Can’t quite bring myself to bail on Mark Richt … just yet
Mark Richt is at a turning point in his coaching career. (University of Georgia)
Some of you are ready to write off the Mark Richt era in Athens.
I’m hearing this from fans who normally are not quick to call for a coaching change. They look at the downward trend in Georgia’s SEC results since the last conference title and figure the die is cast, even though most concede that Richt’s past record has earned him another season after this one, no matter how badly it ends.
And they’re not looking forward to watching that prolonged scenario play out.
Me, I’m not a big fan of change, as my wife frequently notes. I tend to stick with something way past when others would have bailed, whether we’re talking cars, VCRs, old shirts or football coaches.
I’ll admit, the precipitous decline of Georgia’s football program has me teetering when it comes to the Bulldogs’ prospects under Richt. The recruiting obviously has been subpar for several years, the development of talent has been less than impressive, and the players frequently look undisciplined, on and off the field, raising serious questions about the coaching.
It’s true, a couple of key blue-chip recruits can turn around a program nearly overnight, but as I’ve heard more than one fan say in the past couple of weeks, “Why would a five-star recruit want to come to Georgia right now?”
For me, the most disturbing aspect of it all is the seeming lack of urgency among the players and coaching staff. Facing the prospect of starting out “one and whatever the crap we are,” as Mike Bobo put it Saturday, they still were outhustled in Starkville, for crying out loud!
And yet … if Richt coaches his tail off and somehow turns this season around — which at this point would pretty much require winning out, including beating Florida — it will make for one of those feel-good stories that fans and sports media alike love.
Do I see it happening? Frankly, at this point, no.
Still, I can’t yet bring myself to say the words I heard an ardent and intelligent UGA fan utter Saturday night: “I’m done with Richt.”
A COUPLE MORE THOUGHTS ON THE GAME
I know, I know, it’s like picking at a scab, but I can’t let the Mississippi State game go just yet …
Like, for instance, what was going on with that Georgia drive in the fourth quarter where Bobo not only insisted on continuing to try to run up the middle, but was trying it with little Carlton Thomas, the Dogs’ third-string back. Had even Bobo given up on Washaun Ealey and Caleb King?
It sounds like Richt was wondering a bit, too, as he said after the game, “At times we just called running plays blindly. We were going to run the play no matter what, and there were times where we had success and times where we got hit in the mouth.”
Maybe now Richt will bigfoot Bobo and insist on a change in direction. With the Dogs’ offensive line getting manhandled and the backs not breaking many tackles, it’s obvious that continuing to try running play-action out of the I-formation just isn’t working. Our main running threat is our quarterback!
Perhaps it’s time to go to the spread most of the time with Aaron Murray in the shotgun and let him just make plays, whether it’s slinging the ball around or running the QB draw. Spreading things out might make it a little less easy for opposing defenses to jam the line like they’ve been doing so successfully. And if we make opponents defend the pass first, maybe that increases the odds of occasionally breaking a long one on a misdirection counter play with our backs.
Couldn’t be any less effective than what the Dogs have been doing the past three games. …
As for the defense, I still think the linebackers and secondary will figure out the pass coverage one of these days. But Georgia is as soft up the middle as I’ve ever seen them. With our undersized line, everybody’s going to try to run up the gut against the Dogs. It’s well past time for Todd Grantham to figure out a way to bolster the middle.
The Dogs can’t wait for him to recruit the big bodies he needs up front. By the time that happens, this staff may not be in Athens any more. Time to earn those big bucks now.
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621 comments Add your comment
The Producer
September 27th, 2010
12:33 pm
Hang in there you puppy Dawgs, you’re in for a lumpy ride………
EagleDawg
September 27th, 2010
12:36 pm
Some GayState idiot above indicated they are ready to take on UGA. I rolled over laughing.
Coachdawg 2000
September 27th, 2010
12:38 pm
On another note,how bad is tim couch as commentator? He uses incorrect grammar constantly. I know he was a good QB at Kentucky, but how bad is he as a commentator? He used incorrect grammar the entire game. His broadcating is like his career with the cleveland browns.
TaxJacket?
September 27th, 2010
12:40 pm
How about a better, more pleasant name like, “cancer?” Oh, and Caleb King just ran ANOTHER first down against that Tech defense!!
Dan
September 27th, 2010
12:43 pm
certainly something needs to change, since hanging 55 on ULL we have scored 6,24,and 12. That’s not getting it done. Maybe it is time to fire Bobo and let Richt re-take the play calling..
ARdawg
September 27th, 2010
12:49 pm
@Coach
That’s the chance you take with any new coach. Your logic dictates that you feel CMR is a proven winner? Perhaps but, he’s more a proven mediocre and headed to be proven loser. He “can” turn it around, save a modicum of face this year and get on with the business of building a national contender. He can but, nothing indicates that he will. There is no fire in the belly. You can preach all you want about behind closed doors but, the proof is in the pudding with every team he fields on Saturday. For an analogy, during most of Richt’s tenure we have had the the 2nd best hand at the poker game. The last 10 games we can’t even get dealt in. I would be happy with the 10+ wins, even 9+ if we were losing hard fought games to good teams. We’re not, we’re losing to inferior talent and superior coaching
wayne
September 27th, 2010
12:51 pm
Dawgs are useless. The Coach has to go. Bradley actually makes the case himself but then runs from it. Maybe Mr Cox can do a better job…
SOUTHGADAWG88
September 27th, 2010
12:55 pm
DAWGFACE Green set the alltime win record and Shockley won a SEC title…what great QB prospect did you think we where going to sign while they were at UGA?Stafford was a 5 star and went 1st in the draft,Murray looks like the real deal 4out of 5 is damn good when you are talking about QB’s.
On D sure Willie was a bad hire..he got fired.Grantham get’s paid too much money for the way our D plays today.Can he get it together here soon?…for 750k I damn sure hope so.What I see on defense right now is busted coverages in the secondary and not enough of a pass rush to cover it up.Same as last year..no SC and ARK didn’t score as much as they did last year but they drove the ball and scored when they needed to..this year the offense couldn’t bail us out.Let’s see if he’s learned anything after facing probably the 3 best play callers in the SEC.
jacketbuzz10
September 27th, 2010
12:56 pm
Honestly, i was disgusted with both teams, GT and UGA. The Miss State game was probably the worst game I have ever had the agony of watching. And the Tech NC State game was just as bad on the Jackets part. At this point i think both coachs are predictable. And thats a sad situation for Fans in the state of Georgia to be in. God i hope both coachs turn things around but at this point it doesnt even look remotely possible.
Dirty Dawg
September 27th, 2010
12:59 pm
I was among those that agreed with Dooley that Donnan deserved another year to get it right…then Adams told him that he was wrong and we got Mark Richt. Then for ever how many years it was I was glad that the change was made. Now I’m not so sure. But to the point, I do think that CMR absolutely deserves the opportunity to turn this mess around – after all he’s done it before during the season, although I think he had more talent then. I’ve suggested that one first move might be to get brother-in-law Brad Johnson in there to call plays from the press-box (I don’t think Richt’s play-calling was all that great either)…keep Bobo on the sidelines for now, but fully expect to make the O-Coordinator job change in the off-season to whoever can make us better…if that’s Brad, so be it….and along with that change overhaul the offensive staff much as he did the defense (jury’s still ‘way out’ on that though)…and then decide if our strength and conditioning program doesn’t need an overhaul as well. Sure these are all loyal people that, but this is way worse than we were last season and CMR was able to send a friend packing then.
If after all that, nothing is improved – and I’m afraid that it’s gonna take much longer than a season and a half – then Mr. McGarity will have to do the part of his job that I’m sure he never figured he’d have to deal with so soon, if ever.
SOUTHGADAWG88
September 27th, 2010
1:01 pm
Termigator the atmosphere that I was referring to at FLA was the keeping on the team and starting players who fail drug screens and get DUI’s etc.
WAR EAGLE HEY!
September 27th, 2010
1:01 pm
Mark Richt is having a down year like all coaches. Leave him alone and let him figure it all out.
WAR EAGLE HEY!
September 27th, 2010
1:02 pm
“Hire muschamp or smart now’
It’s not like either of those guys will fix UGA’s problems in one year. Gotta love fair weather fans.
Hypocracy
September 27th, 2010
1:03 pm
I’m sorry but isn’t Richt the biggest Hypocrite of the decade? Hit & Run…slap the wrist. Theft….slap the wrist. DUI – Your outta HERE!!! When did DUI exceed felony???
patrick
September 27th, 2010
1:06 pm
look…UGA is a fumble in the SC game, a last minute drive away in the Ark game and a fumble and penalty that a TD away in the Miss St game from being 4-0. Dont get stupid. All of this without Green
Coachdawg 2000
September 27th, 2010
1:06 pm
ARdawg-
I am really shocked. I really did think we would put a beatdown on missy state but we didn’t. I now believe we need to really examine how we do EVERYTHING! Conditioning,every position coach,and the HC. I am not a fire this guy or that guy kind of person, but I am an accountablity person. We are not here by accident. But we have to rally for the rest of the year and THEN evaluate.
TTOUGH44
September 27th, 2010
1:06 pm
CMR “IF YOU KEEP ON DOING WHAT YOU’VE ALWAYS DONE, YOU’LL ALWAYS BE WHERE YOU’VE ALWAYS BEEN.!” Bill Purvis,pastor cascade hills church columbus Ga… Coach Richt, START CALLING THE PLAYS FOR THE OFFENSE, ITS YOUR STRONG POINT! GO DAWGS!
rincon dawg
September 27th, 2010
1:12 pm
GO DOGS
Fire CMR. He and bobo get outcoached every game. We have talent every where but they dont know how to use it. For example
Brian Mclendon RB coach. He played reciever
Tony Ball WR coach. He played running back.
If you cant put your coaches in the right spot how are you gonna tell your players where to be?
Coachdawg 2000
September 27th, 2010
1:16 pm
Patrick-
You show some amount of perspective. Are you lost, most everybody else on here a charter members of the “lunatic fringe”. Sometimes you have to ride out the storm and then assess the damage. Maybe we run the table end 9-3 or maybe we tank and end 1-10. Until then we don’t know. Let’s just stand proud and believe until all hope is lost. Like Rhett Butler once said”I’m a sucker for a lost cause”. Fire Bill King it is his fault that we couldn’t move the ball versus a stiff breeze (that isn’t any less rational than its Bobo’s fault our guy got blasted and coughed up the ball).
Coachdawg 2000
September 27th, 2010
1:19 pm
I REALLY hope that Chapas is back this week. As soon as he comes back(healthy hopefully)our running gmae will pick up.
rincon dawg
September 27th, 2010
1:19 pm
I wonder if PETA will be our sponsor next year?
patrick
September 27th, 2010
1:20 pm
one more thing
.
1. SCar played Auburn and lost, they will lose to Fla and ALA. Thats 3 SEC losses
.
2. Fla will lose to ALA and UGA (with Green back) and LSU. Thats 3 SEC losses
.
3. UGA will win out with Green coming back and no real comp as Fla is not very good and it will show this week. Leaving all three teams with a tie at the top of the SEC east and with each other losing to the other what would be the tie breaker?
patrick
September 27th, 2010
1:22 pm
so if UGA beats Flan (should not be that hard they have looked horrible against very weak teams),
.
Fla beats SCar and
.
SCar already beat UGA and
.
all three have 3 SEC losses, how is the eastern champ decided?
Coachdawg 2000
September 27th, 2010
1:22 pm
Unfortunately,
I think the chickens. highest ranked OR the one who has gone the longest since going. Think 2003.
rincon dawg
September 27th, 2010
1:22 pm
Patrick you are very optimistic but sadly mistaken.
rincon dawg
September 27th, 2010
1:23 pm
If we cant stop Miss. St. then how are we gonna stop FLORIDA? AJ Green does not play Defense.
Coachdawg 2000
September 27th, 2010
1:23 pm
Rincon-
Since you know the future. Can you give me the winning megamillions numbers please. Working is for chumps, just ask Obama.
rincon dawg
September 27th, 2010
1:25 pm
Dont know what the future holds just look at the past.
rincon dawg
September 27th, 2010
1:25 pm
CMR 2-7 against FLORIDA
browndog
September 27th, 2010
1:26 pm
Based on the performance to date, UGA could, probably should, be the underdog in all but the Idaho State game, with a real possibility of losing six or seven more games. If that were to happen then everyone would be gone.
Coachdawg 2000
September 27th, 2010
1:26 pm
CMR 0-0 this year versus Florida.
rincon dawg
September 27th, 2010
1:26 pm
Meyer 2 BCS titles
CMR 0
Softies
September 27th, 2010
1:27 pm
The reason we never win anything around here is because we accept mediocrity. Right now UGA can only wish for that.
rincon dawg
September 27th, 2010
1:29 pm
Saban 2 BCS titles with two different teams in 9 years in the SEC
CMR 0. Hes a good guy not a good coach.
Angels of the SEC
September 27th, 2010
1:30 pm
Anytime MS State beats an SEC team, a coach get his wings at the end of the year. Look it up.
Signed,
Zook, Shula, Tubberville, Orgeron, (and soon Nutt).
Coachdawg 2000
September 27th, 2010
1:30 pm
Rincon-
Urban Meyer undefeated seasons-0 Lost a game in 2006 and 2008 NC season
Mark Richt undefeated seasons-0 lost a game in 2002 and 2 in 2005 SECC.
Bad luck in 2002 and 2005.
Dawg Tell
September 27th, 2010
1:31 pm
On September 4,2010 at 11:59 a.m. did we think we would be where we are ? Sad just Sad!!
rincon dawg
September 27th, 2010
1:31 pm
Ohio St. starts saying fire their coach after one loss. ONE. Do not exept nothing but success from your school. Runner up Richt is not even that anymore. Last place Richt is where his name is now
Coachdawg 2000
September 27th, 2010
1:31 pm
Dawg Tell-
NO!
ARdawg
September 27th, 2010
1:31 pm
@Coach
I agree with you there. I’m not a fire everybody and clean house type either but, the ultimate accountability is Richt. Somewhere along the line he has to grab the reins and make things happen. I laughed at the idea before the season began that he’d be on the hot seat. My line of thinking was even equaling last years record would be a victory and his job secure. Let’s face it, there’s been a lot of changes to UGA in the last year and most fans didn’t expect 8,9,10 wins. They didn’t expect to be 1-3 at this point either. Add that with arrests, covering of Bobo and the general lethargic attitude of Richt on down to the players, something is seriously wrong with this team. Does Richt deserve a chance to “right the ship”? I’d say only the end of the year could dictate that. We’re bailing and treading water now watching the bow go under, wouldn’t you say?
rincon dawg
September 27th, 2010
1:32 pm
Who cares about wins and losses? If you win BCS it dont matter COACH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
UGA FAN
September 27th, 2010
1:33 pm
I love UGA and have followed them since the early 80’s but it’s getting harder to support the current coaching staff. I was very upset last week when Bobo did not support Murray with the loss to Arkansas. I currently have a daughter in the Redcoat Band so I will contiue to be there and support both the team and the band but it’s really hard when you continually lose. UGA fans are not used to losing this many times already in the season.
Coachdawg 2000
September 27th, 2010
1:34 pm
I agree if we tank (3 wins or less) then he needs to go. But it is just too early.
rincon dawg
September 27th, 2010
1:35 pm
This man is paid 3 MILLION per year to win the BCS and has not done it in 10 years. End of discussion.
the real Kirby Smart
September 27th, 2010
1:37 pm
Patrick……….are you on drugs? We will lose to Kentucky, fla, Aub., and maybe Tenn. As far as the article, anybody that can’t bring themselves to say it’s time for Richt to go either isn’t bothered by losing or has an agenda(idiots like belue, dowdle, etc) The Richt era is OVER. Just a matter of when we decide to stop the madness. We went thru a few years of this with Goff. hopefully McGarrity will so more leadership than Dooley did in the mid 90’s and pull the trigger at the end of the year. although I think there is a good chance Richt takes a nice settlement and quits. He has no fire left in him, he’s always been Mr. Excuses(as someone already said compare his reaction to Mack Brown’s) he’s soft and likely to just quit when the going gets tough. I don’t care how he gores as long as he’s gone.
nolebasher
September 27th, 2010
1:38 pm
I loved our last loss to Mississippi State. It got Zook fired…
Coachdawg 2000
September 27th, 2010
1:38 pm
Rincon- if he was paid $30,000 does that make losing more acceptable. When we talk dollars it loses its impact. We all wanted him locked in contract after 2007 so don’t jump off now.
techengineer
September 27th, 2010
1:40 pm
Richt is responsible for BoBo and Martinez. The only problem is that BoBo is still there. I can no longer defend Richt. The play calling is absolutely atrocious!
rincon dawg
September 27th, 2010
1:41 pm
Obviously you accept mediocaty why dont you become a vandy or kentucky fan because I am not accepting it at all.
Getting Really UGAly
September 27th, 2010
1:44 pm
Maybe we could talk Rich Brooks out of retirement.