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
Atl Dawg
January 13th, 2010
4:20 pm
Yep!, get off this blog you dumbass.
1980
January 13th, 2010
4:21 pm
“You obviously don’t know or have not talked to true UGA fans.”
That’s because no one wants to go into creepy trailer parks to find them.
Yep!
January 13th, 2010
4:21 pm
gatorman/Atl Dawg – split personalities? We know you are the same person.
gatorman
January 13th, 2010
4:21 pm
I wouldn’t want to enfringe on your territory Yep.
Mark's Bradley
January 13th, 2010
4:22 pm
Your “process of elimination” approach is the same cock logic used by the SC fan base.
mistaashraf
January 13th, 2010
4:22 pm
MB is an idiot who only gets people to read his crap by dramatizing things that don’t mean much. Mark Richt is now hated by some Georgia fans? Seriously? For what? The man has ran one of the most respected programs in all of CFB. Who else has done that in the SEC? In our worst year, we still beat Tech. We’ve been to a bowl game every year since he’s been here. We’ve won SEC championships, went to BCS games, had many many many players sent to the NFL. Now, you’re telling me, Richt is on the hot seat because you think we can’t find a defensive coordinator to come to Athens?
The reality is that Richt went after some really exceptional DCs. It’s understandable why they sincerely considered coming but in the end, respectfully declined. Maybe Richt has more patience than his fanbase. If that’s the case, then the fan base needs to learn from the Dawgs’ head coach. Furthermore, you, Mark Bradley, need to get your head out of your ass and write something that’s actually intellectual, thought provoking, and worth reading.
Atl Gator
January 13th, 2010
4:24 pm
Shut up gatorman, you are embarrassing the Gator Nation
Yep!
January 13th, 2010
4:25 pm
Atl Gator, thanks Atl Gator
1980
January 13th, 2010
4:25 pm
“The man has ran one of the most respected programs in all of CFB. Who else has done that in the SEC?”
Saban, Meyer, Tuberville to an extent before he got screwed over, Spurrier at FL, Fulmer in his glory years…..
No one respects UGA except…………UGA fans.
Atl Dawg
January 13th, 2010
4:26 pm
Dumb asses
Atl Gator
January 13th, 2010
4:26 pm
Dont thank me Yep, he did it to himself.
CLEVON LITTLE
January 13th, 2010
4:26 pm
You media guys will say ANYTHING to have something to write. And just when I started to think you were above this, another stupid story from a lame journalist –from no other than the AJC. What a joke you are Bradley. South Carolina?? You forgot one small ingredient: TALENT, Bradley, TALENT. lol
1980
January 13th, 2010
4:26 pm
I don’t think UGA wants to go back to the glory years of Donnan, Goff or the rest of the UGA clown coaches of the past.
DONNAN OF A NEW ERA!!!!!!!
Dawg Fan
January 13th, 2010
4:26 pm
South Carolina in 2010 will be like Ole Miss of 2009. Ole Miss was returning their starting quarterback along with most of the other starters. They got a lot of preseason hype and everybody thought they were going to finally turn the corner. The same thing will happen to South Carolina. Mark, I bet you picked Ole Miss to win the SEC West in 2009.
1980
January 13th, 2010
4:27 pm
UGA has not had talent since Hines Ward left for Pitt.
1980
January 13th, 2010
4:27 pm
“South Carolina in 2010 will be like Ole Miss of 2009.”
You mean better than UGA?
Pauls Johnson
January 13th, 2010
4:28 pm
hahahahahahahahahahaha
Really?
January 13th, 2010
4:28 pm
1980 – so 90 wins in 9 seasons isn’t a respectable amount of wins?
1980
January 13th, 2010
4:28 pm
“Dumb asses”
Yep, that sums up UGA fans.
big t
January 13th, 2010
4:30 pm
South Carolina is and will always by just South Carolina, lou or The old ball coach will never make them any thing but South Carolina, a middle of the pack team.
SEC fan
January 13th, 2010
4:30 pm
Wow, you no longer kissing Kiffin? Anyone but UGA right?
Really?
January 13th, 2010
4:30 pm
1980 – after reading your other post no need to answer my question. You have no creditability and obviously just being an idiot.
IlliniDawg
January 13th, 2010
4:31 pm
Hey Mark, I took your article and did some copy-editing and had some fun with the following:
WHO GAINS FROM THE TURMOIL IN ATLANTA SPORTS NEWS?
With so much hype and sensationalism, the moment seems ripe for a stable newspaper to make a bold move upward in 2010. Having ragged on Georgia for six weeks, the AJC staff don’t have any new arguments or information. Worse still, there’s a growing feeling across the Atlanta area that Jeff Schultz and Mark Bradley are months if not weeks away from feeling the big heat.
Readers and bloggers have not argued that Schultz and Bradley should be in trouble but that, having offended Dawg fans umpteen times now by ridiculous columns based on wild conjecture and speculation, they’re being perceived as “inept”.
Short of landing Rick Reilly of ESPN, it will be nigh-impossible for AJC to emerge from this protracted offense of the majority of Dog-lovers.
Is the AJC Sports desk now radioactive? Are Schultz and Bradley viewed in the industry as damaged goods? Is there a way for the editorial staff who once moved from strength to strength to overcome this onset of weakness?
Five years ago I wouldn’t have thought Schultz and Bradley and the AJC Sports desk incapable of anything. Now, heaven help me, I see the GWINNETT DAILY POST as the paper on the rise.
1980
January 13th, 2010
4:32 pm
“1980 – after reading your other post no need to answer my question. You have no creditability and obviously just being an idiot.”
Typical UGA fan. Ain’t none too bright.
1980
January 13th, 2010
4:33 pm
“a middle of the pack team.”
That sums up UGA.
IlliniDawg
January 13th, 2010
4:33 pm
Hillbilly Deluxe – great comment – and probably true!
pat
January 13th, 2010
4:35 pm
Bradley…..it just gets old…….can you ever say one thing positive about Georgia? PLEASE try and find something positive or SHUT UP.
1980
January 13th, 2010
4:35 pm
Top ten college football wins.
1. Michigan: 872-297-38
2. Texas: 832-320-34
3. Notre Dame: 831-285-42
4. Nebraska: 827-337-41
5. Ohio State: 808-306-53
6. Penn State 801-349-43
7. Alabama: 799-316-43
8. Oklahoma: 788-300-53
9. Tennessee: 776-327-55
10. USC: 765-303-54
Where is UGA?
Mark Bradley
January 13th, 2010
4:35 pm
To those asking why I didn’t write about Lane Kiffin today: I wrote about his exit last night.
The end
January 13th, 2010
4:35 pm
Mark: Crap like this is why I cancelled my AJC. Yes and my bird knew best. You see when I wounld put the your article on the floor of my parrot’s cage he would start screaming Butt Head Butt Head over and over again. I flinally realized that he is right You are A Butt Head, Butt Head Butt Head.
Really?
January 13th, 2010
4:35 pm
1980 – sorry I cannot make out what you are trying to say. Did you say “Ain’t none too bright” Can you please find an interpreter and repost please? Thanks!
1980
January 13th, 2010
4:36 pm
“PLEASE try and find something positive or SHUT UP.”
Athens is pretty nice. That’s about all UGA has to offer.
IlliniDawg
January 13th, 2010
4:36 pm
Hey Mark, I took your article and did some copy-editing and had some fun with the following:
WHO GAINS FROM THE TURMOIL IN ATLANTA SPORTS NEWS?
With so much hype and sensationalism, the moment seems ripe for a stable newspaper to make a bold move upward in 2010. Having ragged on Georgia for six weeks, the AJC staff don’t have any new arguments or information. Worse still, there’s a growing feeling across the Atlanta area that Jeff Schultz and Mark Bradley are months if not weeks away from feeling the big heat.
Readers and bloggers have not argued that Schultz and Bradley should be in trouble but that, having offended Dawg fans umpteen times now by ridiculous columns based on wild conjecture and speculation, they’re being perceived as “inept”.
Short of landing Rick Reilly of ESPN, it will be nigh-impossible for AJC to emerge from this protracted offense of the majority of Dog-lovers.
Is the AJC Sports desk now radioactive? Are Schultz and Bradley viewed in the industry as damaged goods? Is there a way for the editorial staff who once moved from strength to strength to overcome this onset of weakness?
Five years ago I wouldn’t have thought Schultz and Bradley and the AJC Sports desk incapable of anything. Now, heaven help me, I see the GWINNETT DAILY POST as the paper on the rise.
1980
January 13th, 2010
4:37 pm
““Ain’t none too bright” Can you please find an interpreter and repost please? Thanks!”
Sure, just head on over to the nearest trailer park, look for the UGA flags and stop to ask one of your brethren.
Kook Kiffin
January 13th, 2010
4:37 pm
Hey, Me and my ego just made espn!
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/columns/story?columnist=wojciechowski_gene&id=4821890
FLA DAWG
January 13th, 2010
4:37 pm
Mark,
Look guys, the SEC East is shaping up to be one sorry conference division next season.
UF has lost a DC and more starting players than they want to even think about and Meyer’s hiatus is causing major second thoughts on their blue chips commits.
The Dawgs have no DC, lost some great talent to early departure to the NFL, have Bobo calling O plays and Richt in the hotseat for the first time in his life.
UT has lost…………….well, everything!
Vandy, KY and SC have as good a shot at winning it as any of the others.
St. Simons' Proctologist
January 13th, 2010
4:37 pm
Just when I thought that neither Bradley nor Schultz could post anything dumber about the DC search, Bradley goes and posts something like this.
Just as the intermess allows people off the street to post stupid stuff on a forum, it allows so-called journalists to do the same. This is a prime example. Post it up there with Bradley’s prediction for Georgia to win the national championship a while back and all his other rosy predictions. But, at bottom, sports writers get paid to write something, it does not necessarily have to be something good, and blogging has lowered the bar substantially.
If you are going to write something profound about S. Carolina, you should look at its schedule and its win loss record since entering the SEC. SC plays pretty well the first half of the season, but never bet on it after October 15. The late season swan dive (or gamecock dive) is a pattern that has persisted throughout its history in the conference, no matter who has coached the team. There was only a brief respite under Holtz. Spurrier has not been able to ameliorate or reverse that trend. Moreover, another bad trend has continued under Spurrier that should be quite noteworthy to a sports writer, and that trend is the inability to land a marquis quarterback. It would seem that if anyone could do it, it would be Spurrier, but in reality, he has not done any better than the guys before him.
Georgia has lost to SC infrequently, but if the schedule were different and UGA played SC in the second half of the season, it would likely have an even better or perfect record against the cocks, as many of its late season conference opponents do.
A coach cannot improve a program with only enough personnel to stay healthy enough to play well for half a season.
Bremen Dawg
January 13th, 2010
4:38 pm
Mark is still and idiot, I’m just saying….
South Carolina, blah, blah, blah.
Gatorland
January 13th, 2010
4:38 pm
Mark,
You are very correct in your assessment! The Gamecocks are the only STEADY program in the SEC EAST. Every team (except Vandy) has major issues via Coaching changes or lack there of.
As Lewis Grizzard would say for the folks playing football in the SEC EAST ” Shoot Low Boys, they’re riding Shetland Ponies”.
If a team in the SEC EAST finishes 9-3 they will be in SEC Championship game.
USC
FLORIDA
KENTUCKY
GEORGIA
VANDERBILT
TENNESSEE
The pecking order changes daily.
UGA can now turn the tables on all the DC talk and laugh like hyennas at the VOLS.
DaWg
January 13th, 2010
4:39 pm
Hyperbole.
AceDawg
January 13th, 2010
4:39 pm
One would think that Spurrier has another day in the spotlight, but South Carolina has been a repeat mediocre offender his whole tenure. (Lou Holtz did better than Spurrier perhaps, when considering his major turnaround in year two.) Yes, I feel like Richt is against the wall and MUST win some big games this year to keep his job, but nonetheless UGA has more talent, was better than USC last year, showed it can be decent with a Willie taught defense when Willie’s been gone a month, and it isn’t hard to believe that UGA could look brand new with a new coordinator on D that invigorates every part of the program. A better defense challenges the offense in practice and gives the Dawgs some decent field position for once, aside from a few nice kick returns this year.
IF ANY OF THOSE GUYS WERE AT UGA THIS PAST YEAR, DO YOU THINK THEY’D JUMP SHIP TO VA TECH, LSU, OR BAMA EITHER???? Nothing wrong with trying though by UGA, as long as Richt does indeed pick someone good. UGA fans will be DELIGHTED when the guy’s name is announced and doesn’t sound like Willie Martinez.
Those coordinators are leading high profile teams themselves, so it is no shock at all that they don’t want to ask their family to pack up and move when they have current job security on successfull teams.
oconee dawg
January 13th, 2010
4:39 pm
Bradley, just take it back man. Say you were having a bad day, you know, all this turmoil in the SEC. You just over analyzed this one. Most of us will forgive you, probably even Richt.
uga_b
January 13th, 2010
4:39 pm
Mark must be clearing out the boilerplate. No really, this time USC will finally breakthrough. Bet he can use this til he retires.
1980
January 13th, 2010
4:40 pm
“Look guys, the SEC East is shaping up to be one sorry conference division next season. ”
Now THAT is the first intelligent comment posted on this blog.
Alabama, LSU, Auburn(maybe, they just recruited some top players), Arkansas, Ole Miss and Miss State are all headed UP while the SEC East is headed……down.
fladawg
January 13th, 2010
4:41 pm
Mark,
You are full of yourself without question…keep stirring the pot…we will be the first to remind you of your great betrayal.
Tell it like it is
January 13th, 2010
4:42 pm
Mark Bradley—Tell it like it is.
chickens baby
January 13th, 2010
4:42 pm
my chickens were only one play away from taking the vaunted UGA dawgs into OT this past year, and play them close year after year, occasionally sneaking in a win.
Sept 11th is EARLY in the season and with a new DC…. ANYTHING could happen. Thanks for the love Mark, we love our Shamecocks, win, lose or draw. We will have our day in my lifetime.
1980
January 13th, 2010
4:42 pm
UGA should hire Vince Dooley as their DC.
Really?
January 13th, 2010
4:42 pm
1980- point well taken UGA is #11 behind USC. #11 isn’t close to being in the top 10 at all. Out of 119 Schools UGA is #11. That is certainly a middle of the pack team.
11.Georgia 732 389 54 .623 113 1175.
Nick
January 13th, 2010
4:43 pm
It’s only morons like you Bradley who make these kinds of assumptions and comments about our coach. Nobody that matters perceives him as “inept” or anything close to that. But please Coach, please hire someone (anyone) so this will all go away. It’s like the freaking OJ trial. It just goes on and on and on…