Time for Dogs fans to shake it off …
Caleb King should give the Dogs a boost both with his feet and his blocking. (Brant Sanderlin / AJC)
Midweek after the Dogs’ second straight SEC loss and with a tough night in the land of the cowbells coming up. Feels like a good time to get out of this funk and focus on ways in which things are looking up for Georgia.
Like, for example …
Caleb King is coming back. Really. Positively. Of course, King said the same thing last week, but he and running backs coach Bryan McClendon swear it’s true this week. And that’s a really good thing, not just because Georgia’s running game is stronger with the one-two punch of King and Washaun Ealey, but because the coaches say King is the strongest pass-protection blocker of their three tailbacks. Aaron Murray should be especially glad to see Caleb in the backfield again.
Murray now has three games under his belt. The kid is getting better each week. After six sacks last Saturday, he’s probably not going to be holding on to the ball too long much any more. Sure, we have one more week without A.J. Green, but Murray and Kris Durham are becoming a really dangerous combination. If Murray can just get the ball off a bit quicker and hit Durham in stride rather than making him wait for it, one of those long passes is going to go all the way.
And Murray showed against Arkansas several times how valuable it is to have a quarterback who’s a threat to run. Heck, he has the Dogs’ longest run from scrimmage so far this year. (Uh, let’s not dwell on that too long. We’re looking for reasons to feel good.)
Bottom line on Murray: He’s still a rookie but is developing at an accelerated pace. I think he’s going to be a terrific player before the year is out.
Overall, there are still a lot of games to play and plenty of chances for the Dogs to turn things around. Sure, there are lots of problems with this team. Until the line play improves, the offense is going to be hobbled. And the defense has got to learn not to give up those big plays.
But the Dogs have been competitive in both their losses and the schedule now turns a bit in their favor. Let’s think positive today.
Feel free to share your own reasons for being optimistic this week. It beats the heck out of all that handwringing. …
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409 comments Add your comment
ES
September 23rd, 2010
6:15 am
Richt admitted last year that he was going to be alot more involved in the offense.That tells me he has not been totally happy.I just think at this time in the program you can’t hope someone works out.I hope he doesn’t wait too long like he did with Willie.I was at the game Sat. as soon as they called a timeout with over a minute to go.I couldn’t believe it! I IMMEDIATEATLY looked at my 15 year old son and said if they stop us, Mallet will have a minute with the ball now! We only needed 20 yards with three timeouts plenty of time to let it run down and give YOU ONLY a chance to win in regulation.Now the most crucial play in the game to not let Mallet get the ball back.BO BO calls for two receivers to run long routes needing only 5 yards,and has a tail back blocking one of their best linemen with no help.NOT ACCEPTABLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!YOU DONT HAVE TO HOPE!Go out and hire a proven OC that has performed at 2 or 3 places please!
ES
September 23rd, 2010
6:22 am
BTW, I’m not at all wanting Richt gone!!!!!!!!! I remember going 20 years playing for nothing!I also believe he is a good man and that causes some of the procrastination,I’m just frustrated with such boneheaded moves.I really believe with a proven OC we compete again without it we probably will have good years but not to many great years.
Munson's Toupee
September 23rd, 2010
7:05 am
What Would Damon Do?
ChipperDoodle
September 23rd, 2010
7:20 am
It’s nearer the end of the Richt era! Whoopee.
James. T. Kirk
September 23rd, 2010
8:23 am
what do you expect? The mutts have the worst fans in college sports. They always think they are going to win a world title yet never even get close. Their jealousy of my Jackets is hilarious. We are about to make a dynasty run while the puppies are just trying to stay afloat.
how2fish
September 23rd, 2010
8:53 am
James. T. Kirk worst fans in college sports??..I think that would be the fan base that can’t fill the Joke by Coke opening day of the season where they are defending ACC Champs..why because they all had to go to Dragon Con….James say it loud and say it proud…Go Jay Hawks!
Terri
September 23rd, 2010
8:54 am
If you think Richt will take over the offense, you’re hopelessly lost in la-la land. Richt doesn’t want that kind of accountability. He needs a fall guy if things go south.
takedowndawg
September 23rd, 2010
9:31 am
Winning football games starts with personnel selection, continues with play selection and then, execution of the plays. We are, in my mind, in flux on the coaching personnel selection: the same with the player selection at this point. Great teams, at this point in the year are 95% set. We aren’t, and it shows. The play selection by coaches, has been questionable, at best. Particularly, on offense. Execution of plays are not stable on either side of the line. We were not ready, as a football team, to start this football season and this responsibility rest primarily on one individual. I hope, this is all “one, big, short lived learning curve.” GO DAWGS!!!!!!!!
Dawgie Bowser
September 23rd, 2010
9:34 am
Okay sure, fire someone else and that will take care of everything. First the naysayers wanted Martinez’ head and the squeaky wheel got it’s wish. Are we any better off now with Grantham? Now as of late they’ve turned their attention toward Bobo and started to point their fingers at him. I’m not convinced his demise and a new hire would bolster our program. Put yourselves in Bobo’s shoes right now. You are working hard to dust your players off and get them pointed in the right direction while fair weather fans snipe at your heals. Give the guy a break. He’s not a bad O.C.. And yes…try to make some positive comments if that’s possible.
TECH FAN
September 23rd, 2010
9:42 am
I know that if you lose this game all of you will be crying and whining about how you just needed A.J. Green to win those last three games. What I hope you realize is that those last three games still count as a LOSS. If you would stop recruiting kids that get in trouble, no matter how big or small the trouble is, then you wont have to worry about losing games because you’re players aren’t on the field for non injury reasons.
To H@ll With Georgia
takedowndawg
September 23rd, 2010
9:51 am
dawgie browser, most of us “D-lifers” are not suggesting firing Bobo or Searles but great coaches do seem to meet challenges with positive adjustments during football games according the opponents game plan and their particular players. Presently, these two coaches are not giving us fans a lot of confidence in their ability to meet our SEC opponent’s challenges in game plan or defeating their individual players. Great coaches makes positive game adjustments in quarters not just at half time. Demand more from ours.
dawginduluth
September 23rd, 2010
9:51 am
Dooley was just a very good coach until Herschel gave him a national championship. Then he was great. So, comparing Richt to Dooley is to say no national championship with Richt – unless another freak of nature like Herschel surfaces, again. Do we really want to build another Dooley legacy or do we want what Florida and Alabama have going on?
takedowndawg
September 23rd, 2010
10:14 am
dawginduluth, I reluctantly have to agreed with the points you have made. But, of course, I never was much of a Dooley fan either. I was an Erk fan, who did get shafted from the HC job by Dooley, who did not want to get “up staged” by his predecessor! Refute that, Dooley fans!
edumacated
September 23rd, 2010
10:20 am
These blogs read the same every day.
1. UGA fans making excuses for Richt and his staff.
– This really needs to stop. Anybody with half a mind can see that the program is a wreck. Just because “being positive” is in vogue doesn’t mean it makes sense.
2. GA Tech fans trying to convince UGA fans that their program is and always has been 2nd tier.
– Well, if this is true, then Tech must be 3rd or 4th tier because UGA does a good job of whipping your butts almost every year. You have a great school, you guys are good at math, but your athletics program is subpar when compared with UGA. Get over it.
3. SEC fans from other states that come on here and trash UGA.
– Yeah, you guys are really impressive. Your states are so great, that you couldn’t earn a living there and had to move to Atlanta, which is the only reason you read the AJC. This shout goes out especially to you Bammer and Gayturd folks. Why don’t you go home.
4. Friends of current players and staff who come on and get angry at folks for expressing their displeasure with the current players and staff.
– Hey, the truth hurts. Sorry that your nephew can’t play worth a crap.
I am sure I left a lot out. Maybe someone else can add to this list.
Randall in Jubilee
September 23rd, 2010
10:23 am
I’ve said “Wait till next year” a million times over the last 20 years.
Getting tiresome, isn’t it?
Serious Dawg fans need to start organizing and demanding that Richt be fired. Otherwise, sports writers will be asking the same question this time a year from now.
Richt represents mediocrity. Saban and Meyer represent excellence and championships. Richt simply isn’t in their class, nor will he ever be. Richt would have to be incredibly lucky to win the division, and the odds against him winning the SEC championship would be at least 50:1.
Those are the simple facts, and there’s no amount of enthusiasm or cheerleading or Top 5 recruiting classes that can get around it.
As they say in poker, “Read ‘em and weep.”
Greta
September 23rd, 2010
10:30 am
“If you would stop recruiting kids that get in trouble, no matter how big or small the trouble is, then you wont have to worry about losing games because you’re players aren’t on the field for non-injury reasons.”
Mark Richt has no intention of recruiting players with more integrity and more self-discipline. For some reason, he continues to believe that he can win with illiterate goons and thugs.
And that’s a problem. One definition of insanity is to keep doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome. Under that definition, Richt is insane.
Unless, of course, his primary aim is to win the Fulmer Cup.
T-MAN
September 23rd, 2010
11:03 am
Is it true that bulldogs eat their young….you dawg fans are soooo funny,got a great coach,excellent facilities,sell 90000 tickets every game,get your pick of the states best players,…..sounds like a great situation and most of you want to tear it all down,,,It’s a football game,the sun will come up tomorrow,you’ll be at you’re job,kids will jumping all over you…So what if you only win 7-8 games
you’ve got a great young QB and excellent receivers corp…I just hope he doesn’t mature until next season after our game.Relax and enjoy a little adversity,it’ll feel better when you win next year.
takedowndawg
September 23rd, 2010
11:24 am
I expect a fired up DAWG team this week end. If they have not been focused prior to now this season, expect it Saturday night. Juniors and Seniors are being humiliated indirectly and I think that some strong leadership from Boling on offense and Houston on defense is going to take place. By the way, where is our Georgia “Rennie Curran” linebacker this year? If he is there, it is time to step up young man! And, step up for a FULL game. Show your teammates how to correctly wrap up a runner! DAWGS, I believe we are a better team this year than what we have displayed so far. So, Step it UP!!!!
Billy
September 23rd, 2010
11:36 am
Shakin’ it off, boss, shakin’ it off.
Reggie
September 23rd, 2010
11:38 am
I’ve never understood how anyone – even an alumnus – could support and take pride in UGA’s football team. When you look at their history for the past forty years, how can anyone ignore Jan Kemp and the “remedial studies” scam, the Jim Harrick fiasco, the DUIs in the athletic office, the DUIs and other arrests of players, the #1 party school tag (i.e., the most drunk students), the suspensions and outright dismissals, the Fulmer Cup, and on and on?
As disgraceful and humiliating as it is, I don’t see many alums and fans demanding an end to this sordid activity. It sets UGA apart as the kind of school most people abhor, and it’s become an embarrassment to the whole state of Georgia.
Will it never end? Apparently not while Mark Richt is at UGA. Richt is perhaps the biggest hypocrite in the United States. But even with all the cheating and lawlessness that he ignores, he still can’t win the SEC.
So you’re paying him to be BCS champions, but he can’t even win his SEC division. So why do you pay him millions of dollars a year?
Just asking.
dawginduluth
September 23rd, 2010
11:57 am
T-MAS, I just happen to like “We’re number 1!” better than “We’re number 2,3,4,5 or 6!” year in and year out. We pay the big bucks for exceptional (read national) achievement, not for mediocrity. One thing that Richt has proven is that he struggles taking excellent raw talent he recruits to the next level. Maybe being an OC and away from hands on coaching too long. I watch Saban clips occasionally and he seems to be always coaching-up his players, even on the sidelines.
ARdawg
September 23rd, 2010
12:33 pm
Delbert
I’m with you. I didn’t see Murray holding on to the ball too long. I say bull hockey. I seen him being forced out of the pocket by a charging defense with no where to dump the ball.
Richt please, no more turd sandwiches.
GO DAWGS!!!
Coachdawg 2000
September 23rd, 2010
1:23 pm
Reggie-
Are you Reggie Ball? If you are, how can someone stat eligible at the institute without being able to count to four?
Coachdawg 2000
September 23rd, 2010
1:31 pm
Dawginduluth-
Do you remember 2007? The mighty Saban lost at home to La-Monroe. Do you know why? I’ll help you, he was breaking in JPW at quarterback and teaching a new 3-4 defense. Does that sound familiar? There is such a thing as transition in coaching and football. You can’t rush to judgement in a season after 3 games. You have to give it time. We have played some difficult opponents. Somebody has to lose.I’m dissappointed but i can tell you that nobody(players/coaches/ath.dept.personnel)wants us to win to ‘em all more than them. So I wish we would all just get behind our boys and leave the evaluation of the program until after the season is over. Go Dawgs! Beat the imposters! GATA!
Pitbull
September 23rd, 2010
1:42 pm
Most of the negative comments towards Georgia and CMR come from Tech fans posing as disgruntled UGA fans. I hate the Tech posers that come on UGA blogs.
I hope McGarrity drops Tech from our schedule like second period french. We could pick up Clemson or Notre Dame or FSU every year earlier in the schedule and play one of our SEC games like Kentucky as the last game of the year.
We might not win as many against Clemson, FSU, or Notre Dame as we win against Tech, but those schools’ people have a lot more class than the Tech haters, you know – the Wanna Bees.
And it would cut into the GTAA revenue so deeply that they would probably start running financial deficits (again).
So what do you think Dawg fans?
Would all of you other real Dawg fans out there like to dropkick Tech off the schedule and be done with their smart mouth arses?
After all, they have always needed us for their program and we do not need them.
Wes
September 23rd, 2010
2:00 pm
Enter your comments here
how2fish
September 23rd, 2010
2:28 pm
Coachdawg 2000 Ol Reggie has a new name everyday..just the same old tried spewage.. he is trolling, trolling, trooooolllllinnnng!
Buzzy Bee
September 23rd, 2010
2:51 pm
I wonder if any of the books about UGA football include the perspective of someone speaking for the late Jan Kemp? The perspective that “student” athletes like Lindsay Scott were playing years without taking college level courses? That the proudest moment of the football program was earned by players who never earned a single college credit?
Dawgtards love to return to 1980, but their memories are really short when it comes to remembering an earthshaking event that happened a few years later that showed the world what a joke UGA athletes were and what a scam artist their beloved Vince Dooley was (and is). So for all those dawgtards with short memories or who think their athletes are actually taking real courses and trying to graduate, here’s the quote that broke the trial wide open and showed what a slimeball Dooley is:
O. Hale Almand Jr., a lawyer for the defense, offered a justification for the favorable treatment accorded the athletes, citing a hypothetical player. “We may not make a university student out of him,” he told the jury, “but if we can teach him to read and write, maybe he can work at the post office rather than as a garbageman when he gets through with his athletic career.”
Nothing has changed at UGA, they just do a slightly better job of keeping things quiet, but that’s hard to do when 45 of your player-thugs have been arrested in the last three years, isn’t it?
UGA: WINNER OF THE FULMER/RICHT CUP AND THE CESSPOOL OF THE SOUTH.
how2fish
September 23rd, 2010
2:57 pm
Buzzy Bee just in case you missed it you lost to Kansas…now go away.
icedawg
September 23rd, 2010
3:12 pm
Are Caleb and Washaun the reason for optimism? Come on. King is injury prone and Ealey fumble prone. Gotta look elsewhere. I know it is hard to find optimism with this bunch. But Murray to Durham could be all that we have. Like usual, the game will be decided along the lines. We really do not know what to expect. Not much to write about with this team.
Coachdawg 2000
September 23rd, 2010
4:22 pm
Buzzybee-
You’re immortal midget hamilton was drunk and hit and run. Middleton-was a baggage handler Hartsfield-Jackson airport after his “studies” at the institute. So much for the GaTech diploma. You can talk smack when you can win a bowl game. Why do you insist on coming on here? is it that nobody cares about bug football.
DAWG STUCK IN AUBURN
September 23rd, 2010
4:25 pm
WELL SAID !!! LETS THINK POSITIVE
Coachdawg 2000
September 23rd, 2010
4:26 pm
buzzybee-
I will give you credit for a few areas where yall are way ahead of us.
1)Having a student convicted of being a terrorist.2)Students getting mugged, and Quarterbacks who can’t count to four. Congrats!
chazzo
September 23rd, 2010
4:59 pm
Go to UGAs web site and check out the Faloughi player profile. Listen to the excitement and heart that kid has for the game. If that won’t help with your hang ups, then you just don’t get it and you will never be a true fan of the game (UGA or otherwise). Like the Hokey Pokey, that’s what it’s all about.
savannadawg
September 23rd, 2010
5:03 pm
Someone needs to kick CMR square in the backside. And hope that motivates the man. That someone should be Mr. McGarity. I hope he is strong cause we gonna need strong!!!!!!!!!!
Inspector G
September 23rd, 2010
5:26 pm
check out Inpector G’s new website:
hailtothee.com
for all your unofficial UGA sports news, music, hilarity
Bill King is a dumb azz
September 23rd, 2010
7:42 pm
Noway is he on the AJC payroll.
AltamahaDawg
September 23rd, 2010
8:21 pm
At least duluth was anti-Richt from way back. You can respect that. He isn’t fickle. You other guys who are now jumping on this bandwagon act like you just figured out something this week. What exactly was it that you didn’t know a month ago, that a couple of close losses has suddenly revealed to you?
ARdawg
September 23rd, 2010
9:13 pm
Altamaha
For the record I am not on the anti Richt or fire somebody bandwagon. I am disappointed with the losses and I am tired of the turd sandwiches. The program is not moving in a positive direction on it’s current path. Plenty of time to turn it around and make a good season out of it. I’m not however, seeing that progression, are you?
Still not sold
September 23rd, 2010
9:17 pm
I am still not sold on how good or bad Auburn is. They really have not impressed me. (Please let them beat SC – b/c we need SC to have at least 3 loses)
So don’t say that Miss held Auburn to this or that – let’s all see what happens this week and next week in the SEC and then we will know who the real”teams” are.
To be be honest no one has been tested to date – the only SEC team to look legit so far is Alabama – but who have they really played. Only time will tell.
Go Dawgs!
ARdawg
September 23rd, 2010
9:24 pm
Still not.
You and I both. Quite honestly I don’t know that SC is a “good team” yet. I would put my money on SC against Auburn though. We (UGA) may not be as bad as we feel right now but I’m not convinced that SC or AU is all that and a bag of chips either. We should get a better feel of where we stand from that Arkansas/Bama game. Bama’s NC last year won a few “close games”. My feeling is they are not quite as good as last year. But, I could be wrong
Bama fans for bammers
September 23rd, 2010
10:15 pm
Bammers rule
bugsquacher
September 23rd, 2010
10:15 pm
yeah the thing we need to shake is the idiot coaches and criminals
col fot
September 23rd, 2010
11:05 pm
Georgia may be struggling now, but if i was an opposing team playing them the last four games of this season…look out! They will get it together and be a hungry, mean opponent to face down the stretch.
Tweets that mention Time for Dogs fans to shake it off … | UGA: The Junkyard Blawg -- Topsy.com
September 24th, 2010
6:36 am
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Jeff Dorsey
September 24th, 2010
6:38 am
On the positive side. UGA is making even more appearances in highlight clips this year!!!!!!!!
AltamahaDawg
September 24th, 2010
6:49 am
I see exactly what I saw a month ago with the exception of a offensive line not performing as expected. Everthing else is identical to what I said all summer. And I believe we have not seen the best of this team this year, I see our recruiting better, I see a very exciting QB going forward, and I (hope) we have made an upgrade in the coaching staff, and it looks likw we are focused more on upgrading that talent? What else are you looking to see, that would be “moving forward”?
The 2 losses do not change my mind about any of that.
AltamahaDawg
September 24th, 2010
7:08 am
Penalty yardage is way down, TO margin down, points allowed are down, putting the team in impossible situation multiple times a game with mistakes down. Were those not the things that everybody said were so important to improve this year?
I would also still venture a guess that the W/L record will end up better than last year.
It just depends on what you consider moving forward. Is that an unrealistic transformation in one year, or a marked improvement from where you were?
mark twain
September 24th, 2010
8:31 am
will you people understand that this year is over and next year is coming with no players again. we need our great president of these united states to give UGA a stimulus package so we can get moving in a positive direction, just like the way our country is moving. no forget that , that is the wrong direction. MY RIVERBOAT IS WAITING, I THINK I WILL SAIL NEXT TO mexico and corrupt them.
Pago Pago Dawg
September 24th, 2010
9:01 am
Years ago we thought the SEC said NO “cowbells”?!