Dogs lost this one in the trenches
Tavares King scores, but it was too little, too late. (Associated Press)
There’s no point in dancing around it. Georgia just doesn’t have a very good football team this year.
I know, some will point to the first half, when UGA moved the ball pretty well between the 20-yard lines and had 100 yards more of offense than Mississippi State and will say Mark Richt’s Dogs beat themselves. And for that half, that’s true. Had Washaun Ealey not committed yet another goal line fumble in his bid to be the Jasper Sanks of this era, and had a terrific catch and run by Kris Durham for a touchdown not been negated by a holding call on Marlon Brown, Georgia would have led 14-7.
But those mistakes were made. And many more, as the game went on.
However, in the second half, it wasn’t a case of Georgia beating itself. It was, unfortunately, the maroon Bulldogs delivering the beating to both of Georgia’s lines.
The UGA defense couldn’t seem to get off the field in that interminable scoreless third quarter, as MSU continually ran it up the gut. As Fox Sports South analyst Tim Couch said, Georgia knew what MSU was going to do, they just couldn’t stop it.
And on offense, playcaller Mike Bobo went strangely conservative in the second half, trying in vain to establish a running game behind our misfiring, criminally underachieving offensive line while eschewing the shots downfield that offered Georgia’s only real hope until the game was out of reach. And all this amid a shower of penalty flags that unfortunately were deserved. (Can’t blame this one on the Dogs’ old nemesis Penn Wagers.)
The head coach, who noted after the game this “is new territory for me,” pretty much summed it up when he said Georgia has failed across the board as a team and “until we get it all together, we’re not gonna win.”
September isn’t even over and the Dogs already are not only irrelevant in the SEC East, they’re the worst team in the conference. Even Vandy has a conference win. At this point, it’s beginning to look like Georgia’s streak of 13 consecutive seasons going to a bowl game might even be in jeopardy unless Richt and company are able to turn things around.
Yes, A.J. Green will be back next week. But with the Richt era Dogs having sunk to new Goff-ian depths, I’m not sure that will be enough.
I’ll be back Sunday afternoon with more thoughts about what went wrong, and where the Dogs go from here.
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318 comments Add your comment
Sanford Drive
September 26th, 2010
12:14 am
I think Jon Gruden would make a hell of a college coach, and a damn fine recruiter.
Get Real
September 26th, 2010
12:14 am
Ain’t no competent football coach in America coming to Athens, GA and associate himself with a bunch of LOSERS!!!!
rincon dawg
September 26th, 2010
12:14 am
so what sanford drive he cant coach em anyway.
RON ZOOK
September 26th, 2010
12:14 am
I don’t remember if you have forgot Mark, losing to Mississippi cost me my job.
Supes
September 26th, 2010
12:15 am
Time for a change in Athens. From the head coach, to the OFFENSIVE style of play.
Wanna be successful with the CURRENT group? Stop trying to run between the freaking tackles 20 times per game. SPREAD the field, play 3-4 wide, use SHOTGUN more, stop using a FB all the freaking time, run with 1 back or empty field, use the short passing game if need to be to help MURRAY.
the problem is we have players that don’t fit the freaking style of play on both OFFENSE and DEFENSE.
to make it worst, play calling has hit an all time low with BOBO.
It’s tough to be a UGA fan right now, which I still am but I’m not going to blindly support richt and bobo when the team is not showing improvement and getting progressively worst, esp in SEC play. grantham doesn’t have the personnel to run the 3-4…so why is he RUNNING it? Use a defense fitted for what you have…darn it’s frustrating watching this bunch not being able to stop a simple offensive play that MSU ran all night.
UGA needs a new coach
September 26th, 2010
12:15 am
Last year wasn’t much better. UGA has only had two good teams since 2002. That is 8 years.
When the seats become 25, 30, 40 %…. empty some of the god ole guys and gals on the BOR and in Athens will pay attention. The problem is that Mike Adams, Sonny Purdue and at the time D. Evans are with too incompetent, too redneck or don’t have the footballs to make the decision that needs to be made.
Fire Mark Richt and take Adams with him.
UGA needs a new coach
September 26th, 2010
12:15 am
Hire the guy from Boise State.
rincon dawg
September 26th, 2010
12:16 am
hey what happened to FL after they fired ole zooker. they won the NC.
charlie weis
September 26th, 2010
12:17 am
uga/nd in the irrelevant bowl
Richt ties Goff with 0-3 SEC start
September 26th, 2010
12:17 am
Sanford Drive
September 26th, 2010
12:13 am
The scariest thing to me about firing Richt……
say BYE BYE to that awesome recruiting class that we have lined up right now.
Do you really think any of those VERBALS will honor their pledge to join a team so poorly coached as this one. They want to play on TV and soon the dawgs won’t have any games televised, except the annual slaughter in Jax.
Dawgs-Crews
September 26th, 2010
12:17 am
Wasnt it just a couple of yrs ago we were ranked preseason #1 ? Wow how times have changed !!
Skipper
September 26th, 2010
12:18 am
This season is really over with. I don’t even care if the Dogs beat the Gators, it will only make people believe that things are getting fixed. This is two years of going down hill and the problem is with CMR. They need to bring in a new crew for next year. AJC will not give me enough space to list all the things that are wrong at UGA. It’s time to throw out the dish water and start over.
Macclenny_dawg
September 26th, 2010
12:18 am
Let’s see we ran on Florida? Oh thats right it was Kentucky which defense sucks!!! We ran on Auburn last year that’s right there d sucked!!! We ran on Tech, thats right there d still sucks!!! Our offensive line has underachieved the last few years!! If it wasn’t for Stafford and Moreno it would have been alot more noticeable!!!!!!
Get Real
September 26th, 2010
12:18 am
Want to see REAL college football teams,,,REAL football programs,,,,REAL competent coachs,,,
TURN ON THE LSU AND WV GAME!!!
Ed
September 26th, 2010
12:18 am
Sanford, the best recruiting class in the world doesn’t mean much if they aren’t well coached. Miss. St. won tonight with a roster full of players that Georgia wouldn’t take. Let’s get someone in who can coach and the rest will take care of itself.
RON ZOOK
September 26th, 2010
12:19 am
rincon dawg I was fired and I still was 2-1 against Richt.
Blind Homer Dawgs
September 26th, 2010
12:19 am
Please do not keep telling me this is a rebuilding year and we should expect to get our butts handed to us each week. This is the tenth year of this coaching staff and the coaches are the ONLY ones to blame for a freshman QB in charge (and he has done a damn good job under the circumstances of being hampered by the ‘best OL in the country’ and playcalling that is terrible and then getting thrown under the bus by the guy who is sending you these terrible plays!).
Thank goodness their QB couldn’t pass well and their receivers dropped passes because our secondary was out of position and confused much of the game. Rebuilding or injuries or penalties…let’s quit with the excuses and admit we are not a very good football team today.
Oh, and BTW, I never, ever, ever want to hear my head coach say it is a tough league and we can never expect to win them all. While that may be a true statement, I don’t want to hear it from my head coach. I want him to expect and say he expects to win them all every year! Somehow I just cannot picture some of the other coaches saying that.
rincon dawg
September 26th, 2010
12:19 am
3-4 defense doesnt work cause were never in it
rincon dawg
September 26th, 2010
12:20 am
i know zooker thats what makes it so undeniable. CMR 2-7 against FL
Richt ties Goff with 0-3 SEC start
September 26th, 2010
12:21 am
Skipper
September 26th, 2010
12:18 am
This season is really over with. I don’t even care if the Dogs beat the Gators,
ARE YOU ON DRUGS, BEAT THE GATORS—————–IN YOUR DREAMS.
You're Right
September 26th, 2010
12:22 am
UGA is now the WHIPP’N BOYS of SEC football.
Tombo
September 26th, 2010
12:24 am
1. Predictable
2. Unimaginative
3. Hasn’t used tight ends in 4 games
4. Consistently in 3rd and long
5. Plays to avoid losing rather than playing to win
6. Overpowered
7. Outcoached (again)
8. No adjustments
While other programs are on the rise, UGA is becoming an afterthought. The head coach needs to step up or step out. Get on Bobo’s butt. If he’s not getting it done, take the play calling away from him. Quit putting Murray in 3rd and long. Helluva way to break in a new quarterback.
SAMMY DAVIS, JR
September 26th, 2010
12:24 am
I was looking forward to football season and now before the end of Sept the season is pretty much gone. Tell me, since when has SCar, ARK & MissSt recruited more talent than UGA?? They haven’t. I like Richt, but I must say that this GA team is awful. When your RB fumbles the ball –then LOOKS at it instead of securing it –THAT’S COACHING (or lack-of). When your cover-team doesn’t pay attention to the returner to GET THE HELL OUT OF THE WAY–THAT’S COACHING (or lack of). GEORGIA has NO DISIPLINE, NO UNITY, & NO Conf wins. They all go together, and until Georgia gets these together, it won’t win.
tt
September 26th, 2010
12:24 am
uga football is in the toilet…..im worried about recruits leaving. this is a damn shame…….we really stink. i mean we are BAD….ark and sc must feel crummy for not beating the hell outta the dawgs….they will look back and see that as an opportunity missed!
rincon dawg
September 26th, 2010
12:24 am
isnt it funny how uga gets players ready for the nfl but cant do a thing while at school. hmmmmm. coaching.
The Ole' Ball Coach
September 26th, 2010
12:24 am
Georgia’s so bad, they lost to me this year. And I haven’t been relevant this century.
mdawg
September 26th, 2010
12:25 am
what?? did someone say UGA has had awesome recruiting classes???
when was this??
auburn, alabama, florida, all had better recruiting classes than UGA did. not to mention 10 other school had better recruiting classes
ga gator
September 26th, 2010
12:25 am
I have been saying this since I first heard about it. It was a STUPID decision to abandon 2 a days. It is not about getting in shape, cause these kids stay in shape. It is about toughness and this team has none.
rincon dawg
September 26th, 2010
12:28 am
that was one year mdawg. we have plenty of talent. speed and size everywhere. coaches dont utilize the talent we have. Look at Boise St. They get leftovers from Cali and Tex look what they accomplish. Yeah they dont play anyone but they win and win big
stendek
September 26th, 2010
12:29 am
These losers just not better than previous rant so…
The UGA football Bulldogs have hit rock bottom! It simply does not get any worse than this shet. Time to fire not only Mark Wretch and Mike Dodo but the whole bunch of clueless losers! This was a total embarrassment from start to finish. What is it with that idiot #3? The football was less than a foot from him. All he has to do is make one football play, one, for a touchdown! How did this ignoramus get into college. Oh. I forgot. It is UGA also known as Thug U! Completely unspirited debacle. Enough to make every true Bulldog fan outraged. I AM! Very much so. This cannot be tolerated. Firings are long past due. Bulldogs are official laughingstock of Southeastern Conference! Truly sad. I am too utterly disgusted and nauseated to comment further. Damn this! @ _ @
North Shores Dawg
September 26th, 2010
12:29 am
NEWS ALERT – – – NEWS ALERT – – – NEWS ALERT – – –
Sources have just confirmed CMR’s plans for surgery to remove his hand, attaching a prosthetic comb to the end of his arm
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – -
Top Dawg
September 26th, 2010
12:30 am
Just wait til NEXT year!!! We’ve got the Dream Team arriving, so look out world. We’re gonna be so good next year. I can’t wait. Scout and Rivals both say our recruits are the best.
Certain Unnamed Butterfingered Georgia RB
September 26th, 2010
12:31 am
I thought the ball was in my hands. I couldn’t figure out what that large brown object was doin’ on da field and why the other team wanted it so bad. Damn.
EMBARRENTED DAWG
September 26th, 2010
12:32 am
THIS IS THE WORSTEORGIA TEAM,SINCE RAY GOFF DAYS.I WILL NOT WATCH ANOTHER GEORGIA GAME ON TV AGAIN THIS YEAR. DON’T GO TO THE GAMES IN SANFORD STADIUM,IT WILL SEND A STRONG MESSAGE TO COACH RICHT. FIRE MARK RICHT!
SAMMY DAVIS, JR
September 26th, 2010
12:33 am
mdawg , UGA still has had excellent recruiting classes –if you believe the recruiting rankings. Point being that even a top 12 or top 15 class is still better than SCar, ARK & MissSt. We can go back to last yr & thoow KEN & TENN into that if you’d like. Bottom line is Richt is responsible for the coaches that recruit, so it UGAs’ coaches fault if they don’t have the players they need.
MDAWG24
September 26th, 2010
12:33 am
Again, I hate to say it and man…. I hate to jump on the band wagon of ” Fire Mark Richt” but gees, year after year since he’s been here we have had a top 10 recruiting class and cannot produce, except at the onset of his hiring. Everyone on these blogs and even the folks that know more than us continue to suggest that Richt’s success has come from Donnan’s recruits. Even after Mark came to Athens, we continue to pull in a top recruiting class but what have they contributed to the success at Georgia? Furthermore, these top recruits that we pull, go on to be big time NFL picks. I have to believe that our issues are coaching related. Yes, Bobo was one of those shining stars back in the day but, is he truly an offensive guru? Me thinks not. With the new hire of our AD and the success that he’s sustained while at Florida, I think that maybe a change is warranted and probably going to happen soon. Let me ask this… have we ever been a year after year power house throughout the country? What we do have at Georgia is spurts of success and the true desire to be a National contender but we are falling by the wayside. I want and I mean REALLY WANT that success for Georgia but I’m not getting that good feeling with our current staff. I like Richt as a person but think at this point that it may be time to start looking elsewhere. I love my Dawgs and UGA has been a part of my family since my father played for Wally back in the 50’s – win, lose or draw we are Dawgs but desire more out of our program than we are seeing right now.
stendek
September 26th, 2010
12:35 am
Sanford Drive
September 26th, 2010
12:13 am
The scariest thing to me about firing Richt……
say BYE BYE to that awesome recruiting class that we have lined up right now.
Hey pal…If top recruits play as poorly as alleged top recruits did tonight for my Dawgs then who the Hell needs em? Give me a team of two and three star recruits who WANT to win and play with FIRE and HEART! STENDEK
mdawg
September 26th, 2010
12:35 am
rincon dawg,
that has been the case the past 5 years….. the best recruiting class UGA has had in the past 5 years is 9th in the nation….. while states that have the best talent such as california, texas and florida we hardly ever go after….. go after the blue star recruits no matter where they r
Luke
September 26th, 2010
12:35 am
Had some people over at the house for the game tonight. Someone said they feel sad, like when you have to break up with a girlfriend. Like the relationship is over. He said he needs to break up with Richt, LOL.
I really think that the AJ situation, not just him not playing, but letting down his teammates really screwed this team. They look like they needed his playmaking ability. He really let this team down. Not only that but the coaches look like they didn’t have a plan B either.
It’s altogether sad.
chickenman
September 26th, 2010
12:38 am
Sad day….If richt doesnt fire Bobo then he MUST go. The team isnt playing well that i know.. but this offense isnt getting ANY help from the play calls… Ealey cannot run the ball without fumbling… the O line blocks well 25% of the time.. and the defense..God.. But i give them a break b.c. its a new system… IDC if we have a freshman qb the offense shouldnt be that bad… MURRAY plays well when the right calls are made.. DODO continues to put him in 3rd and long situations with terrible playcalling… THE RANTS are deserved .. the bulldog nation sellsout every game… travels well..and up until the last 3 years has had a team to reflect upon the CRAZY donation prices … BOBO must go idc about he is a uga guy… i rather have STEVE SPUrrior calling plays at OC.. and i HATE HIM..
richt is fine…as long as he does what is best for the team… fire him bgin the search NOW and call plays him self the remaider of the year
aaron in arizona
September 26th, 2010
12:40 am
I agree. Now I do agree w/those that have been saying for the past 2 seasons about getting rid of all the coaching staff.
Remember, the sec road record Richt had? It was outstanding, and now we just lose at home and on the road.
I saw Grantham on the sideling calling defenses w/his arms flapping, doing all kinds of girations. Thought I would see different defensive schemes and blitzes but all I saw was the same thing pretty much. Four man rush w/little pressure. Players seemed to be out of position, especially outside lb’s and safety coming to quickly on run support early in game where a few quick outs passed them by.
Bobo and Grantham showed me nothing in way of improvement nor imagination.
rincon dawg
September 26th, 2010
12:43 am
mdawg you have no clue what your talking about. We are top ten in recruiting right. We agree right. Then why has saban won two NCS and different schools. Why has Meyer won 2 NCs. The difference is coaching plain and simple. Quit drinking the CMR kool aide and demand more for your team
stendek
September 26th, 2010
12:43 am
Just what the Hell was Ealey doing? Football was less than a foot away from him! All he had to do was stretch slightly to reach it. Touchdown UGA. Instead the thug allowed it to be recovered in end zone by Miss St player. Cost team decisive six points! Know this untalented jerk has done this before. Why has this fumbler not been consigned to bench? Permanently? STENDEK
crap sandwich
September 26th, 2010
12:43 am
Let’s talk defense for a minute. Grantham promised us an aggressive, take no prisoners defense. After the last 3 games, I saw nothing but panic out of the players. The switch to the 3-4 has not improved the defense, in fact it is a lacking scheme. Lakatos coaching the secondary must realize that Rambo is not a football player,that our corners are small and ineffectual and he has no solution for using the backups. Football almost always comes down to coaching. We spend so much time worrying about recruiting, we lose sight of that all things being equal, MSU’s defense was the aggressive one tonight, and with most of the players that were not good enough recruits to be considered at Georgia, ditto for Kentucky last season. Grantham will not deliver a top notch defense with players that do not understand their roles with this obvious lack of coaching. So yes, Bobo should be relieved of his duties, but Grantham? Lakatos? Don’t give me the new system garbage or the new system excuse. Football on defense is about fundamentals. These are not being taught. Players out of position is not the players fault, but the teachers of those position players.
snotbubble
September 26th, 2010
12:44 am
Blame it on Russ….it’s all his fault.
rincon dawg
September 26th, 2010
12:46 am
poor uga 8. hes already got a pace maker and on blood thinners and hasnt even got his collar yet
Tim
September 26th, 2010
12:47 am
Richt is probably done. Who will be UGA’s next head coach? DDW has an idea.
http://dealingdominiquewilkins.blogspot.com/
Mike S
September 26th, 2010
12:50 am
Oh well, at least there is one silver lining – we are still better than Georgia tech
You know its bad when....
September 26th, 2010
12:51 am
You know its bad when you have a girl who wants to come to the UGA game that you buy her a ticket for to come watch a game…..because she so loves UGA and then POOF your team not only goes up in smoke…the girl who wants to come watch the game says I AINT COMING to watch this sorry excuse of a team and now thats POOF too. Dammit Dawgs you SCREWED ME!!!!!
Bean Counter
September 26th, 2010
12:53 am
Before you throw Richt under the bus and drive over him ask yourself some questions. Did Richt call for the fumble one the one yard line? It happened because of a good hit. Did Richt get called for holding on the touchdown pass? No this was a wide receiver trying to make a block that was needed. The bottom line is that we are now 1 and 3, and that is just what it is.
The only thing I think that is Richt’s fault is his steadfast loyalty to his assistant coaches. Bobo needs to go. Due to the ineptness of the offense to move the ball the defense has to spend too much time tring to stop people. I watched #78 Josh Davis, right offensive tackle for the entire second half and he is yet to make a block or cut down his man. How can our line coach, SS, review the game films and not see this. If we are going to put someone who does not block on the line, I would rather see a freshman out there getting experience and trying rather than what Davis contributed.
Richt needs to replase Bobo and Searles before anything else is done. Get someone who can kick ass and take names and make the offense work.