Dogs’ bowl showing pretty much sums up the season: Lousy
Aaron Murray saved his worst game of the season for the Liberty Bowl. (Associated Press)
A mediocre season came to a pathetic end for the Georgia Bulldogs Friday as a talent-loaded SEC offense that had prided itself on regularly scoring 30 or more points a game failed to even score a single touchdown against Central Florida of Conference USA.
Unlike most of the rest of the year, Aaron Murray, wearing gloves in a game for the first time this season, looked every bit the freshman in the Liberty Bowl, throwing two interceptions and nearly throwing two or three more picks.
An offensive line that had underperformed most of the season turned in one of its worst outings, especially in the second half.
And playcaller Mike Bobo made no sustained attempt to establish a running game, allowing the Knights to blanket the Dogs’ receivers for much of the day when they weren’t blitzing Murray as he searched in vain for an open man.
Of course, maybe Bobo was taking a cue from his boss, Mark Richt, who in the first quarter apparently had such little faith in his ground attack that on fourth and inches at the 2 yard line he elected to kick a field goal rather than go for the first down and potentially the touchdown.
That capped off the Dogs’ best drive of the day, which featured a pretty nice mix of run and pass. Unfortunately, most of the rest of the day Georgia rested its hopes mainly on the passing of Murray, who never looked comfortable. The Dogs did manage a decent drive to open the second half but it bogged down, resulting in another field goal.
And that was pretty much it offensively for the Bulldogs.
Most of the pre-game talk had centered on the two teams’ freshman phenom quarterbacks, but thanks to rusty-looking offenses and a pair of turnovers each, the game settled into a defensive struggle.
The Knights, however, persevered with their efforts to establish a running game and eventually were able to wear down a Georgia defense that occasionally was guilty of poor tackling (how many times did Bacarri Rambo dive into the dirt at opposing players’ feet?).
Overall, though, Todd Grantham’s defense played well enough to win.
It was the offense that stunk the place up. Yes, UCF has a pretty good defense, coming into the game ranked No. 18 in the country, but Georgia’s uninspired play made them look even more formidable.
The day was summed up pretty well by the drive the Dogs began with a little over 7 minutes left in the game. A good run by Washaun Ealey was negated by an completely unnecessary chop block on the other side of the field, and then on first and 25 Ealey was stuffed. Next play, the woeful line play allowed Murray to be sacked. And then on third and 32, Murray threw the ball out of bounds trying to hit A.J. Green, who probably was playing his last game as a Bulldog.
On that depressing note, I’ll open it up for discussion of the Dogs’ dismal showing in Memphis. I’ll be back Sunday with more thoughts on the game and where the Georgia program goes from here. Until then, I hope everyone has a safe New Year’s celebration.
Oh, one more thing: Aaron, lose the gloves.
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908 comments Add your comment
Wal Mart Greeter
December 31st, 2010
10:09 pm
Maybe we should start carrying some Georgia Tech gear…….
Joseph
December 31st, 2010
10:09 pm
Truly a ugly season. The bulldogs are in decline, and they showed us how poorly coached they really are tonight.
Hopefully, someone would resign. I think we will be very lucky to get five wins, and a bowl will not be in the offing next year. Too many teams much better coached in division.
Let the Big Dawg eat
December 31st, 2010
10:11 pm
OH TRUE FAN ONE LAST THING WE CAN ALWAYS COUNT ON ONE WIN EVERY YEAR AS LONG AS WE PLAY TECH BETTER BE CAREFUL GA STATE MAY TAKE OVER AS THE OTHER ONLY TEAM IN GA
Bawker
December 31st, 2010
10:11 pm
The crystal ball says that Green gets drafted, but a year from now he’ll be in prison for assault or another serious crime. He’s just an illiterate gangbanger, so what did you expect, loyalty to the dawgs and tradition?
Get real.
True Fan
December 31st, 2010
10:11 pm
“Let the Big Dawg eat”
Just take a step back from the computer and laugh because you know I had you going!!!!!!
No better way to ring in the New Year than fish hooking a couple of UGA fans!!!!
Uncle Curly
December 31st, 2010
10:12 pm
True Fan
I am not a UGA fan. if you new anything about college football in the south you would have known that. sorry to dissapoint you. Bet you are really up on your sushi recipes though.
BORED
December 31st, 2010
10:12 pm
Georgia needs to hire Jim Harbaugh from Stanford. He is intense unlike the coach we have now. Coach Richt has done good things for Georgia but it is time for change. Need a coach like Saban that gets into the game.
Dawg89
December 31st, 2010
10:12 pm
Hate to say it, but I think next year will be just as bad. No hope for the program now.
Horrible
December 31st, 2010
10:12 pm
True Fan—That was funny right there. I don’t care who you are!
Junk Yard Dawg
December 31st, 2010
10:14 pm
I really have a felling that Richt is going to be fired. I can vision the cast on ESPN sports center with the announcement. There is no way Richt can turn this program around.
Let the Big Dawg eat
December 31st, 2010
10:14 pm
If the Dawgs never won another game I would never buy anything Tech although I will say this Paul Johnson gained my respect by honoring the Air Force win classy
Horrible
December 31st, 2010
10:15 pm
Uncle Curly–Don’t try to act like you aren’t a UGA fan. You don’t have to be ashamed. No one but us UGA rednecks are on here blogging on New Year’s Eve…excpet for the Tech nerd!
Junk Yard Dawg
December 31st, 2010
10:17 pm
How are we ever going to beat Florida if we can’t even beat Central Florida? Central Florida is probably one of the Florida schools where players that REALLY WANTED TO PLAY FOR THE GATORS end up but didn’t get recruited by UF. In other words, we just got owned by Florida’s red headed step child. This is officially ROCK BOTTOM people, WAKE UP !!!
Let the Big Dawg eat
December 31st, 2010
10:18 pm
I will always be a DAWG fan no matter what just can’t believe what we settle for
Daveitta
December 31st, 2010
10:19 pm
A.J. Green voted for Obama. That should tell you all you need to know about his character and intelligence.
Dawg Hearted
December 31st, 2010
10:19 pm
We have all the 4 and 5 stars yet cannot beat a team that’s lucky to get one or two 3 stars a year. Most of the stars come in wanting to know what’s in it for me. No team mentality.
True Fan
December 31st, 2010
10:19 pm
“let the Big Dawg eat”
I would buy UGA apparel because you never know when you’ll run out of toilet paper and need take big dump!
Let the Big Dawg eat
December 31st, 2010
10:20 pm
@JYD my thoughts exactly
Let the Big Dawg eat
December 31st, 2010
10:21 pm
LOL I would rather use posion ivy than ever support Tech
Junk Yard Dawg
December 31st, 2010
10:22 pm
It only gets worse from here.
Younger Offensive line
No A.J. Green
No Justin Houston
Boise State added to the schedule on national television
Florida getting Charlie Weis. Could you imagine Grantham having to face an OC of his caliber?
Let the Big Dawg eat
December 31st, 2010
10:25 pm
?
True Fan
December 31st, 2010
10:25 pm
“let the big dawg eat”
Its been fun! Have a great New Year and lets just hope your not a Democrat as well! Being a UGA fan is bad enough
Let the Big Dawg eat
December 31st, 2010
10:27 pm
Well said no REP feeling is mutual HAPPY NEW YEAR
Dawg 39
December 31st, 2010
10:28 pm
ALL OF MY COMMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE AS A RICHT LOYALIST UP TILL NOW.
NOW, I truly believe that the Dawgs will never again win the East with Richt as the HC. The OL coach & the DL Coach are both doing a terrible job. The DB coach is not doing much better.The Buck stops with Richt. It Is now time for to totally revamp the entire coaching staff. This is a complete 180 degrees about face for me. With due respect to the loss to GT, 08, & to Col. this year, The loss to UCF is the worst loss & the most unecessary loss during the Richt Era. No way were they even close to being as talented as the Dawgs. The Dawgs were rested & healthy & should have slaughtered UCF. It Is now time for a change.
Let the Big Dawg eat
December 31st, 2010
10:28 pm
Younger offensive line could be a good thing this one sure as hell wasn’t what i expected it to be.
Let the Big Dawg eat
December 31st, 2010
10:30 pm
YES WE CAN
Let the Big Dawg eat
December 31st, 2010
10:32 pm
I feel better knowing that there are more Dawg fans ready for a change
InsectInside
December 31st, 2010
10:32 pm
jaxDawg – You can’t DEPEND on anything.
Let the Big Dawg eat
December 31st, 2010
10:33 pm
Dawgs will return just not with CMR here!
Junk Yard Dawg
December 31st, 2010
10:34 pm
Let the Big Dawg eat
Yeah you are right about the O line. I find it very disturbing how all of the preseason magazine were saying UGA would have “The” o line of o lines this season. They were flat out terrible. UGA does not have an identity on EITHER side of the ball.
Honest abe
December 31st, 2010
10:35 pm
Mark Richt, I know you are a man of God ! However, if you come back next year you are stealing money. I have always supported You, but its over man! I mean its really over!
Dawg stuck in Bham
December 31st, 2010
10:35 pm
UGA…we are the new Ole Miss
Sad….
Let the Big Dawg eat
December 31st, 2010
10:37 pm
Yeah we are to passive take the fight to the other team. Knock them on their a$$ and say you might as well get us to this cause this is how it’s going to be all day. When Fairly hit Murray late Ben Jones was the only one who went for him terrible.
Let the Big Dawg eat
December 31st, 2010
10:39 pm
and he got bet on the play that it happened. Ga was better when we ran the ball with authority. Now we tip toe thru the tulips. Outr whole team look like figure skaters.
Let the Big Dawg eat
December 31st, 2010
10:39 pm
Hell Ole Miss is on the rise we are sucking hind tit
Sammy Dawg
December 31st, 2010
10:43 pm
You got any pithy comments about “Skipper” now Bill? You may be the last person in Georgia that should be poking fun at appearances.
Also, we may not be very good next year, but you can always count on a win against tech!
john Galt
December 31st, 2010
10:44 pm
CMR can talk faith all he wants- and I am a devout Christian- but accepting that fat paycheck and putting such little effort and emotion into it is theft- a literal sin.
I have defended him for the last time. We could at least lose while looking prepared and playing aggressively. Richt has no passion for the game and needs to move on into missions. Unfortunately, the money will keep him here despite his obvious lack of desire to do the job and we can’t afford to buy all of the clowns out.
The only $$ this Terry College grad will give the Athletic program EVER AGAIN will be a contribution to buy out these contracts.
If Richt was truly a man of integrity he would do the right thing and resign- he has failed. But I’m not holding my breath.
Let the Big Dawg eat
December 31st, 2010
10:44 pm
Everytime i see that Gieco commerial where the drill sergeant is a psychiatrist and says you know what makes me sad you do you jack wagon that is what i want to say to MR
upsetdawg
December 31st, 2010
10:45 pm
Damn, why did my wife already send in the donation for next year?
That is the last dollar; I swear;rather spend it on part of a good vacation than watch the same ole story year after sorry dawg year!
UCF ?
They play in the what?
USA conf. ?
Really?
Junk Yard Dawg
December 31st, 2010
10:45 pm
My question is where does Georgia go from here. Who could possibly be the right guy?
Jon Gruden – No way in the heck he would come to Athens
Kirby Smart – This would be a gamble but could turn out good since he has the Saban’s blueprint. Yeah, he has never been a head coach but Dan Mullen wasn’t either when MSU came calling and we all know how that’s turning out.
Chris Peterson – The whole Dan Hawkins fiasco at Colorado scares me but didn’t we lose to Colorado?
Dan Mullen – Now this would be a huge change to his spread offense.
Brain Van Gorder – He would really bring defense back to Georgia. Look at how pitiful they have been with out him. Not to mention the success the Falcons are having this year.
Jim Harbaugh – I think he is seriously the next Michigan coach.
Mike Leach – I like Leach’s offenses, but he doesn’t care too much about defense.
Derek Dooley – This would be a dark horse in my opinion. Derek Dooley didn’t do too bad if you ask me for his first year at Tennessee. You have to consider that the players on his team have had THREE head coaches in three years. He was robbed of the LSU and NC game. He did much better with Tyler Bray at quarterback. I think Tennessee will win the east next year or finish at least in second. I think Dooley would be good for Georgia because he is someone that is young as has fire in him. He also grew up in the Georgia family and has passion for the Dawgs, something CMR simply does not and will not have.
What do you guys think about this list?
Demetre Baker
December 31st, 2010
10:46 pm
It all lies within the numbers ….
11 arrests
7 losses
6 wins
1 called timeout on defense with the clock stopped
enough said
ben patterson
December 31st, 2010
10:47 pm
I think I’m gonna throw up and I haven’t even had any TEQUILA yet.Happy New Year I for one am damn glad this one is over.UCF out coached and outplayed us.Shame on us.I have lost all hope that this staff can turn it around.Sorry to say it but we have to make a change NOW.Sad thing is I know it’s not gonna happen.Next year could be bad,real BAD.
Let the Big Dawg eat
December 31st, 2010
10:49 pm
I like the list i would add the guy from Boise St love his creative offense
Thomp
December 31st, 2010
10:50 pm
Definitely time to clean out the crap house! If McGarity can’t do his job then fire him too! The honeymoon is over Greg, if you don’t do your job and fire richt then go be some other school’s assistant AD. We don’t have a year to waste waiting on richt. He has not “earned” another year, he has been fairly compensated AND he has failed.
Let the Big Dawg eat
December 31st, 2010
10:50 pm
And if LSU is stupid enough to fire LES miles i say we’ll take him
Embarrassing
December 31st, 2010
10:51 pm
Totally Embarrassing. Time to replace Ritch or I would assume no one will be watching the dawgs in the future. He is not the 7th highest paid coach in the country to be leading us to no where. I have no confidence in his passion or ability to lead the team. Time to clean house and start over. If Lemay keeps his commitment to UGA, Murray will most likely be on the bench…without AJ, he will be a below average QB…lots and lots of changes needed asap. Wake up McGarity…the Ritch era is over.
The Thin Guy
December 31st, 2010
10:51 pm
Despair not doogie fans. Central Florida is the best team in all of central Florida. I like Mark Richt but if I have to watch another one of those truck commercials I’m going to puke. He’s making $ 4 mil a year to finish 6-7. You could get that record at 1/100 of that. I hear Phil Fulmer is available.
Let the Big Dawg eat
December 31st, 2010
10:52 pm
He just looks like he has lost the desire to win i mean hell a fan had to tell him we would like for him to lead the team on the field the head coach sets the tempo and this team reflects MR passive and to laid back.
windell
December 31st, 2010
10:52 pm
Murray is overated,Richt has lost his desire to win.,if you can’t gain 2 inches on fourth down,just find something else to play.Richt is about as agressive as a snail.
Demetre Baker
December 31st, 2010
10:53 pm
AJ told me he ain’t going pro – he can’t afford the pay cut