5 reasons Georgia needs to demote Willie Martinez ASAP
1. Georgia is 97th among 120 Bowl Subdivision teams in total defense, 108th in scoring defense. The Bulldogs rank last among 12 SEC schools in both categories. Simple question: Do you believe Georgia — with Rennie Curran, Geno Atkins, Jeff Owens, Justin Houston, Kade Weston, Demarcus Dobbs, Darryl Gamble, Bryan Evans, Reshad Jones, Brandon Boykin and Branden Smith — has the worst defensive talent in the SEC?
2. Georgia has one interception, one fumble recovery and four sacks in three games. It ranks 76th (tied) in sacks, 116th in turnover margin. Simple question: Does anyone think the Bulldogs’ personnel ranks in the nation’s lower tier in terms of speed, strength and level of aggression?
3. Over the past nine games, Georgia opponents have averaged — averaged — 33 points. In 42 games under Brian VanGorder, whom Martinez succeeded as defensive coordinator, one opponent scored more than 30 points, and that was the 2003 BCS champion.
4. Georgia opponents have scored 102 points in three games this season. In 1980, the national championship team yielded 137 points in 12 games.
5. Georgia football is first-class in every way — the head coach, the personnel, the offense, the recruiting, the facilities, the fan interest — except one. Athletics director Damon Evans says he wants his coaches to win championships. Simple questions: Do you believe Georgia can win another SEC title playing this sort of defense? Is there any reason a program of such pedigree should have the worst defensive coordinator in its division?
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729 comments Add your comment
MikeD
September 22nd, 2009
8:52 am
Email Damon Evans today! devans@sports.uga.edu
BRADDAWG
September 22nd, 2009
8:52 am
A good offense wins games, Defense wins Championships. The answer is No, Georgia will not win any Championships playing this kind of defense. We handle the run pretty well but, everybody in the league will be passing on us because they know we give them 10 to 15 yards every play. We can’t cover the deed ball. The only time this team is truely effective on defense is when we are backed up against the goalline and THAT is a tough assingment. Hell, if I were a defensive back I’d much rather get flaged for interference than give up six. Willy will have to go if something does not change…and soon!
TheItalianDawg
September 22nd, 2009
8:53 am
Mark, This is the best article you have ever written, 200% agree with you, Martinez is the reason for not winning the National championship in 2007 and 2005 , he is a total disaster! our 11 players on D are all without exceptions are NFL caliper players, all are blue chips. Martinez cant call defensive plays, we are hanging in there based on talent alone. It really sickening me to see Tennessee defense and compare it to Georgia’s, we become a joke, yes a joke there is no team on the land respect our D. F U WM! F U dammit!
Damn right I'm a Dawg
September 22nd, 2009
8:53 am
Mark, If UGA does get rid of Martinez, will you again call our fanbase “as crass as they come” ?
chazzo
September 22nd, 2009
8:54 am
Merely to play the devil’s advocate, Van Gorder did not have to deal with the offenses our D is facing these days. And, his D was absolutely stacked with NFL quality talent.
The Other St. Simons
September 22nd, 2009
8:56 am
Hi five yourself. Great job.
MiltonDawg
September 22nd, 2009
8:56 am
Agreed MB- this year is going to be tough to stomach if the previous 3 games are any indication. i’m even more concerned about the great HS recruits on the D side of the ball we have coming in next year. We have some really great DEs and DBs coming–some the best in the state or country for that matter. I would hate to see all that talent screwed up.
Atticus
September 22nd, 2009
8:59 am
Winterdawg, I agree with you. I trust Richt to make the changes. He has in the past although he does it slower. He did it with the OC job, he did it with time management, and he needs to do something about the defense and the kickoff team. Loyalty is great and it does reflect well but at some point when you haven’t won the East in 3 years and could be a 4th and your defensive output is getting worse, you have to determine what is best. I just hope he does. He got a pass last year because of injuries, but this year is pathetic on defense.
honest_abe
September 22nd, 2009
9:02 am
final things i’m going to say.
everyone used to blame coach eason for wr’s dropping the ball. i know this because i used to be one of them. but last year i realized it’s not the coach its the player.
aj green is aj green because he’s a helluva talent. michael moore is michael moore because he’s got heart and he hangs onto the ball even though he knows he’s going to get licked. tavarres king, aron white, martrez milner and fred gibson had/have butter fingers.
we can disagree till we’re blue in the face but firing cwm in the middle of the season would be an awful move. it hurts the stability of the program and thats one of the major things that recruits look for when coming to school. good players make plays.
and saying reshad jones would be eric berry if for another coordinator makes me ashamed to say i’m the fan of the same school as you.
The Truth Hurts
September 22nd, 2009
9:02 am
Thank you, Mark. Good God. Let’s get Martinez out of here.
Dangerous
September 22nd, 2009
9:03 am
Without damn turnovers GA potentially blows out SC and Ark. Ten turnovers inside your own 30 leads to 40 pts, its a wonder they can still win! They did a pretty damn good job against Okie St, but had no offense to help! It’s a little too early to slam the door on GA’S D don’t you think. They get Houston back, but lose Battle at end. Looked like pretty good coverage against Ark and we played closer off the receivers on the line, but just some well placed balls. I did see some blown coverages, but hell Petrino is a very good O-coach and Mallet threw some ropes that only his receivers could catch. I rewatched the game last night and finished first half of SC, GA D will get better and they are not as bad as everyone thinks, although Bryan Evans has got to get better or ride the pine. Quit turning the f#^@$#g ball over! If Bobo opens up that kind of play book against Okie ST and they don’t turn the ball over in all 3 games, were not having this discussion about the D . Oh, by the way MB I admit being wrong about Tenn vs Ucla. I thought playing in Knoxville would be the difference, but give credit to a tough Ucla team that is well coached. Also, Tenn has absolutely no QB play. I belive USC will lose 3,4 maybe even 5 games this year because they are that bad (lost too many players and both coordinators)!
MiltonDawg
September 22nd, 2009
9:05 am
or for a temp fix, put him in the booth so he can actually see the players/field. why is he on the sidelines??
shannon1776
September 22nd, 2009
9:06 am
I know Texas paid Muschamp a lot of money to be the coach in waiting at Texas. However, with the new SEC TV deal and the new marketing package UGA just signed, we have the money to offer more than the $900,000 Texas is paying. Also, how long will Brown remain the HC at Texas? maybe five more years? Muschamp can come to UGA for 3-4 years, help us win a national titile, and STILL be the guy who takes over at Texas someday.
WM just has a bad philosophy. How can we play a DEEP cover 2, and STILL get burned deep 3-4 times per game? On Arkansas’ first TD pass, the CB was further down the field than our safety Jones on the play—and Jones was playing DEEP to start with!!!!!!
"Special" John Fabris
September 22nd, 2009
9:08 am
I think CWM is doing a fine job. You people need to get a life.
Also, those who have “never played a single down of football” in their life are not authorized to make any comments about CMR, CWM, Joe “Player of the Week” Cox, or me.
Life is good for us folks on the Athletic Dept. payroll, so shut up.
Vickers
September 22nd, 2009
9:11 am
It’s obvious that the Dog’s defense is underachieving. There’s no question about that. The big question is what does CMR do about it and when. I had hopes after the Oklahoma St game that the D would be improved this year, but they made Garcia (for crying out loud) look like all SEC. The qb at Arkansas is good but not THAT good. The talent is there. The Dogs can stop the run but there is NO pass rush.
I don’t want to see an uprising during the season, that would be distracting and destructive to the team. Let’s hope the D improves during the season and then CMR needs to make a change at D coordinator after the season. We still have a chance for a good season.
TheItalianDawg
September 22nd, 2009
9:12 am
BugKiller, Please just Shut Up!!!! you don’t make any sense
Slick Willie
September 22nd, 2009
9:12 am
Y’all stop calling Reshad Jones by the name “Cheap Shot Jones”. We can hear y’all morons when we are standing on the sidelines.
These players have fragile egos and we work hard to coddle them before they become zillionares.
TheItalianDawg
September 22nd, 2009
9:13 am
sorry BugKiller, the post wasnt meant for you
DawginLex
September 22nd, 2009
9:14 am
Mark,
I can’t believe you are actually advocating and endorsing demoting an assistant head coach three games into the season.
If this team was 0-3, then I say not only demote him, but fire him. But we are not 0-3. We are 2-1 including 2-0 in the SEC. Demote him, and the internal staff sniping and chirping begins and the season goes into the toilet. Fire him, and there is no coach in America who could restore order.
Unlike Bugkiller, who wants to play all the freshmen to get ready for 2010. I want to win now. I want to let Joe Cox win a bunch of games. I’m not ready to roll over and say “Timmy and Urban, we won’t even show up in J’ville because, well you are Tim Tebow and we are not”.
You go through the year and win as many games as you can and let the coaches coach. By the end of the year, it will be obvious what needs to be done.
Herschel Talker
September 22nd, 2009
9:16 am
Mark Bradley: We love you for coming out and writing this! Between this and your recent Bobby Cox articles, you have solidified yourself as one of the premier sportswriters in the country! Kudos to you and your hard work!
bulldog swanton
September 22nd, 2009
9:16 am
Willie needs to get his sh!t together. we can’t be given up 40+ to teams like Arkansas and South Cackalacky.
BugKiller
September 22nd, 2009
9:17 am
honest_abe LIES.
AGAIN… as illustrated by others on this site… Rashad Jones was a TOP-3 safety coming out of high school.
Same as Eric Berry.
What’s the difference in their career trajectory? One had a very good DC. The other had Willie Martinez.
Players are nothing but RAW TALENT without the coaching to mold them.
BVG molded his talented and not so talented players into a great SEC defense.
Willie Martinez has taken BETTER raw talent, and you all see the result.
So keep on lying, honest_abe and the like. Keep on lying.
Mutley
September 22nd, 2009
9:18 am
Bugkiller is dead on it. It is no wonder why Florida and Alabama are so far ahead of Georgia, because they won’t put up with being losers. Do you really think Nick Saban or Urban Meyer would put up with this? No, of course not then why do Georgia fans defend the indefensible? This is starting to remind us of the Ray Goof debate. Most realized he was a terrible coach but there was always that group that wanted to keep him because he was “one of us”. If Georgia is ever going to move its’s program to the next level this type of thinking has got to stop.
LizDawg
September 22nd, 2009
9:20 am
Another problem is the Dawgs continue to recruit and sign short (5′ 9″, 5′ 10″) cornerbacks. Said cornerbacks then constantly have mismatches against tall WR’s and TE’s (see USuC’s Saunders). I realize you need speed at the corners and I’m not saying to move 6′ 4″ studs into this position but it would be nice to have some 6′ guys (with speed) defending these big wideouts and TE’s.
Boykin has 42″ vertical leap but that doesn’t help if he’s caught flat-footed. Paul Oliver is the style athlete I’m talking about.
PMC
September 22nd, 2009
9:20 am
We’re not talking about firing CWM during the season right Mark? We’re talking about handing the calling duties over to John Jancek who was promoted this summer correct? If so I completely agree.
Jon Hughes
September 22nd, 2009
9:20 am
honest abe let me ask you this Ron Zook had some of the best recruiting classes while at fla but he was never once a contender for a NC you know why? because he could not get anything out of all that talent he was not a good coach willie has the same problem.
Mark Bradley
September 22nd, 2009
9:21 am
You’re right: Three games into a season does seem a kneejerk response. But it’s not just three games. It was the final six games of last season. And the Alabama game of last year. And a fairly undeniable trend.
In Willie Martinez’s first 31 games as defensive coordinator, opponents scored 30-plus points three times. In the past 24 games, opponents have scored 30-plus points 10 times.
DawginLex
September 22nd, 2009
9:21 am
I’m all for this type of thinking to stop. It just shouldn’t involve firing or demoting a coach three games into the season.
Dawg Fan first
September 22nd, 2009
9:23 am
Personally, I’m tired of hearing about BVG. He chose to leave because he wanted to be in the NFL. Well, he’s in the NFL and he ain’t coming back so please get over it and stop bringing his name up in every conversation about UGA’s D! Dude’s gone, been gone.
DawginLex
September 22nd, 2009
9:23 am
Anybody who thinks that demoting Willie Martinez during the season wouldn’t destroy this team is dead wrong.
Ginger
September 22nd, 2009
9:24 am
Agree…we need to do something….Defense is way underperforming…Admire CMR loyalty to assistants…but CMR needs to be loyal to the players, fan and university….Defense did badly last yr and see no change in the 1st 3 games……Choices are 1. demote or fire, 2. do nothing or 3…get CWM some help…..Since CMR will probably not fire….Le’ts get CWM some help…Hire consult or defensive guru to come in and evaluate and make recommendations…..Surely there are some very
qualified folks out there who could come in and do this…..
PTC DAWG
September 22nd, 2009
9:24 am
A trend is a trend for sure, but does anybody honestly think the stats would look the same if we had played Fripp Island, Middle Alabama State and Tennessee?
A mid season change would be a disaster, in my humble opinion.
Tulsa A. Dawg, Esq.
September 22nd, 2009
9:25 am
Bring back the Dutchman, Van Gorder. Mexicans are just awful coaches.
honest_abe
September 22nd, 2009
9:26 am
bug killer: that’s the first thing i said when i compared them. i already said both were five star recruits. but ratings don’t always translate to the college game. you really think every single five star recruit that goes to uf, or usc realizes their “potential?” you can’t tell me that the only factor in a five star recruit reaching their potential or not is coaching. reshad jones couldn’t dream of being as good as eric berry and that has nothing to do coordinators. eric berry is a special player.
fred gibson was about as heralded as they come coming out of high school. if he had better coaching are you saying he would’ve been an aj green?
and hey douche bag aka bugkiller i never said cwm is a defensive mastermind. ok? it’d be a horrible idea to get rid of a coordinator during the middle of a season. as for the players until someone steps up and makes a play this defense will continue to underperform.
Lowcountry Bulldawg
September 22nd, 2009
9:26 am
It is funny how long some of these UGA fans take to come around. This is nothing new and many of these same bloggers calling for his head were defenders overthe past two seasons. They refused to take off the rose colored glasses and now the program on the defensive side of the ball is paying for it.
This may not just extend to CWM.Who is the defensive line coach and our recruiting coordinator? Where is UGA having issues at right now? The coaching staff needs to be reviewed by CMR.
This program has taken it to its greates level since the Walker era that is a given, and no we do not miss the Goff or Donnan era. That is not the argument here. Now in college football it is an era of results and titles. CMR certainly has the stats in the win column to never get fired at UGA, but he needs to do some soul searching for the greater good of these young men and the university and ask himself does he have the necessary pieces in place for these young men to win national titles.
This is the burden he has placed himself with. He no longer can win 10 games and shake hands and get the pats on the back. He must find a way to displace Florida as the team in the SEC. This is where he is at in 2009. He must ask himself, “What will it take for me to win a National Title at UGA?”. It starts with making the tough choices with the staff. Fire Martinez at seasons end and bring in Kirby Smart.
Jon Hughes
September 22nd, 2009
9:26 am
and let me say this although i think willie i s terrible coordinator i do not think he should be fired or demoted until the end of the season firing him now would only make things worse.
gdawginkalamazoo
September 22nd, 2009
9:27 am
One simple thing to help the defense is simply to kick the ball into the endzone for a touchback on kickoffs. From the -25 to the goal line the average team scores a TD 7-12% of the time. From the -25 to the 50 the average team scores 20-30% of the time (or 80% of the time if playing UGA). From the 50 to the 25 that number jumps to 40-60%. Simple “strategery” but evidently effective.
Dangerous
September 22nd, 2009
9:28 am
Will Muschamp better not come here if he’s making 900K! VanGorder wasn’t even making over 200K when he wanted his raise and had the door shut in his face! Oh yeah, they up and offered him around 230k, but wasn’t that just a slap in the face for someone who was carrying this program! It was reported that VG had signed a multi year deal, but his agent had him sign a one year contract and they wanted to negotiate after the year was up. THE DOOR WAS SHUT IN HIS FACE! ISN’T THAT RIGHT DAMON EVANS AND MIKE ADAMS! THE ONLY THING I DON’T KNOW ABOUT THIS ISSUE IS WHY.
bamafan
September 22nd, 2009
9:32 am
Hey Mark – did I see an entry on your blog from you on Saturday evening in which you announced that Virginia had beaten Southern Miss? What is up with that?
AltamahaDawg
September 22nd, 2009
9:35 am
Bug Killer, I have teenage girls so beleive me when I say, your overly dramatic personality is getting real old. Despite you trying and lying your best to morph what I have said to you about our defense, you will never be able to find one quote from me saying I think that Willie Martinez is a great DC. What I have repeatedly said to you, and you have repeatedly ignored is that your accessment for Mark Richt not making a change at that position is outright childish. I’ll leave it at that. It’s pretty obvious to me that you care WAY more about what I think, than the other way around. I am just a realist, not a “let me put on the cap locks and pretend I can do something” guy. It MR decision, he will do what he he ultimetely things in in the best interest of the program, there are factors to consider, and in the meantime, I prefer to enjoy college football no matter what. I just find the whole “fire somebody” mantra quite boring. I also do not define my own personal excellence as being able to be critical of somebody else. Some do. It’s pretty easy to preach high standards though, when somebody else is doing the heavy lifting. Many other people have been far more defensive about WM’s actual coaching, and offerend much more eloquent explainations than I have but you seem to really care about me. I’m flattered but really, feel free not to care.
Hey BTW, I wanted to ask you about………..you know.
Dangerous
September 22nd, 2009
9:35 am
Last year GA lost a ton of personel, the turnovers on the short side and the kickoffs OB killed GA. This year the ball has been turned over 10 times on the short side of the field and Ga continues to kick the ball OB on kickoffs. You people get a f@%%&#g life!
Mark Bradley
September 22nd, 2009
9:36 am
I was incorrect, BamaFan, about the Southern Miss score. I corrected myself thereafter.
MG
September 22nd, 2009
9:38 am
BVG’s gone, gone like a freight train, gone like yesterday, gone like a soldier in the civil War, bang bang. Gone like a ‘59 Cadillac, like all the good things, he ain’t never coming back, he’s gone, gone, gone.
AltamahaDawg
September 22nd, 2009
9:38 am
zoo, actually one of the most simple thing to do to help a defense is not spot the other team 10 points.
Paul's Johnson
September 22nd, 2009
9:39 am
You are right on Mark bradley.
My concern is that if this defensive play continues throughout the season and we lose 4 or 5 games, possible future recruits will definately reconsider coming to UGA. Do you not think that the nation’s top defensive recruits who are considering UGA are not aware of the stats? Do you not think that they are aware of the rumblings surrounding this program?
I don’t think that this program can afford to take a “wait and see” stance at this point and some will say it is early in the season but this season is just a continuance of last year when the D gave up 41 to Bama, 38 to LSU, 49 to UF,38 to Kentucky and 45 to GT.
Enough is enough.
William
September 22nd, 2009
9:40 am
what is the scuttlebutt coming from CMR office? Surely, these genesis called football analysts have asked CMR what is he going to do with this terrible defense the team has? We do not have access to CMR but they do. Why are we not getting any answers from the University? If this was war and Willie Martinez was the platoon leader, he would get fragged. So are only the fans upset about this or what?
Mark Bradley
September 22nd, 2009
9:41 am
I’ll concede the point: There can be extenuating circumstances in any game. But 297 points allowed over nine games is unbelievable no matter how you view it.
toole
September 22nd, 2009
9:41 am
Willie Martinez should be at the top of most Big 12 teams lists, for Defensive Coordinator. His defense lets the other team score as quickly as possible, so the offense can get back on the field. Maybe he should move to the booth so he can she what we all see from the stadium and at home. If he could not see that South Carolina was just happy throwing 5-10 yards downfield all night then he is an IDIOT!
Mickey Andrews said this was his last year at FSU. Can we trade Martinez for Andrews. We might have to throw in our (non)special teams coach. When was the last time we blocked a punt. Where is Boss Bailey when you need him.
AltamahaDawg
September 22nd, 2009
9:45 am
WM is why we didn’t win a NC in 2007? really? How’s that?
Herschel Talker
September 22nd, 2009
9:48 am
DawginLex – so you believe the negative to demoting him and bringing in someone with a brain outweighs the negative in keeping him on and making Joe Cox throw for 5+ TDs every game just to give us a chance? Did you see how clueless the secondary was against Arkansas? It looks like they weren’t even coached.