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
MICHEAL SAYS CLEAN HOUSE DAWGS
September 26th, 2010
10:50 pm
we have to get this fixed,we are in last place,man we trail vanderbilt,we look like goffs dawgs.
fire bobo,searls,garner,and as much as i love mark if he does not stop this sinking ship he must be replaced we are sinking/.to the players get out of the bars and get some fight in you for the dogs.
those red and black uniforms mean alot and if you can’not honor it get the hell out of athens,i mean it.!
Dawg 4 Life
September 26th, 2010
10:57 pm
If Ga. Tech is Jekyll & Hyde then UGA is the Invisible Men….
Ken Keller
September 26th, 2010
10:57 pm
You Georgia fans are the clowns, not your coach. Mark Richt is a class act. Being an Alabama fan, I actully root for UGA in the East. You guys are bludgeoning a coach who has over a .700 winning percentage and had your team ranked #1 only two years ago. Moreno and Stafford were first round NFL draft picks. Your best WR (notice I did not say nation’s best because Julio is) got jobbed by the NCAA 4 games…that has hurt your offense. I think you will only lose two more games this season (Florida and Auburn). Richt will come back next season and needs to win East or it might be Muschamp or Kirby Smart time.
Isaiah Crowell is watching close and if he thinks Richt is a gonner, he will wear Crimson next season and team with Trent Richardson as the best backfield in college football. Roll Tide!
Dawg 4 Life
September 26th, 2010
10:59 pm
Ken, your blind sister Helen is calling for you to change her diaper.
I Wear NO Underwear
September 26th, 2010
11:01 pm
I’m a big Richt fan if you know what I mean ?
Tiger Woods
September 26th, 2010
11:03 pm
I was reading the People magazine and don’t believe what they are rfeporting. They claim I slept with 722 women but it was actually 765.
TampaGator
September 26th, 2010
11:03 pm
Chris….
Go look it up…..since 1958…..Florida has the most wins against Georgia. Like I said, most of Georgia’s wins were prior to the 1950’s and some in the 50’s obviously….but the point is….Florida has dominated the series against Georgia since 1958….which….DUDE….is a long, long, long, long time….practactically since the invention of the forward pass. And more importantly…..Florida will continue to dominate the series for years to come. Get used to it….with or without Richt.
Phil Mickelson
September 26th, 2010
11:04 pm
Tiger, what about those caddies ?
SuperB
September 26th, 2010
11:04 pm
This season is OVER! In September! Richt has to go!
Chris
September 26th, 2010
11:05 pm
I hope its without Richt.
TampaGator
September 26th, 2010
11:05 pm
but Chis….
keep the faith…..it is going to turn around for you guys every summer on these blogs. It does every year….then fall arrives and reality sets in once again.
whigscuz19
September 26th, 2010
11:06 pm
He must go. I see MAYBE 3 wins on the remaining schedule for Georgia. I read again of another player being kicked off the team. I hear a coach after losing to the SEC’s perennial doormat with no answers and quite a bit of what seems to be apathy in his voice. I have been tired of Mark Richt for several years now. He’s boring! He is supposed to be this good, Christian guy and yet his teams have the longest rap sheet in the NCAA. His teams are undisciplined and uninspired. The team with Stafford and Moreno from two years ago should have been unbeatable but lost because they were undisciplined and uninspired. I can’t watch this crap anymore. I agree with Coach Spurrier. The University of Georgia is where bluechip talent goes to die. I’m done.
Chris
September 26th, 2010
11:06 pm
Gatorbait, looking at it in halves makes no sense. It goes back and forth from decade to decade. Florida has not dominated since the 50’s. That’s a ridiculous comment. Georgia dominated the 70’s and 80’s and Florida has dominated the 90’s and 00’s. Plus, I wouldn’t say that Florida dominated anything before 1990 considering that yall didn’t win your first SEC championship until 1991.
You really don’t know your history. Georgia’s glory days were not from 1904-1949. We have won 12 SEC championships and 2 national championships. We had 1 national championship with 3 SEC championships prior to 1950, and 1 national championship with 9 SEC championships after 1950. Six of those SEC championships came under Dooley who coached from 64-88. Dooley also had a 17-7-1 record against Florida. That was our glory years.
Hopefully we will get back there someday but it wont happen as long as Richt is running the show.
SuperB
September 26th, 2010
11:07 pm
Tampa Gator must get his facts from Glenn Beck. Florida couldn’t dominate Rollins before Spurrier became coach. Vince Dooley (whom Gator probably has never heard of– dominated Florida– along with a helluva lot of other teams.)
TampaGator
September 26th, 2010
11:08 pm
An Alabama paper posted a story today……The SEC East has already been decided….and it is only September. I think it means there are no teams in the East to challenge the Gators this year…even if Bama beats Florida this coming weekend….and I am not as convinced of that happening after this weekend. The Gators….if they play well on offense….have a chance of upsetting the Tide…..notice I said “a chance.”
SuperB
September 26th, 2010
11:09 pm
Whigscuz19: I agree on richt’s poor performance– but the Gators have had 27 players arrested since Meyer became their coach.
bob cat
September 26th, 2010
11:09 pm
Mark,
Don’t worry about Ole Miss and Houston Nutt Comments.Stick to the facts!! Richt is doing a bad job and Georgia is a bad team !!! End of story.
TampaGator
September 26th, 2010
11:14 pm
SuperB….
just go and look at the historical records of games won and lost since 1958….Florida leads with the most wins since that time against Georgia….even with Vince Dooley (who I have personally met and talked to several times at business funtions through the years while I lived and worked in Atlanta) having his run back in the day. And Florida HAS dominated Georgia since then in victories….especially in the last 20 years….and even dominated Georgia when Zook was the coach!!! And no…I don’t get any facts from Mr. “extremist” Beck.
Gen Neyland
September 26th, 2010
11:16 pm
War Eagle 30082 : His primary responsibility is to field a team that is competetive, wins more than it loses and ‘encourage’ his players to become the man they can all be proud of becoming, not to make sure they become good Christians…If that was job #1 for 2-3 million a year, I’d like to put in an application…
Mel
September 26th, 2010
11:17 pm
Mark Richt is in trouble because the expectations of Usually Getting Arrested fans is completely unrealistic. Seriously, the sense of entitlement you all have (fans as well as the players) has got to go. You have an off year and you call for the coach’s head? It’s ridiculous. I don’t respect or like Richt, but I can at least recognize what he’s accomplished. He doesn’t deserve to be fired because of one tough year.
Chris
September 26th, 2010
11:21 pm
Again TampaGator, I am not ignoring Florida’s dominance. However, your dominance did not begin in 1950. Why is that so hard for you to realize? Georgia was 22-16-1 against Florida from 1950-1989. Your dominance obivously began in 1990. So, yes, if you add the past 20 years in with the prior 40, then you do indeed have more wins. That does not mean that you have dominated us since 1950.
I’m still trying to figure out how the invention of the foward pass in 1958 equaled the beginning of Florida’s dominance. From 1958-1989 Georgia was 19-12-1 against that astonishing forward pass that Florida must have invented. Georgia’s demise began when Ray Golf took over the reins.
Get it? Did you get hit over the head with a very large rock when you were little?
Beatdowndawg
September 26th, 2010
11:22 pm
UGA is never as good or bad as Mark Bradley would have you think. I remember just a couple of years ago a column he wrote declaring UGA the flagship program of the SEC and Mark Richt the steady handed captain on the verge of stearing UGA to the first of many BCS Championships.
That column was premature as are the ones declaring Coach Richts eminent demise.
whigscuz19
September 26th, 2010
11:23 pm
SuperB: I am aware of UF’s rap sheet. (didn’t realize it was that many) But, there is a reason why none of that sticks to that arrogant p—k Meyer. HE WINS. I am beginning to question my stance on what I expect from the football program I support: fine, upstanding citizens? or championships?. The problem with Georgia and Mark Richt is that he is providing us with NEITHER.
Rcgator
September 26th, 2010
11:24 pm
Your new AD learned the business at UF…Richt is as good as gone.
Thomp
September 26th, 2010
11:34 pm
Richt is a class act, I am sure he will resign.
dawgster
September 26th, 2010
11:39 pm
TampaGator…let me ask yu a serious question…what is that thrills you so much in putting down the dawgs program…we understand that we have problems and that the gators have pretty much owned us for 20 years…we get that…does a thrill run up your leg when you get on here and continue to throw stones at the dawgs program…i mean i have tried to take up for you at times on here when others are saying things about you…Maybe if you would try a little, just a little humility we could have more respect for you…No one is discrediting your info that you post on these blogs, acutually i do enjoy to read them, but i for the life of me can’t figure out why you bash the dawg faithful for being excited about their team every year…is that so terrible that the true fans think that maybe this year we will be good…well, its obvious again that we are not…but i will continue to support the dawgs, i’m not a fair weather fan, but i don’t understand the bashing of our program on a continuous basis from the gators who really don’t need to do that as we have not been a rivarly to you in sometime…TampaGator, try thinking about that some thats all i’m asking….This post was meant to be disrespectful, just wanted to point out some things to you…thank you..
Billy
September 26th, 2010
11:43 pm
You guys are really bad and I do not think a coaching change is going to help. Don’t know of anyone who could help you. You guys are terrible…
dawgster
September 26th, 2010
11:45 pm
TampaGator…the last sentence was suppose to say “not meant to be disrespectful”…(this error was just typical of the weekend)…
Paul
September 26th, 2010
11:47 pm
I have been pretty patient. I have been a huge Richt fan, but I am sick and tired of the product being put on the field. Whoever has the better atheletes in college football is going to win period. UGA no longer looks bigger, stronger, and faster than any of the other teams in the SEC. The other teams have guys busting out of their uniforms. UGA looks small. They may have good bench press and squat numbers, but that is not translating to football strength. Why are all of our DB’s in the 5′8″ to 5′10″ range. Every team in the SEC seems to have receivers that are 6′3″,220 lbs. They consistenly can’t cover or tackle the larger receivers. Why does Bobo the dodo continue to run all of the running backs up the middle. Run a toss sweep once in a while. Caleb King can’t fall 2 yards. How in the heck is Carlton Thomas even on the field in the SEC. He’s too small. Washaun Ealy just doesn’t have the desire. Clearly the physical strength of the O-line is questionable. A top ten recruiting class doesn’t matter if it still ranks 5th in the SEC recruiting classes. In the furture I will pass on the one 5 star player recruit from Florida the UGA gets for 4 three star guys that are hungry.
dawgster
September 26th, 2010
11:52 pm
Billy, maybe we are terrible…we do get AJ back and that will help…the defense hopefully will improve as they learn the 3-4…and maybe, just maybe some of these “cocky” programs may catch us on a good day..i don’t know, and nothing right now says that would happen…but i been around this game for a long time and things can change pretty quickly…Anybody that just dismisses the dawgs at this point would be just fine to our coaches and players and the dawg nation…i hope when we play some of the teams left on our schedule is that would be there attitude…so go ahead and have that attitude, cause right now this team in my opinion has nowhere to go but up…don’t know if it will happen, but whether you or anyone else cares, there is alot of talent on this team…at some point somebody is going to get the blunt of that talent on a good day…
UGA finlo
September 26th, 2010
11:53 pm
Can somebody please explain to me why we are not bashing that horrible running back (ealey) we have on our team??? Think about it peeps! This dude has costs us two games this year and an stupid arrest a week before the season.. I know this discussion is about CMR and his staff but I had to say something about number 3..Don’t fire CMR yet…but PLEASE FIRE BOBO!! This guy is horrible and was the same as a player.. Who’s idea was it for him to recruit Richard Samual as a RB??? His! Who’s idea was it to put Brandon Smith(nothing but a track and field player) in the wild dog?? His!! How about put that bum of a running back(#3) in the wild dog…His!!! I’m not racist but I got to call it like is….Kris Durham and Logan Gray are no where close to a typical s.e.c wide receiver.. You mean to tell me that in the whole state of
Georgia ,we can’t find some raw athletic receivers to represent us?? I know Aj has been suspended off of his own stupidity but we should have better receivers than what we have… Poor Murray.. I know there’s no receivers getting open cause the truth is ……THERE NOT ATHLETIC enough to get open…maybe in the big 10 but not in the S.E.C…It is what it is…FIRE BOBO so he can spend more time with all those kids he has…
Billy
September 27th, 2010
12:02 am
At this point in the season there would be nothing wrong with an honorable Dawg surrender and the terminating of coach Richt, I thank you………
dawgster
September 27th, 2010
12:02 am
Billy..don’t know what happened to my other post…but just to respond to you…yes we may be terrible right now..don’t know if and when we will improve..but i can assure that there is alot of talent on this team and at some point i hope some or any team that thinks they are superior would continue that attitude..at some point the dawgs talent may just be in full force against one of the mighty programs …so keep thinking how bad we are when you play us…maybe we will still stink it up,but there will be a game where the ball will bounce right and we have our best players on the field at full stength…when that happens come back on this blog and tell us how bad we are…i can only hope that from here on out the rest of the SEC counts us out…if a team ever needed motivation i can assure that would be it…
Reality
September 27th, 2010
12:04 am
Mark Bradley wears Georgia Bulldog underoos when he’s not wearing a red and black cheerleading outfit.
techbuzzer
September 27th, 2010
12:08 am
A couple more arrests and the same performance as Saturday in every game and UGA is a favorite for winning the TOYLET BOWL. . Party hard before hand.
dawgster
September 27th, 2010
12:10 am
Billy. you it is quiet obvious that you never put on a set of pads, had you, then you know that when you get to the level that these kids get to in Div 1 football, that quitting is not something you do..you dont sacrifice and put yourself on the line from middle school, high school and college football and just quit when things don’t go your way..Is that how you handle things, or is that just some insensitive comments that you made in reference to the dawg players…Coaches don’t quit either…yes they get fired, but they don’t quit…Do you really think these kids are proud of the way they have played…Anyone on the losing end of a game or games won’t the kind of results that we have seen with this years team…Quitting, are kidding me…you try and get better and hopefully you might pull off a few surprises before the season is over…The fans might quit on this team, but i can assure you these players will work and sacrifice to get better..thats what this game is all about….
UGA finlo
September 27th, 2010
12:17 am
Well said Dawgster…
Billy
September 27th, 2010
12:19 am
dawgster, I am not put down the kids on this team.
Big Money Grip
September 27th, 2010
12:23 am
Coach shouldn’t be in trouble. Last year was bad, but this year is still young. The team is off to a terrible start, but they can turn it around. They may end up 9-4 and surprise everyone. Hunker down dogs.
Gen Neyland
September 27th, 2010
12:27 am
dawgster : I can’t and won’t speak for TampaGator but had you written the 2329 hrs post on Saturady morning, it may have seemed to be with more of a sincere appeal, not one of humility. Good luck to yours…
Heaven's Sake
September 27th, 2010
12:45 am
I keep reading from Richt’s defenders, “he’s a christian man.” If that is so, why is this team going to Hades and so full of sinners. You need to hire Franklin Graham if that is so important to you.
Dawg in Idaho
September 27th, 2010
12:46 am
GIVE US VAN GORDER!!!!!!!!
FalconFiend
September 27th, 2010
12:57 am
I sure would loooove to see UGA make a run at Boise States or TCU’s head coach. Probably foolish to actually want a big name coach come to UGA. Remember what happened with replacing Martinez as DC last year? Yup…no kirby smart…no VT DC…just ole’ granthoms sorry $%^. At least the Falcons are worthy this year.
lifer dawg
September 27th, 2010
1:08 am
UGA one day will get a great coach with the fire/passion/respect that our fine university deserves. Richt came in with NOTHING to lose in 2001. Do you all remember those first few years? Big burley O+D lines. Players like Green/Pollack/Bailey/Thomas Davis etc…… These boys were winners and were picked to play for UGA by Jim Donnan. The offensive play calling was average to good when it needed to be. But the receivers caught the damn ball and the line blocked on blitzes and rushes. The offensive play fakes were unbelievable and the team WANTED to win. How Richt has fallen so far in 5 years continues to amaze me and many low country UGA fans. This has been an epic train wreck to watch for the last few years. It has all started at the top. The offense now has overrated players that don’t care. Richt with Martinez’s guidance has recruited up a SLOW? small and wimpy defense that is the complete OPPOSITE of what the UGA hunker down dawg program is built on. Richt had his moments but backed into both SEC championships when other teams lost on the last weekend of play. Now that we have Richt’s guys throughout the program shows me he is DONE….. Put a fork in him because after all these pathetic losses NEVER has he shown any amount of class like Mac Brown of Texas did last night and accepted full responsibility for an embarrassing loss. Richt has laid so many damned ostridge eggs I have lost count starting with the 2006 Sugar Bowl after Van Gorder abandoned ship. The man needs to start a church or join a missionary group, I don’t care. UGA will be much better served with a new coach starting as soon as we can. We pay a ton of money to Richt and he delivers a product on the field that is less exciting than a middle school wing option team!! His recruits suck, his OL sucks, His DL sucks. Schemes all over are so sad its turned our proud program into the laughing stock of the SEC. Yes when all your buddies who went to Auburn or GT or Florida etc…… want us to keep him you know why!!!!!
Peterson should take our call when it comes in because he will 1. Double his pay 2. Have an opportunity to show the college world what his balls are really made of. Because this is the SEC now and its fixing to get major primetime when the new TV deal kicks in next year.
Muschamp will take our call. Because he will get a doubling in pay and Mac aint as old as he looks and to me I see him coaching for 8-10 more years. Will wants it sooner and would return if its sooner than 2016-2018!!!
Yes UGA has under delivered on the field since Hershel walked off into the USFL draft and that makes me sad. Our school makes more money of football than everyone else but Texas! Our in-state and nearby regions give us an unsurpassed talent pool to utilize. One day and I PRAY soon we will get a coach that kicks ass and takes names. One who stays ahead of the curve on both sides of the ball and like a Saban or Meyer keeps the kids in check “and believing in their process” When that day arrives in Athens Gator nation will not like a UGA that beats them 50-70% of the time and we will win NC titles again. All it takes is coaching and UGA been coach poor for most of its life. God Bless Dawg fans cause we are gonna need a few more large bottles of………(pick your poison) to last through this season with Fryer Richt at the helm.
hcjournals
September 27th, 2010
1:08 am
What happened? Not sure there really is talent there….Can’t see it on the field. What’s going on?
Freddie G
September 27th, 2010
1:11 am
Mark,
I am surprised that you and several on this blog are now saying that coaching is a problem in athens, and I am more surprised that so many are calling for CMR to be fired.I have been writing in this blog for several years that the players going to Georgia are not been coached up, and kept saying Willie and Bobo the coordinators should be replaced. When Willie was fired I felt Bobo would be given this year to prove he deserved to be retained as OC, and if no improvement he too would be fired at season end. I am not so concerned about the three losses this season, although losing to MissSate was terrible. There is a new DC in place installing a new scheme, and whether that will work is everyone’s guess, but he should be given the time to implement the new scheme. There is a quarterback who may be good, but is the coaching in place for him to realize his potential. CMR has allowed a complete breakdown of discipline in his program. The coaches became too close as friends with the players, Willie would do chest bump with the players after a good play, and Bobo this year got his face bloodied when he head bump with players prior to the Arkansas game, and CMR is diving off platform with the players. The players recruited are not matured enough for that type of relationship, they needed leadership, not friends, and when that was misunderstood by them, there was a complete breakdown of discipline, and so the arrests. CMR should not be fired now, he should be given the time to turn things around, by bringing in more qualified coaches on Offense, Improve recruiting and rely less on Recruiting services ratings, Ensure character is reviewed for all incoming recruits, and ensure all recruits are aware of the code of conduct from day one. Player conduct on and off the field must be a priority now not next season. Players making a big play and showboating should be removed from the field of play, and be told that any violation of the conduct policy will not be accepted. If the quality of play and conduct are not improved in two years then it may be time to seek a new coach.
UGA finlo
September 27th, 2010
1:47 am
Does CMR read this stuff that we post?? I don’t think so….just wondering.
UGA finlo
September 27th, 2010
1:55 am
DONT FIRE CMR!!! Who right now can replace him?…Smart??No… Muschamp??? Nah… There’s nobody out there that fits us like CMR!! I admit that he’s not considered an elite like the sabens and meyers and even miles…but he’s young as far as coaching…so let’s chill peeps..
mcdaviddawg
September 27th, 2010
2:42 am
Richt hasn’t coached for at least 5 years. He won’t even manage or Bobo would be gone. I get 8 season tickets and may well not renew if Richt is back. This is the first time in many years will not be in Jacksonville. Thank goodness I dicided it was no fun to go and leave at half time. FIRE RICHT NOW.
Jack Lambert dawg
September 27th, 2010
3:24 am
The man brought us two sec championships and has one of the best records of any coach in America. More importantly he is a man of character.. I love coach Richt and the last thing I will do is kick him when he is down. Coach Richt is a winner and to all you anti UGA bloggers I’m sure you do want to see him fired. If UGA is no threat to you why do you spend so much time on the UGA blogs.
My only question is does he still have the passion and desire to coach at uga.
My advise to coach Richt..read the poem “IF” by Rudyard Kipling.