Mike Bobo and Mark Richt aren’t why Georgia lost to Auburn
Auburn might have had more sacks had it not been for Aaron Murray's scrambling ability. (Associated Press)
Some more thoughts on Georgia’s loss to Auburn. …
As I mentioned briefly Saturday night, you can quibble with some of Mike Bobo’s calls in the game against the Tigers, particularly when he tried things (I’m thinking Branden Smith in the wildcat or screen passes to the short side of the field on third-and-long) that seemed to have much less of a chance of working than simply throwing it in A.J. Green’s direction.
And while Auburn hitman Nick Fairley (I feel the need for Purell hand sanitizer after just typing his name) is more than a handful to block, the Dogs’ pass protection faltered a bit too often Saturday. The Dogs only gave up four sacks, but that amount might have been close to doubled had it not been for Aaron Murray’s elusiveness and scrambling ability. And besides taking a lot of late hits, Murray was hurried on some key plays, like the too-high pass to Kris Durham in the end zone late in the third quarter when one of the backs missed his block.
And, yes, you can question Mark Richt running out the final 50-odd seconds of the first half rather than trying to get some more points. Perhaps he also should have been a bit more forceful in warning his kickoff return team about the possibility of an on-side kick to open the second half. And, frankly, I think he blinked in the eye-to-eye confrontation with Auburn when he called for a field goal at the end of the third quarter. When you’re in a shootout with an offense that eats up clock, you have to make the most of every possession you get.
But overall Bobo and the Georgia offense were what kept the Dogs in the game, and with the exception of the on-side kick I don’t think Richt and company got outcoached by Gene Chizik.
The reason Georgia lost against Auburn was pretty much the same reason the Dogs have lost five other games: The defense just isn’t up to current SEC or past UGA standards.
And this isn’t a complaint about Todd Grantham’s schemes. It didn’t matter what signals he called Saturday against the Tigers defense, the players on the field simply weren’t capable of stopping Cam Newton and company. The lack of a nose guard able to take control of the line of scrimmage has pretty much submarined Grantham’s attempt to install his 3-4 defense this year and unless Georgia manages to scrounge up a big JUCO player, I wonder how much better it’ll be next year.
Of course, nobody has really stopped Newton, so I’ll give them that. But as a frustrated Justin Houston lamented after the game, the Tigers did a lot of damage with players other than Newton running the reverse, including gashing the Dogs for 31 yards one time and 48 yards another time. Houston blamed “blown assignments” and defenders not being “where they were supposed to be,” adding, “Some guys weren’t as focused as they need to be and it hurt us. It’s been hurting us all season.”
Indeed it has, especially in the secondary, where Georgia’s safety play has been consistently poor. Bacarri Rambo may have snagged a key interception on a tipped ball Saturday, but otherwise his play was tentative much of the evening. And while I suppose it was to be expected that Georgia would be keying on the run since that’s Auburn’s bread and butter (that’s all they did in the third quarter), the Dogs defenders seemed to completely forget that Newton also can throw the ball. He ended up completing 12 of 15 passes (80 percent) for 148 yards and two touchdowns, and that was with a couple of drops in the first half by wide-open receivers.
Come to think of it, on just about all Auburn’s completions the receiver was open. You expect that sort of thing early in the season after a new defense has been installed. But when it’s still happening in the 11th game, you have to conclude the folks out on the field mostly just aren’t capable of getting it done.
Finally, a couple of observations on the way our so-called “country cousins” at Auburn handled this major rivalry game. Afterward, Chizik might have declared himself “disappointed” and “not happy” about two of his players getting ejected when tempers started to flare late, but as I noted in my previous blog he seemed to be doing anything but trying to keep his players’ emotions in check on the sideline.
And then there was the reaction of the Auburn fans when Georgia linebacker Reuben Faloughi went down with a leg injury in the fourth quarter, resulting in the Tigers’ hurry-up game getting slowed down momentarily.
They booed the hurt player.
Really classy. War damn eagle, indeed.
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636 comments Add your comment
Larry
November 14th, 2010
8:22 pm
So, at Auburn there is a convicted thief and a classroom cheater and the Auburn fans love him because he is a good football player! I wonder how he would be treated at Auburn if he was NOT a good football player?
Now that’s unwavering and unbending standards from a community in south Alabama…that is honor, integrity and common human decency takes a backseat to football victories.
Any questions?
Clark
November 14th, 2010
8:24 pm
Bill- Auburn fans ONLY booed the injured player because he ran off the field, then ran back on and LAID DOWN. He was FAKING. It was obvious! Auburn fans NEVER boo. That was the first time I have really heard them boo and it was for a real reason. Pathetic move, uga. Just pathetic.
Oldguy
November 14th, 2010
8:25 pm
Larry, my only question is if the shoe was on the other foot would Georgia react differently?
GEORGE
November 14th, 2010
8:26 pm
ROLL TIDE!
When you play like AU, you get what you deserve sooner or later.
Eric C.
November 14th, 2010
8:28 pm
Mike @ 6:31 PM,
Fairley started the shots very early in the game, like the first and second drives. The chop-block you refer to was well after that, so go #%#% #$@$@$#.
James
November 14th, 2010
8:28 pm
PHIL,
You are right, it was a completely legal engaged cut block. Everyone agrees except that the referee that saw it, Gary and Verne who gasped during the replay, and every objective person watching the game. Nice try, I noticed you didn’t refute any of the other points.
I typically like UGA fans, but this outright crybaby and holier than thou “clean-program” attitude is disgusting. Man up, take your loss like man, and have fun in Shrevport.
AltamahaDawg
November 14th, 2010
8:30 pm
Congrats to Auburn for winning the West. Hopefully the Newton deal with not leave a dark mark on it. I’m still puzzled though, because we had plenty of Bama fans guaranteeing another NC this year. I’m not sure how the math works out for that at this point.
But to a much larger degree congrats to South Carolina and Steve Spurrier. I would prefer my Dawgs win the east every time (or again, hopefully soon) but it always seem to me that the SEC and it’s fans benefit when the torch gets passed around a bit. I know the SC fans have waited a while and they always seemed to be very loyal no matter what. And I admit UF NOT winning the East (as they all guaranteed as well) is some small consolation, if for no other reason than it hurts the tech fans feelings.
Eric C.
November 14th, 2010
8:31 pm
Clark, are you freaking serious? Did you see the replay of that hit? His knee got hyperextended by about 3 inches…let’s hyperextend your knee that much and see how fast you get off the floor, you freaks are amazing…please get of the Dawgs blog and worry about defending Cam or something.
JEB
November 14th, 2010
8:31 pm
War-Cam-illegal. Auburn won’t you bite my ass. Just a bunch of thugs, that came out in the end.
DawgFan4BtrOrWrse
November 14th, 2010
8:32 pm
It’s been along time since I’ve seen a single player parade around and preen for the camera as much as Cam Newton. They way he acts, you’d think he was snapping the ball to himself, throwing it 80 yds down field and catching it on the fly for a one-handed TD. He’s as much about the game being a team effort as Steve Spurrier is about group hugs. It’s all by Cam, for Cam and due to Cam. The whole Auburn community should kneel at the feet of Cam because Cam is the god of football.
Man, I am SO GLAD to be a Georgia Bulldog! In spite of our faults, I’d rather my diploma have The University of Georgia across it than Auburn University or any other school in the land! Go Dawgs!
Dirty Dawg
November 14th, 2010
8:34 pm
Enjoy this while you can AU because it’ll all be over before you know it. Seems to me that you folks have missed out on at least two national championships over the years because you were on probation so you’re probably used to it by now and you’ll know just how to act. As has been said, the Georgia Auburn rivalry has had a history of mutual respect…no more. This episode and display of classlessness on he part of your players, coaches and fans has ended that forever with me. I’ll take great delight in watching you suffer from the penalties that’ll be coming your way and I’ll say as much to the Auburn people with which I come into contact with.
So, somebody set the toilet paper on fire at Toomers’? If I were you I’d be glad somebody didn’t take a flame-thrower to the damn place.
Oldguy
November 14th, 2010
8:40 pm
My gosh folks, it was a football GAME. Take a Xanax and chill out before you have a heart attack or stroke.
Boca Baby
November 14th, 2010
8:40 pm
As it turns out Gene Chizik is as big a low life thug as the rest of his players. He won’t last long in this league. In the words of the legendary AJC sportswriter Furman Bisher, “If you cheat you ought to win.”
Brenda
November 14th, 2010
8:42 pm
As for the Tiger/WarEagle/Plainsmen (whatever the heck they are today) behavior and (lack of) sportsmanship —– why should it change at this late date in our lives??? Haven’t they always been that way?
Boca Baby
November 14th, 2010
8:45 pm
And another thing, Auburn should be hit with the lack of institutional control when this Newton thing comes out into the open. Playing Newton without the knowledge of an infraction is one thing, playing him knowing his eligibility is highly in question is another. I guess winning is more important at Auburn than compliance. When have we heard this before concerning AU? A broken record that keeps playing the same line over and over again.
Enjoy It
November 14th, 2010
8:49 pm
Enjoy it while you can. What’s Auburn going to have next year with Newton and 20 seniors gone. By the way –WHAT IS MARK RICHT’S RECORD AGAINST AUBURN?
vrga
November 14th, 2010
8:52 pm
Bill, you are a complete moron. FIrst off, the player was running to the sidelines and the coaching staff was waving to him to go down, I guess you were not at the game, and they didn’t show this on TV. I still haven’t seen you comment on the illegal chop block committed against Fairley in the first half. I’m sure the lineman diving at his knees just tripped, right? If you didn’t see Chizik going after his players to cool it down after getting provoked by UGA, then you are unwilling to see what happened. It was Richt on the field telling the officials that the Auburn players had it coming. Stay classy UGA.
Rabid Dawg
November 14th, 2010
8:53 pm
Exactly correct! Ever since Van Gorder left…the Ga defense has gotten worse and worse.
They need a huge stout NG to anchor that 3-4 if thats what Grantham insists on running. Then….load up with better speed. And for God sakes…maintain you running lanes!
BR549
November 14th, 2010
8:53 pm
Lets see we have UGA fans calling Auburn dirty, what a surprise! what did you have over a period of the last year 20-30 arrest. You have one of he dirtiest lineman in the game who by the way got a penalty for an illegal chop block on Failrey, he had to do that cause he was getting his butt kicked all night. Was anyone surprised when half the UGA thugs came off the bench to brawl while all the AU players stayed behind the white line like a disciplined team does. Why does no one from GA bring p the fact that your #61 jumped on top of Fairley and dry humped him while he was down on the ground. That started the fight. This is what UGA has become a bunch of girls who cry abut every call and every game that does not go your way. You got beat by a better team live with it. You have to win to get to the big game something your team has not been able to do with more talent than most of the SEC. Just go back to being 3rd in the East where you have been for a long time. yes Bill War Damn Eagle!
vrga
November 14th, 2010
8:53 pm
Enjoy It – What is Auburn’s record against UGA, you guys are morons. I hope you do keep Richt around, there is always next year, right?
Greg Talley
November 14th, 2010
8:55 pm
Our program may have some stupid kids who drink and cannot keep their licenses active, but at we are not bums like Auburn – Nick Fairley and #32 (who rolled over Sanders Commings’s ankle from behind). Cam Newton is an amazing football player but apparently has character issues….like his father the Bishop.
Ginger
November 14th, 2010
8:56 pm
Right on Bill……Defense is the biggest problems…..We have got to sign a noseguard to control the line of scrimmage…Coach Rodney needs to find the best JUCO nose and camp out at his door. We have got to get defensive guys who line up right, who read and react fast and correctly…The Defense needs some playmakers…..UGA defense get in the flim room….
vrga
November 14th, 2010
8:58 pm
Greg, don’t forget your players groping women, I will give Richt credit for drawing the line at sexual assaults.
hugedawgfan
November 14th, 2010
8:58 pm
You can get a huge NG but first someone has to convince the best state talent to stay….in state!!! I remember the best of the best in GA saying they couldn’t believe playing elsewhere besides in Athens. Now there a prima donnas wanting just for me me me. We need to recruit better and get these great athletes to stay home. At seasons end, if the AD says CMR is the guy, everyone else should be put on notice. Without a doubt, new OC, new S&C coach, and new recruiting coordinator ( a seal the deal type guy). Go DAWGS!!!! And take our frustrations out on TECH! THWGT!!!!!
Wes
November 14th, 2010
8:59 pm
Wow, you are an idiot Bill. We “country cousins” were booing because your LB was on his way off the field under his own power and was motioned to hit the deck by the UGA staff to get a free timeout. Bush league. And say what you want of Chizik, but not ONE of Auburn’s players left the sideline while the entire thUGA team left the sideline. Nick Fairley hit Murray late and got flagged. When Murray got hurt, Fairley was blocked into him. Whether Fairley hit him late or not, the thUGA O-line started that fight. Oh, and how many times in the 4th did Richt walk well past the 25 and way out onto the field. Mark Richt can’t even spell the word discipline. Todd Grantham should have given himself the choke sign yesterday, because his defense sucked. War Eagle you thUGA punks.
Tech Hater
November 14th, 2010
9:04 pm
31 points against Florida and Auburn yet both are losses: defense is pitiful.
UGA will not and can not win the SEC again until we recruit and coach a defense that wins games for you. 31 point should win a game I do not care how much the other team paid for their QB…
Gratham is the most overpaid over hyped hire UGA has ever made.
kerryb
November 14th, 2010
9:05 pm
What the NCAA does to Auburn when they find out they paid Cam Newton’s Daddy will make what they did to USC look like a slap on the wrist.
Warshane
November 14th, 2010
9:06 pm
Bill, you are unbelievable. Junkyard Blawg is exactly right because what you write is JUNK. I wish you were a quarterback and Nick Fairley was heading your way. At least Nick Fairley does his damage on the field while your team does its damage on the Athens police blotter.
kerryb
November 14th, 2010
9:08 pm
Wes, your team has always been a dirty bunch of cheap shot artist. I stood up and applauded when Fairley got chop blocked. The only mistake was that they didn’t do it good enough to put him out for good.
BT
November 14th, 2010
9:08 pm
Auburn converted 71% of their 3rd downs (71%??) and we blew a 14 point lead. No surprise – Dawgs lose.
Justin Houston’s comments sum it up – “players not focused.” Problem is those unfocused players are the best we have at this point
Farley was pretty dirty . . . but cut blocks not the answer
November 14th, 2010
9:10 pm
Auburn . . . or Florida 2010 won because Cam Newton ran right, ran left, and then threw over the top when our defense attempted to stop him. Farley’s late shots and attempt to kill with his shoulder in the gut of our QB was dirty play. If you play dirty, expect the o-line to take some cheap shots at you. Farley also got away with some D-holding (the announcer’s called one grab a great play somehow). I don’t mind the retalitation shots by our o-line but the first cut block was not planned. That can’t happen.
kerryb
November 14th, 2010
9:11 pm
Auburn fans, defense wins championships and yours looks just as bad or worse than ours. You have absolutely no pass defense. Trying to outscore opponents because your defense is terrible catches up to you soon or later. My guess is that it catches up to you in the Iron Bowl.
That Guy
November 14th, 2010
9:13 pm
I’d like to address a few things. 1. How can any of you talk about class/behavior when UGA cleared the bench? That’s against the rules, they should have been tossed for leaving the sideline. 2. The player that was booed, was on his way off the field. Then all of a sudden just dropped, kind of funny that Richt was on his way on the field holding his hand up as if to stop him. Then Richt took the opportunity to go on the field, which he was on the field so much I thought he was another player. The fans were not booing the player, but the stunt that Richt pulled. I’m not going to say much more, if anything, because it’s like talking to a wall. Football is a sport where you are allowed to run as fast as you can and hit someone. There is nothing “clean” about the game (still love watching it). There were four personal fouls penalties on UGA and 4 on Auburn. I’ll leave with this thought, quit acting like UGA was so innocent. Your arguments would be better received if you openly admitted the late hits, chop blocks, emptying of the bench. Just sayin’. Pot meet kettle.
Wes, move back to Ala.
November 14th, 2010
9:16 pm
Don’t be mad because you did not get into UGA like the rest of Auburn’s second-class fanbase. Why don’t you move out of Georgia and live in Alabama. If you can play football, someone in Alabama will pay your way back to the hillbilly state– say $180 to $200 gs to move to Auburn to play football. Funny, how Auburn has five to six crappy seasons followed by one great season. 1993 is coming soon for AU again, don’t worry.
kerryb
November 14th, 2010
9:17 pm
That Guy, I think the chop blocks were all on Fairley. That was because he kept trying to drive our QB into the ground after he had already thrown the ball. I personally have no problem giving it back to a guy that is doing that. Thats called protecting your QB. Kind of like pitchers throwing at hitters after one of theirs has been hit.
Eric C.
November 14th, 2010
9:25 pm
The fans defending Fairley are obviously of very little class themselves…just pathetic. The more I read, the more I despise Auburn.
Sure the Humpers have no dirty players
November 14th, 2010
9:28 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0357VcZfmE&feature=related
music city dawg
November 14th, 2010
9:28 pm
I still blame Bobo.
adam
November 14th, 2010
9:29 pm
Bill I read the first paragraph and I couldn’t read more. your just as ignorant as the rest of the bulldog nation who criticizes play call. I agree with you about the branden smith play call but the screen to the short side of the field is a really good call. The boundary screen is a great call because you can isolate a safety if its two high and it can be man on man. If they go single safety you and they bring a blitz it gets more defenders out of the picture so your blockers have a good opportunity to get numbers and you have a great chance at getting a big play. If it isn’t executed then you wont get anything. Its a very safe play with chances for a great outcome. Bill your an idiot!
Jethro Dawg Tull
November 14th, 2010
9:31 pm
For once in 5 years a classless Auburn team with a Cash register for a QB beats a young Georgia Bulldawg team. Is Chiznik guilty as he looks? Maybe he knew nothing about Cecil passing around the offering plate. Surely though if Chiznik had a hand in recruiting Newton he must have known somerthing. He seemed to be applauding Fairley for the late hits on Arron Murray,
Something tells me Murray will come out of this game a lot better than Chiznik and the Newtons.
What comes goes.
What is UGA's real problem
November 14th, 2010
9:34 pm
The players coaches and fans are all whiners. “Everyone cheats UGA, the Refs, the SEC , ESPN, BCS voters, everyone hates us. Could it be because you are good at is Endzone celebrations? WHINERS!!!!
Dawgfan
November 14th, 2010
9:37 pm
Would like to CONGRATULATE the DAWGS on the big win yesterday! Cam knew his Dad was selling him (and even if he didn’t it’s still a major violation) and history books will show a W for the DAWGS in 2010. Aaron Murray, AJ, Washaun – great win guys! I love how all the Auburn fans call it something else, like they’ve already done their research and are preparing for the worst. Yeah you better prepare for the worst b/c it’s coming, boy, it is really coming.
And the dirty play yesterday will probably hurt Auburn in the long run. Now you got millions of Dawg fans upset, which could really help drive this thing along. Now you got Dawgfans praying and hoping (and helping) for harm to come to the Auburn football program. And I agree with ESPN commentary during halftime, that the decision by AU to play Newton was a disgrace to college football, plain and simple. It represents everything that is wrong in college football and AU just shrugs it off like it’s nothing.
Basically if I was an AU fan, I’d be hiding under a rock. But wouldn’t you know there’s a few losers on these boards who stick their head up, clueless to what is coming down the pipe and in total denial. Have you idiots bothered to read Barnhart’s latest article?
Tiger Fan in Athens
November 14th, 2010
9:43 pm
Oh, Come on Dawg Fans…
UGA won the last 4 in a row! And now you lose one, and you just can’t stand it. It’s about time the pendelum swung the other way.
I did not read AJC on line after the Dawg-Gator game. Did you sore losers carry on this way about that loss too?
SCAM Newton
November 14th, 2010
9:45 pm
How did you get this job?
SCAM Newton
November 14th, 2010
9:46 pm
Anyone want to buy a laptop?
Ed (The Original)
November 14th, 2010
9:51 pm
Bullcrap! I agree that Bobo isn’t to blame, his offense has been cooking since the Tennessee game. But Mark Richt is the head man, responsible for every aspect of the program. His team is 5-6. His team got up by two touchdowns on Auburn, and from that point on was outscored 42-10. No way, even with Cam Newton, that Auburn is that much more talented than Georgia.
If Richt’s not to blame, who is?
Macclenny_dawg
November 14th, 2010
9:55 pm
Bill,
We got took to the wood shed on both lines!!! We did get out coached!!! We knew we would have to pull out all the stops to beat them and we as usual did nothing Aggressively!!! We came out aggressive but at the end of the half we went right back to doing what Richt is known to do!!! BE CONSERVATIVE!!! Our best chance to beat anybody is to keep our offense on the field because our defense SUCKS!!! Our defense next year will be NO BETTER because unfortunately either our guys aren’t smart enough to run this 3-4 or Grantham ain’t as he advertises!!! There is always 4 down line men not 3!!! Our lb’s are not up at the line of scrimmage trying to confuse the other teams offensive line or qb by moving around and standing up or faking this person is coming or not!!! That also is coaching by not trying to confuse the offensive line!!! Grantham promised he was going to do this and IT HAS NOT HAPPENED!!! WHY?????? Bill this is coaching blunders and this has happened ALL YEAR!!!! 1 MORE YEAR RICHT AND NO SEC CHAMPIONSHIP AND SEE YA!!!
Fairley=Thug
November 14th, 2010
9:57 pm
hey drew,
Fairley had one late hit called on him, but go back and watch the game and you will clearly see Fairley had a lot. the pile drive Murray into the ground, Fairley spear Murray in the back, and Fairley blocked TOWARD (not into) Murray. Fairley clearly stretched his neck out and lead with his helmet into Murray’s knee. Fairley is an athlete and could of easily avoided hitting Murray by not stretching his neck out and slamming his head into Murray’s knee.
AUTigersRule
November 14th, 2010
9:59 pm
Auburn students were not booing the injured player you idiot. They were booing because the player was limping off the field on his own when the coaches walked out and signaled him to get down so the clock would stop. Richt spent the whoe fourth quarter on the field.
Mike
November 14th, 2010
10:00 pm
Your first blog after the game was idiotic and this one matches that one…The replays will show that Auburn players remained on the sideline while the THUGA players were rushing the field (UF game after the TD?)…You seem to forget that THUGA had Charles Grant who did much worse to Brandon Cox…Your team has a history of being thugs…but with “reporters” like you…well says a lot…