There’s no other way to say it: Mark Richt is in trouble at UGA
This was Mississippi State's first touchdown Saturday. It would add two more. (AP photo)
I wouldn’t have thought such a thing possible a month ago or a week ago or even 24 hours ago, but here it is:
Mark Richt is in trouble.
It was possible to write off Georgia’s first two losses as having come against superior opposition. It is not possible to write off losing in Starkville. It is not possible to square all those ballyhooed recruiting classes with being 0-3 in the conference. It is not possible to look on the Bulldogs as anything more than a middling SEC team.
Five years ago, how many other league schools would have gladly traded their coach for Richt? Nine? Ten? How many would today? Maybe three, and that’s depending on how Ole Miss feels about Houston Nutt this week. Too many SEC programs have caught and passed Georgia, and this has nothing to do with the superpowers in Tuscaloosa and Gainesville. Consider:
Last year Georgia lost to Tennessee in Year 1 of Lane Kiffin. Last week Georgia lost to Arkansas in Sanford Stadium in Year 3 of Bobby Petrino. Last night Georgia lost to Mississippi State in Year 2 under Dan Mullen.
No longer does an opponent tremble at the sight of Georgia approaching. On the contrary, this has become — three weeks running! — the team you want to play if you’re looking to establish your program.
The old Steve Spurrier critique of Ray Goff — “Georgia gets all these players … I don’t know what happens to them” — again applies. Georgia doesn’t lack talent. It simply cannot bring its talent to bear. Its new 3-4 defense mustered one sack against Arkansas and Ryan Mallett. Its touted offensive line was able to carve out 113 yards rushing against Manny Diaz’s Mississippi State defense. Its offense could not score a touchdown against South Carolina and needed 58-plus minutes to manage one in Starkville.
There has been no improvement week over week. There is only a weird stasis. The weeks and the opponents change, but Georgia looks no different. How does that happen?
Loading ...Granted, the season might look different had A.J. Green played these four games. But he didn’t because he broke a rule, and that’s the other reason Richt is in trouble. A coach can get away with having his players mess up off the field if the coach keeps winning big on it. But Richt is 10-9 dating back to Nov. 29, 2008, and guess what cheery news awaited him on his return from Mississippi?
You got it. Another player has been arrested.
When I say, “Richt is in trouble,” I don’t mean I expect him to be fired this week or even after this season. I think Greg McGarity, the new athletic director, will err on the side of patience with a coach of such distinguished pedigree. (And a strong finish to this season — winning the next eight and beating Auburn and Florida en route — would effectively get Richt out of trouble.) But the loss at State seems a tipping point. It seems the game in which the majority of Georgia fans stopped seeing Mark Richt as the answer and came to regard him as the problem.
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1,529 comments Add your comment
SAMMY DAVIS, JR
September 26th, 2010
3:28 pm
ICMIII , I guess class is something you either have or don’t.
You don’t.
bamaguy
September 26th, 2010
3:28 pm
I wish somebody would pay me 8M for failing at my job. I don’t cry any tears for these guys. They are set for life no matter what happens.
Fake Urban Meyer
September 26th, 2010
3:29 pm
Give Terry B. a chance!
Ken
September 26th, 2010
3:31 pm
I can’t believe what I am reading, we have to keep Coach Richt. Most of these complaints are not UGA fans but from opposing schools who want to see Richt go because of his great recruiting ability.
Tommy Bow Wow den
September 26th, 2010
3:32 pm
Hey guys I can bring a pawsitive experience to Athens !
46-39
September 26th, 2010
3:32 pm
Fake Urban Meyer , But they have always called it a ‘rival’ game.
When it’s 46-47, come talk to me. Until then stay on the Gator blog.
Good day.
Fake Urban Meyer
September 26th, 2010
3:32 pm
UGA, get ready to lose to CU this week and to KY, TN, and Vandy.
John Harbaugh
September 26th, 2010
3:32 pm
Dr. Adams, I will be willing to work for no less than $4 mill/year…..make it happen!!!
Lou Holtz
September 26th, 2010
3:32 pm
I jutht wanted to thay that you Georgia Bulldogths fanths thould relacth! The Yellow Jacketh are not thuperior to you guyth, you are jutht having a roughth Theptember. The betht ith yet to come! Coath Ritht jutht needth a vathation.
Thomeday I’ll get Mark May to come out of the clothet!
Coastaldawg
September 26th, 2010
3:32 pm
It started with Adams, then Harrick, then Felton, then Evans, now a leaderless out of control football team. It is a systemic problem that starts with the President.
Fake Urban Meyer
September 26th, 2010
3:33 pm
I like Mark Richt and I hope you all keep him.
John Harbaugh
September 26th, 2010
3:33 pm
Ken, you are a complete idiot….IF I was a fan from rival teams, I would want nothing more than Richt to stay.
bamaguy
September 26th, 2010
3:34 pm
Being a “good christian man” is irrelevant to job performance. Not a bad thing to be, but irrelevant to competence even though it might help you some in recruiting in the South..
Nick Saban is a devout Catholic. He goes to Mass every Sunday. If it is a road game and the team is not coming back that night, the staff has to find the nearest catholic church. But no one ever talks about it, and he never discusses it with his team. It is irrelevant to his role as coach.
Fake Urban Meyer
September 26th, 2010
3:35 pm
To 46-39:
You are a typical Georgia fan; you will talk about you all 1 championship, the 80’s and H. Walker.
Fake Urban Meyer
September 26th, 2010
3:36 pm
Ken, I like Mark Richt and I am from a rival team.
WAR DAMN EAGLE
September 26th, 2010
3:36 pm
Guess all the AJC “sports experts” had a bad weekend.
Dawgs suck.
Long Live Richt!
September 26th, 2010
3:36 pm
Ken….I am from a rival team and I want Mark Richt to get a lifetime contract!!
Fake Urban Meyer
September 26th, 2010
3:38 pm
Ya’ll can see if you all can get Lane Kiffin.
Double Jeopardy
September 26th, 2010
3:38 pm
Mike Bobo’s offspring for 10 please…….
46-39
September 26th, 2010
3:38 pm
Gators aren’t exactly looking like ‘World beaters’.
MissSt has your coach. Your offense sucks. Can’t wait to see you guys get waxed by BAMA (again).
Meyer will go to the hospital (agian) & & quit 3 days later, then come back before the next game. Brantley will cry.
Hope you win the East so I can witness you getting pounded twice.
RL
September 26th, 2010
3:38 pm
We own Colorado. So, next week we will win.
SEC1
September 26th, 2010
3:38 pm
We might not be the worst team in the SEC, but we are definitely the worst in the SEC in under-utilizing and under-coaching our players.
We definitely do the least with the most.
I still love my Dawgs, but we are simply terrible.
Enough said…
P.S. Bobo should have been gone last year… Come on, is the SEC really the place to “cut your teeth” as an OC?
SilatGamecock
September 26th, 2010
3:39 pm
WE could use him as a QB coach after yesterday.
Fake Urban Meyer
September 26th, 2010
3:39 pm
Nah, stick with Mark Richt.
EricADawgFan
September 26th, 2010
3:39 pm
I am a TRUE Dawg Fan. Win or lose, I would still support the Dawgs. But I must say that Coach Richt had better get a lot more assertive with his players, and coaching staff. He has to get very tough on the Coaches, and the players as well. As mush as I am a rivalry with Steve Spurrier, (being anywhere and playing against the Dawgs) I have to admit that Coach Steve Spurrier makes champions out of his players. He also has absolutely no tact when it comes to his players, and his coaching staff. If there is something wrong with either of them, he will definitely make it known to them, and to the public. Last night, against Auburn, he took out Garcia (Quarterback) and benched him. In Garcia’s replacement, he put in a freshman quarterback without any hesitation. You see, Coach Steve Spurrier, says what he means, and he mean what he says. Being quiet and passive with your players and coaching staff and not holding each and everyone them accountable for their actions and performance, in unacceptable and it will get you in the hot seat to be fired. Coach Richt appears as if he does not have control of his players, and the entire team. Coach Mark Richt had better wake up and get total control of his players and coaching staff. If the players are not performing up to his potential, Coach Mark Richt have a duty, and a responsibility as a Head Football Coach to bench that player. if your Offensive Coordinator are not performing to your standards, and the team is not responding well to the play calling, then you need to take over the play calling and terminate the Offensive Coordinator. The time is now Coach Mark Richt to take control of your Team before your team and coaching staff take control of you. Food For Thought.
KaliDogg
September 26th, 2010
3:40 pm
Speaking of coaching…
Back to Arkansas game (AR turned out to be a pretty good team, huh), Richt gives the players a pep talk on the sideline between the 3rd and 4th quarters and they played like crazed maniacs (a good thing) for a quarter (minus the last 2 minutes). Uh, that’s great.
But, why weren’t they playing like that for the 1st three quarters?
The most damning thing I’ve read was the comment: “He didn’t have his team ready to play.” And that’s been S.C., Arkansas and now Mississippi State.
Inexcusable.
Hearken back to Erk, for those who remember those days. Head butting the D on the sidelines (with their helmets on)? Going on to win multiple NC’s at GA Southern (through UGA thought he was too old and couldn’t coach offense)? What do you think this program would look like, top to bottom, if Erk was running it?
Ten arrests? I’d say that’s 10 kids on a bus back home, with a sneaker print in a certain memorable place.
Did anybody ever say Lombardi was too nice a guy to coach football? I don’t think so.
Schembechler, Woody Hayes, Paul Bear Bryant, Saban, Meyer (see what they’re doing in a “down year”), Paul Brown, on and on. Is that a list of debutantes or football coaches? Yes, rhetorical question.
Go Dogs.
I vote Suzanne Yoculan to come out of retirement and coach the football team.
Coach Helen Hunt
September 26th, 2010
3:41 pm
RL – will UGA be taking that genetically mutated inbred dog to Colorado? The altitude can be brutal, and everybody knows how those Uga’s like to up and die at the drop of a hat.
UGALEE
September 26th, 2010
3:41 pm
The point of my earlier posting was that Jesus was a good man, and a Christian, of course, but his teachings would not necessarily coincide with producing a winning football team.
46-39
September 26th, 2010
3:41 pm
Fake Urban Meyer , we still own you guys & have the record to prove it.
My point is it’s always been called a rival game –even when UGA had a 43-22 record over FLORIDA.
Of course, you’re too stupid to see that (or more than likey choose NOT to see it.
Tell me, how many undefeated seasons does FLORIDA have?? Yeah….thought so.
Good day.
John Harbaugh
September 26th, 2010
3:42 pm
pope, I’ll take it for what it is……slobbering drivel. This is big boy SEC college football. Ain’t no trophies for 2nd place…..much less last place.
Richt hasn’t done diddly since ‘05, underachieved with superstars like Stafford, Moreno, Massaquoi. Now he’s looking like a young Bowden with premature Alzheimer’s.
Please hire me, I would love to leave Palo Alto for Athens…….uh maybe not
Fake Urban Meyer
September 26th, 2010
3:42 pm
The only pounding that will be going on is when we beat on UGA. It is really sad when you have to root for another team to do something your cannot and that is win. The Gators do not have to be “World Beaters”; we just have to win.
Fake Urban Meyer
September 26th, 2010
3:43 pm
46-39:
How many championship do UGA have and how many does UF have?
Man Enough Is Enough
September 26th, 2010
3:43 pm
My problem with Richt is lack of fire. Yes Bobo needs to go, Richt should take over calling plays. But still, where is the fire? The team looks flat and uninspired. Murray and Durham seem to be the only ones showing any heart. My god a freshman is showing more heart than the rest of the team. CMR it is ok to get mad and show some enthusiasm, GATA!
Fake History
September 26th, 2010
3:43 pm
UGALEE – Do you have a DeLorean time machine? You have no idea if Jesus even existed, let alone was a “good man”. Might as well start worshipping Harry Potter.
John Harbaugh
September 26th, 2010
3:44 pm
UGALEE
ha ha ha…LOL!!! Good one.
These idiots don’t realize that football isn’t necessarily a good “Christian” sport. Having Richt as our head coach is like bringing a knife to a gun fight
outsider
September 26th, 2010
3:45 pm
I am befuddled by the Georgia fan-base. You all act as if Mark Rich has come to Athens and desecrated a tradition of winning championships maintained by the likes of Notre Dame, Nebraska or Alabama. I don’t get it. The guy takes over a weak football program, and goes on to build it into a top-tier program that wins SEC titles and 10 games a year. Folks, it ain’t 1980 anymore. In the last 30 years, Mark Richt is Georgia football. In the modern era, he is the only tradition you have. And some of you morons want to get rid of him? Doing so will set recruiting and the program back for years. And who should replace him? Petersen from Boise? Please. He’s a devout scientologist. I’m sure the blue-bloods in Athens can’t wait to throw money at him. Get real nutjobs.
John Harbaugh who???
September 26th, 2010
3:46 pm
My suggestion for you John, is stay your a$$ in California. We eat skin, deep fry and eat liberals here in the south! Besides, you wouldn’t be happy here, no herbal tofu on every corner.
KenDog
September 26th, 2010
3:46 pm
Run the table?? I wish!!
The Colorado game is going to be the deal maker/breaker. The way I see it – we lose to Florida and Auburn – two programs in better places with better teams – and coaching. We lose one of three to Vols/Kentucky/Vandy – just too vulnerable to run the table there. And we lose one of two to Colorado/Tech. Tech runs a very similar offense to Miss. State – but does it better with better athletes. Would HATE to lose to Tech!!!!
So I hate to say it, but my pessimistic side sees a 5-7 season as a real probability – a complete embarrassment for a great program.
Russ, the Temporary Mascot
September 26th, 2010
3:47 pm
“There’s no other way to say it: Mark Richt is in trouble at UGA” When I read this I was afraid Coach had been arrested, too. Now that the AD and ten players have been arrested how long will it be before some of the coaches go to jail? I’m betting Grantham will be first. Getting $750,000 for the job he’s doing is robbery. Of course, remember how many coaches turned down the job before Coach Grantham signed on? The Dawgs may be like the old Falcons who couldn’t find a willing coach. Is the Swamp Fox still alive? Maybe he will come in and coach ‘em up for us. I’m a new dog. No more a$$ paintings. Game to game. Mascot at will.
Mis-count prediction Ken
September 26th, 2010
3:49 pm
Losses to Co, Fl, Au, Tn AND Ky will provide UGA with only one win (and by the hair of a chinny chin chin, Vandy). Dogs are lost this year, that is unless you can keep them out of jail.
Joe Cox
September 26th, 2010
3:49 pm
With an incredible recruiting advantage (no real in-state competition to recruit 5-star athletes in a state that worships high school football) Georgia should have a fistful of NCs by now……..that was spot on GR82BAG8R. There is no excuse for uga to be in the condition that we are in. Tons of NFL talent from GA, tons of money, no real in state recruiting competition.(compared to other major programs) UGA has underachieved for quite a while now. Uga would be a perfect job for Petersen or Harbaugh. Any UGA fans who accept richt’s mediocrity are delusional. He hasn’t won anything since Van Gorder left or since Saban has been at Bama or Urban has been at UF. He isn’t on their level.
46-39
September 26th, 2010
3:50 pm
We?? You on that FLORDIA squad? lol
Not rooting for another team –don’t have to. BAMA will win regardless –I’ll just enjoy watching it…Good entertainment. Good thing FL doesn’t have to be ‘world beaters’ because they are anything but that. Funny think is I’ve got a 7 game spot before I have to think about relinquishing bragging rights. I just think it’s funny how you can come on a UGA blog & brag about….what…are you exactly bragging about again>
ps –You also failed to answer the undefeated season question. Tell me, how many does FLORDIA have again?
Fake Urban Meyer
September 26th, 2010
3:50 pm
The only table UGA can run, is at a Sonny’s BBQ taking orders.
Timmy Dog
September 26th, 2010
3:52 pm
What is this discussion of a scrape between Richt and Grantham? Are they already on bad terms?
Flying Tigers
September 26th, 2010
3:52 pm
One of the main problems is who we have recruited. To many gangsta, rapping thugs and low character guys. To hell with Green, who put himself above the team, like alot of these giys just using us for a stop off to the NFL. Personally I do not care about the NFL or for that matter how many players we send there. I want to know how do you feel about playing for UGA. Maybe we should look at some high character kids with maybe not as many “stars”, but who are coachable, have respect, will stay out of jail, and will be TEAM players and give their all for UGA. Remember, Mark Ingram was rated 3 stars, which probably means we did not even try to recruit him. Also, if someone does something wrong CMR needs to lay the wood so to speak to him. This one game suspension against sisters of the poor does nothing but make CMR look soft…just like his team. Top 10 recruiting classes 4 out if the last 5 years and we are 0-3 in the SEC. We are either recruiting alot of the wrong players, are we have no idea of how to coach. We have paid a guy 3 quarters of a million to shore up our defense, and I know I should give the guy more time, but for that kind of money I expected more than what I have seen so far. I mean for that kind of money seems we would not have as many complete breakdowns in the passing game as we have, but then with the lack of character kids we have recruited maybe they don’t listen to coach at all. It is time for someone to put an end to this crap. Because of what happened with our AD this summer and all the other arrest we are viewed as a joke around the country anyway, and being first in the party school catagorie is not my idea of gaining some sort ot respectability for the state “university”. Seems of Richt can’t get this mess that he has allowed to happen under control, he needs to back away gracefully. Then if we are lucky maybe we could find a way to get rid of the sorry president we have been saddled with at UGA.
Fake Urban Meyer
September 26th, 2010
3:52 pm
We have no undefeated seasons but we have more championships than UGA.
bitter jim donnan
September 26th, 2010
3:52 pm
yaaa prisident adams can now kiss my white as—-, and all that thought i could not coach kiss my as– , i recruited all thosse great nfl players that richt won nwith in the early 2000’s. get a new president first then a new coach and mybe it will be possible to build tradition. great high school q.b at auburn that was passed on by richt (6′6″ 250) no brainer that richt would rather have 6′0 q.b but he is lucky to have hudson but you watch he will not evan play him, and after watching conner shaw at south carilona i would wounder if he thinks that only talent comes from fa., he can take his as— back to siminole country, ill by the tcket, hahahah first lets ax that punk as— adams yaaaa su—x mutts, drop the ax drop the ax its time
Maria
September 26th, 2010
3:53 pm
It’s time for some draconian measures to get control of the group of misfits that don’t deserve to wear the G on their helmets.
That sums it up nicely. Get rid of the thugs on this team once and for all. They’re not winning with them anyway, so how can it hurt.
46-39
September 26th, 2010
3:54 pm
Fake History, You’re an idiot. Jesus is fact. You can choose not to be a ‘follower’, but think he never existed is ludicrous. Stupid people like you give atheist a bad name.
Fake? Fake? Who you calling Fake?
September 26th, 2010
3:55 pm
And a coach who can’t seem to determine if he’s sick, not sick, coaching, not coaching, wait I’ll decide tomorrow, or maybe next week. Please Bobby, Steve one of you guys decide for me!!