Mike Bobo offers a positive spin … and the usual tease
Mike Bobo offered a tease about freshman Jay Rome. (Associated Press)
Most of what offensive coordinator Mike Bobo said when he met with reporters Wednesday was pretty predictable (like his playcalling, some wags would say).
He was optimistic about the thin offensive line (”We’re not very deep, but you only need five. We played in ’02 with only five linemen.”), was circumspect about prospects for highly hyped running back Isaiah Crowell (”He might be the guy that comes in and really helps.”) and put a positive spin on the offseason attrition of players: “It’s not going to be easy, and we’ve made it extremely tough around here. When you turn up the heat, sometimes you’re going to have guys that don’t want to be a part of it. That’s their choice.”
He was also slightly self-deprecating when it came to talking about what he has to do with the personnel that remains, saying, “We’ve got to play to the advantage of the guys that we have playing. We can learn from last year not having A.J. Green for the first four games. I probably didn’t play to my other guys’ strength too well because I didn’t give them enough credit.”
And, Bobo being Bobo, he couldn’t resist throwing in one tantalizing little tidbit out of the blue, floating the possibility of using true freshman Jay Rome (who has a logjam of experienced players ahead of him at tight end) as a sort of hybrid fullback-tight end, much the way TE-turned-FB Bruce Figgins is expected to line up some of the time. Said Bobo of Rome: “He’s a bigger guy. He could be that guy.”
Of course, longtime Bobo watchers will offer the caveat that he’s known for sprinkling his interviews with intriguing ideas that either never come to pass or wind up making a token appearance in his offense (as with the Wild Dawg).
A couple of players also met with reporters Wednesday, and much of that continued the theme of those Bulldogs who are still in Athens rededicating themselves to turning the program around. Orson Charles put it rather bluntly when he said, “Every team has dead weight, somebody pulling you back and I think the university and Coach Richt did a very good job of letting people go.”
Asked whether he was underutilized last season, Charles said: “I don’t think so. I think Bobo did a fairly good job of calling the plays. I felt like as a whole we could have played a little harder, played a little faster, and had fun playing the game. But I think this spring it changed a lot. We were having fun, we were competing. In the locker room we were just embracing. So I’m just looking forward to this season.”
A good positive outlook, though someone might want to mention to the youngster that saying your coach did a “fairly good job” probably isn’t the most politic characterization, even if it is pretty accurate.
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346 comments Add your comment
JB
July 28th, 2011
3:12 pm
Old Dawg….you are so right……Hate Spurrier or not, the guy can put you back on your heals. He calls what the defense is giving him….or not expecting. And I have NEVER seen him run a 165 pound RB up the middle on third and 20.
Destin Dawg
July 28th, 2011
3:14 pm
Richt needs to be OC… Bo Bo Qb’s coach
slydog
July 28th, 2011
3:15 pm
” I probably didn’t play to my other guys’ strength too well because I didn’t give them enough credit.” Is this what he really said? This not FCS football gentlemen. BooBoo can experiment and learn on the job later. CMR needs to call the plays for this team THIS SEASON or he WILL be at Clemson or UNC next year. You mean to tell me we have a 10yr head coach who said he”needed to study some more football” and his handpicked play-caller basically admitting they had no clue? That is indefensible. This would NOT be acceptable at Florida or Alabama, if that’s where we are trying to go. Their AD’s would have heard two coaches say that at season’s end, GAME OVER!!! I guess Will Friend and Olivadotti need to adjust to the SEC this season too? Somebody PLEASE call Charlie Strong!!!
JB
July 28th, 2011
3:16 pm
Destin………..Hell figure that out at his next job I’m afraid.
invictus mon
July 28th, 2011
3:18 pm
While I don’t know a dawg fan who’s overly crazy about going into the season already thin at OL (not new), losing top in state recruits to Carolina, an OC who is so predictable that my novice butt called most of the plays correctly in the stands vs Carolina last year, an unproven defense, an offense without AJ, and an RB corps with a ton of attrition, there is hope. The one thing that is different about this year, every report coming out is about how hard these dawgs are working every day this offseason. There is one thing different about these DAWGS: They’re coming to WORK. There’s something to be said for that culture change. GO DAWGS!
Ed
July 28th, 2011
3:18 pm
Did I mention Bobop averaged 15 points a game last season against ranked teams, WITH AJ, WITH DURHAM, WITH EALEY, WITH KING.
JB
July 28th, 2011
3:20 pm
You know the more I think about it, if this season turns out to be Richt’s last and NC goes interim this year…..Richt may land there. Here’s hoping we win 10-11 and don’t have to think about it.
7576DAWG
July 28th, 2011
3:20 pm
Destin Dawg
A lot of us alumni will second second that about Bobo.
Your clue was when Bobo didn’t get one single interview last year when so many head coaching jobs at colleges and coordinator and coaching job were open in Pro ball. I have read more than one head coach in the SEC feels Georgia is one of their easiest teams to prepare for because Bobo is so predictable.
LAKE OCONEE DAWG
July 28th, 2011
3:21 pm
Still@theBAR:
You’re sounding more like a former player who couldn’t cut it….Take a hike….
Paul M
July 28th, 2011
3:22 pm
I don’t think Bobo is as bad as some UGA fans think. I heard Wes and Tony on the radio this morning talking about this website Coaches By The Numbers so I took a look and it is pretty awesome. I wanted to check out Bobo’s stats as an OC and here is what they had. Not bad at all from a statistical standpoint.
http://coachesbythenumbers.com/coach-profile/?coach=Mike+Bobo
outkasted
July 28th, 2011
3:22 pm
Hey Ed,
guess u forgot ealey fumble inside the 5 yd line against south carolina and also against miss. st…. orson charles dropped a passed inside the 5yd line that resulted in a fg….. how bout the 2nd leading receiver running for a TD against Miss. st. being called back b/c of a penalty and i can used plenty more examples like that but its Bobo’s fault….
JB
July 28th, 2011
3:23 pm
Bobo will end up as a HS coach if this year blows up and the staff is replaced. Coordinators get hired all the time to be head coach’s, especially from so called “football” schools. He hasn’t gotten a sniff.
papadawg
July 28th, 2011
3:24 pm
I wonder if all these so called DAWG fans who are critical of our coaches have any coaching experience at all except maybe for their kids T Ball league
LAKE OCONEE DAWG
July 28th, 2011
3:24 pm
7576DAWG:
Am a 74 Dawg, and I know you got to be smart enough to know that when a program has a down year, the assistant coaches are not gonna be in high demand….Had recruited and coached the best QB’s UGA has ever had, including the one they have now…..Since Knowshon, there has been nobody to hand the ball to….If you are a football man, you should understand this….
Ed
July 28th, 2011
3:24 pm
yEAH, 15 POINTS A GAME ON RANKED TEAMS IS JUST TERRIFIC?
SOUTHGADAWG88
July 28th, 2011
3:25 pm
ED how much gibberish are you going to spit out?You fail to mention how the defense fared against winning teams.Do us all a favor and shut up.
DawgFan22
July 28th, 2011
3:26 pm
@Ed — you’re an idiot, and if there was an ignore button I’d use it. State your team and we can make up quotes, excuses all day. It seems like a fun game to play, now back to business
Reasons why UGA wins in Dome (no particular order)
1. Boise new offensiive coordinator. Harsin(form OC) was OC and OB coach and went 61-5, not gonna happen with Pease.
2. John Jenkins(6′4-340 lbs), its a lot to assume 1 man can do it, but take abt 5-10 minutes and watch hime throw around 5′11 278 lb Centers like rag dolls, and he runs a 4.9!
3. I’ll piggy back #2 with with our whole collective front Def. front 7, THat group will be fastest, strongest 7 Boise sees all yr.
4. Murray team leadership. Offensive weapons galore, take your pick. (Malcolm Mitchell will score in the game
Prediction– hard fought battle UGA 35 Boise 16, UGA seals it in 4th Qtr with pick six. RBs go for 165 yrds 2 TDs Murray throws for 220 and a score, Bpykin goes 98 for STs TD, and defense gets 2 TOs.
LAKE OCONEE DAWG
July 28th, 2011
3:27 pm
papadawg:
YOU ARE RIGHT….THE T-BALL GROUP IS AT IT AGAIN….WHAT ARE THEIR SCHEMES….HOW WOULD THEY MOVE THE BALL??? NO ANSWERS, JUST A LOT OF CRYBABIES….
Hank1000
July 28th, 2011
3:27 pm
Paul M,
THANK YOU for the link to that Coaches website. I’ve been looking for something like this for YEARS.
http://coachesbythenumbers.com/
JB
July 28th, 2011
3:32 pm
DawgFan22………….I like the way you think
slydog
July 28th, 2011
3:33 pm
@outkasted All those things you named were not BooBoo’s fault individually. Those things happen in football all of the time. Question: down 24-0 at halftime vs Alabaster in Tuscaloosa. Do you think BooBoo can call the right plays for a comeback? I know you don’t believe that. Remember 31-0 at halftime in Athens? Penalties happen. Fumbles happen. Dropped passes happen. So I guess every play Auburn called from scrimmage went flawless and exactly as planned all the way to Scottsdale,huh? Great teams and great coaches make adjustments and finds holes. BooBoo and CMR did neither.
kerryb
July 28th, 2011
3:35 pm
Dawgfan22, that is the score i’ve been predicting. I say Dawgs 35-Boise-14. Boise has not seen anything in the last 2 years like they will see on Sept. 3rd. A hungry pack of dawgs who have been in a REAL conditioning program. Faster, bigger, and stronger, who don’t wilt in the 4th quarter. Boise will be happy they are getting out of Atlanta after that game and will not want to come back.
Coach Hewitt...
July 28th, 2011
3:36 pm
Mike BOBO for the new coach at UNC.
BOBO is an Offensive Genius. Maybe he can hire Willie as his DC.
kerryb
July 28th, 2011
3:36 pm
slydog, I remember the second half of the game in Jacksonville he called last year. We would have won that game if Murray had not thrown that pick in OT.
slydog
July 28th, 2011
3:37 pm
And for those who question the fans coaching experience. Boo on you. Fans have watched thousands of hours of game film of teams all over the country, to include the NFL. We, and you, know a soft, unprepared team when we see one. From 13 BCS games to 45 Super Bowls, it’s not hard to tell this staff is failing at their jobs.
Athens= God's Country
July 28th, 2011
3:37 pm
Gunner Kiel just committed to INDIANA folks. Nice job Saban. You lost to the Hoosiers.
papadawg
July 28th, 2011
3:39 pm
Slydog watching games on TV does not qualify you to be a coach
Nate the Great
July 28th, 2011
3:40 pm
Ed,
15 pts a game is terrific if you win!!
One other question to those CMB haters and use the ppg totals as the end all be all statistic: What were those defenses averaging for ppg against other SEC schools? If he is above the average with how poorly we executed, then he might be one helluva coordinator that’s been fighting behind the 8-ball because other coaches (S&C and OL coaches) didn’t do their jobs well.
kerryb
July 28th, 2011
3:40 pm
What I want to see more of is the games like he called in Baton Rouge in 2008 when we took apart LSU.or the 2007 game against Auburn. He has shown that he can call a good game, we just need it more consistently.
The most interesting Man alive
July 28th, 2011
3:40 pm
kerryb and this prediction for a HC who kicked 2 field goals against UCF? We would have won that game if Murray had not thrown that pick in OT. And if a frog had wings he would fly.
The most interesting Man alive
July 28th, 2011
3:42 pm
July 28th, 2011
3:40 pm
What I want to see more of is the games like he called in Baton Rouge in 2008 when we took apart LSU.or the 2007 game against Auburn. He has shown that he can call a good game, we just need it more consistently
Too bad there are also the games at home where he lost against Vandy and Ky.
Summit Dawg
July 28th, 2011
3:42 pm
DawginLex, I wish UNC or Clemson would hire him!!!!
Spokesman for the SEC East
July 28th, 2011
3:43 pm
Hopefully RIcht gets a lifetime contract and Bobo a lifetime HC in waiting contract.
P-Man
July 28th, 2011
3:44 pm
Seems to me that Bobo was taking the blame, and not throwing his players under the us for not producing. I respect him for that.
7576DAWG
July 28th, 2011
3:44 pm
LAKE OCONEE DAWG
You make my point . Bobo can stay as QB coach . It’s his lack of ability to keep up with all the OFFENSIVE COORDINATORS stuff that I have a problem with. Hell Bobo is all Dawg . I want him at Georgia , just not as offensive coordinator. Our problem with the offensive line and lack of recruits for the offensive line is because of Stacy Searels did a lousy job recruiting and making friends 2 and 3 years ago and that is Bobo’s responsibility as coordinator. Every position and every recruit associated with the offense is the coordinators responsibility not just the quarterback. And McClendon has done a lousy job as running back coach. I’m sure eventually he will be a good coach but the job was too important to give to a rookie or someone that didn’t have any more experience than McClendon. And , again that is all Bobo’s responsobility.
Just askin
July 28th, 2011
3:45 pm
Honest question: Who made the call to kick the field goal on 4th and inches inside the 5 against UCF, Richt or Bobo? Only real Dawgs answere please.
kerryb
July 28th, 2011
3:45 pm
uninteresting, I guess three years from now we’ll still be hearing this FG crap. Personally I don’t fault him for that. Get the first lead in a game when you can. How many times have we seen a FG on an opening drive? Hundreds of times and those teams do lose occasionally. I guess we should bash every coach who tries to get the first lead in a game with a field goal. UGA completely outplayed UF in the second half of that game. There’s no doubt they would have one if they had scored on that possession and not had a pick. UF could not stop their offense in the second half.
SOUTHGADAWG88
July 28th, 2011
3:46 pm
Everybody knew Tebow and Newton were going to run the QB dive play 20 plus times a game too.It didn’t take a genius to call those plays…yet nobody could stop it.Is that the OC are the player?
Just askin
July 28th, 2011
3:46 pm
7576DAWG And , again that is all Bobo’s responsobility. And not Richts?
papadawg
July 28th, 2011
3:46 pm
The DAWGS problems have been a lot of the players they recruited did not turn out to be SEC type players which you can’t know how kids react playing in the Super Conference
kerryb
July 28th, 2011
3:48 pm
You idiots would have been saying,”why did he go for that and not kicked the FG”, if they had not made it and you know you would have. You just like to find anything to bash CMR and thats because your an idiot fan of another team and not UGA fans.
The Most Interesting Man Alive
July 28th, 2011
3:48 pm
kerryb kind of like the second half against Bama in the Blackout fiasco. You forgot to mention you would have went 13-0 last year if you hadn’t of gone 6-7!
The Most Interesting Man Alive
July 28th, 2011
3:49 pm
You idiots would have been saying,”why did he go for that and not kicked the FG”, if they had not made it and you know you would have. You just like to find anything to bash CMR and thats because your an idiot fan of another team and not UGA fans
Kerry I assure you the rest of the SEC East hopes Richt stays forever. Gotta love your blind love though.
slydog
July 28th, 2011
3:50 pm
I didn’t say it qualified me to be a coach. READ!!! I said fans know a weak product when you see one. Did you build your computer from scratch? Do you now machine code? How do the pixels work on your monitor? It doesn’t take a computer scientist or a computer engineer to know if your computer is a good product or a bad one. How many computers have you touched or used in a lifetime? Get me?
slydog
July 28th, 2011
3:52 pm
And we ALL know Saban and Meyer are better football coaches too. I haven’t been to one practice at Alabama or UF. Now post a slick comment about that.
The Most Interesting Man Alive
July 28th, 2011
3:53 pm
slydog giveup they are blind leg humping dawg fans. You cannot reason with them.
kerryb
July 28th, 2011
3:53 pm
The Bama game was a tale of two halves. Bama was 31-0 in the first half. UGA was 30-10 in the second half. Almost came back and won that game in the second half. Okay, uninteresting lets have your team. You come on here bashing UGA, CMR, and Bobo hiding behind a name that no one can tell who you are a fan of. come on, let us know.
REALITY
July 28th, 2011
3:53 pm
I bet John Gruden would find a way to beat FLA. & TN. in the SAME YEAR.
Richt…0 for 10 on that one!
kerryb
July 28th, 2011
3:54 pm
Uninteresting, I really think that most SEC east fans are praying that Richt does not turn it around because they worry about their chances WHEN he does.
slydog
July 28th, 2011
3:55 pm
Statistics aside. Where do you place BooBoo on a list of OC’s conference wide? 1-12. Hit me. He is at best 7th. Does UGA deserve the 7th best coordinator in the SEC?