Damon Evans on UGA football: ‘I do have some concerns’
Damon Evans in a lighter moment at the Cobb Galleria. (AJC photo by Curtis Compton)
Georgia athletics director Damon Evans said today via e-mail that he does “have some concerns” about the state of his football program. Responding to an e-mail asking for his feelings regarding the Bulldogs’ season — they’re 3-3 for the first time since 1996 — Evans offered this:
“I do have some concerns about where we are at this point of the season. I know Coach [Mark] Richt, the assistant coaches, the players and our fans have the same concerns with our current record and the way we’ve been playing.
“Coach Richt and I have talked just as we do periodically throughout the season. I think his focus right now is on the immediate future, which is the Vanderbilt game and doing everything possible to prepare our team. That’s where it needs to be.
“Beyond that, I have total confidence that Coach Richt will properly evaluate our team, address concerns and prepare the right path that will direct us back into the position we all want to be in — competing for championships.”
As statements go, Evans’ would seem both pointed and nuanced. He didn’t pretend to happy with current events, but he didn’t issue a directive for immediate “significant improvement.” (Vince Dooley, Evans’ predecessor, did that with Ray Goff back in 1995, which turned out to be Goff’s last season as coach.)
If you’re Mark Richt, Evans just said what you want to hear: That his boss has “total confidence” in him. But if you’re a Georgia fan, Evans just said what you want to hear as well: That certain “concerns” might need to be addressed and, put simply, that the University of Georgia expects more from its football team.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
593 comments Add your comment
bkbroila
October 12th, 2009
7:37 pm
MARK,
Why wouldn’t Rodney Garner be a candidate for DC? He has the Smarts and Ability to develope Defensive talent and the Guts to play less “experienced” players over Better ones(Weston moreso than Atkins/Owens) or for example(Rambo over Evans, given the chance)…I thought making him Assistant DC was possibly the next step…
Top Dawg
October 12th, 2009
7:37 pm
No problem, Mark.
Regarding Matt’s comments at 7:29 p.m., don’t forget how UGA spent the off-season bragging about the athletic department’s bank account was full of cash. Money is NO OBJECT. However, I am not a fire Mark Richt guy, unless he refuses to at least demote Martinez. I am guessing Martinez has good connections to the high school coaches in south Florida. We seem to have a knack for recruiting kids in central and south Florida. My guess is that is in no small way due to Martinez. That said, the kids have to be coached up when they get to Athens, and that sadly, is not happening.
Retain Martinez as some sort of recruiting advisor, and hire Kirby or Jon Tenuta today.
Bobby Bowden
October 12th, 2009
7:39 pm
Dad Gum, if you Georgia people are tired of Mark, we’ll gladly take him back in Tallahassee.
Its not the X’s and O’s, its the Jimmy’s and Joe’s. UGA has diappointing talent in the Offensive Backfield, Offensive Line, and Defensive Backfield. Only at Receiver, D-line and Linebacker are we coming close to getting the job done.
Top Dawg
October 12th, 2009
7:39 pm
The answer is “no”, bkbroila (7:37 p.m.). Look at the defensive line’s play this year (and last). Again, too much talent to be no better than they are.
AthensGA
October 12th, 2009
7:39 pm
The problem is we aren’t tough enough. Heck we don’t even practice in the rain. Richt is distacted by his hallowed indoor facility. The sad truth is Mark you have been spot on with everyone around here being complacent to be here and an assistant coach. Our weight room is like going to some food court at a mall. Turn the dang air conditioning off and get outside and get better. Our best linebacker has had two guys in his grasp that have gone on to score. That my friend tells me we are not practicing tough enough. We are going to get beat until we learn the fundementals of blocking and tackling. Heck if it weren’t for the punter and some great individual efforts this team could be 0-6 and the schedule really hasn’t been that tough. Our worst nightmare would be to pull off some sort of miracle in Jax and have to keep these guys. I would fire everyone except Garner and Searls. No one else is bringing any chicken to the BBQ.
dawgster
October 12th, 2009
7:40 pm
it will be interesting to listen to the dawg call-in show here in approximately 35 minutes, hopefully Coach Richt will address some of the concerns of the dawg nation, i doubt you will hear too much negativity from callers as it appears they really screen what you want to talk about with the Coach, i hope tonight we find out just how upset Coach Richt is and try and get some insight on what he needs to do to get this thing turned around, but i don’t think he will be critical of his staff, he will probably shoulder the blame as he should being the Head Coach
D. Ellis
October 12th, 2009
7:40 pm
Oh yeah and if Logan isn’t the man at QB, then he seems like a very smart football player that hasn’t made many mistakes and is a good athlete…..and in that roll you will find him as the captain (QB leader roll he carry’s from offense) of your secondary calling the coverages at FS……just a thought.
coach smith
October 12th, 2009
7:40 pm
BRADLEY
I think it is OBVIOUS that KIRBY SMART is a huge answer to 90% of the problems at UGA
Smart is a great defensive coordinator, he has coached on this UGA staff before, he played at UGA and to TRULY make a name for himself, Smart has to get out of SABAN’s shadow
THE CATHOLIC HAMMER
October 12th, 2009
7:41 pm
The SEC has turned into the Big 12, with a two (or three) great teams, a couple of good teams, a few mediocre teams, and a lot of garbage to dumpster teams.
Georgia is now on the level of Baylor. Traditionally, that is where they always have been, and will always be, now that the SEC is determined to promoting UF, UA, and LSU as the dominant members, the same way the Big 12 is designing their conference to be dominated by UT, OU, and UN-L.
BIG ORANGE COUNTY AKA POWER "T"
October 12th, 2009
7:41 pm
Mark does have 2 nc rings as an asst at felony school university….with all the “so called talent” at uga, why hasn’t coach richt won a nc title so far?..also mark, ajc too cheap to fly you to tally or you not important enough?
RobertNAtl
October 12th, 2009
7:41 pm
With all the defensive woes, not as much attention has been placed on the UGA offense. My own take as a non-UGA-fan is that I think Richt’s basic offensive system has become kind of dated, especially with other SEC defenses getting faster over the years. UGA’s playbook just reminds me too much of the Florida State playbook from 15 years ago, and speedy defenses have really exposed that kind of offense.
coach smith
October 12th, 2009
7:41 pm
GARNER
is assistant head coach and recruiting coordinator…..I think adding D-coordinator may be too much
RobertNAtl
October 12th, 2009
7:42 pm
Geez, Power T, don’t be a you-know-what.
Barrack Obama
October 12th, 2009
7:42 pm
Let me say that “Change” is good and there will be change. Just don’t expect anything at all until December…Coach Richt is a fine American and a world-class gentlemen so don’t expect him to act like a Democrat and make dumb stupid moves this time of the year like the rest of us Democrats. However, FSU would buy out Richt’s contract tomorrow if he would come back to Tallahasee.
Silver britches
October 12th, 2009
7:43 pm
3-3 is not as bad as the way we lose. The meltdowns after meltdowns that we consistently have. Losing complete control of games just minutes in…just never looking prepared from the beginning.
Keep Mark Richt
Brad Johnson OC
Kirby Smart DC
And hire someone to just be there to coach/teach these Dawgs how to play like Junkyard Dawgs.
coach smith
October 12th, 2009
7:43 pm
THE CATHOLIC HAMMER
“Georgia is now on the level of Baylor.”
You are an idiot.
UGA has finished #2 and #10 in the last two seasons
HOW odes that make them Baylor? MORON!
Lilburn Dawg
October 12th, 2009
7:43 pm
I was just trying to imagine what the UGA coaches will say after this probable 6-6 season when they go into living rooms trying to recruit the best players out there and give them reasons they should come to UGA. I think we could use some ex-used-car salesmen and ex-aluminum siding salesmen to pull this off. I can’t imagine what’d I’d say if I were them.
Old South Dawg
October 12th, 2009
7:44 pm
What comes around goes around And for Lame kiffen it will come around as soon as his Old man retires
or drops. He is a daddys boy and his daddy is runing the show for him. Once Daddys gone lame and Tenn will be hurtin for sure. After all the Raiders even figured him out.
Matt Sterbation
October 12th, 2009
7:44 pm
You guys wait and see. Tonight on the call in show everybody will be so happy and saying sheit like. “oh we are behind you coach Richt”, “oh we know you will get it turned around coach Richt” You can’t tell me they don’t screen out the pizzed off callers and never let them on the air.
Central Fl Dawg
October 12th, 2009
7:44 pm
Lets start with Joe Cox. He has to be replaced without question. 2 good games and 4 lousey games doesnt equal to much of anything. Put Logan Grey in there for a couple of games and see what happens. If he can not get IT done, insert one of the two freshman QB’s for the remainder of the season to prepare for next year.
I realize Cox isnt the sole reason for our pathetic play. Other too have to be treated the same as Cox on the sidelines WATCHING people less talented play. The very least is there would be someone to show heart and desire.
The two coordinators have to go!!! no lame ezxcuses, nothing but an exit will do. Bobo has no imgaination. The I formation is to predictable of an offense. Martinez and the defense he over sees has steadily erroded to the point where we couldn’t stop/tackle a senior citizen with an arm full of groceries while cutting through our line. Not to mention the horendous pass coverage displayed all year. The special teams coach should be banned from ever coaching another special teams unit.
Hopefull AD Evans will drive the point home with CMR that this underachieving will no longer be tolerated. Maybe then CMR will show some emotion and maybe even the team will follow suit.
This season is over… 9-3 is as far fetched a dream as hoping for the Dawgs to win the National championship game. I am hoping (at worse) a break even year 6-6 and for some lower echelon bowl to invite us.
But then that could be stretching the dream a little to much.
J Nitro
October 12th, 2009
7:44 pm
Our entire defensive staff needs to be replaced, and if Richt can’t see that (and make the changes) then maybe we need to part ways with him to… I’d take Kirby Smart as the head coach right now (or TCU’s HC). . . At least we’d be physical and know how to blitz (effectively). And we would not be this reaction-style defense where we allow the offense to fully develop its play, then react to it after they’ve crossed the LOS… We’d be an action defense – where we’d try to actually keep them off balance, and try and bust up the play as soon as the other team snaps it. And maybe we could produce a three and out once a year, and stop allowing the other team to march halfway down the field prior to punting (losing field position battle) or scoring.
Whatever our defensive coaches are doing, it’s not working and our players are not responding to it at all. We NEVER play man coverage (likely b/c CWM can’t coach it), and we never adjust. And if we play a team that’s physical and runs it directly at us (Bama), they KILL US… What defensive player at any level would want to run basically the exact same play the whole game (ZONE)?
We’ll never bring in a new DC under Richt I fear because who would want to come in and have to work with our LB, DT, and DE coaches??? They are terrible and nonexistent come game time! And I can’t see Richt firing all those coaches.
I really think it’s going to come down to Richt being let go if we are going to be competitive with UF… How many times have teams just KILLED us with no response from our D (absolutely no fight, they just lay down) since Willie’s been the DC?
UGA vs…
WV – 28-0 at halftime (2005)
UT – 51-33 UT (2006)
UT – 28-0 at halftime (2007)
Bama – 31-0 at haltime (2008)
GT put up 26 unanswered pts on us (2008)
UF hung 49 on us (2008)
UK and LSU hung 38 on us (2008)
UT – 45 (2009)
We have absolutely no toughness!!!!!! Our coaches act like they’re in a coma all game long, and we refuse to make player adjustments (Joe Cox should be benched, Brian Evans should be put on special teams only (maybe even at LBer if he’d gain some weight), R. Samuel should be a LBer or safety based on his speed and inability to run the ball, Boykin should be moved to RB, S. Commings should be a CB, etc).
I don’t think we should win every game, but I can’t take us losing like we’re losing… i.e., our boys looking like they are LOST all game long… ZERO player development (R. Curran for example is a great player – but he has not IMPROVED hardly at all since he was a Frosh), inability to get better as the season progresses, CB’s (all of them) continuously getting burnt, busted coverage every other play, Joe Cox throwing into triple coverage and never checking off to his second and third receivers…
Someone needs to write Sweet Willie and tell him that we have 11 guys on D… and if the opposing team throws the ball then we’re playing our 11 guys on D against their 10 guys effectively (if the QB is not a runner, he’s not much of a run threat)… SO BLITZ someone (and don’t drop back the DE when you do it… and stop sending CBs – send Safeties, and LBers); and if they run, then you’ve got a head start on making a play if we blitz…
I fear we’re going to lose to UF, AU, UK, and GT! What a nightmare.
fitzgerald
October 12th, 2009
7:46 pm
Okay folks. If things are bad now for the Bulldogs, take a look at this. The Bulldogs are 0-1 against Harvard, 0-3 against Holy Cross, 0-2 against Navy and 0-1 against Rice. Of course, to make things look better, the Bulldogs’ record against Mercer is 22-0. Yep, the little ole Mercer school in Macon. In 1951, the team had a wide receiver named Zippy Morocco……and a quarterback named Zeke Bratkowski. the Zeke and Zippy duo. The 1950’s and early 1960’s were not too kind to the team. Most of those years, the team had losing records. The kicker was the 1962 team, which had a record of 3 wins, 4 loses, and 3 ties. Talk about getting tired of kissing their sisters. Obviously, things have changed very much since back then and a season with 4 losses is not even acceptable at the big schools. Hang in there, Bulldogs.
Ga. Southern man
October 12th, 2009
7:46 pm
To whom ever suggested Brian Van Gorder as head coach at UGA. Hahahahahahahahaha! Whooo!! Oh, you’re killing me!!
Seriously, do that and the mass suicide will eclipse anything ever seen before. The man is a great defensive coordinator, but IS NOT head coach material. My alma mater has yet to recover from his ONE FREAKIN’ SEASON.
Matt Sterbation
October 12th, 2009
7:48 pm
COACH SMITH
You idiot…. You were saying oh the Dawgs will go 11-1 after the OK ST loss. Get off this site and grow some sense!!! NOW BOY.
Matt Sterbation
October 12th, 2009
7:50 pm
Coach Smith is about a useless coach and that pathetic excuse Willie Martinez!!!
Bubba
October 12th, 2009
7:50 pm
Very few fans, and certainly no columnist at the AJC, knows enough about schemes, Xs&Os, etc. to know whether Willie Martinez is an able coordinator or not. I heard Buck today deriding fans and bloggers who claim Willie can’t make the proper adjustments during a game. He might be right. But I do know one thing. There are many intangibles that go into the making of a good coach. I’ve heard many times that players were willing to run through a brick wall for Erk Russell. I think I detect the same thing in Brian Van Gorder, both at UGA and now with the Falcons. I definitely don’t detect that in Willie’s teams. I know one other thing: Coaches are ultimately judged by how their teams perform on the field. Even though WM has had some pretty good defenses, there have always been the inexplicable meltdowns that you never saw under BVG: Tennessee scoring 51 on us in Sanford Stadium; 35 two years ago in Knoxville; Troy coming into our house and scoring 34; Kentucky last year scoring 38; Alabama’s 31 in the first half last year; West Virginia 28 in the first quarter of the Sugar Bowl; Florida 49 last year; and on and on. The results speak for themselves.
Super Dog
October 12th, 2009
7:52 pm
Tech Nerds
I would like for you to work on finding ways of filling your stadium than writing on a UGA blog
Here are some suggestions
Buy 1 Season Ticket get 5 free
$500 cash to the first 55,000 fans every home game
50 Inch SONY LCD TV to the first 55,000 fans every home game
2 Season Tickets to Atlanta Braves games with every Tech Ticket Stubb
4 Season Passes to Six Flags
Dinner for 2 at Ruth’s Chris with every Tech ticket stubb
UGA FANS do you have any other suggestions Tech really needs some help here
llambeau
October 12th, 2009
7:52 pm
One word: Spurrier. He can turn things around real quick. Let Richt go back to FSU where he belongs. You know it’s the right thing to do.
MVP
October 12th, 2009
7:53 pm
What Mark Richt really shows the entire team is… this what happen when you play football at uga….that 1 national title…”and somebody give me the bottle of round up.plenty of weeds are taking over. guys….”
llambeau
October 12th, 2009
7:53 pm
Hey Super Dog: This is about UGAy, not Tech. Worry about your own back yard!
Joshua
October 12th, 2009
7:55 pm
Hey Mark,
My Father once said,” Throw enough money a man’s way, and he would sell his soul to the devil” With that being said, with Georgia producing over $45 million a year in Football revenue(according to Forbes magazine), Georgia, the athletics dept, alums, and booster club need to throw as much money as it takes to lure Charlie Strong out of Florida…..rumor has it that this is going to be his last year at UF anyways. Like I said, or should I say my father……everyone has their price, Georgia just needs to found Charlie’s price, and write that CHECK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What do you think????
Lilburn Dawg
October 12th, 2009
7:55 pm
Super Dog……how about a can of graphite to slick up their slide rules with each ticket. I think they’ll jump at that!
Super Dog
October 12th, 2009
7:55 pm
BUBBA
Will you join me in demanding the boosters cut Van Gorder a nice check
rolling_in_coleslaw
October 12th, 2009
7:55 pm
Coach richt show the player all the nc titles the women gym dawgs win. uga not man enough.
GR82BAG8R
October 12th, 2009
7:57 pm
Super Dog, check in next year and let us know what Georgia’s attendance is like.
Coach Smith, right NOW, Georgia is below Baylor. Baylor is 3 – 2.
Bubba
October 12th, 2009
7:58 pm
Super Dog: Not just yes…..you know the rest
jay
October 12th, 2009
7:58 pm
Richt better start getting a QB ready for next year or we will be
in pretty much the same boat as we are now. Gray, Murray or Mettenberger
it doesn’t matter to me but at least one of them HAS to start getting
significant snaps.
The Preacher
October 12th, 2009
7:58 pm
It’s not the Coach that’s the problem, it’s the lack of strong talent at key positions that is the problem. The scouts and recruting team need to get their act together and give Coach Richt some quality players to work with.
warhorse
October 12th, 2009
7:58 pm
Some think that Damon has a social agenda in play. Think how it would help his reputation in Atlanta and elsewhere if he took the bold step of hiring a minority head coach? Richt should not be too comfortable with any endorsement from a boss by whom he was not hired.
Go Vols
October 12th, 2009
7:58 pm
Coach Richt:
I fully support you and the way you try to coach,as well instill into these athletes that life is is not about winning or losing but how you play the game.I have the upmost respect for you and know that you coach just like you live.These athletes will one day look back at life just as we all will and remember Who really is Coach.I am a Tennessee fan,born and raised in Tennessee.Glad for the victory over the dawgs,but I just hope that Lane Kiffen as well as all coaches and fans will need for life’s final game!
ApopkaDawg
October 12th, 2009
7:59 pm
Mark,
UGA staff and from my armchair, what needs to be done:
Mike Bobo: From what I’ve seen Bobo has had several instances of calling supurb plays only to have Cox either over throw a wide open receiver, never see a wide open receiver, or have Cox check out into a dead play. I believe Bobo needs a little more time and a QB who has the physical tools to get the job done.
Stacy Searles – again, a great coach who has worked wonders in the past with a young group of player. Give him some time to work through this problem.
Rodney Garner – too valuable for recruiting and a good D-Line coach. Got to keep him in the program.
Tony Ball – receivers are catching well, they just need someone who can get them the ball. I think he will be fine given some time.
John Lilly – TEs are doing a fine job of catching and blocking. Lilly needs to stay with the program.
Jon Fabris – we have’nt had a great DE come out of UGA since David Pollack. We certainly have had the talent. What has happened to these guys? Why can’t we get any pressure? I would ask Fabris that question on his way out the door.
Jon Janek – if it were’nt for Rennie Curran, UGA would not have had memorable linebacker since Thomas Davis back in the Van Gorder days. Our lineback play has been weak and a lot of that has to do with the fact that they are backing up on their heels at the snap of the ball. Bad coaching…got to go.
Bryan McClenon – needs to go. Our back do not run with determination or drive their legs throughout a run. Take a look at Bama’s running backs. That is how a back is suppose to run. UGAs backs fall down when you swipe their shoe laces.
Willie Martinez – last but not least! Willie should have never been hired in the first place. I do’nt really have to go into too many details about Willie. We were 3 plays away from being 6-6 last year (SC, UK, and AU were all an eyelash away from beating UGA) thanks to Willie’s horrible D-fensive play callings. We are on our way this year to a 5 or 6 loss season because we can’t play defense. Willie should be fired mid season, because we could hardly do worse and we could remove the cancer from the team.
Just some arm chair observations.
Matt Sterbation
October 12th, 2009
8:00 pm
You guys don’t have to worry about Coach Smith. I put his azz on the road after calling him out about his Georgia going 11-1 after the OL ST loss. No fool saw 11-1 in this group of excuses call football players.
GT For You and Me
October 12th, 2009
8:00 pm
As I see it from a Tech fan. GA is only having a down yr. It took GT 5 yrs. to get rid of Chan G. GA will make the right changes at the end of the year. You will see a drastic improvement next year. Hang in there DAWG!
llambeau
October 12th, 2009
8:00 pm
Yo, Lilburn Dawg, slide rules went out about 30 years ago. Guess you didn’t know that, did you?
THE CATHOLIC HAMMER
October 12th, 2009
8:01 pm
Coach Smith, UGA just lost to Tennessee, who lost to UCLA.
OK, fine. UGA is on the level of Kansas State, currently. They are quickly sinking towards the level of Baylor. By the way, Baylor wasn’t always a bad team; they HAVE had some success, just like UGA.
Super Dog
October 12th, 2009
8:02 pm
Lilburn Dawg
Great idea
I obviously was stupid in my thinking only UGA fans would want the stuff I mentioned
Ok
How about
Free pencils and pens
Access to the library on Christmas Day
$100 towards new computer software
Free books to the first 55,000 fans
JoeDawg
October 12th, 2009
8:02 pm
Fire Richt and promote Martinez.
Pat
October 12th, 2009
8:02 pm
This season is exactly what I expected. No more, no less! I support Coach Richt in every way. It is the first of two rebuilding years. Next year will be better but we will not contend for a championship until 2011. We all need to relax and take our bumps and bruises. We will be fine with Coach Richt.
WinderDogg
October 12th, 2009
8:03 pm
Mark – what do you think…
Joe Cox – With the inability in arm strength to throw the ball down the field, our only choice is screen passes and out routes. After the interception Saturday, he was obviously rattled and short armed most passes which proved to be off the mark. The play before the half to spike the ball with one second left to play showed a lack of leadership. Why would that be allowed to even happen? Run a play! What was he thinking? The lack of arm strength to get the ball out of bounds after a bad snap and pass rush resulted in an embarrassing interception that is really hard to explain.
Coach Richt – The penalties are killing us. That shows a lack of discipline! If we were watching Miami commit all the penalties we would call them thugs and blame the coaches. On the other hand, Richt is not concerned and has not been concerned for two years now. The lack of preparation is killing us. Of course I agree with everyone on this board that changes must be made and made soon. We have become complacent with losing to Florida and that has caused us to slip. We lost to Tennessee, survived South Carolina, will lose to Florida, and could not recruit a top level player out of Alabama for two reasons. The SEC is not only closing the borders, but will soon get our top players. (ask Lane Kiffin)
Lane Kiffin – As much as he runs his mouth, he has his team and fans believing they are headed for big things. Anyone that predicts beating Georgia every year is either stupid or confident. Based on Saturday, I say confident. If you don’t believe he is a threat read the papers. When he talks it is in the AJC, when Richt talks it does not make the Knoxville papers…same thing with Meyer, Spurrier, and Saban. Richt does not carry the weight as the super powers of the SEC. We will see that in recruiting soon.
Aaron Murray – when will he play? He may not be the answer now, but bet the house he will be soon…
Bubba
October 12th, 2009
8:03 pm
One thing that needs to be said for Richt: If he can muster the stones to replace Martinez, I have full confidence that he will find a good DC. Remember when he hired BVG from Central Mich. If you were like me, you were all saying ‘what the F is he doing? Hiring a nobody?’ Turned out OK didn’t it?