Another black day in Jax reveals UGA as second-rate
One is hunting a third BCS title; the other isn't bowl-eligible. (AJC photo by Brant Sanderlin)
Jacksonville — The game was a total loss, but the lesson imparted need not be. After yet another lost Saturday in Duval County, this much is beyond dispute: Georgia is no longer a major player in its division, let alone the nation.
Mark Richt began his somber media briefing by saying, “Well, here we are again.” And there they were, lopsided losers. It was 49-10 last season and 41-17 this time, and for all the good work Richt did in the early part of this decade, he and his program have been lapped by Urban Meyer. And Richt, once so clever and driven, seems to have run out of ideas.
He tried the color-scheme gimmick Saturday, presenting his players with black helmets after they’d warmed up in the usual red headgear. The upshot of this was to make Georgia look like an Arena league team and to cow the nation’s No. 1 team not one whit. After 11 1/2 minutes, the guys in the orange hats led the guys in the black hats 14-0.
“It’s not the helmet,” safety Reshad Jones said. “It’s what inside the helmet.”
Well, yes. With an extra week to prepare, Willie Martinez seemed even more witless than usual. As bad as the Gators’ first two touchdowns were, the third was an affront to everything Red and Black. Facing third-and-3 at the Georgia 23 with 1:32 left in the half, Florida ran a simple option. Tim Tebow faked a handoff and burst up the middle. He scored the touchdown that put him ahead of the hallowed Herschel Walker without being touched.
“They’re a good team,” said defensive end Justin Houston. “But it seemed like every time we made a bad play, they capitalized on it.”
In the first half Georgia had eight penalties. In the second it had four interceptions. If it was to have any chance against the Gators, it had to play a clean game. Instead it authored another in a series of messes.
If we’re to believe recruiting rankings, the gulf between Georgia and Florida shouldn’t be so pronounced. But Saturday was another installment of men against boys, and it called to mind the barb Steve Spurrier sunk into Ray Goff in this stadium 18 years ago: “Georgia gets all these players — I don’t know what happens to them.”
Players go to Florida and get, to invoke another Spurrier-ism, coached up. Players come to Georgia and are left to their own devices. Martinez is a substandard defensive coordinator, and no other position coach can be said to have done fabulous work. (Unless you count Kevin Butler, who isn’t a coach but who did sire the prodigious punter Drew Butler.)
Said Richt: “We’re 4-4 this season. I don’t think it’s an indictment of the program. I think it’s an indictment of where we are this year.”
Except Georgia has underachieved three times in the past four seasons, and as Richt himself noted Saturday: “There’s no guarantee of a bowl. The question is, will we play a game when we don’t do something that hinders us from being the best we can be?”
The Bulldogs have never lost more than four games under Richt, but they’ve never been 4-4 under this coach, either. Regarding possible changes, he said: “It’s not good to make decisions within minutes of an emotional game. You’ve got to settle your mind and settle your spirit, and then see where you are.”
As darkness fell on Halloween 2009, Georgia was again where it has been too often. The program that has all the resources was left to wonder why it has fallen so far behind Florida. And the ugly truth has never been more apparent: Florida might or might not have better players, but it absolutely has better coaches.
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1,165 comments Add your comment
Herschel Talker
October 31st, 2009
11:31 pm
MB – to say you think that Mark Richt is a good coach is just laughable. If you’re indicting those around him, the HE is indeed responsible for putting those around him. Being a good coach isn’t just about X’s and O’s (about which even that is suspect about Richt). It’s about being a good leader, about surrounding yourself with the right people, and about coaching up your players. On all three of these, Richt is a complete and utter failure.
So, again, MB, what is it that makes Richt a good coach? Did it ever cross your mind that his early successes were because he had natural born leaders on the team already (Greene, Pollack, Shockley, etc…) and fire on his coaching staff (Van Gorder)? Without those, the emperor has been shown to have no clothes.
It gets worse from here, my friends. The longer you stick with Richt, the more you will see. He is completely and utterly clueless.
Denver Dog
October 31st, 2009
11:32 pm
Gator Guy, you forgot that (6) UF was on probation twice and could not go to bowls. That happened since 1980. Congrats on a good win today, but you will lose to Dark Visor Man next week.
Sane Tech Fan
October 31st, 2009
11:33 pm
UGA alum/fans really need to get perspective. You have a huge fan base (over 10x size of GT in the state of GA), you own the state, over 3/4 of your alum stay in the state or region, etc. GT has 11,000 undergraduate (compared to 30,000+ in Athens) of which maybe 6000 care about sports and football. 1/3 of the student base is from overseas and cares more about cricket or futbol. Over 2/3 of our alum base move out of the region or overseas. You don’t know how good you have it. You’re having a down year and some disappointment from last year overly high expectations. The program is solid and it will be back.
SuperB
October 31st, 2009
11:33 pm
Hey Georgia Tech fan: Chan Gailey, George O’Leary…. I could go on. You guys are the ultimate wannabees, just like all the otehr ACC teams.
Disgruntled Dawgfan
October 31st, 2009
11:33 pm
First off, several of you deserve a 15 yarder for piling on. Now that being said…
FORGET Will Muschamp. He is the next head coach at Texas. End of story.
As for the season itself, it’s a lost cause. AT BEST this team is going to Nashville for a bowl game, but even that looks to be in doubt. Who’s to blame? Well, there’s plenty of it to be spread around, and many of the “educated” ones here already speculated on it. I think my immediate thought is that unless you’ve got someone big in mind to bring here to replace Richt, you can’t fire him right now. People said the same thing about Joe Paterno for having several down seasons. Yet he brought Penn State back to relevance. Richt has earned a pass because he has SEC Titles; something Donnan and Goff didn’t win. But I don’t doubt an overhaul is coming after the Tech game. The example I make with people is if Martinez and Bobo are such genius coordinators, then why aren’t other schools/pros trying to lure them away like they have in recent years at other big programs like USC (Chow), Oklahoma (Stoops), LSU (Pellini)- those are just three examples but there are plenty of others in the SEC I could rattle off. The reason is that teams have figured the Dawgs out, combined with letting UGA beat themselves with penalties and mental lapses. The talent is responsible for the execution, but the coaching staff has to take responsibility for the gameplanning end of it. It’s sad when you have 2 weeks to figure out a way to stop Florida, and you spend more time shopping for helmet color. Why not wear pink for breast cancer awareness?
The bottom line is this: Willie Martinez signed his walking papers today. This has been a long time coming, and if it was going to take a season like this to wake people up to the fact there’s somethign wrong within the UGA program, it’s almost better that we can get the bad year out of the way now. A final note for those of you that are ready to run CMR out of town- be careful what you wish for. Are you prepared for MULTIPLE losing seasons as part of a multi-year overhaul of the program???
Inside Scoop
October 31st, 2009
11:33 pm
Gruden is coming, CMR is gone at the end of the year.
Gator Man
October 31st, 2009
11:34 pm
Doo DOO dawgs need to stay home next year. Aren’t you all getting sick of getting the sh_t kicked out of you every year but three over the past 19? Not only do we own more chanmpionships than you sorry pieces of ____, but no we broke the record of the only good player you ever had. Wasn’t it great watching Superman break Hershey’s record while at the same time, breaking your spirit by 3 touchdowns. This is why nobody likes your sorry azz fans, because your talk some much crap, dont back it up, than make excuses when you loase. After 19 years, you think you rednecks would have come up with some better excuses. Hey if you real nice, maybe Tebow, and Meyer will let you come polish thier rings for them.
Tom Smith
October 31st, 2009
11:34 pm
When changes are needed, they have to be at the top. CMR has had 9 years at UGA. If he can’t lead a program competing for national championship by now, he is not going to. It is time to move on. I am lobbying to hire coach Nick Saban. Saban has to historical tie to BAMA. He is a coach-for-hire, and will go if we offer to make him the highest paid college coach again. He can also bring along his best defensive coordinator Kirby Smart, who is one of our own. In just three short season, he brought BAMA program from dismal to a national contender. Nick Saban is who we need to lead our pride program for the next ten years. I promise you he will make UGA a national contender in just a couple of years. hiresaban4UGA.com. Thoughts anyone?
Georgia Tech Fan
October 31st, 2009
11:34 pm
On a POSITIVE, more productive thought…
You’ve got the money! Hire Bud Foster, and you will compete (against Georgia Tech and others) for a NC.
Sonny Clusters for Coach
October 31st, 2009
11:34 pm
LOL, Sonny Clusters. These posts in this thread have to be some of the funniest posts EVER. Keep it up. The one about potato chips was classic; the superhero capes was hilarious, and the deception trick of dressing Cox up like Tebow was priceless. Keep it up, my man!
THWG
October 31st, 2009
11:35 pm
That’s a pathetic program you got there SuperB. Let me see, GT rolls over UGA in all major sports last year – Football, B’ball, WBball, and Baseball. GT is preseason top 20 in B’ball, 11th in football heading up, and top 25 in WBBall. Likely top 25 in baseball and golf. Thank goodness you have that womens gymnastics team! LIke I said before, you guys need to stop worrying about the big boys like FL and GT, and focus on Ga. State and Bill Curry
White & Gold Forever
October 31st, 2009
11:36 pm
Looks like the sec enjoyed our high school offense again today. Really liked the nifty helmets little puppies. So that’s how you spent the off week? We will send you a postcard from the BCS!
Georgia Tech Fan
October 31st, 2009
11:36 pm
SuperB,
Keep drinking…
You’ll think “ultimate wanna-bees” Nov 28, when we thump you by 30+.
MB
October 31st, 2009
11:36 pm
GTman,
Based on your analysis it is clear that you were never a GT graduate. Because if you had completed your analysis you would have noted that GT allowed Vandy to score 31 points while Georgia held Vandy to only 10.
Now everyone here on this board will agree that Georgia’s defense is horrible, so what does that say about Tech?
White & Gold Forever
October 31st, 2009
11:37 pm
SuperB – enjoy your whining. 8-1 on this end!!!!!!
THWG
October 31st, 2009
11:40 pm
Please, please keep Mark Richt – sounds like you guys need a Mark Richt prayer moment. Everyone EXCEPT the hopeless UGA fans knew Richt stunk when they hired him. Brad Scott build the FSU offense that Richt inherited and they were glad to see Richt leave FSU – just ask any FSU fan. And now we know Jim Donnan was responsble for all Richt’s early success. Richt’s clock management skills early on predicted the decline. But maybe Richt will head back to FSU, we at GT don’t care since we’ll b-slap whichever team he coaches for a long time to come.
Denver Dog
October 31st, 2009
11:40 pm
You can only wish that you were on the same level with UF. Maybe you can play an upper tier team in a bowl game. VPI looked real good the other night getting trounce by UNC. At least that is a trouncing in your books. If I were you I’d be a little careful of what eggs you count. You still have one big game left, and you can bet those guys will be ready for your bug breathed vermin.
Buckster
October 31st, 2009
11:41 pm
Funny, I only remember Spikes on the side line with the attendants pouring water into his eye after an eye gouge.
Wishful thinking
October 31st, 2009
11:42 pm
MB at least PJ adjusted in the second half, just saying.
gatorwalker
October 31st, 2009
11:42 pm
Dawgs, did y’all watch the same game I did? The game was a lot closer than the score showed- some boneheaded penalties and tipped interceptions made all the difference. These same Gators are a far cry from where we were last year, much less the mid-90’s Nebraska-like behemoth that we should be. Frankly, I’m underwhelmed.
As I wrote on this blog after last year’s UGA humiliation, your problem is Richt. He was reared on Bobby Bowden’s teet. The silly gimmicks, the stupid dancing, the tolerance for dirty, undisciplined play- all of it is vintage B.A.(Before Alzheimer’s)Bowden. The difference is that Booby had first drink from the spigot of top players coming out of Florida high schools- Richt does not. And so you don’t have the talent to overcome the problems that coincide with fielding a team of thugs. And so you lose. Big time.
And one last bit of advice: quit with all the darned monograms: CMR, CWM, MNC, AJC, etc. It’s annoying. This is a football blog, not a Pottery Barn catalogue. Go Gators!
Cedrick (Arlington, TX)
October 31st, 2009
11:42 pm
I have real problems with what CMR just stated about making changes. CMR is not gonna make any changes because he is fiercely loyal to his family and friends. These coaches have not earned what ever money they are being paid to coach out beloved school. How, after being off the week before do we come out with these WEAK offensive and defensive schemes????? We made not adjustments and coach Right need to fire up some coaches.
THWG
October 31st, 2009
11:43 pm
Well Said White and Gold Forever! Sounds like SuperB is upset with having to spend the money on the spray paint at Home Depot this past week. Black helmets – that is absolutely hysterical. Desperate, someone say desperate? Souinds like something a class 1-A high school would try.
Mutley
October 31st, 2009
11:44 pm
Well said Mark. The cancer (Martinez) has now destroyed the team and Richt let it happen. I agree with Bugkiller, Richt has committed the unpardonable sin of putting personal relationships ahead of the team and will be hard pressed to bring fan loyality back to a Richt coached team. The bad thing is Richt brought this all on himself.
Gator Man
October 31st, 2009
11:44 pm
How come the dawg fans never run off at the mouth to a Gator fan after we kick the sh_t out of you? Thats cause your our b_tches…. Little girls talk a big game than run home to thier daddy, Urban Meyer!!!
Denver Dog
October 31st, 2009
11:44 pm
THWG, I guess that means that Gailey is resposible for GT’s year. I’m surprised you didn’t blame the Peach bowl loss on him. You know, you are only one bad break from losing your entire offense, so be careful. You dunce, you have won one game in the last 8 that is hardly justifcation for your rants on a UGA blog. DOOFUS. GO back to Devry.
Herschel Talker
October 31st, 2009
11:45 pm
Inside Scoop @ 11:33PM:
Give us more.
David
October 31st, 2009
11:45 pm
Richt needs to fire his D-coordinator and QB coach,if that does not work he needs to resign.
Denver Dog
October 31st, 2009
11:46 pm
What is wrong Gator man, do they not teach reading at UF. I don’t think your little laced panites will bother me.
Doubledawg
October 31st, 2009
11:47 pm
Fire Ritcht and Spikes
Georgia 5* Recruit
October 31st, 2009
11:47 pm
I don’t want to go to Georgia, and wind up a loser.
I want to play for PAUL JOHNSON!
Inside Scoop
October 31st, 2009
11:48 pm
Mark is heading to do mission work, and Gruden is the number one in line. He will take it if offered, and his price tag will be 5 million a year 7 year guarantee. UGA only wants 5 year.
Gator Man
October 31st, 2009
11:48 pm
So let me try to understand this inbread UGA blog, the Gators kick the sh_t out of you AGAIN, and the dawg fans run off at the mouth to the GT fans? What a bunch of pathetic D-II wanna-bees. You couldnt even beat your own meat
Georgia you suck
October 31st, 2009
11:49 pm
f off gator man, ill kick your face in.
Denver Dog
October 31st, 2009
11:50 pm
Gator Man, so why are you on here, you must have a great life?????????????????/
Taco
October 31st, 2009
11:50 pm
Against Georgia Tech, I have it on some authority that the Pooches will wear pink thongs and nothing else. Maybe they call Fisher with the Titans and borrow that Peyton manning jersey so they can feel like winners for one day!
SickandTired
October 31st, 2009
11:50 pm
Well Dawgy fans that was a real hoot today. Mark Richt just took your Georgia program and decided he was bigger than tradition and just spit in your face. The red helmet IS Georgia football…recognized nationally and respected or at least it was. He’s lost control of the program and despite being a good man, he should be fired. Florida games seem to expose his stupidity like no other forum can. He cost the Dawg Nation a National Championship in 2002 by playing DJ Shockley. That team should have been in the championship game, but sadly he let a recruiting promise get in the way and he continued it for the next two years after that. Face it, Mark Richt enjoyed great success with Donnans players, the 2007 season was a in fact a mirage because you didn’t even win your division much less a SEC Championship and then beat an overrated Hawaii team that was no match for any team in the SEC.
Fire him now or regret it again next year. Once a coach losing control it’s almost impossible to get it back….and oh yes, get ready for another loss to Georgia Tech. You’re on your own against Kentucky and Auburn,good luck with that too.
Georgia: The Wisconsin of the SEC soon to be the Northwestern of the SEC if you don’t fire Richt.
THWG
October 31st, 2009
11:50 pm
Hey Denver Dog, sounds like the altitude is getting to you, better head back to Thomson, or Cartersville or some other redneck rural town filled with uneducated UGA fans who probably went to, well, Devry. Chan does deserve a ton of credit. Probably doesn’t helpt to know that even Chan was wearing Richt out on the recruiting trail. Where are all those great 5-star players – oh yeah, most likely getting arresting for driving without licenses – ha! Like I said, better watch out for Ga State and Kennesaw and leave the real game to the real athletic programs – can’t wait to start digging on Fox when he looses by 50 to the Wildcats on the hardcourt – go GymDogs!
77DAWG
October 31st, 2009
11:50 pm
Hi, I am no longer sad about the lost. I am so sure we would lost. Just to point out the BASIC football, for the new (inbred) HC next year. 1) No rushing the punter (go back and look the last 2 years too) the coverage down field is right on the PR face every time. Get it my geneus coach? Every extra minute the coverage team can advance up to 10 extra yards! 2) Willy sent all 11 guys rushing Tebow, no one left back down field. This is the newest formation in football. On that play, Tebow almost stumble and hurt himself cause no one around within 15 yard!!! 3) We were rushing pretty good straight at them then suddenly Bobo try sweep left for no reason (just to look cute I think). Dumb mistake, to use against any kind of above average speed defense!! Basic physics my friend, the fat OL guys CANNOT move fast in sweeping play and D can have xtra time to catchup with the play. This the PLAIN BASIC fact, look at the film! Toss sweep play, in fact, have a better chance. Didn’t matter what kind of UF player came in in 4th period they can score atwill (almost) because of bad defensive calls. Tebow caught smirking when he said “tough game really, Georgia has a good team”. That is bull crap. This is ckufing sick and tired to see inept coaching. Oh the truth is surely exposed, Georgia has equally good players with UF or any teams we played for that matter.
Gator Man
October 31st, 2009
11:51 pm
To rub this in your face and hear you all talk about how miserable it is to be a GA fan. BTW- I can spell just fine….watch CHAMPIONSHIP!!!!
RealDawg
October 31st, 2009
11:52 pm
Suspend Brandon Spikes…now…he is a thug …. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyhL2ZxFs7o We lost the game but lets win this one for the good guys.
blueboy
October 31st, 2009
11:52 pm
Georgia and South Carolina will be fighting for third place in the SEC east. Get used to it!
Herschel Talker
October 31st, 2009
11:53 pm
Inside Scoop @ 11:48:
You are full of crap. Would be a dream come true, since Richt is a complete clown. But I’m not buying that BS.
THWG
October 31st, 2009
11:53 pm
UGA reminds me of the Falcons of days gone by. The Falcons used to be where used-to-be stars would come to end their career, and now UGA is where 5-stars can go and destroy their careers before they ever get started. Mark Bradley said it wll, CMR has several problems, but his biggest is Paul Johnson. Love it.
George "Kingfish" Stevens
October 31st, 2009
11:53 pm
Mr. Algonquin J. Calhoun be’s my personal attorney-out-law, to whom i is infernally grateful. As always, i agrees with him and his profound excessment of the sitiation at the uvinersity of joja.
Hugh
October 31st, 2009
11:53 pm
During the first Florida possession of the game – when number 50 face-masked the Florida player after he has already out of bounds, he should have been benched immediately. Charles should have sat after his second illegal procedure penalty. And Josh Davis ripping the guys helmet off. Why do our coaches put up with this stuff?
Sober up, Inside Scoop
October 31st, 2009
11:54 pm
Just stop it. Gruden is not going to UGA. Sounds like you are scooping stuff out of the toilet.
Roger
October 31st, 2009
11:55 pm
Roll Tide, Gator Man!!
Dangerous
October 31st, 2009
11:56 pm
No one can possibly be shocked with the outcome of this game. I have been easy on Martinez up to this year, but he simply has to go. I have never been easy on Bobo and anyone who thinks he can coach on this level is and IDIOT! Also, neither he nor Richt is a good QB’s coach. How good would Stafford have been under Spurrier or Cutcliff or anyone who could actually coach a QB. After the season just clean house and start over……………..FOOD FOR THOUGHT………..convert Brandon Boykin from corner to tailback like Robert Edwards did and that’ll give Ealy a good partner.
Georgia Tech Fan
October 31st, 2009
11:58 pm
Psssst….
Georgia Tech has taken back over the state.
THWG
October 31st, 2009
11:59 pm
Gruden? That’s hysterical. Now listen Damon Evans – Richt is not the problem, Richt is not the problem. Please keep him and fire Martinez. Yes, that’s it keep Richt and fire Martinez. Or better yet, fire Richt and bring back Dooley whose 1980 Championship would never of happened if not for GT tying ND, and then who could ever forget that poorly played kickoff in the Sugar. Dooley – I think he’s right in there wtih Bowden in the Alzheimer’s ward.