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
GATORSTUD
November 1st, 2009
9:09 am
UGA is now a laughing stock. Black helmets and black “britches.” Look like fools. How did Tebow breaking H’s record against UGA go down the craw?? Tech may beat UGA by 40.
kepah17
November 1st, 2009
9:11 am
UGA is officially now the puppy dawgs. Like a puppy they make a lot of mistakes and are undisciplined. They were cute in their black costumes.
They did not disappoint for Halloween, the team is scary bad.
Wait till the jackets get ahold of the puppies and sting their butts.Richt good person, soft coach.
Robert Daniell
November 1st, 2009
9:11 am
When you’re on the bottom…..there’s no place left to go but up!!!!!!!!! Not sure when…..but GEORGIA will be back!!!! Win, lose, or draw…..I love you Georgia…hang in there…and to hell with all of you back stabbing…so called fans…you’re just fair weathered fans and Georgia doesn’t need your kind!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Standing By My Georgia!!
RADLY DAWG!!!!!!
Graham Dawgs
November 1st, 2009
9:11 am
Insanity is doing what you’ve always done, and expecting a different result.
BuLLdawg
November 1st, 2009
9:12 am
No, we are not waiting for AFTER TEBOW.
We are waiting until after we the UGA fans get this entire “coaching staff” fired.
Got it ?
Yellow Fuzz
November 1st, 2009
9:12 am
Hey dog nation. Nice half time adjustments once again! Tell the truth do you guys even discuss the game in the locker room or are you too busy calling recruits and doing Rival.com interviews?
Yellow Fuzz
November 1st, 2009
9:13 am
Hey dog nation,
Nice Halloween costumes, dressing up like a foot team and all.
tt
November 1st, 2009
9:13 am
robert We so happen to like winners not losers. Thats life so move over cause u just got crushed again
Meyer Rapes Dogs Worse Than Vick
November 1st, 2009
9:14 am
Does Coach Richt ask for his wife’s permission before wearing her panties (and SOILING them) on the sideline in big games such as yesterday?
Yellow Fuzz
November 1st, 2009
9:14 am
This just in….
georgia will introduce black turf for the Tennessee Tech game.
TampaGator
November 1st, 2009
9:15 am
“I was very impressed with the whole team,” Seau said. “There was a purpose out there.”…”There are three parts of the game: special teams, offense and defense. They played well together, and it looked like they were playing for each other, instead of just with each other.”
…guote from Junior Seau about the Gators, from http://www.gatorsports.com, who was at the game yesterday. Maybe Georgia should hire him as their new coach.
nochancedogs
November 1st, 2009
9:15 am
Urbam Meyer offered to take Richt out to lunch the other day. When he asked him where he would like to go Richt said he would like to go somewhere he had never been. So Urban took him to the site of the BCS championship game. A place Richt has never been and never will be. Enjoy your second rate team dogs, it is all you crying rednecks deserve
GT76
November 1st, 2009
9:15 am
Yellow Fuzz…you are making an idiot of yourself. Enough.
Mad Dawg 20/20
November 1st, 2009
9:16 am
This pains me, but I am a man of my word. Congrats UF. You clearly were the better team. We have slipped into a level i never imagined. I really thought we would give UF a close game. We have more issues than I will even begin to comment on. I still, however, love my dawgs and it pains me to se us play so poorly and undisciplined. Changes must be made, NOW.
dogcrap
November 1st, 2009
9:16 am
Wow, talk about stupid gimmicks. Black helmets???? What a total joke. And you mutt idiots were so worked up about rings? Let me tell you mutt brains something very true: It is a PURE JOY to watch your stupid football program implode and collapse in HD. To hell with ugag in every way, everyday. GO JACKETS!!!!
bob
November 1st, 2009
9:18 am
Georgia leads nation in penalties for two years running. Lack of discipline and stupid penalties–late hits, personal foul, offensive holding and illegal procedure. 8 penalties in first half alone.
That is poor coaching! Enough said!
dogcrap
November 1st, 2009
9:19 am
Hey Yellow Fuzz. Pour it on my friend. Some folks can’t handle the truth. Trust me, there can’t be enuf bad things said about ugag muttnation.
Yellow Fuzz
November 1st, 2009
9:19 am
GT76
Eye for an eye dude
Yellow Fuzz
November 1st, 2009
9:20 am
The big bad dog nation gets what they deserve
GaGator
November 1st, 2009
9:20 am
Just wanted to share with ya’ll what they are saying about UGA in Florida, bend over because this is gonna hurt———
JACKSONVILLE — Remember this for posterity purposes:
When Tim Tebow ran in for a 23-yard touchdown with 1:32 left in the second quarter Saturday, the total humiliation and domination of Georgia was complete.
It was the 50th career rushing touchdown for Tebow and propelled him past the great Herschel Walker into first place in the Southeastern Conference record book.
Historically and symbolically, SEC East champion Florida has now taken everything from Georgia.
Every last vestige of pride and passion.
The Gators have devoured every single element and entity that Georgia football once represented. The final pillar came crashing down Saturday when Herschel himself — the Big Dawg — was transcended by the Bull Gator.
TampaGator
November 1st, 2009
9:21 am
SEC EAST CHAMPS yet again!!! Stay tunned for how championship programs play…Florida vs. Bama (or maybe LSU based on how they played yesterday).
Nesbitt for Heisman
November 1st, 2009
9:21 am
8-1 Georgia TECH should move UP in the BCS, after beating the second SEC team this year and Southern Cal losing again.
LuvsMeSumKiffin
November 1st, 2009
9:21 am
The Dogs will be fine. Stay the course. Fulm… uh, I mean Richt is a great coach and a great man. He has earned a lot of equity in Athens. He needs time to right the ship.
dogcrap
November 1st, 2009
9:21 am
What the hell is this big thing ugag has about black??? Is that supposed to scare somebody??? Good grief, what a JOKE. What next?? How about black panties??? That should do it! LOL!!!!
Yellow Fuzz
November 1st, 2009
9:21 am
hey dog nation,
tell me about how Tech’s beat down is coming and who is going to give it to us.
2010: UGA's Year!
November 1st, 2009
9:22 am
Next year, UGa will own the SEC east–Aaron Murray is better than Brantley and UF is losing a ton of defensive talent. They will be lucky to finish 3rd in the East. UGA beats UT for the division title and wins the SEC—Mark it Down!!!! Florida will slide back into mediocrity!
ole glory
November 1st, 2009
9:22 am
I told yall a month ago its not cmr fualt, its the georgia fans fualt. We accept an average program in a conference where everybody else is looking for blood. No championship in 30 years but we can go 10-2. Big panties!!!!!! Go get Bill Cohwer. We haven’t even seen the best this program can be with all this home grown talent. We can dominate people!!!!
NXS
November 1st, 2009
9:23 am
Mark,
As much as I hated to hear/admit it, you called it right at the beginning of the season…. except, as it turns out, 8-4 was probably a bit optimistic. As a UGA grad and lifelong fan, it kills me to see our team in such total disarray, and I have to agree with many of the posters here today that it starts at the top. Ultimately, CMR is responsible for the disarray and lack of effort seen week after week. Changes must be made across the board. No one who pays attention to Georgia football has any remaining confidence in CWM. If no significant attempt is made by CMR to right this listing ship, he will probably be gone in two years since the alumni with deep pockets (unfortunately not me!) will make their voices (dollars) heard.
Go Dogs!
Kyle
November 1st, 2009
9:23 am
Richt is a nice guy as everyone knows but when being that nice runs into football it doesn’t mix. Even in our best years with him we never have really put a beating on anyone because I’m sure he doesn’t want to hurt their feelings. If you are really pure about your football you should have the attitude Tommy Lee Jones had in The Fugitive….”I don’t care”. You need someone like Jigsaw coaching your team that is going to let them know they’ve been danced with even in a loss. We are not even close to that. There is a reason Joe Cox was not starting the previous 4 years and wouldn’t have had a chance to even be third string on a respectable team and I think we are all seeing that now.
Tom
November 1st, 2009
9:24 am
Mark Richt is a wennie! He’s not mean like Meyer or Saban. He’s a “gentleman”. Even a christian man can have fire and passion in him, but not Richt. Our team sucks and everybody knows it. Play selection is horrible! Mike Bozo the CLOWN should be fired. A running play on 3rd and 15?
Really? Throw the ball!!!!!
Joe Cox sucks as it is, but is Logan Gray any better? NOPE!!! Logan Gray looks like he’s in high school still!!!!!!!! Our running game was halfway decent, at least before I turned off the game.
Our dumb*ss defense kept drawing STUPID penalties!!!!! Personal fouls kill you everytime!!!!! I guess Richt isn’t working them hard enough. Our offensive lineman who got arrested this week still has a learner’s permit. A learner’s permit at 21???? REALLY?????? GEEZ!
Black helmits? What’s next? Painting the field black? Yeah b/c its all about the BLACKS!!!!! Thank you Mr. Obama. All the blacks on our team want to be in black all the damn time. Give me a break!!!!!
Jacksonviille Chamber of Commerce
November 1st, 2009
9:25 am
THANKS DAMON EVANS ! — for keeping the GA/FLA game in the STATE OF FLORIDA.
Boy,…are you STUPID.
Yellow Fuzz
November 1st, 2009
9:27 am
I just wish all my 50 or so big talking dog nation dic*heads friends were still posting on these blogs. I knew that deer season would begin early for them.
Bill
November 1st, 2009
9:28 am
So if you fire Richt, then who do you go after?
John L
November 1st, 2009
9:28 am
I dreamed last night that I would read in the AJC this morning that Richt had resigned or had been fired. Unfortunately some dreams don’t come true.
How much longer are we going to have to put up with this mediocrity of a coach?
Dawg92
November 1st, 2009
9:28 am
I’m done. 10 years in row coming to Jax, spending all the time and money and for what? to watch the team I hate more than anything in the world beat the dawgs again. No more. I will not spend another cent to travel to Jax to watch this pathetic excuse for a team.
browndog
November 1st, 2009
9:29 am
Look on the bright side, Souther Cal,#5, lost to Oregon,#10, by 27 points so we should be better than Souther Cal, right since UGA only lost by 24 to the #1 Gators? This all about spin since UGA just does not have the talent to compete. Tenn has blown right past UGA in one year and is now the second best team in the East. SC is next then UGA, KY and Vandy. It has been a very long time since UGA was considered to be at the bottom of the SEC.
PT
November 1st, 2009
9:29 am
Mark, dont be stupid. Its one year. Look at Oklahoma, USC they all will be back.
Tom
November 1st, 2009
9:29 am
Hey Techies, you beat Vandy and you think you’ve won a national championship. Oh wait, that attitude comes after you beat Georgia.
Play a REAL SEC team like Florida or Alabama. Bunch of wussies!!!!!
Yellow Fuzz
November 1st, 2009
9:30 am
2010: UGA’s Year!
“Next year, UGa will own the SEC east–Aaron Murray is better than Brantley and UF is losing a ton of defensive talent. They will be lucky to finish 3rd in the East. UGA beats UT for the division title and wins the SEC—Mark it Down!!!! Florida will slide back into mediocrity!”
Do you know how many times I have seen a dog write “next year”?
Hahahahahahahahahahaha
Tom
November 1st, 2009
9:30 am
Tuberville
Claude Felton
November 1st, 2009
9:32 am
Memo to Damon Evans:
I tried to return the black helmets to Grambling, but they refused and said no deal. Grambling also said that the black helmets had been embarrassed by the poor dancing, especially by a team that was on the short end of the score when dancing. Grambling said that was the sign of a loser who merely is happy by making the score close. See Lane Kiffin for explanation.
Yellow Fuzz
November 1st, 2009
9:32 am
hey Tom
You beat Vandy and You think you’ve won a national championship.
“Play a REAL SEC team like Florida or Alabama. Bunch of wussies” We would do better than YOU do I guarantee you that. Just ask them. lol.
Ray
November 1st, 2009
9:34 am
Thank goodness we had an off week to prepare for this game. Think how bad it could have been if we hadn’t had that week off. FIRE MARK RICHT!!!!!!!
Yellow Fuzz
November 1st, 2009
9:34 am
8-1 > 4-4. Much >
09-28-09 > 10-31-09
doug
November 1st, 2009
9:34 am
Georgia will get back on track but never be what reasonable fans want them to be. We will never be disciplined, motivated or hungry. Richt has lost his way and will probably never get it back. I really hope he resigns after this season. He is a good man though.
TampaGator
November 1st, 2009
9:34 am
Georgia fans…go ahead a take your cheap shots at Brandon Spikes…just like your players did yesterday. Brandon Spikes = 10 tackles, one interception for a TD, and great field leadership in the win over Georgia yesterday. All-American LB and future first round draft choice in this year’s NFL draft. Yet, just one clog in a total TEAM approach by the Florida Gators…something Mark Richt, the Georgia players, and the Georgia fans do not seem to understand. It is about team. Not recruiting or polls. It is about winning. Not talking about winning. It is about singing fight songs to your fans at the end of games after you practice extremely hard all week to prepare to do so. Meyer gets it. Richt doesn’t. Spikes and the other Florida LBs get it. Curran and the other Georgia LBs don’t. Curran and Miller were out there yesterday trying to hurt people. Spikes and his gang were out there yesterday trying to win a game together so they can play for yet another SEC title and another national championship. GOT IT?
GaGator
November 1st, 2009
9:35 am
2010: UGA’s Year!
I told you—-DON’T DRINK THAT KOOLAID!
Yellow Fuzz
November 1st, 2009
9:35 am
hey Tom
YOU beat Vandy and YOU think you’ve won a national championship.
“Play a REAL SEC team like Florida or Alabama. Bunch of wussies” We would do better than YOU do I guarantee you that. Just ask them. lol.
Rich
November 1st, 2009
9:37 am
Another loss and the radio announcers were whining. They were saying that FL was going to run up the score. Call the game and stop whining. It is not like GA has never ran up the score. That’s right one of the announcers used to be the QB and ran up the score. STOP WHINING.
TampaGator
November 1st, 2009
9:38 am
By the way, to see what coaching does, just go over to that school that is located next to the Coca-Cola Company. Tech, right now, might be one of the best teams in the country. I don’t think that there is a team in the country that would want to play them right now. Give me four weeks to prepare and, maybe, yes. But not next week. That is some kind of offense they have. My goodness. And Georgia has to play them this year. Yikes!!!!!