Georgia-Florida was basically even … except for the coaching
When A.J. Green did get the chance in the fourth quarter, he was simply amazing — as usual. (Brant Sanderlin / AJC)
Some more thoughts on Georgia’s latest loss to Florida. …
The verdict is still out on defensive coordinator Todd Grantham. Until we see at least another season of his work, we won’t be able to gauge whether the lack of progress shown by the Dogs’ defense this season is a result of the level of talent Grantham inherited from Willie Martinez or is an indictment of Grantham’s coaching. But I think it’s safe to say at this point of the season it’s unlikely the light bulb is suddenly going to come on and this defense is going to get markedly better. The problems that have plagued the Dogs all season are still there. Too many times Florida receivers were wide open Saturday, even on plays where the Dogs not only didn’t blitz but didn’t really pressure the QB. How does that happen? And stopping a running quarterback? They don’t appear to have a clue. Still giving up the big play, too. If Cam Newton doesn’t set a bunch of records against Georgia, it’ll be a failing of his own making. …
And was anyone other than Grantham surprised by Urban Meyer going to a hurry-up offense? …
Still, it’s worth noting that the league’s worst defense on third down didn’t play that way Saturday. Florida converted on only four of 14 third-down tries and whiffed on its one attempt to convert on fourth down. …
On the other side of the ball, Mike Bobo didn’t do a bad job with his offensive calls for most of the game, though I still wonder why Georgia didn’t run it more. But Bobo’s decision-making in overtime definitely was questionable. I’ll give him trying the throw to Kris Durham in the corner of the end zone on first down because if the ball had been properly placed, it would have been a touchdown. Still, it was a fairly low-percentage play for Aaron Murray, who hasn’t really looked good throwing into that corner most of the season.
From there, though, Bobo got predictable: a run up the middle that got stuffed and then look for A.J. Green over the middle. And another tipped ball turned into an interception. You don’t have to be a offensive guru to wonder if maybe rolling Murray out on that play might have been a safer choice. And also to wonder whether the best choice of all might have been to just run it three times and kick the field goal. As Florida’s session of OT turned out, the worst that would have resulted in was a 34-34 score and a second period of OT. …
Kids don’t come much tougher than Durham. Not only did he hold on to the ball despite taking a vicious hit that had him coughing up blood on the sideline, he later returned to the game. …
Man, on that one Florida drive even the Gators’ false starts worked in their favor, including one that negated a Bulldogs stop on third down. And another time a sack of the Florida QB was wiped out by another Gator false start. What are the odds? …
As we noted Saturday, turnovers by Georgia — compounded by the Dogs’ failure to take it away when the Gators gave them the chance — really were the difference in this game. First downs, overall offensive yardage and time of possession were basically even between the two teams. …
As my brother Tim noted, thanks to CBS’ claustrophobic camera-work, you couldn’t really tell most of the time whether Florida’s coverage really had A.J. wrapped up or whether Murray was just looking elsewhere for most of the first three quarters after throwing a pick on the first play of the game trying to hit Green. CBS’ Gary Danielson seemed to think Green was open quite a few times when Murray went elsewhere.
But when Murray did go to Green in the fourth quarter, the receiver was amazing as usual. The 3rd-and-10 catch he managed to hold on to despite being hit immediately after he’d laid out for the ball was a thing of beauty (and made ESPN’s Top 10 Plays of the Day Saturday). And the touchdown catch a few plays later in the midst of triple coverage was nearly as impressive. …
Give the devil his due, Meyer knows how to make use of an off week and outcoached Mark Richt. Again. …
I have to agree with Jeff Dantzler of “Bulldog Brunch” that the location of the game in Jacksonville isn’t the reason for Florida’s dominance of the series the past two decades. It’s the same place they played when Georgia dominated the series the two previous decades. But Greg McGarity should make scheduling a bye week before Florida whenever possible a priority. During his years in Gainesville he’s seen firsthand how important that is.
As for the mental challenge facing the Dogs in playing Florida, Richt is probably right in his assessment that the only way to get out of that mind-set is to win a game like this one. Georgia didn’t do it, unfortunately, and that’s going to make Richt’s job even harder next year. …
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382 comments Add your comment
Fair and Balanced
November 1st, 2010
5:57 pm
Jack bull: I don’t reckon we want a cry baby for a coach, but I prefer a coach that will address players on the sidelines for playing like they are stupid. Richt is passionless. I for one, would like to see him pitch a fit about players failing to fall on a fumbled ball, not catching a pass, fumbling a ball to lose a game……….. This passionless act on the sidelines ain’t getting any change on the field. GA keeps on playing like they don’t know what they are doing – and losing games. Eventually – losing games will lose Richt his job. Next year would make 4 disappointing years in a row. He has to go next season if GA fails to win 10.
bullochdog
November 1st, 2010
6:04 pm
Snake Doc
You are correct. Problem is, how2fish, and others like him, want to give CMR more time.
More time= wasted time. Fire CMR today. CMR is not a good judge of talent, CMR is not a good on-field coach. CMR has lost all respect.
UGA fans and alumni deserve better than this JOKE.
bgdawgfan
November 1st, 2010
6:16 pm
Takedowndawg,
Since you’re such a coaching genius you should “know” that the pass pattern on the first play was a hitch not an out. Damn and all this time we could’ve had you as our OC. Stick to wrasslin dude.
UGAlivinSC
November 1st, 2010
6:46 pm
I sat thru the game on Sat. and thought ” I can never get these 3+ hours of my life back”…What a total waste of a great tradition!
The Exterminator
November 1st, 2010
7:17 pm
You’re too soft on Bobo, this loss was on him. Let’s see…evident from outset Murray does not have “A” game…to quote Crash Davis, “RUN, DUMMY, RUN!!!”
gbal
November 1st, 2010
7:36 pm
Wrong Bill – Difference was 3 firstt half turnovers buy UGA and two missed turnovers (fumble recoveries) Two of those eliminated or go our way and we win this game…. in regulation — No Overtime. If you folks want to blame coaching for those 5 plays not going our way you are about as assinine as Jeff Shultz. If you want to bash AM for having a bad half…. Fine….. Go find another team to support.
dawgma
November 1st, 2010
7:49 pm
“OK” said he.. “CMR your job is on the line. Beat GT AND AU or you’re outahere”, said McGarity.
powerhouse?
November 1st, 2010
8:01 pm
dogs sayin they lost to a lesser team….DUH! You guys play again and that three QB “O” would fool you guys again.
Safety Sam
November 1st, 2010
8:36 pm
Let’s finish strong team! 3 victories in a row!
Will it happen? The odds are against us. But a 7-5 record and a trip to a bowl game is something.
Should we be satisfied? Of course not. But it is something.
still a dawg fan
November 1st, 2010
9:48 pm
There as been a report that the real CMR is in Africa doing missionary work. The report stated that he appointed Bobo OC back in 06 because he was leaving country before the Peach Bowl game against VT & what nobody knew was that CMR has a twin brother that took his place as our Head Coach. This would explain why the person who is acting as our Head Coach is clueless.Will the real CMR PLEASE COME HOME–WE NEED YOU
jack bull
November 1st, 2010
10:00 pm
here’s the thing, just because we never see Richt chewing someone out, doesn’t mean that it doesn’t happen. like i’ve said, i have a nephew on the team, and he is always telling me that what we see on TV of Richt, is not always the correct portrayal. he says in the locker room at halftime, he’ll let guys have it, if need be. besides, there’s more than just one way to deliver the message, isn’t there? i coach a high school baseball team during the summer, and i just prefer to try and educate the young men(thats what they are in college too) on what they’re doing wrong, not humiliate…
jack bull
November 1st, 2010
10:02 pm
one other thing, coaching didn’t lose us this game, the QB did. i’ll give him credit for winning us 3 games(not the Kentucky game), therefore, he gets some blame for losing us at least 3 this year, also…
BufordDawg
November 1st, 2010
10:05 pm
bgdawgfan – I think there are a lot of people fed up with Richt and co. that have been around a looong time. Some of us saw this decline years ago… There’s no need to fire Bobo. Mark Richt had a headset on during the game and had an opportunity to veto any suspect call and he didn’t. That OT series of plays was TOTALLY predictable and set poor Murray up in 3rd and long. Bobo and Richt have consistently put the kid in bad situations all season. Richt is done, plateaued and complacent.
The team was 8-5 last season and was lucky to be 8-5. They are heading for an probable / optimistic 6-6 this season. How much more decline do you need? The bottom? God, you people that defend him defy logic…
PowerDawg
November 1st, 2010
10:06 pm
LakeOconeeDawg-
I’m right with you, dude. The offense certainly played good enough to win. AM played like a freshman in the first half but in the 2nd half he let all of DawgNation know what they can look forward to. Kid played his heart out. Bobo blew the OT with his idiotic play calling. Should have run it on 1st down. Yardage gained, or not, should have dictated the next move. They new we were gonna throw it. Guys in that sissy orange were all screaming PASS! I was close enough to hear some of them. Bottom line, we never should have come away from that first possession without at least a FG. Also, a lot of people were pointing the finger at CTG for giving up 34. That may be a valid point, but nobody can honestly say our defense is not greatly improved from the WM era. We will only become a more stingy defense once we have the new schemes down better. IMHO
stendek
November 2nd, 2010
12:44 am
The Aaron Murray post All Hallows Eve resume. CAUTION: It is indeed scary:
LOUISIANA LAFAYETTE SCHOOL FOR GIRLS: Second coming of Johnny Unitas. Wonder why!
SOUTH CAROLINA: Disaster Part 1.
ARKANSAS: Disaster Part 2.
MISSISSIPPI STATE: Worse Disaster Part 1.
COLORADO: Even Worse Disaster Part 1.
TENNESSEE SCHOOL OF BLIND: Passable. Ho hum.
VANDERBILT TOUCH FOOTBALL CLUB: Superb. Yawn.
KENTUCKY: Rode defense coattails.
FLORIDA: Utilimate Disaster Multiple Times Over.
That Durham kid is tough and should be QB. Murray is soft, clueless and untalented. Spare me the youth bullshet! Many young QBs are doing quite well thank you. Not at my beloved university. Damnit! STENDEK
stendek
November 2nd, 2010
12:54 am
BufordDawg. Well said. Cultist who defend Mark Wretch are, well, cultists! They defend the man who is quickly destroying the Univerisity of Georgia football program. I have no vendetta against the truck salesman and former bartender but I plainly see the direction the Bulldogs are headed under his, ahem, leadership. The Florida game was painful in so many ways. It was painful to see Gator coach filled with enthusiam, fire and raw emotion. Wretch stood motionless. Again. Gator leader WANTED to win. Wretch focused more on Sunday School message for next morning. It is long past time for Wretch to go. If he was a true Christian he would resign honorably. He is not! No one at UGA has guts to fire his uncaring a$$! Bulldogs will be SEC bottom feeders for many more years to come under this loser. Looking up at Mississipi State? Erk Russell just turned over in his grave. Sigh.
Bret Eldridge
November 2nd, 2010
3:46 am
Maccleny_dawg
You are dead on about Diaz…could have saved a butt load of money and brought a true pressure defense to Athens. My neigbor is from Nashville and he told me as soon as Willie hit the road that we needed the “kid from MTSU”…..Live and learn. I am 43 years old and this one hurts as bad as it did when I was a student. I am still down and out! Thank God this is not life and death, but it darn sure feels that way this week! Go Dogs! 13-0 or 0-12, Dog fan for life and unconditionally so!
Bret Eldridge
November 2nd, 2010
3:48 am
stendek, I don’t follow you. I do have two questions: How many varsity letters do you have and in what sports? Curious.
Second Q: Do you have a jersey?
God, why did you allow blogs?
Bret Eldridge
November 2nd, 2010
3:50 am
Dan Mullen bought a lot in Reynolds, incredible friends with McGarity…”would like to finish in Athens” or so the realtor says. Time will tell. Mullen is the Mac Daddy
Joe Coxy's Moxy
November 2nd, 2010
4:12 am
Stendek……I guess the boys at the retard school left the computer room unlocked tonight.
UGA FRIEND
November 2nd, 2010
4:31 am
Good luck to UGA in its next 3 games. Possible 7-5.
Remember…the favorite in UGA Auburn games does not usually win. Idaho St./GT should be in the bag.
RMikel58
November 2nd, 2010
6:40 am
Bear Bryant -Alabama 1st 10 yrs had 4 -10 plus wins in a season, Pat Dye-Auburn 1st 10 yrs had 4-10 plus wins in season, Tommy Tuberville had 2-10 plus wins in a season, Steve Spurrier-Florida had 8-10 plus wins in a season, Philp Fulmer Tennessee had 6-10 plus wins in a season, Johnny Majors had 1-10 wins in a season, Vince Dooley- Georgia 1964-74 had 1-10 plus wins in season, Mark Richt 2001-08 had 6- 10 plus wins in a season. Bobby Dodd- Georgia Tech 1945-55 had 3- 10 plus wins in a season.
These are all legendary coaches at their perspective schools when they 1st started coaching………. Mark Richt hasnt seen his best years nor has the fans.
Also note that the SEC has expanded and athletes are much better which makes it harder to repeat as champions.
RMikel58
November 2nd, 2010
7:32 am
Mark Richt 2001-08 1st 8 years (82-22) Vince Dooley 1964-71 (59-24-4) Wally Butts 1939-46 (64-21-2)
Top 10 Finishes First 8 years
Mark Richt 6
Vince Dooley 3
Wally Butts 2
Top 5 Finishes First 8 years
Mark Richt 2
Vince Dooley 1
Wally Butts 2
Took Vince Dooley 16 yrs to win the National Championship
Mark Richt has the 5th highest winning pct. among active coaches 2010 .790 pct.
Mark Richt 12th highest paid coach Div 1-A based on 2.8 million a year
Only Urban Meyer- Florida has a higher pct but that takes in account of head coaching jobs atBowling Green and Utah perspectively.
Georgia in order to be in contention for the National Championship must be Florida every year and that may come down to having an off week before playing them or go back to home/away games again.
IF Georgia beats Florida in Richt era then there were 2 years Georgia could have played in the BCS Title game but you must also consider that Florida won the national title once and played 2 times for the BCS Title.
Some would also argue that Tim Tebow was the greatest QB in college history as the best all around QB.
We must all be patient with the new Def. Coordinator and the new A.D. at Georgia. Mark Richt will definitely be a Hall of Fame College Football Coach someday based on his sucessful record as Head Coach.
Coach Richt is in line with the great ones of past coaches, such as Woody Hayes, Bear Bryant, and Bob Stoops and i think we wont ever find a better coach to replace Coach Richt and certainly not one that has the character he exemplifies both as coach and mentor to those kids.
RMikel58
November 2nd, 2010
7:54 am
We cant blame the coaching for everything that happened, basic fundamentals were disasterous and these kids have been taught this all their lives. Fall on the ball” Is the fumbles from coaching? Is the penalties from coaching? Is not executing the coaches fault? Is the interceptions the coaches fault? Yeah i cant stand Bobo to me he’s way behind as an O.C. but he did do one of his better coaching jobs i thought against Florida.
Murray threw the interception not Bobo. I hope and pray Coach Richt demotes Bobo and finds a new O.C. in the off season and im sure they gotta be feeling worst than we do about the loss. Mark Richt will make things right at Georgia.
All of ya’ll are so spoiled and expect everything to go your way, yeah i hate Florida as much as anyone in this room does but im being realistic. We kept sorry Ray Goff what 8 miserable years before he was fired.
Vince Dooley recommended him for the job too.
Georgia has a new QB and not a Stafford as of yet, this kid is gonna be great 1 day and it takes time to mature and also i think it’ll take 3 years to learn the 3-4 Defense so be patient.
Its o.k. to vent and give your opinion cause im feeling the same way as you are. We see Saban at Alabama win the BCS Title and cant understand “hey why cant we do that” ? They dont play Florida and Tennessee and S. Carolina every year as we do. Might just be the ghost of Bear Bryant i dont know but over in the West they just have to beat LSU every year and maybe now Auburn.
This is just a hiccup and we’ll bounce back but youre stupid if you want Georgia to fire Mark Richt ppl.
Lum
November 2nd, 2010
8:36 am
Enter your comments here
Reed Hall Rat
November 2nd, 2010
8:37 am
Richt: Stay / Bobo: Go. We have Grantham; now let’s get a decent OC.
crossdawg
November 2nd, 2010
8:48 am
The Dawgs should have spent Sun afternoon on fumble recovery drills. The thugs have to learn to fall on the ball rather than trying to pick it & be a big hero.
GatorFan96
November 2nd, 2010
9:42 am
The bye week didn’t seem to help UGA last year
AU Tiger
November 2nd, 2010
11:03 am
Its very funny to me how Florida has a really down year and yet the poor little pound puppies cannot beat them STILL!!!! How ironic is that!! HAHAHA
Alabama Jack
November 3rd, 2010
2:20 pm
You know, the way this year has gone for and to the dawgs, maybe they ought to consider the Jerry Springer Show instead of a bowel game.
DawgVoiceofReason
November 4th, 2010
10:53 pm
Alabama Jack,
Hey genius, go have a bowel movement and dream about your own “bowel game”.
DawgVoiceofReason
November 4th, 2010
10:59 pm
Bill,
Have to diaagree. Coaching was not the reason we lost the game. The UGA coaches had us in position to win the game. It was the turnovers (and failure to get the turnovers we had in our hands) that killed us. People aren’t even counting the fifth turnover we had when we missed the first two point conversion attempt. And the one turnover we did get was no better than a punt with no return yards.