OK, so what happens with Richt if UGA loses in Starkville?
Quality-of-life-wise, it would behoove this man to win next week. (AJC photo by Brant Sanderlin)
Not to say I’m smart or anything, but the Georgia season has played out the way I figured: Win, loss, loss. (No, I wasn’t so all-seeing as to know A.J. Green wouldn’t have played a down.) I also had the Bulldogs winning eight of the next nine games and finishing 9-3, which I do believe will occur. That said …
The Mississippi State game has long seemed to me the pivot point of Georgia’s season. It’s a game UGA should win, but it’s on the road in a different time zone, and strange things can happen in the realm of the cowbell. And today I pose the musical question: What happens if Georgia doesn’t win in Starkville?
Nothing much, I submit, but I’m willing to concede I might be in the distinct minority. Opening the SEC season 0-3 hasn’t happened under Mark Richt — to be accurate, the Bulldogs have never before been 0-2 in league play under Richt — and would loose all manner of outcry from the masses. Greg McGarity, the new AD, wouldn’t join the chorus, but even a new AD couldn’t help but note the furor.
I say again: I think Georgia is going to be fine. This is a young team with a new quarterback and a new defense that faced two very difficult early games without its best player. I find no dishonor in either defeat. And I expect these Bulldogs will tame the maroon Bulldogs on Saturday in Starkville. But I’m pragmatist enough to grant that this could get ugly if UGA doesn’t.
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992 comments Add your comment
Emorydawg
September 19th, 2010
2:19 pm
Adding another practice game for UGA isn’t the answer. AD Greg McGarity knows the buttons to push to get results. If CMR is capable of being an above average coach, he will respond appropriately. The question is whether McGarity is too ensconced in the good ole dawg network to growl and show his teeth. I continue to wonder “What if this is as good as it gets?”
TampaGator
September 19th, 2010
2:21 pm
Bill…..
Yeah, Florida is a bunch of “underachievers”….3-0 underachievers. I think underachieving is losing two games you expected and should have won…..South Carolina and Arkansas. Florida wins when they don’t play well because of coaching (Meyer). Georgia loses when they should win because of coaching (Richt). “Underachievers?”…well….I would take 3-0 or 1-2 anyday if that is “underachieving.”
John P…..
Saying Urban Meyer is an “a-hole” and doesn’t care if his players commit offenses is plain stupid. Meyer has clearly stated how very disappointed he is in Rainey right now…..because Meyer he spent the entire spring and summer stressing to his players the importance of “doing the right things.” You live in non-reality with such stupid comments.
Hitasingle……
The Tennessee QB was not “5 yards out of bounds” when the Florida player hit him. He was right on the sideline. The call could have gone either way. I think the ref did not throw a flag because the Florida player let up as he hit the Vols QB. I was not surprised that the ref didn’t throw a flag….and I would not have been surprised if he had. And your comment about the refs not reviewing the call on the goal line….the replay clearly showed that the ball was over the goal line when the Florida players knee hit the ground. No replay was necessary. You are just a blind homer who wants to make excuses for his own team’s poor play on the field. Like…..”The only reason we lose to Florida is because of the refs.” Give me a break. You lose because Florida has better players and those players are better coached.
jimmy
September 19th, 2010
2:23 pm
wish we could forward all these comments to CMR. he needs to know just how mad dawg nation is. we get outcoached and outplayed everygame. just don’t get it, we are fielding good talent. i’m over it, i’ll continue to pull for the dawgs but, time for a new direction and it can’t come soon enough.
2CentsWorth
September 19th, 2010
2:26 pm
Emorydawg, stop wondering right now. This is as good as it is going to get for the rest of the decade unless UGA makes significant changes. Mostly 6-6 or 7-5 seasons with perhaps an 8-4 thrown in once in a while. It all spells mediocrity. More players getting arrested (lack of discipline). More injuries (lack of conditioning). More pathetic losses (lack of coaching). I’m sorry for your team but they’re just average.
Broke Bottom
September 19th, 2010
2:26 pm
I personally have never cared for Richt as a head coach. I feel his calling should have been that of a quarterback coach but not as a head honcho. Georgia has long been an arrogant sports school. Its players are known for cheap shots to opposing teams especially between the hedges. It is good to see Georgia struggle in the real world. My hat is off to anybody that beats the dogs in football. Also Bobo needs to go as well. This school of the elite has a long way to go in order to regain the respect it thinks it now possesses. While anxiously awaiting a loss in Starksville, I salute Arkansas.
Chuck Uga
September 19th, 2010
2:30 pm
Mark,
I recommend you check yourself into rehab right away if you REALLY think UGA is going to go on an 8-1 run. That is just plain irrational. I had them 9-3 with a win over EITHER SC or Ark. Neither happened. I now have them 7-5 with three more losses to whoever. Doesn’t matter, every game they play will be a challenge except maybe Vandy and Idaho State.
TampaGator
September 19th, 2010
2:30 pm
For Bama fans…..
you don’t have to worry about Florida beating you this year, I don’t think. We have an OC that absolutely has no creative immagination when it comes to calling players…..and he has no understanding on how to call offensive plays….but the plays he does call are highly “offensive” to Gator fans….and I think Meyer is starting to feel the same way. There is no flow to the Gator offense right now…and it is not because of the players on the field (they are very talented)….it is because of the Gator offensive coordinator…who is highly ineffective at calling plays in a timely and immaginative fashion. If his skills do not improve soon (and why should Gator fans feel it will since this is his second year of inept play calling)….the Gators have no chance of beating Bama or any quality team this year with our offense. We might win games with defense….because the defense is very big, very fast, very talented, and very deep. Kentucky looked very good last night. They looked better than Florida in the execution of plays on both sides. Kentucky has a good chance of upsetting the Gators next week unless a lot of improvement is made on offensive coordination before the game starts.
JELLOW JOCKITCH
September 19th, 2010
2:30 pm
Count Starkville as a lose as early as yesterday. BOBO should RESIGN or FIRED
JELLOW JOCKITCH
September 19th, 2010
2:34 pm
UGA may be 0-8 in the SEC this year, including a loss to Vandy.
Dawg in gatorville
September 19th, 2010
2:34 pm
When are you brainless twits out there going to realize that Kirby Smart already turned UGA down. And believe me, you do not want him as a head coach.
Grantham does not have the players right now to run his defense. This will come in his recruiting. For now, he might need to go back to a zone D. his guys are not capable of man to man. But he already recruited some great players last signing day, and he will get the rest next signing day that are suited to his style of D.
JELLOW JOCKITCH
September 19th, 2010
2:41 pm
I can see UGA going 2-9 this year if Bobo stays.
Delbert D.
September 19th, 2010
2:45 pm
For three years I’ve been watching this situation develop without saying anything about the overall impression of Coach Mark Richt that I get as an outside observer. I think “passivity” would be the descriptive word in the context of how most other head coaches relate to their responsibilities and their environment. It would seem that others in the environment, including assistant coaches and players may have difficulty in relating to this passivity.
For the assistant coaches, it would seem to contribute to uncertainty about how to do their jobs. For the players, it may be a contributing factor in lack of discipline and behavioral problems. Coach Todd Grantham has commented recently that he has had to adjust to coaching at the college level. I believe that most of his adjustment issues are to to the local environment rather than the college level in general.
2CentsWorth
September 19th, 2010
2:45 pm
Broke Bottom, spot on. I also salute the Hawgs for teaching the Dawgs a lesson. Let’s hope that UGA drops the upcoming game in Mississippi. Mister spray tan might just lose that smirk on his face and work on his resume next Sunday. Meanwhile, Alabama will just keep on winning. Glad to see there is a real team in the SEC this year!!
sinking fast
September 19th, 2010
2:50 pm
Let Bobo go work with Willie M. out in Oklahoma.
Time for change??
September 19th, 2010
2:52 pm
You know thing that really ticks me off about the excesses for CMR and by CMR and his staff?? EVERY FREAK’N YEAR – under CMR – there has been excusses to why the dawgs haven’t done as well as projected or hoped for. Example – “well, we are so young” (used every year it seems), “well, we have these injures”, “well, we have new starters on…” (you name it, offense, defense, etc). ALWAYS EXCUSES. CMR doesn’t have the Bal$s to be a head coach at the highest level. You see that in the lack of player discipline on and off the field. Sorry, though I like the person MR, I don’t like him as CMR. Plenty of people like me – but no one would like me for a head coach of a supposed year-in, year-out Top 25 team.
pantherdawg
September 19th, 2010
2:55 pm
First of all, I’m not surprised about the outcomes so far. What does UGA expect when you start rookie QB’s back to back years. I don’t care how good your QB is they need time to develop. Starting Joe Cox was a huge mistake last year. Second of all, Bobo is one of the worse OC in the country. If his plays are predictable by somebody just watching the games every saturday, imagine how predictable they are by coaches watching films all week. Third of all, the fact that Bobo blames a rookine QB for the sacks is ridiculous. He’s the coach and he’s blaming the QB. Why not take blame for a 3rd and 4 and sending all receivers 20 yards down the field? CMR better start taking control or he won’t be here much longer.
Whatfor
September 19th, 2010
2:56 pm
Did any of you watching the game on TV yesterday notice the UGA linebacker (didn’t catch his number) who after running Arkansas QB out of bounce (harshly at that) – bent over him and yelled “get off my field you Mother Fu**er”. (it was audible on TV) Yes – this is the type of players CMR recruits – total lack of character -ironic for a man who professes to be a man of character.
dawgster
September 19th, 2010
2:59 pm
Hey Emorydawg…niobody said you didn’t assess your team during the season, of course you do…but what you don’t do during the season is fire coaches and throw away your season after the third game…you evaluated where your program is at the end of the season and i’m sure the new AD will do that as Coach Richt will evaluate the problems and hopefully make the corrections…If the AD feels like the change should be at with head coach, then he will make that decision…I just hope that if that decision is made that the dawg nation will be patient as we will take additional steps back..Something a lot of you don’t realize is that if we were in another conference we may be the top dawg or at least pretty close..but when you have Saban, Meyer…i’m not willling to give any credence to Petrino at this point for a lot of reasons and off only one victory..but bama and gators have it going…we are not there, don’t know when and if we get there, but Coaching is not our only problem…our talent is not except for a few postions, is not on the same level as Bama’a and the gators as much as i hate to say that…remember when we are having a top ten or fifteen recruiting class, Bama, Gators, Au and LSU are having top 5….year in and year out..that is where the problem lies and of course our coaches have got to have some responsibility in that..
2CentsWorth
September 19th, 2010
3:00 pm
UGA goes 7-5 at best this year but more likely 6-6. The Dawgs will lose to Florida, Kentucky, Tennessee and GT. Mediocre coach = mediocre program. UGA should join the ACC or Big East unless they wake up, face the music and make coaching changes. GT 41, UGA 24 this year. Hide and watch!!
Richt on Hot Seat : Football Rumor Mill
September 19th, 2010
3:00 pm
[...] What happens if Georgia doesn’t win against Mississippi State in Starkville? Nothing much, I submit, but I’m willing to concede I might be in the distinct minority. Opening the SEC season 0-3 hasn’t happened under Mark Richt — to be accurate, the Bulldogs have never before been 0-2 in league play under Richt — would loose all manner of outcry from the masses. Greg McGarity, the new AD, wouldn’t join the chorus, but even a new AD couldn’t help but note the furor. – Atlanta Journal Constitution [...]
Mike Bobo
September 19th, 2010
3:05 pm
Hi Everyone. Sorry, a bit busy today. Have there been any messages for me?
StubHub! FanProtect
September 19th, 2010
3:05 pm
For your information:
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Brian Asselstine
September 19th, 2010
3:05 pm
After watching Tenn vs UF and Auburn vs Clemson, it is apparent that Bobo or the DC are not the ones letting Richt down (the most). UGA is not in the same league as these other 4 in strength and speed. All SEC schools have top recruited classes. For some reason, when they get to UGA within 2 years the other programs Knock them around like rag dolls.
oakwood dawg
September 19th, 2010
3:07 pm
I believe we will lose at least 4 more games including the upcoming game in cowbell stadium sat nite. CMR has 2 nails in his coffin–how many more will it take to bury him. I predict his last season at UGA will be 2011. Might help some if he benched Bobo and started calling plays like he did when he first came to UGA. Our offense seems to have no imagination. Our defense uh uh maybe they are imagining some scenario with some of the hot chicks in the stands. I graduated UGA in 1962 and have been a bulldog fan since 1951. This team is beginning to look more and more like the teams Johnny Griffith fielded in the early 60’s. BOY DO WE NEED HELP!
Savannah, GA
September 19th, 2010
3:17 pm
Bobo and Grantham do not know how to
. . . . . . . . . ” Finish the Drill ”
Had Petrino beat and gave the game away.
CDAWG
September 19th, 2010
3:21 pm
I understand some frustration concerning Bobo, BUT we scored 24 points Saturday. HOW many should we have to score to win? The loss Saturday was on the “D” not the “O” Murray cannot stand in the pocket for as long as he did Saturday and not get sacked. Our line is not turning out to be the monster that I thought it would be.
A Fan
September 19th, 2010
3:22 pm
I will take Mark Richt’s record over the previous two coaches. I’ve looked at Vince Dooley’s record over his career, and Mark Richt is a ton better than Dooley ever was. Everybody wants to win. Everybody wants to win a national championship, but you crazy fans just want to fire someone everytime we lose a couple of games. Florida is better. Alabama is better. So what!!!! In the future, we will be better than both of them. Fire the coach or not, no one stays on top or bottom forever.
CDAWG
September 19th, 2010
3:23 pm
Did anyone else notice Ark. receivers running some routes and catching some balls with no defenders in the same zip code?
ol balls coach
September 19th, 2010
3:25 pm
Disappoining weekend. We recruit same players as Clemson, Auburn, UT, Fla – yet we play with a fraction of the intensity that those teams do. Variable is coaching – and it starts at the top. Once we start getting after it, then perhaps we can learn how to cover downfield, block (O-line and #3), and secondary outlets for the poor QB.
CDAWG
September 19th, 2010
3:29 pm
I think CMR had become a little lackadaisical in the past few years but he gets it now. He has made some changes and it will take a little time for us to see a positive outcome from those changes. I am not so quick to fire him just yet. WHO would we replace him with? Kirby Smart is a great Coach, but it is a whole different ball of wax when you take over that Head Coach’s spot.
2CentsWorth
September 19th, 2010
3:30 pm
By the way, I cannot wait to see the high-flying Hawgs get their ‘hams’ handed to them on Saturday. Saban et al will be showing the egotist Petrino how to play football in the SEC. Will Arkansas score a TD? Maybe one but my gut is telling me Alabama 48 – 12. After that game, the Hawgs will lose to Auburn, SC and LSU. Mallet might get hurt (hope not) in one of those 4 games for trying to force a play.
dawgster
September 19th, 2010
3:31 pm
Things are probably never as bad as they seem, nor as good as they seem…the Miss State game now is so huge, this team needs a win very badly, but a win against Miss State will get us very little respect…if we could win them all up to the showdown in Jax…then the dawgs-gator game would be a season maker for the dawgs if we could win..Thats how i would be selling it to these young men as the SEC east title is all but gone…SC would have to lose 3 games…i think that is asking alot, but anything is possible..The title still goes thru the gators and unless Coach Richt can start winning a few of them, heck we would take any kind of streak…evern 1 win in a row…I still support Coach Richt but i know his support is starting to fade throughout the bulldog nation..and that is kind of sad as Coach Richt has done a very good job with the dawg program, considering where we were when he took over…but its pretty much what have you done lately, and quiet frankly not beating the gators in Jax very often does not sit well with alot of big time dawg supporters…Years ago a Coach could have good seasons like 8-3, 7-5, 9-3 and such and still be in good graces…this is not the case anymore as our world is very impatieint now and we want instant success…Even though i think Coach Richt’s record and what he has done in the 10 years he’s been here is overlooked too easy, the success that Bama and the Gators have had in the SEC is pretty much what everyone is focused on…I will always be a dawg supporter, and it saddens me to read some of the comments that are directed toward our program by our on fans…If you want to sell your tickets then so be it, we don’t need that kind of support anyway…When we do win an SEC title, hopefully it won’t be long, then you will be amazed how fast the bandwagoners will jump back on…
Same players, same mistakes
September 19th, 2010
3:32 pm
CDAWG
September 19th, 2010
3:23 pm
Did anyone else notice Ark. receivers running some routes and catching some balls with no defenders in the same zip code?
Yes, and I also noticed the same guys making the same mistakes.
It was Willie Willie bad
September 19th, 2010
3:41 pm
Next week dawgs lose… Book it !
bilbo
September 19th, 2010
3:41 pm
Yeah, but who cares about the D. The D made big mistakes but overall didn’t allow as many points as you might have against SC and Ark. THE O IS THE PROBLEM! BOBO MUST GO. WE SHOULD HAVE LIT ARK UP AND AT LEAST SCORED A TDOWN AGAINST SC. FIRE BOBO NOW
bubs
September 19th, 2010
3:44 pm
Stick a fork in CMR he is done. Both Auburn and Miss State are not too good. UGA is crap.
Flatsdawg1
September 19th, 2010
3:48 pm
Sad dawg said it best when he repeated Kiffin’s comment about georgia being easy to prepare for for the last ten years. Richt probably better talk to Bobby Bowden and get some play ideas and use the playmakers he has ,cause they ain’t coming from Bobo. Brandon Boykin, Branden Smith, Rontavious Wooten and even Orson Charles or Marlon Brown need to be in the offense, to keep Murray from throwing that underthrown deep ball.Is he going to throw that ball to AJ Green?
Herschel
September 19th, 2010
3:50 pm
You thuga fans are hilarious. Miss State is going to give you a tough game and you are going there to play with the cowbells ringing. Can you say 0-3 in the S.E.C.?
dawg149
September 19th, 2010
3:51 pm
Ok guys and gals….get the hell off Richt’s ass…….he cant babysit 24/7…Green’s situation is what it is….I’d send him home, for not caring bout UGA…..selling a game/bowl jersey…..those are trophys u take home and save……NOT RICHT’S FAULT…….the fumble at SC…..happens…..check out Clemson today……we’re young at the wrong positions, our off line needs to buck up….I dont like being 0-2 SEC either, but I further dislike all you fair-weather bush-league fans. Hang in there….we’re gonna be okay………And as for the team………guys way to show some class and fight …….nobody likes to come up short………but NOBODY likes a quitter either……..you guys aint quitters…….it’ll payup later……..remember this!
SEC Eastern Division Coaches
September 19th, 2010
3:51 pm
You idiots are screwing up our strength of schedule.
Mark Richt on the hot seat?
September 19th, 2010
3:53 pm
[...] Dawgs off to an 0-2 start in the SEC, Atlanta columnist Mark Bradley poses the inevitable question: What happens if UGA loses to Mississippi State next week? Nothing much, I submit, but I’m willing to concede I might be in the distinct minority. Opening [...]
Herschel
September 19th, 2010
3:53 pm
Saint Mark and his Thuggery he learned at FSU under Saint Bobby seem to have worn out its welcome now that Thuga is off to a 1-2 start. Funny how y’all over look all the arrests and thuggery when the Georgia Thugs win.
Herschel
September 19th, 2010
3:55 pm
Those cowbells next week won’t be the only thing ringing in the players ears next week. They might ought to wear black panties instead of the red ones that Damon ordered.
curious
September 19th, 2010
3:55 pm
Just curious – how many of you GA fans are GA grads?
Herschel
September 19th, 2010
3:57 pm
Curious, I would guess that the answer to that question would be about 5%.
Herschel
September 19th, 2010
3:58 pm
Whats going to happen when the Saviour A.J. Green comes back and Thuga loses? Will the Thuga nation stop drinking the Red and Black koolaid?
dawgster
September 19th, 2010
3:59 pm
i think one thing that i have noticed with some other games i have seen, especially on offense is our lack of speed at the skill positions…I was amazed at watching Au/Clemson last night and how fast they look on offense compared to our team…I know Brandon Smith, Aj and C. king were not there but i don’t believe we have the speed to get to the corners like a lot of teams….that may be one of the reasons you don’t see us run alot wide sweeps..but we should be able to get some plays to our tight ends…Bobo’s excuse for that does not apply, but he seems to be making a lot excuses lately and quiet frankly its getting old…I hope our recruiting can continue to be strong…and we, really, really need that RB out of Columbus…if you haven’t seen him, you are missing an extremely great RB from all indications that could be what is missing from this team…Look at what the Latimore kid has done for SC….it opens more things up for your offense..we have some good backs, but they are injured alot and don’t have that kind of breakaway speed for the most part…the Malcome kid will be good but he is not ready right now and he does not have that kind of speed, more of a power back…With all the negative that i see in this offense, the lack of use or the lack of running plays to our tight ends is mind boggling…O.Charles is being wasted in the ability he has…he can line up as a tight end or wide-out yet he is not even involved in the game…I don’t know whose fault that is, perhaps he’s not doing things he is suppose too..but i suspect that its the person behind the play calling…
bubs
September 19th, 2010
3:59 pm
I attended UGA for 1 year …Does that count ?
UGA grad here
September 19th, 2010
3:59 pm
This year is a wash. Yeah, we will pick up maybe 4 more wins or 5. So, we wait until 2011? What if then we are also 5-7 or 6-6? Another year will have shot by. UGA cannot afford any more “wait till next year” crap.
No. I say dump all of them now. I would guess that a new head coach would keep TG for another year to get his players installed. This all would of course, happen the night of the GT game …. win or lose.
I would love to see CMR about the week after the next to last game ( if he is still here ) announce that he is following his Creator’s lead and will be going into the Christian missionary work full time. PTL ……….I would say. Allow him to RECOGNIZE that he must go ………or else.
Then, when the bowls are selected ( sans UGA of course ) make overtures to top coaches like at TCU or at Boise State. Also, maybe the NFL would have a head man looking to leave that league.
Richt has almost ten years @UGA and we have in the last 3-5 years been very, very, very mediocre and he owes UGA more than that …………he signed on knowing what the grad’s expectations were. 7-5 or 6-6 year again …………..IS not cutting it and he as a gentleman ought to resign in November.
He knows that UGA is not where the alumni want Georgia to be ……….. he knows that. Mark make the right decision. You gave it your best shot ……..when you first arrived, just not lately.
Go Dogs.
Herschel
September 19th, 2010
4:00 pm
Are the Dawgs still ranked?