No guarantee, but Richt sees possibility of ‘tremendous’ season
Bacarri Rambo drew praise from Mark Richt for the speed with which he picked up Georgia's new defensive scheme. (Associated Press)
College football head coaches have to walk a fine line when talking to booster clubs.
On the one hand, the fans who gather in the spring and summer to hear the coach preview the forthcoming season are looking to get revved up.
But there’s always the danger of getting expectations too high, as Jim Donnan found out when he said before the 2000 season, “I’ve been waiting 55 years to be the head coach of a football team that has this much potential. And I guarantee you that we’re going to get it done.”
Mark Richt usually is a bit more circumspect, sort of in the Vince Dooley mode, though he did fire up one booster gathering earlier this spring by saying, “Are we going to beat Florida? You’re dadgum right.” To be fair, of course, he didn’t say it would necessarily be this season.
Richt walked the line on Wednesday night when he talked to the Georgia Bulldog Club in Albany. As reported by the Albany Herald, the coach said he believes that if his coaches can sign all the “Dream Team” in-state talent they’re after, those players will win a national championship before they leave UGA. As for the coming season, Richt said, “I think a lot of the ingredients are there for a tremendous season. We’ve just got to go out and do it.”
So, no Donnanesque guarantee, but a pretty optimistic outlook.
In other comments to the Albany club reported by the Herald, Richt said he nearly tried to hire Todd Grantham as defensive coordinator a month earlier than when he finally did make the offer. But, he said, “I’m not sure we would have gotten him then. I’m not going to say why, but circumstances changed.”
Discussing some of the southwest Georgia players on the team, Richt offered a couple of appraisals that should ease the minds of folks worried about the Dogs’ retooled secondary. He praised safety Bacarri Rambo, who said he might have picked up Grantham’s new 3-4 scheme the quickest of the defensive players. “He’s got a great understanding of what to do.”
And he said he thought cornerback Vance Cuff “was the most improved player in the spring. He’s fast —might be the fastest guy on the team.”
As for quarterback Aaron Murray, Richt kept expectations in check in Albany. He said he wants the redshirt freshman to have a “healthy respect” for the ball (don’t turn it over like Joe Cox, in other words). His advice to the inexperienced Murray, who has 10 returning offensive starters around him: “You don’t have to be the hero.”
An enthusiastic but safe outing for the coach, I’d say.
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237 comments Add your comment
James T. Kirk
May 28th, 2010
8:04 am
For a Powder Puff team that routinely losses 5-6 games every year, I think it’s safe to say St. Richy is on the juice.
AltamahaDawg
May 28th, 2010
8:05 am
59, you are incorrect. Trolls like KimZ DO consider any offence, beers or scooters, the EXACT same as armed robbery. Because his criteria is the same. He doesn’t like Georgia.
Kramer
May 28th, 2010
8:09 am
While it remains to be seen whether or not UGA will win the SEC or the NC, it is clear that we win the prize for having the most rivals troll our blogs and spew gloom and doom. Don’t go away mad. Just go away. Please!
Bulldog59
May 28th, 2010
8:09 am
Crimson Crush, exactly my point, I read articles on other schools as well, but DON’T spend my time making childish and derogatory comments about other schools.
Kramer
May 28th, 2010
8:11 am
Yo Kirk. We play 12-14 games a year and average 10 wins. Kind of hard to lose 5-6 games. Brush up on your math son.
AltamahaDawg
May 28th, 2010
8:12 am
Delusional (not a dawg). I would be willing to bet that the vast majority of the heavy recruiting, and probably decisions will be over by the time the results from this season are tallied.
BTW, how is recruiting coming along at your school so far this year? Now which team was that again? Say it proud now, go ahead.
samuel
May 28th, 2010
8:47 am
Let’s cut out this racism talk and play DIXIE. The fans will love it!!!!
Dawg Daily 28May10: Leather Helmet Blog
May 28th, 2010
8:57 am
[...] Wow! That's pretty strong for CMR: Richt walked the line on Wednesday night when he talked to the Georgia Bulldog Club in Albany. As reported by the Albany Herald, the coach said he believes that if his coaches can sign all the «Dream Team» in-state talent they're after, those players will win a national championship before they leave UGA. As for the coming season, Richt said, «I think a lot of the ingredients are there for a tremendous season. We've just got to go out and do it.»(emphasis mine -ecd) [...]
How2fish
May 28th, 2010
8:57 am
Kramer Kirk is a Bug he has no math skills…..he is too busy in the hot tube with all the Tech hotties to be bothered with going to class. St. Richt you forgot a couple of recent bowl losses to bad teams from bad conferences 2007’s lost to Fresno State in the Humanitarian Bowl comes to mind as well as the 2001 Seattle Bowl lost to Standford and we will tell CMR to shut his piehole when he starts telling our fans to punch Bugs in the face…however got to agree your right about the Iowa D they really were stout.
1eyedJack
May 28th, 2010
9:01 am
James Tiberius Kirk, how are you and Mr. Sulu getting along these days? OHHH MYYYY!!
obama sin laden
May 28th, 2010
9:26 am
good thing richt is the coach and not any of you idiots
chazzo
May 28th, 2010
9:38 am
Samuel,
Go look up the lyrics to the song, “Dixie,” and then explain to me why any African-American alumni, fans, players, or coaches would feel in any way pumped up about it.
chazzo
May 28th, 2010
9:39 am
Samuel,
Add administrators, regents, and political representatives…
chazzo
May 28th, 2010
9:48 am
Anyone who thinks UGA is not solid on the Offensive side. I am not going to say best that and five star this, but I will say the O can play with anyone in the country even with a new QB. The D while questionable has some gems, and some of those gems have yet to emerge. The D will be more aggressive and more fundamentally sound, that goes with out saying. I am not promising an NC or SEC championship, but winning the East is a plausible consideration. I don’t think anyone should lose their mind and send moving vans to the Richt estate if the Dawgs drop a game early. All things considered, this is a crucial year for the coaches and the program as a whole. Win the East, and UGA solidifies a whole lot of big time recruiting.
chazzo
May 28th, 2010
9:49 am
BTW, A.J. may be the best receiver in the country (at least top five), but Durham is the most valuable.
News Article: No guarantee, but Richt sees possibility of
May 28th, 2010
10:37 am
[...] Share No guarantee, but Richt sees possibility of ‘tremendous’ season | UGA: The Junkyard Blaw… [...]
How2fish
May 28th, 2010
10:47 am
chazzo what’s not to love… this is the only version I ever heard now I’ve seen others but growing up this is what the radio stations signed off with and was played at sporting events.
O, I wish I was in the land of cotton
Old times there are not forgotten
Look away! Look away!
Look away! Dixie Land.
In Dixie Land where I was born in
Early on one frosty mornin’
Look away! Look away!
Look away! Dixie Land.
Chorus:
O, I wish I was in Dixie!
Hooray! Hooray!
In Dixie Land I’ll take my stand
To live and die in Dixie
Away, away,
Away down south in Dixie!
That being said while the song in itself is not offensive, However I understand that since it is related with images of soldiers in grey and hence to many an image of Southern Heritage and Pride it also triggers images of the KKK and civil rights violations that make many Americans Black and White uncomfortable, so I can understand and agree with the decision to not play it. However as a song itself it’s a catchy tune and fun to sing along with. IMHO
The Truth
May 28th, 2010
10:51 am
Joshua Nesbitt for Heisman!!
npgator
May 28th, 2010
11:31 am
Beat Florida!? In what sport?
npgator
May 28th, 2010
11:32 am
Richt could be fired for a gross mis management of the Booster’s expectatations by saying he will beat Florida.
Delusional Dawg
May 28th, 2010
11:45 am
Beat Florida?? Well, anythings possible I guess. Think I see snow.
Delusional Dawg
May 28th, 2010
11:48 am
Hey, after all, he DIDN’T say THIS year. Looks like coach has been attending the Johnny Cochran Memorial School of Speaking.
How2fish
May 28th, 2010
1:11 pm
npgator he will beat UF AGAIN, and it may very well be this year..hey has CUM gotten out of rehab yet?
chazzo
May 28th, 2010
1:40 pm
Countless lyrical variants of “Dixie” exist, but the version attributed to Dan Emmett and its variations are the most popular.[4] Emmett’s lyrics as they were originally intended reflect the mood of the United States in the late 1850s toward growing abolitionist sentiment. The song presented the point of view, common to minstrelsy at the time, that slavery was overall a positive institution.
Dixie:
The pining slave had been used in minstrel tunes since the early 1850s, including Emmett’s “I Ain’t Got Time to Tarry” and “Johnny Roach”. The fact that “Dixie” and its precursors are dance tunes only further made light of the subject.[12] In short, “Dixie” made the case, more strongly than any previous minstrel tune had, that slaves belonged in bondage.[13] This was accomplished through the song’s protagonist, who, in comic black dialect, implies that despite his freedom, he is homesick for the plantation of his birth:
chazzo
May 28th, 2010
1:43 pm
Let me put a fine point on it. It is a slave who is supposedly singing “I wish I was in the land of cotton” because the lyricist(s) felt that’s where he belonged. Any further questions as to why the SEC did away with playing it as a symbol for the schools.
chazzo
May 28th, 2010
1:47 pm
I would much rather talk about the receiver corpse than the bugle corpse, if we could.
How2fish
May 28th, 2010
2:41 pm
chazzo good to know all I know of and I would think most folks that know anything of “Dixie” is the lyrics I posted and not the background thanks for sharing… the folks I know of that sang that song were wearing Grey and they were homesick..or their descendants. it was a song of home and not slavery…and I would be willing to bet most folks have never heard of the back story… I can’t imagine the armies of the South marching to a song if they knew they were singing from the view of a slave..could you?
chazzo
May 28th, 2010
6:33 pm
Nobody marched to the song except SEC bands. Sorry to break it to you. I used to believe in the Moonlight and Magnolias preserve the history stuff, too. Fact is though much of these “nostalgic” things like the rebel flag we all know and love were taken out of context and promoted as an overt protest of desegregation. Once I found these things out, I changed my tune. There is much in the South and of the South worth celebrating and preserving.
Crimson Crush
May 29th, 2010
1:46 am
chazzo I find your revisionist history on the supposed behavior of Bama fans even funnier than you claim to find yourself . ALL I heard and saw during the time that Bama was having down years was how ARROGANT Tide fans were because they refused to accept it . In fact it wasn’t just bumble head fans of other programs pumping that crap … the spectacularly unimaginative press followed suit as well .
A blizzard of “The Bear is Dead” and any gleeful b******t commentary that could be hurled WAS hurled from EVERY direction and frankly it only SLIGHTLY died after the Tide stomped their way through an undefeated season .
Yeah … Bama fans were “arrogant” during the program’s slump because they refused to accept it . “Arrogant” because they refused to believe a competent coach would never take on the high expectations in Tuscaloosa . “Arrogant” when they hailed Saban as the Man his first day on the job.
And you are now trying to sell that Tide fans were “sheepishly quiet and humble” before Saban came to Bama ? Get the f*** out of here
You are either being willfully ignorant of just WHO and WHAT Bama fans have ALWAYS been good times AND bad … OR you are still in your teen years and trying to remember back further than 3 seasons ago predates your arrival into puberty .
You certainly aren’t the only one I have seen trying to peddle that broken bicycle down the street . I just find it funny to think back to the same clowns who were calling Bama fans “arrogant” and “living in the past” for nearly a decade right up until the start of the last season are now claiming Bama fans were “no where to be found” or “sheepishly quiet”.
katmando
May 29th, 2010
2:03 am
could not even take a wounded cat team at home….commonwealth will be rocking as we roll to SEC east title!!…go cats
Roll Tide
May 29th, 2010
12:18 pm
Its as simple as this Richt. Left tackle- Trinton Sturdivant, Left Guard- Cordy Glenn Center-Chris Burnette, Right Guard Bean Anderson Right Tackle- Josh Davis. Equals = SEC Title. Otherwise, you are going to have plenty of time to enjoy the Lake house.
chazzo
May 29th, 2010
1:15 pm
Crimson Crush,
Okay I’ll revise my “revisionist history.” You were arrogant when you were losing. Now your just boring. Get a life.
Just saying
May 29th, 2010
1:58 pm
UGA Football 8-5 (4-4) Shreveport Bowl
UGA Basketball 14-17 (5-11)
UGA Baseball 16-37 (5-23)
Go Dawgs!!
Crimson Crush
May 29th, 2010
11:31 pm
Well at least you are consistent and somewhat intellectually honest . Consistent in that you tried to make up one extremely weak argument that Tide fans were “sheepishly quiet” . When that goes bust you try to replace it with a petty little 7th grade ad hominem reply …. “Get A Life” . LOL
Of course if you really want to work on a little self improvement you would just try and stick to being consistent in areas that matter . You could start by formulating stories that match up to begin with but I am happy that I could help you get at least halfway there
chazzo
May 30th, 2010
10:17 am
Hey, CC,
I guess my main point is: Why are you Bama jagoffs showing up on this thread talking smack about the Dawgs? BTW, what’s with the little smiley faces, powder puff? Are they going to put those on your ugly arse helmets next season for good plays?
sturm7
May 30th, 2010
6:58 pm
rodney holloway cmon come out of the closet….youre really a Ga Tech nerd……aren’t you??
'94 UGA Grad
June 2nd, 2010
12:10 pm
Hey BAMA STAN,
I found your post on 5/27 at 12:56 pm to be very insightful and objective (unlike 95% of the other posts on this blog) and right on the money imo. Thanks for the great post and good luck next year. Maybe we’ll meet in the SECCG this year.