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
Charles Hanes
January 13th, 2010
1:35 pm
Okay. There is a simple fix for this. First, hire Ellis Johnson from South Carolina. This will only costs the Dawgs about $400k. This means we can use the other $300k that was proposed to Smart and hire some really good position coaches. Second, go after the UT recruits. I would try to snag Ahmad Dixon first. Tell Dixon that Ogletree will move to LB and he can start next year at UGA at S. This will bring a 5-star guy in a hurry. I would then turn to South Carolina’s recruit Kelcy Quarles. He is a big DT that UGA deperaltely needs to fill some major voids. He is from AJ Green’s high school and by hiring Ellis Johnson you can get him to convert. Then turn towards UF and focus on pulling Jonathan Dowling and Leon Orr. Both of these guys will play backup roles in UF and we can get them on the field at UGA as Frosh. This would solidify the D and bring some big time hype to UGA.
Problem solved. Anyone know Richt’s phone number? I can provide my consulting services for free!
Clint
January 13th, 2010
1:36 pm
Do yourself a favor and compare Spurrier’s time at South Carolina to Ray Goff’s at UGA. They are almost the same. This comes from the Georgia Sports Blog “Spurrier needs 6 wins to surpass Goff’s win total during his first six years in Athens. However, he’ll need to go at least 11-2 to surpass Ray’s winning percentage over the same number of years…by only .00079 percentage points”. Here is a look at Spurrier’s first 5 years at SC and Goff’s at UGA: Overall record SS- 35-27 RG- 34-22. SEC Record SS-18-22 RG- 18-19. 10 win seasons SS- 0 RG- 1. 9+ win seasons SS- 0 RG- 2. Bowl Record SS- 1-2 RG- 2-1. Top 25 finishes SS- 0 RG- 2. This is the guy that you think can win the SEC East? You’re almost as big of a joke as he is. South Carolina is returning the same core of a team that fell apart over the last half of the year finishing out 2-5. They will not be a factor in the East.
ToccoaDawg
January 13th, 2010
1:36 pm
Enter your comments here
nola dawg fan
January 13th, 2010
1:36 pm
MB – I have praised you on many boards and am a loyal reader. but this one is a reach. USC is losing its best player -Norwood. And he was their BEST play by a country mile. So UGA replaces a bad QB with a young one with more upside – wash. It improves its D with new scheme (no willie – nuf said).
And Richt in trouble. Dude has the 3rd best winning % of any coach with more that 50 wins. You do not have the real pulse of UGA alumni and donors (which i am). He is not in trouble. Not even close. Even if you and AJC would like to portray him …. and help drive your blog hits.
Cmon Mark – you are better than this.. much better.
Greg
January 13th, 2010
1:37 pm
Judging by the comments I’m reading Mark, I’d say you overstated a bit with this one. With the way Spurrier’s Cocks have faded to nothing year in and year out, for them to be a contender I’ll believe it when I see it.
Georgia and Florida are the only teams that might be legit next year. South Carolina will be fighting for third. Not to say they couldn’t beat Georgia in September, because they could.
ToccoaDawg
January 13th, 2010
1:37 pm
Seriously Bradley move back to Kentucky
8383
January 13th, 2010
1:37 pm
Mark-you have absolutely outdone yourself this time. I have seen some really bad articles in your past, but this one by far takes the cake. South Carolina…are you kidding me??!! Whatever miniscule shred of credibility you had left before this has now completely evaporated. SC has had 100+ years to establish a football program–and WHAT
Dunkley
January 13th, 2010
1:37 pm
Alabama owns the SEC and will next season as well.
Florida is a close 2nd
Whoa, respect on the National Championship this year but you are getting a little ahead of yourself saying you own the SEC. 2 SEC Titles and one National Championship in ten years is hardly owning this conference. Two or three years from now you might well be able to claim that but not today.
SEC Championship Game :
Florida – 10 appearances, 7-3
Bama – 7 appearances, 3-4
Tennessee – 5 appearances, 2-3
LSU – 4 appearances, 3-1
Georgia – 3 appearances, 2-1
jack bull
January 13th, 2010
1:38 pm
kiffin gone, meyer gone (yes, he’s gone for a while), spurrier has 2 years left in him, if that, brooks gone, saban gone (will be the new cowboys coach, soon), man, if we still had slick willie in place, we would be racking up on the recruits this year…but, we got what we wanted didn’t we??
Oh, South Carolina the one on the rise? spurrier will be on the golf course for good real soon..
8383
January 13th, 2010
1:39 pm
(continued from above)…have they ever one…that’s right–NOTHING! You have completely lost your mind and proven yourself to be maybe the most ignorant sportswriter, blogger, whatever, in AJC history.
What
January 13th, 2010
1:39 pm
Bradley please go back to Kentucky of wherever you are from. These “Finebaum” type pieces you keep writing about UGA are pathetic. You lost the last bit of creditability you had with this one. Nice Work!
PDawg
January 13th, 2010
1:40 pm
South Carolina may not compete for an SEC championship but they sure as heck stand in our way this coming Sept. With that I think Bradley makes some good points. If we lose that game we probably don’t win the east.
Bradley makes more sense than most of us are willing (or able) to admit and herein lies the problem. Most Dawg fans have their head firmly up their you know what to be able to see clearly!
AndyC
January 13th, 2010
1:40 pm
Mark eats crow on a daily basis and does not care… as long as he gets to write a blog about it. In this way he is playing us all because he probably says outlandishing things that he truly doesn’t believe just to get a reaction and have people read his blogs.
FLA DAWG
January 13th, 2010
1:41 pm
Mark,
1. If you are implying UGA will offer Smart the HC job if Richt is fired assuminig a bad season next year then you are wrong my friend. UGA will never make an offer to Smart again.
2. If The Dawgs can’t pull it together – and I don’t see how they can at this point, for a run at the SEC East then this is one Dawg who’d like to see SC take it. I don’t like Spurrier but you’ve got to admit those Gamecock Fans have stuck with their team for decades. Their players never quit. Despite a prik as HC SC has class.
Mark Bradley
January 13th, 2010
1:41 pm
I’ll agree: Going on history, I’d never consider South Carolina a threat to do anything except flop. 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.
uberVU - social comments
January 13th, 2010
1:42 pm
Social comments and analytics for this post…
This post was mentioned on Twitter by MarkBradleyAJC: UGA fans should not read this: South Carolina is the team primed to profit from the SEC’s turmoil http://bit.ly/7fjvW2…
ToccoaDawg
January 13th, 2010
1:42 pm
Jeff, I know nothing, shultzie and Tony, pigs butt, Barnyard agree with Marky, I hate anything Georgia, Bradley
Ray
January 13th, 2010
1:42 pm
Spurrier’s career at USC makes mine at UGA look like Bear Byrant’s.
JB
January 13th, 2010
1:43 pm
Carolina ? really Mark. Had maybe 6-7 winning seasons in the last 30 years…..Two, maybe three bowl games……….Spurrier, told to us to be the best to ever put on a whistle, and they still fold like a cheap beach chair every year……………………….This is crap………….The State of Georgia is loaded with talent, and Georgia will get it’s share. We had no SEC QB this year and NO defense and still won 8 games, and still beat Tech’s best in 20 years….at their place. Geez. you’re just trying to sell papers now.
DawgGoneRight
January 13th, 2010
1:43 pm
Fellow Dawg fans, the truth hurts, but it is still the truth. Open your eyes and minds: next year doesn’t look too promising, and that is all this opinion piece is saying. The stats and records don’t lie: UGA is on a downward trend while SC and others are on an upward trend. The constructive thing to do is not kill the messenger(s) but support the program and target your worthy and deserved criticism to AD Evans and HC Mark Richt. The latter is a great coach and good man, he can handle our criticism make something work. As this article points out, he’s done it before. We may need to wait a few years for another NC, but first we have to turn this ship around and get back on an upward trend. We can start with next season, in which the SEC East should be wide open. The New DC, whoever he will be, will be competent…trust in Richt.
Boise Dawg
January 13th, 2010
1:43 pm
Ok… I finally felt compelled to write something regarding the idiocy these blogs are becoming. How many times can the AJC (Bradley and Schultz) re-write the same story?
Personally I wish March Richt had initially looked for a good DC at a smaller program that was ready to step up to the SEC… but then he would have been criticised for not trying to get a “big name” like Kirby Smart.
It is not a shock or an indictment against UGA or Richt that Foster, Chavis and Smart all stayed put…and the only ones that don’t seem to be satisfied are the local AJC sports writers.
Do dog fans want this process to be over? Of course, but at the end of the day what matters are results ON THE FIELD… and if this Lane Kiffin thing has taught us fans anything, talk and names on paper are cheap…results on the field are the only things that matters.
Last time I checked Mark Richt still has the 3rd highest winning % among active coaches. I couldn’t really give a care “who” our next DC is… if the defense and overall team is better next year nobody else will care either.
helmet head
January 13th, 2010
1:44 pm
these pretzles are making me thirsty
anotherdawg
January 13th, 2010
1:44 pm
Well, I figured as low a move as it was for Kippin and company to jump ship, it would at least get Bradley and Shultz to write about something else other than criticism of UGA. But NO, Mark just can’t leave it alone. He’s got to drag UGA back down somehow, so here we go with a spin on how no matter how bad someone elses problems are, let’s focus on something negative about Georgia. Stir that pot! Let’s get back some more juicy crap about UGA. Mark I like alot of your columns, but can’t we talk about some positives about UGA, or maybe just give it a rest for a few days, and give Richt a chance to complete the process? Please?
DILLIGAF
January 13th, 2010
1:45 pm
I’ve got aa idea. Rather than Bit#$ and moan about Bradley and Schultz, how about nobody rsponding to their ridiculous attempts at journalism.
I know it will never happen but that would be an obvious snub to these two and would bring about immediate results as far as putting an end to this divisive, rear view mirror reporting.
UsedToSitontheTracks
January 13th, 2010
1:45 pm
Yup, we are in pretty dire straits right now. The beauty of it is that there is still another 8 months to the season and we have a great coach and infrastructure. It should be an exciting year with lots of new faces, and yeah, we may lose some games. But in a few more years….
Ronnie
January 13th, 2010
1:45 pm
South Carolina cost the Dawgies a shot at the National Title in 2007. If the Dawgs beat them and still lose to Tennessee that year UGA would have won the East and played LSU. Who knows what would have happened then? Instead the Dawgs were a 2 loss team and the tiebreaker went to the Vols.
9/8/07 South Carolina 16 UGA 12
AndyC
January 13th, 2010
1:46 pm
Oh…so because South Carolina and UGA had the same record for one year, that means that they have passed UGA in the SEC East. Come on Mark, if you are going to make outlandish statements at least come up with some better BS to back it up than this!
JacksonvilleDawg
January 13th, 2010
1:46 pm
this is a bull$hit article, has no substance. sometimes its better to have your mouth shut. Folks, lets boycott Bradly and stop commenting on his articles, maybe that will teach him to think twice before he writes something.
jack bull
January 13th, 2010
1:47 pm
i want to know who is starting “these rumors” that Mark Richt may be on the hot seat next year?? is it the so called fans who have never stepped a foot in a classroom in athens and have maybe been to one game in their life and just watch on TV and have never given one dime to the program?? or is it journalists that need something to talk about and are going for the shock factor?? i haven’t heard one booster, alum,season ticket holder or true fan that have even remotely called for CMR to be fired. where is this coming from?? or is it simply made up?? i’m thinking the latter..
gadawgs
January 13th, 2010
1:47 pm
Mark-He is 14-8 over his last 22 with a joke for a DC. He will hire a very good DC for us. It may not be the sexy hire but albeit a good one. I for one am glad he went after the “name” candidates because it shows that he is not conservative and he can be “bold”. If he had not gone after them and hired a “no name” guy out of the gate you along with the other pundits would be screaming that he did not have the stones to do shoot high. You cannot have it both ways. The fact that VaTech, LSU and AL countered with substantial increases to keep their guys indicates that the GA DC is a premiere job that they would have been interested in therefore a threat to take them. If not they would have called Foster’s, Chavis & Smart’s bluff and told them if you want to go to a “lesser” program go ahead. If it was say USF calling I promise you they would not have received these increases to stay where they were because they would not have left in the first place. Just sayin…
coach smith
January 13th, 2010
1:48 pm
Typical of you Tech loving-UGA-hating HACKS at this paper….
You have use EVERY single situation possible and spin it to put down and run down Georgia in some way!
PATHETIC
nola dawg fan
January 13th, 2010
1:48 pm
DawgGoneRight – USC on an upward trend. Cmon man… 7-6. 7-6 -missed a bowl… what the he*k are you smoking? How is that upward? That looks pretty average to me… pretty flat, flat like a Jersey Shore’s star pre-bo*b job.
One Win Tech
January 13th, 2010
1:48 pm
Mark,
SC just got drilled by UCONN.
UCONN isn’t supposed to beat SEC teams unless they’re playing basketball.
The only rising in Columbia in the temperature.
That’s got to be the hottest place in America.
Gatorguy
January 13th, 2010
1:48 pm
Hi!
(((((((((((((((((((41-17))))))))))))))
Mr. Holmes
January 13th, 2010
1:49 pm
Mark, usually I’m rolling my eyes at the Dawg fans who jump on you, but this one was a little much. Kiffin announced he was leaving about 16 hours ago. Kentucky has no coach and who knows what will happen with Urban Meyer. The Dawgs’ DC could be a flop, or he could be another Mark Fox hire. It’s wayyyy too early to say definitively who will or won’t benefit from the SEC East turmoil. Heck, national signing day is still three weeks away, and all those shiny recruits Kiffin had are now up for grabs.
This column just seemed unnecessary and meant to provoke reaction more than anything else.
nola dawg fan
January 13th, 2010
1:49 pm
Jack Bull – BINGO… GO READ JACK BULL’s post. that is the truth mark. I am sorry, i know it doesn’t help you hit 10 million “views” of your blog, but it is true
BamAtlantan
January 13th, 2010
1:50 pm
Frankly, I don’t care for UGA or Ga. Tech much, but as a native Atlantan I have to read about them over coffee each morning. As a Bama alum, I can objectively say that the AJC gives far more press, including positive press, to UGA than it does to Tech or the rest of the ACC and SEC. If you doubt me, then just read the papers of any other major city with a significant college football presence, and see how critical they are. Many of the AJC writers are UGA alums, and while they try to be fair, they are usually too positive in appraising the program in Athens. Time to wake up and smell the proverbial coffee, dawg fans. The times are a bit troubling but the sun also rises. It could be worse, you could be Tennessee!
Blah, blah, blah come October we will see
January 13th, 2010
1:52 pm
Garcia is a quality and capable and now experienced QB but SC has lost great players,especially on their D. Garcia is also ………Garcia. he came to Columbia as a kid that made personal bad choices and he was in the doghouse constantly with SS. Now? He is mature but he still has issues.
UGA has the offense, the line, the running backs ( not great but quite adequate ) the receivers and um did I say the receivers and more of them in Orson Charles and soon to be heard from Fred Lynch from Mass. We are fine.
On D? When UGA gets an unknown but quality coach installed, by mid October and 5 or 6 games, his name and his position coach’s names will be well thought of. Folks, this ain’t rocket science and anyone knows that UGA is one of the top 20 PLACES to be. Always has and yes, it always will be and long after Rev. Richt has passed through the hallowed arches.
I have followed UGA as a HS student and UGA student and grad student over nearly 50 years and UGA is well thought of. ALWAYS WILL BE TOO. To say otherwise is simply foolishness. Most that agree with the “uga is slipping” are not even college grads. Stay at home while mommy works kids they are.
Look at UT after 13 months …….. Lane is gonna do this and Lane is gonna be that and Ed O is gonna be this and Daddy Kiffen is gonna be that. HAHAHAHAHAH A ship of fools at UT and local sports ahem, um, experts. The UT recruits? Fools, suckered and punked by a twirp and now scrambling, because too many schools have locked up their 2010 frosh class. Where oh where are the Orange Spirit bimbos now??? Hmmm?
Goooooooooooooooooo Dogs. 8-4 or 9-3 type of year and 2011? We win big.
gatorman
January 13th, 2010
1:52 pm
Mark, you can do better than this can’t you? I still love Spurrier, but he just does not have the fire anymore. Heck, his visor(lately hat) never leave his head. And Ellis Johnson? Come on 2 years ago he gave up 60 to the Gators in the Swamp and gave up over 30 to UGA this year.
farmerdawg
January 13th, 2010
1:52 pm
You are an idiot Bradley!!!! The Lane Kiffin of journalistic bull s–t.
TommyP
January 13th, 2010
1:52 pm
Wow, you’ve sunk to new lows, Mark. No doubt blog hits pay your salary.
You’re talking about Spurrier, he with annually one of the worst offenses in the SEC every year, right?
8383
January 13th, 2010
1:52 pm
By the way Mark, how did that SEC-tested DC at SC do against UGA this past year?? I thought so…
AndyC
January 13th, 2010
1:53 pm
Good point about South Carolina and their bowl game. They were the only SEC team to come out and get completely embarresed in their bowl. They did not show up at all. This is the team that Mark thinks is on the rise? The only reason Spurrier is still at SC is because they know they can’t get anyone better than him. Spurrier has been a complete failure at SC.
gadawgs
January 13th, 2010
1:53 pm
Oh and by the way no way in h*ll South Carolina wins the East next year. You can’t really believe that. Did you see Garcia in their bowl game? I would take Aaron Murray (even after being redshirted last year) over that guy any day of the week and twice on Sunday. Yes, they do have a good defense but that is all they have. Even the Evil Genious himself cannot make lemonade out of lemons. That is comical Mark, really.
Edward
January 13th, 2010
1:53 pm
But, they do not have depth. This has always killed South Carolina down the stretch. The SEC schedule is brutal and SC doesn’t have the horses to make it though 11 games on top.
Let’s all just relax and let this process play out … Georgia is strong and will continue to be for years to come.
Dbalcer
January 13th, 2010
1:55 pm
Give me a break. Not any commentary worth reading here.
Mark Bradley
January 13th, 2010
1:55 pm
Nowhere did I say South Carolina would win the East. I said: Of the teams in the SEC East, South Carolina is best positioned to benefit from the division’s turmoil.
anotherdawg
January 13th, 2010
1:56 pm
Yes, Richt was criticized for not having the nerds to fire Willie because they were friends. Then, it was UGA wouldn’t spend the money to get a “proven” DC. And, now it’s taking too long. Then you have bloggers who want to criticise the man’s religion and character. Well, all I have tos say is when you see what Lane & company did to the Tennessee program, we should all thank our lucky stars to have a coach who has been successfull and is of the highest character. I am proud to be a Georgia Bulldog!!
DawgGoneRight
January 13th, 2010
1:56 pm
Nola: I am a UGA fan, but I am also a sentient being who can see that SC has a returning QB who is improving every year (which we don’t have), a strong defense who shows up most Saturdays (which we don’t), and a clever coach who may be past his prime but isn’t dead yet. They will be better next year than they have been the last 3 years. Will we? I am still hopeful that in a couple of years CMR will have us back in the Ga. Dome, but I am not so hopeful that I’m blind. I smoke cigars, but apparently you smoke crack. Go Dawgs, sic ‘em.
Dawg Fan
January 13th, 2010
1:56 pm
All Georgia fans hear from you is negative. Go write for some team you love.