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
BugKiller
September 22nd, 2009
3:09 pm
SEC1… I’m gonna say less than 20.
Perhaps 17.
Insectinside
September 22nd, 2009
3:10 pm
All you Tech fans go back to your own sites! Everytime there is a UGA column all you see is TECH fans. They are just covering us up today!
GTRules
September 22nd, 2009
3:11 pm
Enter your comments here
PLEASE don’t fire Willie!!!
Athenzdawg
September 22nd, 2009
3:14 pm
I have been saying it for weeks Mark…. our weakness is our …..
……
Wait For It……..
…….
Safeties!!!!!
Reshad Jones and Bryan Evans can’t cover against the pass…
People run right past them, they are flat footed and get beat off the ball
at best they are average against the run. They come from that Greg Blue style of safety where all they want to do is make a big hit. Remember Roddy Jones running down the sideline last year and all Reshad had to do was just push him out of bounds…..He couldn’t even do that simple task! I’m so tired of seeing them not even able a tightend…These guys are supposed to have speed and help lead our defense….THEY ARE A LIABILITY!!! Gamble is average at best. Rennie is the only man i trust when they throw the ball ;;
how2fish
September 22nd, 2009
3:15 pm
Deon Sanders go to your room the adults are talking…if we don’t see huge improvements on D willie should go…after the season..IMHO kiss of death for the rest of the year to can him 3 games into the season.And I think if we have a repeat of last year on D he will go on his own..all of CMR’s coaches have shown as much loyalty to him as he has to them CWM by all accounts I’ve heard is too good a man and friend of CMR to let CMR take the heat or to undermind CMR’s relationship with the fan base…just my 2 cents.
Cuz
September 22nd, 2009
3:20 pm
how, in the immortal words of Herman Talmadge, I concour.
dawgdung
September 22nd, 2009
3:23 pm
OK-here we go. Demote cmr to d-coordinator. Make cwm, lead recruiter. Fire bo bo, he’s a cheater. Make chuniz alla-babba off. coord. Lastly make vince didley head coarch because he can cheat and act innocent about it. p.s. pat dye might take the job huh?
Shankit
September 22nd, 2009
3:27 pm
For the record, since 1999
Florida Gators’ bowl record 4 wins vs. 6 losses
Florida Gators’ overall record 66 wins vs. 33 losses
Very, very poor.
Georgia’s bowl record since 1999 8 wins vs. 2 losses
LOOK AT THE OVERALL BIG PICTURE.
WARBUCKS
September 22nd, 2009
3:27 pm
WOW YOU IDIOTS ARE AMAZING!! I REMEMBER WHEN MARK RICHT COULDN’T SCORE POINTS BUT HIS DEFENSE SAVED HIM. WE SHOULD HAVE FIRED RICHT BACK THEN!!
Maddog
September 22nd, 2009
3:27 pm
Mark, why stop at just 5 reasons?
Shanked it
September 22nd, 2009
3:29 pm
Very fine points. Since 1999 how many games has georgia won over florida? Also, how many national championships has georgia won? You know, just curious.
RJ
September 22nd, 2009
3:29 pm
UGA’s first three games were against quality opponents, while many other top 25 teams were padding their stats against overmatched teams. Using those stats after just three games to support an extremely weak argument is laughable and a load of crap.
WARBUCKS
September 22nd, 2009
3:29 pm
ANSWER THIS FOR ME??? WHO DO WE REPLACE HIM WITH??? PLEASE DON’T SAY GARDNER
gdawginkalamazoo
September 22nd, 2009
3:33 pm
shankit, not to pick on your bowl win point there, but all things considered I would prefer the two NC’s and 4 bowl wins.
ButlerDawg
September 22nd, 2009
3:33 pm
Willie Martinez = slightly south of Joe Kines and just north of Kevin Ramsey.
Maddog
September 22nd, 2009
3:33 pm
Warbucks, good question. But how about this one, are you satisfied with the overall performance of our defense during the past two seasons? Here’s another, do you truly believe there is no one else in the coaching community that could NOT do a better job? This is a sticky situation, but surely a change needs to be made. Timing is one thing (perhaps willie will actually resign at the end of the season), but something has to be done.
The Grinch
September 22nd, 2009
3:37 pm
To RJ
Using stats after 3 games to support a weak argument? What are you talking about? Are you saying coach Willie is doing a good job? BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. If so, please explain.
GeorgiaGirl
September 22nd, 2009
3:41 pm
For those of you that insist it is the level of talent that is the problem…how can you be sure that with quality coaching that our defense players would not be better. Most players arrive in Athens with raw talent and under the coaching they receive make a name for themselves (Pollack, Thurman, Blue, etc.) Again I ask, how can you be sure that is a less talented group rather than the lack of coaching they are receiving.
Eric A Dawg Fan
September 22nd, 2009
3:42 pm
Willie Martinez should have been out of that position last year. Now if Mark Richt is worried about him feeding his family and being thrown on the street with no job, then put him in a position doing something else. Let him run the cameras or something like that. Put him in a position that is not detrimental to the team. But one thing for sure, Willie Martinez has to go and go now………
Eric A Dawg Fan
September 22nd, 2009
3:44 pm
RJ,
We don’t care who they replace Willie Martinez with. Who ever they replace him with right now, can’t do any worse than what the Dawgs have right now. This is by far the worse I have ever seen the Dawgs Defense perform….
southgadawg88
September 22nd, 2009
3:49 pm
I see after 417 comments NOBODY including you MR.Bradley has come up a list of games we lost that was directly on WM’s Defense besides GT last year.TO’s and poor Offensive play have factored way more into this picture than most of you are willing to admit.IF we lost every game we did lose by only 1 point 10-9 would that make you feel better or something?
BugKiller
September 22nd, 2009
3:52 pm
Warbucks… who is this Gardner you speak of?
Most of believe Garner, however, would make for a good interim defensive coordinator for the rest of the year.
Then, if the defense improves with Garner, then he should looked at for the DC job. If not, give him more money to stay at the very important position of recruiting coordinator and go outside the program and find some new blood that Mark Richt doesn’t have emotional ties to to become the new DC.
The fact of the matter remains, Martinez needs to go, the sooner the better.
gdawginkalamazoo
September 22nd, 2009
3:52 pm
Sad part of the losses is that we didn’t even have them in the overtime period which according to Les Miles makes them a win during regulation.
How2fish
September 22nd, 2009
3:56 pm
southgadawg88 STOP IT this minute…using logic on this subject….how dare you! Next you will say that a AJC blogger should come up with a different subject besides the 8 gazillion fire Willie blogs…or that after a 2-1 start and 2-0 in the SEC there HAD to be some shred of good with the Bull Dogs this year…..shame! shame!
Mark Bradley
September 22nd, 2009
3:56 pm
Off the top of my head: Auburn 2005 (Aromashodu on fourth down); West Virginia in the Sugar Bowl; Tennessee 2006; Vandy 2006 (drove for winning FG); Kentucky 2006 (drove for winning touchdown); Tennessee 2007; Alabama 2008; Florida 2008; Tech 2008.
Yes, turnovers can be determinants. But isn’t the defense allowed to take the ball away itself? It doesn’t have to yield a score after every turnover, does it?
RealDawg
September 22nd, 2009
3:58 pm
The Good, Bad, & Ugly – Defense
What is good:
Much more aggressive line play
They have made some very big plays when needed
Tackling has actually been better
They are hitting much harder
What is bad:
Still not getting pressure on the QB
Secondary looks lost at times
Lack of fumbles caused
What is ugly:
We are among the worst on penalties and turnover margin
We are among the worst in most other “d” stats
We are dropping two to three picks a game
Glory, Glory
September 22nd, 2009
4:04 pm
MB I see where you are coming from with most of your points here, but how can you compare the 1980 defense to the 2009 defense? Offenses are now lightyears ahead of and MUCH more complicated than they were in 1980. That comparison is simply irrelevant. If you were to say the 2005 or 2002 defense only gave up 137 points in 12 games, I’d be with you, but come on….1980?
FALCONS SORRY
September 22nd, 2009
4:04 pm
YOU CAN RUN JEFF SCHULTZ BUT YOU CANT HIDE !!! THE FALCONS ARE SETTING ALL YALL UP FOR THE FALL ! NO WAY DO YOU BEAT THE PATREATS THIS WEEK YOU GOT LUCKY
THE FIRST 2 WEEKS CAUSE MIAMI AND CAROLINA SLEPT THRU THE GAME BUT NEW ENGLAND WILL CLEAN MATTY HOPELESS CLOCK THIS WEAK !! AIRY BODY SAY WHY THE FALCONS DONT THROW DEEP CAUSE MATTY HOPELESS GOT A NOODLE ARM AND AIRY TIME HE TRY TO THROW DEEP HE COME UP SHORT OR INTERSEPTION !! TONY G SAVED
MATTY HOPELESS AGAIN.DEC 6 IS COMING SOON AND THE REAL QB WILL BE BACK !!!
ALL THE VICK HATERS CAN CRY WHEN HE COME BACK TO HIS HOUSE AND SHOW
MATTY HOPELESS HOW TO WIN A PLAYOFF GAME !!!
I will replace Willie
September 22nd, 2009
4:14 pm
I will keep my name to my self.Re-place soft zone Willie sure.I can do a better job with the 4/5 star talent and furture pro player’s than no d adjustment Willie.
My resume reads as follows I am a jr.college d cord.In my second year.
I have to be hired soon because if Willie stays on. Coach Richit will be seeing the Mayflower moveing men in his front yard. Willie can help them tote the boxes out of CMR office.
rlm
September 22nd, 2009
4:15 pm
MARK RICHT PROBABLY MADE A PROMISE HE SHOULD NOT HAVE MADE AND BEING THE MAN HIS IS WILL NO GO BACK ON IT. THIS IS PRIDE NOT LOYALTY.
southgadawg88
September 22nd, 2009
4:23 pm
I see you are still awake Bradley!8 games in 5 years….I would not include ALA and FLA last season to that list our Offense did nothing in those games when we were still the game.i’d say 6 games in 5 years with 3 in 06.There have simply been very few games we have lost where we did not come up on the short side of the TO margin.I’d also like it if you could point out how many of these teams with GREAT defenses that have turned over the ball inside there 20 and NOT been scored on or mostly only gave up a FG.
Mark Bradley
September 22nd, 2009
4:24 pm
Alabama had five scoring drives in the first half in 2008.
gdawginkalamazoo
September 22nd, 2009
4:28 pm
Mark, 5 in the first half? Is that all? It seemed liked 50 to me.
Mark Bradley
September 22nd, 2009
4:32 pm
Georgia turned it over twice in the first half against Alabama. A.J. Green fumbled after a reception near midfield, and Stafford threw a last-gasp interception before halftime, at which time it was 31-0. That’s the way it was, KMZ.
gdawginkalamazoo
September 22nd, 2009
4:37 pm
Mark, yes I was sober so I do remember that. I wasn’t going to drink during that game until we took the lead. I still have the beer.
markw
September 22nd, 2009
4:41 pm
Please Willie, don’t use a 3 man rush, if you can call it that, for anything; doesn’t seem to work. But when you use 4-5 man front things seem to work better. If something doesn’t work why keep trying it??
If the players can not play the zone on pass coverage, like “Cover 2-hope-everyone’s-in-position”, as in the Ark game, they had players wide open with no defender around for 10-15 yds; let’s play man to man. In coaching, if the players can’t play what you are teaching, find something they can do,
they’re coachable or they wouldn’t be here.
V. Andrew Gill
September 22nd, 2009
4:46 pm
Enter your comments here
Georgia has a larger problem that JUST Willie. We are NOW the THIRD and maybe the FOURTH best program in the SEC. Don’t know if Mark is making the hiring decisions. If so, we have a larger program. Is he selecting the best coaches available. I believe we have serious issues with our defensive ends coach as well.
AthensGA
September 22nd, 2009
4:48 pm
Ya’ll don’t understand, it is not whether you win or lose, as long as you take out the trash. Take the trash out Coach Adams. Fact is throw Adams out to the NCAA with the rest of the trash. Unfortunately he has made the statement he wants to retire at UGA.
Downtown Dawg
September 22nd, 2009
4:48 pm
Mark, I know that Willie has allowed too many points in the last couple of seasons, but it’s also important to note that over his entire tenure as UGA’s defensive coordinator, UGA’s opponents average just over 20 points. Now, some will argue that the first couple of years were carry over years from BVG’s time at UGA. That may be the case. There was a stretch, from the SEC CG in 2003 through the home opener in 2004 against GA Southern that UGA’s opponents averaged 30 points. We gave up 28 points to Southern…at home!
Something more constructive for UGA would be to stop coughing up the ball three times a game. That will keep points off the board of our opponents and keep the defense more fresh, potentially resulting in fewer points.
BugKiller
September 22nd, 2009
4:51 pm
Thanks to Mark’s investigatory (thanks, Derek Zoolander) journalism… we now know that the standard excuse for fans and Mark Richt for Willie’s incompetence (turnovers) has been busted.
You know who’s gotta be pissed right now? Brian Van Gorder.
When BVG was our DC, our offense routinely stunk up the field. How many games did we win when we only scored 17 points?
How many games did we lose because we only scored 17 points?
BVG and his defenses CARRIED this team for four years. Thank BVG, not David Greene, for those 46 wins in 4 years.
Now, since 2007, we have one of the best offenses in college football. Don’t believe me? Look it up. For all the blame all of you ingrates want to throw Matt Stafford’s way, last year he set the Georgia record for TD passes. How come NO ONE ever talks about that?
Now the difference? If we don’t score 40 points, we’re probably going to lose.
And STILL, you people want to defend Willie Martinez.
Amazing.
2N4YEARS
September 22nd, 2009
4:52 pm
Bottom Line: UGA’s corners give too much cushion on the WR’s. Spurrier loves to run those hook routes (run 6-8 yards, then turn around & the ball is there), and ARK proved the other night you cannot play 10-15 yards off the WR’s because by then they are running full-speed and you cannot JAM them at full speed, and by the time you get to them, because the CB may be faster, they the ball is in the air & there. Corners should JAM the WR’s because it slows them down, knocks them off their routes & buys more time for the pocket to collapse,. Even a ‘FAN’ knows this.
And don’t give me that crap about ’small CB’s’. He also recruited these guys.
wesley
September 22nd, 2009
4:58 pm
2 things:
1. If a player doesn’t perform, he loses playing time and if he keeps it up his starting job. Shouldn’t CMR hold his coaches to the same standard?
2. Kirby Smart – He wants out from under Saban so he gets some credit (just like Will M at Texas). He played at UGA. Go to Bama and get the guy to fix the problem.
Eric A Dawg Fan
September 22nd, 2009
4:59 pm
I sure hope that CMR and Willie Martinez are reading these blogs… Had he (Willie Martinez) been the DC for Alabama or Florida, he would have been gone…. The Alumni would not have stood for it. They (Fans & Alumni) would have ran him away from there.
HERBIE
September 22nd, 2009
5:00 pm
hey falcon sorry its you who is a sorry fool.
Eric A Dawg Fan
September 22nd, 2009
5:02 pm
Mark Bradley,
Do you think that UGA will do better against Arizona State? Do you think the Defense will stop the run and the pass? Can UGA when against Arizona State? What are you thoughts and opinion?
G_D_H
September 22nd, 2009
5:03 pm
I agree that with all your points. UGA needs to do something about the defense, quick!
However, I would like to point out that “Van Loser” is a piece of garbage. He left Georgia Southern high and dry after 1 (poor) season. I wish people would quit talking about him like he was the second coming of Erk.
Possible canidates to whip the Dawgs D back into shape include: Rusty Russel (Erk’s son), Jeff Casteel (WVU), Jeremy Rowell (Troy), Keith Butler (Steelers), and of course DITKA!
big dawg 89
September 22nd, 2009
5:10 pm
well i’m still fuming over the “they don’t have nothing, they’re just throwing grenades out there” comment that Martinez supposedly said during the game saturday night. what the f—? i mean, what game was he watching??? and exactly where does a comment like that come from?? and like Blacklege said,”well, the problem with that is, grenades explode!!”
what would it take to get the guy down here from Va. Tech??? that’s who i want as our D-Coordinator!!!!
Maddog
September 22nd, 2009
5:18 pm
southgadawg88, everyone has made good points about whether or not our collapses are the fault of our defense. But how about this – Arkansas got almost 500 yards offense with 28 minutes of possession. Regardless of turnovers and field position, this is totally unacceptable.
hugedawgfan
September 22nd, 2009
5:20 pm
Bugkiller: I love you man!
hugedawgfan
September 22nd, 2009
5:22 pm
I’m really liking the Tommy Tuberville debate. Think we should do the firing after signing day though. Hope he is still around then. Forgot he was an original defensive guy. Sounds tempting.