. Offense at GT is really good but defense is equally as bad. Looking forward to your future article regarding the ineptness of the GT defense. Is the GT DC on the hotseat? Will he be after another Bowl beat down? Tks.
takedowndawg
November 30th, 2009
3:53 pm
Hambone lips, football is player selection, PLAY selection and execution. Fabris has failed repeatedly in the play selection area for most of the past three years. NEVER(ok three times) going after a punt? If it is such a bad idea why do the PROS always put some pressure on their opponents punter. I guess Fabris knows better. Refute the terrible coverage by our special teams. We have a talent selection of players but they do not appear disciplined in covering their lanes and zones. Defend him if you like. I am not going to. Go DAWGS!!!!!!
U-no
November 30th, 2009
3:53 pm
I wanted to offer my congratulations to the Pups for an outstanding game Saturday night. That was one very good offensive performance and you are to be commended for it. It still hurts as a Jacket fan to have lost, no doubt. But, I am not going to act like it wasn’t a great performance by a pretty good Pup team either.
As I have indicated in posts throughout the year, I watch the Pups play all year long, right along with watching the Jackets. I knew you were capable of that level of play for an entire game, and frankly that is what had concerned me. The offensive running game was where it should have been all year long. And, the defense, did a very good job jamming the middle and stopping the first and second choices in the option.
I know that there will be much discussion about change at UGA, with the coaches and so forth. Also, who will be the quarterback next year… And, that will be interesting to watch. But, I just wanted all the Pup fans on this blog to hear a Jacket fan say, “Good Job, Congratulations on a great game, and a great win.”
bulldog bubba
November 30th, 2009
3:55 pm
Dog fans-RELAX!! It will be better next year. Vince Dooley had a lean year or two and he was a great coach. We will be stronger with a better quarterback and a more mature ‘O” line.If they will just ride the horse we have in W.Ealey then the future is bright.Orson Charles is a great recevier to go with A.J. Green.Just use those weapons.The defense can mature and all will be good. GO DAWGS!!
AltamahaDawg
November 30th, 2009
3:55 pm
Fabris, I wish we could keep. There in not another coach in the country with more NFL DEs right now. But yes, we need some new excitment in a special teams coach. But he is out with WM.
And you guys are just fooling yourself to think its as easy as picking out a big name, and all your problem go away. First of all, we DON”T need some soon-tobeHC on his way through town. And if the big guy isnt 100% happy with his new DC, (and its probably not going to be somebody you really know much about), if he just felt pressured to just hire a name……..we have lost way more than we have gained.
Sanford Drive
November 30th, 2009
3:55 pm
I remember questioning Tech’s defense last year, and people like Ramble On and Yellow Fuzz were saying how Tech’s D was awesome. I’m going to miss the drug-induced commentary from those two.
Sweet Home Alabama
November 30th, 2009
3:56 pm
I recommend Mr Martines staying for at least another year or so.He had a young defence this year and it should be more mature next year.
I have resurched this matter and this is my conclusion.I promise you Sweet Home is usually right on these matters.
DawginLex
November 30th, 2009
3:58 pm
SHOCK,
We are fine with johnson staying put right where he is. Reality is, he won’t. the Tech job is known as being a stepping stone to get to a real college football program in a real conference.
Truth hurts.
AltamahaDawg
November 30th, 2009
3:58 pm
Otto, you must have slept through the 05,06,07 seasons to say our DE have been an issue. Last year we had zero DE starting the season healthy (had to run DL in just to practise) and about one to end the year. Our best young guy never was healthy, our most expereinced never was healthy, and 2 of the best prospects never hit the field. I actually think we have improved this year a lot at DE, despite not really having the horses.
takedowndawg
November 30th, 2009
3:59 pm
Altamahadawg, agree on the TE point. Too bad that is not Fabris only responsibility.
SAD TECH FAN
November 30th, 2009
3:59 pm
weak acc team Look at this. It’s killing me
November 30th, 2009
3:41 pm
this says it all tech nerds
Paging Tech’s defense
Georgia exposed a dirty little secret about Georgia Tech in Atlanta on Saturday night: The Yellow Jacket defense is atrocious.
Even after reeling off eight consecutive wins, the Yellow Jackets wound up being a top-10 fraud, a pretender as soon as a more physical SEC team entered their building. By no stretch of the imagination was this a vintage Bulldog team that made the trip to Bobby Dodd Stadium this weekend. These ‘Dawgs began the day 6-5 and fresh off a devastating loss to Kentucky a week earlier.
The win made Georgia players do some funny things, such as take pieces of the field home. (John Bazemore / Associated Press)
However, on this night, they were physically superior and, at times, dominant, shoving Tech around its own field. On this night, Georgia adopted the personality of Georgia Tech, blowing open huge holes for Washaun Ealey and Caleb King, en route to a season-high 339 yards on the ground. Had Mark Richt known he’d get that long-awaited breakout effort from his kids, he’d have tried to get Tech on the schedule twice in 2009.
The Yellow Jackets might still go on to win a conference championship and play in a BCS bowl game, but as legitimate national powerhouses go, they just don’t measure up, especially on defense. It was a bad night for Tech and a horrible day all around for the ACC.
— Richard Cirminiello
maddawg
November 30th, 2009
4:03 pm
How about promoting Garner to DC and moving Martinez to a position coach?
DamntheButcer
November 30th, 2009
4:05 pm
Yellow Fuzz….. Calling yellow Fuzz….. Anybody know where Yellow Fuzz is today?
Sanford Drive
November 30th, 2009
4:08 pm
Yellow Fuzz is gone with the wind. In the words of yellow fuzz himeself, he’s “not man enough” to show up on our blogs ever again.
Tailback U
November 30th, 2009
4:08 pm
Bill I especially agree with your next to last post in which you state
that replacing Martinez will not fix everything. Certainly I think
most Georgia fans would agree that a new special teams coach is every
bit as important. I read a lot of posts wanting to run Bobo off but
I share your view in that he is more of a mixed bag of good and bad
and what’s more he is carrying out CMR’s offensive coaching philosophy
which is to strive for “balance” in the play calling. Saturday showed
us a fresh perspective of how Georgia has always been at it’s best
when it puts more emphasis on a successful running game rather than
balance for the sake of balance. In my opinion it is a flaw that
CMR brought from FSU and continues to hinder his overall against
teams with similar talent level. Certainly I am not an advocate
for firing CMR . I have a great deal of confidence in his leadership
overall. But I sure do wish he would have taken the contructive
criticism offered by Tuberville when after defeating the Dawgs the
first time they met suggested CMR would learn the importance of running
the football in the SEC. Here’s hoping CMR will take a good hard
look at quite a few areas that need upgrading.
DamntheButcer
November 30th, 2009
4:10 pm
Offer Muschamp 1 milion a year and promise him the GA HC job when CMR retires and give him 75 virgins and he will take the job.
Catoosa Dawg
November 30th, 2009
4:10 pm
How about these upgrades:
Offensive Cord.- Brad Johnson (Richts Brother in law and 18+ years as an NFL QB)
Special Teams Coach- Kevin Butler
Defensive Cord- Sylvester Crooms
Saint Nerd
November 30th, 2009
4:11 pm
MAN WE SUCK!
DamnGoodDawg
November 30th, 2009
4:12 pm
AntiDawg, you guys are the ones who did the ring bit for a 3 point win. Tech is like the stupid bug mascot. You don’t pay attention to yellow jackets till they start pestering you. Then you swat um. And besides, if you stayed on your own damned blog, you wouldn’t know what’s said on this one anyway. Who’s obsessed?
Paul H
November 30th, 2009
4:12 pm
Hey Techmites, you DO have your own blog, it’s just not up front with the rest of the blogs because no one cares about Tech or the A-She-She conference.
(31-24). GLAD IT STILL HURTS SO MUCH.
DamntheButcer
November 30th, 2009
4:13 pm
I don’t know how much a GA asst. coach makes compared to a pro coach but is there any chance that Dan Reeves son-in-law Joe DeCamilis (or ever how he spells it) would want to get back closer to Atl and be a special teams coach?
Brown Sugar
November 30th, 2009
4:14 pm
Jeff Owens and Montez they gots the Moxie……
2N4YEARS
November 30th, 2009
4:14 pm
Haven’t heard anyone else mention this, but I noticed it looked as if Willie Martinez looked like he was holding back tears at the ens of the game. ANYONE ELSE NOTICE?? Couple that w/ Mark Richts’ comments on the post-game show = new cordinator.
AltamahaDawg
November 30th, 2009
4:15 pm
Fabris doesnt deserve a fraction of the blame he gets.
#4 in sack in the SEC right now. 3 behind Alabama, 6 behind UF.
As far as never going for the block, we have 3 this year, more than UF, one less than Ala. pretty much tied with half the team in the country. Oh and #1 in the SEC as far as Punt coverage. I’d say thats an area we need to just stick to what works. Better punt return yards than most of the SEC too, just for the record.
As much flack as the direction kick gets, nobody has yet to name a team that doesnt do the exact same thing, when I asked. Even with the horrible coverage, and it is, we are still middle of the pack. Better than Ala, 4 yrds worse than UF. And we are the top of the league in TBs, nobody is even a close second. A couple of fumbles has caused more issues that a year full of our KO coverage unit.
DamntheButcer
November 30th, 2009
4:16 pm
2n4years I saw that as well.
outkasted
November 30th, 2009
4:16 pm
southdawg i agree we play too many lbs and guys r in position and not making plays
Floundering Fox Hounds
November 30th, 2009
4:19 pm
UGA nation needs some answers about coaching changes. Why is CMR stalling ? Is he afraid of Michael Adams and his whipping boy Damon Evans? This program always drags its feet while the Elite SEC teams keeps widening the gaps.
Erk we need you!
November 30th, 2009
4:21 pm
Willie has to go! The defense has been subpar for to many years.
Erk would be bleeding from the forehead and both ears after one game of more the 35 points much less 40 points! Even with a great game Saturday night at Tech when GT was having it’s way throwing to number 8 we did not change on 3rd and 11 or 15 yds and everyone in the place knowing they are throwing to number 8! Willie also has had nultiple breakdowns in pass defense over the last three years and we never learn (IE – Tennessee QB bootleg over and over)
If Willie really is loyal to CMR he steps down and allows a change for the good. I do not think this will happen!
Go to a conference where the spread offense is run by the most teams and get the defensive coach with the best defensive stats over the last four years.
Erk we need you!
November 30th, 2009
4:26 pm
Catoosa Dawg I like Syl Croom as def cord!
AltamahaDawg
November 30th, 2009
4:27 pm
Jezzz, Flounder, they just played a game 2 days ago. Richt has been out of town for that lil thing called Thansgiving holiday. Relax, your heros aren’t going to widen any gap in 2 more days before all you needs are meet.
He also cancelled his normal Sunday press conference and that should tell you that one is soon to come.
dr
November 30th, 2009
4:28 pm
Altamaha – In 2008, South Carolina kicked touchbacks. That’s what you do when your kicker is capable of consistently putting the ball into the endzone. Not coincidentally, SC had the best average defensive starting field position in the conference that year.
AltamahaDawg
November 30th, 2009
4:30 pm
Is that the multiple year 6 loss Erk, or the eventual NC Erk?
Big Bob
November 30th, 2009
4:38 pm
I RUN THIS STATE! (((((30-24)))))