Richt’s warning to players: ‘It could get worse’
"We are where we are," Mark Richt told the Touchdown Club of Athens. (Associated Press)
Mark Richt didn’t hang around long at Tuesday night’s Touchdown Club of Athens meeting, showing up late and leaving immediately after some brief comments and taking a couple of questions from the floor. But he didn’t skip the fan gathering, as some had speculated he would, and when he took the microphone he didn’t duck the issue of Georgia’s 0-3 conference start, either.
“We are where we are,” the coach said to the full-house crowd assembled to hear his mentor, Bobby Bowden. “We’re going to have to get better or it’s gonna get worse. It’s not going to stay the same. I told the players, you think it’s bad now; it could get worse.”
But no matter what, Richt said, “we’re not gonna lose our poise, we’re not gonna lose our integrity. We don’t want to take our frustrations out on anyone, except maybe Colorado. … We just have to keep working hard and keep together. We must stay together.”
Generally, Richt’s update for the club echoed what he’d said earlier in the day at his weekly news conference: The coaches need to work on helping the players correct their mistakes and teach them how to handle adversity while maintaining a positive outlook.
“That’s all we can do right now is keep grinding and keep it positive,” the coach said.
Richt didn’t get into a lot of specifics about the Dogs’ problems, but he did note that in the Mississippi State game it seemed that every time Georgia made a big, positive play, something happened to negate it, whether a turnover or “the penalties got us again.”
On the bright side, he said that the return of A.J. Green to the lineup is bound to open up the middle some for the Dogs’ tight ends as defenses double-up the celebrated wide receiver. “It’s nice to see No. 8 out at practice again and know that you might actually be able to use him this week.”
The Georgia coaching staff is hoping Kris Durham can play against Colorado. (Associated Press)
Even without Green, Richt said, the Dogs have been close to breaking several long touchdown passes with Kris Durham if only quarterback Aaron Murray had been able to hit Durham in stride. The problem, Richt said, has been Murray overadjusting after tending to overthrow receivers in the spring game. “We told him to keep it in play and give the guy a chance to catch it,” which is better than overthrowing, but “if he had hit Kris on the run I think he would have scored four or five times.” Richt also singled out receiver Tavares King for praise.
Durham, Richt said, was able to practice Tuesday in a noncontact jersey after suffering a stinger to the neck in Starkville, and “We hope he’ll be able to play” against Colorado.
Asked by a fan about dealing with the higher altitude the Dogs will face in Boulder, Richt said, “There’s not much we can do about it.” He said he consulted with UGA director of sports medicine Ron Courson and asked if getting out there 24 hours earlier would make any difference and Courson said no. Richt said Georgia will have oxygen available on the sideline but “we’re not going to make a big deal out of it.”
At that point Bowden interjected that Richt should just ignore the altitude and later during his own comments the former FSU coach said his teams’ experience playing at Colorado was that the only difference the altitude made was “the ball goes further,” which helps kickers. “They want you to think it’s a big problem and they try to psych you out,” Bowden said, but his advice on the subject is: “Don’t pay any attention to it.”
As for Georgia’s undersized defensive line, Richt was asked about additional playing time for redshirt freshman Kwame Geathers, the biggest of the Dogs’ nose tackles. The coach said that part of the problem has been Georgia’s opponents haven’t been playing two-receiver sets, which means the nose guards haven’t played much. Geathers, he said, “is coming,” though he’s still tending to favor the hand on which he had offseason surgery. “He’s not, in Coach [Rodney] Garner’s opinion, as ready to get as many reps as the other guys.”
After Richt left, Bowden, who regaled the crowd with amusing stories from his long career, assured the Touchdown Club, “I feel sure Georgia’s gonna pull this thing out” and said that frequently it just takes one player to make the difference. “It’s not like they need to replace all 30 players.”
HOPEFUL SIGNAL ON OFFENSE?
I thought it was interesting that in his news conference Tuesday, Richt talked about Georgia still wanting to run the ball and keep the play-action passing game that hasn’t had much success so far this season, but he also said, “We do have ways to get the ball to our receivers quickly on quick screens. We have screens to our backs. We have ways of throwing quick game if we feel like they have outnumbered the run and we want to get some one-on-one situations. We are still very multiple in what we do.”
Sounds like the head coach wants offensive coordinator Mike Bobo to mix it up a bit more. At least, I hope that’s what that means.
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427 comments Add your comment
ceph
September 29th, 2010
12:09 pm
A good football coach would say emphatically that “we are going to get better” but typical Richt says it could get worse simply because he doesn’t have a clue as to how to make it better. Do you think Saban would ever utter those words? I think not nor any of the other great coaches I have seen. Richt is nothing but an alibier and excuse maker who is simply trying to keep the fans expectations low so he can keep hanging around because he doesn[t have a clue as to how to take UGA to the next level!!!!!
whatever
September 29th, 2010
12:09 pm
CMR stated “we’re not gonna lose our integrity.” – Heck – that is much of the problem now. Thug dawgs on and off the field. Ex: Last week when when of the linebackers ran Mallet out-of-bounds for only a 2 yard game – the linebacker (can’t recall his name) – stared down at Mallet, got in his face, and angerly said “get the f**k off MY field, you motherf**ker”. Oh yea, real character and real integrity. Looks like CMR’s choir boy attitude to the players are not very effective.
Just a thought – I wonder if Mallet said the same thing to that ThugDawg at the end of the game – likely not – Mallet has character.
MURPHY
September 29th, 2010
12:12 pm
Would be cool to have Mike Leach as OC?
jack bull
September 29th, 2010
12:12 pm
i keep thinking of one particular play that was set to go for a long way, maybe a TD. it was the slip screen to TK coming across the middle, and when our 6-1(5-10 1/2) QB threw it, it got batted down. maybe Bobo knows this is a problem and didn’t call that play a whole lot due to this. trying to give him some kind of benefit of the doubt..i still say if he shows up in colorado with the same guys doing the same thing expecting a different result, its going to be very disappointing..
JB
September 29th, 2010
12:14 pm
He’s fishing without bait………..Some pretty good foe’s coming up……and it will get worse….
And to the guy “Loran, what ya got”…….none of these “COACH’S” on this blog make $250,000 A MONTH ( yes, you read that right) to produce results…….The anger is not over a 4 week stretch of football……………….It took a lot of mismanagement to get to where we are.
MURPHY
September 29th, 2010
12:18 pm
JB,
Its gonna hit home if this losing streak continues and the Dawgs show up at Sanford stadium to a half empty house. Wonder what Adams,Mcgarity and Richt will say then. I have spoken with a ton of my UGA fans who live out of town or the state of GA and they all tell me a loss to Tenn and they wont return for a game this season.They just dont see the point in spending the money to watch this circus any longer.
BufordKing
September 29th, 2010
12:18 pm
Whatever, we are still 1-3 – and right now our only for sure victory are against ID STATE.
50/50 games moving forward:
– Tennessee
– KY
– GT
Probable Losses:
– FL
– AU
Probable wins:
– Colorado
– Vandy
– ID STATE
2010 season prediction:
6-6 – squeeking into a real crappy bowl – and losing a bunch of the potentisl recruits like Crowell, Drew, etc. due to our now suck-a$$ program.
If you are Crowell – why come to UGA when this program has been declining for 2-1/2 years when you have schools like FL and Bama knocking on your door?
FLA DAWG
September 29th, 2010
12:19 pm
I hope there’s alot of Prozac in Athens for the next few months.
jack bull
September 29th, 2010
12:20 pm
oh yeah, i talked to my nephew the other day, and he says everyone still has a positive outlook and that they feel they’re just a couple of plays away from being 3-1 instead of 1-3. he did have one interesting thing to say about practice(in the last few weeks). it was that there’s a couple of guys that are really good football players on saturday, but not really ‘busting it’ during the week…
Ralph Dawg
September 29th, 2010
12:22 pm
Flick says he saw some grizzly bears near Pulaski’s candy store.
Poobah
September 29th, 2010
12:24 pm
Maybe Richt should have the team get a celebration penalty if they ever score a touchdown. Hell, maybe they should do it after a field goal.
JB
September 29th, 2010
12:25 pm
My biggest fear is that ” working harder” won’t fix not being very talented and put a OC without a clue on top of that, I can see why Richt said what he said.
MURPHY
September 29th, 2010
12:26 pm
jack bull,
This reminds me of a quote I heard from Danny Ford to his team at practice one afternnon at Clemson. ‘Boys practice does not make perfect,Perfect practice makes perfect!’
Ken
September 29th, 2010
12:26 pm
Richt should make some scooter spaces available to ticket holders.
Dogs Smell
September 29th, 2010
12:26 pm
Funny ! Another dog fan talking about winning out the rest of the season. Thats Funny , you need to worry about another loss this weekend. If AJ is going to make a change n your outcome he will need to play both sides of the ball. Tennessee is the youngest team in the SEC and plays with more heart than GA. My bet you lose to UT-AU- GT -UF and KY. After Tennessee you’re gonna need KY !
JB
September 29th, 2010
12:27 pm
This all maybe happening for a reason….For Mark and Dawgs…………..The future is exciting because the present surely isn’t.
reebok
September 29th, 2010
12:27 pm
BufordKing…I agree with your assessment of W’s & L’s. UGA will probably have to beat GT to get bowl eligible.
Taco Time in N. Ga
September 29th, 2010
12:27 pm
Funny how he spoke about keeping poise and integrity with all of the yellow laundry flying around on gameday and the police blotter action the rest of the week…if this team has any poise or integrity to keep, I’m missin’ it…
ceph
September 29th, 2010
12:28 pm
What does Richt mean by “it could get worse” Boy that is a real morale builder for the team. I know the coaching could get worse because it normally has under Richt , but since he is prone to throw the players under the bus he is probably referring to them. I see he is blaming Murray for not throwing long touchdown passes, I’m surprised he is even getting the passes off with that line.. Oh well just another day in life of a frusterated fan (but not for long )
JB
September 29th, 2010
12:29 pm
Hey, if it help my Dawg friends, I remember just 4 years ago, Bama stunk too.
Dumbo
September 29th, 2010
12:32 pm
Coach Richt, after hearing your answers…I’m so motivated, I could…ah…heck, I’ll just sit on the toilet and think about it some more.
JB
September 29th, 2010
12:33 pm
Over the last few days, I’ve read ( not many, but a few) encouraging words from Tech Fans on here. I would personally like to thank you. Florida, Auburn Bama folks piling on pretty good. Nothing like a good wreck on the freeway to bring out the best in folks.
Dogs Smell
September 29th, 2010
12:33 pm
JB But Bama still had 8 times more National Championships than you !
Taco Time in N. Ga
September 29th, 2010
12:34 pm
I hate the lame arguments like “they’re only a couple of plays away from being 3-1.” SO WHAT??? They’re 1-3 and that stinks. You can squint all you want at a pile of garbage, it’s still a pile of garbage. If they were good enough to be 3-1 or even 2-2 they would’ve made those “couple of plays.” It’s not luck, funny bounces of the ball, or twists of fate, and it’s not the refs, it’s quality of coaching and players.
Those “couple of plays” are the difference between good teams and bad ones. Florida makes those plays, so does Alabama, and so did Mississippi State and Arkansas.
GatorFan
September 29th, 2010
12:34 pm
You really thing AJ Green is going to change things? If that is true, that is very sad. Georgia should have plenty of athletes ready to step in. Yeah, there will be a step down in talent from someone like Green but a win or loss shouldn’t hinge on him being there. Florida is going into Alabama without Rainey and probably without Demps. It hurts, but just gives a chance for someone else to shine. If we win or lose, it won’t be because those guys were or weren’t there.
JB
September 29th, 2010
12:34 pm
Tell me about YOUR team smell………………..
GA DAWG
September 29th, 2010
12:34 pm
5150 P.O.A.D they would double AJ green because he is the best reciever in the country thats why and he will prove it to you. Aren’t you a Tech fan anyway?
John
September 29th, 2010
12:35 pm
Colorado fan here — CU may be 2-1 but they’re not a particularly good team. I suspect even with their troubles the Dawgs should be able to take control of this one.
Sorka
September 29th, 2010
12:36 pm
I have to agree with @ceph – this is not the sort of speech I would want to hear from my head coach. Likely the team will be able to turn their fortunes around, but Richt’s comments are often a downer.
producewiz
September 29th, 2010
12:36 pm
if the Tide rolls the Gators, doesn’t matter anyway. will prove they are so far above the rest of the conference, so everybody’s playing for 2nd anyway.Anf if Florida gets them, shows Urb’s on his game so will have to use different recruiting talk.As far as Richt’s job, be careful what you wish for.remember Goff and Donnan were not the greatest either.
JB
September 29th, 2010
12:37 pm
Maybe it’s an honest assessment from our Head Coach.
5150 P.O.A.D
September 29th, 2010
12:37 pm
AJ is a lot of HYPE for sure, but I don’t think he is close to the BEST receiver in the country. The UGA o-line can’t stop the pass rush and Murry can’t throw the ball if he is on his back or running for his life. Don’t double AJ until AJ proves he even get a ball throw to him.
LawDawg
September 29th, 2010
12:38 pm
RIGHTTTTTT, GatorFan. Keep on thinking that.
Taco Time in N. Ga
September 29th, 2010
12:38 pm
Just in case “JB” is really John Bell (this being a Georgia blog and all), thanks for all the music, man.
Probably not, tho.
GA DAWG
September 29th, 2010
12:38 pm
If AJ Green isn’t the best reciever in the country then who is 5150 P.O.A.D
JB
September 29th, 2010
12:39 pm
producewiz……..I have confidence in the guy that will be doing the hiring. Damon’s gone. Working at Victoria Secret’s……………Panty dept…………..
Red & Black
September 29th, 2010
12:39 pm
Absolutely no way we lose in Boulder. We might be bad but we AREN’T that bad. Colorado is considered the 11th or 12th best team in the Big 12. That conference is nowhere as good as the SEC except for maybe three programs. We win by two touchdowns or we must really be sorry. We lose and we need a new coach NOW and not at the end of the season!!!!
JB
September 29th, 2010
12:40 pm
No Taco
Delusions of grandeur
September 29th, 2010
12:40 pm
This is just a bad football team. They should just give up and forfeit the rest of the season.
WinderDogg
September 29th, 2010
12:40 pm
Enter your comments here
Delusions of grandeur
September 29th, 2010
12:42 pm
Taco,
You are wrong. Georgia is not just a couple plays away from being 3-1. Of their 3 losses 2 were by multiple scores and in a third the Ark game the pigs controlled the game most of the game. Pigs didn’t win by much but they dominated and were flat out better than you losers.
Bulldogs #1
September 29th, 2010
12:42 pm
HANDS DOWN, AJ GREEN IS THE BEST RECIEVER IN THE COUNTRY GA DAWG
Bulldogs #1
September 29th, 2010
12:43 pm
AJ Green will get doubled team because he is the best
WinderDogg
September 29th, 2010
12:44 pm
Not sure what is meant by turning things around….6-6 bowl…Rejoicing over wins Idaho, colorado, vandy is not a turn around..Beat Florida, Auburn, and Tech…if you can’t do that, then CMR has to go…..that is the level we belong on not celebrating beating crappy a$$ teams.
Dumbo
September 29th, 2010
12:45 pm
Delusions of grandeur….since all us UGA fans are so delusional…what school are you pulling for?
Dan Mullen
September 29th, 2010
12:46 pm
I wonder why Mark Richt cancelled the series with Oregon, guess he needs to schedule more cupcakes for his sorry team
FORTY ONE POINTS to your seventeen points
September 29th, 2010
12:47 pm
oh my goodness
(((((((((((41-17)))))))))))))))
Dumbo
September 29th, 2010
12:48 pm
Dan Mullen….naw…he just wants schedules like UF & Alabama
GA DAWG
September 29th, 2010
12:48 pm
Delusions of grandeur exactly what team are you a fan of you moron, because this is georgia’s blog
5150 P.O.A.D
September 29th, 2010
12:48 pm
Red & Black you know you can’t get a coach in the middle of a season. If you fire richt what? UGA makes BOBO the Coach for the rest of the season? AHHAHAHA right!
Jones @ Bama is real good for sure. Jeffery @ So. Carolina is real good. I think you saw him in the dawgs loss to USC. Broyles at Oklahoma is pretty damn good too. I guess it really isn’t a fair question ontil AJ actually does something on the field.