Georgia coaching staff’s fix-it list is a mile long
Georgia's defense had difficulty handling Jonathan George and other Kentucky runners. (Associated Press)
Some more thoughts and observations from Georgia’s win over Kentucky and looking ahead to the showdown with Florida …
Mark Richt’s Bulldogs have a lot of problems that need addressing before the game in Jacksonville, but the three biggest ones are a continuing problem defending the run, the deteriorating performance of the offensive line (and its effect on Georgia’s own running game) and the disaster that is UGA’s special teams play most of the time.
I’ve heard a lot of discussion in the past 24 hours over whether it was another faulty Todd Grantham game plan that was responsible for the Georgia defense’s terrible showing right out of the gate against the Wildcats, or whether the blame lies largely with the players, most of whom haven’t yet lived up to their preseason press clippings and have failed to put together a complete half (let alone a game) playing as a team.
I’m inclined to think it’s a bit of both. We’ve seen too many first-half offensive surges by lesser teams this season (not to mention an outright offensive blitz by the one good team we’ve played) for Georgia’s highly-paid defensive coordinator to be let off the hook. Even if it’s not the game plan itself that is lacking, Grantham appears to be doing a very poor job of getting his troops ready.
But, yes, the bottom line is the players aren’t getting it done. Even after Grantham made adjustments in the second half to slow down Kentucky’s suddenly potent running game (which the rest of the conference probably would tell you must have been a mirage), it appeared the Cats temporarily losing Jalen Whitlow to a migraine had more to do with Big Blue getting off track. When Whitlow returned in the fourth quarter, the Wildcats were able to grind out another long touchdown drive.
True, the Dogs still won the game, as the Georgia coaching staff was repeatedly reminding everyone Saturday night. And there were individual efforts worth applauding, including those of Jordan Jenkins and Kwame Geathers.
But the larger picture is what has the Bulldog Nation disturbed: A Bulldogs defense that gives up 206 yards on the ground to the worst rushing offense in the conference doesn’t look well-positioned to halt Florida’s not-flashy-but-effective grind-it-out ground attack.
And the defense’s poor showing when the Cats had third-and-long was so disturbing that even amid all the positive spin emerging from the Georgia locker room Saturday night Grantham noted, “I didn’t think we played the third-down runs well and we need to clean that up.”
Todd Gurley and the rest of Georgia's rushing attack was largely ineffective against the Wildcats. (Associated Press)
On the other side of the ball, Aaron Murray and Georgia’s passing game looked sharp, but that was against a secondary that can’t hold a candle to Florida’s. And the continued poor play of the offensive line, after some encouraging performances against midlevel opposition earlier in the season, is distressing. Georgia simply hasn’t had an effective rushing attack the past two games, and that largely falls on the blockers. Throw in three sacks of Murray and several false-start penalties and Will Friend’s unit just barely rates a passing grade for its effort in Lexington.
And then there’s the clown car of college football known as Georgia’s special teams. Saturday night, even Richt was cracking wise about placekicker Marshall Morgan’s continuing troubles, noting: “He’s hit the upright more than anybody in the nation, I would think. He probably set a school record for that.”
The Dogs’ dire kicking game is no joking matter, though. Since Richt has chosen not to even have an overall special teams coordinator, much less a special teams coach (or to take the job on himself, as some head coaches do), there’s no one to work with Morgan on solving his problems. Maybe someone should at least get him on the phone with Georgia kicking legend Kevin Butler, who noted on the Saturday night and Sunday Bulldog call-in shows that bad form in how Morgan approaches the ball is likely to blame.
And then there’s Georgia’s apparent inability to come up with a plan for fielding punts. After finally settling on Rhett McGowan as the deep man receiving punts for the Dogs, Richt and company still haven’t been able to get the message through that whenever possible you have to actually catch the ball, rather than let it hit the ground and take your chances on where it’s downed.
With the Dogs facing one of the nation’s best punters this coming week in Florida’s Kyle Christy, fixing this should be a top priority for the UGA coaching staff. On this matter I’ll again defer to Butler, whose son Drew just finished a terrific stint as the Dogs’ punter and is now making a living punting in the NFL. The elder Butler thinks Georgia needs to once again start putting two deep men back on punts to make sure the ball is caught.
The one bright spot in Georgia’s special teams play Saturday was Connor Norman’s Johnny-on-the-spot recovery of that on-side kick by the Cats. If he hadn’t pounced on that ball, the Dogs probably would no longer be in the SEC East race.
What’s especially alarming is that Florida’s special teams play has been as terrific as Georgia’s has been lacking. Against South Carolina the Gator special teams helped produce points by forcing turnovers and making long returns.
So much to fix and so little time. Should Georgia simply run up the white flag and concede the Florida game? Of course not. Lesser Richt teams have somehow managed to pull off upsets of highly rated opponents (if you go back a few years, admittedly).
But as Georgia QB Murray put it, “We know we have to play an unbelievable game offensively, defensively and on special teams if we want to have a chance to win that game.”
Even then, it’s probably going to take the Gators finally stumbling and turning in a poor performance to make Bulldog fans’ dreams of two in a row in Jacksonville come true.
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Got something you want to discuss concerning the upcoming game against Florida? Or maybe a question you want the Junkyard Blawg to tackle? Send it to junkyardblawg@gmail.com.
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244 comments Add your comment
augDawg
October 22nd, 2012
3:15 pm
I would really like to see what a coach like John Gruden could do at Georgia . I wonder if anyone has ever asked him about it ? We need a coach who can bring some discipline to the sidelines . We need a defensive coach . Look at the SEC now and see what coaches are winning the games that count . Florida – Defensive minded coach , LSU – Defensive minded Coach , Alabama – Defensive minded coach , Carolina – Offensive coach with a Good Defensive Mind Behind him . Defensive minded coaches understand how to win in this conference Play Great Defense and Control the lines on both sides of the football . Look how LSU beat Carolina . They didnt run away from Clowney and Company , They didnt try to throw deep balls on 4 and 1 or run deep routes all night . They took the ball , came out in the I and Ran it right at people . What does Georgia Try to do . Let’s go 5 wide and leave our undersized / Young offensive line to fend for themselves . The SEC is known for two things Running the Football and Playing Good Defense and Georgia is doing neither right now
obama SIN LADEN
October 22nd, 2012
3:25 pm
Everyone going to jax,please wear a cross or your favorite religious symbol. See LSU.
Mrs. Richt
October 22nd, 2012
3:30 pm
To sum up what I have read, is it is not my husband’s fault at all, it is the University of GA which is inferior to the University of Florida/S.C./LSU/Tennessee/ oh and of course Alabama. All of UF coaches over the last 22 years have been able ot beat this school…….no it is not my husband’s fault at all!!!
I told him when he got the offer that this school was not in the same class as The other SEC elite, but nooooooo he had to be a big shot and move us all to this hell hole!!!
PAC 12 here we come!!!
James K. Polk
October 22nd, 2012
3:31 pm
Forget Gruden…that’s a long shot (it would be great, though). Dan Mullin would win us a title within four years…or, at least, have us seriously competing for one.
With any luck the poster "Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville" gets hit by a Mack truck changing that tire.
October 22nd, 2012
3:50 pm
OR we could be the next Tennessee, fire a coach who gets you 8 to 10 wins a year and doesn’t embarrass the University to get a pretty boy who leaves your program in a garbage can after one year and the next coach can’t get a break and are SEC East bottom dwellers? All you armchair idiots are soooooo sure the next coach at Georgia will be better than Richt yet you don’t want to face the fact that another coach could also set the program back decades too.
Ray Goof's Hat
October 22nd, 2012
3:58 pm
Remember me? Yes, things are never so bad that they can’t get worse!
Flat Tire On I-95 in Jacksonville
October 22nd, 2012
4:31 pm
With any luck the poster “Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville” gets hit by a Mack truck changing that tire.
Your not to bright are you; you forget to mention teams like SC, Bama, USC, Texas, FL, FL FL, Ohio St, TCU, Oregon, Oklahoma, Oklahoma St, LSU
I seem to remember they made coaching changes and did quite well
Anyway it doesnt take an armchair QB to realize that a coach that has had more players go to the NFL
and yet
is 0-10 vs the top 10
0-12 vs the top 20
2-14 vs the top 25 the last 5 yrs
isnt getting it done but your nothing more than a kool-aid drinking moron with his only come back is for someone to get hit by a car
I guess that last tooth you have is about like the only brain cell you have too
Snoop Dawgg
October 22nd, 2012
4:33 pm
If the coaching staff could fix itself, that would fix all the other problems.
Unfortunately, they can’t.
Clean sweep is the Rx…
Fred
October 22nd, 2012
4:59 pm
I don’t get it.
UGA is 2 wins away from the BCS Champshp and the blog
is playin Debbie Downer?
augDawg
October 22nd, 2012
5:01 pm
When did just winning 10 games a year become acceptable ? When you play 5 high school teams , struggle with Kentucky and Vandy every year and lose to teams Like Carolina and Florida how is that ok ? The goal for Georgia every year should be compete for the National Championship , with Millions of dollars in the bank , some of the best facilities and all the talent in the world nothing less then that is acceptable . If the program is just happy with 10 wins and bid to the Outback bowl is ok, we as fans need to find something else to spend our money on we are not Georgia Tech . Im tired of people talking about our Tradition and History and then we come out and get beat down by teams with less to equal talent . If players / coaches didnt come to georgia to win on a national stage then why are they there? I remember the 8-4 years and we should be past them . Fans who find it ok that we beat the little nobodys all year and then get smoked by Florida and Carolina are the Problem with Georgia football . We need to take a chance and see what happens with the coaching change . Richt has done us well and I applaud him for what he has done but its time for Georgia to take the next step in Football and Im not sold he can get us there .
Fred
October 22nd, 2012
5:01 pm
The defense is playing pretty great overall.
Giving up 24 pts a game, gave up 22 last year.
Improving 2nd half defense in scoring, holding teams to 8 pts in 2nd half (top 12 in NCAA)
hOLDING teams to 4 pts in the 4thquartr (top 15 in NCAA)
Fred
October 22nd, 2012
5:02 pm
wHEN DID RANKING #10 IN THE bcs START TO STINK?
G-Dawg
October 22nd, 2012
5:18 pm
Last year…it was a (Vandy) Special Teams game saving tackle by Drew on a block kick to save the year.
This year…its C. Norman’s onside kick recovery!! Against a 3rd string Kentucky team!!
Flat Tire On I-95 in Jacksonville
October 22nd, 2012
5:18 pm
Fred
Evidently you didnt watch the SC game; KY game Tenn game
2 wins away from the NC
LOL
you really think we are that good
SavDawg
October 22nd, 2012
5:26 pm
We have deep seeded problems on defense and the offensive line. Why ?? I’d really like to know. We will probably lose by 20 or more points. If we go 10-2, it will be a disgrace of a season with all the talent we have. Players, that is. We have no talent on the coaching staff. That is obvious.
Stats are BS
October 22nd, 2012
5:27 pm
You don’t need a bunch of stats to defend or slash the dogs, you can clearly see that our problem on defense is that we can’t stop the run! The reason is because of scheme and personnel. The reason the 3-4 defense is popular in the NFL is because it was designed as a “Rush the Passer” defense, because the NFL is a pass heavy league. In the run game, using the 3-4, the nose guard has to be good enough to cover both A gaps, which is rare for most college nose guards. The 2 DE’s must be athletic enough to beat the OT’s off the ball… problem is Abry Jones is way to heavy for that position and not nearly athletic enough to accomplish that. Corn Wash has the perfect size for that position, but he’s just not very good. He’s underachieved his entire career at GA. That’s why the 3-4 isn’t working at GA.
Also, in the 3-4 scheme, it’s imperative that the 2 inside backers control the A & B gaps on either side of the center, by staying at home and reading the run plays. However, if you watch GA during games, one of those inside backers are often running out of position just prior to the snap, leaving one inside backer to cover all 4 of those gaps, which is basically impossible for any one guy to to, no matter how good he is, because the blockers greatly out number the defenders.
If they want to run TREE all over the place then he needs to go back to strong safety or let him roam around at outside backer like JJ’s does, but an inside LB MUST stay at home and read the run or you will continue to see those gashing run plays in the middle of our defense. I think they should consider moving TREE to outside backer and put Vasser on the bench and go with Gilliard and Herrera at inside LB, since they are more stay at home run stoppers. Hell, it couldn’t get any worse.
Go Dawgs!
please win !
October 22nd, 2012
5:43 pm
every week i go the magic ” G ” eight ball for answers
today i asked the following
1) will the dawgs be fired up this week – answer ” no ”
2) will georgia show up and play 4 qtrs of good football — answer ” not likely ”
3) will georgia squeak out a win over florida – answer ” don’t bet on it ”
OUCH !!!!! hope the magic ball is wrong !
RollDog
October 22nd, 2012
6:36 pm
Watched Bengals play Steelers last night. Saw SIX UGA players on field.
AJ Green,
Clint Bowling,
Orson Charles,
Robert Geathers,
Dennis Rowland,
Geno Atkins
‘Nuff said.
Relentless
October 22nd, 2012
7:40 pm
If you think this year stinks….I’m afraid the train goes completely off the tracks next year. Sad that it will take at least two to three years to get Richt out. What a waste of talent over the last five years.
Hofner Bass
October 22nd, 2012
7:52 pm
Don’t you think the Dawgs should drop Florida from their schedule and add Delaware State? That would make a soft schedule even softer. Another win!
TossSweep
October 22nd, 2012
7:53 pm
Is it wrong to say that I wish we’d lose against Florida so that this coaching staff will be fired and hopefully get Kirby Smart here next year?
Mountain Dog
October 22nd, 2012
7:55 pm
Some of my fellow Dog fans appear to have unreasonable expectations of the coaching staff and the teams performances against real competition. They seem to feel that georgia should be in the hunt for a National Championship every 25 years or so. We cannot be selfish. We were in the Championship game in 1942 and 1980. We need to be quiet and be happy with what we have. Our head coach never gets up tight like those Al.,Fla.,LSU and SC coaches do on the sidelines when someone jumps off side. I am sure our boys have a better collage experience at Ga. where excellace is not demanded. Think how hard it would be to play for Sabin or Spurrier. A N/C is no consulation for having to play for a mean coach.
I am Glad I am a Bulldog where a game is just a game and a loss by 40 is no different than fighting hard and loseing by a field goal in the last 5 seconds. Actually, Alabama, Fla. and LSU have a deed to the N/C and I am glad Ga. is not in the hunt since the aforementioned teams allready own the championship.. Bring on Tech.
A victory is a victory!
McGarrity has a real short fix-it-list
October 22nd, 2012
8:14 pm
CLEAN HOUSE!
UGA Fan
October 22nd, 2012
8:22 pm
To all the UGA so called fans who bash the Bulldogs. If UGA win against the Gators which is impossible according to them man up and say that that they don’t know anything about the game of football and know longer write on this blog. I guarantee some of these so called fans will jump right back on the bandwagon again and back off again when they lose.
AJ
October 22nd, 2012
8:45 pm
Here’s the list of what to fix before the Florida game;
1) win the turnover game 2) take advantage of the most agressive undisciplined team Gators in football with trick plays, snap count rhythm, pre-snapmovement on defense, running qb, etc. 3) stack 8 in box dare Gators to throw–they can’t
garydawg
October 22nd, 2012
9:01 pm
UGA Fan: The true Bulldog fans know that our ten game win streak that resulted in CMR’s contract extension set us back at least 4 seasons. We continue to pull for our team because we love them like an errant child, even though we know they are flawed. We will never be a top tier SEC team under Richt’s leadership for one simple reason: fundamentals. We are the most unsound football team I have ever seen at UGA and I have followed them for 42 years. The first rule of football is a cliche, “the game is won or lost in the trenches”. Our lines are young and lack depth. How does that happen under a 12 year regime? How do we not have 85 players under scholarship? Poor recruiting. Yes, we get the talented flashy skill players that can make headlines but have no support deep into the close games. No Special Teams coordinator? What a joke. Vince Dooley always made it a priority to have talented kickers, returners, blockers, schemes, because so many games are won or lost on special teams. It is an afterthought under Richt. Florida 42, UGA 17
Ty
October 22nd, 2012
9:58 pm
Bill look at the time of possession of the teams. As ole Steve Spurrier said. Georgia scores so quick their defense is on the field a long time. Research the fact that the Georgia Defense is on the field more time than the offense. I suppose if they get tired they are not in the best of shape possibly?
short memories
October 22nd, 2012
10:08 pm
The longer Richt stays the longer it will be before Georgia is pulled up out of the hole and becomes a true contender again. Richt has lost his way and is tired and befuddled. Please put him out of his misery.
bardawg
October 22nd, 2012
11:31 pm
Just like Clint Eastwood said to the empty chair, “If you’re not doing your job , it’s time to let ‘em go” ,and damn, the man’s had 12 years to do his , and he’s still having the type of problems that are just so rudimentary to fix , and he just seems to be oblivious to them. Why does he make 3 mil a year? Especially when we can’t beat a decent team. I honestly do think we need to move to the ACC to enjoy any level of succss, as long as we keep Richt.
SSIgator
October 23rd, 2012
12:06 am
Next up on the Kool-Aid writers & fans list -
UGA owns the series vs UF. Yea!
GatorsWaiting
October 23rd, 2012
12:31 am
Georgia fans, Florida State gave you Mark Richt, and Florida State has shown the solution to living with your mediocrity…
Join the ACC!
John
October 23rd, 2012
12:57 am
Charlie Strong for UGA head coach. UGA would lock down recruiting in Atlanta again, he was Spurriers defensive coordinator when Florida dominated UGA, and never had a defense that wasn’t ranked in the Top 10 as a defensive coordinator. He’s undefeated at Louisville now, there are no big name jobs open right now in college football…..this is the time to get him.
John
October 23rd, 2012
1:02 am
UGA players make good NFL players, they can be taught because they don’t have any established habits from successful coaching. They can easily be reprogrammed better than a player that has successful technique and unwilling to change.
cigar
October 23rd, 2012
6:30 am
The higher-ups are happy with “wins”. CMR isn’t capable of getting us to the next level. The only way to solve this is with our money but if we quit giving, we lose our spots. WE LOSE AGAIN
Granny Gator
October 23rd, 2012
7:58 am
Florida 63, Georgia 10
Y’all have fun in Jacksonville, and do come back, bless your hearts.
Dawg Tired
October 23rd, 2012
9:04 am
The real list that needs work is the one with the coaches’ names on it.
Cullowheedawg
October 23rd, 2012
9:15 am
Great coaches. Head man Richt never bothered very cool. Offensive coord Bobo keeps a simple game plan which everyone knows. Defensive coordinator Grantham well paid for the defense of last year which managed to lose to the 4 good teams we played but won the cakes. He may have managed the same. Guess another BIG raise is coming. Special teams. Guess what no coach to blame as Richt has no special teams or special teams coach. Oh let’s not forget Will Friend our young OL coach he looked like a great find early but where is all the talent going. Maybe the oc and hc need to realize that we don’t have a great OL and use more muscle. We do have good backs but don’t use them well
Now the answer. If we do not win the east and at lt least make a hard run at secc then FIRE all of the above and get a new coaching staff that seriously wants to be great (not just good).
GO DAWGS. See you in J’ville. Cullowheedawg
David
October 23rd, 2012
9:17 am
I have yet to hear CMR at anytime this year say that the all-around play is unacceptable. I’ve heard statements like, “we’ll be alright” and “we’ve just got to play harder”. Play harder? Really? You have to tell your team to play harder against the likes of Buffalo, Florida Atlantic and Kentucky? I will always root for the Dawgs, but based on what I’ve seen thus far, I have no confidence whatsoever that they have what it takes going forward to win a game against a quality opponent. I find it very disturbing that a coach cannot see and acknowledge what everyone else (fans, media, own players) sees as unacceptable play & coaching. Hard to believe this is the same team that was picked to finish first in the SEC East. My, how the mighty have fallen…
THE Dixie Redcoat Band
October 23rd, 2012
9:32 am
The Rockets coach told the media yesterday that even though their upcoming game vs the Bulls, who are 1-6, they still gave UGA a pretty good game in ATHENS!
John
October 23rd, 2012
10:14 am
Dan Mullen? Jon Gruden?
GatorsWaiting
October 23rd, 2012
10:51 am
I’m telling you Dawg fans, you need to join the ACC. You can win conference championships there with Richt, although the BCS will pretty much be out of the question (FSU’s BCS score right now is 0.000). Just saying.
Charley Strong is more likely to end up at Arkansas. Tuberville, Strong and Malzahn are all Arkansas natives and none will likely be available until that job is filled.
Jimmy
October 23rd, 2012
5:41 pm
Yawn…you Florida fans are so boring.
Come on here talking smack to people who are ready to
run their coach out on a rail.
Frankly, what you have to say is irrelevant in this context.
Boring.
In fact, what you have to say is always unimportant.
Jimmy
October 23rd, 2012
5:46 pm
The thing that is inexcusable is that we have had nothing but trouble
on the O line for the last several years.
Potential all-Americans underperform each and every year.
There is no cohesiveness on the lines because they don’t play together long enough.
We are always “waiting for the line to gel”.
Richt apparently doesn’t know how to recruit or coach O linemen.
He certainly doesn’t seem to get it on the defensive line.
I have always supported him.
While I like being in the national spotlight at least part of the year
I don’t like losing the big games.
That does no good for the players, the University, or the fans.
Richt must go.
Vampire Bill
October 24th, 2012
8:16 pm
If I remember correctly dawgs had extra scholly’s last year. Why didn’t we offer both a top notch punter and field goal kicker last year? Red shirt them with a year of training with our two seniors at the time. Instead we now suffer with two true freshmen. I just don’t think that’s sound football.