The Hot Button: Will UGA win a BCS title under Mark Richt?
’sOne's a nice guy; the other has two national championships. (AJC photo by Brant Sanderlin)
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
brewdawg
July 30th, 2009
6:30 am
I think you answered your own question in paragraph 5. I don’t think there is any doubt UGA can and will have more years similar to ‘02 and ‘07. And, eventually, the cards will fall into place.
Why am I up so early? For whatever reason, I can never sleep on my off day. Go figure.
saint simons
July 30th, 2009
6:33 am
((((( 45 42 ))))) hahahahahahaha
Woodstock Dawg
July 30th, 2009
6:39 am
saint simons, ((((7 out of 8)))) hahahahahahahah
brewdawg
July 30th, 2009
6:39 am
Congrats on the victory saint simons.
god and greyhound
July 30th, 2009
6:43 am
Rickt will never even sniff the bcs title. he will catch the bus after his fourth loss in a row to tech in 2011. dont miss the bus rickt.
who is asher allen?
July 30th, 2009
6:48 am
No natl titles for mr richt, but the man is a mighty fine dresser.
Bruce Weeks
July 30th, 2009
6:50 am
Will all you Tech nerds please put your sliderules where the sun doesn’t shine. You win ONE GAME and you want to be crowned national champions. Maybe one of you will cross a street at the North Avenue Trade School and be creamed by a bus. Oh, what thrills my heart. Get a life!
Bill
July 30th, 2009
6:55 am
There is debate over a couple of years ago when UGA did not get selected for the BCS Chanp game. Right or wrong, he had us that close. Dooley went much more than nine years.
This is a stupid question – Jounalism at it’s worst, the Jouornal – Constitution at it’s norm.
SuperB
July 30th, 2009
6:57 am
Mark Richt is a first-clss coach. All he needs to do is have a first-class defensive coach, which Willie Martinez is not. Had Brian Van Gorder stayed at Georgia we would have won a national championship. But Martinez is not that strong and neither is our defensive backs coach. It was obvious in the GT debacle that our DB’s didn’t know how to tackle.
BDAWG
July 30th, 2009
7:00 am
We were a dropped pass away from being undefeated in 2002 and a turnover away from being a one loss team in 2007. If either of those two things happen there is at least one BCS banner hanging at Sanford Stadium, possibly two. Everything had to fall perfectly into place for LSU to be in the N.C. game in 07 and for FLA to be there in 2006. So it is all how the cards fall and who is in the right place at the right time and who loses when and to whom they lose to. That being said, I am extremely excited and anxious for Sept 5 and everything that is in store for UGA football in 09. I think we have one heck of a leader (how many arrest have we had this off-season) who is ready to show what he can do. GO DAWGS and go to hell St. Simons
DawgSpanky!
July 30th, 2009
7:01 am
The only way we will ever have a shot at a measely second MNC, is if we can pay Herschel again to come back and play for us. Maybe we could have some plastic surgery performed on him (before OTaxya taxes this too), so the lazy fools at the ncaa won’t notice? Has anyone seen Coach Richt lately sportin’ his sexy short-shorts around Athens? He’s so dreamy!!!
SickandTired
July 30th, 2009
7:02 am
Ahh Bruce, we’re living in an advanced society now, they don’t use slide rules just like Herschel isn’t at Georgia any more. Tech has won a championship since Georgia won one. Your hated Gators have won three and are poised to win more. LSU has won two, Alabama & Tennessee have won one as well. Face it, you’ve got the makings of a championship caliber school and deserve to win multiple championships but Mark Richt isn’t the guy to get the job done. He’s soft and doesn’t have the killer instinct of Meyer, Saban and yes even Les Miles. Be happy in the fact you’ve got a good solid program….just like Wisconsin. Georgia: The Wisconsin of the SEC. Nothing to be ashamed of but certainly enough to be disappointed in.
GatorBait
July 30th, 2009
7:04 am
no but UGA fans seem to be so focused on SEC championships that they don’t care. expecatations aren’t so high for this program. UGA fans used to talk so much smack about winning sec championships and us gator fans always laughed about this. now it is even more humorous. go gators and no you won’t even be winning sec champioships for quite a while.
NEGACommunityCollege
July 30th, 2009
7:07 am
Weak Bruce- The intellectually superior grads from Tech don’t use sliderules anymore. From your jealous comments, it sounds like you need to “Get a life!”.
Sowegadawg
July 30th, 2009
7:08 am
Richt would have a better shot if he would fire Martinez and hire Will Muschamp away from the Longhorns and make him the Head Coach in waiting. Bring the dawg home!!
Dawg4Life
July 30th, 2009
7:09 am
(((( 7 of 8 )))) (((( 38 3))))) hahahahahahahahah.
dd
July 30th, 2009
7:14 am
Saint married one of tech’s ugly women
Dawg4Life
July 30th, 2009
7:16 am
They problem with Tech fans is low standards. Georgia wins 10 games, but looses 3 and we are “upset”. Tech wins 9 games, gets humiliated in their own backyard at a bowl game and you guys talk smack. Your “smart” coach is so good he goes for it against LSU from inside his own 30 on 4th and 4 and runs a fake punt with a defensive end and then yells at his players as they exit. What a coach! No defense whatsoever either. I hate idiots like St. Simons who post daily. Tech’s fan base sucks so bad they have had to start having rap concerts at halftime to fill the stands so people wouldn’t notice they horrible program on the field. When is the last time Tech won 10 games? hahahahahahahah, idiot!
mitch
July 30th, 2009
7:17 am
Dear Mr. MB–one of the nice things about Richt is he’s so nice. He believes in God and stuff like that. Know what I mean? Probably prays all the time. He also knows how to celebrate. Like in end zones. Your pal, Mitch
bull-gator
July 30th, 2009
7:18 am
To make it to the BCS championship game a team needs to be not only good in all phases of the game, but lucky as well. Luck is the wild card. UGA has all the tools in place, they just need a bit of good luck. You never know what might happen…
god and greyhound
July 30th, 2009
7:19 am
Fumbles and close games go both ways. like in 2007 when uga needed a lucky fumble to beat vanderbilt, and the their players proceded to dance all over the logo at midfield. a program changing win to be sure
DAMN!!
July 30th, 2009
7:21 am
what a dumb blog…all you are trying to do is stir up the UGA haters (you know the ones: jealous to the bone, eager to wake up at 6 am to post on a UGA blog). Georgia is doing just fine and will continue to do so. There are atleast 100 college football programs who would die to be where UGA is year after year. The chips will fall into place soon enough.
Not Disappointed
July 30th, 2009
7:21 am
<————- Loyal Jacket and Alumni.
Coach Mark Richt is an excellent coach; moreover as a person he’s hard not to like. That being said, I feel he will have to make a change at Defensive cordinator if things doesn’t improve this fall.
It doesn’t matter if you like Georgia Bulldogs or not. They have had top tier teams that should’ve come away with a shot a the title……
enough said.
See you in November pups!!!! Ramblin Wreck!!!!!!!
Frank M. Davis, Jr.
July 30th, 2009
7:22 am
What an idiotic waste of newsprint and web space. Is it Bradley’s job to report the news and comment on it? Or, is it to “stir the pot” in hopes of stirring up circulation/readership? Are you becoming the Rush Limbaugh of sports columnists? Richt has had the Dawgs in the national conversation more than once. That consistency will continue as long as Richt is in Athens. Scores of schools across the nation would be absolutely ecstatic to have a coach that positions his team to be in the BCS conversation more often than not.
G 7 G is a jealous idiot
July 30th, 2009
7:26 am
Uh, dummy, UGA did not dance on the Vandy logo. How many times does this have to be explained to you? Coutu’s FG was kicked from near midfield and the players were just celebrating the made, winning FG. I can recall Tech players going absolutely giddy after the Gardner Webb missed FG at the end of the game last year. I know that if there were a GW logo at midfield, all of your long headed players would have danced a jig on it!
FLDAWG
July 30th, 2009
7:28 am
We need to just not mind the Tech fans. Let’s let them enjoy this game since it was the only game of meaning that they have won this decade. Let CPJ have one more good season ad you can count on him jumping ship. Nothing personnel, it’s just the fact that if Tech can’t even sell out their own stadium, how are they going to keep a high profile coach there? Tech is a mid level program in the ACC and is used for a stepping stone for bigger and better programs. Enjoy the trend guys, get a coach you hate and lose 7 in a row, get a coach you love, win a few, and count on him bouncing when the big boy programs come calling.
78 DAWG
July 30th, 2009
7:30 am
WAKE UP! We weren’t that good in 07! We “upset” the gayturds when they were 8-4, beat bad awbarn and ners, then Hawaii…….
Was that really a great run, sacking a bad Hawaii team 10 times. Who did we beat last year, that was any good? Martinez better get it right this year. With these recruits beating the bottom half ain’t good enough.
Frankly
July 30th, 2009
7:31 am
Kind of a dumb article meant to stir the pot I suppose.
Brock D
July 30th, 2009
7:33 am
Georgia has articles about disappointment from not winning the bcs. GT? Let’s write an article on their inability to win the Peach Bowl.
THWG
July 30th, 2009
7:34 am
BDWAG, you’re an idiot and ignorant of recent football history. u[sic]ga couldn’t have gotten into the national title game in 2002 because there was AN UNDEFEATED OHIO STATE and an UNDEFEATED MIAMI in the spots above them, who happened to play the best BCS title game other than 2005. you’re gonna tell me u[sic]ga had a better team than either ohio state or miami that year? and they didn’t go in 2007 because they didn’t win the SEC title.
u[sic]ga is indeed the wisconsin of the SEC. they think they’re bigger than they actually are. they also seem to forget that there’s this little business about having to get past FLORIDA every year in order to have any chance of fulfilling those pipe dreams. hey u[sic]ga fans – try winning your division before even dreaming about SEC and national titles.
I'll take Richt
July 30th, 2009
7:38 am
It will happen. A national championship is inevitable. Richt will learn that style points DO count. As soon as he stops being so nice and conservative and pulling up in the 4th quarter and starts increasing the margin of victory, UGA will start getting the attention they deserve.
Bank Walker, Texas Ranger
July 30th, 2009
7:40 am
Mark you hit the nail on the head. Luckis totally involved. UGA has had a couple of 1 loss seasons when there were 2 even 3 undefeated teams. How bout Auburn, they go undefeated in the SEC and don’t go to the BCS. Now thats unlucky. It’s just a matter of time before they get their shot.
rocksteadyfreddie
July 30th, 2009
7:40 am
It is not a matter of when Mark Richt will win a BCS title, but how many more Urban Meyer will win before he does. Definately one, probably two.
dawg fan
July 30th, 2009
7:41 am
Mark, your thinly veiled Tech loyalty comes out again. You love to stir up the UGA haters.
god and greyhound
July 30th, 2009
7:42 am
Uog is a nice 2nd tier program that cleans up in its weak division and took advantage of gomer at tech. they might beat out sc for 3rd this year, but at least they cant get any worse than 2nd in the state
Mark Richt is a Hypocrite
July 30th, 2009
7:43 am
UGA will ask Mark to fire Willie, which CMR will not,CMR + Willie= many more yrs at UGA with never ever a chance of playing for or winning a national championship mutts.
Brock D
July 30th, 2009
7:47 am
Mark, didn’t you go to a little SEC school up north?
It's Great to be a Gator!
July 30th, 2009
7:47 am
Georgia Dawgs are Gator Bait!
UGA89
July 30th, 2009
7:48 am
Not only will UGA never win a BCS title under Richt –UGA will never win the SEC East again under Richt. UGA cannot beat Florida.
barneyb
July 30th, 2009
7:51 am
It will NEVER happen as long as Martinez & Fabris are still on staff.
m for gt fan blogger
July 30th, 2009
7:52 am
Richt wont win a title, but he should win against vandy more times than not. uk too
Zorro
July 30th, 2009
7:54 am
Georgia will never get to the BCS with Willie Martinez as DC. He chokes in tight games. As far as having a “co-defensive coordinator”, how the heck is that going to work? You can’t have two captains steering the ship at the same time.
bamaguy
July 30th, 2009
7:55 am
I like Coach Richt, I would want my son to play for him. But, being a nice guy doesn’t win national championships. After Nick Saban retires and Urban Meyer moves on, maybe. Until then, no way UGA beats Florida in the regular season then Alabama in the SEC championship game.
NEGACommunityCollege
July 30th, 2009
7:59 am
Yes indeed, another article about ugaY’s fruitless quest for a paltry second MNC and many of the same intellectually deficient ugaY grads are on here acting like they actually have a big-time program. Isn’t it about time for you dollar-menuaires to leave your trailer parks and make a selection from your favorite McDonald’s breakfast menu?
Lance
July 30th, 2009
8:00 am
DD – All the women at Tech are ugly so that was obvious. I have a feeling he swings the other direction as he continues to post the same Gay message.
gatorman770
July 30th, 2009
8:01 am
When the curs give Charlie Strong a couple of million to coach defense and the Gators take a year off!
J Moore
July 30th, 2009
8:02 am
The problem is UGA recruits players of great athletic skills but low moral character and limited brain power. I get so giddy each year the Dators send them back to the drawing board much like Wily Coyote in the cartoons. It is almost monthly an article appears about some former dog in legal trouble. Is it true they have a fulll-time bail bondsman on the team bus? Maybe Dog The Bounty Hunter could relocate to Athens. Now, about that JUCO schedule…does Barnesville Military Academy have an open date this year?
Joe "Tiny" Cox
July 30th, 2009
8:03 am
Coach Richt has a very nice spray tan. But, no, he won’t win a national title at UGA.
chiefdawg
July 30th, 2009
8:04 am
Unfortunately, in my opnion UGA will never win a MNC under Coach Richt or perhaps any other coach. There is a bias in sports against UGA. Even if UGA gets ranked high there are people just sitting and waiting for them to fall. Winning is not enough. You have to demolish teams and Mark Richt will never do that. Unlike other coaches who have won MNC he does not have a killer instinct. He is too lyal to his coaches. He does not demand enought from them. He is content to just hold a lead and that sometimes gets him into trouble by allowing other teams back into games. That is one of the major reasons why Joe Cox played very little last year. If you can’t win MNC with the talent that UGA had last year, then you don’t have much of a shot. but, hey it’s kinda hard to fire a coach with a record like Mark Richt has. I guess us UGA fans will just have to get use to it.
dawgs
July 30th, 2009
8:05 am
Why dont we have as many titles as tech?
Red Stick
July 30th, 2009
8:09 am
Hey, St. Simons…..(((((38-3))))), now make a ring for that game….HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!
LoelGator
July 30th, 2009
8:12 am
Chances are he will not win a title, the odds for any school is very low. Even Florida this year is not likely to go undeated. They didn’t last year either. There are so many factors. To go through a full season undefeated then the league championship game always against a powerhouse, then a BCS championship against another powerhouse. All teams will probably lose somewhere, then after that the chips have to fall in place.
RAMBLE ON!!!
July 30th, 2009
8:12 am
No Herschel and no development studies degrees, means NO CHANCE!!!
Paul Johnson will win 2 before the fleabags fire Richt.
ladyluckjc
July 30th, 2009
8:14 am
co-coordinators? genius. the last co-coordinator team i remember was AU 2003 when it took them 3 games to score the first touchdown.
Gen Neyland
July 30th, 2009
8:14 am
If the measure of a coach is defined as winning BCSNC’s, there is only 1 great coach each year. Will CMR ever bring a Crystal Football to Athens..? Ask Lady Luck.
SatchelBuzz
July 30th, 2009
8:15 am
Interesting article on CMR. Here’s the point that you should touch on concerning UGA under Richt. They enjoyed there collective initial success in the SEC East during a time when both Florida and UT were in a down cycle. Georgia folks have a difficult time acknowledging this fact. The truth hurts.
rok dawg
July 30th, 2009
8:17 am
Mark:
In 2008, UGA had the 4th toughest schedule in America per Phil Steele. Combine that with the 7th most starts lost to injury (44) again per Phil Steele and a -3 turnover ratio isn’t it a miracle that Georgia won 10 games?
So what will happen in 2009? Here are my thoughts.
First, not much help on the schedule – still ranked the nation’s 7th toughest, but we drop Alabama and replace them with Arkansas, we have South Carolina, Kentucky and Auburn all at home instead of on the road. On the negative side, we have to go to Kiffenville, Vandy and Tech. And instaed of going to Arizona State we go to T-Boones new place. But don’t forget that little week off UGA has before the WLOCP. All in all, a slightly better schedule than last year, but still one of the toughest in the land.
Now on to injuries. You shouldn’t make light of the devastating impact injuries had on the ‘08 DAWGS. Sturdivants loss before the 1st snap was crippling as was the loss of Owens on the 8th snap of the first game. Your best offensive and defensive linemen gone before the season starts. Who could absord those blows (Alabam couldn’t win one game without their left tackle). UGA also lost Washington at middle linebacker for the year and basically lost Ellerbe for half the year. Defensive ends? Pretty much the whole crew was lost for all or part of the season. Back up saferties? same story. And on offense, after losing Sturdivent, UGA lost his replacement Vance half way through the season. Later, Anderson was lost for several games and Chris davis was playing hurt all year. Both tight ends were injured almost all season (catching only 4 passes), and the starting fullback missed the first 5 games and never was the same. Many of these players were seniors. The list of inhuries goes on and on. It had a huge impact on offense, defense and special teams. For 2009, what are the chances UGA will suffer the same level of injuries? Very slim.
Now on turnovers. UGA sucked in 2008 with a -3. In 2007, UGA was +9. I can guarantee you UGA will have a poitive turover number in 2008. This will have a major positive impact on the defense.
Now on to penalties. No matter what, it is going to be better than 2008, perhaps much better.
Now on to special teams. They also were substandard in 2008. But with almost everyone healthy plus an inflx of fast freshmen to help out and perhaps a stronger leg to kickoff, this phase of the game will also be better. This will have a big impact on the starting position on both sides of the ball.
All in all, I’s willing to bet this is no worse than a 10 – 3 team. And a week off before the Florida game sure will make that one interesting. I wonder if any of the Georgia players remember the two times out called late in the 4th quarter by Urban to rub our noses in it? I know most DAWG fans do!
National championsip? Probably not this year. But soon.
gtfanfrom1951
July 30th, 2009
8:18 am
Hey Mark do you ever wonder if the Tech & Dawg fans even read the article? That they just trash each other. O well Coach Richt is a very good football coach and a Christian gentleman. As far as winning BCS its like a beauty contest on who gets in the title game.
hoopdog
July 30th, 2009
8:18 am
every one of you posters on here who post….then wait to read another post..then post again….are a bunch of no life tools.
follow the money trail
July 30th, 2009
8:20 am
Gator Bait- yeah winning the SEC championship is usually the first goal since winning it will be the determiner of who gets in the national championship.
If we have a crappy defense, Damon Evans will fire Martinez, Richt won’t have to.
honest_abe
July 30th, 2009
8:20 am
richt is one helluva coach and i’m glad he’s the coach at georgia. he’s the perfect man for georgia and anyone who thinks we can do better is delirious.
is he too nice? i don’t think anyone can be too nice. its called class people. richt just doesn’t see the point in embarrassing 18-21 year olds. when the game is in hand he calls off the dawgs. unlike a certain coach in gainesville. if that means uga can’t win the bcs in the current format so be it. at least uga can be proud of its coach as a man and a human being.
bravesfan
July 30th, 2009
8:21 am
More of the hard-hitting journalism we’ve come to expect from Mark Bradley. This is a completely irrelevant column. There are a ton of GREAT coaches out there that will never win a national championship. The odds are stacked against a coach the minute the season starts. To say Richt is “too this” or “too that” is grasping at straws. Georgia is in the toughest conference in the country, and they don’t have the built-in advantage that Ohio State and USC do by playing in weak conferences and only having to win a couple of tough games. Anytime an SEC team wins a national championship, it’s a heck of an accomplishment. Georgia has done just fine since Richt came to town. To think that Georgia could do better otherwise is foolish. Are they better off than they were with Donnan or Goff? Sure they are. To be mentioned among the elite is all Georgia fans could ask to be. Eventually, the chips will fall Georgia’s way.
Now, will the Braves ever win another World Series title with Cox? Hardly.
bali smith
July 30th, 2009
8:22 am
I would love for Georgia to win 10 bcs championships as long as coach Richt is at the helm. I think he is a man of character and I still like the way he runs his organization.I agree that last year the Dogs did not look well coached and seemed to lack disipline. Hopefully we will see Georgia play a better brand of footballthis season.
John Jancek and Mark Bradley: enquiring minds want to know. « Get The Picture
July 30th, 2009
8:23 am
[...] Jancek and Mark Bradley: enquiring minds want to know. Jump to Comments Mark Bradley keeps bringing up the subject that John Jancek was named co-defensive coordinator in the [...]
Brandon
July 30th, 2009
8:24 am
We are not going to win the BCS title as long as Martinez is DC, because there will always be at least two or three games a year when his Plan A does not work and we all know he has no plan B.
saint simons lover
July 30th, 2009
8:26 am
i am breaking up with you saint simons. you can’t satisfy a squirrel. maybe you can paint it silver and use it as a kick stand. it would have to be a mighty small bike though.
athensdawg
July 30th, 2009
8:28 am
To quote an orator from aincent Rome…..”There must be a vast fund of stupidity in human nature, or else men would not be caught as they are, a thousand times over, by the same snares…..”
Mark Bradley
July 30th, 2009
8:28 am
I say it again: Willie Martinez isn’t a bad DC. His numbers tell us that. But the three breakdowns last season were un-Georgia-like, IMHO.
bravesfan
July 30th, 2009
8:31 am
Mark, I’ll say it for you. Willie Martinez is a horrible defensive coordinator. I fear the posters ahead of you are correct. He’s a very weak link in the chain.
BDAWG
July 30th, 2009
8:31 am
THWG-YOU my friend, are the idiot. Yes, I am saying that if Georgia had of beaten FLA in 02 we would have been in the NC game. An undefeated team from the SEC or one from the Big East (Miami at the time) or one from the Big 10? You’re a d**n idiot. You call us the Wisconsin of the south and you are a Tech fan?! Pretty comical. When success is measured by having an 8 win season and beating your rival once in 8 years makes you this proud and obnoxious you should need to either reevaluate your situation or keep your pie-hole shut till your mighty Jackets are relevant. All Gt is is the Vandy of the Acc
god and greyhound
July 30th, 2009
8:32 am
Bok, being in the oh so tough sec hasnt stopped uf from winning 3 times or lsu twice.
snapshot
July 30th, 2009
8:36 am
There is not such thing as national champions in college football. Under the current system it is impossible to crown a NC team. Mark Richt would be more successful at FSU. BDAWG, if frogs had wings they would not bump their butts when they jump.
AthensGA
July 30th, 2009
8:37 am
Nice guys finish as the 1st loser. Until we reincarnate Herchel it ain’t gonna happen. Lets see how coach myer does without Tebow. Probably about as good as Dooley did without Walker. 3 SEC’s in 25 years. Welcome back to mediocrity Dawg fans.
Gary
July 30th, 2009
8:37 am
I am more concerned about SEC titles. We have to figure out how to turn the story with Florida back into our favor. If we cannot get through that program more than twice every 17 years we will not have a shot at the title. Saying that, I love what we have now. We are a strong team in a the best conference and we give our rivals hell. It makes for great football for the fans. You have to be proud to watch it. Imagine being a USC fan where two games a year matter and none are in conference and you have to import two big wins every year. Not sure how they sell tickets for that show other than city poplulation. NC or no NC, I will keep driving to Athens for the great football they keep putting on the field.
Phil
July 30th, 2009
8:42 am
No – MR is too soft, not tough enough or demanding enough on the players or the coaches!
Mark Bradley
July 30th, 2009
8:42 am
Georgia is one of the 10 best programs in the land. That’s beyond dispute. My question is: Five years ago, weren’t we assuming — I know I was — that the Bulldogs would move into that upper upper tier alongside Texas and Oklahoma and Ohio State and Southern Cal? (Then again, five years ago Urban Meyer was coaching Utah.)
saint augustine
July 30th, 2009
8:42 am
((( 49 10 ))) hahaha
DawgFan
July 30th, 2009
8:43 am
Anyone else noticed that when Georgia defeated LSU last year, by a margin of 14 points, the Dawgs were trying to figure out where they screwed up. But when Tech defeats Georgia by the same 3 point margin that they defeated Gardner-Webb, then loses by 35 to that same LSU team Georgia beat by 14, Tech treats it like a BCS Title.
Saint Simons
July 30th, 2009
8:45 am
Lets talk about tight ends, my favorite position on the team.
SEC4Life
July 30th, 2009
8:47 am
There’s no doubt that Coach Richt is a good coach, but as long as UGA continues to recruit DB’s and LB’s that are 5′11” and under, their defense will continue to keep them out of the BCS conversation. For the past four or five years UGA’s defensive recruiting scheme as appeared to value speed over size, and this has been their achilles heel. How many times did we see 6′1” and taller WRs and TEs outplay UGA DBs last year. The Ga Tech game only exposed what had been obvious all year. Guys like Champ Bailey and Rennie Curran are exceptions to the rule b/c even though they were relatively small for their positions, they could inflict maximum pain at a moments notice. The key to improving UGA’s defensive woes can be summed up in two words: size and discipline.
JT
July 30th, 2009
8:47 am
If Georgia does not want Richt Miami will gladly take him. Canes have a horrible coach in Randy Shannon. Hurrican fan.
TampaGator
July 30th, 2009
8:48 am
At the end of the 2007, Georiga without a doubt had the best team in America. No one could have beaten that team in January of that year. They were rolling on both offense and defense and had total team chemistry. Too bad they did not get a chance to play for the national title that year. They derserve to be there. It will happen again in the near future I am sure. Richt is now focused on not only getting top notch talent, which he is, but on building the team approach it takes to win it all coming out of the SEC…he has seen the light by what he has witnessed down in Gainesville (what team chemistry and team focus can do).
blackhawk
July 30th, 2009
8:48 am
Super B – Coach Martinez is the DB coach! This is kind of like the Braves discussion about not winning enough WS titles. I would rather be good every year and have a chance to win it all than to be mediocre most of the time. UGA has a chance every year. Maybe one day it will happen
chazzo
July 30th, 2009
8:49 am
Great article. Where do you come up with these penetrating questions? Nobody has discussed this all summer. The answer is YES.
PMC
July 30th, 2009
8:51 am
He is doing absolutely everything he can really. Look at the BCS talent gap between Florida and Georgia. Georgia is 4th in the nation in BCS recruits Florida is #1. They produce almost twice the talent we do in state.
Georgia has been right where they need to be several years they just either made thier mistake at the wrong time or were unlucky with injury. Mark Richt is the best head coach UGA has ever had. Yes he’s better than Dooley… Dooley had Irk Russell and Herschel Walker. This staff has done an excellent job they just need to get a year where they have the QB they need and the lines healthy. They are as good at the skill positions as anyone else in the country.
Mark Bradley
July 30th, 2009
8:51 am
These penetrating Hot Button topics are the product of brainstormin’. Thanks for asking.
dawes
July 30th, 2009
8:53 am
your tech fan think your will beat ga four in a row i got some swamp land for sale
DawgFan
July 30th, 2009
8:55 am
Mark – Within two or three years Urban Meyer will be coaching at Notre Dame and Florida will drop back out of the stratosphere and back to the real world with the rest of us.
Plus, you have to remember that a one-or-two-loss season in the SEC is the same as undefeated in any other conference.
Simple Simons
July 30th, 2009
8:57 am
Momma,Saint at the computer again
dawes
July 30th, 2009
8:57 am
you canse your will never have richt because georgia won,t let your have him
Dawgs73
July 30th, 2009
8:58 am
Mark, you are correct when it comes to Richt. He is undeniably a very good coach and an even better human being. His weakness is his blind loyalty to certain coaches (Willies Martinez) and sometimes players. He suffers from what I would like to term “Bobby Cox disease”. He is paid at a very high level and Richt needs to start making some tough decisions (or they will be made for him). It’s quite clear that the Dawgs were almost a great defense under previous DC Van Gorder (now with Falcons) and probably would have progressed to the next level under him (National Championship). Willie is neither progressive or good enough to take UGA to the next level (which has been quite clear for a few seasons now). I believe part of Richt’s major weakness(es) is that he doesn’t want to be upstaged by one of his assistants. Ultimately, he will have to hire himself an upgrade at the coaching position before UGA is to reach the pinnacle of college football.
Jim
July 30th, 2009
8:59 am
Mark Richt is a great coach who can , and will win the BCS. It is always easy (and cheap) to hit a guy who has yet to do something. Richt has a record at UGA that most coaches, schools, and fans would kill to have. Just take a deep breath and relax – he is a Winner.
Original Dawgs
July 30th, 2009
9:00 am
7-1
The Alpha Male
July 30th, 2009
9:01 am
Bradley, you’re a shmuck. Tired subject, ridiculous rhetoric, pointless debate. Richt is one of the best in the nation. Pull your head out of your arse.
the real Old Gold
July 30th, 2009
9:01 am
He better do something over there in Athens. 1980 was almost 30 years ago.
dawes
July 30th, 2009
9:02 am
dear mr athens ga georgia not back to mediocity you need your head check by a brain doctor
Butts' Mirror
July 30th, 2009
9:03 am
6
ATL GATOR
July 30th, 2009
9:04 am
Never!! Doesn’t matter who is coaching them but especially not an ex FSU coach.
Dawgs
July 30th, 2009
9:04 am
caleb king will lead us to glory!
SEC4Life
July 30th, 2009
9:06 am
Am I the only one who’s nervous about Joe Cox as our starting QB?