Richt has impressive company among coaches with no national title
Can Mark Richt be called a great football coach if he never wins a national title? (Jason Getz / AJC)
USA Today’s Mike Lopresti had an interesting column this week discussing who is the best current college football coach without a national championship.
Naturally, Mark Richt’s name came up, with Lopresti noting that the coach “has survived the Southeastern Conference hothouse at Georgia for 11 years and won nearly 74 percent of his games.”
But Lopresti consigned Richt to the “resonable nominees” list along with Michigan State’s Mark Dantonio, Wisconsin’s Bret Bielema, Nevada’s Chris Ault (really!!??) and Notre Dame’s Brian Kelly (who has the best winning percentage among the top 10 active coaches in career victories).
His main candidates, though, included Kansas State’s Bill Snyder, Boise State’s Chris Petersen, Oregon’s Chip Kelly, TCU’s Gary Patterson and his ultimate choice of the best coach without a crystal football: Virginia Tech’s Frank Beamer, who has 251 career victories (the most of any active coach), has had 19 bowl teams and came closest to a national championship in 1999 with a certain dog-abusing quarterback.
Frank Beamer also doesn't have a national championship. (Associated Press)
Who the USA Today columnist picked as the best coach without a national title didn’t interest me as much as the fact that it’s a list of pretty impressive and successful coaching talent who are in the same boat as UGA’s Richt.
So, here’s my question: Just how important to a program is it to win a national championship? If Richt never gets one, will he forever rank behind the Nick Sabans and Urban Meyers, no matter how many successful seasons he coaches at Georgia? That’s been the major knock on Richt and it boggles my mind a little to realize that even if his Dawgs were to manage to win the SEC championship game this season and make it to the BCS game and didn’t win it … he’d still have that same millstone around his neck.
What do you think? Is it all about the national title? If so, does that really make Frank Beamer less of a coach than Urban Meyer?
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382 comments Add your comment
HUH?????
August 22nd, 2012
3:34 pm
What does it say about a football program like UGA when a GA native, Cam Newton, plays football at three other schools in three other states?
Tide Rising
August 22nd, 2012
3:36 pm
Huh,
Yeah. He called me a liar because I rememebered UT beating UGA 35-7 in 07. The reality is the final score was 35-14 after uga got a consolation td. In his mind an honest mistake makes you a LIAR if it involves UGA.
WDE
August 22nd, 2012
3:39 pm
@HUH????? it says that 2 out of the 3 schools have no standards…that was easy next question.
CHDawg
August 22nd, 2012
3:43 pm
Huh, so you think Junkyard Blawg is about Auburn football? ’nuff said, bright one!
DawginLex
August 22nd, 2012
3:47 pm
HUH thinks Auburn is going to win a lot of games this year and calls us delusional.
Looking forward to seeing Jovon Robinson in the blue and orange
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
When that counselor admits she was paid directly by Auburn to change that grade, POOF!!!! Auburn is gone!!!!!!!!
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That garbage story about his dad has changed twice now.
First, he was killed in an accident at work. Now, the Memphis PO-PO killed him. NCAA has got a permanent campsite in Memphis now.
CHDawg
August 22nd, 2012
3:51 pm
Tide Rising, the problem is that you used the incorrect score as an argument. If you are going to taunt your neighbor, you might want to get the facts straight first. We can’t tell the difference between lies and honest mistakes. In either case you are on an opposing team’s blog, taunting fans with incorrect information. Not too sharp. BTW, you also got the score wrong in the UK game, along with your pal, Huh. Your argument wasn’t objective, revealing your obsession with UGA.
HUH?????
August 22nd, 2012
4:13 pm
“so you think Junkyard Blawg is about Auburn football? ‘
I’m still waiting on your posts that showed I lied, ma’am.
HUH?????
August 22nd, 2012
4:14 pm
“HUH thinks Auburn is going to win a lot of games this year and calls us delusional.”
Not only is Lex a complete liar, he’s also a sociopath. Show me where I typed anything about AU winning a lot of games.
SSIgator
August 22nd, 2012
4:15 pm
Well, here we are again. Another college football season about to get underway and as sure as the sun rises, the UGA writers are trotting out the same old & tired article about St. Markus Rectumus. This has gotten to be so predictable that one could almost set their watch by it.
Actually, you could almost use a “Gone with the Wind” type of analogy (with a little editorial re-write) to go along with the articles. On the one hand, you have a divided UGA fan base (played by Scarlett O’Hara); half of which are in love with him (Ashley Wilkes – played by Mark Richt) and the other half that pine away for another to take his place.
The tragic figure in this story is, of course, St. Mark. Never messing up so badly or enough times to be outright fired, but also never winning big enough or often enough to achieve the ultimate goal as a college football coach.
So, another year is upon us and 1980 is another year further in the past – “Gone with the Wind”
HUH?????
August 22nd, 2012
4:16 pm
“When that counselor admits she was paid directly by Auburn to change that grade, POOF!!!! Auburn is gone!!!!!!!!’
Um, troglodyte, Auburn hasn’t been accused of anything.
I remember when you used to post that Auburn would get the death penalty in 2010.
NEVER HAPPENED!!!!
“irst, he was killed in an accident at work. Now, the Memphis PO-PO killed him. ”
Stay classy, Lex. Making fun of someone’s death is about as scummy as one can get.
HUH?????
August 22nd, 2012
4:17 pm
“Looking forward to seeing Jovon Robinson in the blue and orange”
I’m looking forward to seeing Isaiah Crowell….oh wait.
See Lex, not only am I smarter than you, I can also one up you a whole lot better.
DREAM TEAM! WOOF WOOF
HUH?????
August 22nd, 2012
4:18 pm
“it says that 2 out of the 3 schools have no standards”
AH, so UF and AU have no standards. UGA is perfect and never has any problems.
The one thing that AU and UF has that UGA doesn’t is a crystal trophy.
WOOF WOOF!
HUH?????
August 22nd, 2012
4:20 pm
SSIgator
I love it how UGA fans always mock other SEC schools that have actually won a title or two..or three. I can’t wait to see UF beat UGA and then watch as UGA fans cry in their trailer parks.
UGADawg83
August 22nd, 2012
4:21 pm
Bill
as usual this blog does nothing but open up the gates for more anti-UGA commentary and Richt bashing. For a life long Bulldog you have a strange way of supporting our program.
HUH?????
August 22nd, 2012
4:23 pm
“as usual this blog does nothing but open up the gates for more anti-UGA commentary and Richt bashing.”
More selective outrage from our resident UGA fans. Hey 83, before you go and get angry at Bill King, perhaps you should read some of the atrocious comments from your fellow dawg fans.
DawginLex
August 22nd, 2012
4:23 pm
Jovon robinson is going to take the Auburn program down
Crowell did something stupid and got booted off the team
1 involves an NCAA investigation including changing a transcript
The other invovles a kid who had to change schools because he messed up
You will never 1 up me
DawginLex
August 22nd, 2012
4:26 pm
Later loser
HUH?????
August 22nd, 2012
4:27 pm
“Jovon robinson is going to take the Auburn program down”
Prove it. Show a link to back up your claim.
“1 involves an NCAA investigation including changing a transcript’
At his high school in Memphis.
“You will never 1 up me”
You really aren’t smart are you?
Oh, and that last statement was rhetorical. Do you know what rhetorical means, ma’am?
HUH?????
August 22nd, 2012
4:29 pm
“Later loser”
This is what I love about Lex. The guy always comes on the AJC sports blogs, calls other folks names and then usually cries to the moderator about someone else fighting back.
Lex is late for his job at Pizza Hut.
Otto
August 22nd, 2012
4:35 pm
We’ll see what Gene C does at Auburn. Agreed great coaches sustain success. Auburn’s staff adapted their play calling to fit what they had on the team to a much great degree than Bobo ever has. I firmly believe Bobo and Richt would have converted Newton to TE and at the very best as a QB try to limit his runs by making him a pocket passer. College ball isn’t the NFL where you can trade, draft, and go after free agents. You have to adapt and use the talent you have.
1 loss UGA vs 1 loss tOSU, USC? Yes in the past UGA would likely get looked over. 2002 could have easily been like Auburn 2004. All the more reason to cheer for fellow SEC teams in a BCS CG, and in my opinion any time a SEC team plays against any other conference. A 1 loss SEC champ may get the nod over a 12-0 team given the SEC’s run of success in the BCS CG.
The Factor
August 22nd, 2012
4:38 pm
@Tide Rising,
Everybody (ESPN, CBS & fans) I listened to wanted UGA/SCal in 2007 in the appropriate bowl match-up as the best two teams playing late in the season. If you deny this, well the debate stops due to your misguided partiality. I agree about your, “Hawaii, Come on!” Well, better to blow them out as they were the selected opponent than lay the egg like Bama did the next year with Utah.
Gary
August 22nd, 2012
4:39 pm
I think if he starts winning the big games again things will changes. The future looks good for UGA with the next class. With Tennessee and Florida sort of stumbling right now Georgia has a great opportunity in the next coupld of years. I think the playoff system will help give UGA a chance but you will still have to step up and beat some solid teams to get their. Georgia just hasn’t signed a game changer like a Latimore, Tebow, or Newton. As soon as someone like that emerges from one of our classes things will click.
Old Dog Class of 1980
August 22nd, 2012
4:40 pm
Sure, Mark Richt want to win a National Chanpionship, but he doesn’t want it enough to:
Fire or demote his friend Bobo.
Move a coach down or out to make room for a Special Teams coach.
Pull his “chosen one” QB out of a game after turnovers.
Refuse to use his “chosen one” place-kicker even when it is clear he has lost his mojo.
He didn’t REALLY want to fire Martinez, he would rather have just kept on with him.
HUH?????
August 22nd, 2012
4:40 pm
“Everybody (ESPN, CBS & fans) I listened to wanted UGA/SCal in 2007″
Then reality set in and USC went on probation and UGA underperformed like most years.
“Well, better to blow them out as they were the selected opponent than lay the egg like Bama did the next year with Utah.
It’s funny when UGA fans bring up the Utah game like that means anything. Heck, UGA can’t even win their bowl games anymore and lose to teams like UCF.
icedawg
August 22nd, 2012
4:41 pm
The Dawgs’ record shows that during Richt’s tenure they have been a solid second tier SEC team. He is not the same calibre as Saban or Spurrier at coaching. But the Dawgs must know and admit that Richt’s predecessors were not much better. VD had the great run with Herschel and company and was a solid winner, too, but there were other coaches that were better. Alabama and Florida have had their down years, too. It takes special talent at coaching to do what Spurrier and Saban have done at different schools.
SSIgator
August 22nd, 2012
4:42 pm
HUH?????
“always comes on the AJC sports blogs, calls other folks names and then usually cries to the moderator about someone else fighting back”
_________________
Don’t be too hard on Nancy. She is probably just irked that she missed her lunch with the girls today and as a result, did not have her ceasar salad with her glass of pinot grigiot. Some times, life is just not fair. Poor darlin’
HUH?????
August 22nd, 2012
4:42 pm
“Georgia just hasn’t signed a game changer like a Latimore, Tebow, or Newton.’
No, but I do remember UGA fans talking about how Eric Zier, Rodney Hampton, Isaiah Crowell etc would all be the next super star.
Don’t even pretend like that never happened.
Otto
August 22nd, 2012
4:43 pm
SSI Gator the half that is over Richt is accused of not being “real” fans. I dislike many things about UF, and Bama but if you don’t win you’re out. UF would never accept CMR’s record in Jax nor would Bama accept it against any SEC team.
UGA has the in state talent, facilities, fans, and funding to go atleast .500 in Jax, compete for SEC titles and at the very least not choke against teams looking for a marque win against the SEC without being on probation like Bama. It is time for the fans to ask for it.
HUH?????
August 22nd, 2012
4:44 pm
“We’ll see what Gene C does at Auburn.’
Chizik adapts to whatever is going on around him. Proof came in 2010 when he had to endure the entire sports media onslaught of negative stories and lies. Proof also comes when he has to share the state with Nick Saban.
Chizik has been apart of 3 undefeated teams and two national titles and has never lost in a bowl appearance with any team he’s been apart of.
HUH?????
August 22nd, 2012
4:46 pm
“UGA has the in state talent, facilities, fans, and funding to go atleast .500 in Jax, compete for SEC titles and at the very least not choke against teams looking for a marque win against the SEC without being on probation like Bama. ”
What a mystery that is, huh.
Otto
August 22nd, 2012
4:46 pm
icedawg, just because Richt is better than previous coaches is no reason to settle for it now.
The only way I see Richt winning a crystal ball is the way Mack Brown and VD did waiting for a once and a lifetime talent.
The Factor
August 22nd, 2012
4:46 pm
@HuH???
“It’s funny when UGA fans bring up the Utah game like that means anything”
Ok, I bite, neither does our loss to UCF.
HUH?????
August 22nd, 2012
4:47 pm
“Alabama and Florida have had their down years, too.”
As does every school. The difference is that those two schools go out and get top notch coaching to get them back to greatness.
HUH?????
August 22nd, 2012
4:49 pm
“Ok, I bite, neither does our loss to UCF.”
UCF is more recent than Utah. Also, Saban was in his second year at Bama dealing with players he didn’t recruit. CMR has been at UGA for over ten years and hasn’t done squat.
Saban built on that and went on to win 2 national championships and will most likely win 2-3 more.
CHDawg
August 22nd, 2012
4:50 pm
Huh, You can’t even keep track of what you have said! You started our exchange quoting my correction of Tide Rising on a fact. In it you called us “pathetic,” and you said that we were living in the past. I wasn’t living in the past; I was merely correcting Tide Rising’s lie/mistake. So that is two misrepresentations. You approved of Tide’s mistake on the UK score by quoting it, without correcting it, insinuating that I was the liar! You have added a number of other lies/misrepresentations. You said Boise State hasn’t gone undefeated recently, when they have gone undefeated twice in the last six seasons! I could go on, but it is pointless. You are absolutely obsessed with your hatred for UGA, so no matter what anybody says, you will change your id and repeat your attacks.
CHDawg
August 22nd, 2012
4:54 pm
HUH, I also think it very odd that you come on here spewing hate on UGA, but you won’t talk about Auburn football in ‘12!!?? We don’t mind talking football, sweetie…you can leave the hate and insults in your purse with your mirror. I don’t mean to be presumptive, but how else could you see me in your mirror? Pathetic…that is what you see, but it is your mirror at home I was talking about.
Gary
August 22nd, 2012
4:57 pm
It is pretty clear that Urban and Saban are in a league of their own in the nation not just the SEC. They are great coaches. Miles has built a good consistant program and got some luck to have his shot at the trophy. Gene is just lucky. He had a one man army to coach. Richt has had great teams when others in the conference were just better (Florida with Tebow for example). Right now we are not in a position to really challenge but we are better than we have been for the last few years.
HUH?????
August 22nd, 2012
4:57 pm
“I was merely correcting Tide Rising’s lie/mistake. So that is two misrepresentations. ”
1: You did lie and two, you need to look up the word “misrepresentation.” It doesn’t mean what you think it means.
2: Tide Rising didn’t lie. Again, you throw the word “lie” around very easily.
“You approved of Tide’s mistake on the UK score by quoting it
Again with the lies.
“You said Boise State hasn’t gone undefeated recently, when they have gone undefeated twice in the last six seasons!
That’s not recent. Geez, do you even know what recent means?
“You are absolutely obsessed with your hatred for UGA”
Again with the selective poutrage. I’m about as “obsessed” with UGA football as I am with soccer in Uganda.
The only reason I came on this blog was because as usual, UGA fans go and mock other schools that have actually done something big in college football.
HUH?????
August 22nd, 2012
5:00 pm
“but you won’t talk about Auburn football in ‘12!!”
Um, that’s because 2012 football hasn’t even started.
“you can leave the hate and insults in your purse with your mirror.”
Contradict much, ma’am?
“but how else could you see me in your mirror?”
It’s
called
sarcasm,
ma’am.
Ed
August 22nd, 2012
5:01 pm
National championships in 1-A are fictional and meaningless anyway. What counts are conference championships, and Richt has 2 in 11 seasons. Not bad, but concerning because both were won in a 5 year stretch and there hasn’t been one since.
It’s the trend that concerns me with Richt. Last year didn’t do too much to alleviate my worries; let’s face it, we were decent but didn’t really play anyone good for a long stretch. 2012 may not be much better because the schedule is a joke for the most part. But if Georgia wins 10 games (3 are gimmes) and loses to the best teams on the schedule again, that’s a sign that Richt simply does not have what it takes to get over the hump.
DawginLex
August 22nd, 2012
5:02 pm
Hides behind twenty blog handles and lies like barners do
Typical auburn toad
HUH?????
August 22nd, 2012
5:03 pm
“National championships in 1-A are fictional and meaningless anyway.
Only to schools that don’t have them.
“What counts are conference championships, and Richt has 2 in 11 seasons.”
Oh boy.
HUH?????
August 22nd, 2012
5:04 pm
Looks like Lex got fired from Pizza Hut again.
HUH?????
August 22nd, 2012
5:05 pm
“Hides behind twenty blog handles and lies like barners do”
Lex was never really good at that “speaking in coherent english” thing.
DawginLex
August 22nd, 2012
5:06 pm
Huh and BCS champs-same toad
There is a reason he remembers my posts because I am man enough to not hide from what I say
You on the other hand post under multiple idiotic names so you don’t have to own up
Wimp
HUH?????
August 22nd, 2012
5:06 pm
Interesting observation: After BVG left UGA, UGA’s defense has been crap.
HUH?????
August 22nd, 2012
5:08 pm
“Huh and BCS champs-same toad”
Again with the broken english.
“There is a reason he remembers my posts because I am man enough to not hide from what I say”
It’s hard not to remember your posts, Lex. I mean, not many people on the AJC sports blogs type as badly as you do.
“You on the other hand post under multiple idiotic names so you don’t have to own up”
If you’re so “manly” perhaps you’ll post your real name. I know that the name on your welfare card does not say DawginLex.
Dawg Bite
August 22nd, 2012
5:14 pm
Dan Marino was a great QB in the NFL, as most everyone would agree. He does not have a Super Bowl ring on his finger, but does that in any way diminish what he accomplished on the field and remove the “great ” tag by his name? Many would say yes, and that is a shame, but unfortunately that is the way our society works. CMR has not won the “big prize”, or even competed for it, but if he is a consistent winner and leaves a legacy at UGA for wins, is he not dubbed a great coach? Probably so, but without the “Crystal”, he will just go down as being one of the better ones. And, rightly so, perhaps.
chazzo
August 22nd, 2012
5:17 pm
Of course, every fan wants their team to win the National Championship. I’m no different.
But, my wish for the 2012-2013 season is for an SEC team (any one of them) to play Southern Cal in the National Championship and make that weasel Kiffen cry like a little b*&ch.
HUH?????
August 22nd, 2012
5:18 pm
“Dan Marino was a great QB in the NFL, as most everyone would agree. He does not have a Super Bowl ring on his finger, but does that in any way diminish what he accomplished on the field and remove the “great ” tag by his name?”
Comparing Dan Marino to Mark Rick is laughable.