Which season has been the high point of the Mark Richt era?
There’s no question the national championship season of 1980 was Vince Dooley’s best, and the relatively slim pickings from among the Ray Goff and Jim Donnan years make picking their best seasons pretty easy, too: 1992 for Goff, when the Dogs finished 10-2 and beat Ohio State in the Citrus Bowl, and 1997 for Donnan, also with a 10-2 record that included beating Florida and a win over Wisconsin in the Outback Bowl.
But looking back over the past 10 years of Mark Richt at UGA, the choice of best season isn’t quite so clear-cut. The 2002 and 2005 teams won the SEC while the 2007 Dogs wound up the season ranked No. 2 in the country and with so much momentum that next year’s team was the preseason No. 1.
Dayne Young of HolyTurf.com tackled the question recently in his overview of the past decade. He noted that the most impressive season of nonconference play for Georgia under Richt was probably 2007, when the Dogs beat Oklahoma State, Georgia Tech and a highly touted Hawaii in the Sugar Bowl, while Richt’s best season in the SEC was 2002, with the only loss being to the Gators.
As for the overall best season, Young writes: “This was a tough decision because Georgia ended the year as one of the top teams in both 2002 and 2007. The team in 2007 was probably the better team and more feared by opponents. But the team in 2002 lost one less game, so they get the nod here. That was only Coach Richt’s second season at Georgia. But, they ended up pummeling Arkansas in the SEC Championship by a score of 30-3. The miraculous moment of that season was at Auburn when David Greene completed a corner endzone touchdown pass that gave the Dawgs the victory. The only blemish of the season was a loss against Florida. Georgia ended the season with a 26-13 defeat of Bobby Bowden and Florida State. The Dawgs ended the year ranked number three in the nation.”
Loading ...The 2002 Bulldogs had a pretty awesome lineup, too, with Greenie, Musa Smith, Jon Stinchcomb, Terrence Edwards, David Pollack, Boss Bailey and Sean Jones. And more importantly they went 13-1, with the inexplicable lone loss coming to a less talented Florida team in Jacksonville. That year’s team pounded Arkansas in the SEC championship and cruised to a Sugar Bowl win over FSU, finishing No. 3 in the final BCS standings.
So 2002 gets my vote as Richt’s best season to date. How about you? Feel free to share your views in the comments, vote in the poll or do both.
A LOYAL BULLDOG
I like this a lot: Asked in a teleconference interview about his shout-out to the Bulldog Nation after his “Dancing With the Stars” win, Hines Ward said he wanted to thank Georgia “because that’s where I started from and I still live in Atlanta. Georgia will always be home for me. I love the fine people in Athens and Bulldog Nation. People always come up to me and tell me they went to Georgia — it’s a family to me. The first thing people tell me when I’m signing autographs is ‘Go Dogs!’ I went to school there and I understand the connection with the Bulldogs and the football team. I’m grateful for my time there, and for the fans who have supported me my whole career and are still staying with me and voted for me on ‘Dancing With the Stars.’”
Go Dogs, indeed!
Hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable Memorial Day weekend!
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168 comments Add your comment
madlydock49
May 28th, 2011
2:59 pm
I paid $32.67 for a XBOX 360 and my mom got a 17 inch Toshiba laptop for $94.83 being delivered to our house tomorrow by FedEX. I will never again pay expensive retail prices at stores. I even sold a 46 inch HDTV to my boss for $650 and it only cost me $52.78 to get. Here is the website we using to get all this stuff, http://GoGetBids.com
RxDawg
May 28th, 2011
3:04 pm
I’ve always thought of 2007 as pretty much a national championship year. It’s a damned shame we lost to UT that year.
Still@theBAR
May 28th, 2011
3:07 pm
RxDawg
you could never win a National Championship Playing Hawaii. You might could say that if the Dawgs played a good team in the bowl game. Hawaii had to be ranked HIGH, but everybody new they were not that good.
RxDawg
May 28th, 2011
3:09 pm
I meant it was a damned shame we lost to USC that year. UT was actually not a bad team to lose to. There always seems to be a team UGA loses to when they aren’t supposed to. Well, in our good years I mean. I guess we lost to lots of people last year =/
Still@theBAR
May 28th, 2011
3:09 pm
What do I know, I have UGA envy! I hate those guys!
idiot Still@theBAR
May 28th, 2011
3:17 pm
Read the post moron. He said if UGA beat UT. It would have been a NC year. UGA beats UT they are not playing Hawaii, they would have played Ohio State. Tool!
SSIgator
May 28th, 2011
3:22 pm
“the inexplicable lone loss coming to a less talented Florida team in Jacksonville”
Really? I guess in your dreams Bill. When UGA is 3-18 vs UF it is not that hard to explain. Have another round of KoolAid guys.
SSIgator
May 28th, 2011
3:32 pm
“Which season has been the high point of the Mark Richt era?”
That really is a toss-up. I was either the year he was a bartender or when he was a salesman. Wait a minute – he is still doing both. Siphoning $3,000,000 a year out of UGA and serving up the KoolAid to the fan base. What a con artist.
idiot Still@theBAR
May 28th, 2011
3:38 pm
SSIgator is my Lover
Still@theBAR
May 28th, 2011
3:56 pm
idiot Still@theBAR
May 28th, 2011
3:17 pm
Read the post moron.
RxDawg
May 28th, 2011
3:04 pm
I’ve always thought of 2007 as pretty much a national championship year.
I meant it was a damned shame we lost to USC that year. UT was actually not a bad team to lose to.
FOOL UGA LOST 2 SEC games. If the Dawgs beat either 1 of those teams they still wouldn’t have played Ohio State for the National Championship.
dawgfan
May 28th, 2011
4:09 pm
Best Richt seasons:
1. 2002
2. 2007
3. 2005
4. 2003
5. 2006 (the end part)
Thanks.
dawgfan
May 28th, 2011
4:11 pm
I’ve long said there is no excuse for us not winning it all in 2007. You can thank Bobo and his usual brainfart playcalling for that one. Seriously. All the pieces were there, but Bobo blew it.
Buckeye
May 28th, 2011
4:13 pm
Think I’ll change my name then who will y’all be able to beat on??
Send'em U hauls
May 28th, 2011
4:16 pm
Richts only good coaching job without Donnan players and BVG was 2006 when it won in the Chic Filet Bowl over Va. Tech. Time for him to leave now and Perno too.
Buckeye
May 28th, 2011
4:16 pm
Hey dogs hey dogs
Whatcha gonna do?
Whatcha gonna do?
Starting 0-2
repeat………………
Still@theBAR
May 28th, 2011
4:16 pm
Buckeye
that is easy to answer. EACH OTHER.
Just wait til they lose and they will half be screaming for Richt or Bob or Both to be fired. The other half will be saying, but Richt is a great Christian and he is the best we can get. Also Bobo is a lifelong Dawg and he has 5 kids to house, feed, and educate.
Dawgs beat on each other as much as anyone else does. Just wait and see.
Buckeye
May 28th, 2011
4:20 pm
Whoever graced me with the spelling lesson……
Byte me.
Buckeye
May 28th, 2011
4:25 pm
funny,
See you’re a shoulda woulda coulda dog too.
After going 6-7 and losing to Conf USA in the Loser Bowl, I guess I’d be woulda shoulda coulda guy too.
Stick with ladies softball and your gymdogs.
You’re a wannabee program…..nothing more than mediocre. You’re the Illinois and Indiana of the Big 10.
Our kids can sell Championship rings, conference and otherwise, because we win them. A lot of them.
Buckeye
May 28th, 2011
4:30 pm
And, our APR is 985.
Buckeye
May 28th, 2011
4:36 pm
Urban…………..
Time Out
Time Out
Time Out
Still@theBAR
May 28th, 2011
4:55 pm
Did the DAWGS just beat the Gators?
Well, the dawgs can do it in baseball at least.
kb
May 28th, 2011
5:04 pm
Buckeye , Ohio state will wind up with no wins in 2010, and they deserve everything the NCAA is going to toss at them. Big 10 football not in the same league with SEC, LOL if you think Ohio State would be competitive in the SEC.Whats that record vs the SEC ? Ohio State is always overated , playing in a second class league.
MrGFR
May 28th, 2011
5:22 pm
I think his highest achievement was the 31 – 0 drumbing by Alabama at half time in front of a home crowd. This showed without a doubt that Coach Mark Rhetor-Richt had lost control of his program and things have spiraled downward since then.
Still@theBAR
May 28th, 2011
5:35 pm
kb
how long until some thing comes out about the recruitment of the DREAM TEAM?
I don’t think was done wrong but you never know.
I will be very surprised if the Dream Team doesn’t have a few players get into some BAD trouble during their time in Athens.
kb
May 28th, 2011
5:45 pm
Still, That is sheer speculation, who knows how any 18 year old is going to react to college life? So far so good on the trouble front this year.
Reina
May 28th, 2011
6:30 pm
The correct answer is: none of the above. Richt has been a third-rate excuse for a head coach from the day he arrived in Athens.
Fyneman
May 28th, 2011
6:33 pm
A few salient comments about UGA and Mark Richt:
1. Four different SEC teams have won the last five BCS championships.
2. UGA was not one of those teams.
3. During that period, UGA did not win the SEC championship.
4. During that period, UGA did not even win its SEC division.
5. Red panties. Always the red panties. They’ll never go away.
In other words, UGA has sunk into total irrelevancy both regionally and nationally.
So why is UGA paying Mark Richt millions of dollars a year?
Still@theBAR
May 28th, 2011
6:49 pm
Richt is Creflo Dollar or Eddie Long just on a football sideline. Preaching to the people with lies and stealing their money, but they are happy to give it to him.
Mark Richt the Dale Earnhardt Jr of College Football. He can sell you stuff, look good, and NEVER win anything that really matters. Well, except the fans hearts and minds so far.
UGA FRIEND
May 28th, 2011
7:08 pm
Why do so many UGA fans repond so negatively about CMR. The guy has about an 80% win vs. loss record in his career at UGA. These people should be thankful they have not lost him to another school.
1eyedJack
May 28th, 2011
7:23 pm
“Our kids can sell Championship rings, conference and otherwise, because we win them.”
Selling Championship rings?!! We invented selling Championship rings!!
Hopefully we’ll have a few wrestle with that temptation after this season.
redneckDawg
May 28th, 2011
7:24 pm
2007. Something sweet about beating your biggest division rival Florida.
Sad part, Richt might have won 6 SEC Championships instead f 2, if he’d gone 8-2 against Florida instead of 2-8.
If you can’t beat Florida, ultimately, Georgia will need to find a new coach. It’s pretty much the only game that matters, besides South Carolina. And Richt’s got his tail handed to him by Florida, regardless of the coach.
kb
May 28th, 2011
8:27 pm
Fyneman , Go bank to your Tech tickle pile.
sprouse27
May 28th, 2011
9:23 pm
*chuckling* Best CMR season? He was either good or lucky those first five years, but given the resources UGA has you’d think we’d be a lot better than we are. To me, 2007 was an extremely frustrating season. First half of the season was ROUGH. We lost to SC, got absolutely stomped in Knoxville, and barely won the other games until Florida. Then they suddenly started playing like the hottest team in the country. But the damage was done by then, and Tennessee won the SEC east only to get ripped by LSU. We had the talent, but the coaching didn’t have them ready until it was too late. Been down hill ever since and I see nothing on the horizon that makes me think 2011 will be any different. Swapping a couple of coaches is hardly a real dynamic change. CMR is a classy guy, but no way I believe he is BCS material. If he was, you’d have seen it by now. We have an easy schedule and we’ll likely go 8-5 without winning the SEC east. Course even if we did, does anyone really think we’re going to whip the SEC West? We should be SO much better than we are and maybe with the next head coach, we will be…..
Coach Grohbo
May 28th, 2011
9:48 pm
The 1999 National Championhip Season – easily the high point of the Mark Richt era.
His career took a nose dive from there.
Carl Spackler
May 28th, 2011
10:48 pm
“Which season has been the high point of the Mark Richt era?”
Last year certainily wasn’t his high point, but it very well be the most important. He’s removed himself from the CEO routine and has rededicated himself to coaching By his own admission, he hasn’t been on top of things as he should have been.
Welcome back to to the fight coach.
Saban
May 28th, 2011
11:12 pm
I would have to say the year the dawgs lost at homecoming to Kentucky and the mascot croaked. Poor UGA couldn`t take it anymore and went to the other side to avoid the continual beatdowns.
He is in a happier place now. No more new daddies and no more losses to Fla, losing seasons and choakdawg throwing krispy kreme`s at the opposing team`s kicker.
Richt of course will continue bartending in Athens telling his customers exactly what they want to hear for $3 million a year. Ain`t life grand.
SickandTired
May 28th, 2011
11:24 pm
Wow
UGA Alum 93
May 28th, 2011
11:44 pm
Buckeye: Your program has won one national championship in the last 42 years and that was a gift from the officiating crew (nice late flag ref). Get over yourself…no one down here respects your program.
SickandTired
May 29th, 2011
12:04 am
It’s time for a Mark Richt statue outside Sanford Stadium The man is remakable. He’s omnipotent, he transcends greatness in lesser coaches around the SEC the last ten years. All praise to Mark Richt.
funny...
May 29th, 2011
12:31 am
Actually those first four years were with Donnan’s players and recruits, Van Gorder was the only reason they won as much as they did. 2005 was all DJ Shockley, and if he hadn’t been hurt for the Florida game Georgia would have beat Florida as well. Probably still lost at Auburn. But still playing LSU in the Dome with a win would have put Georgia in the BCSNCG. Anyway, since 2005, Richt has been no better than Donnan, in record. Though he does whip up on Tech and that’s what the old alumni like. Just beat Tech is the old generations battle cry. Well these up and coming alumni have a new battle cry, just beat Florida.
This is going to be a disappointing season. 8-4. I’m afraid a victory over UF keeps Richt his job, even with losses to Boise and USCe. They’ll lose two other stupid games. Plus, Murray has never beat a winning team. No go to receiver.
ughhh…
Still@theBAR
May 29th, 2011
12:51 am
UGA Alum 93
May 28th, 2011
11:44 pm
Buckeye: Your program has won one national championship in the last 42 years and that was a gift
And UGA’s 1980 MNC was GREATLY aided by Ga. TECH’s game against ND.
Insert Jack Nicholson’s “ON THE WALL” Speech from A Few good Men.
Still@theBAR
May 29th, 2011
12:56 am
UGA ALUM 93
Nobody in the SEC respects your program down here either.
Fear you TALENT?
Yes.
Respect your Coaches?
No
Fear BOBO’s Play Calling?
Hell the F… No.
USC, MSU, Vols, Auburn, and Kentucky now look forward to playing the Bulldog-less Dawgs with BoZo calling the PLAYS.
RED DOG 77
May 29th, 2011
1:03 am
Bla, Bla, Bla………Who gives a rip about what season was Mark Richt’s best so-far? Coach Mark Richt has proven himself, over his “body of work” to be one of the most consistant coaches in college football. That said, he will win big time once again, and prove the trash talkers wrong. The best year in coach Richt’s time at Georgia is yet to arrive……..mabe this year, mabe next, but one thing is for sure, I don’t know, you don’t know, and Bill King sure as heck doesn’t know!…….I will say this about the past however, I continue to post about chemistry, what happened in 2007 when “my DOGS” caught on fire was just that, chemistry!………….I feel a rumbling in Athens, Georgia that I have not felt in some time………no we might not have the best Oline in the SEC, nor the best Dbackfield……our recievers are un-proven, and we seem to be pinning our hopes on one Freshman from Columbus……….but I feel something in the air! and I’m pretty sure it’s Chemistry, and Chemistry my BULLDOG friends, wins Championships………Regards to all in DAWG-LAND,………RED
Still@theBAR
May 29th, 2011
1:14 am
RED DOG 77 I’m pretty sure it’s Chemistry. Chemistry my BULLDOG friends, wins Championships.
Can a SINGLE DAWG on the Starting O or D pass Chemistry?
Johnny DangerDawg
May 29th, 2011
3:14 am
The 2007 may have had more talent, but… if they could travel back in time and play against the 2002 Dawgs, I’d have to put my money on the 2002 Dawgs winning that game. The 2002 Dawgs had better leadership and a better defensive coordinator. That team played at the level of their competition, so they would have brought their A-game against the 2007 Dawgs. It would’ve been close, but Stinchcomb would’ve given a rousing halftime speech, and the 2002 Dawgs would win a battle in the trenches.
Chris
May 29th, 2011
3:28 am
I agree with Athensgrad’04. On paper, you’d have to say the ‘02 team has been his high point but that ‘07 team could have beaten anyone in the country by the end of the year. They had an attitude, talent and emotional toughness after the Vanderbilt game.
If only UT loses one of those three games that were all close against KY, SC and Vandy. Up 24-9 early in the fourth quarter and Vandy roughs the punter? If UT loses one of those games, we would have throttled LSU in the title game and USC would have been the only team able to give us a great BCSNC game at the end of the year.
If, if, if, coulda, woulda. People who complain that Richt is not NC coach material are idiots. This format is a beauty competition not a true national title game. You’ve got to have a little luck as well as being good to win one of those two spots.
Still@theBAR
May 29th, 2011
3:54 am
Chris it you TRULY believe the Luck and Beauty Contest then you ( AND ALL DAWG FANS) have to Admit Ga. TECH won the 1990 Title OUT RIGHT on the FIELD. The LUCK was the 13-13 tie with UNC for us and Colorado was twice tied and should have had a loss if not for the %th down in another game.
Don’t talk CRAP about how the Dawgs (and other teams need Luck and to be Beautiful) and then Talk CRAP about how TECH didn’t WIN a MNC in 1990.
Beast from the East
May 29th, 2011
6:53 am
http://www.gatorsports.com/article/20110529/ARTICLES/110529479/1136?p=2&tc=pg
Beast from the East
May 29th, 2011
7:05 am
“2005 was all DJ Shockley, and if he hadn’t been hurt for the Florida game Georgia would have beat Florida as well.”
funny,
Your name is fitting. Glad you think you can re-write history based on your assumptions. Would it be fair to say that UF would have beat UGA in 2007 if it weren’t for Tebow being injured? No, it would not. Football is a team sport and you play with the team you have to put on the field that day.
Thomas Brown
May 29th, 2011
7:20 am
The Last 5 Years, averaging over 4 Losses per Season, without the Jim Donnan Recruits.