Same old story: Turnovers doom Dogs against Gators
Aaron Murray finally had a game where he looked like a redshirt freshman, but he also led a remarkable comeback by the Dogs. (Brant Sanderlin / AJC)
I had a sinking feeling as they broke for the half in the Georgia-Florida game when Urban Meyer told CBS’ Tracy Wolfson, “You look at the history of this series, turnovers win the game. That’s gonna be the key to the second half.”
At the time, his team was leading 21-7 largely because the Dogs had turned the ball over and missed on at least one take-away. As it turned out, Georgia battled back valiantly in the second half to tie the game up twice and send it to overtime. But in the end, Meyer proved to be the seer, as a tipped ball on third down of Georgia’s first OT possession was intercepted by the Gators, giving them the ball and the chance to win it with a field goal by their backup kicker.
I guess you can say that losing a thriller by 3 points in overtime certainly marks some sort of progression over the past two years, when the Dogs were hammered by the Gators, but when you consider that Georgia was favored this year over a Tim Tebow-less Florida team on a three-game losing streak, the end result doesn’t hurt much less than the two previous losses.
The Gators got off to a slow start in the scoreless first quarter, as has been typical of them this year, but then it was all Florida in the second quarter as the game looked to be headed toward a repeat of the same old tired scenario that has plagued Georgia most of the past decade. Despite their talk this week about approaching the Jacksonville showdown as just another SEC game, it was obvious that the Dogs were playing extremely tight, and the turnover problem that had largely disappeared over the previous three games returned with a vengeance.
It wasn’t just the times Georgia turned the ball over. It was the Dogs’ inability to accept the gifts that Florida tried to give them. It wasn’t a case of the ball bouncing wrong; it was Georgia not covering. One fumble Sanders Commings tried to pick up and run with instead of just jumping on the ball, and the Gators ended up getting it back. Another time the Dogs recovered a fumble only to immediately lose it. And with 24 seconds left in regulation Bacarri Rambo had a potential interception hit him in the hands but couldn’t hold on to it.
The tendency might be to lay the blame for this loss on the fact that Aaron Murray definitely had his worst game. I remember back during the depths of the Dogs’ four-game losing streak someone noting that the play of Murray had been the lone bright spot and wondering, “Imagine how it would be if he had a bad game and played like a redshirt freshman.” Well, that happened in the first half, as Murray was frequently off in his passes (a 63-yard scoring strike to Tavarres King in the second quarter being the main exception) and coughed the ball up on a sack.
But Murray looked sharp most of the time in the second half as he led the Dogs back and Georgia outscored Florida 24-10. One thing you can say about this group of Dogs is that they don’t give up. As Mark Richt noted after the game, even on that interception in OT, they could have just let the Florida defender run it back for a score but the last two Georgia players finally managed to force him out of bounds at the 1-yard line. In the end, the Gators still prevailed, but it wasn’t because of a lack of effort on the part of the Dogs.
Not much consolation, though, considering this was the year Georgia looked best positioned to come out of Jacksonville with a win. Facing Trey Burton another three or four years isn’t a very heartening prospect.
I’ll be back Sunday afternoon with more thoughts on the game. Until then, feel free to share your views of the latest loss to the Gators.
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425 comments Add your comment
phil
October 31st, 2010
6:54 am
Bobo should have reminded Murray that we have a great kicker, and don’t throw off your backfoot in to triple coverage in OT.
Sumdawg
October 31st, 2010
7:05 am
Dear “Reality”, Your comment is hilarious and also a reality check. However, CMR ’s core values are helping build these boys into contributing members of society. The same cannot be said for Urban Meyer, after one of his thugs threatens a females life and gets a flippin slap on the wrist and gets to play football!!!!!!! That kid should be in jail along with all the “individuals”up in Washington D.C. who are intentionally undermining this country!!!!!!!!!!!!! VOTE ON TUESDAY and GO DOGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
G8TR
October 31st, 2010
7:41 am
AJ Green is impressive! Has he shopped around for an agent yet?
Macclenny_dawg
October 31st, 2010
7:47 am
Coaches fault for running ball on 2nd down!!! We always run it on 2nd and 10!! Always go check the games!! Habit of Bobo!! Puts us in 3rd and long!! Look at when the turnovers happen!! 3rd and long!! Its coaching!!! Don’t give me bull about wait till we recruit the players for Grantham!!! Its easier to change coaching to fit players instead of changing 11 players to fit your coaching. Look at Miss. State there defense is in their 1st year and look how many points they give up!!! Richt is to blame for that hire also he could have hired somebody that could adjust to players instead of content to run a certain defense. Too many times we come out flat ever since Richt has been here!! To much talent on this team!!! Bobo can’t find enough ways to get the ball to your all American.Its coaching just ask Meyer he found a way to get his playmakers the ball he put them in at rb and qb. People Richt has 2 go we will never get over the hump with him!! I like Richt but he can’t make the tough descions and has no aggressive bone in his body!!!
BoWeevil
October 31st, 2010
7:48 am
CMR signatures now are and have been undisciplined on and off the field, predictable satisfied with what we are doing, unprepared at Quarterback EVERY YEAR except when Coach Don Shockley forced CMR to promise him that if DJ accepted the Redshirt that CMR would play DJ early EVERY GAME, redshirt Knowshon Moreno so we only got to see him 2 years, letting players out of practice for “injuries” that are not at all apparent, blaming losses on injuries, blaming losses on bad luck bad officiating or blaming losses on the players like CMR has done in throwing Aaron Murray under the bus this morning, underachieving, Winning National Championships ONLY at Fulmer Cup for Most Arrests / Suspensions, consistently erratic, improper technique, snake bit, pitiful at hiring a “coaching staff,” WR coaching RB, RB coaching WR, QB coaching TE, former QB coach 1 year at JAX State made our Offensive Coordinator, keeping a DT coach who consistently has recruited not for needs and not for top talent but for street people and those needing a home in our home for wayward kids so that CMR can Minister to them, letting players off with no public discipline when they buy alcohol with another player’s valid ID so that 7 teen-agers can drive around town in another player’s truck for the sole purpose of getting drunk while driving, not signing the top talent in this great state on offense but letting every team who beats us sign them all instead, letting a player beat up a girl 3 times before he kicks him off the team, playing FAVORITES while better players are put down at the bottom of our Depth Charts, constantly redshirting and un-redshirting after the season is already lost even 5 and 6 games into the seasons and then by God Above making them the Starter, giving scholarships to walk-ons who NEVER play and to kickers who never kick, spending more time worrying about uniform appearance than teaching basics in football skills, letting call-in girls from Dacula tell him how to coach his team and doing what she says, losing 8 of 11 games vs Top 10 Final AP Poll teams in 10 years to-date, losing 8 of 10 games against our only Archrival in 10 years to-date, losing 10 games to NOT Top 25 Final AP Poll teams in 10 years to-date, having NOTHING BUT BAD PRESS, being # 20 in won/loss after 2005 to-date for the # 11 program All-Time in Won/Lost, not having a game plan to get the ball to your only great player on the team AJ Green, handing the football an average of 14 times to the # 12 overall NFL Draft Pick in the only 3 losses against the only 3 good teams you play when you are ranked # 1 in EVERY POLL, telling the players that you believe that they should MOTIVATE THEMSELVES pre-game as long as they don’t play the music too loudly, then calling in everyone else to do the pre-game motivational talk when that is YOUR JOB, telling us you are going to teach the QBs yourself, you are going to run the offense, you are going to call the plays then put a BOZO in charge of ALL THAT, instead, not recognizing talent, telling us how you knocked the LID OFF THIS SORRY FOREVER UGA BULLDOGS’ FOOTBALL PROGRAM by beating # 4 vols yet LOSING 4 games that season is what you consider knocking the Lid Off this Storied and Fine Football Program, being 13-12 for the last 5 years combined now vs SEC East that is HORRIBLY DOWN and HAS BEEN – especially US, and telling us how a Christian walks with Jesus so you are OK with ALL OF THIS B.S. such as running around the football field taunting EVERY TEAM EVERY PLAY, and whooping it up like they WON when they LOST.
Rosezeee
October 31st, 2010
8:02 am
The Dawgs played their hearts outs – but mindless coaching and play calling sacked us again. This coaching staff is second rate at best – – always has been – – always will be.
Anyone expecting anything more than a second tier program with this brain trust is deluded. Accept mediocrity
Love that call to go for 2 when we were down 21-16 – - almost as good as going for it on 4th and two on our own 30 yard line in the second quarter against Arkansas when we were down by 7. RETARDS
steven
October 31st, 2010
8:08 am
Any projections on a bowl if the dogs win two more games? Sure can use the extra practice for next year. CMR is not going anywhere
Pete
October 31st, 2010
8:19 am
Amazes me that UGA fans will accept a mediocre head coach and a mediocre team year after year. Tenn has been down for 7 or 8 years yet we are .500 against them. We lose to Kentucky and Vandy last year. Colorado and Mississippi State this year and are 2-8 against Florida in the last 10. Please explain to me why we SHOULD NOT fire Richt? If you say we do not have the talent than I may agree, but who is in charge of recruiting that talent? How is it possible that for 8 of the 10 years we have been top 10 in recruiting yet lose to teams with less talent every year. That sound slike coaching to me
dan
October 31st, 2010
8:21 am
This game sucked. This is the kind of loss where you want to suit up again in 30 minutes and play this team again. If the Dawgs play this Gator team again, they would beat them. But I digress. It just didn’t feel like UGA’s day to begin with. The balls weren’t bouncing their way, and for the love of God can someone recover a freakin fumble!!! There were two fumbles in this game that if UGA recovered them, they could have put the game away. I think Murray was a little shell shocked in beginning, especially throwing that first INT, and I think that was the difference for the rest of the game. It just seemed like everything was an uphill battle whereas the Gators were able to cash in on big plays when they mattered. Our defense just lacks talent which is such a liability in games like these. You have to be able to rely on your defense to force a key 3 and out when you really need one, and this defense just doesn’t have that capability. I’m proud of the way that this team fought back in the second half, but victory is won in the details. It comes down to execution and taking advantage of your opportunities, and the Gators were slightly better in this regard which is why they won.
Pete
October 31st, 2010
8:23 am
Defense lacks talent? I hate, hate, hate hearing that. If so, then it is Richt’s fault for the recruiting. But, we still have 4 or 5 guys right now that will go to the NFL from our defense.
GTfanfrom1951
October 31st, 2010
8:25 am
some years your the windshield others you the bug……..sometime the other just has your number no matter what or who on their team
boohoo
October 31st, 2010
8:35 am
Could not even beat a horrible Fl team, again how long is too long for Richt. thanks for the free entertainment
Jay in VA
October 31st, 2010
8:42 am
This game has become toxic. I dread it every year now. We fought, we competed (unlike the last two years), but it keeps ending the same way. I don’t know the answer. Maybe there isn’t one.
Voice of Reality
October 31st, 2010
8:58 am
Hey Sanford Drive, You r a total moron! Seriously, you think UGA fans are happy with taking FL to overtime and then losing would make any realistic Dawg fan happy happy a freakin stupin moral victory? Come on guy, get a clue. Here’s the facts to the idiots who say “Keep Saint Mark Richt” HE IS 2-8 against UF, Do you people realize that the 3 times we have played in the SEC champsionship game we had to have another team beat the Gators for us to get in the Dome, He has never controlled his own destiny. The facts are hard to swallow for you die hard Richt supporters but he will never never ever ever win another SEC champsionship at UGA. You fools talk about National Championships, the only championshsip we should talk about is playing in the outback bowl or peach bowl because unitl we can beat UF and consistanlty beat UF that should be UGA’s goals under your Saint Mark Richt! He should be Fired today!
when will you people learn
October 31st, 2010
8:58 am
we beat vandy, kentucky and ut and everyone is dreaming of going to atlanta.
corch meyers has b**** slapped us once again into reality.
mark richt’s football teams cannot go toe to toe with anyone in a must win situation and come out on top. PERIOD anyone who thinks anything else is delusional.
gotta love demarcus dobbs making the first down sign with his hands while the florida fumble rolls on the ground in front of him….only to be recovered by florida. that pretty much says it all.
Pago Pago Dawg
October 31st, 2010
9:11 am
I’m 72, will I live long enough to ever see UGA beat UF?!?!?!
Not so sure if UGA had 2 weeks off before JAX if the score would be any better…
Hopeful
October 31st, 2010
9:15 am
GA players were better, FL coaching was better, you have to hand it to Meyer. It is hard to maintain the faith when we have such good player talent
Johnnyboy says
October 31st, 2010
9:25 am
it is only a football game
Johnnyboy says
October 31st, 2010
9:25 am
or basketball
Johnnyboy says
October 31st, 2010
9:26 am
or any other sport that pits the hated Gators against the beloved Dawgs….
magic
October 31st, 2010
9:33 am
I have to laugh at some of the idiots who say we used to win these before Richt came along. Really? When who was the coach. Hmmm…… Maybe we could go get Jim Donnana back and he could lose to Auburn, Florida, Tennessee and Tech every year. Or better yet, let’s go get Ray Goff! I’m sure we could get him at a great price.
Look at the Texas Longhorns right now. I’m sure a lot of their lunatic fringe fans are calling for Mack Brown’s head. Doesn’t that sound insane? That’s the same way our fans sound right now.
Were the 4 turnovers Richts fault? Or the 1 missed fumble recovery or the INT that went right thru Rambo’s hands? The last two change the game completely, as we probably come away with pints on both. So 2 plays that he had no control over make the difference in people praising Richt and blasting him.
Better pray that he stays. As it stands right now, there is a chance, albeit very slim, that AJ Green stays next year. If Richt is gone, It’s a sure bet AJ’s gone. Who is going to replace him exactly? And I’m not talking about replacing his production, I’m talking about taking away the defense’s ability to play honest.
FLA DAWG
October 31st, 2010
9:38 am
Turnovers were costly but Florida ran the ball right through us.
And The Gators are a stinko team this year – the worst in 20 years.
We stink so much we have to be bad to be better.
Herschel Talker
October 31st, 2010
9:39 am
magic at 9:33am:
You sir are a moron.
HT
FLA DAWG
October 31st, 2010
9:39 am
magic
Texas played for The National Championship last season.
When was the last time Richt brought The Dawgs to the big dance?
NEVER
edumacated
October 31st, 2010
9:43 am
Don’t worry everyone. McGarity is warming up the jet right now. Next stop, Austin TX.
Pago Pago Dawg
October 31st, 2010
9:47 am
Don’t worry people, we have the best “O” line in the SEC.
John, the real UGA fan
October 31st, 2010
9:52 am
OK, all of you coaches, apply tomorrow at McGarity’s office. He will hire ALL of you with your knowledge. I do wish that fans from other teams would stay on their own blog. Maybe you do not have one?
GO, DAWGS!!!
gahillbilly
October 31st, 2010
9:52 am
Agree with those who remind us it is ONLY A GAME. It is not life and death. These are young men who are playing their hearts out and coaches who are working hard and surely know much more than any one of us who comment on these message boards.
edumacated
October 31st, 2010
10:01 am
John, the real UGA fan,
It doesn’t take a coach to realize that Richt won’t ever beat Florida, much less compete for the SEC again.
Wake up.
Marc G
October 31st, 2010
10:04 am
hey Bill,
Thanks for your opinion…You know what they say about those, everybody has one! You should go drink your coffee and eat your donuts instead of your sideline coaching. I’m sure there’s a reason the university hasn’t hired you to their coaching staff. I hope the AJC doesn’t right you a check… if they do, shows you how bright they are!
That being said, Ga fans that are complaining need to relax. Did the lose hurt of course, will the team be better in years to come?… I don’t see how they couldn’t.
It seems to me implementing a new defense and having a freshmen qb at the helm is quite the learning curve not to mention missing AJ for a month…
How Ga reacts in years to come from this year is yet to seen but with a new AD on our hands I doubt reacting negatively would suffice for anyone!
Go Dawgs!
bxdr56a
October 31st, 2010
10:12 am
M. Richt is a top class coach with the most senority in the SEC. He will be at UGA a long time.
UGADawg83
October 31st, 2010
10:12 am
Great job Bill!! More blow hard pontificating on a game the alleged “Mr Dawg Fan” didn’t even attend. My gosh if your going to pontificate about what were doing wrong shell out the cash and actually GO to a game.
wallydawg13
October 31st, 2010
10:15 am
Why does everyone always start with the coaching when things go wrong? These are KIDS out there and kids make mistakes. Anyone watching that game knows that we don’t turn it over 3 times we win. And we had a freshman out there who made typical freshman mistakes. How is that CMR’s fault? Murray’s got great potential, but this is going to happen. I’ve been a UGA fan for more than 30 years and I will ALWAYS support the Dogs. And we can’t expect to win the NC every year. And one year isn’t a trend, much less a few games. Believe me, I would love to see us beat FL a little more often. But firing CMR isn’t the answer. GO DAWGS!!!
GATA
October 31st, 2010
10:34 am
Richt and his Staff are Toast. They will never beat Florida again, but that is not surprising given we will have a new coaching staff in 2012 or 2013. Until then it is just like watching a train-wreck. Hard to watch but can ‘t quit it.
Away Games
October 31st, 2010
10:36 am
In hindsight, Shreveport looks mighty fine right now.
saban
October 31st, 2010
10:39 am
See Urban is getting soft. Only beating Georgia by 3 and needing overtime. Pitiful.
Imagine Auburn will beat the dawgs by 30 just to make a point of how pitiful Athens is.
Bend over Doggies.
Nub
October 31st, 2010
10:40 am
Change will come….. You don’t lose to your arch rival 18 out of the last 21 and keep your job…!!!!!
You have to want it more than the other team...
October 31st, 2010
10:48 am
In the end, the Gators still prevailed, but it wasn’t because of a lack of effort on the part of the Dogs.
Wrong. The players were lazy and uncaring, same with the coaches.
Auburn is coming. be afraid, be very afraid
October 31st, 2010
10:50 am
Auburn will beat Georgia by at least 30 points.
My Dawg Has Fleas
October 31st, 2010
10:56 am
In this old Dawgs opinion the Georgia football program is right on track .Winning national titles every 40 years .It has only been 30 years since the last title ,so what’s is all the fuss about firing CMR. Unfortunately during the past few years the football program has turned into a farm team for the NFL. Too many recruits concerned about playing at the next level than playing for the Dawgs.Too many five star athletes not enough football players. Too many individuals playing for themselves and not their team mates.
In the future how about recruiting some more intelligent players ,who can actually make plays on the field, and pass on some of the star athletes who just look good in their uniforms and never make any plays on Saturday. And more importantly recruit young men who we can be proud of on and off the football field!
HUMPGATOR
October 31st, 2010
10:58 am
ONCE AGAIN DAWGS ARE GATORBAIT SWEEEEEEET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. IT’S GREAT TO BE A DAWG HATER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. GOOOOOOO GATORS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nub
October 31st, 2010
10:58 am
Enter your comments here
Fire Mark Richt
October 31st, 2010
11:07 am
Too many recruits concerned about playing at the next level than playing for the Dawgs.Too many five star athletes not enough football players. Too many individuals playing for themselves and not their team mates.
——————————–
USC, FL, Ohio State and Texas have more “5 star” recruits than UGA and they don’t seem to have a problem. Stop blaming the players. You know what the difference is…coaching.
Jborodawg
October 31st, 2010
11:10 am
Couldn’t agree more that firing CMR is NOT the answer. We didn’t hear that sentiment here the last three weeks. Lose a game and the “fire CMR/CMB” “fans” come outa the woodwork, as usual.
The Dawgs fought back valiantly from a pretty substantial halftime deficit. The Dawgs made it the first OT game with Flawduh in the series history.
For some reason we couldn’t buy a fumble recovery or INT (EG Rambo dropping a sure one). But, it all boils down to turnovers by the freshman QB; especially the last one in OT. Firing CMR or CMB has nothing to do with that. We know good and well Murray was coached and prepped all week. He just had a bad game, turnover-wise. He’ll learn from the experience.
Gooooo Dawgs!
GTDog
October 31st, 2010
11:14 am
After reading some of these comments, I’m glad I was too busy to check this blog after the game last night.
While I was hoping for a win yesterday, as always, I was proud of the way the team played, especially in the second half.
I was surprised by the hurry-up/shifting QB ploy used by UF, excellent idea. I’m amazed the Dogs were able to counter that so effectively, outstanding coaching adjustments by the D.
Looking forward to 3 more years with Murray at the helm. Just think, if we HAD blown his redshirt last year he’d be near the end of his Sophomore year right now. Sweet.
I would’ve rather we tried pounding the ball in the OT, taken a sure FG if necessary, and dared UF to get the Touch.
Great playcalling on Bobo’s part.
Overall, disappointed, but looking forward to the next two weeks.
76-DAWG
October 31st, 2010
11:14 am
Next year UGA has an open date before the Florida game. Will it be the same preparation where UGA takes the first four days off and then a light workout the rest of the first week or will CMR and hopefully our new offensive coordinator work hard for the entire two weeks.
Georgia was clearly the best team yesterday but Myers used the entire two week to come up with something new that our defense was not prepared for and that was the difference in the game.
Bottom line is that we got out coached again. Bobo has none to very little imagination and is very predictable. He threw nothing at Florida that they couldn’t adjust to immediately.
chattownbigdawg
October 31st, 2010
11:20 am
All you so called dawg fans please find an other team. This was a great game and the players played their butts off. Richt is not to blame , he isn’t the only coach that hasn’t beaten Florida. If anything the coaches turned the game around after halftime. All you morons who are calling for his job probably only jumped on the bandwagon when we started winning anyway so just shut up!!
G-Dawg
October 31st, 2010
11:23 am
Just for the record let me start by saying that I absolutely LOVED the effort in the second half, it was SOUL-JA-ESQUE. But I feel as though I would be remiss in not mentioning that the lack of ball security and MOST of ALL, lack of ability to secure a turn over was demoralizing. Aaron Murray is going to have a David Green like career at UGA, hopefully passing him and Colt McCoy on the NCAA career wins list. I am a DAWG-4-LIFE and will be until the day I die. I have been on the FCMR fence for a little while now but, honestly, who would we hire, I ask you? Think about it
GTDog
October 31st, 2010
11:26 am
Those guys blasting the Offense do realize that we put up over 30 points on a pretty good D, without the benefit of turnovers to give us a short field?
What more do you really want out of those guys? The O played as well as anyone has against UF tis year, including AL and LSU, so what more do you need before you quit whining about Bobo and the playcalling? 40 points? 50?
Down by 14, the guys answered the bell. They continued to fight until the final whistle. The playcalling was imaginative, risky at times, and overall excellent.
What will it REALLY take for some of you to get off Bobo’s back?
The answer is…there is nothing he can do, because there is no real reason why some of you guys are on him in the first place, other than, I suppose, some type of jealousy issue? Making the big bucks gotcha hot? I hear alot of comments about his kids, is his wife hot or something, making you guys sick when you look at the lump of crap you wake up next to every morning?
I just don’t get it…
chattownbigdawg
October 31st, 2010
11:29 am
to “fire mark richt” USC, FL, Ohio State and Texas have more “5 star” recruits than UGA and they don’t seem to have a problem. Stop blaming the players. You know what the difference is…coaching.
Have you seen how texas,usc,and even florida are doing? None of them are ranked and they may have more wins but are still having bad years. And who would you hire anyway? There aren’t any big name head coaches out there and do you really want an unproven cordinator taking over? what would you do next year and we lose even more games? All you idiots would be saying “oh just give him a chance he is just getting started” Richt has proven he is a winner and he will turn this around and prove it again.