Dogs’ first two games could make or break Mark Richt
Dogs face a big challenge with their opening game.
“None, I don’t feel any pressure. None at all.”
That’s Mark Richt’s not entirely convincing answer to the question of whether he’s feeling pressure coming off a losing season. Richt made the comment when his spring speaking tour stopped at the Savannah Golf Club on Wednesday, as reported by the Savannah Morning News.
I know the guy is supposed to have ice water in his veins, but with most of the football world figuring his job is probably on the line in the coming season, you’d have to figure that maybe, deep down inside, Richt is feeling the pressure. Just a little.
Something Richt also said Wednesday night does a nice job of summing up the enormity of his situation.
“I think the biggest challenge is to be at midseason form for our first two games,” Richt said. “They’re big games for us. [The Boise State game] will help set the tone for our season. The very next week, South Carolina will be big. Since they’re one and two, we have to be ready.”
Beating South Carolina would make Georgia the SEC East favorite.
Rarely has a team coming off a losing season and with a coach considered to be on the hot seat entered a season with two bigger, more important opening games.
One way of looking at it is that Greg McGarity has stacked the deck against Richt by putting Georgia in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game against a high-powered offensive juggernaut the week before the Dogs open their SEC season against Steve Spurrier’s defending SEC East champion Gamecocks. But conversely, McGarity also has given Richt (who agreed to the scheduling of Boise State) a chance to completely turn things around for his program in just two games.
As Richt said in Savannah, the nationally televised game against the Broncos gives the Dogs a chance “to show the college football world we’re still a pretty good football team.”
Win both of those first two games and the Dogs, whom Chick-fil-A’s Gary Stokan seems sure will be ranked in the pre-season Top 25, likely will vault themselves into the Top 10 and put themselves in the driver’s seat in the SEC East in a rebuilding year for the Florida program.
Lose both of them, and even Richt is going to be sweating bullets.
Split the games and the Dogs will have either a quality nonconference win but start out in a hole in conference play, or have a nonconference loss against a well-regarded team and still be favored to take the SEC East.
No pressure? Yeah, right.
So what are your expectations for Georgia’s first two games? Are you dreading them? Do you expect Georgia to take both? Or, if you’d be satisfied to come out of those games 1-1, which game would you rather have as a win? Does a conference game always trump a nonconference one, or is defending the SEC’s honor against Boise State more important this time?
Find me on Facebook.
Follow me on Twitter.
— Bill King, Junkyard Blawg
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
317 comments Add your comment
JB
April 21st, 2011
2:12 pm
Sleepy, did you ever think the influence of Richt would enrich a young persons life forever, black or white?
JB
April 21st, 2011
2:14 pm
At Carolina last year, with a freshman QB, a new defense and an average team, that game was closer than you think. This year Dawgs, as most of the time, will beat Carolina in a hard fought game.
kb
April 21st, 2011
2:14 pm
PB , 42-13 it may be the score but the Dawgs will win. UGA is a horrible match up for Boise. I hope for your sake that you aren’t a gambler.
Sleepy Dawg
April 21st, 2011
2:16 pm
No I do not. It is obvious the players tuned him out the past 2 seasons. They are tired of his religious nonsense, this does not win games. I have no faith in this coaching staff 5-7, no bowl appearance, and an extensive and embarassing search as we settle for a second tier scrubby coach.
Sleepy Dawg
April 21st, 2011
2:18 pm
The south carolina game last year was not nearly as close as it seemed, so I am not sure why some are so confident that it is an automatic win. They are better on both sides of the ball then us. History will not win this game.
JB
April 21st, 2011
2:19 pm
Boise lives on the pass and Dawgs will blitz, with speed and size on just about every down. I think we get to them
JB
April 21st, 2011
2:21 pm
Sleepy, please don’t use the word “us” when blogging. Thank you
Dumbo
April 21st, 2011
2:22 pm
SSIgator….Pressure…Pressure ain’t no stinking Pressure…..oh my chest feels like s..t….Oh sorry about that…I lost my head & thought you talking Urban the Crier
tony
April 21st, 2011
2:23 pm
If Mr.Richt can’t get this team to the Superdome with all the talent that he has, I don’t think he can get it done. This team is loaded with talent. I hope he succeed but if he doesn’t, I would like to see Todd Grantham replace him because I like Todd’s fiery attitude, enthusiasm and his defensive philosophy. GO DAWGS!
Buckhead Bulldog
April 21st, 2011
2:26 pm
DawginLex – I’m with you on most all of your comments except for the Carolina Game. Dogs trash Carolina BIG!
VaBeachDawg
April 21st, 2011
2:29 pm
Huge and always optimistic Dawg fan here. Every year, I predict big things. Every year, I get disappointed. C’mon guys, let’s be realistic. Our O-line was bad and we lost guys to graduation and injury. They showed nothing this Spring. Kwame looks great because it’s our O-line that’s trying to block him. Also, our secondary was a glaring weakness last year and our safeties are horrible. It will take the recruits half the season to be able to step up. Boise State will abuse our defensive backfield. SC’s defense will abuse our offensive line. We’ll be 0-2. After that, the schedule gets easier. We could win or 8 or 9 games next year. But we won’t win the first two.
Sleepy Dawg
April 21st, 2011
2:29 pm
I like the optimism, but you are all fools. We will lose the first 2 games by a combined 30-40 points. All of the koolaid drinkers will finally realize I was right all along, and bow to my superior knowledge of recruiting and football in general.
7576DAWG
April 21st, 2011
2:31 pm
The first game will be even bigger for Boise State than for us, make no mistake about it , they will be ready . Boise has a lot more to lose than we do. We used to see Hawaii mentioned every year as a Cinderella team and ever since we slaughtered them they have faded into obscurity. Boise State has kept their national ranking every year because they don’t have even close to as hard a schedule as the average SEC team. They schedule one to 3 hard teams every year and then the best team on the rest of their schedule may end up ranked 75th in the nation . If they win only one of those hard games they still end up 10-2. They usually pick another conference as their hard games and they schedule those games when the other team is rebuilding or projected to have a down year. Their is no way they would have pick LSU or Alabama this year. They hope that they have caught Georgia in a complete chaos year and it will be up to CMR to prove them wrong.
Tolishing a Purd?
April 21st, 2011
2:32 pm
0-2, 0-1 in conference play.
Gary
April 21st, 2011
2:33 pm
I think we will not only be ready for Boise State, we could literally embarass them on national tv with the way our defense is coming around. I have no doubt our offense will score points next season, so if our defense steps up, the season could be special. I know we are better than SC, we just have to play better. This could be the year we are back in the SEC title game, watch out!
FB Fan
April 21st, 2011
2:34 pm
Hard to answer this answer this question until August. The Georgia Bulldogs have had over 40 football players arrests in the last three or so years. Thus history tells us the roster will be quite different by game time. Heck it is so bad now the recruits are even robbing players!
Assuming a few “get out of jail” cards are used we will split the first two.
heyberto
April 21st, 2011
2:35 pm
Tough one.. I agree Richt can’t go 0-2, but I have no idea what a 1-1 would do. I will say that even with an 0-2 start, winning out from that point, would cool down the warmth of the hot seat significantly, but I’m sure he’d rather not have that pressure. So 0-2 wont’ doom him, but he’s going to have to mostly win out and no way he can lose to Florida. We’ll see.
schmeckdawg
April 21st, 2011
2:35 pm
Okay DAWG Nation, here it is!
DAWGS-31
potatos heads-20
Go DAWGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bigdog007
April 21st, 2011
2:38 pm
really unsure, and really scared to start 0-2
Sleepy Dawg
April 21st, 2011
2:38 pm
Gary – Explain how we are better than SC. At what postion are we better besides kicker and maybe slight better at QB. They are better on both lines. Saying things like this with no basis just makes no sense. I understand your optimism, but USCe is going to trash us in Sanford, and it will be an ugly site after the game. I believe most of you just think we are going to roll the ball out against BSU and USCe, and they will see the G on the helmet and give up. Sorry, those days where we intimidated by just coming out of the tunnel are over as sad as it is to say.
Russ, the Temporary Mascot
April 21st, 2011
2:40 pm
Don’t kid yourself. The first two games are BIG. McGarity has me on a diet and exercise program. Coach Grantham is eating sugarless doughnuts. We’d better be ready. If we can keep the running backs out of jail next season we have a pretty good chance of winning a few games. Coach Richt can’t use the phone in his F-150 so he is on edge wondering if he will miss a call from one of the recruits that needs bail money. It’s all a big mess but we are working through it.
schmeckdawg
April 21st, 2011
2:41 pm
We will be 2-0! If you don’t love it, leave it!
Go DAWGS!!!!!!!!!!!!
7576DAWG
April 21st, 2011
2:41 pm
South Carolina will be a Dawg fight .They will have a very good defense and the team that wins will be the one whose offense checks in. Garcia is not a good leader and Spurrier knows that. That’s why Lattimore ran the ball 37 times last year. Stop Lattimore and double team their WR make South Carolina rely on Garcia or an inexperienced QB and they are very beatable.
dawgballs00
April 21st, 2011
2:45 pm
Dawgs sucked in ‘79, won it all in ‘80. Just saying last year doesn’t reall matter now.
jerry
April 21st, 2011
2:45 pm
UGA opens “against a high-powered offensive juggernaut”. Really?
schmeckdawg
April 21st, 2011
2:46 pm
7576DAWG
We’re not losing to those meat whistles this year!!!!!!!!!!!
Russ, the Temporary Mascot
April 21st, 2011
2:48 pm
With the demise of Big Bad Bruce I have been getting all the repetitions in practice. I feel that I am game ready. If the season began today I would not even require any ice to sit on. I am woring out and getting stronger and I plan to run the sidelines. No more sitting in the dog house on a block of ice. Now, if the players will get of their . . .
jerry
April 21st, 2011
2:48 pm
dawgballs00 …………..Dawgs sucked in ‘09; sucked again in ‘10. Could be a suck trifecta.
Joe
April 21st, 2011
2:49 pm
No, Boise isn’t make or break, yes South Carolina is.
Russ, the Temporary Mascot
April 21st, 2011
2:50 pm
Sure, I made a couple typos in the last post. Cut me some slack. I’m a dog. Still, better than 80% of the posts made here today.
Nothing personal. I’ve been hanging around Coach Grantham and he’s grumpy without sugar.
Dawg Gone
April 21st, 2011
2:52 pm
Sleepy Dawg we are better than SC at tight end, nose tackle and with out doubt QB.If we can run the ball even a little against them we win…Boise will come out strong but unless we commit turnovers and penalties galore..by the 3rd quarter they will fold like a cheap suit.
Atkins
April 21st, 2011
2:52 pm
Whpo schedule Boise for opener? It’s a meaninglsss, non-sec game, doesn’t matter.
tell you what, lose to south carolina again, and i bet it’s the end for mark richt this time.
I’d call Florida a must win game also.
Real Dawg
April 21st, 2011
2:52 pm
Russ, you are not a real dog. We can see threw that. This is a Georgia blogg.
Ellis
April 21st, 2011
2:52 pm
Win the East or get fired.
Dawg Gone
April 21st, 2011
2:52 pm
jerry = a suck trifecta.
Nuvo
April 21st, 2011
2:53 pm
No game is easy for any team. I think this is a great test for CMR and the Dawgs. I’m glad we’re playing these games. I will not surprise if they win both 1st two games or lose both games. when it’s all said and done, the Dawgs could be 12-0, 9-3, or 7-5. If they go 7-5, I say get rid of CMR and give someone else a chance.
I’m sure CMR feel a lot of pressure even though he doesn’t admit it. We all feel pressure in our work when things don’t goes as planned.
Real Dawg
April 21st, 2011
2:53 pm
You are somebody acting like your a dog.
Stevie Ray
April 21st, 2011
2:54 pm
Whi gives a rip about Boise State???? Seriously. But I don’t see anyway richt survivies another year unless he gets to the SEC Championship game. Fans and everybdy else had had it with underachieving years. Get it done, or get some new bloood in here.
7576DAWG
April 21st, 2011
2:55 pm
ALL the best players need to make sure they do nothing to jeopardize them playing in the first two games. Any rule violations will get them suspended for the first game or two and we will need everybody.
I want to see one thing this year , a team that is all business. NO CHEST POUNDING, NO CELEBRATIONS , NO MOUTHING ACROSS THE LINES. We will all celebrate at the end of the year.
BH Bulldog
April 21st, 2011
2:55 pm
MARK RICHT HAS BEEN GIVEN CHANCE AFTER CHANCE. HE NEEDS TO STEP UP AND HAVE A HUGE YEAR WITH WINNING THE SEC EAST, GETTING TO A BCS BOWL. I REALLY THING IF RICHT FAILS TO DELIVER ON A TOP 25 FINISH, THE WHOLE STAFF WILL NEED A NEW JOB
Russ, the Temporary Mascot
April 21st, 2011
2:57 pm
Coach Grantham will be the next head coach. Mark Richt should beware.
BIgdawgcountry
April 21st, 2011
2:59 pm
For all the dawg haters go post on another site, after the first 2 weeks the big dawg will be standing tall and Richt is the coach and a damn good one at that, a couple bad years and everyone is on his case why dont you jackass’s look at his overall win to loss record. in the the SEC, not the WAC or the ACC The SEC. Gooooooooooooooo Dawgs
phil
April 21st, 2011
2:59 pm
Much as I hate to say it, because most Dawg fans are irrational looney tunes, we’re staring 0-2 right in the face….
I almost ran off of the interstate laughing when ESPN radio called our fan base the most irrational IN THE NATION in December. It’s true, of course, and one can’t take a thing a dawg fan says at face value. We stink and that remains so until we actually WIN SOME GAMES THAT MATTER. Talking about them means nothing…
And Richt is probably telling the truth. There’s no pressure on him because he doesn’t care if we win or not in the end. And that’s fine but not so fine if you want to coach this team.
Sleepy Dawg
April 21st, 2011
3:00 pm
That is the problem dawg gone, we will not be able to run against them even a little. I think you overestimate how good Murray is too. He is not head and shoulders better than Garcia at this point, maybe down the road, but not now. Relying on a JUCO nose tackle is asking a lot. Just do not share your optimism, sorry. We can win 8 games if we get extremely lucky.
7576DAWG
April 21st, 2011
3:00 pm
Bill
I agree with you, win the first two games and we will be in the top ten by the 3rd game.
Bronco Billy
April 21st, 2011
3:05 pm
Just wait until the BIG BLUE comes to Atlanta. We are going to show you what REAL college football is all about!
raymond
April 21st, 2011
3:07 pm
No way we beat both. Two good teams and the Dawgs will have to bring their A game to both of them.
phil
April 21st, 2011
3:10 pm
Sleepy Dawg
April 21st, 2011
2:38 pm
Gary – Explain how we are better than SC. At what postion are we better besides kicker and maybe slight better at QB. They are better on both lines. Saying things like this with no basis just makes no sense. I understand your optimism, but USCe is going to trash us in Sanford, and it will be an ugly site after the game. I believe most of you just think we are going to roll the ball out against BSU and USCe, and they will see the G on the helmet and give up. Sorry, those days where we intimidated by just coming out of the tunnel are over as sad as it is to say.
Can I get a few amens, please? Exactly…
Darrah
April 21st, 2011
3:11 pm
Now that we’re in the off-season, wouldn’t this be the perfect time to take an in-depth look at UGA and have a serious discussion about the problems at UGA and why the arrest rate of players is the highest in the country? it’s common knowledge that UGA is a party school, but have any dawgtard players every actually graduated with a real degree? Jan Kemp exposed the school and the coaches almost three decades ago, but there is no sign that anything has improved; if anything, the arrest rate shows that things are getting more outrageous every year while the clueless Mark Richt has absolutely no control over his players. And then there is the infamous “red panties” incident that will haunt UGA for decades.
UGA has become a major embarrassment to all Georgians, and we want some answers starting now.
gt
April 21st, 2011
3:11 pm
We have parity, which is a huge disadvantage for Richt. Only eleven players can play at one time, they will probably be the same as last year for the first two games, without Green, or some freshman getting his eyes full in the Georgia Dome. Remember BS played on this stage last year and won.