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
Dog hater since 1993
September 26th, 2010
11:47 am
So, Bill, you finally admit that Georiga is a bunch of LOSERS. Your team hasn’t done anything in 30 years, so call it what you want. Maybe, just maybe, this rag tag paper will stop shoving the school down my throat. While your at it, tell them to stop telling me so and so plays for the opposing team against the Falcons who also just happened to go there. Bobo is NOT why you’re losing, fans, it’s the players. I find it histerical, ever since the late 90’s, UGA has the top recruiting classes, yet you can’t get past Florida while they’ve won several national championships. Sticks a craw in ya doesn’t it? The nation doesn’t care about the flippin’ Bulldogs. Do you see ESPN going on and on and on and on and on like these fans, who need to get a life, about Georgia? The abosolute worst thing you can do is fire Richt, but with this losing mentality ever since Dooley was run off……keep enjoying those trips to Shreveport.
Dot Connector
September 26th, 2010
11:48 am
In the 10 years CMR has been at UGA, how many SEC teams have fired their head coach? And how many of their replacements have gone on to win a National Championships? A decade is a long time to tred water. Sinking was inevitable. There’s nothing left to figure out….other than who our next Head Man will be.
Vote For Pedro
September 26th, 2010
11:57 am
Is Mark Richt a closet drunk? Because this team needs an Intervention!
Jeff
September 26th, 2010
11:57 am
My big hangup is that we have been getting almost nothing out of all these heralded recruits. Not just this year, but really for the last 4-5 years. Yes, there are a couple exceptions, but even that’s on a game-by-game basis. I’d rather have a coach that can get something out of nothing than ruin perfectly good talent.
rincon dawg
September 26th, 2010
12:00 pm
hater if CMR is so great why dont u take him? Thats right you want us to keep losing. He did turn the page but he got complacent with his offense figured it would keep being successful. We are lost and out coached.
wasn't it bad about the dogs,
September 26th, 2010
12:06 pm
uga dogs moved the ball indicates Bobo did his job. Mistakes cost you guys the game. Note> IMHO you guys got hosed on that fumble call. Was not the play over?
buffdawg
September 26th, 2010
12:07 pm
if we do get on tv next year will the game time be 6 am ?
rincon dawg
September 26th, 2010
12:11 pm
it was over before the game started bad about dogs
Steve Spurrier
September 26th, 2010
12:11 pm
Coach Boo Boo…When you are fired from the Georgia staff,I have an opening on my staff,you can pick my visor and carry my clip board,even if you are not qualified!
Smart like a Fox
September 26th, 2010
12:13 pm
the Ga possums…play dead at home and killed on the road….thats funny,I don’t care who you are …thats funny right there!
stendek
September 26th, 2010
12:14 pm
Another arrest Mark Wretch. Thanks for recruiting such highly moral Christian young men. Love all those four and five star players. Higher the star rank the lower the heart! Vanderbilt Commodores send condolences for being at ground level of Southeastern Conference. Not peeved at all for forcing them out of spot they have held for decades. True Chriustian attitude Tennessee guys! Thanks. As for last place. Sorry. Bulldogs are going to be here for quite some time. Mark Wrecth can fire Mike Dodo immediately or he should be fired himself! Then what? Anyone watch that travesty against Mississippi State? Waterboys could do just as well as coaches! Washedup Early? Revoke his scholarship! At very least sit his sorry a$$ on bench until it collects enough splinters to build cabinet! Loafing players? Bench em! Arrests? Boot em off team! That is what a TRUE Christan man would do. Still nauseated! Bulldogs have sunk into quagmire beneath quagmire. Worse than sad! STENDEK
CoachJRB
September 26th, 2010
12:18 pm
CMR has lost control of this program. It’s time for a change. I am amazed that Georgia can still pull in high level recruits with this lack of control…..I am afraid that this too is only a matter of time until it changes. Why would a parent allow their son to play for this man? 10 arrests – time for a change!!
Phil
September 26th, 2010
12:20 pm
You’ll know when you have hit rock bottom. That will be when you have to search for the channel to watch your team. As you continue to lose, not provide an entertaining or exciting game to watch, then ESPN will relegate you to the less watched channels with bad time slots. Just look at Ole Miss. You think losing hurts? Wait until other schoold can out recruit you citing poor TV ratings. Just watch, your games will be on CSS, etc while Alabama, Auburn, South Carolina and Florida are on CBS and ESPN. LSU, Vandy and Kentucky will be on ESPN2.
This is how they will review it
September 26th, 2010
12:20 pm
The review of the recent Mark Rich era will start with the year UGA was pre season number 1. We lost to SC and badly …………very,very badly to UT and to Florida. Supposedly, we has top caliber EC grade talent but it ended with no much fanfare. This is the cornerstone in the review ….2007.
Last year, was by all accounts, a ( 9-3? ) re building year going in. Joe Cox, we were told, was a solid leader with a grasp of the UGA offense and a solid short to intermediate range passer. We lost 5 games and we lost to KY and to Ok State ( Cox had the flu) and the ugly last 38 second loss to LSU, due to UGA celebrating an AJ TD and then, not covering properly on the ensuing kick off. Toss sweep to Charles Scott and he ran 33 yds right over Rennie Curran ( simply too small ) and we lost to LSU. We also lost badly again to Florida and to UT …..very,very badly.
The 08 loss to GT will ALSO figure heavily in Richt’s last 3 – 5 year review. THAT LOSS was strictly due to UGA laying down on the job in the second half. We had a 16 point halftime lead and we fumbled and threw quick 6 pics to allow the the win. We laid down at home. That was a sign of Richt’s calmness and a lack of a sense of urgency. This comment is key to it all.
This year is only the fall off the cliff result of 3 – 4 years of really lousy recruiting. We have not signed the great linebackers or the D linemen or the great O linemen and in the SEC THAT is where games are won. We also do not have any ………..any running backs that are SEC caliber. See Ealey as one horrible example.
BY late season, Richt will announce that he is retiring after the GT game. If he does not, there is not one shred of evidence that he can resurrect UGA’s football program. He has had 10 years of mediocrity.
Adams and McGarity will not allow him to continue, after this review.
Go Dogs.
Class of 71 & 73
rincon dawg
September 26th, 2010
12:23 pm
By the way and this is my last post for the week. Christian Lemay the highly recruited QB was kicked off his highschool team and we still accepted his verbal. Lost Coaching is LOST and deserve better than this.
Refund Please
September 26th, 2010
12:26 pm
To UGA Ticket Office: Can I please get a refund on my remaining tickets? The product I bought doesn’t meet my satisfaction and was falsely advertised. If you decline my request, I will burn my remaining tickets and take my business elsewhere.
To Coach Richt: Thank you for all you have done and tried to do for UGA, but it is time that you pursue your dreams of mission work. We all will support you in your work.
To Dr. Adams: Please promote yourself to anything as long as you have ZERO to do with UGA
To Greg McGarity: Open the checkbook and hire the best head coach available or not available. Saben is at the top of my list. We have the $$$$$ so spend it. It will be the best investment you will make. Allow the new coach to bring in whomever he needs to make UGA a top program. Hopefully that will start with recruiting the best players not just who has stars by their names.
UGA has fallen to the lowest point that I can recall and what is alarming is that I’m not sure we have hit bottom…. so fans you better hold on cause its gonna hurt when we land
DawgByte
September 26th, 2010
12:35 pm
When are you guys going to start talking about Rodney Garner? He’s the man in charge of RECRUITING! He’s the man in charge of putting together a defensive line. Have you seen a worse DL in the last 30 years at UGA? Tyson is getting completely manhandled by opposing OL’s. Our DE’s are pretty much useless. We’re now on our 10th arrest, which is absolutely pathetic. That’s all about recruiting. Wake-up people, we aren’t that good. Oh, and don’t get me started on our 1990’s ACC style strength and conditioning.
barbour Dawg
September 26th, 2010
12:37 pm
The game was not lost in the Trenches, it was lost sevral years ago when CMR began to make compomises w himself , his staff and his players.
This loss among others is way beyond anything happening on the field.
Yuck
September 26th, 2010
12:38 pm
@ Refund Please
Are you serious? Why would Saban come to UGA. And please burn your tickets and take your “business” elsewhere. Real UGA fans don’t want you around. If you like Saban so much, go give your money to Alabama. I’m sure you would be much happier as an Alabama fan. Seriously, go away, we don’t want you.
Corninmypooh
September 26th, 2010
12:39 pm
Guys, I don’t know how much longer I can continue to yell at the TV. Next week I’m going to create a spreadsheet and keep track of how many offensive plays (run or pass) I can predict when we line up over the ball. My guess is I will be able to accurately predict what we will run 90% of the time. This program is dropping quicker than a David Letterman tossed pumpkin off the top of NYC building.
I fumbe this state
September 26th, 2010
12:44 pm
Not even shreveport will want us back this year. We are a joke.
I fumbe this state
September 26th, 2010
12:44 pm
We will still lead the SEC…. We will be #1 in loserville!
ChipperDoodle
September 26th, 2010
12:45 pm
GaDawg: I’m not a coach or a player, but I am an alum and I’m an unhappy fan. I’ve been attending GA games since 1950. I do have experience watching teams (all teams, not just GA). There are hits on the field. It’s a violent game. The players should be ready for the collisions. They should know to go for the ball by instinct. Bell rung. BS. That’s SOP. I don’t really care what you think about me. It’s the team we need to be concerned about and everyone should be p*ssed off with the coaching. Don’t take any comments so personally, mine or others. This is a lousy edition of the Dawgs. They cannot match up with any of the top 50 teams right now.
For the Record
September 26th, 2010
12:47 pm
10 – 1 – 3
10 – Arrests
1 – win
3 – Losses
UGA LAST PLACE SEC EAST
and I LOVE IT!!!
I fumbe this state
September 26th, 2010
12:51 pm
@for the record -
#1 in the mighthy SEC in loserville… By the I fumble this state looked like a dazed orangatan all night.
Dawg Tired
September 26th, 2010
1:15 pm
As has been correctly pointed out in this morass of inaccuracies, MSU ran the same play about 25 to 30 times and we could not stop it. Get over blaming the lack of success on poor play calling! It is lack of execution. Our o-line can not run block! They are not very good. Without blocking up front, no play calling will pull us out of this mess.
It is also interesting to note, that we did not play aggressive defense at times when disruption of the offense was imperative. So much for all the talk about how we were going to play defense differently this year. Talk is cheap, I thought we would surely not let a team just methodically drive the length of the field without at least sending everybody into the fray.
The players need to do some soul searching. The coaches need to make sure they do the same.
Dawg Tired
September 26th, 2010
1:19 pm
It is somewhat encouraging to see that their are some folks whose lives are much worse than what UGA football fans are going through. I point to the pitiful state of FOR THE RECORD’s life as illustrated by his post at 12:47 PM today. Now there is someone with much deeper issues than losing a few football games. Talk about pitiful.
All u dumb redneck UGA fans
September 26th, 2010
1:19 pm
Every year yall run your mouth saying we going to win this and that, and as always you can’t back up one word. You are a bunch of losers as always.
Where is DawgGirl at?
September 26th, 2010
1:29 pm
Come out from your rock.
I fumbe this state
September 26th, 2010
1:33 pm
the tickle pile is in the middle of sanford and son stadium
BulldogsRock
September 26th, 2010
1:37 pm
Same mistakes beat them again as we have seen for the past 2 years or more…Turnovers and Penalties. Totally undisciplined. And, they can’t beat people as they used to–upfront, running the ball and defense. And, now the 10th player arrested this year! Players are behaving the same as they are playing–poorly. It appears players/team is out of control. I’m shocked CMR has let the program drop this low. Bean Counter, you have some good points. But, Ealey fumble may have been a good hit, but the one at SC was nothing special; he just doesn’t take care of the football.
simplythetruth
September 26th, 2010
1:37 pm
We’d better be careful about how we talk about the Dawgs that have been arrested. Bryant Gumbo will talk about us on HBO. After all, he is such a great authority on sports. If you don’t believe me, just ask that pompous butt-head himself.
I fumble this state
September 26th, 2010
1:43 pm
I can’t help it. I and my team suck. Our coaches suck. We will lose to Tech.
We are the doormat of the mighty sec.
sunny purdue
September 26th, 2010
1:56 pm
Hey Bill – remember this way back last summer? Florida paper slams Dogs again: Most overrated ever.
Were they right and know more about the dogs than you? Will you take back your comments? Did they over rate the dogs?
georgiadawg70
September 26th, 2010
2:02 pm
Can any one say Chris Peterson?
Hymie
September 26th, 2010
2:03 pm
I guess Dumutrius drowned his sorrows over not being able to play for such a great team.
edumacated
September 26th, 2010
2:15 pm
Hey Bill, at what point do you start to question Richt’s ability to correct the problems in Athens? The only thing you are doing now is pointing out the obvious. You are gonna have to go out on that limb eventually.
Georgia Catfish
September 26th, 2010
2:29 pm
You ball lickin, butt sniffers have turned into bottom feeders! 6th in the East, now that’s hilarious!!!!
For the Record
September 26th, 2010
2:47 pm
Come on out and play you Jawja Rednecks. Quit hiding behind that budwieser.
We want to hear you talking trash about winning the rest of your games this year and about all those 4 & 5 stars you have signed.
Come out and take your bash’n!!!
LOSERS!!!!
Say What
September 26th, 2010
2:52 pm
Can any one say?
There ain’t NO competent football coach coming to Athens, GA and associate themself with a bunch of LOSERS!!!
You’ve got what you deserve in CMR, genius Boo WHO and 4-hamburgers Todd.
South Ga Dawg
September 26th, 2010
3:05 pm
I dont care who the coach is. If you dont play with any heart and passion your gonna loose in this league. Soft, Soft Soft!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
still a dawg fan
September 26th, 2010
3:09 pm
Face it guys,this is the worst team since the Ray Goof era.I have one word to describe our team—OVERRATED—–These 3-4-5 star players we recruit are not very good. Someone is a poor evaluator of talent.Our recruits choose between us & Vandy-KY-MISS ST-OLE MISS. Rarely do we get a recruit who chooses between us & AL-FL-AUB & even SC. Its hard to disagree with anyone that we are the worst team in the WHOLE sec.With all the talent in the state of Ga it is unexcusable to be the worst team in the SEC. Its hard for me to believe we are the worst team in the SEC but after watching every game this season I have to agree —WE ARE THE WORST.
It’s about time we start using our best players even if they are freshmen because our upperclassmen are OVERRATED ESPECIALLY ON THE OFFENSE LINE & DEFENSE LINE.I realized last night that someones head has got to roll.I have always defended MR but the product he is putting out is awful & after last night I realized that MR cannot get us to the next level but it does appear that he can bring us down to the depths we have not seen since the RAY GOOF era
Randy
September 26th, 2010
3:18 pm
Not as bad as it seems, despite what the AJC sensationalistic writers want fans to believe. You fumble on the 1, cost you 7. You hold on the Durham td, cost you another 4. A hold on a big 3rd down conversion in the 3rd qrtrt near the red zone–cost 7 points. Then you run the clock out at the end, or punt it away.
Richt’s the best coach in the country, just going through a tough spell. He’ll figure it out.
Randy
September 26th, 2010
3:20 pm
After Saban lost to Miss St in 07′, his 2nd straight shocking loss in a row, folks said the same garbage about Saban.
Randy
September 26th, 2010
3:25 pm
Saban went 7-6 in 2007 at Alabama. Lost 4 or 5 in a row, to teams a lot worse than Arkansas.
edumacated
September 26th, 2010
3:32 pm
Yeah Randy, Saban was losing with a team he inherited from the coach the year before. It took him one year and he had those guys competing for the SEC title.
Richt is losing with his players and his program, and this “bad spell” is in year 3 officially (year 5 if you consider disappointment)
Your opinion about Richt does not stand up to any logical reasoning.
SEC1
September 26th, 2010
3:39 pm
We might not be the worst team in the SEC, but we are definitely the worst in the SEC in under-utilizing and under-coaching our players.
We definitely do the least with the most.
I still love my Dawgs, but we are simply terrible.
Enough said…
P.S. Bobo should have been gone last year… Come on, is the SEC really the place to “cut your teeth” as an OC?
secfootball
September 26th, 2010
3:42 pm
And for the Techies:
Keep in mind, you suck, too.
At the end of the year, one of us will just suck a little less than the other.
CHDawg
September 26th, 2010
3:58 pm
I think we have some great coaches, and I don’t want to be a fair weather fan, but we do have a consistent problem in the last four years with our offense. Few teams could run against a defense swarming the box like all teams now play UGA. We need to start throwing deep a lot more. Look what happened at the end of the game–marched up the field for a TD in about a minute. It is tough to get Murray the time because of the blitzes–the defenses cover us tight, blitz frequently, and dare us to throw it long. The coaches need to set up some packages designed to stay alive long enough to burn the other teams deep. If we had started out in a shotgun throwing it long, MSU would have had no choice but to pull more players into coverage. And that opens the up the run. Playing UGA is getting to be an easy routine for opposing DCs. Bobo is a good coach, but he does fall into patterns that he needs to competely break out of–or this nightmare will continue. Just breaking up the pattern will help all facets of our offense, imho. Some of his ideas are great. The late screen to King was wide open–he would still be running. We need to work with Murray on telegraphing. Fake/look somewhere else first–especially on screens!
CHDawg
September 26th, 2010
4:06 pm
One more idea: we need to run a Navy/Tech style option with Gray as the Flanker. Put him in motion behind the I. FB off tackle; Murray could run(probably not!), TB is the lead blocker on the edge, pitch it to Gray after faking to the FB. Gray takes the pitch and he then has the option of runing or throwing it. We need to use our weapons. How many times do you have a QB who is a decent enough receiver to do this, yet we haven’t done it once! Also, keep trying the wildcat to Ealey a few times a game. It gives a different look and causes the D to make adjustments.