A powerful performance by a suddenly powerful UGA team
Did this guy outcoach Paul Johnson? Yes he did. (AJC photo by Brant Sanderlin)
There have been times lately when we’ve wondered, “Who are these guys?” Because they weren’t the Bulldogs we’d come to know and admire. They were undisciplined and undercoached. They were always reacting to an opponent, never forcing the issue. They were a finesse team, and a team devoid of force doesn’t win big in the broad-shouldered SEC.
But on the final night of an underwhelming regular season, Georgia played as if it remembered its breeding. It acted like an SEC team. It ran the ball with fury and blocked like the crack of dawn and played big-boy football. And at halftime we were saying, “Who are these guys?”
Because these weren’t the Bulldogs of recent vintage. These were tougher, stronger, meaner. They had come into the stadium of a team looking to solidify its hold on a rivalry and a state, and they’d been the aggressor from the first. Indeed, they were the aggressor from the coin toss. Georgia won it and, rather than do as every coach does in modern football, Mark Richt didn’t defer his choice. He wanted the ball and he wanted it now.
And when his men got it, they pounded Tech in a way Georgia never pounds anybody anymore. Ten plays, all runs, Caleb King and Washaun Ealey taking turns, the unassuming offensive line blowing massive holes in the Tech line. Ten plays, all runs, and just like that Georgia was ahead in a game it was supposed to lose.
Give Richt credit: All week he had to answer questions — one from me on the Wednesday SEC teleconference — about the need for change in his program, and in this game he did change. He and Mike Bobo eschewed the fancy stuff and just Lombardi’ed the game plan, and it was beautiful in its brutality. Three Tech defenders had to be helped off the field in the first half, and after 30 minutes Georgia had outgained the nation’s No. 7 team by 141 yards and had outscored it by 14 points.
But it was only a year ago in Athens that Georgia had led by 16 points at the half, and within seven minutes that lead was gone. Everyone knew Tech would again come out flying, and sure enough the Jackets scored on their first possession. But Georgia needed only one play to answer, Caleb King taking a handoff and fleeing 75 yards. And from then on Tech was chasing, and in the end the fleet Jackets couldn’t run fast enough.
It came down to one possession. Georgia up six, Tech with a chance to win. The Jackets moved across midfield but unaccountably stopped running the ball. Four consecutive passes, the first three nicely defensed, the fourth simply dropped. (The second and third passes were defended by Reshad Jones, the Georgia safety who’d spent the last year answering questions about his missed tackle of Tech’s Roddy Jones.) And suddenly Georgia was the second-best team in Georgia no longer.
Richt and Bobo and Willie Martinez had outflanked the new genius Paul Johnson and had done it without A.J. Green, their best player. And the guys who did play outfought a Tech team known for its pugnacity.
And now we have issues galore. Does one blissful night off North Avenue override the worst season under Richt? Probably not. But for the Bulldogs and their coach and all his coaches, it had to feel good to reclaim state supremacy and to mar what has been a glorious Tech season. (To say nothing of wrecking the ACC title game.) What happens with Martinez and the other assistants can wait until another day. What happened Saturday night was a slice of deliverance 365 days in the making.
Back to our question: Who were these guys? They were the Georgia Bulldogs, only they weren’t the Georgia Bulldogs that contrived to lose five games this season. These were Bulldogs from a different time, a time when Georgia football was power football. (The Bulldogs rushed for 339 yards, the highest total under Richt.)
And if this is the way Georgia football it to look in 2010 and beyond … well, maybe the future isn’t so grim after all. Maybe the future is big and brawny thing.
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1,342 comments Add your comment
jesse james
November 29th, 2009
9:52 am
It was great to be a Georgia Bulldog on Saturday night in Atlanta, GA. Hell it is great to be a Georgia Bulldog anywhere, anytime. Hey Tech, you need to get your Jumbo Tron cheerleaders to finish the drill!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Great job Dawgs and Coach Martinez and defensive staff, great job!
Big L
November 29th, 2009
9:53 am
Wac is better than All Choke Conference. Hey Saint Simoms, you made it. yeah Ga so jealous that they ain’t playing in a game that they just beat the better half of.
Time
November 29th, 2009
9:53 am
Haha, good stuff, this Saint Simons dude actually thinks he’s playing in a championship game. Good stuff.
But in this JV “championship” game, Tech is going to get spanked again. Clemson is not all that good, but they do have one thing that is so rare in the ACC – a single player of SEC caliber. CJ Spiller runs wild next week and then the Johnson lovers will have nothing left to hang on to and will be forced to crawl back into their little roach holes, not to be seen again till UGA has a off year, plays a bad game, quits playing at halftime, and allows the tradeschoolers to win for once in a decade.
Dunwoody DAWG
November 29th, 2009
9:53 am
Dawgfan24 – STFU! We can all enjoy beating the fuzzy wussies..
But, we still need significant changes in coaching – especially on the D and (not so) Special teams.. beating an ACC team feels good, but means little. If our goal is to compete in the ACC then we are fine – if our goal is to own the SEC East again, we have a LONG way to go.
This was a step in the right direction but doesn’t salvage an awful season..
TampaGator
November 29th, 2009
9:54 am
Gongrats to Georgia. You actually looked like a disciplined, motivated team that had an excellent game plan and executed it well. Tech’s defense was badly exposed. Why did anyone pass the ball on them all year? Just run it, stupid. But Georgia fans, don’t get too high and mighty. Tech will go to a much better bowl and you and they have a much better season than you. Just be glad you beat them. Otherwise, there would be a lot of seriously angry Georgia fans ready to commit suicide this morning. Say what you want, but Tech is an up and coming program and will be difficult to stop when, and if, they are able to put a good defense on the field. But this game and the South Carolina game should shut up all the “SEC is overrated” posts. Quite frankly my dear, the ACC is terribly overrated. Right Clemson? Right Georgia Tech? Miami is still the best team in your conference and will dominate the conference next year. And, of course, Georgia fans will now start ranting about how this wins sets them up for beating the Gators, winning the SEC, and taking home the national title “next year!” Have at it.
jesse james
November 29th, 2009
9:54 am
GT Boss Man – Why do you give the majors of the senior band members, but you dont give the majors of the senior football players. Just asking?
YellowJack
November 29th, 2009
9:55 am
Great game bulldogs.
No questionable penalties, no looking ahead to Clemson, no blaming it on injuries.
We got beat plain and simple. It was a great game, and the jackets were in it until the end. UGA made plays when it had to and we did not. The only thing that puzzles me is how the 2nd ranked rushing team in the nation has one drive to stay alive and they put the ball in the air 4 straight times. Sometimes you need to stick to the script. Again, great game UGA, hopefully this humble GT and get us focused for next week.
Buzz Aldrin
November 29th, 2009
9:55 am
GT fan here….gotta hand it to the Bulldogs for putting up a great fight in a bleak season. Caleb King and Waushan Ealey definitely put on a rushing clinic and beat us at our own game. Joe Cox kept his usual mistakes to a minimum with some signs of brilliance with tight passes (and look Ma, no picks!). And yes, beseiged Willie Martinez showed that for all his flaws he can still game-plan decently (if – or when – he is let go, his career isn’t over by any means).
I said it last week on these boards and it’s as true as the day is long – our rivalry with UGA is one of the most under-rated in CFB and this game was no slouch. All the best to the Dawgs in their bowl game and we’ll see you folks in Athens a year from now for more Clean Old-Fashioned Hate.
Enjoy the bragging rights for this next year.
larrymunsonthe3rd
November 29th, 2009
9:56 am
Saint simons come out come out wherever you are!!!!!!!!
Time
November 29th, 2009
9:56 am
And Saint Simons, no we won’t be watching your Another Crappy Conference championship. We’ll be watching the true National Championship AKA the SEC Championship. Roll Tide.
David Basham
November 29th, 2009
9:56 am
Yes, Saint Simons, you will get to play in a Championship game for the one of the weakest conferences in the country — and no matter what happens, you will STILL be the second class team in the state. One of UGA’s worst teams in a decade just kicked the crap out one of Tech’s best teams in a decade, all on glorious national TV.
30-24, my friend. Have fun dealing with those numbers for the next 364. You’ve earned the vitriol you’re going to get.
takedowndawg
November 29th, 2009
9:56 am
gatormeat @9:05, not so fast. With tebow gone you lose 25% of your running game and all of your leadership. Brantley won’t get you that three yards you need in 3rd down situations. Also, look at your lost of defensive players. I think you will definitely be brought down to earth next year, or has the possibility of that EVEN crossed your mind. Be truthful now!
Lame Duck
November 29th, 2009
9:56 am
Gosh, Georgia beat Vandy and Georgia Tech this year. They should be national champions.
IslandDawg
November 29th, 2009
9:58 am
30-24 : 8 of 9 – Dawgs own the bugs!
GT IS A 4TH RATE HIGH SCHOOL TEAM
November 29th, 2009
9:59 am
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA FOREVER
george
November 29th, 2009
10:00 am
I hope you are kidding me. The pups beat up on one of the most overrtated teams in the country with by far one of the worst defenses in the country. I certainly would not read too much into this victory you dolts. And not to mention those SEC refs were a huge factor in the game.
Big L
November 29th, 2009
10:00 am
Okay, let’s get ready for National Signing day.
IslandDawg
November 29th, 2009
10:00 am
Lame Duck, you are probably are looking for a pulitzer – hang in there ducky
boohoo
November 29th, 2009
10:00 am
Perhaps UGA should move to the ACC where they could win more and give all you pathetic bandwagon fans more sundays to ride around with your flags and little hats with the G on them. This would be a good schedule for Ga to give the pathetics what they want. Open up w/Ga southern/ follow that w/Ga state throw in West Ga / Valdosta state that should just about getem in the hunt for some kind of award. Can you beleive it UGA tore down athens after beating tech, can somebody teach these ignorants that you dont tear up your own stadium , town etc . Now you see where most of the proceeds go from the Ga football program. Willie Martinez and Joe Cox will be avaible for autographs at Athens feed and seed this afternoon thats where they will be working from now on. Richt still needs to go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Duke
November 29th, 2009
10:01 am
Johnson is a great coach, but he needed to learn some humility. Richt and his staff were the better prepared team last night.
GT IS A 4TH RATE HIGH SCHOOL TEAM
November 29th, 2009
10:01 am
DAWG FANS ARE FAIR WEATHER FANS, BUT GT FANS ARE BAD WEATHER FANS AND ENJOY IT, HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA FOREVER
Tyler
November 29th, 2009
10:01 am
Gator meat, you will learn that urban meyer isnt that great of a coach when Teblow is gone next year along with that whole defense. Go Dawgs, we just wrecked tech!
EZ Dog
November 29th, 2009
10:02 am
Tampa Gator…refer to comment to Gatormeat…..there has got to be a TEBOW worship service somewhere today. Go there…. Sorry, but This just aint about you.
jesse james
November 29th, 2009
10:03 am
It was great to be a Georgia Bulldog on Saturday night in Atlanta, Ga. Hell it is great to be a Georgia Bulldog anytime, anywhere. Hey TECH, you need to teach your jumbo tron cheerleaders how to finish the drill!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
dcp
November 29th, 2009
10:03 am
Congrats to the DAWG fans – I give credit where credit is due. I am a loyal Tech fan – UGA outplayed us. I am never afraid to acknowlelge or admit as much – don’t lump me with Saint Simons and others. UGA did exactly what they wanted when they wanted – using the OL and the size advantage and running smash mouth football. I don’t play the if this happened, it would have been different – that game is for losers. You had a good game plan and worked it well. I just hope we can pick it up this week in Tampa. I don’t buy into the coaching advantage nonsense we supposedly have – Johnson is fine – he can coach, but he does not win extra games for us – he does what he can with what he has. I am glad to see Richt discipling guys for their bad penalties. That is one of the things he needs to continue to do. Congrats.
GT IS A 4TH RATE HIGH SCHOOL TEAM
November 29th, 2009
10:03 am
ACC CHAMPIONSHIP IS AGAINST THE DUMB AND DUMBER (GT), HAHAHAHAHAHAHA FOREVER
Tyler
November 29th, 2009
10:04 am
Fans of other teams: we dont care were tech plays there bowl game, the bottom line is the are second class for the 8th time in 9 years to their in state rivals…. the UNIVERSITY OG GEORGIA
TimK
November 29th, 2009
10:05 am
Georgia Dawgs! #1 in this state, now and forever. Paul Johnson over Mark Richt, laughable! CMR will have this thing right next year. It was so exciting to see him rally the guys at the start of the 4th quarter.
TampaGator
November 29th, 2009
10:05 am
takedowndawg…Seriously dude, Florida’s offense will be more diverese and potent next year with Brantley at QB (you didn’t hear the announcers raving about him yesterday or see those quick, precision passes he made??), Dubose back healthy with most of the receivers back, Rainey, Demps, Moody, Gilleslee, and Brown at RB, A very good offensive line (believe me, the Gator line will be excellent next year even if the Pouncey twins leave…and they are…plus the defense is returning most of the defensive backfield (with tons of outstanding CBs to replace Haden (you briefly saw one in Bushnell yesterday). The LB depth at Florida is unbelievable. All the DTs return. And the DE backups are outstanding. Nope, Florida will still be the most talented team in the SEC East next year…with the best coach in the SEC (no, he is not going to Notre Dame or the NFL).
Tyler
November 29th, 2009
10:05 am
Fans of other teams: we dont care were tech plays there bowl game, the bottom line is the are second class for the 8th time in 9 years to their in state rivals…. the UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
Dunwoody DAWG
November 29th, 2009
10:05 am
George – I agree that this wasn’t a significant win for the UGA program, but where did the refs affect the outcome?
GT IS A 4TH RATE HIGH SCHOOL TEAM
November 29th, 2009
10:06 am
PAUL JOHNSON GETS A BIG BONUS FROM UGA, HAHAHAHAHAHAHA FOREVER
ticket scalper
November 29th, 2009
10:06 am
For Sale: two tickets for ACC Championship: Georgia vs South Carolina: $Priceless
Tyler
November 29th, 2009
10:06 am
Boohoo: tear our town down…I was in athens last night and it was a ghost town. your a f’n idiot.
BOOGIES THE MAN FROM HARTWELL GA
November 29th, 2009
10:07 am
woof
TRK Dawg
November 29th, 2009
10:09 am
This was a great win and we need to enjoy it. However, this win does not change the fact that we MUST fix some problems in Athens. Ga Tech should not be our main focus, that became obvious during the game last night. We have got to face reality and begin doing whatever it takes to compete with and defeat the power programs in the SEC. We used to be one of the power programs and we (coaches, players, UGA admin, and fans) must do whatever it takes to get back to that level.
Tyler
November 29th, 2009
10:11 am
Tamap, Verne Lunguist is a moron so I dont put stock in what he says. and if i recall all that depth on defense did look to good in garbage time last night seeing as fsu moved the ball at will in the 4th. like some one said earlier this is abouit you go blow tebow
Fingerroll
November 29th, 2009
10:11 am
ACC…… almost competitive conference
blue
November 29th, 2009
10:11 am
td@9:24 you are a dumba$$$ HH is point on Ilike him support UGA with MONEY season tickets starting in 77. Because you like to go tailgate and get drunk then run home to watch the game does not make you a fan. It cost me about 25,000 a year to see the dawgs play and i want a top 10 team every year beating tech does not excuse losing to Ken.
Duke
November 29th, 2009
10:11 am
Johnson is a great coach, but he needed to learn some humility. Confidence is important, but arrogance is a vice…his comments after the game last year have come back to haunt him in a hurry. Saint Simons can suck it….30-24!!!!!
kt
November 29th, 2009
10:11 am
Tech Defense sucks. So does Ga’s. Looked like two big 12 teams last night. Pathetic defense.
Bone
November 29th, 2009
10:11 am
Mark Bradley,
How do you compare ACC teams to SEC teams now, since no ACC team could beat a SEC team yesterday…with the ACC division winners that couldn’t beat the lower level of SEC teams this year?
No excuses now. ACC is the lower league of the college conferences, and any BCS game will prove it come Jan 1.
Sea Island
November 29th, 2009
10:12 am
30-24 hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!
atlshirt.org
November 29th, 2009
10:12 am
man, everyday, until yesterday, these blogs were full of GT fans talking trash, all year long, trash trash and even more trash came from thier mouths on a daily basis, now, where are they ?? They are all quiet, or either playing thier world of warcraft video games!! LOL
TampaGator
November 29th, 2009
10:12 am
EZ dog….I congratulated Georgia on beating Tech. Enjoy the big win, but don’t get too full of yourselves (like you did when you beat Vandy and believed that would lead to a victory over the Gators). You just beat a team that would finish in the bottom half of the SEC. Just saying…
Big L
November 29th, 2009
10:14 am
Arron Murray and Washaun Ealy plus Caleb King. Great recipe for beating Tech and UF next year.
Jbird
November 29th, 2009
10:14 am
If Tech beats Clemson, does that mean UGA wins ACC Championship???
volssuckdawg
November 29th, 2009
10:15 am
ACC Championship. UGA 41 South Carolina 38..
Old Dawg
November 29th, 2009
10:17 am
ACC: Almost a College Conference. Guess the new Sheriff’s tin badge needs a little polishing!
M & St. Simons, you’re eating major courses of humble pie this morning!
Tom1
November 29th, 2009
10:18 am
It just goes to show you can be agressive AND disciplined at the same time. Biggest lessons our guys should have taken off the field last night: stupid mistakes and hot tempers could have killed this proud effort early, smart ball control and keeping the D off the field pays off in spades in the fourth quarter, consistent penetration in the backfield disrupts even the best defenses. GREAT GAME.