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
john
November 28th, 2009
11:43 pm
8 out of 9 we own theri butts……..and I love Saint Simons
#1DAWGFAN
November 28th, 2009
11:43 pm
TO ALL THE YELLOWjacket NERDS AND TO THE AJC WRITERS I’M LIFTING MY DAWG LEG AND PEEING ON YA’LL, BUT OF COURSE THE NERDS LIKE YELLOW !!!!!!! LOL
Pi$$onaJacket
November 28th, 2009
11:43 pm
Techies…so much for being ranked in the top 10. Can you say, overrated? TO HELL WITH TECH!
Jekell Isle
November 28th, 2009
11:43 pm
30-24 for 365!
advanced home security
November 28th, 2009
11:43 pm
I guess we won’t hear from St. Simon for another 7 years or so. We will miss you St. Simons! R.I.P. St Simons 2008-2009.
nola dawg
November 28th, 2009
11:43 pm
Mark – thanks for pointing out AJ. I know Nesbitt ( who is great btw) missed a quarter. but, ok, our best player has missed 4 in a row.
Thanks also for the most balanced view at the Tech/UGA rivalry. I have read (and laughed) with Jeff S for 20 years in Atlanta, but he was out of control with his Tech taking over the state talk.
Thanks Mark, you are the best the AJC has to offer…
86Dawg
November 28th, 2009
11:43 pm
Love Safety Dawg’s and …merkin’s comments. Where are you tonight Saint Simons? Makes that ride back to Brunswick awful long…hope you stay over and do some shopping. Maybe pick up a few crutches for the techies they carried off the field.
Randy Marsh
November 28th, 2009
11:43 pm
Great win… We did what we had to…Run the ball and keep it away from them… I guess we had to play an ACC defense to solve our problems. Where are all the douchebag nerds that have been talkin’ s$$t all year long?
MONA
November 28th, 2009
11:43 pm
My dog Daisy had to be put to sleep last Monday Nov. 23rd…no doubt in my mind she’s in Big Kennel in Sky with late UGA putting sting on Buzzy-Fuzzy Bee! LOVE YA DAISY DAWG…HOW BOUT THE HAIRY DAWGS Y’All?
45ACP
November 28th, 2009
11:43 pm
Thank God the Dawgs win.
Now the blogs will get back to normal.
Southern Dawg
November 28th, 2009
11:43 pm
SEC = 3 ACC = 0 Gotta love Rival Saturday. Goooooooo DAWGS!!!!
StraightShooter
November 28th, 2009
11:43 pm
CWM saved his best for last. He looked like a man who was mentally and physically spent. Reminded me of the prisoner in his cell awaiting execution — just wanting to end the torment and get it over. At least he went out a winner against the insects.
SuperiorSEC
November 28th, 2009
11:43 pm
Tech fans have been bragging all year about how great their team is…………………….what a friggin joke.
Tech Sucks
November 28th, 2009
11:43 pm
lol, Bradley….
King of the front runners. You never quit dude. Just wait to see what happens and then embellish the heck out of it.
Tech fans, you guys are all pathetic sorry @ss nerds… You talked trash for a year about a fluke 3 point win in Athens and now order is restored.
Back to reality geeks your team, your coach, your program SUCK.
The ACC is a joke of epic proportions. It’s so fun watching your pathetic, bandwagon jumping fanbase staring blankly at the cameras as UGA ran over your team like the high school defense you are.
Paul Johnson got stopped by Willie Martinez. That has to tell you something. The worst UGA team most of us have ever seen just beat the best Tech team in over a decade.
Saint Simons, kill yourself.
Rick from Rome
November 28th, 2009
11:44 pm
I love my BULLDAWGS!!!!!!! Hey GT-Who’s your daddy?????? What is now 9 out of the last 10 years or something….OMG. Stick with Lacrosse or something your good at.
Jeff Sanchez
November 28th, 2009
11:44 pm
((30-24)))
HAHAHAHAHAHAAHHAHAHAHHA!!!
And you lose Dwyer, Thomas, Morgan, and Burnett
HAHAHAHAHAHHAAHHAHA
And your dumbass coach called three straight pass plays to lose the game
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAH
Roadrunner
November 28th, 2009
11:44 pm
Great day for the SEC vs. ACC, 3-0: UF stomps FL State, SC stomps Clemson, and GA holds on over Tech!!! No wonder the #1 athletes almost always want to play in the SEC!! GO DAWGS!! Now where are we playing in December??
GA Heel
November 28th, 2009
11:44 pm
Enter your comments here
George O'Leary
November 28th, 2009
11:44 pm
I’ll drink to that!!!!
Where are my Yellow Suckets?
E
November 28th, 2009
11:44 pm
ORDER HAS BEEN RESTORED!!! ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha…Now shut your stupid mouths……
45ACP
November 28th, 2009
11:44 pm
2nd on 2. Whoooooohoooooooooooooo
Paul H
November 28th, 2009
11:44 pm
Where’s Saint Simons??? Where’s “m?” Where’s “Ramble On?”
8 OUT OF 9 YEARS MAGGOTS!! GLAD IT HURTS SO MUCH!!!!
Dawg4Life
November 28th, 2009
11:44 pm
Both teams that will play for ACC championship were beaten badly by (at the time) 6-5 SEC teams. the UGA/gt score might not have been that big, but we beat them at their game. we ran it down their throats. our offensive line owned their defensive line. i still say fire WM, but HELL YEAH
Colin
November 28th, 2009
11:44 pm
In our worst year UGA is better than Tech in their best year!
richtfan
November 28th, 2009
11:44 pm
how’s that crow tasting mark?
30-24 hahahahahahahahahahahaha
herschelsalterego
November 28th, 2009
11:44 pm
willies poem will be better than bradleys article
Joe M
November 28th, 2009
11:44 pm
All you AJC and 790 DOUCHE BAGS, sorry the empire has CRUMBLED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mark, Jeff, Steak, Chris, Nick, Wolvy and Brandon (who ain’t a real Dawg fan). The EMPIRE HAS CRUMBLED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
30-24! BWA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
TD
November 28th, 2009
11:44 pm
As a Dawg fan in exile up here in Washington, DC, I have read with interest the comments of all the Tech fans, Tech apologists, and most of the Atlanta media gloating at the failures of UGA and rejoicing the very recent and unproven, over the long term at least, successes of GT. With all that in mind (and I hope my dear departed mother doesn’t mind), will y’all please shut up now? That was a beat down that was not indicative of the close score.
Some Sense
November 28th, 2009
11:44 pm
O. K., guys, whaddaya think about Willie and Mike now?
Go, you great Georgia Bulldogs.
Russ for permanent mascot.
Wanna face this offense next year?
Defense will be major improved. How about Reshad Jones and Alec Ogletree at safety?
All you bloggin’ rednecks need to crawl back into the woodwork with the Techmites.
Glory, glory to ol’ Georgia.
#1DAWGFAN
November 28th, 2009
11:44 pm
RIP SAINT SIMONS 2008-209 LMAOOOOOOOO
Billy Baroo
November 28th, 2009
11:44 pm
This just in – GEORGIA vs. SOUTH CAROLINA in the ACC Championship.
(((30-24))) HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!
Up yours, St. Simons.
hugedawgfan
November 28th, 2009
11:44 pm
Tech fan, you really don’t have to hear it. You can fire them from Pop’s BP station.
Benjamin
November 28th, 2009
11:44 pm
I hoped some Tech fans would show up, but alas…
They got us last year when we were the better team, and this time we returned the favor. Great game tonight — I actually feel bad for D. Thomas — and we’ll take this one for pride, recruiting, and as a farewell gift to Willie Martinez.
Go Dawgs sic’ em….
Jake
November 28th, 2009
11:44 pm
I would like to send my condolences to GA TECH and the AJC. UGA should have won last year and I knew all along that UGA was still superior to GA TECH. Go Dawgs
SacTown DAWG
November 28th, 2009
11:44 pm
Both ACC teams lose to SEC teams with 5 losses. Kinda takes the wind out of that “Championship Game” in FL next week!!! HAR!!!
Rocket Rod
November 28th, 2009
11:44 pm
That’s what I call one and done!
DAWGSWIN
November 28th, 2009
11:44 pm
The only time the word “Georgia” looks good in yellow is when it’s in tonight’s scoreboard on ESPN showing WHO WON!!!
GEORGIA 30 Georgia Tech 24
Najeh Davenpoop
November 28th, 2009
11:44 pm
The people saying the ACC is overrated are right, and it starts up front. UGA may not be able to out-physical opponents in the SEC, the best conference in the country. But in the ACC, the linemen are neither as big nor as talented, and it showed in this game. Great win for UGA.
Mike J
November 28th, 2009
11:44 pm
30-24 Today was a good day for the Bulldog nation, i think i even saw buzz crying.
BigC32Dawgfan
November 28th, 2009
11:44 pm
Great game by both teams. GT best of luck in the ACCCG and hopefully a BCS bowl bid. Represent the state of Georgia well. Great win Dawgs!! GOOOO Dawgs!! Time to celebrate
Saint Simons gurl
November 28th, 2009
11:45 pm
I wish I had never taunted you bulldogs — you are so powerful … Ealey for Heisman in 2010 … (you still suck at turnovers and penalties)
plays with fire
November 28th, 2009
11:45 pm
Way to go Dawgs!!!!!
Pi$$onaJacket
November 28th, 2009
11:45 pm
Where are all the tech fans that said that the DAWGS should not even both to show up? 8 out of 9 years! 30-24. Bwahahahahahahaha!!
Southgabulldog
November 28th, 2009
11:45 pm
Congratulations UGA. Tech beat themselves with drops and such. We were very LUCKY tonight although I must admit the running game was STELLAR. Keep Richt, Keep Bobo, LET WILLIE GO!!!
Saint Simons
November 28th, 2009
11:45 pm
((((( 45-42 ))))) hahahahahaha
DawginLex
November 28th, 2009
11:45 pm
Mark,
The crow is probably best prepared deep fried.
m
yellow fuzz
trade school junkie
stinger
Rambler
Come get your medicine boys.
30-24
8-1
SEC 3-0 vs ACC
10 in bowls vs 7 in bowls
DFCDAWG
November 28th, 2009
11:45 pm
30-24….waHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. Hey St Simons…….HAHHAHHAHAHHAHHAHHAHAHHAHHAHAHHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHHAHAHAHHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAH……sorry excuse for a football team.
dawg grad 97
November 28th, 2009
11:45 pm
HBTD! Not sure if I am more excited about the win or the fact we will not have to hear peep out of St Simon’s for the next glorious 365 days.
Order has been restored…congratulations seniors, what a way to end the season on a high note. Good luck Willie, I wish you the best of luck as long as you are not wearing red and black next year. And to all the Tech/ACC fans, what a great showing today by your conference today.
Eric Dawg
November 28th, 2009
11:45 pm
I said it before, GA can defeat a high school team (GT) and the Champions of ACC (Association of Cup Cakes)
Dawgdad
November 28th, 2009
11:45 pm
Two mediocre SEC teams whip the top ACC teams. How about that!