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
UGA 84
September 19th, 2010
12:44 pm
Truth is, we haven’t been very good for the last 5 years (don’t tell me about ‘07-that season was more about wasting talent-partuclarly the inexplicable debacle in Knoxville).
The last 2 SEC East titles were in down years for the east and both were the result of multi-loss tiebreakers.
The program gets softer every year. We continue to lose ground to the elite programs every year. There is no reasonable reason to expect much improvement in the future. It has become the norm to lose most of the big games we play.
Our team IQ must be the lowest in the SEC given the frequency and magnitude of stupidity resulting in suspensions. Between injuries and suspension, AJ Green’s career at UGA will amount to nothing.
Richt is clearly satisfied with this sloppy mess (same story for the last 5 years). We are as likely to lose to Vandy and KY as we are to beat Miss St.
There is no coaching change on the horizon. We might as well accept that this is what UGA football is and will be for many years. We could do worse than Richt, but then again we could do much, much better.
Hoops Dawg
September 19th, 2010
12:45 pm
To all the critics seeking instant gratification, consider that the kids who were recruited for a different defensive scheme are all learning a new one, which takes some time and growing pains. Alabama’s defense the first year under Saban (with someone else’s recruits) was not so spiffy either (recall the loss to La-Monroe was it at home?). I am concerned about offensive failures, like the 2-3 third down pass plays with NO checkdown receivers in relatively short yardage situations where Murray was subsequently sacked. What the H— was that? Also, we really need to land Isiah–our backs simply lack the speed to run outside, as several plays which were well blocked netted little in situations where a half-step more speed could have led o big gainers.
smyrnadog
September 19th, 2010
12:46 pm
The time for change is now. Buy out the contracts, wipe the slate clean, and say good riddance to the inevitable transfers.
MDR, as much as I agree with you I think we should all face reality: Rict’s going nowhere this year. They can’t afford to buy out his contract.
Paul's Johnson
September 19th, 2010
12:50 pm
Two words: Hot Seat.
Andy in Blairsville
September 19th, 2010
12:51 pm
Assuming the NCAA doesn’t find a reason to crack the whip on AL and/or UF’s programs, is there any hope of UGA even making it to the SEC championship game in the next 3, 5 or 7 years?
1eyedJack
September 19th, 2010
12:53 pm
It does seem that hard times flush the chumps.
Most sensible Dawg fans were predicting 9-3 or 8-4 before the season started. I must add I was glass half full at 10-2. I’m adjusting that to 9-3 now. Unforseen circumstances. Most rational fans thought that SC, ARK, UF and AU were possible losses, though hope was we would find a way to win one or two of those. Well we’re 0-2 so far so we’ve got to find a way to beat UF and/or AU.
We’re about to string together a few wins and “should” go to Jax at 5-2.
I have been disappointed so far but I am not yet disheartened. I would not give the coaching staff and A but I certainly wouldn’t give them an F either. So far what I have seen is a lack of execution at crucial times, especially on third down, on both sides of the ball. Is that a lack of coaching, a lack of experience, or the player’s lack of something to fill the chest cavity and the space between their ears?
It was a tough loss. Get ‘em next week though!
Ben
September 19th, 2010
12:53 pm
All I know is that things weren’t pretty in the stands Saturday. Lots of heated arguments and cursing at fellow fans. Things are turning nasty…..
Gonna be ANOTHER long year.
SSIgator
September 19th, 2010
12:55 pm
My favorite posts prior to the Arkansas game:
Dawg > Hogs –
“Ga beats arkansas easy—book it. Ark will not be able to handle the crowd noise and Mallet will be shut down by Grantham’s 3-4 with all kinds of pressure. Ga 30 Ark 16”
Answer: You need to tell Grantham that instead of just a 3-4 defense he needs to bring along the other four guys in the secondary..
Ted –
“Dogs blast the Hogs this weekend and Ga gets back on track.”
Answer: Yeah. They are on track, but it is the Southbound train.
JB –
“And we all know to turn this blog into crickets is to beat Arkansas 35 to 17 on Saturday…..Go Dawgs !”
Answer: Chirp, Chirp.
Dawgs Blowout Hawgs –
“Take it to the bank—the dawgs will beat arkansas like a rented mule.”
Answer: The UGA bank was taken over by the FDIC. Also, the SPCA is going to file suit against UGA for cruelty to animals.
Chase –
“Dogs lost to SC in 07′ in 2nd game, finished #2 in the country. Team has a very 07′ feel to it.”
Answer: Wishin’ & Hopin’ don’t make it so.
Dawgs Roll –
“Relax—the Dawgs win this game easy. Ark’s D is terrible and UGA’s RBs should run through that D like a hot knife through butter.”
Answer: True. Arkansas defense was bad, but UGA’s was worse.
South Ga Dawg –
“THE BULLDOG NATION RISES AND BEATS ARKANSAS BY TEN”
Answer: And the South will rise again.
Dawg House –
“Looking forward to watching you cry as you leave Sanford Stadium.”
Answer: Those were tears of joy.
Jack bull –
“Dawgs-38, Hawgs-31…nuff said, on our way to the Ga Dome in December”
Answer: Why? To watch Alabama in the dome against another SEC East team?
Ardawg –
“Georgia will win this one and it won’t be close but, it’s no easy win or a blowout. Arkansas simply does not have the depth to go 4 quarters with Georgia.”
Answer: If you think UGA has depth you are correct. People will need SONAR to find the puppies by the end of the year.
DAWG on a Stick –
“We’re going to destroy ARk tomorrow. They can’t hang with our defense and running game!!! Tomorrow will be a cake walk!!!!!!”
Answer: I think someone stepped on the cake.
unbiased fan
September 19th, 2010
12:59 pm
Look at the top college teams and offenses. Almost all top teams over the last 5 years run a shotgun, spread, or some variation of them. UGA is one of the few teams left running an I-formation with QB under center on almost every play, even in obvious passing situations. Murray has mobility put him in the shotgun and let him play. Very surprising considering CMR was OC at FSU when Charlie Ward was QB. Once they put him in the shotgun Noles started to win big and Ward put up Heismann like stats.
BDAWG
September 19th, 2010
1:02 pm
Bottom line is we suck right now and we need a new OC right now, not later. Bobo needs to resign today or be fired tomorrow. The DBs have got to play better and we need to recruit real LBs not converted ones from DE. That’s not going to happen next year because we have let all the good LB commit to other programs. We need to do a better job recruiting the right people and a whole lot better coaching and preparing the players. This program needs a big change and if the HC can’t give, it’s time he is replaced. Next year is not good enough because then it would be the same excuse the next year. Plan and simple Bobo is not the answer. He does’nt have a clue to coaching QBs or calling plays. I’m tired of hearing about Green being suspended, one player does’nt make the team and he doesn’t play defense or call the plays. I’m not sure if we can beat Vanderbilt or Idaho State right now and Colorado looks pretty tough right now. So, it’s now or never. BOBO NEEDS TO GO NOW!!!!!!!
Stacy Searels
September 19th, 2010
1:02 pm
SSIGator, I know my offensive line sucks but, dude, you really need to get a life. Also, as bad as Florida has looked, can you honestly say that they would have beaten both South Carolina and Arkansas the past two weeks? I think not. The Gators certainly don’t have the issues in their program that the Dawgs do, but they are fools gold this year and just another cog in a down year in the SEC.
Emorydawg
September 19th, 2010
1:03 pm
After 10 years with CMR and observing his approach to program management and coaching I am asking myself the Melvin Udall question “What if this is as good as it gets?”. After watching the Carolina and Arkansas games, it is painfully obvious there is a serious issue with understanding and utilizing player and coach resources. I hate to ask the question, but does Richt actually know how to assess coaches or players? I am beginning to believe Richt has little regard for the univeristy traditions and fan base.
Hoopla
September 19th, 2010
1:03 pm
We celebrate!
SSIgator is a Richard Head!
September 19th, 2010
1:03 pm
Tool!
UGA 84
September 19th, 2010
1:04 pm
Dawg fans look at Miss St and say, “finally, a winnable game.”
Miss St fans look at UGA and say, “finally a winnable game!”
We are the new KY of the SEC.
valleyboy32
September 19th, 2010
1:04 pm
MAN YOU MARK RICHT FANS NEED TO TAKE SOME ACCOUNTABILITY YOU SEE THE DOWNWARD TURN WE BEEN GOING IN FOR 3 YEARS ALL YALL ARE SATISFIED WITH 8 OR 9 WINS BEEN THERE DONE THAT ITS TIME FOR BIGGER GOALS LIKE I SAID THE STATE OF GA PUT MORE PLAYERS IN THE SEC THA ANYONE BUT WE CANT GET A KID FROM ATHENS GA TECH LET SOMEONE GO TO THAT SORRY NOTER DAMN I DONT SEE WHY ANYONE WOULD WONT TO GO THERE ITS A SHAME WE CANT SECURE OUR BORDERS
Gman
September 19th, 2010
1:05 pm
Wonder what Richt and staff will see on the game film.
Oh that’s right, they don’t work on Sundays.
reebok
September 19th, 2010
1:06 pm
UGA has become a mediocre program which will get to a bowl game every year by beating out-of-conference cupcakes like Iowa state and wining against lower-tier SEC teams. Alabama is in a calss of its’ own…LSU, South Carolina and Auburn are behind them…and UGA will always be better than Ole Miss and Vandy. That leaves the Dogs stuck in the mid-pack with Missy State, Kentucky, Tennessee etc.
SSIgator is a Richard Head!
September 19th, 2010
1:09 pm
What’s your point Gman?
dawgster
September 19th, 2010
1:12 pm
Nothing happens if we lose at Starkville at that could easily happen…I think the fans unfortunately will pretty much toss it in for Coach Richt….I still think Coach Richt is the right person for the dawgs but there are still more changes that need to be made, on the offensive side of the ball…Clearly the last few seasons that to me has been our weakness, despite the defensive problems..We have to be fair with Coach Grantham and give him time to develop the defense..we wanted change and we got it but the talent on the defensive side is not what you think it is compared to Bama or the gators…The gators have 10 interceptions this year and that is surely helping their anemic offense..we are not getting that from our defense at this point…Everyone seems to think there is a savior out there…Kirby Smart..do you really think its because of him that Bama is where they are, yes he is an asset, but is he the savior..Muschamp, well Texas has him lined up to be their head coach….Would he could home and be the savior…or is he just a very good defensive coach…I hear the name Peterson out there alot…Could he dominate against Saban and Meyer in the SEC…People we have to get some big time recruits in here and they have to produce..Everyone talks about how good of recruiting we usually have, well thats pretty much true..but we may be having a top ten class, but Bama and the Gators are having the number 1 or 2 classes for the last few years….If we make a change at the end of the season in our Head Coach, then is the fan base willing to be patient and realize we will lose alot of recruits and some very good ones for next year and willing to go thru the rebuilding process…What happens if the savior doesn’t do so well and then what dawg fans…I truly believe Coach Richt has earned our support, no i’m not happy with our results this year or the past few years, but Coach Richt’s overall record is one of the best but he is having to compete in one of the toughest conferences around and against the likes of Sabon and Meyer..not many could hold up well against them at this point..I think the rest of the season and how it plays how will deternine Coach Richt’s fate..I as a true dawg fan will still be behind him and hope he can make the changes when he evaluates the program at the seasons end…
BDAWG
September 19th, 2010
1:12 pm
unbiased fan, that’s what we all thought. I have come to the conclusion that Richt was just wearing the title and Bowdon was really calling the plays and coaching up the QBs. He hasn’t showed any of those talents since day one. You can run that kind of offense but you have to have movement and change the formations to keep the defense guessing. The offense is boring and and everybody sees it every year and have gotten used to it and Bobo is too stupid to make the changes. The WRs don’t know how to get seperation from the DBs and we are not properly utuilizing the TEs, especially Orson Charles. We need a rover on defense or what they called a modified LB that is really a Safety. Alec Ogletree would fill that void at 6″3″, 230lbs. The players are there, we are not utilizing them the proper way. We are not getting enough pressure on the QBs, so we need to disguise the blitz packages better and the CB or the Safeties are going to have to cover and hit better. We need more intensity and less excuses.
dawg gone
September 19th, 2010
1:12 pm
just for the record…the dawg-gone comments at 10:30 was not this dawg-gone but a fake.
GO Dawgs!
AtlantaDAWG
September 19th, 2010
1:12 pm
It’s time for Richt to go. In the business world, if some one did a great job five years ago, but has been terrible in the last several years, would that person have job security? Absolutely NOT. The fact that Richt has not even won the SEC EAST in five years and the program is collapsing…nothing lloked encouraging yesterday. It’s time to find a coach like Saban or Meyer…someone who’s tough and can be successful.
Joe Bob Thibodaux
September 19th, 2010
1:17 pm
Mississippi State has no offense. The Miss-State Defense can stop the run. M-S does have a punter.
Georgia will have to throw the football, but they should win against State.
Good Luck
JBT
UK THOROUGHBRED
September 19th, 2010
1:21 pm
uga will lose again to Kentucky this year. I just hope your stupid dog of mascot croaks again the weak before we play yall just like it did last season.
Delbert D.
September 19th, 2010
1:24 pm
Miss. State’s DL is plays very physical, and Grantham has to prepare for 2 offenses, the plays run by Russell and the plays run by Relf. They hung with Auburn for a pretty tough game, but ultimately Newton ran over them.
unbiased fan
September 19th, 2010
1:27 pm
bdawg, Considering all the top recruiting classes UGA has and all the players they send to the NFL It really boils down to one thing….coaching. UGA has a good coach, not a great coach, CMR IS A 9-3 coach give or take. A lot of programs would love that, but with UGA’S talent, year in and year out, and their resources they could be a 12-1 type program, that challenges for the SEC title every year with a great coach.
5150 P.O.A.D
September 19th, 2010
1:29 pm
BREAKING NEWS: The Atlanta Colts Football Team has asked to talk to Bobo about a job opening they have. It seems the Atlanta Colts at Murphey Chandler Park need a new equipment manager. It pays $15/hr and all the leftover Hot Dogs and Hamburgers from the concession stand. He will have to buy his cokes though.
Delbert D.
September 19th, 2010
1:37 pm
SSIgator – Interesting thing you’ve got going there, accountability for comments in posts.
Beach Dawg
September 19th, 2010
1:44 pm
Hey, I have an idea. Why don’t we get Mark to endorse his tanning salon and give a cut to our UGA scholarship fund?
Gman
September 19th, 2010
1:46 pm
Point is, the UGA coaches aren’t about to put in any extra time to fix this thing. They clearly aren’t the best coaches in the conference and I’d wager they get out-worked by every other staff as well.
Emorydawg
September 19th, 2010
1:48 pm
Dawgster, waiting until the season is over to assess the team and coaches is too late. A coach and particularly a head coach has to be able to observe, evaluate and correct immediately. He’s paid handsomely to do that otherwise “this is as good as it gets”.
Hale Almand
September 19th, 2010
1:48 pm
We will never admit we lied, or that we cheat our little white spray painted butts off. “Its tradition”.” its what we do”. We know these kids are classless thugs. we just want to win football games. We know that they are as dumb as a pine knot. We know all these things. But if we just picked the good smart kids, we would never compete in the SEC. We would look like TECH. We know all the rules that we violate week in and week out . If we are gonna win the SEC we must get bigger meaner footballers, and they will be even dumber,all use to being passed along in school because they are great football players. They have always been pampered and given the pass when they got in trouble. We will do the same for them when they get here. Cause that’s what it will take to win!!
We(UF) own UGA
September 19th, 2010
1:48 pm
Mark,
You and Steak need to remove your heads from CMR’s lap and realize UGA is a sinking ship. It was just 2 years ago, you and the other UGA homers had UGA winning the National Championship, and now look…..You think this is a relevant program on the national level? Nope.
No one outside of the South really cares one bit about UGA. Fact.
UGA supposedly recruits on the same level as my Gators, and yet the programs aren’t even close.
UGA isn’t a Top 15 program any more, and until CMR is let go, UGA will continue to win a max of 8 games a season. This is a mediocre year in the SEC, especially the East, and yet UGA is a non factor. That alone should tell you everything….
I’ll enjoy yet another easy win in Jax in just over a month. hahahaha
Dirty Dawg
September 19th, 2010
1:49 pm
The question was ‘what happens if we lose to Miss State’….all hell breaks loose. Bobo’ll still be there but in name only. Unfortunately Richt’s a bit out of practice so who knows how well he’ll do. I think the jury’s still ‘way out’ on whether or not Mr. Grantham’ s the man for the D job, or whether or not his ‘3-4′ scheme will work here – still recall Tom Osborne’s comment when asked about Florida’s offensive scheme while Nebraska held a five touchdown lead at the half…it’s not about ’schemes’, it’s about ‘athletes’. We need more athletes that don’t run around with their collective heads up their butts. Still, the focus will have to be on the offensive coaching staff. An overhaul has got to be forthcoming.
Oh yeah, with the upcoming turmoil in football, and if the B-ball team doesn’t do something special, then I suspect Mr. McGarity will be calling Florida to see if he can get his old job back.
lakerga
September 19th, 2010
1:49 pm
just a thought , not a soution. If you are gonna burn the redshirt years of players such as Mason and Ogletree Brothers ECT this year why not try them out and see if maybe there is something there. Masons only game experience so far was possitive and on special teams this weekend ogletree was a beast. At 1-2 why not at least see what they got. worst that can happen is they get some experience and who knows maybe they are a solution to some very evedent problems.
We(UF) own UGA
September 19th, 2010
1:50 pm
Oh and if your keep score at home….It’s now 30 years and counting since UGA’s ONE lone National Championship. hahaha.
I know Dawgs….It’s time for the typical UGA mantra….
“Wait until next year!”
2CentsWorth
September 19th, 2010
1:51 pm
It’s very entertaining to read these posts. The simple truth is that UGA is just a mediocre football team with mediocre coaches. The coaching staff is totally unable to recognize players’ talents and assign them the most suitable positions. Conversely, Alabama is a supurb football team with supurb coaches. The Alabama coaching staff has the capability to match talents with positions. The results are all too obvious; Alabama succeeds while UGA disappoints. The Alabama program got fed up with mediocrity a few years ago and went out and hired a coach who is serious about winning. The Georgia program ostensibly is okay with losing because no significant coaching staff changes have been made. Different year – same result. What really, truly amazes me is the fact that Georgia is able to keep selling out their games!! Where do these fans come from??? Why do they continue to pay to watch such mediocrity? It just doesn’t make sense.
Pitbull
September 19th, 2010
1:51 pm
Instead of “finishing the drill” our team gets “drilled to the finish.”
Do we actually practice during the week? Most of those kids don’t look like they know what to do when the ball is snapped.
Why can’t Jones lift the ball up when the other teams’ players jump offsides?
Either we have really sorry players on the team or we have really sorry coaches getting them ready.
I try to tell myself that SC may be the best team in the East this year and Arkansas may be the best team in the West this year too – and we may be OK against the rest of the conference schedule now that we have the 2 hardest conference games behind us, but only time will prove that out.
If it is true and we lost to each by 1 touchdown then maybe we are better than we have looked.
I guess we will find out when Arkansas plays Alabama this coming weekend. But I can’t help but notice that Furman scored 3 times the number of points on SC that we did.
We certainly do not play with the fight that Auburn and Clemson played with last night. Man, they were carrying bodies off the field. Either one of those teams would have cleaned our clock.
Doesn’t look like the players or the coaches have any fire in their belly anymore and don’t have what it takes to “man up.”
Did I miss something or did we rehire Jim Donnan? The Dawgs look like the soft teams he put on the field for 5 years. Remember that if those teams couldn’t beat you with finasse they would get their butts kicked. Same thing now.
producewiz
September 19th, 2010
1:54 pm
truth is ga. could be 3 & 0. u pay a price with new quarterbacks. Gators Q.B. is probably jsut as inexperienced,because games don’t count when your mopping up.Let’s see who gets better 1st.
producewiz
September 19th, 2010
1:55 pm
Enter your comments here
Hale Almand
September 19th, 2010
1:55 pm
I’m telling you the FACT people….you can’t fix stupid!!
Captain Herb
September 19th, 2010
1:57 pm
You read it here first: Richt to UNC.
poopdawg
September 19th, 2010
2:03 pm
2cents ,your a dumbass! Why waste your time loser?
Emorydawg
September 19th, 2010
2:07 pm
Hale Almand, what axe are you grinding?
Krebs
September 19th, 2010
2:08 pm
This team is average at best right now. With AJ Green coming back you will see some improvement. I suspect we will see the usual CMR surge towards the end of the season (a few big wins and the usual, boy are we going to be great next year!@#$). Next year comes and more of the same.
The question is this. If you fire CMR, who do you get? Ask Tennessee fans how that is working out for them right now.
wxwax
September 19th, 2010
2:11 pm
I’m not crazy about cupcakes.
But the early schedule for Georgia was brutal. Why not schedule another tasty treat early before settling-in for the meat-and-potatoes?
DamntheButcher
September 19th, 2010
2:14 pm
Enter your comments here
Mark Richt
September 19th, 2010
2:15 pm
Arkansas just stepped on my face with a Hobnail Boot and crushed my nose.
2CentsWorth
September 19th, 2010
2:17 pm
poopdawg, let me guess…..you were one of the delirious fans who attended the disappointment yesterday. Correct? Thought so. Keep paying your money to attend the rest of them but be prepared to leave during the 3rd quarter. Alabama fans don’t have to worry about leaving that soon because they have a team that wins instead of making lame excuses. UGA is a joke and quite frankly an embarrassment to the SEC. In fact, a 6-6 season is very likely for your mediocre program this year. Sorry to burst your bubble but it’s true. Hey, don’t get upset with me because I’m telling you the truth. Get upset with your inept coaching staff!