Who gains from the SEC’s turmoil? Alas, not UGA
The SEC East is in flux in a way nobody could have envisioned on Christmas Eve. Urban Meyer resigned and recanted and is said to be relaxing. Tennessee has no coach. Kentucky has a new coach. Vanderbilt … OK, there’s the one constant.
With so much in motion, the moment seems ripe for a stable program to make a bold move upward in 2010. That program would not seem to be Georgia.
Having searched for six weeks, the Bulldogs don’t have a defensive coordinator or a defensive staff. They’ll enter next season with a new quarterback, the result of having left Aaron Murray to redshirt. (A wise choice in most years, but not necessarily in the worst season under this head coach.) Worse still, there’s a growing feeling across the South that Mark Richt is a year away from feeling the big heat.
From MrSEC.com, usually a clearinghouse of conference links, came this post-Kirby-Smart post from John Pennington, its headline reading: “Smart Stays; Richt In Trouble.” Pennington’s argument isn’t that Richt should be in trouble but that, having been spurned three times now by coordinating candidates, he’s being perceived as “inept.”
Short of landing Bill Belichick, it will be nigh-impossible for Georgia to emerge from this protracted search with a coordinator who will satisfy the majority of Dog-lovers. And it does seem troubling that three men who worked in the South and have coached against Georgia — Bud Foster of Virginia Tech, John Chavis of LSU and Alabama’s Kirby Smart, who’s a Bulldog born and bred — saw greater opportunity in the current positions than anything awaiting them in Athens.
Is Georgia now radioactive? Is Richt viewed in the industry as damaged goods? Is there a way for the coach who once moved from strength to strength to overcome this onset of weakness?
Sure. There’s a way. Just win, baby. (That’s Al Davis’ signature quote. The second-most famous Al Davis utterance: “Lane Kiffin is a flat-out liar.”) But I don’t see Georgia as poised to win big even in an SEC East that’s without Tebow, without Kiffin and perhaps without Meyer. Indeed, if you’re looking for the program harboring realistic expectations of a 2010 breakthrough, look first to the one that has never won anything of consequence.
South Carolina.
It has a head coach, which puts it ahead of Tennessee and perhaps Florida, and he has a national championship in his portfolio. It has a defensive coordinator, which puts it ahead of Georgia, and Ellis Johnson is a fine one. Its quarterback is returning, along with 15 other starters on offense and defense. And it plays Georgia in Columbia on Sept. 11.
No, the Gamecocks weren’t much good in 2009: They finished 7-6 and looked awful in losing the Papajohns.com Bowl to Connecticut. But the new season is another day, and long-suffering Gamecock fans get geeked up for every next season as a matter of course. This time they might actually have cause.
Not many Georgia fans seem similarly enthused, at least not at the moment. The coordinator search won’t go on forever, but it has left a mark on the Bulldog psyche. Georgia fans are like most: They can’t imagine why anyone wouldn’t want to come coach their team. But they’ve just seen three men choose to remain in place despite the lure of big money at UGA.
Loading ...We learned in 2005, when he won the SEC in his first season without David Greene and David Pollack and Brian VanGorder, not to dismiss Mark Richt. We saw it again this season when he took his worst team and beat Georgia Tech’s best aggregation in a decade. That said, the prevailing wind now seems to be blowing against him.
He’s 14-8 over the past 22 games. (And that’s with victories in the final two of 2009.) He can wind up making a good hire and it won’t be seen as such. Some of the UGA fans who once swore by Richt have taken up a different brand of swearing. As Pennington suggested, Richt is no longer the fresh prince of the SEC but an elder and somewhat diminished statesman.
Five years ago I wouldn’t have thought Richt and Georgia incapable of anything. Now, heaven help me, I see South Carolina as the program on the rise. South Carolina, of all teams.
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785 comments Add your comment
PT
January 13th, 2010
8:15 pm
Other Mark Bradley – Thanks! my son committed to Georgia State this year. Looking forward to seeing what Curry does with them. It will be tough for a while.
Russ, the Temporary Mascot
January 13th, 2010
8:20 pm
Mark, they have been painting your a$$ for two days straight! You need to write a Tiger Woods blog to take the heat off.
Get rid of TERRENCE MOORE JUNIOR, AJC
January 13th, 2010
8:20 pm
AKA…mark bradley..your a loser and the ajc ought to can your ass …….hopefully UGA will ban you from interiews……you can still hold Paul johnson’’s baton
Johnny Test
January 13th, 2010
8:22 pm
Been traveling all day. Just got back to read this piece of garbage. The Dawgs finish the season by beating the best tech team in 20 years, winning a bowl game without a defensive coordinator, will bringing in another top 10 recruiting class, won at least 8 games for 9 years in a row and CMR is seen as inept because 3 high profile defensive co-ordinators turned him down?
Mark Bradely is as right about Mark Richt as he was about Mark Fox. He basically knows nothing about anything. UGA is solid and it will show on the field in 2010.
Embarrassed
January 13th, 2010
8:23 pm
From the posts on this blog, if I’m a UGA grad, I’d be too embarrassed to admit to it.
Fortunately, I’m NOT a UGA grad, but I’m STILL embarrassed !! Act like you’ve got some sense, people.
former georgian
January 13th, 2010
8:26 pm
We lived in Columbia for 25 years before moving to Birmingham in 2004. Lots of coaching changes(an understatement) and embarrassing defeats-Furman and Navy come to mind, and the time their game was taken off by a tv station because they were losing so badly. And don’t forget the 3 scores by Florida in 2 minutes-I believe it was in 2008? My husband and daughter actually went to the Papa John’s debacle. I watched the first 2 minutes of Spurrier’s press conference and I must be getting soft in my old age-I actually felt sorry for him! Even Steve Spurrier can’t overcome the Chicken Curse! This article proves that Mark Bradley is just as clueless as Georgia fans think he is.
Uga 98
January 13th, 2010
8:26 pm
We shoud benefit from this somehow. We still have top recruting class. And we will get some player from this mess in tennesee. Richt knows what hes doin. I bet we get a top cordinator and recruter out of this. You have to have patients in time like these. Go Dawgs!
chazzo
January 13th, 2010
8:27 pm
What’s with all the doom and gloom (or is it wishful thinking on your part)? It’s two months to Spring ball. The Super Bowl hasn’t even been played yet. Spare me the scenarios and hypotheticals, Nostradamus. Take some time to actually find something out and report it.
GATA dawg
January 13th, 2010
8:30 pm
To all you Richt worshipers who think he Richt is honest, grounded,has integrity, loyal, a great guy, Strong Christian, incredible family man, yada, yada, yada.
I don’t think he has been honest or acted with integrity by hiring his best friend for DC without so much as a coaching search and then keeping him on long past when it became obvious to the entire Bulldog Nation that he couldn’t coach. In fact I call that dereliction of duty. He finally fired Willie to save his own skin and buy himself a couple of more years (6 million dollars).
The prick is a hypocrite flying around the country begging people to save his arse with a truck load of money. They see him for the lame f— he is. f— Richt. I will celebrate the day he finally packs his sh-t and leaves Athens!!!
Mark Richt has the UGA program swirling the drain and you Disney Dawg Motherf—ers are still swallowing. You f—ers might as well send your money to Jimmy Sawaggert and get a prayer cloth he sweated on. f— Mark Richt and his Fake Juice. I see right through his rub on tan and hair highlights. What a pompous f—!
De' truth
January 13th, 2010
8:32 pm
“The trouble with Lane Kiffin is that he was born on third base and thought he hit a triple” Anon.
you're so right dandydawg
January 13th, 2010
8:32 pm
Mark, You really need to write an article recommending that rules be drafted concerning the hiring, recruitment and firing of coaches. Right now, it’s the wild west. Just like their are rules for recruiting. The NCAA needs to formulate rules and guidelines for changes to coaching staffs. Believe it or not, this sport is just a exhibition sport. Just like every other collegiate sport. This game is made up of non-professionals. And the coaches are there to mold boys into young men. The coaches are revered by the fans and players young and old. And by us and our kids. Because they do not always act in an admirable manner, they should be made to act right.
The time has come to regulate how schools recruit coaches for the sake of the kids that they coach and nothing more.
Earl
January 13th, 2010
8:39 pm
I heard USC gave Kiffin an unbelievable cloths allowance. His wife has always said he did’nt have a lot of fruit in his looms. This is one sleazy guy but I know his dad is real proud of him.
the voice in the desert
January 13th, 2010
8:40 pm
Mark, even Lou Holtz knows better than to predict an SEC East title for South Carolina. Actually, he straightaway denied the possibility- this coming from the guy who predicted Notre Dame would win a National Championship. When you outdo Lou Holtz in the area of delusional statements, it might be time to see a preacher, psychologists, or copy Adam Sandler and try passing grade school ALA Billy Madison.
YellowJacket
January 13th, 2010
8:41 pm
pups, keep drinking that mark richt koolaid, his misses serves it up every game day.
YellowJacket
January 13th, 2010
8:44 pm
Without a doubt, the stupidest people on Earth are Dawg fans. It’s not even close.
Diggity Dawg
January 13th, 2010
8:44 pm
“Long-suffering Gamecock fans get geeked up for every next season as a matter of course.”
That’s why South Carolina will always be the best January-August team in the SEC.
Bizarro Bradley
January 13th, 2010
8:45 pm
Why the constant barrage of attacks on Richt? Every program has a down year or two. Richt is a damn good coach with damn good players. And he’ll find a damn good DC. The “leverage trinity” aren’t the only good DC’s in CFB. Richt was destined to lose either way with the yahoos at the ajc. If he doesn’t go after the big names, but finds a good up-n-comer…..he gets bashed. If he does. And they don’t come…..he gets bashed. Mark’s just following the bandwagon against the Dawgs right now. He’ll come around and write a great piece on Richt during next season.
Bizarro Bradley
January 13th, 2010
8:46 pm
YellowJacket, 8:44,
“stupidest”?
Really? Bad timing for a grammatical mistake. lol.
Wreckmaniac
January 13th, 2010
8:49 pm
Since some of these dimwits have cancelled their AJC subscrip, is there a way to get them to cancel their blog rights ?
Watching it all
January 13th, 2010
8:51 pm
Your right on about the east being in turmoil and especially Georgia. The perception is that Richt could be gone after another bad season and that is the main if not sole reason why Richt can’t seem to get a coordinator hired. Who would come to a sinking ship? I know that’s not dog fan’s perception but it is certainly the perception of the rest of the nation.
The real benefactors of this are the 2 Alabama schools. Auburn is certainly back on the rise and they offer early playing time and actually look stable under Chizik.
And Alabama. Well. They are the elephant in the room as far as success and recruiting goes. Saban recruits Georgia and if I were a kid at a Georgia high school the question is obvious. ” Do I want to go to Georgia and spend 4 years being humiliated by hated Florida and play for a coach who may get fired after my first year?” Or do I want to go to Alabama where they just won a bcs national title and have beaten the gators 4 of the last 6 including 3 blowouts. Its an easy answer.
D(r)ooley
January 13th, 2010
8:51 pm
2007 – South Carolina 16 UGA 12
Hello Sugar Bowl…………………………..Good Bye National Championship
Bizarro Bradley
January 13th, 2010
8:53 pm
And in response to Bradley, ask this question……
Whose program would you rather be in right now?
1. Vandy? Think Not
2. Kentucky? Perennial Cellar Dweller. But Brooks did a fine job.
3. South Carolina? When was the last time they won a title of any kind? Oh, that’s right. Never.
4. Tennessee? Just got set back another 2-3 years.
5. Florida? Possible. Even with the world of crazy there, they are in good shape.
6. Georgia? 90 wins in 9 years. One bad year. Getting a new DC. Still has one of the best coaches in the country.
Methinks Bradley doth protest to much.
Larry Munson Inside on Sports
January 13th, 2010
8:53 pm
Where am I?
Who am I?
Change my diaper!
Cock 'n' Bull
January 13th, 2010
8:57 pm
That’s right. You nailed it. UF will still be tough, but Carolina takes a step up next year and the next and so on.
Mike Oxbig
January 13th, 2010
8:58 pm
Alas Bradley, you have become the biggest a$$ clown to troll the AJC blogs. You have just made YellowJacket, m, Ramble On, St Simons, etc seem like friggin poet laureates compared to your absolute garbage effort today with this piece of ingnorant dog squeeze of an article.
Bizarro Bradley
January 13th, 2010
9:00 pm
Watching it all…….you’re delusional. And what kind of stupid post name is that? Are you sitting on Mt. Olympus viewing us mere mortals through your lens of CFB omniscience?
What a dolt.
No one views Georgia as a “sinking ship” except her rivals & their fans.
Richt is one of the finest coaches in America. The facts say it all.
Larry Munson
January 13th, 2010
9:01 pm
The Dawgs are nothing without me and Vince.
I need more praise!
Mike Martin
January 13th, 2010
9:02 pm
Man you dawgs have as hard of a time accepting the truth as a lane kiffen recruit. This year has ushered in a lot of unforeseen changes, Meyer resigning then recanting, Kiffin splitting for the left coast usc, UGA can’t seem to buy a defensive coordinator, another dead UGA and Cocky still lives… GO COCKS !!!
JESUP
January 13th, 2010
9:02 pm
I have complete faith in Mark Richt……just look around at the other programs, glad to have such a Great coach with character.. I think that the Dawgs will play for the SEC championship next year..
Mike Oxbig
January 13th, 2010
9:03 pm
Watching it all–
you and Bradley freebasing crack now? Should we call you St Simons or m? You seem to be in their class with your ignorance
Ramblin' Wreck
January 13th, 2010
9:06 pm
Will we go to a bowl game next year? If so, could you please donate money to the Athletic Fund so I can go?
It's worse than you think
January 13th, 2010
9:06 pm
Some haggard looking, disheveled guy, obviously under great duress, approached me at the gas station. He looked for all the world like he was going to ask me for change, so imagine my surprise when he asked me if I would be interested in becoming his defensive coordinator.
Nice tan though.
Georgia Bulldog 2001 X
January 13th, 2010
9:07 pm
Kirby “The Hack” Smart will be the new coach at UT.
It will be announce before 7PM on Friday and Larry …. get off this blog!
DawgTired
January 13th, 2010
9:09 pm
this is one reason I will not buy the ajc. Bradley, go north and take Jon Kincaid with you.
jp
January 13th, 2010
9:15 pm
Enter your comments here
it is unbelievable that you have an employer .you sound like obama talkin a bunch of crap that has no meaning . there is no way you could have ever played ball or any sport for that matter . cmr has the # 4 winning percentage of coaches that have been there for more than 5 years he has 2 bcs bowl wins and 2 sec championships .he is dealing with an ad that is an idiot that gets games with old louville, ariz state and colrado home and home when they would come to athens with no return date. do you think tenn would take cmr now. if you are going to say that the best coach in ga fball history is wrong for going after the best; it just shows what dumb asses you are .any body that thinks like you, that boo their own team and say cmr should be fired are the same dumb s-it heads that voted for obama. we need change
Bobo
January 13th, 2010
9:15 pm
I have been contacted about becoming the hc at UT.
Goodbye dawgs!
Go Vols.
Willie, give me a call.
Big Fan 98
January 13th, 2010
9:18 pm
Kirby Smart is a DOPE; however, he’s headed to UT.
Get use to it…
Brad
January 13th, 2010
9:24 pm
Okay guys, we all know Bradley worships Ga Tech; why would he write anything postive about Georgia?
DawgInDC
January 13th, 2010
9:30 pm
yea mark you did say that, but you didn’t back up with anything solid. I think you just say things to hear yourself talk. Scar will always be a 3rd tier team in the sec. My gosh they’ve had what, 3 , 10 win season in their history……..uga benefits the most and it’s not even close..tell the truth mark
JESUP
January 13th, 2010
9:30 pm
Mark Richt is a great coach and will not be fired EVER . I truly feel like most of the other schools in the sec are not going to be as good next year, more even conference and no undefeated team. And probably a snub from the voters when it comes to the BCS championship. I also feel like Saban will tire at Bama. and move on to a new challenge, probly back into the NFL. ………..My crystal ball??
Snellville Jacket
January 13th, 2010
9:39 pm
As a South Carolina resident, I can tell you one thing for sure – Gamecock fans are the most loyal in the world. Their team has never done anything, yet they fill that stadium up week after week. If the outcome of the USC-UGA game was based on fan loyalty, the Cocks win by at least three touchdowns.
willie martinez
January 13th, 2010
9:45 pm
dogs ahead of ole miss by a point with 7 minutes left
messin with sasquatch
January 13th, 2010
9:49 pm
first?
messin with sasquatch
January 13th, 2010
9:49 pm
crap. my watch stopped.
messin with sasquatch
January 13th, 2010
9:51 pm
the sec is now called AFATO – Alabama, Florida, and the others….
Mel on a car phone
January 13th, 2010
9:52 pm
Mark Bradley: “But the Gamecocks did go 7-5 in the regular season, just like Georgia. And South Carolina does have a seasoned quarterback. And a tested-in-the-SEC DC.”
What has having those ingredients done for South Carolina in the past? What has Spurrier accomplished at South Carolina? Garcia will have experience going into the 2010 season, but what has he done? He was very inconsistent and a mediocre at best QB in 2009.
Jon
January 13th, 2010
9:53 pm
Mark Bradley has become Terrance Moore. He’ll be working at an internet search engine pretty soon.
willie martinez
January 13th, 2010
9:56 pm
75-70 bad guys
bradley the wierdo
January 13th, 2010
10:04 pm
You are absolutely smoking crack! South Carolina has never nor will ever be a factor in the SEC east. It’s very easy to post your comments about SC and the fact that they have a coaching staff (apparently a poor one) and say that they come out of this situation with the most to gain. I see how the MB’s of the world make a living now. Come up with a bunch of crap and afflect that opinion with a shock jock’s mentality..that’s how we sell the AJC, right? If that works then more power to you Mr. Bradley. You should resign your current post and take over operations at the dwindling yet barely still alive AJC.
Mark Bradley
January 13th, 2010
10:07 pm
You know, I’m not a complete idiot. I’m aware South Carolina has never done a thing in the SEC East. I’m just thinking it has a chance in 2010. I’m not trying to rewrite every year from 1992 on.