Fan talk: Was Richt coaching ‘not to lose’ rather than to win?
Some fans would like to see a more aggressive Mark Richt. (Jason Getz / AJC)
There’s nothing like losing a bowl game you should have won to stir up the fan base, even after a 10-win season and division title. And it’s true, as Greg McGarity has noted, that had Blair Walsh made that field goal, fans overall would be extremely happy even though the same problems facing the team would still need resolution. Nevertheless, the Junkyard Mail this week was overflowing with notes from folks who definitely were not happy. Here’s a representative sampling …
Andrew in Charleston writes: Bill, I have watched, like the rest of Bulldog Nation, the coaching staff routinely coach “not to lose” instead of coach to win. Late in the fourth quarter, we needed one first down to ice the game and Bobo/Richt go with three stuffed runs. They put the pressure on the gassed D to “not lose” rather than the offense to win. Does the staff really not have enough faith in their players to get one first down? Shouldn’t a respectable SEC program be able to gain one first down?
The main complaint I hear from fans about Mark Richt is that he is too prone to play it safe. Sometimes that pays off. Against Michigan State, however, it resulted in the Dogs losing a game they should have won. At times, Richt does seem to coach as if he doesn’t have faith in his offense. Perhaps if the problems with the running game can be solved, he’ll loosen up.
Jeff Maran writes: Bill, what do you think of Mark Richt going for it on 4th and one in the first quarter versus taking the 3 points? I think you have to take the three points at that point of the game. The game never would have gone into overtime had he kicked the three. I think it had to do with the criticism he took in the game against UCF last year when he kicked the field goal instead of going for a first down. However, Michigan State has a top 5 defense, unlike UCF, and points are hard to come by. Also, I am so fed up with the conservative playcalling with 3:30 left in regulation: run, run, run. Richt plays scared, not Mike Bobo. Richt has the final say. Finally, what coach other than Mark Richt settles for a 42-yard field goal attempt on 3rd down in OT? … After intercepting Michigan State, you would think that is like playing with house money. Try to get at least one first down, to get a closer field goal attempt, maybe even a TD. So frustrating.
Tom Sinclair adds: I’d like to hear a discussion of just who should take the blame for the ultra conservative play calling near the end of regulation and in overtime. While I’m not a Bobo fan, I realize that ultimately Richt is the one that sets the tone and could intervene if he chose to do so.
And Roger Dixon writes: [Bobo] is Richt’s man, so they are both responsible. The real problem at Georgia is that Richt wins just enough to keep his job. He has proved he cannot take it to the next level. Georgia will forever remain a second-tier team under him. He looks good at times, but can’t deliver in the clutch.
To touch on Roger’s point first, I don’t believe Richt is incapable of winning it all. He knows how to recruit the talent needed and overall is a good steward of the program. At times, he’s shown he can even go for the jugular. I just wish he did that more consistently. To answer Jeff’s question, actually, I agreed with Richt in going for it in the first quarter for precisely the same reason that I wish he hadn’t played for a field goal in the first overtime: Blair Walsh was simply no longer a reliable placekicker, SEC all-time scoring record notwithstanding. But I was the only one in our group watching the game who felt that way. Everyone else would have gone for the field goal in the first quarter. And Tom is right about Richt being in charge. After Mike Bobo called the first two unsuccessful runs up the middle there late in the fourth quarter, Richt certainly could have interceded when he heard a third one called and said, “Mike, let’s throw it to Michael Bennett,” or something like that. Isn’t that why you have a possession receiver? Yes, Richt has always tended to be conservative during his time at UGA, but it’s not as if he never takes any chances. All we have to do is look at this year’s Florida game to see him doing it right, going for it on fourth down (resulting in two touchdowns) and throwing it to secure a key first down and kill the clock late in the game — exactly as many folks wish he’d done against the Spartans. I guess it takes Jacksonville and the Gators to get Richt’s juices flowing.
Joe Burger writes: Hey Bill, thanks for your info and insight all year. I’m a UGA alum, living with my wife in southwest Florida, so we appreciate your help in keeping us informed. So, after attending the bowl game, it’s pretty clear that we are much, much improved. However, except for our D, we are still lacking that swagger/killer instinct. Players and teams definitely take on characteristics of their coaches. And in our case, the calm, laid-back approach of coach Richt coupled with the Pontius Pilate coaching of coach Bobo (at crunch time, he appears to wash his hands via uninspired playcalling and is simply content to let the defense decide the fate of the game) leads to an almost blah type of football. It seems many times that the offense plays down to the same uninspired level as its coach. Do the coaches need an attitude adjustment?
Richt has gotten the Georgia program back on track, but I think this season’s tendency toward lackluster second-half play has provided ample evidence that in order to kick it up to the next level Richt and his staff are going to have to take a more aggressive approach in managing games. Keeping your foot on the pedal, as the saying goes.
Is it fair to blame Mike Bobo for all of Georgia's offensive troubles? (Brant Sanderlin / AJC)
Larraine Oakes writes: Re: your article “Same old problems …” I was so delighted to see someone spell out what was a source of extreme frustration during the game. I am not a football expert by any stretch. I’m the wife of Dawg fan that has become almost as passionate as he is about them. So when an amateur like me can see the absurdity of the runs up the middle that inevitably amount to nothing, I am scratching my head and figuring that there must be SOMETHING about the intricacies of football coaching that I cannot understand that would make them continue to do what isn’t working.
Bobo explained his reasoning in calling those run plays: He was trying to eat up clock and force MSU to use up its timeouts. But while that reasoning might have looked good on the laminated play board, it ignored the realities of what was happening on the field. The Spartans were getting so much penetration that those running plays took very little time off the game clock. And based on what had been happening throughout the second half, it should have been obvious to Bobo and Richt that it was a strategy that wasn’t going to work. Perhaps there was a bit of the “put it in the hands of the defense” notion at work there. But, again, that ignored the reality that by that point the Georgia defenders were tired. The result was Michigan State quickly throwing their way down the field and tying the score. That’s my main complaint about Bobo (and, by extension, his boss): Too often they stick to the script even when the situation calls for a bit of improvisation.
BassinDawg in Roswell writes: I am tired of Bobo’s pathetic playcalling, further evidenced this season — especially by those idiotic up-the-gut calls. Is there ANY chance of Bobo being replaced or CMR re-taking over some of the play-calling duties? With decent playcalling we could have won both the South Carolina and Outback Bowl games.
Along the same lines, Cleveland Williams asks: Do you see a need to change the OC or do you think it’s a matter of changing philosophy in the playcalling (adjusting the routes to shorter routes, calling more screen passes and crossing routes)?
And Ross Marshall asks: Can coach Richt overcome his loyalty thing long enough to get rid of Bobo? … Make him QB coach, he does THAT very well.
I’d say there’s little chance of Bobo being replaced as offensive coordinator and playcaller. But while publicly Greg McGarity is backing Richt all the way, one can only hope that perhaps he might gently nudge Richt and Bobo try a more aggressive approach. Already this season they tweaked what they do by going to the no-huddle, so it’s not as if they haven’t shown a willingness to change things up. And Ross is right, Bobo does know how to coach quarterbacks. Of course, we can’t lay the offensive problems all on Bobo. His hands were tied somewhat in the bowl game by the absence of a running game. Should the lack of production and off-field problems at tailback be laid at the feet of Bobo or running backs coach Bryan McClendon? I realize McClendon is a prized recruiter but I’m not convinced the former receiver is the best choice to mold Georgia’s young backs. And while I was encouraged by what Will Friend got out of the offensive line this season with almost no depth, the OL’s deficiencies were definitely a factor in the inconsistency of the running game as well as Murray’s troubles. So pinning all the offensive troubles on Bobo is misguided, I think.
Aaron Murray's decisionmaking has at times been questionable. (Brant Sanderlin / AJC)
Michael Clowdus writes: I would like to ask about Aaron Murray, as two things I see about him drive me crazy! I think Murray is a great talent and I think coaching has as much to do with both of these issues as well. First, can two former QB’s (Bobo and Richt) not teach Murray to look off defenders? He constantly stares down his target and I am surprised he has not been intercepted more. Second, it appears that ANY time UGA had 3rd and long (7-10 yards), Murray would throw it 35 yards down the field. Does our coaching staff not explain that a first down keeps a drive alive or do they not know how to run medium route patterns?
I think Matt Stafford is showing the NFL right now that Richt and Bobo indeed do know how to develop a quarterback and I would be surprised if Murray doesn’t get better in that regard, and also in his decisionmaking about when to take a sack and when to get rid of the ball. As for those slow-developing third-down downfield pass plays instead of quick slants or screen passes, I know they drive a lot of fans nuts. Unfortunately, I think that must be a personal preference of Bobo’s.
Jack Sanders writes: I heard Kevin Butler on the post-game show questioning the wisdom of Richt having Murray down the ball in the center of the field to set up the field goal in the first overtime. Kevin cited this as an example of where not having a special teams coach or coordinator hurt the Dogs. A special teams coach likely would have been more aware that Blair Walsh has tended this season to miss kicks wide right, so in fact kicking from the left hashmark would have increased the chances of the first OT field goal attempt being good, whereas centering the ball made it more likely he’d miss it. What do you think?
I think Kevin Butler knows more about placekicking than Georgia’s current coaching staff could ever hope to learn, and I would agree with his assessment.
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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370 comments Add your comment
Realistic Dawg
January 6th, 2012
3:45 pm
Bobo coaches like he played while at UGA……………….. why should we expect differently???????
Gainesville DAWG
January 6th, 2012
3:47 pm
If anyone has ever associated with Bobo in the past, it is evident that he is quite an arrogant fellow.
SSIgator
January 6th, 2012
3:48 pm
Dawg48 -
“Urban Meyer played Defense in college, how did he become a offensive genius?”
Who claimed he was one? That’s why he had Dan Mullen. In case you did not notice, when Mullen and Strong left things did not go as well as they had been.
Dawg48
January 6th, 2012
3:50 pm
Ssigator
ESPN lol
minnesota dawg
January 6th, 2012
3:52 pm
What really changed the game to me was Murray throwing those two miscue passes for interceptions. We were rolling until that first one happened in the thrid quarter. You talk about momentum changing! We definitely were the better team. But do you realize that Michigan State was very close to being Big Ten Champions and going to the Rose Bowl? Yet we were still better than them! I’m looking forward to next year and see what they will do. That defense looks pretty good!
Realistic Dawg
January 6th, 2012
3:52 pm
With a last name like “BoBo” you better be arrogant….. that is about you might have going for you.
SSIgator
January 6th, 2012
3:53 pm
Dawg48 -
ESPN also had Oaklahoma winning it all this year. So much for accuracy.
DaTruf
January 6th, 2012
3:53 pm
I’m new to this so I’m not sure if what I’ve got here has been said a thousand times or ten thousand times around Georgia this fall. However this, in my opinion, is a breakdown of where we are as an organization.
Mike Bobo is an idiot. I haven’t been able to watch games in the last two years without wanting to pull my hair out. Willie Martinez being such a trainwreck saved MB…they should have both been fired in 2007. You can’t run a 160 pound back right into a brick wall and expect to have Herschel Walker results. He’s an idiot because of what’s not clicking in his head the 25th time he calls that play. There is no inner red flag that says “this might now work”.
It’s not so much that he chooses to run the ball at the most idiotic times, it’s the one running play we have. We seriously have two running plays! We run the ball up the middle in the I formation and we run the ball up the middle out of the gun. Maybe 10 times ALL YEAR Mike Bobo called a toss sweep. And everyone of those was to the short side of the field.
HE NEVER ran Isaiah Crowell to the wide side of the field all year. I’m not saying hardly ever…I’m saying NEVER. If we ran 5 toss sweeps to the wide side of the field I’d be amazed.
Talking Heads like Buck Belue can insult my intelligence all they want. They only come off sounding like morons…all in the name of trying to stay positive! Propping up a loser is not what I’m about.
I’ll go one further….If you don’t see what’s happening here you are either incompetent or you’re NOT A FAN! We are being outcoached weekly. Nothing will change until Mike Bobo is replaced. We could have possibly won a NC by now if it weren’t for Bobo. Richt should follow him if he doesn’t see it.
Georgia can be great but not when we have the ship steered by someone like MB who will never outhink anyone!
Dawg48
January 6th, 2012
3:54 pm
SSIgator
Are you not a fan of urban?
SSIgator
January 6th, 2012
4:07 pm
DaTruf -
Whoa, my man. Writing things like that while losing your “posting virginity” on this site is only going to infuriate the members of the Kool-Aid Club. They will view you as a potential member to recruit that they never even had a crack at to convert. They have been laying low today, but believe me, the alarm bells sounded at their HQ the second you comments were posted. They will soon be on the attack, led by their Captain, AltamahaDawg (In cas you don’t know it, he knows everything – and will tell you so) along with his faithful companion, DawginLex. Prepare yourself for a fierce attack. Also, if they feel that they are not being successful in their conversion, they will not hesitate to unleash True Dawg Fan on you.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
January 6th, 2012
4:10 pm
Mike Bobo is from Thomasville Ga thats all you need to know if you have ever been there
jvillebil
January 6th, 2012
4:12 pm
I know there are so many people out there that don’t like Mark Richt. A lot of people act like he brought the program down from some great height is was at for many years. I started going to the Georgia games in Vince Dooly’s 2nd year and have been attending ever since. Granted I don’t like the way we played not to lose and at times seem so predictable, but as far as Mark verses Vince and where the program was to where it is now we’re not in worse shape. Can we improve, definitely! I don’t have a problem with anyone being on one side of the fence or the other, this is the USA and until Obama gets his way 100% we as least get to express our opinions.
Just some facts to look at between Vince and Mark
Over all Record
MCR 106-38 (74% W) VD 200-77-10 (72%W)
SEC Record
MCR 68-28 (68%W) VD 104-42-4 (71%W)
Conference Titles
MCR 2 VD 6
Bowl Record
MCR 7-4 VD 8-10-2
National Championships
MCR 0 VD 1
Top 10 Rankings
MCR 5 times (45%) VD 7 times (28%)
Ranking 11-20
MCR 1 VD 5
Seasons no ranking or lower than 20, they only ranked top 20 during Dooly’s time
MCR 4 (36%) VD 13 (52%)
Years with No Bowls ( granted there is a bowl for everything now)
MCR 0 VD 5
During Vince’s Herschel run they were 33-3 and add the year after they were 44-4-1 from 1980-83.
After 1983 we on had two season ranked top 20 (13th &15th) and 3 not ranked.
From 82-89 no SEC titles.
So I guess what I’m saying is this. I’m not happy with our play because I’m a die hard UGA grad and fan. But I don’t want to kid myself into thinking we have been a national power for years other than 80-83 and then if the once in a lifetime player Herschel wasn’t there, well we wouldn’t have been 33-3.
Just some facts folks that’s all.
DawginSewer
January 6th, 2012
4:13 pm
Richt told me and Russ he wasn`t really coaching. He was listening to a rock concert the entire game and couldn`t be bothered with such small considerations.
He is looking forward to his new contract. He may sleep next year during games.
Needums
January 6th, 2012
4:16 pm
As much as I would like to blame bobo for everything the fact is bobo did not throw the pick 6 , bobo did not miss out on about 6 gimme ints. Bobo did not miss the field goal that would win the game. Bobo is not a great OC but you put the ball in the kids hands and let them get it done. I was there and was one of many who was glad they went for it on fourth down because your telling the guys we have faith and believe that you can do it. Unfortunately they didn’t get the first down and who knows how the game would have played out had we’d gotten that but that’s why you play the game. We can’t blame this loss on one guy.
NeoDawg
January 6th, 2012
4:18 pm
The most frustrating part of our offense is we largely run the ball between the hash marks and throw it outside of them and everyone knows it. When a top five defense only has to defend portions of the field you get what we had in the Outback. There might be some personnel reasons for this (Murray too short to throw over big linemen and backs not fast enough to get to the outside or our big lineman not quick enough to pull) but it sure makes it easy to play defense.
Our unwillingness to throw over the middle also fails to take advantage of the athleticism of Charles. Get him the ball on a quick post or look in and let him make a move on a linebacker, I think we will like the results. It will also make the linebackers and safeties respect that part of the field and may actually help us with our running game since the linebackers can’t simply play to stuff the run between the hashes. It would also cut down on those 5-10 yd out routes that require Murray to throw the bowl 30-35 yards for a modest completion – or pick six if he misses which he seems to do in big games.
Good coaches find a way to get the ball to their playmakers where they can best perform. Getting the ball to Charles once for two yards on a shovel pass in the first quarter and running Thomas between the tackles seems like a major fail IMHO.
SSIgator
January 6th, 2012
4:23 pm
DawginSewer -
“He is looking forward to his new contract. He may sleep next year during games”
Funny you would post that. I heard a rumor that Richt has signed a new endorsement contract with NoDoz. They have come up with a formula for their pills that let you sleep peacefully on the inside while looking awake on the outside. Richt actually tried some of the samples this year. That’s why when the camera would be on Richt during a game, he looked like he was actually talking to someone on the staff about the next play, but an up-close mic caught him muttering “Not now honey, I need my sleep.”
DaTruf
January 6th, 2012
4:26 pm
Thanks for the headsup SSigator…not usually friends with people with Gators in their names but I’ll be on the lookout.
I’m just telling the truth. There really isn’t anything to debate here if you understand football.
People can say Bobo doesn’t throw a pick six and he’s not running the ball. But the truth is that play calling doesn’t occur in a vacuum. Everything is connected. Great OC’s run one play to set up something 30 plays from now. Everyone makes mistakes and Murray is no different. I’m not talking about why they scored…I’m talking about why we lost.
It is not a question here so much of execution. Our players are set up to fail.
DaTruf
January 6th, 2012
4:32 pm
What makes me sick is having to listen to the same people who defended Willie Martinez defend Bobo. Those fans are holding us back. Buck Belue is on crack and delusional. I remember him saying how it wasn’t WM’s fault because he didn’t miss any tackles…he didn’t miss a field goal.
WM wouldn’t have been fired if it were Buck’s decision.
People like that are how you wake up ranked 3rd in the nation in # of DI recruits and haven’t won anything in 30 years….we are collectively content to be mediocre.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
January 6th, 2012
4:32 pm
jvillebil
And anyone else
You can compare whatever coach you want but facts are facts, UGA is 3rd in wins and 3rd in SEC championships. UGA is a top program in the SEC with the tools to win big
Its your type of thinking is why UGA has been where it is
Florida was a joke program for 100 years not winning any conference or National Championships until the 90’s
But FL and its fanbase kept demanding better results year after and thanks to the state of FL recruiting base getting much better beginning in the late 70’s things got better for not just FL but Miami and FSU
The state of Ga is a top5 recruiting base since the late 80’s
Its time to start acting like FL and its fans and demand better because the players are in the backyard it just needs the right leader to lead
SSIgator
January 6th, 2012
4:33 pm
DaTruf -
Now you have done it. Not only are you an honest UGA fan in your assessment of the football program, you are also using logic in your analysis. May the Lord have mercy on your soul for the barrage that will soon befall you.
Russell
January 6th, 2012
4:34 pm
People people people…It’s Richt’s playbook, his system, his offense, his philosophy. Bobo has the luxury of calling plays from Richt’s book. It doesn’t matter who is the OC, they would have to call the same plays. Richt is not going to dump his play book in favor of bringing in an outside OC and changing the entire philosophy that has been in place since 02.
And yes, Richt always plays to not lose. Any time there is a lead, he dials it down. He never hardly ever keeps the foot on the gas and buries an opponent. He isn’t into humiliating others and that translates on to the football field. No lead is ever safe, as fast as a team puts 50 on the board, the opposing team can somehow duplicate if all falls into place. I say play the entire 60 minutes balls to the wall and bury teams, at least that way if another team wins it won’t be because of playing soft and scared.
DaTruf
January 6th, 2012
4:44 pm
Hehe…I honestly don’t know the group you speak of SSIgator but they can’t be allergic to logic.
There are people who regard complaints as coming only from enemies. that isn’t the case. I just can easily see this and am amazed when i hear people shouting from the hills otherwise. I’m the biggest UGA fan you can be.
Richt does approve of every play i’m sure but he’s getting a small pass because he has some capital built up. I’m willing to pluck out the simple minded and keep him. That is, until we go another year making the same mistakes.
bozobill
January 6th, 2012
4:45 pm
Fire Mark Richt.
DaTruf
January 6th, 2012
4:46 pm
Mark Richt kindof kept FSU stable after taking over what Brad Scott built…but he still proved himself as a great OC and play caller. I think he is just trying to build a coach in MB by letting him fail. The problem is that you can’t build a great coach when the raw materials aren’t there. For Bobo they aren’t there.
Tmar
January 6th, 2012
4:57 pm
The thing I was most upset with was the series where we ran 3 reverses/ receiver end arounds. After thhe first 2 failed miserably, why would we think another one would work?
Big Albany Dawg
January 6th, 2012
4:59 pm
Huuutsssson……Maaaassson…….(erie echo goes here)
Dawgdad (The Original)
January 6th, 2012
5:00 pm
People blame Van Gorter for the Falcons soft zone bend and break defense. I say Mike Smith calls the shots and that is what he wants, BVG does as told.
The same goes for Bobo, he does Richt’s bidding. Richt should take the blame, it is his offense and Bobo calls the plays Richt wants or Richt would take back the play calling or overrule him when the play is called.
We will never win a NC with Mark Richt coaching our dawgs.
DaTruf
January 6th, 2012
5:01 pm
Go back to the LSU game. We lost that game thanks the play calling on the first two series after halftime. We were trying to squeeze a 160 pound back …where else? …up the middle even though nothing had ever worked there.
There isn’t a philosophy of lets try more than that. I would have tried other stuff even if up the middle was working! YOU CAN NOT BE PREDICTABLE IN THE SEC.
Those two drives completely demotivated our defense and then there was no hope.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
January 6th, 2012
5:04 pm
Bottom Line
Eveyone is an Energy Vampire
DaTruf
January 6th, 2012
5:04 pm
I’m one of those people who blame BVG for the falcon’s sucking on defense. He wasn’t hired to do a job. If you’re the head coach you can’t be known for micromanaging everything. That said, I agree that it’s really up to Mike Smith and in UGA’s case, Mark Richt to step up and veto certain things.
Like I said before I’m not not blaming Richt. it’s just he’s earned the chance to fix things. That starts with replacing the playcaller.
oakwood dawg
January 6th, 2012
5:07 pm
Re: West Va–Clemson—Wva returns fumble 99 yards for t.d. With over 10 minutes left until half, Wva pours it on with 21 more points. This would never happen with Uga because we would run the clock out for the rest of the quarter with 3 yards and a cloud of dust. WE NEVER GO FOR THE JUGULAR and that is one reason we end up losing some games we should have won.
SSIgator
January 6th, 2012
5:10 pm
DaTruf -
“I honestly don’t know the group you speak of SSIgator but they can’t be allergic to logic”
As you said, you are new to this, but once they have zeroed in on you they will be easy to identify. Logic is to the Kool-Aid Club members like the sun rising is to a vampire. Speaking of which, hey Flat Tire, have you gotten the new edition of Vampire Weekly magazine yet? I guess since Monday was a holiday it won’t arrive until tomorrow.
LawDawg
January 6th, 2012
5:19 pm
Our OL was terrible this year. Murray and Bobo certainly deserve some blame, but when 2-5 players are in the backfield in seconds on every running and passing play, what are you going to do? Ben Jones and Glenn may get drafted highly, but that does not change what I saw all year.
LawDawg
January 6th, 2012
5:23 pm
jvillebil:n well said. People forget that UGA was irrelevant for approximately 18 years before Richt took over. So now we want to fire him so we can get, what? The next Ray Goff?
Randall "Pink" Floyd
January 6th, 2012
5:26 pm
Richt was flat-out gutless in the bowl game. Combine that with Murray’s poor performance and it’s a wonder the game was even close.
SSIgator
January 6th, 2012
5:27 pm
DaTruf -
Oops, I forgot about LawDawg. He is first out of the nest tonight.
DaTruf
January 6th, 2012
5:35 pm
LawDawg…you know how to take care of having 2 -5 players in the backfield every play? Screens! Scheme matters. You can either design and run plays that accent your talent….camaflauge your weakness or you can design and run plays that highlight them.
Football is chess. When the DC chooses to have his linemen get upfeild then you trap them or kill them with screens. What you do not do is exactly what we did…keep trying to run the ball right at them.
There is no defense for what Bobo called.
As for Richt being the problem…I’m going to not disagree but rather withhold judgmemt. He may be but he could fix this easily.
SSIgator ..appreciate the headsup again. I can’t believe there are people out there who can debate what i’m saying but i am very new to this…we’ll see.
I gotta run but if i come back later and see my posts getting ripped apart I’ll know.
DaTruf
January 6th, 2012
5:40 pm
Last thing…there is nothing worse in this league or in football in general than to be predictable. Being predictable gets a more talented team beat and a less talented team blown away.
Bobo is predictable and that makes him incompetent.
Terry B. Shirey, Sr
January 6th, 2012
5:47 pm
Nothing like 20/20 hindsight for all the coaching “experts” on this blog. They would have the same complaints on the coaching if Murray had thrown three incomplete passes on the series. Just remember as a wise man said: “it ain’t the x’s and o’s, its the Willies and Joes. Georgia had its runing back corps depleted prior to the season and MSU has one of the top five defenses against the run in the nation. Some of the people on this blog (including the author) seem to think they know college coaching. If so, they shoud immediately leave what they are doing and apply for one of the numerous openings in college football coaching today.
Stephen A.DAWG: I've been watching the same Richt offense for 20 years.
January 6th, 2012
5:47 pm
We need to stop wasting time blaming Bobo and crying for a new OC. Under Richt there will be no changes. Bobo is Richt’s scapegoat and Mike is there to absorb all the vitriole and blame for Richt’s antiquated 1990s FSU offense when it sputters and fails. Wakeup everybody, Richt is fully involved with the offensive playcalling at UGA as he ever was. Bobo has been carefully put in place by Richt to catch all the heat when the offense breaks down. A new OC is not the answer for Richt and he will never consider it despite the fact that the game has passed Richt by. The only way a new OC will ever reach UGA, is with a new head coach. Richt is like that elderly parent with demensia that can no longer drive but demands on getting their driver’s licence renewed every year. If Richt would only hire a proven OC and step away from calling plays completely, he would have a chance to extend his career. But he just can’t do it, because his offense is designed to beat mediocre opponents only.
To compete with the Bamas and LSUs of the college football world, every knowledgeable Georgia fan knows UGA must totally overhaul and scrap it’s current offensive setup. But the sun will rise in the west and set in the east before we can expect for the conservative-to-a-fault, Richt to get that done. He collects $ 3 million a year and has watched miles of Bama and LSU offensive film and still can’t see that his finesse, conservative, old FSU offense won’t work in the SEC or beat top twenty teams anymore. He will never admit that simple fact and he would rather not change and get fired than change and keep his job.
Georgia’s problems on offense are bigger than Thomasville’s Mike Bobo. Bobo’s who’s hands are tied by Mark Richt and his 1990s FSU pass-first offensive playbook for weak-armed, short quarterbacks. This playbook calls for small Warrick Dunn clones to sneak out the backfield for dump passes. In this offense even mighty Herschel Walker would be a FB/TE that would only block and never get any touches of the ball. Then you must have a big offensive line that can neither pass or run block, they more or less are coached just to get in the way of opposing defenses. And to finalize Richts’ old 1990s FSU fastbreak offense you run the hurry-up offense out of the shotgun and dump passes to a collection of possession receivers. They don’t need any speed because you rabbit-punch the defense by rushing to the line of scrimmage repeatedly dumping off short passes. Get the FSU crowd lathered up by blaring the warchant and the rout was on. This offense worked to perfection for Richt at FSU and Bowden got all the credit for routing one mediocre ACC teams after the other. The Jimmy Johnson’s Miami Hurricanes were the one team Richt’s finesse FSU offense could not intimidate.
Bama and LSU have a power run game and they do not live or die on quarterback play as much as UGA does. You can bash ol’ Bobo as much as you want, but remember UGA has no run game or SEC calibre personnel they can depend on at RB. The O-line was just big and not good at run or pass blocking. The playbook is outdated and the coaching is both conservative to a fault and borderline incompetent. The WRs where young and inconsistent in big games and the untrustworthy quarterback was too erratic to win with in big games. Georgia’s problems are so immense on offense that it would not make a bit of difference if Bobo was fired as long a Richt remains as head of staff. No, let’s not blame a subordinate for all the the problems, let’s blame the man at the top and that would be Mark Richt.
jim Brooks
January 6th, 2012
5:54 pm
My only problem I see is Richt held on to martinez to long and he seems to be doing the same thing with Bobo. BoBo is a great Qb coach but not an offensive coordinator because watch how many teams sees our game plan and adjust to it but he don’t adjust to there adjustments. LsU 2nd half and the bowl game
DaTruf
January 6th, 2012
5:56 pm
Terry B.
It’s people like you who are the problem. I’m an expert if you compare me to Bobo. And in today’s world scheme matters. It’s not as simple as you tried to make it. I’m not a weather man either but i can tell when it’s raining.
TheTruthHurts
January 6th, 2012
6:02 pm
The big problem for that part of the UGA fanbase that really wants to have a first rate football program is that the Athletic Board with one or two exceptions, Adams and McGarity are satisfied with a mediocre program and with a mediocre head coach. As long as Richt doesn’t get the program in trouble and beats most of the nobodies most of the time and backs into an Eastern Division championship every now and then, all is fine with them. Hence a three year extension to a coach who has done nothing to justify the $3 million a year he gets paid and who has done nothing noteworthy since 2005…except to fire Willie when he felt a little heat where it counts. Looks like it’s going to be a long time before things change for the better. No light at the end of the tunnel yet.
duronimo
January 6th, 2012
6:03 pm
I’ve pointed this out before but I believe Richt’s ultra-conservatism is fear based. As the game progresses he becomes increasingly fearful of what mistake may occur. And when a player makes a mistake he tends to reduce his role. He’s loyal enough to leave him on the field but to afraid to use him. It’s nothing less than the lack of confidence that the team can perform in a critical situation. Football is a game of aggression. The SEC is no place of a fearful coach.
LawDawg
January 6th, 2012
6:03 pm
DaTruf – I agree with on screens. I am not defending the playcalling, which has been atrocious for much of the season. I am just saying that the Dawgs actually exceeded my expectations this year based on the fact that, even before the season, it was obvious they had a bunch of scrubs on the OL.
D Dawg
January 6th, 2012
6:16 pm
A lot of things contributed to the loss in the Outback Bowl. Richt and Bobo’s play calling not to lose, a qb that has yet to prove he can play in the big games without making a couple of turn overs, and a o line that should have bought a ticket if they wanted to watch the game. The big question I have is the same one I had after the sec champ game. Why did we blitz nearly every play the first half and play man to man in the secondary. We had the lead. The second half we played the old Willie Martinez defense. You can’t give teams like LSU or MSU that kind of time. They will win every time, AND THEY DID. When will CMR ever learn to let CTG coach the D the whole game?
1984uga
January 6th, 2012
6:22 pm
Some of these comments are pathetic. No doubt from fans who have never played sports at a high level and gripe because UGA is not on CURRENTLY on par with Alabama or LSU is at present. Perhaps we need to go back to the days of Donan & Goff before anyone recognizes that Richt is a good coach. He may not be on par with Saban – but who is??? Saban is THE best collegiate coach at the moment. I, for one, am proud of the 2011 dawgs & I am looking forward to next year…
Fidlin1
January 6th, 2012
6:43 pm
Georgia definitely played not to lose. The one step drop pass that was successful at the beginning of the game was abandoned. Plays like that set up the holes up the middle. The predictability of the play calling was painful. BTW, if the missed 43 yarder were kicked from 33 yards it would have gone thru the uprights. Watch the film. Bottom line though is Dogs are #1 in my book.
Stephen A.DAWG: With Richt & Murray , no SEC titles with those two figures.
January 6th, 2012
6:44 pm
Richt was rushed in to UGA with no previous head coaching experience. And that was because Spurrier’s Fun N’ Gun passing attack had reaped havoc on Georgia from 1990 from 2000. Georgia was slow to adjust to the new passing game era in the SEC brought in by Spurrier when he arrived to UF in 1990. Georgia was still locked into the “who’s gonna be our next Herschel” campaign and was committed to the run on offense as the SEC shifted to the pass. UGA was ten years behind trying to establish a passing game when Georgia administrators ran out and grabbed a head coaching neophyte in Richt. But unknown to the UGA brass, the college football world was fast closing in on the fastbreak, pass-first offenses of the 1990s by the year 2000. Richt had never established a dominate ground game at FSU and to this day still sees no need to phase in a ball control ground game to take pressure off the defense. In the SEC the game has changed from the pass-happy UF offenses to dominating run games of LSU and Bama. Richt’s conservatism won’t allow him to make the change, because the pass first offense is all he knows. As opposed to Spurrier who has dumped his old UF Fun N’ Gun pass offense for a current SEC-style run game.
I watched both FSU and UF closely in the 90s, especially with the Dawgs struggling, and I really didn’t see much difference between Spurrier’s Fun N’ Gun and Richt’s Fastbreak FSU offense. But ground locked hapless teams with no pass games were routed again and again by FSU & UF, before some programs like Miami, Oklahoma, Alabama, and Tennessee finally stood up and brought a end to the reign of pass-happy terror. Richt desperately needs to come out his comfort zone, hire a proven OC and keep his hands of the new offense. With the defense in Grantham’s competent hands UGA would then have a shot to get to that next level. But we already know Richt won’t cooperate, so we will have to wait until after 2014 or 2015 to get changes at Georgia that are overdue in 2012.
dmr
January 6th, 2012
7:00 pm
Bill,
Georgia has 8 – 10 more slots to fill for the 2012 class. We keep hearing some names…Harvey-Clemons, Mike Davis, Jordan Jenkins. Who are we not hearing about that might surprise us? What positions are the Dawgs still trying to fill?
Love the work.