Joe Cox suddenly has critics, but he really doesn’t care
It wasn't the best start for the new QB, but it'll get better. (Bill Waugh photo special to the AJC)
Athens — A week ago he was D.J. Shockley, the senior quarterback who waited his turn and would lead Georgia to the SEC championship. Today some folks are wondering if Joe Cox is actually Joe Tereshinski III, the senior quarterback who waited his turn and wound up losing his job.
Memo to those folks: Joe Cox claims he doesn’t hear you, and even if he did he wouldn’t be bothered.
“I’m sure there was [negative] stuff said,” Cox said Tuesday, three days after Georgia laid a substantial egg in Stillwater, Okla. “Half the people who are saying things have never played a down of football in their lives. I’d never criticize somebody like that, but they might think it’s their place to say how someone is doing even though they’ve never done it. I consider the source, who’s talking. If it’s someone who hasn’t played football, I could care less.”
Joe Cox was OK in Week 1. He completed half his 30 passes for 162 yards. He threw one touchdown pass, one interception. He lost a fumble on a sack. “I did some things well,” he said. “I didn’t do enough to win the game. There are a lot of things I can do better.”
Lest we forget, it was his first start in nearly three calendar years. He’d had ample time to envision the moment, and he was, he said, disappointed by the arrival of reality. “To have waited so long, I expected to play better. I didn’t do what I needed to do.”
Georgia had seven snaps beyond the 50 on its first drive; it had seven more thereafter, and two of those were kicks. Obvious question: Was Cox’s much-discussed health an issue? “I was OK. I was good enough to play.”
He might or might not be D.J. Shockley, but Joe Cox will never be confused with Alibi Ike. He expected to lead this team to great things and expects it still. For that to happen, though, he sees one thing that must be different. “Just offensively, at times we were playing not to mess up rather than just cutting things loose,” he said. “That’s what to needs to change.”
Georgia might or might not beat South Carolina this weekend — I like the Bulldogs, for what that’s worth — but don’t count on its starting quarterback going down quite so meekly this time. And don’t count on him losing his job anytime soon. He’ll be OK. Maybe not great, but definitely OK.
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582 comments Add your comment
MikeInValdosta
September 8th, 2009
1:31 pm
He should care. He should have been critically of himself prior to the blocking. A lot of pointing fingers on this team, especially the players pointing at the coaches. It needs to get straightened fast.
MikeInValdosta
September 8th, 2009
1:34 pm
“It seemed like whenever we would have a good play, there would always be one person or two people that didn’t finish a block, or even me, we’d have a guy running open and I wouldn’t put it on him,” quarterback Joe Cox said.
Peadawg
September 8th, 2009
1:35 pm
I pray we beat Darth Visor…but it won’t be pretty.The UGA-SC game is going to boring. Anyone see another Auburn/Miss State (3-2)?
MikeInValdosta
September 8th, 2009
1:35 pm
OR EVEN ME? Is that leadership?
KJ
September 8th, 2009
1:37 pm
Wrong attitude, Joe. I don’t have to have played a down of football to know that you did not perform how the QB of a top program should. And you might “care less” now, but if you continue to not protect the ball and miss throws, I assume you’ll care when you lose your starting job.
That said, Joe isn’t nearly as culpable as Bobo is, for inexplicably going away from what was working after the first drive. If they had continued to mix up formations and take the pressure off the QB to continually make throws, you likely wouldn’t have had to write this article.
Mark Bradley
September 8th, 2009
1:38 pm
I’m thinking it’ll be 2-0, Peadawg.
Nah. More like 17-13.
Peadawg
September 8th, 2009
1:40 pm
In my office pool I’m picking 13-6.
birddawg92
September 8th, 2009
1:42 pm
With the loss of Sturdivant (again), Gamecocks should be favored. After the performance against the Pokes, it appears that UGA may be lucky to win 6 this season. And I’m die-hard red and black. This team is poorly coached.
http://www.saturdayinathens.com
birddawg92
September 8th, 2009
1:44 pm
Ditto KJ—if Bobo and the rest of the coaching staff thought going in that we would be successful putting games in Cox’s hands, we clearly had another thing coming Saturday. This staff is in over its head.
BobDawg
September 8th, 2009
1:45 pm
Did Marlon Brown even play in the game Saturday?
Otto
September 8th, 2009
1:46 pm
Bobo’s vanilla play calling holds most of the blame. Kick off returns comes in 2nd.
fieldofdreams
September 8th, 2009
1:47 pm
Dogs can realistically expect wins against Tennessee Tech and Vandy. Will Richt survive?
AltamahaDawg
September 8th, 2009
1:49 pm
Mike, have you considered a career with the FBI?
Lowcountry Bulldawg
September 8th, 2009
1:50 pm
Brown did not play. I honestly have not put to much into JC’s performance. I think Bobo did not put his offensive in the right situation for them to excel. To many 1st down passes and not enough Samuel in the 2nd and 3rd quarter. Use the run to make the pass effective. Something UGA failed to do. And Samuel still managed 87 yards on 20 carries.
Will
September 8th, 2009
1:53 pm
different year, more talented recruits in the program, same stupid play on the field…time for Richt to be gone….he lived off of Donnan his first few years anyway.
DawgLover
September 8th, 2009
1:53 pm
I suspect that Cox will last about 1 more game before being pulled. The next to last drive where not one but two balls were batted down at the line is a quarterback issue.
Captain Jack
September 8th, 2009
1:53 pm
YARRRRR!!!!!
WHERE BE THE OFFENSE?!
YE BOBO AND COX SHOULD WALK THE PLANK!!!!
The Ole Ball Coach
September 8th, 2009
1:53 pm
Blocking was not up to par and neither was the QB play or special teams.
Hats off to the D
birddawg92
September 8th, 2009
1:54 pm
Given the injury to Sturdivant (again), the Gamecocks should be favored. I am die-hard red and black, but after the Stillwater performance, I think we’ll be lucky to qualify for a bowl.
saturdayinathens.com
SimpleDawg
September 8th, 2009
1:55 pm
No need for all of this blather…..
The die is cast, and now we just have to let the season play out.
The coaches have to coach better, and the players have to play better. Whatever we have as a team, is what we go to battle with each week. Let’s see what happens from here on….
No one thought we were going undefeated, anyway. Now we just have to win a game we weren’t supposed to win.
Johnny DangerDawg
September 8th, 2009
1:55 pm
I don’t think Joe Cox has a bad attitude, but these quotes could certainly be taken that way. He needs to work on his media skills while there’s still a chance to get the fans back on his side.
Johnny DangerDawg
September 8th, 2009
1:59 pm
He’s just asking for trouble by saying words like “I could care less.” Yes, Joe, many of the fans are idiots who think they know everything, but you can’t *say* that. You just have to say something like “I can’t let criticism or praise affect what I need to do, which is work as hard as I can to help this team win.”
JDW
September 8th, 2009
1:59 pm
I think we need a big dose of reality here. We knew or should have known that this team was unproven. Ok we stunk the joint up from top to bottom on Saturday. The job know is to get better and historically that is what we have done. Remember 2007…how bad did we play in Knoxville that year? What happened in the end? We had the chance to learn a lot and not lose an SEC game. Let it unfold without all the panic.
Ed from Woodstock
September 8th, 2009
2:00 pm
It’s a looooong season, give Cox a chance to shine. It was a frustrating game especially after driving down and scoring the first drive, but let’s not forget that Oklahoma State is a very good team (no cupcake!) Let’s beat the snot out of the Gamecocks/Spurrier, and everyone will feel a lot better!
Smyrna Man
September 8th, 2009
2:00 pm
Sounds like Crompton 2.0. You guys need some new coaches
SagaciousSamDawg
September 8th, 2009
2:02 pm
Luck is all you need to win.
midnite
September 8th, 2009
2:03 pm
What irked me was in the Dogs last offensive series there was no since of urgency with about 2.5 minutes on the clock. If we could have scored we would have only been down 1 TD. Everyone just farted around there was no “hurry up” and that’s on Cox. Maybe now he can settle down and lead. To say there would be no performance drop-off from Stafford/Moreno is too much BS for me.
Drew-G-A
September 8th, 2009
2:03 pm
Excuses. I really thought he could lead this team and maybe still can, we’ll see. But his attitude towards criticism doesn’t sound like the leader the team and coaches have painted him out to be during the offseason. I’m a musician, and if I play a crappy show and the audience thinks that it is crappy, I can’t say anything if it is. I certainly can’t pull some argument about how they don’t play music so they can’t possibly understand or criticize. Guess what most of us have at least played high school ball, and even if we hadn’t we still are big enough fans of football and have seen enough games to know what a good quarterback looks like and he did not look like a good quarterback based off of Saturday’s game. Don’t play for schools like UGA if you can’t take the spotlight and being critiqued.
On that note I hope he gets better and continues to do so. I’m not trying to hate on the guy, but the truth is the truth. Here’s hoping that he can win us some games.
SagaciousSamDawg
September 8th, 2009
2:03 pm
You only need luck to win.
OZZFEST
September 8th, 2009
2:03 pm
I WAS IN STILLWATER….MIKE BOBO SHOULD BE FIRED TODAY. RIGHT NOW.
We look like the sorriest, dumbest coached team I have ever seen in 250+ Georgia games. MARK RICHT NEEDS TO PUT DOWN THE BIBLE AND GET HIS BELT OUT.
DawgGirl32
September 8th, 2009
2:03 pm
I don’t blame Joe Cox one bit. He knows what he did well and what he didn’t do well better than anybody else criticizing him. It’s amazing how quickly people start with the “bench joe cox,” “fire mike bobo,” and even “fire mark richt” nonsense after one loss to a top 10 team on the road. I just hope he uses these criticisms as motivation to get better.
shankit
September 8th, 2009
2:03 pm
LOSS?
LACK OF STAMINA
Dawgs dog tired mid third quarter.
Not in good physical condition.
Reason – Non strenous practice sessions, not
up to par with Stamina as opposition
THREW COX TO THE WOLVES AFTER OPENING DRIVE
Great typical UGA opening drive, then —-
back to the touch football play calling.
NO MISDIRECTION OR SETTING UP PLAYS
Poor kickoff returns and fielding
Boone Pickens” referees didn’t help.
SagaciousSamDawg
September 8th, 2009
2:03 pm
Luck is all you need.
Sherlock Holmes
September 8th, 2009
2:04 pm
The d played well at times,but still no sacks or enough pressure throughout the game to satisfy the weary.
washedup
September 8th, 2009
2:04 pm
Joe, they may never have played a down of football, but they have plopped down their money for tickets & stuff, that has paid for your college education. I immediately become a “non-fan” of players I hear make remarks like that.
mutts R Ugly and real stupid
September 8th, 2009
2:04 pm
As the mutts lose more and more games, richt will have to pull joe and put in a freshman or soph just so he can say he is building for NEXT year, to save his worthless job, imho….yeah, right mutts, its always next year with you guys…five star classes, and next year…the flats are rocking with laughter….
SagaciousSamDawg
September 8th, 2009
2:05 pm
The fortunes of luck surpass all else.
Dawg Man
September 8th, 2009
2:05 pm
Joe Cox doesn’t have a lot of talent, but he’s doing the best he can. Hopefully, Ga’s defense gets a lot better, since the O will not be putting up good numbers this year.
Bulldog Bry
September 8th, 2009
2:06 pm
I like Cox’s attitude. He knows that his teammates won’t bail on him like the fans are.
Joe M
September 8th, 2009
2:06 pm
His taking the time to take shots at folks who may not have played football shows that he does indeed care what is said and who is saying it.
Here is what I do know, it doesn’t take a current or former football player to know he didn’t play well, those high throws to open receivers is pretty much a good indication, not to mention the lack of visible leadership (supposedly his strongest attribute) as things started to turn.
I did play football but I was not in the band, so does that mean I don’t have the ability recognize crappy music?
That whole didn’t play thing is a snippy little shot athletes use when they stink it up and try to defend themselves.
Saying nothing at all proves you didn’t hear and don’t care. Not that he should care, because he shouldn’t.
Go Dawgs
September 8th, 2009
2:06 pm
Has anyone else noticed that since Richt decided to be more involved with the whole team and to turn over the offense to Bobo that the team as a whole has gone down. I think it’s time to move Bobo back to QB coach, Richt take back over the play-calling and let everyone else do their job. It’s obvious after last year and this one game that Bobo is in over his head. Just one watchers opinion.
SagaciousSamDawg
September 8th, 2009
2:06 pm
If we are lucky, we will win and it should be noted that we have no control over such fate.
Just A Fan
September 8th, 2009
2:07 pm
CMR is a very nice guy, but remember that old saying “nice guys finish last
Saint Simons
September 8th, 2009
2:07 pm
Get along little doggies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 24 – 10 hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
t-bone pickinit here
September 8th, 2009
2:08 pm
Yo, boy shankit – are ya sayin ah bought the refs? If ya got proof, take it to the ncaa infraction comittee, otherwise shut the heck up, boy.
I Care
September 8th, 2009
2:09 pm
Want a national championship? How about a team who PLAYS like champions? Want results from the OC and DCs? Want accountability? Want to raise the bar?
Go to http://www.firemarkricht.net and have your voice heard! A site started by UGA alum for anyone interested in bringing a National Championship to UGA!
SagaciousSamDawg
September 8th, 2009
2:09 pm
Most people, the irrational ones, avoid the issue of luck. A team cannot win without it.
DawgDo
September 8th, 2009
2:09 pm
Maybe it’s just me. Does anyone remember Cox ever moving an inch laterally to get out of the way of the rush? He is the most immobile QB I have seen in a long, long time. Maybe Booboo should go back to being QB coach.
LawDawg (wsoh)
September 8th, 2009
2:10 pm
To hell with the fans, Georgia fans are among the worst in the country (I’ve got two degrees from that institution I can say what ever the hell I want). Joe is a no bull kind of guy. He knows he played a pretty bad game, but it’s still his role to call out people who aren’t performing. Nothing Joe said to the media wasn’t said in position meetings. If he feels like people need to be accountable, then Joe can talk. He is the unquestioned leader of this team, all the players love him and look up to him. This is his team. Georgia “fans” need to get with the program. Joe will get the offense doing what it needs to do. The defense will be okay.
This team will still win 9 or 10 games and give you all and excuse to go to Florida in January, yet there will be fans talking about firing Bobo, and firing CWM, firing Fabris, and firing Richt. Wish I had been born in Carolina where people actually appreciate what they have instead of whining. I’ll just keep telling myself that it’s all the yankee imports “from” metro Atlanta that are the bad apples. Yeah, that feels better.
SagaciousSamDawg
September 8th, 2009
2:11 pm
What wil it take for any NCAA team to win any contest? If you answered luck, you are correct.