The Hot Button: Will UGA win a BCS title under Mark Richt?
What once seemed inevitable remains an unanswered question. In 2002 or 2004 or even 2008, Mark Richt was primed to guide his program to a national championship. But he’s about to enter his ninth season as Georgia’s coach and the Bulldogs haven’t gotten there yet, and only once in 11 years has the BCS title been taken by a coach who’d been in place that long — Bobby Bowden of Florida State in 1999.
That Richt is a good coach is beyond dispute. He has won at least 10 games in six of the past seven seasons. He has led Georgia to three SEC East titles and two conference championships. He recruits at the highest level and just saw two Bulldogs taken among the top dozen in the NFL draft. Georgia has finished in the top 10 of at least one major poll five times and in top five twice. But it hasn’t won, or even played for, the BCS title.
Last season was supposed to be the breakthrough. Georgia had finished No. 2 in the AP poll after the 2007 season and was ranked No. 1 last August. It wound up 10-3, and if ever 10-3 could be considered a rank disappointment this was the time. At season’s end the coach made much of the 10-win season in light of so many injuries — and the Bulldogs did have a bunch — but for the first time under Richt it was possible to look on UGA and think, “That team wasn’t very well coached.”
And now Richt has a new quarterback (and figures to have another new one in 2010) and his team has been given almost no chance to win the East, where Florida reigns, and the question occurs: Have we seen the best of this gifted coach? Or is Richt, who has done much already, capable of more?
To be fair, Richt hasn’t failed so much as he has been unlucky. LSU won the 2003 BCS crown with one loss a year after one loss cost Georgia a berth in the championship game. LSU won the 2007 title with two losses after emerging from a league that also housed Georgia, which likewise had two losses. Sometimes you have the right team at the wrong time.
Loading ...But last year’s glaring issues — the rash of penalties and the defensive collapses in Georgia’s three losses — have made some among us wonder if Richt is too nice to finish No. 1. He has vowed to be stricter regarding discipline this time, and it must be noted Georgia didn’t face the same problems with players being arrested this summer as last. And he has promoted John Jancek to co-defensive coordinator alongside Willie Martinez, whom Richt has never once criticized.
Still, it’s worth noting that Steve Spurrier needed six seasons at Florida to win a national championship, and it didn’t happen until he hired Bob Stoops from Kansas State to coordinate the Gator defense. And Mack Brown took Texas to the BCS title in his eighth season in Austin only after importing Gene Chizik from Auburn to lead the Longhorn D. Something similar might need to happen for Georgia and Richt to take the final step.
But would Richt, for whom family and fraternity are of massive import, ever demote or fire Martinez? Is keeping a longtime friend who’s a solid coach — solid as opposed to inspired — more important to him than taking a risk that might (or might not) lead to a greater reward?
We know Mark Richt can coach football. What we still don’t know after eight years of watching is whether he’s pragmatic enough to be a national championship coach.
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446 comments Add your comment
Chuckles
July 30th, 2009
10:59 pm
I’m a Boston College grad – so I have no Dawg in this fight (sic).
But, I’d be proud to have Mark Richt as my team’s coach, be it football, hockey, heck, even badminton. He’s a good man.
As for if he wins or not? I could care less. He brings so much more to the table that as long as he’s competitive on the field (as he has been), I’d thank my lucky stars he was my coach.
Want to win so bad that you’d dump him if he didn’t? Who would you get to replace him?
Saban? Spurrier? Carroll? Good luck. This is one of the problems I have with folks who scream ‘fire the coach’ if he’s not constantly winning. If you dump him, you have to already have in mind someone that can do BETTER. And that is not an easy thing to find.
Truth
July 30th, 2009
11:40 pm
Richt ain’t winning anything unless Florida brings back Ron Zook!
Bruce
July 30th, 2009
11:49 pm
It is extremely hard for any team in the SEC to win a National Championship because everybody keeps knocking one another off…. which is why the schedule makes the difference. To win, you have to be almost injury free, extremely lucky, and have the schedule as a friend. Richt will not be able to win a National Championship because some idiot in the Athletic Office keeps trying to play the hardest schedule in the Nation. Florida, on the other hand, has finally learned from the Vince Dooley Championships, taking a page from Vince’s playbook. Just compare the schedules … Richt verses Dooley ( a great coach and very good scheduler) and Richt verses Florida’s schedules. Plus, I might add, Vince had great defensive coaches…. ’nuff said.
Taurus
July 31st, 2009
1:50 am
UGA has taken Texas place since Texas won their BCS Championship in my opinion. You see Texas always had top 5-10 talent every year, send players to the NFL all the time, but couldn’t win a championship and have constant issues with Oklahoma. UGA, same thing, but their issues are with Florida.
ckgator
July 31st, 2009
4:47 am
Richt will win at least 2, maybe 3 preseason national titles. Last year was only the first.
ckgator
July 31st, 2009
4:50 am
Taurus – you are delusional. UGA is not near Texas’ level. You are one season away from being the new South Carolina.
Jordan
July 31st, 2009
4:54 am
This is an easy easy question:
NO
Mark Richt will not win a NCAA title at Georgia. Guys, he will be no Bear Bryant, Joe Paterno, Bobby Bowden type who stays at UGA FOREVER. He will eventually move on. Unfortunately for him, he has too many good coaches to compete with to ever go undefeated and win a national title. That being said, if they change the BCS format to a playoff in the next 5-6 years, come back and see me and you might get a different answer.
GT4Ever
July 31st, 2009
6:35 am
NOT while you have UF, LSU and Bama in the mix. It’s tough enough just to win the SEC championship much less the whole thing. I just don’t see it happening even though you guys will continue to have good teams in the future.
GT4Ever
July 31st, 2009
6:40 am
Chris, I agree with you. Nobody wanted to go see Chan and his buch. Would you if you were a GT fan? That’s all changed now. CPJ and GT are headed in the right direction. The stands will be filled for years to come.
Dawg
July 31st, 2009
6:46 am
Stats and records are all nice but what have we done lately? AS long as UF is playing in our conference and until our talent meshes and comes together we will never make it over that hump!!!!
UFgrad
July 31st, 2009
6:51 am
Handawg, your nuts. OK ST. will kick your butts!!! You’ll also be lucky to be favored against Vandy much less another teams. Don’t even talk about coming to our house. Tebow is going to blow up and WE WILL destroy you!!!! HA HA HA HA HA HA HA
UFgrad
July 31st, 2009
6:55 am
BruffDawg
July 30th, 2009
8:47 pm
Final score in stillwater sept 5th UGA 35 OKST 17.
YOU ARE CRAZY!!!!! In their house with. You guys will be lucky to score a TD. Zach Robinson and Dez Bryant are going to light you guys up!!!!
jerry
July 31st, 2009
7:05 am
If there are no extenuating circumstances concerning all those Willie Martimez clunkers then no, he will not as long as Willie is DC. Because there will be more clunkers to come.
tennessee tom
July 31st, 2009
7:06 am
i don’t see any body beating Fla,this year,everybody else is playing for 2nd,things will probley change when tebow is gone, You have 2 teams in the east tn and fla,and 2 teams in the west ala,lsu with NC in the last 20 yrs,that want change either,what we have here is the big 4 and the little
8,ala is back as much as i hate it,lsu is loaded,fla is loaded,tn is on the way back up,the only place ga can go is down,oh and by the way GT is a very good team,ga probley want win the state title much less th NC
Here’s My Bucket List | Betting FBCC: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
July 31st, 2009
7:12 am
[...] The Hot Button: Will UGA win a BCS title under Mark Richt? One’s a nice guy; the other has two national championships. What once seemed inevitable remains an unanswered question. [...]
Gen Neyland
July 31st, 2009
7:42 am
Tennessee Tom : The public education system in Tennessee has apparently taken a beating since I attended Crieve Hall Elementary back in the 60’s…
Dan
July 31st, 2009
7:46 am
Maybe, though I believe it will take the presence of a once-in-a-decade-or-longer type of player (e.g., Herschel; Tebow; Bo Jackson) for Richt to do it. That’s not necessarily a knock, either; the same applies to plenty of good coaches. And it might take a few more years; Tom Osborne and Bobby Bowden, for example, were good coaches for a long time before they snagged their first national titles.
tony
July 31st, 2009
8:34 am
There are 3 things Mark Richt must do for him to win a NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP starting with the most obvious.
1) Stop Lying! DJ was better than D.Greene and Richt knew that, Moreno was better than T.Brown and Richt knew that and just recently he said Mettenbeger and Aaron Murray had a good spring when he knew full well that Mettenberger had a bad spring. His lies is causing the team bad luck. http://www.jacksonvillecom/tu-online/stories/090602/col_10375439.html
2) he need to hire a qualified defensive and offensive coordinator.
3) he need to put his best players on the football field rather they are seniors or not, starting with Aaron Murray over Joe Cox.
Florida Dawg Fan
July 31st, 2009
8:46 am
Need a Def. Cood. that is not a friend, clock is still ticking on Off. Cood. With the talent Georgia has why are they not winning more. That is the question only the football gods can answer. Not me as I’m waiting for you know who to go to ND and you know who to finally graduate cause they are going to win it all again I’m afraid. But I’m still yelling loud as I can GO DAWGS
GADawg58
July 31st, 2009
9:20 am
I am a proud UGA season ticket holder, especially because Mark Richt is our coach. UGA may or may not win a national championship. I, for one, believe it will happen some day. Far more importantly, UGA has a man of integrity leading these young men. Just look other “championship” programs with the win at any cost mentality (thugs, drugs, cheating, recruiting violations, etc). I would much rather have a coach with integrity, a moral compass and a geniune interest in developing these young men into successful adult lives. Yes, Mark Richt was the first coach in college football to team up with Tony Dungy in his All-Pro Dads program. Not because it was the fashionable thing to do. But because that is a program consistent with who Mark Richt is at the core. A very good person (and a damn good coach). UGA players under Mark Richt win continue to win on the field and off the field in the right way. Go Dawgs!!!
Comin' Down The Track
July 31st, 2009
10:44 am
Keep smokin’ it, gtforever. It’s the only thing that’ll get you through because once the purple haze clears from your mind, you will see that thy beatdown continues through the ages. (I think I’ll go post these stats on other message boards so that all you math lovers can continue to try to refute them).
SmartJay
July 31st, 2009
11:25 am
I have posted this before, but this is why Mark Richt is nothing but an above average SEC coach:
Record against these coaches:
Spurrier, Meyer, Mile, Saban, Fulmer, Gailey, CPJ: 17-14. Remove GAILEY and it’s 11-14. Remove Fulmer and it’s 6-11. He’s going to have to get better against, specifically: Saban, Miles, Meyer. Granted he only has to face one of those guys EVERY year, but who doesn’t think Kiffin is going to be better than Fulmer, and that Spurrier isn’t still capable of playing .500 against UGA, even at USC?
Richt is at best the 4th best coach in his own conference, and that may be good enough for UGA fans, who all seem to remember 1980 like it was yesterday, but, in that time span, how many SEC schools have won national titles (none of them being Georgia)?
Sorry, he’s a nice coach, just not a great one.
Ed
July 31st, 2009
11:31 am
Dwelling on something that requires as much luck as talent (see Auburn ‘04 and LSU ‘07) is a complete waste of psychic energy. Worrying about a championship that doesn’t actually exist in the record books is also a waste of time.
Let’s focus on what we can control – winning the East, then the SEC Championship. One more banner to tie Tennessee at 13, then we can start chipping away at Alabama’s all-time lead.
Atlanta Gator
July 31st, 2009
11:53 am
Ed—-I hate to pop your bubble, but most great human accomplishments require skill, hard work AND luck. That doesn’t make those great accomplishments any less noteworthy. Ask Steve Jobs and Bill Gates.
Moe
July 31st, 2009
12:29 pm
I’ll take Mr. Niceguy Richt and 10 wins per season over Mr. F-bomb Johnson and the 1 out of the last 8 Yechies!
UFgrad
July 31st, 2009
1:15 pm
GADawg58, I’m a little confused!!! While he may have high moral character it’s not rubbing off on the athletes or IS he just over looking all their off field stuff because HE wants to win at any cost?
GT4Ever
July 31st, 2009
1:32 pm
What’s wrong Comin’ Down The Track? Are you mad that everyone around the SEC is winning championships but you guys. I have no delusions on GT. We’ve been bad for a long time and unlike other GT fans I’ll start glamming GT up when they win a few from you guys. You can’t refute CPJ has the program back on track, can you? When I’m not pulling for Gt I’m pulling for UF to kick UGA butts!!!!
Ed
July 31st, 2009
2:11 pm
Atlanta Gator, my bubble hasn’t been popped at all. It’s a fact that the so-called national championship at the highest level of college football is mythical. It doesn’t exist as an official NCAA record. No bias here – Georgia’s championships in ‘80 and ‘42 are just as fictitious as anyone else’s. (The 1942 crown was somehow awarded in the 90s, which is still a headscratcher). When I note that LUCK is involved, I wasn’t talking about a fumble here or an untimely injury there, I was talking about things a team has no control of – huge upsets, or a win by a higher ranked team that didn’t impress the voters, etc.
It’s a complete joke, I can’t believe anyone takes it seriously. To base a coach’s legacy or worth on how many fictitious titles he has won seems a little silly to me. But apparently I’m in the minority.
southgadawg88
July 31st, 2009
2:15 pm
SmartJay stop lying!Mark Richt is 2-0 against Miles,4-2 against Spurrier,5-3 against Fulmer,2-3 against Saban,1-3 against Meyer and he never lost to Gailey so PLEASE TELL ME HOW AND THE HELL DID YOU COME UP WITH THOSE NUMBERS?You know what IDIOT?You could have looked up that info before you posted that gibberish!
BIGBOY
July 31st, 2009
2:21 pm
88 You busted that A……….!!!!LOL
Ed
July 31st, 2009
2:23 pm
Example of how silly the MNT is: Tommy Tuberville lead Auburn to a 13-0 record in ‘04, but has exactly as many national championship seasons as Richt: ZERO. He has one less title than Les Miles, who has never had so much as a ONE-LOSS season. Make sense?
Richt, the coach we are all wondering has what it takes to “win” a BCS title – went 13-1 his second season, which ties the best season Florida has ever had. Nevertheless, Florida has won two MNTs in the Richt era.
And my favorites: 1990, Colorado lost one game, tied another, and should have lost a second game after they were stopped on downs but were awarded a 5th down (official lost count), got a split national championship after barely surving their bowl game on a controversial call.
I almost forgot to mention: nearly two-thirds of Division I schools are effectively ineligible for the national title before the season even starts because they either are not ranked high enough at the beginning of the season (Kansas ‘07, Auburn ‘04), or they come from a non BCS conference (Utah last year, TCU, Tulane and Boise State in years past).
Utah has had two perfect seasons (including, ironically, one under Meyer), but 0 titles. Last year’s Utah team was probably the best team in the country, but by the time they showed their stuff against Alabama, it was too late.
I stand by my point: to base a coach’s worth on such a crazy, arbitrary system makes no sense.
BIGBOY
July 31st, 2009
2:35 pm
Good post ED
SOUTHGADAWG88
July 31st, 2009
2:36 pm
SmartJay where you at?
Kevin
July 31st, 2009
2:54 pm
Call me crazy all you want but this UGA team this year has everything it needs to play in the BCS title game. As long as UGA can stay healthy they have all the pieces to get to the National title game this year! They have an outstanding vocal leader ( Joe Cox) One of the best offensive lines in the country, and great receivers and solid running backs. The defense will will be back to the old days as long as the secondary steps up. This UGA team this year is a better version of the Alabama team that made a run last year. Georgia Vs Texas 2009 BCS title game
SmartJay
July 31st, 2009
3:08 pm
This forum reminds me why I despise UGA fans and Liberals. Say something they don’t like and you’re an “IDIOT” or an “A_______”
Get over it, I’ll detail the Richt record, but, I admit to forgetting Zook. You remember him, don’t you?
Betting FBCC: Dallas Cowboys » Big 12 logjam: A team-by-team breakdown as season closes in – USA Today
July 31st, 2009
3:32 pm
[...] The Hot Button: Will UGA win a BCS title under Mark Richt? One’s a nice guy; the other has two national championships. What once seemed inevitable remains an unanswered question. [...]
Smart Jay
July 31st, 2009
3:45 pm
Ok, I will admit when I am wrong. Here’s the Richt record, and I have looked it up. I apologize the last time I did this, I missed some games. Against these coaches (Saban, Miles, Spurrier, Fulmer, Meyer, Zook, Gailey and Johnson), his record is 21-14. Seven of those wins (2001-2007) are against Chan Gailey, making him 14-14 against the rest. Against Fulmer, he’s 5-3. Against Spurrier, he’s 3-2 (0-1 in one time at UF, 3-1 at USC. I am sure his teams could have beaten Spurrier’s Redskins teams, but they never played – where are you getting a 4th victory?). Against Meyer, he’s 1-3; Saban, 2-3; Zook, 1-2; Johnson, 0-1; Miles, 2-0.
I stand corrected, he’s 13-11 against Fulmer, Meyer, Miles, Saban, Spurrier, which isn’t too bad in a competitive league like the SEC. Problem is, throw in Zook (who you could say just coached Spurrier’s teams) and he’s 14-13.
Now, you can call me an idiot all you want, it doesn’t really bother me. I happen to really like and respect Mark Richt. I think he’s a great man, and a very good football coach. I just don’t think he’s as good as Saban, or Meyer, or Spurrier in his prime.
And, were I a Georgia fan, seems he needs to be at better than .500 against those teams.
Saban would seem the most closely comparable coach (in tenure in the SEC), so I’ll look at him and see how Richt compares.
Smart Jay
July 31st, 2009
3:51 pm
Correction – I gave one of those losses of GT’s to Gailey (2001). That was O’Leary’s team. So, 6-0 vs. Gailey, 1-0 vs. O’Leary. Point is 7-1 vs. Tech, regardless of who the coach is.
tony
July 31st, 2009
3:56 pm
http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/090602/col_10375439.html I had to try again-didn’t work on my 1st post.
Smart Jay
July 31st, 2009
4:02 pm
This should provide some consolation to Richt fans. Saban is 10-8 against Richt (3-2), Fulmer (4-1), Miles (1-1), Spurrier (0-2), and Zook (2-1). So, not much different from Richt at two history rich SEC schools.
Lesson learned – Fulmer is the real whipping boy here, but, he does have one National Title (mythical or not).
LSUFavors
July 31st, 2009
4:03 pm
Richt is a good 9-10 win type coach, but not a championship coach. He has too many gaps on the coaching staff. But, UGA’s happy with that, so he’ll keep his job for awhile, while the Tigers and Gators keep winning national titles!!! OK with me.
Texas Fight
July 31st, 2009
4:10 pm
We will be screaming TEXAS! FIGHT!!! all the way to a 5th championship. UGA has NO shot. none
southgadawg88
July 31st, 2009
4:41 pm
OK.for all those who want to know ..the SEC coaches records are on an old chris low blog on espn.You can google it if you like.I want even bother with GT…Mark Richt was 30-14 against all SEC coaches in that article.The tittle is how SEC coaches have fared against their peers.Keep in mind this was on sept 16 2008 so what ever games were played after that would have to be added.Read up and some of you maybe surprised just how the head to head match ups have went.Some of these guys have not exactly dominated as you may think…interesting read.
southgadawg88
July 31st, 2009
5:04 pm
In regards to coaching records is this…people like to assume that Meyer,Saban,Miles and Spurrier have dominated against Richt and that just is not the case.However the PERCEPTION is still there.Spurrier is no longer at Fla and I guess most people still think about how he did dominate UGA.LSU is always thrown out there as a superior program because they won 2 NC but head to head they are 2-6 in the last 8 with the 2 wins coming in Saban’s NC year.Meyer has the edge over most coaches in the SEC.He is number 1.Richt 2. Miles 3.Saban 4Spurrier 5.
Smart Jay
July 31st, 2009
5:19 pm
southgadawg – rather than call you an IDIOT, I am going to support you. I would say Meyer’s numbers are not valid, as he hasn’t been in the league long enough. Without 5 years, it really isn’t enough time to make a determination (although Meyer’s success is hard to argue).
I also wouldn’t put too much stock in overall numbers, as those tend to bring all these guys closer together. I really would look only at the elite programs – Georgia, LSU, Florida, Tennessee (lost most of its luster) and maybe Alabama (Saban), and perhaps Auburn (over the last ten years). The rest of the teams (even Spurrier’s USC) are just fodder for the rest. In fact, over Richt’s tenure, you’d probably have to list the premier SEC programs as LSU, Florida, Georgia, Alabama (Saban led), with Auburn, Tennessee, maybe USC (Spurrier) next, then, the rest. Ole Miss is on the rise, and Arkansas at times had success, but, other than those schools the rest of the SEC is basketball teams.
Again, Richt has a good record. Not awesome of overwhelming, but good. He’s coach for life barring some total breakdown (or, the indignity of being beaten consistently by GT, since we’ve seen losing to Florida regularly is ok).
His failure to really even compete seriously for a NC is a huge knock against him. His best team may have been the 2007 team, which fell victim to timing. I hope he has a great 20-30 year career at UGA. He brings great credit to the school, and does not lose stupid games. But, he has to compete in a league where superstar coaches exist (and have won national titles), and he needs to really get more competitive with UF and bring home a title to UGA. It’s pushing 30 years since 1980. It’s good for Richt that he has such loyal support, because for a school that fancies itself a perennial national power, 30 years is a long time between titles.
saint simons
July 31st, 2009
5:34 pm
Guys, I’m sorry…it’s been a tough week. Sorry to take it out on you.
momma simon
July 31st, 2009
6:12 pm
little simon get your but upstairs we have arby’s for dinner.dad says cut the grass and blow the driveway now.
southgadawg88
July 31st, 2009
6:41 pm
I take the idiot back as you have responded with some clarity…however I really don’t know what else people want Richt to do.He went 13-1,I’d say UGA with 2 losses was just as good as LSU’s 2 loss team.Yeah FLA won two tittles but every body else in the country was without a NC those two years.What programs are supposed to be better and why?ALA?They did well last year but they did drop their last two games and were 6-6 the year before..why are they supposed to be so great?.LSU I already went over that one…who else in the SEC is supposed to be a power?If the great Saban and Miles played FLA every year how do u know they would do better?Who exactly are the power house programs in the nation then?OK and Tex?You really believe they play in a better league?USC?Think the PAC-10 is better than the SEC?His time will come as long as he continues to do what he has done….recruit well and coach em up..If you think the SEC is a strong conference then 30-4 on the road does not impress you?Mark Richt can only answer for what happens at UGA on HIS watch.The man has done a great job at his 1st HC position in the toughest league in the country and people say he doesn’t have what it takes?Give me a break man.I tip my cap to the GATORS (hate em )I do but they have got it done on the field.Losing to them is not OK..they are not only in our division but they are a long time rival as well…BUT as I said earlier a win this year and it’s 3-3 over the last 6.Let’s see what happens
Atlanta Gator
July 31st, 2009
6:57 pm
southgadawg—-Got a perspective question for you. Urban Meyer and Steve Spurrier have both been with their current teams for four seasons, and are starting their fifth in September . . .
Steve Spurrier’s Gamecocks are 1-3 against Mark Richt’s Dawgs.
Mark Richt’s Dawgs are 1-3 against Urban Meyer’s Gators.
Same record, same conference, same division, nearly identical scheduling over 4 seasons (given the current rotation, everyone play everyone else over 5 years). Objectively, what’s the difference? If Richt has dominated Spurrier, what’s the logical implication for Richt and Meyer?
I’m really NOT trying to rag on you and your fellow Dawgs; I’m just pointing out some of the logical inconsistencies folks seem to have when they are defending their own coach and team, and when they are mocking some one else’s coach and team.
For the record, Spurrier is 1-3 against Meyer, too. (Never count the Evil Genius out—-he really doesn’t like to lose.)
BIGBOY
July 31st, 2009
7:00 pm
On a similar vein I wonder how many of the supposedly superior coaches have done better in their first gig?I never thought about that.I know some body can research that…what about you Bradley?It might be the guy’s 1st run as a HC…but a good gauge of his abilities is to look at what happened to FSU when he left..They were in the NC game now look at them.Looks like Bobby Bowden should have made HIM his coach in waiting instead of saying “I don’t know if he’s tough enough” ..looks like the pupil has out performed the master in a tougher league to boot!