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
Aman
November 1st, 2009
8:42 am
The people who are calling Richt’s departure are out of their minds. I’m certainly not a UGA fan but he’s a good man and a good coach. Like Fulmer, he has become too loyal to his assistants and it’s going to cost him. I think he’ll probably make the changes in OC and DC at the end of the season if not before. He brought UGA out of the cellar and deserves at least the chance to climb back up. He hasn’t produced a losing season yet has he?
Yellow Fuzz
November 1st, 2009
8:43 am
dog nation,
lol. You really are a second class citizen nationally, regionally and in this state. I also predicted the MORONIC posts the TECH NATION have been reading after the LSU, Tennessee and Florida games. Want another prediction? They will continue after the Auburn, Kentucky and Tech (Pound the Hound) game. LOL.
ugabball
November 1st, 2009
8:44 am
I can’t believe we didn’t beat them! I mean we had two weeks to come up with that new uniform color scheme! Do the coaches have models in the Butts Mehr bldg that come in wearing different color combinations? This new fall clothing line isn’t selling well. May be time to change the offensive and defensive designers, I mean coaches.
Maybe next game we should focuus on a game scheme instead of what to wear.
TampaGator
November 1st, 2009
8:45 am
One other thing….Tennessee is 4-4 and they are actiing like they are a championship program. I don’t get that. 4 and 4 is mediocre. At least the Georgia fans understand that.
Yellow Fuzz
November 1st, 2009
8:45 am
Go back to the KISS principle?
What’s that?
Kick
mI
aSS 49-10 one year and 41-17 the next
NEXT#13
November 1st, 2009
8:46 am
Dawg fan’s,i feel your pain!! In TUSCALOOSA we use to have same problem,his name was mike shula!! Just so you know he too was loyal to a fault and b/c he wouldn’t make the needed change’s it cost him his job!! Don’t howl about change b/c from past expierence dare i say THERE WILL BE CHANGE IN ATHEN’S,ONE WAY OR ANOTHER & THERE SHOULD BE!!!
uga89
November 1st, 2009
8:47 am
Half of every practice going forward should be dedicated to stopping the Ham-bone. If the Dawgs get embarrassed AGAIN by Tech AGAIN, today’s uproar will seem quite mild.
I think the defensive game plan yesterday was to let Florida score easily and at will so that there would be fewer opportunities for Tebow to score from short yardage and therefore break Herschel’s record. It worked like a charm on the first two drives then, like everything else we do, it fell apart.
Yellow Fuzz
November 1st, 2009
8:47 am
This just in. The Varsity in Athens is replacing Peach with Humble Pies!
Yellow Fuzz
November 1st, 2009
8:48 am
Hey dog nation,
“Tech” is Irrelevant?
LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL
BuLLdawg
November 1st, 2009
8:48 am
Coach Richt not only continues to confirm his mantra that he is not about to change his “coaching staff” but also says that UGA fans do not know what they are talking about.
Yellow Fuzz
November 1st, 2009
8:48 am
Georgia = Tebow’s bitch
mcconnell
November 1st, 2009
8:48 am
In order to evaluate the program…keep it simple…
1. Cox would not start for any other SEC Team
2. Our tailbacks would not start for any other SEC Team
3.. Rennie Curan..may start for Vandy..Ky…Miss.State
4. The penalty issue..being ranked one of the worst in the BCS…blame everyone…(what drives me crazy is when I see a un sportsman like penalty against us yesterday…and the guy still stays in the game)..Richt has that “so what” look on his face!
5.We are a team that plays with no maturity….jumping up and down after we score a touchdown..yet we are still losing..that is “bush league”
6. Offensively and defensively we have no attitude….
I think all UGA ticket and donors should line up next Friday at the Butts-Mehre Building and protest that we want our money back! Like buying a camera at Best Buy….It ain’t working…give me my money back!
This train wreck did not just happen..this train was and has been on course to crash for 3 years…
…look at the beatings that we have taken from top tier teams…and behold..we will not beat Ga. Tech in the near future…they have pole valuted over us….
I am about to become a UT fan..because they made a bold move and decided it was time…plus they are fun to watch! Alot of energy in that program…the players and coaches….
ugabball
November 1st, 2009
8:49 am
Just remembered, Coach Felton designed the Bulldogs basketball jerseys. He was proud of the work he did in designing them and that he liked fashion. We saw how successful that plan made the basketball team. I don’t like Florida or Ga Tech. But do you think Paul Johnson and Urban Meyer are spending anytime during the season thinking about what to wear?
Yellow Fuzz
November 1st, 2009
8:49 am
georgia = Vandy
PappyHappy
November 1st, 2009
8:49 am
First, there needs to be a BIG DOSE OF DISCIPLINE provided the team. How in the world do you continue to have team members picked up for DUIs and other infractions of the law, and not expect the same indiscipline on the field? It just seems that the Dawg Nation goes through the same thing — year after year! Just look at the penalties from yesterday!! Absolutely ridiculous!
Second, the coaches have to start coaching. WHO IN THE WORLD WAS WATCHING THE CLOCK when the ‘DELAY OF GAME’ call was made?? With the salary the coaching staff is receiving, they can afford to make a few crucial decisions on the field! Think that Georgia is recruiting the talent — IT JUST HAS TO BE COACHED!
Third, the coaching staff is going to have to go back to the drawing board on plays to overcome an increasingly complicated/competent SEC! Fear that Richt and staff have become complacent having had Moreno and Stafford.
Fourth, it appears that Richt is looking around to find something or someone to blame: LOOK IN THE MIRROR!
Yellow Fuzz
November 1st, 2009
8:50 am
Big Jon,
Mean Machine or Scream Machine?
c hardy
November 1st, 2009
8:50 am
Everybody watching the game knew on 3rd and short Tebow would run the ball, EXCEPT our defensive coaches!!! What’s wrong withnthis picture?
BuLLdawg
November 1st, 2009
8:50 am
Yeah, I like Coach Richt better than Ray Goof.
What does that prove ?
Sick of you too
November 1st, 2009
8:50 am
Hanging around Willie Martinez has made Mark Richt clueless too.
Yellow Fuzz
November 1st, 2009
8:52 am
dog nation,
I need to hear from you again about how pathetic our “gimmick, high school offense” is compared to your big time “pro style” offense.
LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL.
» SEC links: Black works for Tennessee, not for Georgia John Clay’s Sidelines
November 1st, 2009
8:53 am
[...] Mark Bradley of the AJC writes that Georgia was revealed as second-rate. [...]
Yellow Fuzz
November 1st, 2009
8:53 am
dumbfounded dog = DawgInLace 4 weeks ago
georgiavol
November 1st, 2009
8:53 am
Look at the grammar of these posts. Yikes! At least it shows who actually went to UGA (yes, even a Vol knows UGA is an excellent academic institution).
CMR is a truly good man and you folks need to chill out, or UGA will turn into a coaches revolving door like Ole Miss.
And before you fire Mark, you might want to identify a coach out there who is a) better than Mark, and b) wants to come to a school whose fans are running off a successful class act like Richt. Answer: You won’t find anybody.
Support your team and coach, and appreciate how fortunate you really are.
Ray
November 1st, 2009
8:53 am
I was throughly disgusted with our performance. I have been going to the games since the 60s and have never been this upset. I have to shop for all new clothes. I will not go to games or wear Ga. Gear until we begin resembling the Ga Bulldogs. I hate to say it but FIRE MARK RICHT. We will be behind Tennessee and South Carolina Next Year. So this is what it is like to be Florida State.
RON
November 1st, 2009
8:55 am
I’m sorry to say Richt is a fine person but he is lost as the Coach of UGA. When you have top 10 recruiting classes every year you would think you would have a top 10 program that could challenge for the top spot. We can’t even challenge for the top spot in our conference. You know if Ray Goff for not being able to coach top talent why should Richt be spared. I’m sick of the stupid penalties. Another example of lack of coaching.
gators81
November 1st, 2009
8:55 am
http://www.sendugatothemac.com
Gator in the Hootch
November 1st, 2009
8:56 am
You Georgia fans holding on to the “after Tebow” theory that we will then have a chance. Sorry. Florida will be a top 5 team again next year with Brantley at the helm, even more super talented, well coached players on both offense and defense. It is a broken record and just keeps on singing the same old beautiful music that pains every Georgia fans’ ears. Well, you better get some puppy muffins because the beat will keep on drumming next year and the next, and the next…sort of like the Everready battery rabbit or whatever it is. Tebow is your bitch. Brantley will be for the next two years.
Nesbitt for Heisman
November 1st, 2009
8:56 am
Joe Cox is gimmick QB in a High School offense.
georgiadawgg
November 1st, 2009
8:57 am
These 4 and 5 star recruits my guess is can’t read or write their own names.And Mark Richt is a smooth talker like Borack Obama, he tells you what he wants you to hear.Well maybe next year.And Damien Evans that gum is making more money than he has ever made,he is not going to rock the boat.
truth
November 1st, 2009
8:58 am
Bobo does not have the experience; Thomasville H.S. and UGA is his entire experience. Boy among Men
DCDawg
November 1st, 2009
8:58 am
Amen, Brother Bradley.
Atticus
November 1st, 2009
8:59 am
Second-rate coaches. Second-rate results.
This coaching staff should be embarrassed, these kids deserve much more than they are getting. They need discipline, they need coaches to demand excellence or they don’t play, they need to correct mistakes, they need to motivate without gimmicks….
Richt’s pride will be his downfall. Seems I have read that somewhere…
j
November 1st, 2009
8:59 am
U.G.A.Y. changed uniforms in an effort to avoid being associated with the beatdown that they all expected.
Instead of showing up in their regular unis they came disguised as grambling.
What a bunch of losers. the whole program from top to bottom is a joke.
Thank God for a real coach like paul Johnson and a real u like tech to carry the state. Georgians can once again stand tall as a result of cpj and tech.
Tech recruits are coachable the folks up in Athens only God knows what happens once they get on campus.
tat
November 1st, 2009
9:00 am
Buck Belue is such a blind homer and poser. high school O??
uga89
November 1st, 2009
9:00 am
Ask yourself this question: could Paul Johnson win with our players? Could Urban Meyer win with our players? Would Nick Saban win with o.ur players? Would Bobby Petrino? Would Lane Kiffin?
What would these guys have done with last year’s team?
I can take an off season. I could have taken not finishing first last year (I never really thought we were a number one team last year). But it’s the way we lost last year – three blowouts, more penalties than anyone else, etc. This year is a continuation of that. These kids do whatever they want, then get brotherly love from Big Brother Mark Richt.
I wonder how bowling night is going? Are they competitive in that league?
gators81
November 1st, 2009
9:00 am
p.s…with all the money y’all spend each year on different uniforms,…and thug training…you could have demolished stegman(an sec embaressment) by now!..and built a real arena….WHY ARE YOU PUTTING UP WITH THIS DEBACLE???????? PLS ANSWER!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yellow Fuzz
November 1st, 2009
9:00 am
This just in
For the Tennessee Tech game only: 4 tickets, 4 hit dogs and 4 cokes.
Yellow Fuzz
November 1st, 2009
9:01 am
Tennessee Tech Special:
4 tickets, 4 hit dogs and 4 cokes (and all the trash you want to leave on campus).
Alabama Jack
November 1st, 2009
9:03 am
Using my Georgia tech math skills, last year dawgs lost to Florida by 39 points. This year they lost by only 24 points. Applying those numbers to a linear transformation progression analysis indicates that if dawgs maintain their current coaching staff they will soundly beat the Gators in 2020, coincidentally the same year Birmingham hosts the Olympics and Brett Favre retires after finishing his career with the Atlanta Falcons.
laugh
November 1st, 2009
9:03 am
Richt is such a fake and always has been. come on fans open your eyes. his tan and “fake coolness”; for goodness sakes can you see paul johnson doing that!!
TampaGator
November 1st, 2009
9:04 am
Hey, GeorgiaVol…look at your own grammar…or sentence structure!!!
“or UGA will turn into a coaches revolving door like Ole Miss”
Grammar lesson: It should read, “or UGA will turn into a revolving door for coaches…” As Jesus said, I mean Mark Richt said, “Wear your own black helments before you try to correct other people’s black helments.” If you don’t, you might end up looking like and playing like Grambling.
Randy
November 1st, 2009
9:05 am
You can tell it was Halloween…..Georgia went to the game dressed like football players.
Mark P.
November 1st, 2009
9:05 am
Gimmicks do not win games. Sound coaching and execution do. I like Coach Richt. I do not enjoy the idea of people losing their jobs. But if he is truly a top-level coach, then Coach Richt will make the tough decisions that have to be made if this is truly a top-level program or simply where mediocre coaches go to draw a paycheck. Changes need to be made. Everyone who gets paid to coach at Georgia should be ashamed at how badly they are preparing the young men who go out and pay every Saturday. I do not hate losing; I hate being embarressed by better prepared opponents. This is embarressing. Georgia has been beaten badly before they have even stepped on the field. Something as to change. A culture of mistakes and lack of discipline will not get the job done. Turnovers and penalties by the carload every game is a culture, not a bad game.
not
November 1st, 2009
9:06 am
The two coaches at UGA and GT shows it all; Tech Men=Substance and UGA Men=sizzle
Atticus
November 1st, 2009
9:06 am
Mitch (in rome), I agree withj you however it is Mark Richt’s fault that he is attracting all of this. His pride is causing this. His mistakes at hiring the right coaches is causing this. People always say fans don’t know what they are talking about, but for the last 4 years everything they bring up is correct. Poor discipline, no motivation so he has to use gimmicks, players in the wrong positions (Brandon Miller, Kiante Tripp and now Richard Samuel), no accontibility for poor execution, a slide in strength in conditioning, no aggressiveness out of the defense, vastly underachieving on offense, poor tackling….
So which of these are NOT correct?
Do I think he should be fired? No way, if he makes the changes necessary. But I am starting to wonder if he knows what changes to make. If he doesn’t he’ll be gone next year. People are saying fire him not becaus he deserves it now, but because his pride will make it inevitable.
David
November 1st, 2009
9:08 am
Georgia’s not worth commenting on anymore.
BuLLdawg
November 1st, 2009
9:08 am
mcconnell,
You said it all except that
7. we lead the nation in turnovers.
8. our “coaching staff” would NOT hold their title at ANY other SEC school, period.
Were these oversights on your part sir ?
not
November 1st, 2009
9:09 am
Enter your comments here
Brad in KY
November 1st, 2009
9:09 am
What? Georgia can’t defend the option?
GaGator
November 1st, 2009
9:09 am
Must agree with Mcconnell, jumping upand down on the sidelines is bush league, as is trying to intimidate a Championship team with a fashion ensemble.
The real problem with Georgia is just one thing–no DISCIPLINE. at Florida, if you fumble you don’t play, if you have stupid unsportsman-like penalties, you don’t play and if you drive with a suspended
LEARNERS permit, you don’t play. What will it take for Richt to discipline someone–a shooting?