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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1,469 comments Add your comment
Keniboy
January 2nd, 2012
7:53 pm
Right on bout bobo. Needs to go. Somebody needs to put some “finishing” touches on our team. Not giving up on em but nearly. Will play golf during next years games.
bruce mac
January 2nd, 2012
7:53 pm
So you explain it know it all. Who did Bama play that they scheduled in the last four years?
Burma Shave
January 2nd, 2012
7:53 pm
Saint Mark says we’re
the verge of great,
but Bobo’s the coach
the fans love to hate.
Burma Shave
Tiger Fan
January 2nd, 2012
7:54 pm
let’s face it, UGA is a mid tier SEC program that lucked out with a hot run a few years back when the entire SEC was down. Take that two year period away, and UGA has been a very average program for a long time. fla and Gt were the only two decent tems that they beat this year….the rest of the wins didn’t mean anything. And what about that crowd today? was the stadium 60% full? the dogs need to get more realistic about where they are…..which is pretty average.
Juice
January 2nd, 2012
7:54 pm
Bill and all of you who are screaming for Bobo’s head….you are idiots..the O line could not block their D line..what plays do you morons want to call? Until we get better O lineman we will not ANY any good team. #68, #72 ,and #79 are not quality SEC lineman. Go back and look at our numbers our O is always in the upper tier of the SEC.. numbers don’t lie… But we need better players on the O line to win big
Law Dawg
January 2nd, 2012
7:54 pm
This is unreal! Just fire Richt and Bobo. Whoever they replace them with should keep Grantham and Garner and the rest of the defensive staff. Worst offensive play calling ever. We always get up on an opponent and have no clue on how to close a game out. Our players had so much more talent then the Mich St. players but once again it didn’t matter. BTW, our defense is stacked. Jarvis, Boynkin, and Ogletree are going to be stars in the NFL one day. Atleast we know Grantham is doing his job.
Hollis G.
January 2nd, 2012
7:55 pm
Does Murray have a secret contract that states he cannot be taken out of a game due to poor performance? UGA needs to hold off on that contract extension for Richt until he fires Bobo. Another lousy example of playing not to lose instead of playing to win. Someone needs to tell the Defense that games last 4 quarters not 2. Thank goodness for Boykin. It would have been a slaughter without his outstanding playmaking. This really leaves a bad taste that we have to endure for eight months.
GaDawg97
January 2nd, 2012
7:55 pm
We need another QB to actually win any kind of championship. AM is good against the little guys, but not a real team. 2nd half against LSU you could see the fear in his eyes…
Mark Richt needs to go,Bobo needs to go, everybody needs to go
January 2nd, 2012
7:55 pm
Six weeks ago you clowns were all sucking richt nuts….
Tn Dawg
January 2nd, 2012
7:55 pm
Out coached again…McG…If CMR won’t make the decision on BooBoo, make it for him…for the Dawg’s sake!! Too much talent to be wasted on “3 x’s up the middle”….
45ACP
January 2nd, 2012
7:55 pm
Mike Bobo is a good QB coach. He is not an Offensive Coordinator. I have lived and died with his play calling, supported him when everyone wanted his head on a stick. Time for a change in Athens.
Dawg89
January 2nd, 2012
7:56 pm
When I watch other teams
Chuck
January 2nd, 2012
7:56 pm
Fire mike bobo need new man
Dawg Fans
January 2nd, 2012
7:57 pm
Why would CMR or any coach or player want to coach or play for DAWG FANS?? Talking about winers and fair weather fans, Dawg Fans might be part of problem.
Gerorgiabuckmaster
January 2nd, 2012
7:57 pm
I’m a Richt supporter but I’ve had Bobo up to my ears. We had single coverage on backs all day, no screens, no double TE where Charles can split, all this does is make a defense think instead of attack. We never really tried to expose their outside except with DB’s running and everybody knows where it’s going. I hate to say it but the entire offensive sceme we use will never win it all. Too many opportunities for mistakes. Get big Ralph in or someone that can sceme against a def. We have the athletes and our defense will only continue to get better.
Reality
January 2nd, 2012
7:57 pm
good thing UGA doesn’t play BAMA next year,
GaDawg97
January 2nd, 2012
7:58 pm
All you knuckleheads patting Grantham on the back, remember the 80 yard MSU drive with 2 minutes left. Plus he looks like a total jerk on the sidelines.
Thank God Mark Richt will still be at UGA
January 2nd, 2012
7:58 pm
for 4 more years.No threat to win or play for a national title.Enjoy losers.
Micket Roberts
January 2nd, 2012
7:58 pm
Disgusting l fire richt now/1
this dawg want hunt!!
January 2nd, 2012
7:58 pm
Richt,Bobo,and Murray=the 3 stooges!! Worst O.C, Q.B and head coach in the SEC with 4 star talent. This game should have never been close. If not for loser Murray and his 2 picks, UGA would have won this game by 14. Murray threw more pick 6’s than any Q.B. in UGA history, yet all of these idiot UGA fans think he is a great Q.B. Any other head coach or competent O.C. would have benched this idiot after the pick 6, but not WonderBoy Bobo,and Richt. Then Richt shows how pathetic of a head coach he is by being loyal to his 50% kicker and not even trying to get a 1st down or a t.d in overtime, and he continues to run a running back R.S. who hasn’t played in over a month. My God, Richt is a joke, he never learns form his mistakes, and his loyalty cost games with Martinez, and now it continues to lose games with Bobo, and now R.S. McGarity, if you have any balls or leadership,you will end this mediocrity and get rid of Richt and Bobo. If you don’t do that then, you are part of the problem not part of the solution. UGA will NEVER win with Richt, Bobo, and never with Murray. He is a joke, and he has lost more games at UGA than he has won. Why would he start again next year, when he has lost 3 games by his own pathetic pick 6’s, THe guy is a loser, and so is his O.C. and head coach. RICHT, BOBO, and MURRAY=MEDIOCRITY!!!! 3 stooges RULE in athens.
Bravesfan
January 2nd, 2012
7:58 pm
I wish a GA team,namely the Falcons or Bulldogs,could maintain a lead. When Murray comes into a game, you never know if you are going to get the Murray who completes brilliant passes all over the field, or the Murray who throws interceptions or fumbles. I hold Murray, the kicker, and the defense responsible for today’s loss…the defense just seemed to give up, especially in the 4th qtr. Walsh needs to go…I don’t care how great he used to be…he’s lost it…replace him! Several weeks ago when the Falcons played the Saints, my post read,in part, the Falcons didn’t “rise up”…they just laid down and let the Saints french kiss them like a mack truck…different team today, same result. Oh, before I forget, FIRE MIKE BOBO!!!!!!!
Black Mountain NC Bulldog
January 2nd, 2012
7:58 pm
I also wonder what happened to Malcome, and Bobo doesn’t have a clue.
1. The best play we had all game. Throw play action or roll out pass, on first down,, Bobo most, of the time ran ball up the middle, at MSU’s strength.
2. Took Malcome, out of the game?
3. Why not throw to TE’s?
Drive with 3.5 mins, in game. Three straight runs up the middle?
Hire a new O coordinator. So what if Bobo can sign a few South GA kids. Oh yeah I forgot he is Vince Dooley’s son-in-law.
My one complaint about Grantham is why did he not blitz, up the middle more, with Jones and Ogletree?
Well we have the players now, so lets please stop coaching scared.
dawgs2004
January 2nd, 2012
7:58 pm
Thanks a lot Murray and Walsh!!!
Dawg89
January 2nd, 2012
7:59 pm
Sorry about the errant “enter key hit”.
When I see other teams play, I see offensive creativity. You just don’t see that at UGA. Even though we stomped Auburn, I watched their bowl game and saw some interesting offense. Makes me envious. Richt should dump Bozo, McClendon, and Ball. They should all three be fired tomorrow. But, there is no chance it will happen. Must be nice not to be held accountable for poor job performance.
Burma Shave
January 2nd, 2012
7:59 pm
The fan base is split on whether we need
better offensive linemen or simply more speed.
One things for sure and you can’t deny it,
whenever we lose, the fans all decry it.
Burma Shave
MiamiDawg
January 2nd, 2012
8:00 pm
Puts the 10 wins in perspective doesn’t it.
Cant beat anyone who we should beat.
duronimo
January 2nd, 2012
8:00 pm
The Christian spin on this is that there is a plan for everyone’s life, and the negative things that happen are for a pre-ordained purpose that in the long-run is always for our good. I’m not sure how this works in teams sports, but I don’t think Richt will be swearing and throwing things in the locker room. It seems that the tougher coaches who use profanity field tough-minded teams that rise to the occasion against good teams. But, I’m probably wrong again.
Uga2003
January 2nd, 2012
8:00 pm
I must say that all of you haters can go to hell. Uga can only expect to win 8-9 games per year… we just aren’t that good and never have been lol. Get some REALITY, just because we say we are good doesn’t mean we are.
GaDawg97
January 2nd, 2012
8:00 pm
Lets see…regular season schedule, no Bama, no LSU, no Arkansas and we still lose 4. Too bad we didn’t just lose 6 or 7 and at least we’d have a real coach coming in for 2012. Face it, Richt sucks!
Reality
January 2nd, 2012
8:01 pm
good thing UGA don’t play LSU,BAMA or Arky…..and a ranked team too.
Still@theKool-aidBAR
January 2nd, 2012
8:01 pm
REMEMBER Football is like intercourse:
If you drive hard and fast to score a lot in the first half you will not win the game in the 4th quarter. Now if you work slow and steady to the EZ then by time you get to the 4th Quarter SCORE you will be the CHAMP.
Bravesfan
January 2nd, 2012
8:01 pm
A continuation of my previous post…CroWell is “much ado about nothing”…he’s a wimp, always hurt!!!!!!!
Truly study the game of football, the trends and what's going on
January 2nd, 2012
8:02 pm
. . . . . . . and give the inept coaching staff
another big raise
. . . . . . . for being a group of knuckleheads.
DAWG with two bags back over head
January 2nd, 2012
8:02 pm
Bill,
Thanks for saying what Chuck Dowdle, Kevin Butler, and Tony S. won’t or can’t say. We all know what the problems are, but Richt and McGarity refuse to make the hard choices. We will NEVER be better than we are right now (which isn’t very good) if we continue to put loyalty to players and coaches above putting the best players and coaches on the field each week. Conservative and non-sensical play calling has been the norm for years as has been Murray’s inability to perform in big games. I’m not optimistic at all about next season given we’ll likely still have the same starting quarterback trying to run plays called by a below average Pee Wee League OC. I think we’ll be making the same comments this time next year (if we even get to play in a Jan 2013 bowl game)without major changes at OC, without developing a killer instinct, and without putting the best players on the field.
Agreeed
January 2nd, 2012
8:02 pm
Bobo is as eratic as Murry. His playing calling and running the same plays over and over is so typical…he is an amature and needs to be replaced now. Why is there no competition for the QB…Hutson Mason is looking at transfering…who could blame him? Definitely need to move on from Walsh…he has lost us two very clear games this year (South Carolina and Mich. St).
Mickey Roberts
January 2nd, 2012
8:02 pm
disgusting; I’m sitting in stadum and saying, what are we wedoing with all this talent? Fir Ricy NOW!!!
Say what?
January 2nd, 2012
8:03 pm
is it god’s fault when georgia don’t win ?
Still@theKool-aidBAR
January 2nd, 2012
8:03 pm
ASJ DAWG48 to repost the MURRAY photo. he is in Skinny Jeans and carrying a purse. It should be on the OutHouse Trophy.
wreckmaniac
January 2nd, 2012
8:03 pm
Moobs Johnson: Don’t think CMR took any pressure off you. Bill Curry is the best coach in this state.
At least CMR did not give up a 14 point 4th qtr lead. If you ever coach Tech in another bowl game, please stay home and let one of your coordinators have control. You are not a bowl game coach.
And please tell me, Moobs and DRAD, why AL Groh is not fired by now. Hello ?
Not so fast
January 2nd, 2012
8:03 pm
Well, that was pathetic. The offense was flat out not prepared to play today nor has it improved at all during the year. This is not an Aaron Murray problem. This is a BoBo problem and Richt if he is involved in the offense. The same players on defense who struggled 2 years ago are now studs because of coaching. We need a similar change on the offensive side of the ball.
Please, no extension for Richt without a change at offensive coordinator. You see what happens when you bring in a good coach with this talent. The defensive’s improvement over the last 2 years is remarkable and a testament to Grantham’s coaching ability. That was an inspired defense that ran out of gas because of an inept offensive and a scared head coach.
jalexan49
January 2nd, 2012
8:04 pm
Great effort today by the defense and Coach Grantham. It should be obvious the impact the conservative play calling by Coach Bobo has had on Georgia this year and previous seasons.
He is a great guy but I honestly believe he is over his head as an offensive coordinator and should go back to coaching quaterbacks or seek a position at another school. He is not getting it done and Coach Richt is getting his backside burned too many times.
I hope Davis and Gurley join Marshall at Georgia as it should be evident to them the need Georgia has for them and the impact they could have immediately!
I am a Georgia fan and still believe with some top running backs and a good offensive coordinator things could different next fall. Thank God Coach Grantham is the defensive coordinator at Georgia!
I really hope the juniors come back and the recruits that Georgia is going after, see the opportunity they will have at Georgia. I do think however, there are a lot of the freshmen on this team will contribute signifantly next year! Georgia is in good shape with the most of the players they have, and if the offensive line can get it together it would help.
This was definetely hard too watch a 16 point lead evaporate ! I’m stunned and really don’t know what to say?
Congradulations to the SEC teams that won their games. Coach Richt you are a good man but it’s time to be a leader and cut Coach Bobo. If Bobo would just realize that your alligance to him is costing you and Georgia a lot and he needs to step down!!
We better hope that the prospects continue to sign with Georgia and most if not all juniors will come back next year!
Reality
January 2nd, 2012
8:04 pm
Mickey…Richt is the reason UGA has all this talent.
guy
January 2nd, 2012
8:05 pm
NO RUN,NO WIN! GET MURRAY SOME STILTS SO HE CAN SEE THE WHOLE FIELD. A LOT HAS TO BE DONE BEFORE UGA REACHES THE PROMISED LAND.A WHOLE LOT!!!!!!!!
Spartan Man
January 2nd, 2012
8:05 pm
So much for all the SEC chest thumping. Not so big and bad any more. You may have had more talent, but you see what a team can do that plays with heart and discipline. 2 words…Over. Rated.
TrueDawg
January 2nd, 2012
8:05 pm
GaDawg97
“All you knuckleheads patting Grantham on the back, remember the 80 yard MSU drive with 2 minutes left. Plus he looks like a total jerk on the sidelines.”
Let see you play as much and as hard as those boys played in the second half. I bet you would be gassed too! Its not as easy as they make it look sometimes. The offense has to help the defense when the going gets tough. I bet our 300+ pound lineman would love to see something other than a three and out 80% of the time!
Still@theKool-aidBAR
January 2nd, 2012
8:05 pm
I do get to PARK in the HANDICAP spots now with my UGA Diploma hanging from my rear view mirror right?
G'Ville Dawg
January 2nd, 2012
8:05 pm
Dang y’all!! Granted! It was a hard pill to swallow, today… BUT…. The national championship wasn’t lost. We had a damn good year!!…. Yet, here we are with all the post game AD’s!!… When you fair weather fans get ready for some more football… oh… about July…. we’ll fill you in on what’s going on!!
Bloomin' Idiot
January 2nd, 2012
8:05 pm
I really appreciate Mike Bobo’s half-time adjustments.
Casey
January 2nd, 2012
8:06 pm
MSU Alum here…. the Bulldogs play some stout, stout defense. A whistle here, a call there and the game goes the other way. Bulldog nation has no reason to hang its head today. Good luck next season.
Big Old Dawg
January 2nd, 2012
8:06 pm
Bill thanks for saying what so many of us wish we could say to CMR & McGarity. Yes, we are tired of the same comedy of errors and bad decisions being repeated by the same offensive coach. Please hear our voices before we start dropping on our contributions to the Hartman Fund and renewal of season tickets.