Georgia players need to learn lesson from underachieving 2008 Dawgs
Christian Robinson believes this year's team is more mature than the Dawgs of 2008. (University of Georgia)
Last season, particularly after the 0-2 start, the biggest challenge for Mark Richt’s Bulldogs was blocking out all the fan and media talk about whether their head coach would keep his job.
This year, it’s a matter of the players trying to focus amid all the preseason hype about Georgia returning a lot of starters, probably starting the season in the Top 10, being favored to win the SEC East again and even figuring in some early BCS chatter.
Georgia’s been there before and it didn’t turn out so well. The 2008 Dawgs had lots of star power and even loftier preseason expectations, but proved to be a big disappointment.
Christian Robinson, who’s emerged as one of the more vocal leaders of the 2012 Bulldogs and who redshirted in 2008, told Edward Aschoff of ESPN.com that selfishness and immaturity were a problem for that team. Robinson maintained this year’s team is smarter and more mature. “This is a totally different team,” Robinson said. “You don’t read your press clippings and start believing.”
But then you’d kind of expect him to say that.
Judging by the increased number of off-field problems that have cropped up so far, some involving seniors who ought to know better, you might begin to wonder whether some on this year’s team have looked at Georgia’s favorable schedule, heard the hype and are taking success for granted.
“We have to understand that we have to earn it and nothing’s going to be given to us,” Richt told Aschoff. “I hope they’re not believing the hype. I have to make sure they understand that they gotta earn everything they get and I can reference 2008.”
Here’s hoping Richt cites the lessons of that year frequently, and that the players listen more closely than some of them appear to have done so far during this offseason.
Ironically, Robinson believes that the adversity caused by having several starters possibly suspended early in the season will end up being a plus, banding the team together more tightly and forcing them to work harder early on. I hope he’s right.
Quarterback Aaron Murray, who Aschoff said has taken it on himself to become more outspoken on team issues, thinks the lesson has been learned.
“Our guys understand that you can’t be doing anything too crazy right now,” Murray said. “This could be a very special season. This could be a season you remember for the rest of your life. If we work hard, the sky’s the limit for us.”
If not, it could be 2008 all over again.
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153 comments Add your comment
ole yeller
April 11th, 2012
3:15 pm
As long as I read bad press about the “O” line. I shall defend it. The “O”line will be fine. They will come around and be something special. They will make the “O” GO. Count on it.
WDE
April 11th, 2012
3:17 pm
@dawgfan troll boy we beat hell out of UT,Bug U,the gators and boat raced Auburn last year..you may not think that counts but we do…now troll on off into the sunset Nancy.
schmeckdawg
April 11th, 2012
3:28 pm
Still@theKool-aidBAR
April 11th, 2012
12:12 pm
Murfdawg Wardrobe malfunction like this?
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=401281249882616&set=p.401281249882616&type=1&theater
***************************************************************************************
Wow, a double whammy, those unis AND a Liberty Bowl patch…OUCH!!!!!!!!!!!
Game Changer
April 11th, 2012
3:30 pm
How nieve many GA fans are: Jerry Jones and Todd Grantham are very very close, much closer than any Todd Grantham relationships to GA or any of its coaches.
If offered: Todd Grantham will jump at the opportunity to become Arkansas Head Coach at a salary greater than that of Mark Richts current annual salary running through 2016.
If offered, Todd Grantham will not turn down.
Grantham's the Man
April 11th, 2012
3:32 pm
Georgia sure must be doing something right, because there’s a Elephant crap pile load of Alabama trolls on here that have UGA’s football team on their minds.
Get over it. Either enjoy the spoils of Saban’s no morals roster management, bogus medical hardship, no suspensions for any starter regardless of what they do, or decide that you want to clean the program up ( like Arkansas did) and get a coach with morals so you can have a program that you can really be proud of.
As long as we have lieing, cheating coaches with no values who will do anything and every thing regardless of right or wrong, it will be very hard to have a clean program that can win it all while doing it the right way.
But that’s a Alabama fans worst nightmare. Richt winning it all while not being a lieing, cheating pile or Elephant dung. Alabama can’t have both as long as Saban’s in charge.
Georgia can and mark Richt is the man that will get it done.
dawgfan
April 11th, 2012
3:32 pm
“@dawgfan troll boy we beat hell out of UT,Bug U,the gators and boat raced Auburn last year..”
Yes, beating those teams is certainly better than the alternative. They are all big rivals and I was as excited to beat them as anyone. HOWEVER, those 4 teams were a combined 28-23 last year and the definition of mediocrity. I’m glad you’re content with beating mediocre teams. I’m not.
Thanks.
bham dawg
April 11th, 2012
3:42 pm
im with you dawgfan but if you don’t see the major improvement from 2010 to 2011 and it doesn’t give you optimism for 2012 something is wrong.
SEC Fan Club
April 11th, 2012
3:44 pm
Grantham isn’t going to Arkansas. Tehy are just getting over one blowhards stupidity. Why compound the problem bringing in another blowhard, who’s not near the coach the one you fired was. Send Richt to Arkansas. Just like Georgia fans, the Razorback fans will embrace 8-4, 9-3 all day long.
Grantham's the Man
April 11th, 2012
3:46 pm
All you Alabama Trolls wishing outloud that Grantham will go to Arkansas better be careful what you wish for. All that hate might come back the other way. All you Trolls keep talking about how great Kirby Smart is susposed to be. Maby it will be Alabama who loses their DC?
How long will it be before another SEC job opens up like Arkansas, that is already stacked with talent?
Keep on hating and see what it gets you.
evil empire
April 11th, 2012
3:52 pm
why would arky want grantham…they saw what Lsu did to his “junkyard dawgs”…you gotta beat Lsu and/or bama to win the west…both are better than boise and michigan state…ctg will stay in athens and dominate buffalo and ga.southern….lose to sc, mizzou, vandy, ut, tech, and florida…6-6 in 2012…gonna suck for the uga-holics, but will be sweet for truth bloggers…
Harry Dawg
April 11th, 2012
3:53 pm
The sad thing is that most football players live their lives by “sayings”. Unfortunately there’s nothing cool to say about NOT smoking pot – and we all know that “crack is whack”.
Game Changer
April 11th, 2012
4:12 pm
Will Todd Grantham attend G Day or be in Fayetville, Arkansas accepting the Head Coach position from AD Long and Jerry Jones?
Remember: Jerry Jones wants to see the SEC CG in his stadium.
evil empire
April 11th, 2012
4:12 pm
i have a cool saying about smoking pot…”LEGALIZE MARIJUANA!”…it boggles the mind that pot is still illegal, and that thousands of people are in jail at taxpayer expense because of stupid marijuana laws…nor should you have to pee in a cup during an employment physical…never failed a drug screen and never will…but shouldn’t have to take one either…what you do isn’t your employers business…
alpharetta alice
April 11th, 2012
4:17 pm
I wish they would move the SEC CG out of Atlanta. Move it to somewhere decent like New Orleans, or Houston now that TAMU is in the conference. Atlanta could get into a rotation for the game only if they build a new stadium north of the city (Cobb or Cherokee counties). Get out of downtown.
SEC Football Players Union
April 11th, 2012
4:20 pm
We agree completely with Mr. Empire on his marijuana stance.
Still@theKool-aidBAR
April 11th, 2012
4:22 pm
A ALICE move out of Ga. or you pony up the money to build a new stadium.
Still@theKool-aidBAR
April 11th, 2012
4:24 pm
WOW UGa fans want the POT legal who would have ever thought that. There are plenty of dumb laws. I guess DUI should be legal too.
SEC Football Players Union
April 11th, 2012
4:27 pm
hey koolaidbar…you don’t have to agree with me on the pot issue, but…calling me a uga fan??? thats hitting below the belt, pal…
dawgfan
April 11th, 2012
4:30 pm
“…what you do isn’t your employers business…”
LMAO. And it isn’t your business when that paycheck doesn’t come anymore. Its their money and their business.
I weep for the future…
UGADawg91
April 11th, 2012
4:30 pm
As great as Kirby Smart is supposed to be as a DC, why is he not a HC yet? Alabama has been extremely successful the last few years and Smart is a hot name every year. Has he not had opportunities to step from under Saban and prove himself as a HC?
dawgfan
April 11th, 2012
4:34 pm
“im with you dawgfan but if you don’t see the major improvement from 2010 to 2011 and it doesn’t give you optimism for 2012 something is wrong.”
The defense improved a great deal but still has a long way to go. They need to handle adversity better. Other than that, I didn’t see that many great improvements. Our offensive line is still outmanned and Bobo is still our offensive coordinator. Until we fix those things wins over mediocre SEC opponents is all that we can realistically hope for. I didn’t see anything last year that tells me those things will be fixed. In our last game against MSU our offensive line simply got their azzes whipped. That does not bode well for the future.
Thanks.
GA Rules!
April 11th, 2012
4:56 pm
Ga has the best D in the SEC—with a decent O, the dawgs can win the SEC. Mark this down—GA upsets alabama for the title!
Lots of big talk now
April 11th, 2012
5:05 pm
When the season starts, and the Dogs are taking no prisoners, there will be much whining and crying on the net. Don’t want to hear any excuses- woulda, coulda, shoulda as UGA marches into the SEC title game.
Still@theKool-aidBAR
April 11th, 2012
5:05 pm
GA Rules….mark this down——–You will not BET $1000.00 on that so it don’t mean crap if anybody marks It Down or not.
Joe
April 11th, 2012
5:22 pm
“Our guys understand that you can’t be doing anything too crazy right now,” Murray said. “This could be a very special season. This could be a season you remember for the rest of your life. If we work hard, the sky’s the limit for us.”
If not, it could be 2008 all over again.
YEP…Murray needs to keep saying that….his turnovers and poor decisions were a direct result of 2 of the 4 losses……plain and simple!
bucket
April 11th, 2012
5:40 pm
Wow! This is hilarious! You have a bunch of troll fans with “UGA Obsession Syndrome” on the JUNKYARD BLAWG and they have the audacity to call UGA and its fans losers? Priceless!
AdMan
April 11th, 2012
6:24 pm
Hey tide roll….guess whose interviewing for the HC position at Arkansas on Friday…..your boy Kirby Smart….LOLOLOLOL!….can you say outa here….looks like Saban’s gonna need a lot of help this season! LOLLOLLOL!
Still@theKool-aidBAR
April 11th, 2012
6:29 pm
Adman when is BOBO scheduled to interview in Arkansas? Before or after Grantham?
intheknow
April 11th, 2012
6:50 pm
Hey Kool-aid boy….your post’s on here are hilarious…each post you make, makes you look more and more stupid….we continue to laugh our azz’es off at what a pompous idiot you are. It’s clear you don’t know anything about college football…let alone UGA. It’s also clear with each post you make you’ve got an axe to grind against Georgia. What’s wrong could’nt get in and had to attend a junior college?
The Tide is Rolling and Nothing can stop it
April 11th, 2012
6:51 pm
What year hasn’t been underachieving? UGA’s signature win since the last three decades was Hawaii.
The Tide is Rolling and Nothing can stop it
April 11th, 2012
6:56 pm
Don’t worry about 2008; UGA had to play decent teams that year…
By the way, when did it start going down for UGA that year? HMMMM
Haven’t been the same since.
The Tide is Rolling and Nothing can stop it
April 11th, 2012
6:57 pm
Why would Arkansas want Grantham? They have to play LSU (42 pts) every year!
Still@theKool-aidBAR
April 11th, 2012
7:01 pm
The Tide is Rolling I thought EVERY team with a Coaching Job Opening wanted a UGa coach to fill the spot.
intheknow
April 11th, 2012
7:04 pm
Hey Tide is Rolling…can you say bye bye to Smart….he’ll be a Razorback by Monday trailer boy!
01HAWK
April 11th, 2012
7:08 pm
Garrick McGee gets the job at ARKY……………………ARKY will do the pay out. There is no other logical choice. McGhee knows the team and he has only been at UAB for a short period of time and knows the system.
Football season is only 4-5 months away and to have a new coach that does not know the team or run the same offense will be be very bad for ARKY.
Still@theKool-aidBAR
April 11th, 2012
7:09 pm
intheNO with his pearls of wisdom. You changed the tires on your trailer?
01HAWK
April 11th, 2012
7:10 pm
Kirby Smart will not be considered…………………………McGee gets the job. He is good as gone from UAB.
01HAWK
April 11th, 2012
7:13 pm
GA Rules!
April 11th, 2012
4:56 pm
Ga has the best D in the SEC—with a decent O, the dawgs can win the SEC.Mark this down—GA upsets alabama for the title!
You had better pull out your VCR and watch the highlights from 1980 because UGA will not be in the BCS Championship game.
1980 was so 32 years ago.
intheknow
April 11th, 2012
7:16 pm
Hey KoolAid Boy…..rumor has it that the only time you let go of a dollar is to get a better grip….talk about cheap….what an idiot you are.
Mobile Dawg
April 11th, 2012
7:19 pm
I’m hearing Arkansas is considering Tuberville and Mullen.
I’m with dawgfan, I know it’s only April and they have to have something to write about but I’m really tired of hearing the same old talk from the coaches and the players.
Said it once, I’ll say it again, it’s up to Mark Richt to build the foundation, set the players limits, and mold the team into a solidified, committed group, with the goal of winning a championship. Problem is he’s to soft and doesn’t have the leadership skills to do it. Maybe another underachieving year will send him packing.
B C Dawg
April 11th, 2012
7:43 pm
Mobile–Son wish you would quit using Dawg as part of your name. You are nothing but a red-neck trailer dwelling bammer fan terolling on a Dawg article. Some of your bunch is obsessed with everything Dawg. Fear, Jealously, envy, what is it???
Mobile Dawg
April 11th, 2012
7:57 pm
B C, how bout you wish in one hand, and well, you know what in the other and see which one gets you what you want. I’ve been a Dawg fan, am a Dawg fan, and will be a Dawg fan. Just tired of seeing what ole Mark has done to UGA the last few years, you want to drink the kool aid, that’s your business.
And for the name calling, that just shows what your IQ is “Sport”. Have a good one and I will keep calling it like I see it.
Chris
April 11th, 2012
8:34 pm
It’s sad that everyone can’t be like Robinson and Murray. If everyone had that kind of mind set, the ski would be limit for this team.
Unfortunately, that is not the case, and these boneheaded players will continue to bring the team down. There will be more suspensions to come and that is so unfortunate for the team and the fans.
ga gator
April 11th, 2012
8:47 pm
If Malzahn did not have such a crazy wife I would predict him to be the next Arky coach, but with what they just went thru they would not want the drama. My prediction would be Kirby Smart. I would bet he would love to go up against the Master every year.
Still@theKool-aidBAR
April 11th, 2012
8:51 pm
What is so crazy about MALZAHN’s wife?
Grantham's the Man
April 11th, 2012
8:55 pm
Looks like the Kirby Smart to Arkansas may be true. I wonder how long before Reuben Foster switches his commitment to Ga?
Still@theKool-aidBAR
April 11th, 2012
9:18 pm
I don’t see Smart to ArkieSaw. The team was not Broken. A NEW coach that hasn’t been part of the system they are running will mess things up worse right now.
no gus
April 11th, 2012
9:20 pm
without cam newton, maltzhan can’t coach a lick. He’ll never get a big time job—book it.
short memories
April 11th, 2012
9:37 pm
lots of talent but same coach as in 08. totally out of his league. no discipline, no math skills, no clock management, no depth of understanding. Same results as 08
Ghost
April 11th, 2012
9:40 pm
tide roll, is a tech fan living vicariously through bama., one sick individual.