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
Alabama Dog
September 27th, 2010
2:04 pm
Get rid of ALL the coaches-NOW! They need to cut their losses while there’s still time to salvage something from this season. It’s obvious the players are playing with no coaching anyway! So, what’s the difference? No heart, no desire, no pride. It’s supposed to mean something when they put on the red & black!
CDubb
September 27th, 2010
2:07 pm
I hope Richt can pull it together and get us some points on the board. If he doesn’t and gets the boot. I am thinking Skip Holtz would be a great guy to put in UGA, but I hope CMR puts it together
Jim 007
September 27th, 2010
2:22 pm
Richt has chosen for the 2010 Dawgs……
1. A Team to be Totally Out of Control
2. Questionable Coaching
3. Multiple standards / Team Rules
a. Ealey gets one game & Baker this week gets kicked off ? ?
4. Lack of Team Modivation
5. Multiple Questionable characters aka Thugs on this team
WOW, and he is Still Coach ? ?
JerryFromGA
September 27th, 2010
2:25 pm
Bobo should have been fired today, if Richt planned to salvage his job. It seems that has not happened, so if we lose to Colorado, Richt needs to be fired ASAP. They can get an interim coach and go after someone big in the off season. After the whole team going to jail and the undisciplined play on Saturday, some changes need to be made.
Watcher-in-the-Wood
September 27th, 2010
2:29 pm
As bad as I hate to say it, I believe Mark Richt SHOULD be in trouble. You NEVER see any meaningful adjustments at half-time, or even between games. You see totally uninspired play calling week after boring, frustrating, maddening week. Watch the sidelines during a game and you see coaches just standing around; it’s like a bunch of “deer in the headlights” people who have no plan whatever to deal with the normal flow of a game, let alone some unforeseen problems which almost always occur. Mark, WAKE UP!! I’d love to just see some enthusiasm anywhere in the coaching staff or among the players.
Derrick
September 27th, 2010
2:29 pm
Mark Richt needs to take offense away from Mike Bobo. Georgia won more games with him calling play.
Suprrier did it and he needs to before he is looking for a job.
Darrell
September 27th, 2010
3:01 pm
Keep Mark Richt. Fire Mark Bradley
drewinfb
September 27th, 2010
3:16 pm
He’s 40-13 the last 3 + years, two top ten finishes, which is still a higher winning percentage that Dooley. Also, it took Dooley 15 years to get a championship and longer for Bowden and Osborne. I think he deserves a year to fix the problem.
Dead Mike
September 27th, 2010
3:16 pm
Bring back Donnan!
Tom Brown
September 27th, 2010
3:21 pm
ICMIII- Dude or Dudette, Why are you so negative? Maybe you should quit writing in these blogs and go get a job at McDonalds. Obviously from your comments, especially “nice little church somewhere”, you have a lot to learn about the south. Go home Yank!
Entertained
September 27th, 2010
3:41 pm
LOL @ Michael Vick as coach since he trains dawgs. Either him or Bishop Eddie Long.
CNN SI
September 27th, 2010
3:43 pm
For all his other success, Richt is just 2-7 against Florida. His program has also suffered a noticeable decline since Meyer arrived in Gainesville. From 2001-05, Georgia went 30-10 in the SEC and won two league titles. Starting in ‘06 — the year Meyer won the first of two BCS titles — the Dawgs have slipped to 20-15.
It could be that Richt has fallen too far behind his divisional rival (not to mention Alabama and LSU) to recover. It could also become a classic case of be careful what you wish for, however, if McGarity runs him off. Georgia went 20 years without an SEC title before Richt’s arrival. It wants to be Florida — but it could just as easily become Tennessee.
Richt's plan
September 27th, 2010
3:44 pm
Has richt scheduled a presser yet to announce changes in the staff? The coordinators for the offense and defense should be fired on the spot for incompetence. Losing to a dreadful miss state team is embarrassing.
Against GA 400 Tolls
September 27th, 2010
3:45 pm
I am more embarrassed by the number of arrests than the number of losses.
Pray for Richt and his prison ministry!!!!!
Rob
September 27th, 2010
3:47 pm
Ga Fans are like Forest Gump! Stupid is as stupid does!!! Keep Richt so the rest of the country can continue to laugh at you after you elect Steal the Deal for Gov as well
Gator Fan
September 27th, 2010
3:48 pm
Was Mark Richt a member of Eddie Long’s church as a youth? What’s his deal?
Gator Fan
September 27th, 2010
3:49 pm
The whole country is laughing at UGA. Look at their former Vince Dooley who recommended Kansas State should have a football team. Dumb dumb dumb.
Gator Fan
September 27th, 2010
3:50 pm
UGA used to be a great rivalry game. Not so much anymore.
Maybe the cocktail party can be with SC or AL now. Teams with good traditions of winning.
Gator Fan
September 27th, 2010
3:51 pm
Georgia Atheletics in general are in dispair.
UGA, Tech, Braves, GSU…..all on the decline.
Tiger Tail
September 27th, 2010
3:53 pm
Keep Richt. That’s a guaranteed win on our schedule now. Who needs FCS teams when you can schedule Georgia?!?!?!
Thanks Athens for putting up with him.
Tiger Tail
September 27th, 2010
3:53 pm
You guys are bleeding more red and black than usual. LMAO
HEADLINE!!!
September 27th, 2010
3:54 pm
Just off the press…..Mark Richt, Eddie Long to join Nene on The Real Housewives of Atlanta.
Rob
September 27th, 2010
3:55 pm
visit the keeprichtforever website!!! GA = another win for all SEC teams
HEADLINE!!!
September 27th, 2010
3:55 pm
Dense Vooley declined comment.
Gator Fan
September 27th, 2010
3:56 pm
What can UGA say about Florida? Nothing. We’ve whipped that dog enough.
Rob
September 27th, 2010
3:57 pm
Isn’t the bulldog one of the most lazy animals out there?
Gator Fan
September 27th, 2010
3:57 pm
Dawgs suck big ones.
Gator Fan
September 27th, 2010
3:58 pm
Bulldogs…when you look at it, you can’t tell if you are looking at its face or its butt.
Rob
September 27th, 2010
3:59 pm
If my first commet is right, wouldn’t a Georgia Bulldog be the most sorry animal on the planet.
Razorback
September 27th, 2010
3:59 pm
….just like their fat, ugly, Nascar-lovin’ fans.
Rob
September 27th, 2010
3:59 pm
In the mood to hump a dog.
Rob
September 27th, 2010
4:00 pm
GA change your mascot when you change your coach!!!
Jim
September 27th, 2010
4:01 pm
Nothing like humping it while it is down. No Boastful UGA fans to be found today. They are busy selling their remaining season tickets on ebay. Perhaps AJ Green can help them with that.
Chris in Roswell
September 27th, 2010
4:02 pm
I love it Jim. Maybe AJ Green does have a future after all.
Rob
September 27th, 2010
4:02 pm
Are they paying someone to take their tickets?
Chris in Roswell
September 27th, 2010
4:02 pm
UGA at Colorado. Now that’s one big keg party.
2 party schools….good for nothing else.
Chris in Roswell
September 27th, 2010
4:03 pm
Paying Tech fans to take their seats since Tech fans actually have jobs and incomes.
D.Dawg
September 27th, 2010
4:03 pm
Has it ever occured to you “Bulldog Nation” folks that your program just isn’t all that special. Think about it, NO national titles 30 years, very questionable non conference opponents, under achieving players, etc. How about scheduling the likes of Ohio State, Texas and the REAL USC? You know, the one with the 20-10 & 3 record against SEC teams. Personally, I like Coach Richt,it’s the school and football I really don’t care much for.
Rob
September 27th, 2010
4:04 pm
Tenn to GA fans: We love you, our program needs a good scrimage!!
Michael Vick
September 27th, 2010
4:04 pm
Is coaching at UGA considered community service with animals?
Rob
September 27th, 2010
4:06 pm
A bulldog is not a real dog, Mike Vick would rather play with cats!!!!
Carlton
September 27th, 2010
4:07 pm
No, but I think there is a black pastor in the area who would love to coach a nice young man like you.
Carlton
September 27th, 2010
4:07 pm
I wonder if Richt is coaching them Eddie Long style?
Vols in 2010
September 27th, 2010
4:08 pm
Gross. But yeah, probably. Why else would he not take a better job?
Rob
September 27th, 2010
4:08 pm
I thing the bishop perfers nice young soft boys like most of the GA football team!!!
NEW CARS
September 27th, 2010
4:10 pm
My biggest concern is that Richt has that deer in the headlights look as if he’s overwhelmed and doesn’t know how to fix the problem. Where to start, probably first he needs to look at the film and have a team meeting and find out who really wants to be part of the answer and get the others out of the way. Then he needs to take over play-calling on offense and open the offense up a little more and give Murray a little run. Then explain to Grantham that we play defense in the SEC and get to it.
collegeballfan
September 27th, 2010
4:11 pm
As I write at 4:10 pm there are 1,392 comments.
That says more than any words about this subject.
Rob
September 27th, 2010
4:11 pm
New Cars,
How bout a NEW COACH!!!!
Rob
September 27th, 2010
4:12 pm
How about a NEW COACH!!!
Vols in 2010
September 27th, 2010
4:15 pm