What’s wrong with UGA? Sad to say, it starts with Mark Richt
"The meeting of the Mark Richt Fan Club is called to order." (AJC photo by Brant Sanderlin)
Mark Richt’s teams use to have all the answers. Whether it was P-44-Haynes in Knoxville or 70-X-Takeoff in Auburn, his Georgia Bulldogs would win the sort of breathless games that stamped Richt as college football’s next great coach. But it has been a decade, and Richt hasn’t taken Georgia to the pinnacle — got close a couple of times — and nobody sees him that way anymore.
If you’re looking for what has gone wrong with this program, there it is: Mark Richt never quite finished the drill. Georgia was No. 3 in the final polls after the 2002 season and No. 2 according to the Associated Press after 2007 and No. 1 according to everybody in preseason 2008, but the Bulldogs could never do as Florida and LSU and Alabama did — they couldn’t get to the BCS title game and win.
And now they’re 1-4 and Richt isn’t the sleek young man just in from Tallahassee; he’s a 50-year-old who has been on the job a decade and who seems at a loss to arrest the slide. This isn’t to say he’s a bad man or even a bad coach, but it is to say that in college football the blame must always fall upward: There’s a reason head coaches are multimillionaires.
It’s convenient to say that Georgia in Year 10 under Richt resembles Florida State near the end of his mentor Bobby Bowden’s reign. Convenient, and also true. Attention to detail has slipped. Players appear to be coaching themselves. Players also seem incapable of conforming to team rules and community laws.
A college coach can override almost any embarrassment so long as he wins 10 games as a matter of course, but Richt’s team is but 9-9 over the past season and a quarter. And you simply cannot play .500 ball and have 10 players arrested in one offseason.
The belief here is that Richt will not be fired this season or in its aftermath. The belief here is also that Richt stands before us a damaged coach. There was no reason for Georgia to lose to Mississippi State or Colorado, no reason other than that these Bulldogs no longer expect to win. They’ve seen themselves caught and passed in the SEC. They’ve seen their gimmicks — the blackout against Alabama in 2008, the black helmets in Jacksonville last season — fall flat. They’ve seen teams with lesser talent being coached up.
There was a time when we would have expected Richt to solve any problem, but that time is gone. The slide of 2006 — four losses in five games — was halted by three rousing victories at season’s end, but come 2009 the Bulldogs were back in the same place, needing to beat Georgia Tech and win a bowl to salvage a season.
This winter Richt steeled himself and fired three-quarters of his defensive staff, but nothing much has changed. Tackles are still being missed. Coverages are still being blown. The whole operation comes off as disjointed, distracted, dysfunctional. It’s as if the Georgia Bulldogs awoke one morning and found themselves reinvented as the Kentucky Wildcats. (Who, not incidentally, beat UGA in Sanford Stadium last season for the first time since 1977.)
The effect has been stunning. How long since we’ve seen the Bulldogs so inept? (Even Ray Goff’s otherwise lousy 1990 team managed to beat Alabama.) It would be one thing if Georgia wasn’t good enough to compete, but nobody can seriously believe that a roster including A.J. Green, Justin Houston, Branden Smith, Aaron Murray, Orson Charles and Washaun Ealey is without talent. Ask Mississippi State’s Dan Mullen if he’d trade rosters with Richt. Heck, ask Paul Johnson.
Rule of thumb: If it’s not the playing, it must be the coaching. What worked for Richt for five years and two SEC titles has stopped working. (He lost 13 games those first five seasons; he has lost 18 in the four-plus seasons since.) This team of 10 returning offensive starters and the new 3-4 defense hasn’t won a game in a calendar month.
The optimum course would be for the man making the millions — that’d be Richt — to seize the wheel and steer this program back to excellence. But if he could, wouldn’t he have done it by now? It’s the age-old question: What do you do when you’ve run out of ideas?
(Take the guys swimming? Nope. Tried that already.)
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894 comments Add your comment
GIVE ME A BREAK
October 4th, 2010
11:52 am
Mark Richt’s mother has been busy blogging this morning. Good article Mr. Bradley, dead on.
Jimmy John
October 4th, 2010
11:52 am
Mark Richt sucks and he needs to be fired! Would he still have a job if he coached at Alabama, Florida, or LSU? No he wouldn’t – that is why those schools have marque programs and why Florida OWNS UGA.
3 SEC coaches have won National Championships during Richt’s tenure at Georgia. Enough is enough – let’s go get ourselves a decent coach!
MaconKnight
October 4th, 2010
11:53 am
I don’t think firing CMR is the answer.. of course the head coach should get all of the blame if the team isn’t performing, I do believe that he has made some bad decision i.e. promoting mike bobo to OC, staying with willie too long as DC, if you look at CMR’s first staff at UGA there is no way you replace a VanGorder or current UAB COACH Neil Callaway with the likes of willie and bobo… those two decision have cost him… Do I think there were unrealistic expectations this year of course I do… anyone who know football, knows that a new defensive scheme can’t be taught in a spring or fall camp… just look at saban’s 2007 team.. All i’m saying is that CMR has earned the right to correct this mess he made.. he just needs a new offensive coordnatior… CTG is going to be very good, just needs a big run stuffer ala mt. cody like ALA.. FANS DON’T FORGET SABAN’S FIRST YEAR IT WASN’T UNTIL THEY SIGNED TERRANCE CODY THAT ALA D. BECAME GOOD PLUS SABAN WAS ABLE TO RECRUIT THE PLAYERS TO FIT THE 3-4 SCHEME … GIVE HIM TIME GUYS MY QUESTION TO YOU WHO DO YOU WANT AS YOUR COACH IF NOT CMR… PETERSON.. COME ON THEY PLAY IN WAC, SERIOUS THE WAC, THE REAL QUESTION IS WOULD HE ABLE TO PRODUCE THE SAME RESULTS IN SEC…
UGABugKiller
October 4th, 2010
11:53 am
Mark,
I seriously hope “your thinking” is wrong on this one.
I hope McGarrity has the cajones to do what needs to be done. Because if they give Richt another year, it just postpones the inevitable.
When BVG left (because Adams refused to pay him what a Broyles Award Winner was worth), Richt promoted a man to the position of defensive coordinator who was an abject FAILURE as a defensive coordinator at two other schools.
With that horrendous decision of putting his friendship with Soft Willie Martinez over the best interests of the program, Richt signed his own death certificate as head coach of Georgia.
Since BVG left, the program has fallen apart. You can say Saban coming back and Meyer coming in has helped, and it has.
But Saban and Meyer’s teams doing well has nothing to do with the complete embarrassment this program has been in the last 5 years on AND off the field.
Not ready to play. Not able to adapt. Blowouts. Making horrible QBs like Jon Crompton look like Peyton Manning. The missed tackles. The boneheaded penalties. The undisciplined nature of the sideline. THE ARRESTS.
IT NEEDS TO END. Mark Richt MUST be fired. And it’d be better to do it soon. The sooner it’s done, the sooner we can find a new head coach (Peterson, Smart, Whittingham, Muschamp).
If McGarrity doesn’t do what’s right by this program, he will lose a chance at getting the best candidate.
It’ll be Tennessee all over again. They hung onto Fulmer two years too long. Look how that’s treated them. They hung on too long, then fired him without a plan, panicked, and hired Lane Kiffin.
Firing Mark Richt needs to happen THIS year. It needs to happen soon. And to be in the best position to land a new coach, Georgia needs to be the first to fire their coach. It’s as simple as that.
WInderDogg
October 4th, 2010
11:53 am
Vince Dooley had Herschel…..we have no Herschel and they are not going to UGA with Bama and Florida in our conference….if we did, we would redshirt him or bench him because he could not pass block…
Bambino
October 4th, 2010
11:53 am
2010:
The Curse of the Red Panties Begins for UGA
mdawg
October 4th, 2010
11:53 am
To give Richt another year is to doom this program for another five. Fire him now. Hire somebody BIG, and maybe, just maybe we can be back in the mix in three years. Richt peeked two years ago. Nowhere to go but down from here. Sure Richt has done some pretty good things for our program, but I’m agraid his legacy will be marred by the shambles he let our program erode to.
K-Baby
October 4th, 2010
11:54 am
A line in the movie “Remember the Titans” comes to mind. In the championship game, coach Boone tells his defensive coordinator: “If they score on us again, I’m taking over”.
That is precisely what CMR must do. He has taken this “CEO” mindset too far and must take over some of the day to day operations and coaching that are failing for the last several years. He must become actively engaged again. He just seems way too detached from the details of the football program. Just listen to his post game comments and his radio call-in show.
The CEO approach works only if you have highly competent assistant coaches, which has been shown not to be the case here. However, CMR seems to have failed in the most important of CEO responsibilities – to set the direction of the program and make tough decisions to make sure it stays going in that right direction.
I am not a head football coach and I don’t even play one on TV. But here are some suggestions for improvement:
1. Take over the offensive game planning and play calling. Bobo is a good quarterback coach, but not a good offensive coordinator
2. Set some tough and consistent team policies regarding stupid mistakes and penalties during the games. Sit guys on the bench that keep making boneheaded plays.
3. Greatly toughen penalties for off field arrests and misconduct. If Green was suspended four games for selling a jersey, the Ealey should have been suspended for a minimum of six for his stupid “hit and run”. Take on the mantra that no player is indispensable to the program.
4. Run tough practices and quit worrying about injuries. If they happen – that is just the breaks. As I said on another blog last night….Vince Dooley had “bloody Tuesdays” every week of the season to make sure the kids played tough, hard-nosed football.
5. Evaluate the strength and conditioning program and make changes where necessary.
Mark Richt – try the above suggestions for starters. It might just turn things around.
suwanee joe
October 4th, 2010
11:54 am
First. Bradley is a writer. He has no knowledge of day to day football operations or coaching
Second-You think companies have a better year every year? Even IBM has a bad year and then they adjust, make changes and come back better.
Third- The OL and RB aren’t who we thought they were. They have been over hyped and Green’s selfish behavior cost the offense.
Fourth- The boys need to stop acting like fools on campus
Last- Anyone who thinks Richt should be replaced should remember long and hard about Ray Goff and all the disaster coaching changes in the SEC over the last decade. Change for changes sake is stupid.
Jeffro Bodeen
October 4th, 2010
11:55 am
Bobo gotta go-go…..Got the job by default…now I say it’s his fault. One man cannot become his own brand of offensive guru when he’s trying to accomplish it according to someone else’s standards and philosophies. Bobo cannot grow as long as he is trying to do it by Richt’s beliefs. Let’s see who all will get raises this year in the off season!!
Bambino
October 4th, 2010
11:56 am
2010:
THE CURSE OF DAMON EVANS Begins for UGA
Beware the pitfalls of unqualified, undisciplined Affirmative-Action hires.
Lilburn Dawg
October 4th, 2010
11:56 am
Richt seems to be in fog even when he’s being interviewed. He doesn’t even seem to have his mind on football these days. His answers to media questions are awfully telling and revealing. Don’t know what’s wrong with him. He’s just not focused on this football team and doesn’t seem to care. We need someone who does care but nobody seems to know who that is.
Munson's Toupee
October 4th, 2010
11:56 am
What Would Damon Do?
bevanscds
October 4th, 2010
11:56 am
Vince Dooley had Herschel in 1980. His teams were terrible during the 70’s…he turned it around and is a legend…Mark Richt pledged his life and future to the University in 2001. The only people bailing here are the fans.
bruce mac
October 4th, 2010
11:57 am
To all the fans writing letters of support from Jeff Foxworthy: “Here’s your sign”
BC
October 4th, 2010
11:57 am
I think they need to try another blackout for the Tennessee game. Or maybe he can high dive off the platform again before the game. Or maybe they can all celebrate in the end zone after their first TD in the Tennessee game. Those seemed to work before.
Bambino
October 4th, 2010
11:57 am
2010:
“THE CURSE OF COURTNEY’S UNDERWEAR” Begins for UGA
Beware of Drunken Trollops Who Don’t Know When to Shut Up and Listen to a Law Enforcement Officer.
Sug
October 4th, 2010
11:58 am
I’m with Mark Bradley.
Richt needs to finish #1 every season, #2 isn’t good enough.
Finish #1 or be raked over the coals by the media.
#1 or bust.
Master of Analysis
October 4th, 2010
11:58 am
Mark, I follow your articles with great appreciation, ordinarily. It’s hard to agree with you on this one, though. Why do the Richt-haters start howling at one bad season? A bad season now and then happens to the best of them.
Tweets that mention What's wrong with UGA? It all starts with the head coach | Mark Bradley -- Topsy.com
October 4th, 2010
11:58 am
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Mark Bradley, Bham News Sports, Jason Puckett, Andrew DeMillo, Jessica Smith and others. Jessica Smith said: @kpspur Another take on Mark Richt- one you probably don't want to hear, but def. worth the read. http://bit.ly/9fPotZ via @MarkBradleyAJC [...]
Michael Scharff
October 4th, 2010
11:58 am
I am very concerned about the direction of this program. I have met Coach Richt on numerous occassions during his annual tours to Bulldog Clubs each year, and I know he is a fine person and a good man. That being said, I fear he has, at least for now, lost control of this team. It may be too late to get it back this year. I think that Dr. McGarity will probably give Coach Richt the rest of this year and one more year to turn things around. But, if we don’t go at least 9-3 in 2011, we will more than likely be searching for a new head football coach in January 2012.
Ray
October 4th, 2010
11:59 am
Send your letters of support for CMR here
William G Mcgarity
Title:Athletic Director
Dept.:Athletic
Phone:706-542-9037
Email:gmcgarity@sports.uga.edu
Address:
0409 Butts-Mehre
1 Selig Circle
Athens GA 30602
Bambino
October 4th, 2010
12:00 pm
2010
“THE CURSE OF THE PHIL FULMER CUP” Begins for UGA
Beware of Drunken, Law-Breaking Thugs Who You Kick Off the Team but Who Also Happen to Practice VooDoo and Curses.
Bishop Eddie Schlong
October 4th, 2010
12:03 pm
Isn’t the 25th Anniversary of the Jan Kemp lawsuit against the UGA Athletic Department?
Where do you think that sports-hating, atheist English professor is spending eternity right now?
Anybody from UGA know how to keep stuff ON THE DOWN LOW anymore?
Cofan
October 4th, 2010
12:03 pm
I was in Co….talk to alot of parents…they hate Richt and most of the players do as well except the ones that he show favor to..
one mom can be on the field with her camera and only take pictures of her son and his friends…a dad that can walk on the sideline..Richt can go
Wayt
October 4th, 2010
12:03 pm
Enter your comments here
jaxf
October 4th, 2010
12:04 pm
Hey Sug, were you listing convictions?? Just to finish your list.
2009 11
2010 4 (sitll counting)
Snake Doc
October 4th, 2010
12:05 pm
@bevanscds – define terrible for us!
1971 Georgia 11-1 5-1 T2 W Gator Bowl 8 7
1972 Georgia 7-4 4-3 5 NR NR
1973 Georgia 7-4-1 3-4 T5 W Peach Bowl NR NR
1974 Georgia 6-6 4-2 T2 L Tangerine Bowl NR NR
1975 Georgia 9-3 5-1 T2 L Cotton Bowl Classic 19 19
1976 Georgia 10-2 5-1 1 L Sugar Bowl 10 10
1977 Georgia 5-6 2-4 T6 NR NR
1978 Georgia 9-2-1 5-0-1 2 L Bluebonnet Bowl 15 16
1979 Georgia 6-5 5-1 2 NR NR
1980 Georgia 12-0 6-0 1 W Sugar Bowl 1 1
1981 Georgia 10-2 6-0 T1 L Sugar Bowl 5 6
1982 Georgia 11-1 6-0 1 L Sugar Bowl 4 4
1983 Georgia 10-1-1
Thats terrible?
Moron!
Jimmy John
October 4th, 2010
12:06 pm
Anyone who thinks cmr is doing a good job is a fool! Richt will NEVER be the caliber coach Georgia deserves! We need a coach that can compete with Saban and Meyer – Richt can’t. Why are Georgia fans so satisfied with mediocrity? WHY? Mark Richt is a nice man, Christian, etc… – who cares? He hasn’t gotten the job done! He has had 10 years and the program is in OBVIOUS decline! How can Georgia fans be so forgiving? The man hasn’t done his job, he is incapable of competing with the top schools, he does less with more talent each and every year.
Please write the AD and ask him to fire Richt!
Johnny Dawg
October 4th, 2010
12:06 pm
Hire Will Muschamp, UGA has the money, bring the boy home.
BufordKing
October 4th, 2010
12:06 pm
Not to make any excuses as to why UGA is not simply reloading each year – but these things do run in cycles.
I can understand the defense struggling under a new system – heck – Bama lost six games and gave up many a big play in Saban’s first year.
However, I do not understand the lack of offense and planning.
Murray was supposed to be the only concern.
I do not know the answers – but I do know that in 2008 – we still won 10 games.
Last year we won 8 games after Stafford and Moreno left early – and it was supposed to be a transition year.
This year was also a transition year – with new defense and QB – but lord knows we were not to be 1-4 at his point in the season – and being passed by Mississippi State ……. and Colorado.
In reality – we suck!
In reality – 10 arrests and 1 -4 says it all.
In reality – we need to let Richt figure this thing out this year and give him next year to get it back on track.
A lot of transition the last two years – let’s see what happens in 2011.
If 2011 is more of the same – we will need new leadership to jump start the program. Richt would be better off as well – getting his coaching career back on track with a different school – where he would be embraced as he has been embraced here.
Firing Mark Richt would be like shooting Old Yeller! But if 2011 is more of the same – find the shotgun!.
banders1
October 4th, 2010
12:07 pm
Here’s how CMR’s teams have ranked nationally in scoring defense and offense:
Year Dawgs record * scoring defense * scoring offense rank
2001 8-4 * 7 * 45
2002 13-1 * 4 * 22
2003 11-3 * 3 * 64
2004 10-2 * 8 * 45
2005 10-3 * 8 * 42
2006 9-4 * 20 * 53
2007 11-2 * 18 * 34
2008 10-3 * 59 * 33
2009 8-5 * 64 * 51
CMR has won DESPITE his offense, not because of it.
joe
October 4th, 2010
12:07 pm
How would 0-6 in the SEC look going into the FL game. Quite possible.
Will
October 4th, 2010
12:07 pm
I hear ya, Mark, but what is the solution? Plenty have identified Richt as the problem, but what do we do now? Like you said, Richt isn’t going to be gone after this season. So Bobo? Searles? Just curious your thoughts
Blue Flame
October 4th, 2010
12:07 pm
I have said it for years. Jim Donnan had the program going in the right direction. But Mark Richt looked better on TV, and dog fans fell in love with him.
Richt took what Donnan left him and rode the wave as far as he could. This includes easy recruitment after initial success, thus explaining his record in ensuing years.
Now that the whole program has Richt’s stamp on it, well, you see the results.
He only planned to be at UGA until Bobby Bowden retired and handed him the Florida State job. His plan would have worked perfectly if Bowden had retired a few years sooner.
kevin
October 4th, 2010
12:08 pm
When Richt handed the play-calling duties over to Bobo a few years back, he was quoted as saying how much less stressed and freed up to more broadly handle the team. Guess what, Richt was hired precisely b/c of his talent as an OC and since relinquishing the play calling, the team has gotten worse. And, it’s worth noting his effectiveness as a head coach without OC duties, has been zilch. It’s simple, Richt needs to go. Not sure if he’d leave the Falcons, but I vote for Brian Van Gorder as the new UGA coach.
GW
October 4th, 2010
12:08 pm
Barry Switzer once said he forgot to put up a sign in the Oklahoma athletic dorm, “No Raping Allowed.” Richt needs to put up a sign, “No Fumbling or Raping Allowed.” AJC is rejoicing in this. Bradley wrote after opening Clemson win in 2003 that Richt was greatest ever but losing has changed his mind. The fans and media are doing a lot of mind reading through all of this. Do you expect Richt to say, “I’m totally distracted right now.” Of course he’s in a fog, 1 and 4 will do it.
Smitty
October 4th, 2010
12:08 pm
Hey Bradley,
Wanna list how many times you’ve finished #1 or even in the top 10 in the journalism awards, just sow e cxan compare you with Richt among colleagues?
PTC DAWG
October 4th, 2010
12:09 pm
Lots of internet coaches for sure.
I’ll say this, 1-4 is touch to take.
Wayt
October 4th, 2010
12:09 pm
Tech grad/fan here (with UGA law degree). Methinks Mark Richt is a great man and a plenty good coach. UGA fans need to adjust expectations – programs rise and fall and rise again, and Georgia and Richt will rise again. Think it through – who would you replace him with, and would that person take the job?
Todd
October 4th, 2010
12:09 pm
Absolutely no reason Richt can’t have GA 4-4 going in to the Florida game.
Problem is they’ll most likely get spanked by Florida and thats when the natives get really
restless!
Who doesn’t like what Richt stands for, but it boils down to this.
I’m from Jax, FL, grad of UGA and a letterman.
Still like the way Richt goes about his business overall, but haven’t been content with him all the way back to not even being able to one up Ron Zook.
Think about that, he also needed help to get to Atlanta the 3 times or whatever. He’s never one the SEC East outright yet!
How can you not accomplish that at UGA. Allbarn and So. Carolina have 20-30 Georgians on thier rosters!
Mark Richt is just soft overall sorry to say. Perfect in the narthax after Church, as a head coach it just is not going to happen. Been rooting for the nice guys can finish first, it just aint going to happen for him
shift of dominance
October 4th, 2010
12:09 pm
I said it once and I’ll say it again. Jackets have a real coach who holds his players accountable while Richt doesnt. There is a shift of dominance in Georgia football. See you in November puppies.
Sugarbaby
October 4th, 2010
12:10 pm
If Mark Richt is the greatest coach in UGA’s history, then what was Vince Dooley?
As a head coach, Dooley was a PR maestro. A head coach has to work the PR side of the game, particularly in tough times. He has to keep the players motivated and confident, and the alumni from coming after his head. My only criticism of Richt is that he has gone on TV during the last two weeks and sounds very glum, very gloomy, with this flat, uninspired demeanor. Are their players and fans supposed to rally around someone who sounds either depressed or uninterested?
dawgfaceboy
October 4th, 2010
12:10 pm
It’s not a matter of where they finish, it’s a matter of failing to meet expectations. The expectation is that we compete for the SEC East every year. With our facilities and recruit classes we are bringing in that should not be an unrealistic expectation. He’s 2-7 against Florida (including Zook) and 2-4 in his last 6 against UT. That’s not exactly competing for the East every year.
Give me whatever stats for coaches over a 10 year period and give you some counter stats.
10-12 in the East since 05
8-8 in his last 16 home games
9-9 over his last 18 games
3-8 against the SEC
THAT SUCKS!!!!!!!! THAT IS TERRIBLE ACTUALLY!!! WHO GIVES A %&$* IF WE GO 11-3 IF THE 3 GAMES WE LOSE ARE TO S.C. UT AND FLORIDA?!?!?!?
Rocky
October 4th, 2010
12:10 pm
The worst coached and the most confused team is the SEC!!!!!!! Where are all of the great Players we sign in the last 4 years,,,,,,,Embarrassing.
Smitty
October 4th, 2010
12:10 pm
Bradley,
Heck, I’ll even let you narrow it down to major newspapers, how many #1 finishes or top 10 finishes have you had since 2002 in the APSE?
bevanscds
October 4th, 2010
12:11 pm
Look at all of those 4,5,6 loss seasons. I am using the exact same logic you are for say that Mark Richt is terrible. And yes, thank you so much for personally insulting me. I really appreciate you doing that for me sharing my opinion.
PTC DAWG
October 4th, 2010
12:11 pm
1-4 is also TOUGH to take.
Snake Doc
October 4th, 2010
12:12 pm
int the 70’s and 80 UGA owned Florida.
Now UGA can’t beat FL on its worst day!
MR record against FL 2 – 7!
Greatest coach of all time? You people need to put down the crack pipe!
Mike
October 4th, 2010
12:12 pm
Georgia’s biggest problem right now is offense. This is 3 years in a row that the offense looked ill prepared coming into the season. Add to that, Mike Bobo’s stubborn tendencies to ignore what is working in the game and fall back to “power running” which hasnt worked all year. Every time Bobo starts trying to live by the run, UGA goes 3 and out, or in the case of the Colorado game, fumbles and loses a ball game. It took Bobo an entire quarter to realize A. J. Green was back on the field. That last drive? He didn’t throw to A. J. once, nor did he continue to use the short passing game that got them down the field in the first place. King had a good run, Bobo got happy about it, and went right back into his play-action shell. The same thing happened at the end of the Arkansas game.
This team is not playing well enough to live off play action. They have to pass to set up the run. That is how they have been successful. Screens, short slants, dump offs to TE or RB, an occasional shot down field…these are the plays that have moved the ball for UGA. The occassional run to keep the D honest has worked as a result, but Bobo will see that as an excuse to go back to the same play action game plan that doesnt work.
I think the defense is headed in the right direction. They are not to blame right now. A defense that was so terrible the last 2 years, is learning a new scheme while essentially being asked to win the game. They have kept the team in the ball game while Bobo’s offense decides whether or not they want to do anything.
Richt is going to take the heat. He is a first-time head coach who made the mistake of handing over OC and DC jobs to young, first-time coordinators. Bobo is a great QB coach, but in over his head as an OC. I believe Richt fixed half the problem with Grantham. Now he needs replace Bobo with an experienced OC.