Same old problems plague Dogs in loss to Spartans
Brandon Boykin had a career day against Michigan State — but it wasn't enough. (Associated Press)
Mark Richt’s Bulldogs didn’t have to find any new ways to lose in the Outback Bowl — instead, they simply let lots of familiar problems resurface in suffering another second-half collapse and dropping a three-overtime battle with Michigan State.
Again, the Dogs wasted a superlative first-half defensive effort by giving the opponent a couple of cheap touchdowns thanks to turnovers by an erratic Aaron Murray, whose two interceptions put the Spartans back in the ball game.
Again, Georgia’s almost complete lack of a running game made the Dog’ offense one-dimensional. And was anyone at all surprised when Isaiah Crowell, reduced to a backup role, limped off the field after a handful of runs?
Again, placekicker Blair Walsh, once one of the nation’s premier specialists, proved himself more a liability than a weapon and ended up costing Georgia the game by missing two kicks in OT.
And again, playcaller Mike Bobo seemed incapable of adjusting to the realities of what was happening on the field and stubbornly stuck with what wasn’t working.
With the middle of the Spartan’s defensive line as solid as a brick wall, Bobo continually called for runs up the middle — often with delays that turned into tackles for loss since State was getting into the Georgia backfield so quickly. Early on, Georgia was able to have some running success on the outside, but once MSU adjusted to stop that, the Dogs basically were no threat on the ground.
To top it all off, with the Spartans continually blitzing from the corner, Bobo insisted on calling slow-developing downfield passing plays, an all too familiar scenario made even worse by Murray’s poor decision-making when pressured and Georgia’s tight ends being a nonfactor in the game.
Overall, Georgia relied too much on its big-play capability and never was able to really sustain anything offensively against the talented Spartans defense.
Typical of the day was what happened with a little over 3 and a half minutes left in regulation. Needing a first down or two to kill the clock and ice a victory, the Dogs went ultra-conservative and ultra-predictable — two hallmarks of Bobo’s career as a playcaller — by trying again in vain to run Richard Samuel up the middle.
It surprised no one, and the fact that it didn’t work didn’t surprise anyone, either.
And then the banged-up Georgia defense, which had played well most of the day, looked gassed on the Spartans’ last drive of regulation, getting no pressure on MSU QB Kirk Cousins, who cooly passed his team down the field to send it into overtime.
Just think how ugly things might have gotten had Brandon Boykin not played the game of his life in his farewell performance as a Georgia Bulldog, nailing a Spartan receiver for a safety, scoring on a thrilling 92-yard punt return that saw him reversing direction and weaving his way all over the field, and then moving over to offense to catch a touchdown pass for his third different score of the day.
He’ll be missed big-time.
So two disappointing losses bookended a Georgia season that started out 0-2.
Sure, the 10 wins between those four losses and an SEC East title is a big improvement over last season.
But, looking ahead, even though Georgia returns a lot of talent and will have another favorable schedule next year, if the problems that continually reared their head this season aren’t addressed, it’s going to be tough for Richt’s program to take the next step forward.
Got something on your mind concerning UGA athletics or a question for the Junkyard Blawg? Send it to junkyardblawg@gmail.com.
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— Bill King, Junkyard Blawg
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1,469 comments Add your comment
leg humper
January 2nd, 2012
7:39 pm
Boise – ( good) lost
South Carolina -( good at time) lost
Alabama – (very good) lost
Michigan State (good) lost
All wins against bad or average teams including Tech (average)
villedog
January 2nd, 2012
7:39 pm
In order for CMR to win games against highly ranked teams he needs a top notch offense and defensive coordinator. Unfortunely he only has one at this time. Maybe UGA will get him a top notch offensive coordinator to cover for his coaching inabilities.
dawgs111
January 2nd, 2012
7:39 pm
Biggest O Line in college football and we can’t run block or pass block! Most of the problems with Murray and the running backs are a result of the line. How many times this year have I seen the other teams defense in our backfield and our line standing there with their hands on their hips!
DawginSewer
January 2nd, 2012
7:39 pm
let the good times roll. This is too funny
jbdawg
January 2nd, 2012
7:39 pm
i guess mr does not read this column as he would have gotten the idea to change offense coordinator a long time ago, thank goodness we have the defense coordinator we do, but i bet he gets a job offer he can’t refuse. wish bobo would. what a gutless end o f game and ot.
Piney Woods Pete
January 2nd, 2012
7:40 pm
is having a big clearance sale on red panties tomorrow. Buy one pair, get a free pair.
Dawg fans need to stock up now!
dawginduluth
January 2nd, 2012
7:40 pm
We got Dicht….again!
Piney Woods Pete
January 2nd, 2012
7:41 pm
Sorry about that. The big sale is at KMart.
Burma Shave
January 2nd, 2012
7:41 pm
Crowell went limping
and Murray did throw,
Bobo came calling,
Man did he blow
Burma Shave
DawginSewer
January 2nd, 2012
7:41 pm
New contracts for everyone. Go Reverend and Choakdawg. BooBoo for president.
tc
January 2nd, 2012
7:41 pm
To anyone here that thinks it is running backs and not coaching. Why would you fire any coach? You should always just blame the players.
Still@theKool-aidBAR
January 2nd, 2012
7:41 pm
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
MY MAN………….I hate it for you just a little.
Where are you REALLY on BOBO?
duronimo
January 2nd, 2012
7:42 pm
To win in the SEC and beat good opponents outside the conference it takes: #1 Great athletes #2 Good coaching #3 A tough mind-set ….. which is the intangible attribute that makes all the difference in tough games. Where does this “toughness” come from? From their coach. Richt’s penchant for getting overly conservative is not a virtue; it’s non-aggression in a sport that requires the opposite. Georgia would be a better fit for the ACC.
Techster
January 2nd, 2012
7:42 pm
Tech loses with average talent. UGA loses with Dream Teams. Go figure…
Q~DAWG
January 2nd, 2012
7:42 pm
Mark Richt needs to gas up his RED FORD F-150 THROW MIKE Dodo on the back and drive SLAPOUT OF ATHENS AND NEVA RETURN!!!!!!!!!
Fitten
January 2nd, 2012
7:43 pm
When was last time that Richt’s team won a game because they outcoached an opponent?!?!!
With 3 turnovers, Murray is the most celebrated QB without a signature win ever!
Did Richt know his FG kicker had missed 12 this year?!?!?
We played 4 good teams all year… Lost them all!!!
Valdostadawg
January 2nd, 2012
7:43 pm
I am DONE being a Uga fan. This team only provides heartbreak every year.
Historian
January 2nd, 2012
7:43 pm
The athletic history of UGA is full of so many sordid, sleazy incidents – dating back to Vince Dooley and continuing through Mark Richt – that it’s impossible to overlook. The school has come to stand for drunkenness and lawlessness, coddling of illiterate low-class athletes who should never have been admitted to college, and rampant cheating by coaches.
UGA and Mark Richt are an affront and an embarrassment to all decent people in this state.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
January 2nd, 2012
7:44 pm
Pick up your 10 win season T-shirts at either chazzo columbus or Altamaha Dawg’s house
Hooters
January 2nd, 2012
7:44 pm
CMR is OVER-RATED!!!! Please make a coaching change.
Greg from Marietta
January 2nd, 2012
7:44 pm
It was an embarrassment how Georgia let MSU back into the ball game. But what was the very worst was how the kicker lost the game TWICE, once by blowing the winning FG in the 1st OT and the getting blocked in the 3rd OT. MSU shouldn’t have ever been in this game but GA found ways to give the game away. It was a hard fought game that should have been theirs. I hope that out of all the high school kickers there are in the state of Georgia that the Bulldogs came recruit and sign at least one for next year. To lose a game like that is not only a shame but was totally unnecessary!!!!!!
dawginduluth
January 2nd, 2012
7:44 pm
The right side of the O line was lost all game long. They were double teaming the DE and leaving an unabated lane right into the backfield for any opportunistic MSU DB with half a brain.
Still@theKool-aidBAR
January 2nd, 2012
7:45 pm
GYM Dawgs will be starting their run at a National Championship. The DAWG fans always have that to fall back on. I guess ga Tech will just have to live with NASA Pilots and Degrees that don’t involve coloring books to graduate.
Dawg89
January 2nd, 2012
7:45 pm
I can’t take it anymore. Bobo sucks. He has to go. But, he won’t go. And, as such, I just don’t give a crap about next year or the year after. I’m tired of it.
Such an incredible lack of offensive creativity. That whole series in OT was just aweful. Walsh has missed near 50% of his attempts this year. How can you explain putting it on him to win the game. You have to play for first downs. Georgia had this game won several times and Bobo and his pathetic play calling and strategy cost them the game. Richt should have to answer for it. But, he and McGarity “Love” each other. What a bunch of crap.
Ironic
January 2nd, 2012
7:45 pm
Uga started 0-2 and finished 0-2…… Screw this team.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
January 2nd, 2012
7:45 pm
Still@theKool-aidBAR
You should already know where Im at on Bobo
BTW
Pick up your 10 win season T-shirts at either chazzo columbus or Altamaha Dawg’s house
Steve
January 2nd, 2012
7:46 pm
We can beat the mediocre teams on raw talent but against good teams, our poor coaching on offense is exposed in the 2nd half, after the opposing team has made adjustments.
tom
January 2nd, 2012
7:46 pm
Of course Mr. Bobo will be back next years inept as he is. Sounds like the Falcon’s offensive coordinator.
bobby
January 2nd, 2012
7:46 pm
blair walsh costed uga that game today let’s face it guys. rambo gets a big interception in ovetime and all walsh has to do is make a dead on field goal and if he makes it uga wins the game and he badly misses it. walsh did absoultey nothing this year and you guys on here know this. once again walsh costed uga the freakin game that all i got to say.
Steve
January 2nd, 2012
7:47 pm
Mr. Bobo, is there anything resembling a screen pass or sprint draw in your little playbook? Mr. Richt, go get a real Offensive Coordinator. Please. Pretty please.
bruce mac
January 2nd, 2012
7:48 pm
What in the heck are you moron bammers talking about in regard to UGA’s schedule. You have 4 games you can schedule every year and Bammer schedules the absolute weakest schedule known to man every friggin year. UGA played Boise and Tech this year. Bammer played nobody and I mean nobody that they had anything to say about. And don’t try to claim Penn State, Boise beats them by 5 touchdowns and you know it. End of story delusional Bammers.
Special K
January 2nd, 2012
7:48 pm
Pups you got em right where you want em. National Championship Baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! not
Dawg89
January 2nd, 2012
7:49 pm
In addition, the offensive line played poorly. The quarterback played poorly. The running game was missing in action. Why does UGA put up with subpar coaching on the offensive side of the ball? If they upgraded the offensive staff like they did the defense then maybe we could contend again. Until they fire all those schmucks, we will continue to lose.
GaDawg97
January 2nd, 2012
7:49 pm
Mark Richt sucks hog balls!
TechNC90
January 2nd, 2012
7:49 pm
Cheer up dawg fans… This begins the time of year when you win the National Championship every year! Sign a top notch recruiting class, have a great spring practice and then start talking about what a great team you’re going to have in August (and how you’re back to the glory days).
And with your pitiful schedule in 2012, you’ll probably win 10 and lose 4 AGAIN!
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
January 2nd, 2012
7:49 pm
Pick up your 10 win season T-shirts at either chazzo columbus or Altamaha Dawg’s house!
Burma Shave
January 2nd, 2012
7:49 pm
Charles went missing,
and Blair Walsh was errant,
Bobo’s playcalling was
very transparent.
Burma Shave
GaDawg97
January 2nd, 2012
7:49 pm
So does Aaron Murray!
duronimo
January 2nd, 2012
7:49 pm
Sorry to say, my pre-game prediction was dead on. They didn’t play a complete game, Crowell didn’t last but a few plays and they played not to lose toward the end of the game. Michigan State had a less talented but tougher, well conditioned team which performed better as the game progressed. At the end, Georgia was beaten and tired. So we were short some players? … it didn’t seem to bother Auburn any in the Peach Bowl. It also seems the “whiter” the team the harder it is for Georgia to beat them. (OK that’s a joke)
J Clay
January 2nd, 2012
7:50 pm
Need a different QB to take this team to the next level. Murray seems to be a nice guy and tries hard but he is vastly overrated. Tell me one good team he has beaten as the QB?
Scoty Dawg
January 2nd, 2012
7:50 pm
I agree that Bobo needs to be released. I would also like to give Crowell his unconditional release. The guy could sprain his ankle getting out of the bathtub…
GaDawg97
January 2nd, 2012
7:50 pm
Christian LeMay in 2012 baby!
Special K
January 2nd, 2012
7:51 pm
bruce mac, you have no idea what you are talking about.
War Eagle
January 2nd, 2012
7:52 pm
as bad as Auburn looked at times, its hard to believe we lost just one game more than UGA Schedulers. I guess playing Clemson 10-2, Ark 10-2 LSU 12-0, Bama 11-1, ??UGA 10-4??, South Carolina(a win) 11-2 with a 63-9 reccord(5 top 15 schools, plus Florida and Miss State is just a little tougher than Vandy, Kentucky, Tenn, Coastal Junction…
UGA is the laughing joke of the the 2012 schedule,McGarity knows the OLD BEAR TRICKS. Bama your schedule was nothing to shout about just ARK and LSU and they beat you.
Dawg89
January 2nd, 2012
7:52 pm
Blair Walsh cost us a lot this season. So did Murray with costly, stupid pick 6 interceptions. Murray is a player. Therefore, it must be poor coaching. And, guess who his coach is. Bozo.
maddog13
January 2nd, 2012
7:52 pm
over the cmr years we have only played 1/2 of a game
GIVE ME A BREAK
January 2nd, 2012
7:52 pm
Bill, this is the most balanced article you’ve written about UGA this season. This poor performance is on Murray. Walsh and Murray need to stop talking so much about how great they are. Just before the 1st OT field goal attempt, the radio announcer quoted Walsh as stating that he could make anything under 60 yds. kicking with the wind at his back. Pride still comes before the fall.
Bama Stan
January 2nd, 2012
7:52 pm
The SEC should trade UGA to the ACC.
TrueDawg
January 2nd, 2012
7:52 pm
CMR is ultimately responsible for the play calling. With that fancy noise cancelling Bose headset CMR wears, I know he can hear exactly what play is called. If CMR was not in the same mindset as Bobo, he would override the play call. We need some aggressive play calling. CMR finally grew a pair when he hired CTG to manage the defense. I think the best option now is to release Bobo and find a non-skirt wearing offensive coordinator to manage the offense. I feel like we are trying to be fair about the final score. Forget fair, if the other team gets the chance they will hang 40 on us! Stop being compassionate about playing the other team and step on their throats! And while we are at it, call Kevin Butler to be our special teams coach! Butler won’t put up with lackluster special teams play.
SEC Football
January 2nd, 2012
7:52 pm
Bill, you are on the money about Bobo. I support Richt but he has to bring someone in on offense like he did with Grantham on D. If he wants to keep Bobo as QB coach or recruiting coordinator ok. But he is not capable of making the adjustments when needed.