Alas, Georgia’s coaching is no longer championship-caliber
It was another hair-raising loss for UGA and Mark Richt. (AJC photo by Brant Sanderlin)
On Oct. 27, 2007, Knowshon Moreno scored to give Georgia a 7-0 lead against Florida, prompting the Bulldogs’ semi-planned and twice-penalized on-field celebration. What you knew: Georgia won that day 42-30, marking the only time Mark Richt’s team has beaten Urban Meyer’s.
What you didn’t know: The day of the Gator Stomp marked the first and last time — in six tries, mind you — a Richt team has taken a lead on Meyer’s.
As disheartening as Richt being 1-5 against Meyer is, the repeated failure to nose ahead even 3-0 is more alarming. It’s a direct reflection of coaching, or the lack thereof. Rule 1 in the Coaching Manual: Get your team ready to play. Sad to say, the Bulldogs under Richt are rarely ready.
Say what you will about Meyer, but the man can coach. His work against Ohio State in Glendale, Ariz., in January 2007 was the greatest coaching performance the BCS title game has ever seen, and his work against Georgia on Saturday was no less inspired. In Jacksonville he took the demonstrably lesser team — anybody see an A.J. Green or a Justin Houston or even an Aaron Murray or an Orson Charles among Gators? — and wrung 450 yards and 34 points from it. Meyer tried everything. Richt’s team tried running the ball on second-and-10 in overtime.
The best you can say about Richt’s coaching is that his players didn’t quit when they fell behind. That’s surely because they’ve had so much practice: Georgia hasn’t led in any of its four SEC losses. South Carolina and Arkansas took the ball first and drove to touchdowns. Georgia took the ball against Mississippi State and went three-and0ut; on Saturday Murray threw an interception on the first snap.
We once considered Richt a splendid gameday coach, but that time is gone. Georgia was 52-13 in Richt’s first five season, reaching the SEC title game three times and winning it twice. It’s 42-19 since. Not coincidentally, Richt’s decline dovetails with Meyer’s rise. (Although it must be noted that Richt has a losing record against three Florida coaches: He was 0-1 against Steve Spurrier, 1-2 against Ron Zook.)
There’s still great talent at Georgia — the old Spurrier knock on Ray Goff now attaches itself to this coach: “Georgia gets all these players; I don’t know what happens to them” — but the coaching has fallen below SEC standards. If we’re looking for the sea-change game, we need underscore Sept. 27, 2008, the night Nick Saban and Alabama came to Athens and not only jumped ahead but led by 31 points after 30 minutes.
Back to Saturday: The Bulldogs got the ball to start overtime, which means the worst they should have done was gain no yards and let Blair Walsh try a 42-yard field goal to put them ahead. Instead Murray threw the ball into stacked coverage and saw the Gators nearly end the game without having to play offense. Murray has had a terrific freshman season and had a fabulous second half, but in the season’s biggest moment he made the one play a quarterback cannot make.
That’s what Georgia under Richt has come to do: It makes the one play to lose a game, as opposed to David Greene throwing to Verron Haynes in Knoxville or to Michael Johnson in Auburn. (Or even Matthew Stafford throwing to Mikey Henderson in Tuscaloosa.) Georgia under Richt has become the toothless tiger — the team everyone respects but nobody fears.
Richt’s 10-year body of work stands as a mighty argument for administrative patience. More current events suggest the Richt of 2010 isn’t the Richt of yesteryear. It took four full seasons under this coach and defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder for Georgia to lose 10 games. The Bulldogs lost five times last year, changed defensive coordinators and have already lost five times this.
And now Richt’s gifted Bulldogs have fallen to the worst Florida team Meyer has fielded. In a year where the SEC East was ripe for a young team to rise up and march to the Georgia Dome, that team will not be Mark Richt’s. He’s no longer a championship coach. Dating back to Nov. 29, 2008, his Bulldogs are 13-11, which means he’s barely even a winning coach.
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1,352 comments Add your comment
JB
October 31st, 2010
5:01 pm
We’re all fickle. I read the Florida blogs after their 3 loses, and they wanted Meyer to retire again, and they are not sold on that staff…….They have a roster full of 5 star players though.
Delbert D.
October 31st, 2010
5:01 pm
Here is who I think will be key losses:
WR – Green*, Durham
OL – Boling, C. Davis, J. Davis
FB – Chapas, Munzenmaeir
DE – Dobbs, Tripp
OLB – Gamble, Houston*
ILB – Dent
CB – Cuff
*project NFL picks
Scooter
October 31st, 2010
5:01 pm
JB, I’m honestly not sure how anyone can think this team will win more than 5 or 6 meaningful games next year WITH Richt..personally I’d rather take the hit now and have a chance to win big in a couple of years with new blood…rather than dragging out the mediocrity for a couple more years and THEN make a change.
StingerSplash
October 31st, 2010
5:02 pm
There’s a noon Mass? Now you tell me. Hope the good man with the collar knows to get communion over by 12:40 so everybody can make it home for kickoff.
JB
October 31st, 2010
5:03 pm
Chris Peterson is NOT coming to the SEC. Forget him……He’s been appraoched. He’s not interested…..Why not feast on 10 gimmes a year…….
JSS
October 31st, 2010
5:04 pm
@ Jayson…
UCLA were realistic about what they were facing back in the first 20 years of the Wooden era. They San Francisco, Seattle, and incredible Cal teams to compete against. Only the conference champion went to the NCAA back them under the old setup. UCLA made countless regional finals, they were beaten by better teams.
Too be fair to Bryant, he was handcuffed in 69 and 70 by the segregation wing of Bama fandom. He was really far sighted in bringing Southern Cal to Legion Field and giving his fan base a reality check and then taking them to LA to open the next year… Could you imagine Dooley showing that kind of a backbone?
JSS
October 31st, 2010
5:05 pm
REPOST
@ Jayson…
UCLA were realistic about what they were facing back in the first 20 years of the Wooden era. They had San Francisco, Seattle, and incredible Cal teams to compete against. Only the conference champion went to the NCAA back then under the old setup. UCLA made countless regional finals, they were beaten by better teams.
Too be fair to Bryant, he was handcuffed in 69 and 70 by the segregation wing of Bama fandom. He was really far sighted in bringing Southern Cal to Legion Field and giving his fan base a reality check and then taking them to LA to open the next year… Could you imagine Dooley showing that kind of a backbone?
JB
October 31st, 2010
5:06 pm
Me to Scooter, but we don’t call that shot. Dr. Adams and McGarity do………..Those two alone. Now, money talks, and this off season could get interesting, but coach’s are fired usually THE DAY after the last game to keep recruiting from being a mess……But us not going to a Bowl is telling. Is Idaho St. Div. 1?
Falcon 34
October 31st, 2010
5:06 pm
If you think this program is a few plays, a few players, or a different schedule away from being dominant again you are delusional. Granted, I’ll concede that Richt probably will get another year, but to think one good season (2007) in five is good and we’re just “rebuilding” than you’re in fantasy land. You’re not rebuilding when you return 10 of 11 starters. R.Fresh QB…yada-yada, Alabama went 13-0 and won a national championship with a redshirt freshman just last year. Loyalists just have the decency to admit that you accept mediocrity. Some fans and schools don’t (Florida, Alabama, Auburn, and yes Tennessee). The idea to change at Tennessee wasn’t bad and their plan was working out just fine, it was just who they hired who ended up screwing him. Can’t really explain the Dooley hire though.
Dirty Jacket
October 31st, 2010
5:07 pm
Georgia fans are honestly dumber than I thought. I was on your side, idiots. I was not taking shots at Georgia, tards. But maybe I should. Who thought Nesbitt was Heisman worthy? Honestly, no one, including Nesbitt and Paul Johnson. It was fun and for a good laugh, oh well. Yes, Kansas beat Georgia Tech this year. Horrible loss. Tech came out flat and got beat by a horrendous team. It happens. UGA lost to Vandy at home 4 years back as I recall, UGA lost at home to Kentucky just last year. AND—-Georgia lost to COLORADO this year…just as crappy a team as Kansas. So, get off of your high horse. Your crappy team is 4-5 in a weak, weak division in a not as powerful as you would like to believe SEC.
And for the record, UGA fanboys: It is sometimes spelled Your, sometimes You’re, but never “Yore”. Idiots. Commence with your stupidity. I feel bad for the people that actually went to UGA and come on here and see the uneducated idiots that are representing their university. I refuse to believe that anyone with a college education, aside from those from Virginia Tech, would actually be this retarded.
Jayson
October 31st, 2010
5:07 pm
Wonder why Urban Meyer keeps scheduling his bye week for Georgia, and not Saban or Spurrier or Miles if Richt isn’t a Championship calibre coach? Meyer doesn’t agree with Bradley either.
Dawg_Mike
October 31st, 2010
5:07 pm
Sadly, Mark is right.
If you flip flopped the offensive players on each team, Meyer would still win. I do not like the Man, but he can coach.
He would have Branden Smith and Brandon Boykin in on some of the offenseive plays and the play calling would be better. He would absolutely win with the GA offensive players.
There would be speed on the field and it would be used .
OTOH, if CMR had the FL offensive players he would stay with Brantley( not a bad idea) but he’d go I formation with no decent tough nosed running back and get stuffed time and time again.
uga1989
October 31st, 2010
5:08 pm
Short memories around here. We had an open date before Florida last year and lost 41-17.
Rest of the SEC
October 31st, 2010
5:08 pm
Jayson,
Florida may have lost 3 in a row but they were to No.5 Alabama which was no. 1 at the time and is 7-1, Miss state which is now 7-2 and probably ranked in the high teens this week, and LSU which is ranked 12th in the country and whose only loss is to top ranked Auburn. Just how stupid can you really be?
Falcon 34
October 31st, 2010
5:10 pm
Repost……wildbill
I talked to 3 UGA grads/fans today. I asked them what they thought about the game. NONE watched it on tv, 2 checked the score on the radio, and 1 paid no attention. I asked them, “why not?” Their answer was pretty much the same, ” we knew we were gonna lose”.
As a UGA grad myself, I watched the game, but definitely knew we would lose. Sorry, but don’t like a 15% winning percentage in the last 2 decades (now a 14.3% winning percent). Pathetic.
Krogunner
October 31st, 2010
5:11 pm
We need a QB that doesn’t make 4 or 5 costly mistakes in a big game!
JSS
October 31st, 2010
5:11 pm
@ Rest of the SEC…
Co-sign…
Chuck Allison
October 31st, 2010
5:11 pm
Mark Richt is a far better coach than UGA deserves. The problem with UGA is not the coach or the team. The problem is the obnoxious fans which includes the UGA Athletic Board members. I almost hope that UGA fires Mark Richt so he can get a better job with a better class of people. He deserves better.
Rest of the SEC
October 31st, 2010
5:11 pm
Jayson,
Meyer schedules the bye week against Georgia because UGA is a division opponent- LSU and Bama are not and Bama UGA plays only intermittently. Also because in most normal years UGA should be the top other team in the division- at least as far as talent goes anyway. UT was always stronger in the past but UF normally plays UT in the 3rd or 4th game of the season and you don’t want to use your bye week until at least half way through the season. I ask again just how dumb are you?
bigcalidawg
October 31st, 2010
5:13 pm
This year, after the Tech game, I’m goin’ on that Blog and do an end zone dance. I think we all should. Just blow it up and make ‘em close comments
Calling our division weak? WOW!
I will try to not misspell jealous, inferior, and displaced. You must be displaced, because you are all on the wrong board.
Teabagger Johnson
October 31st, 2010
5:14 pm
At some point, players have to play. The coaching was good enough to win yesterday. Richt and Bobo can’t go out and throw the pass or catch the pass for the players. The plays were there (which is what the coaches have to do), they just weren’t made (which is what the players have to do) . . .
Let's Talk About UGA!
October 31st, 2010
5:16 pm
Go Dawgs!
Delbert D.
October 31st, 2010
5:16 pm
It’s a mistake to hang this season on Murray. That kid is a good QB now, and projects to be better.
tom
October 31st, 2010
5:16 pm
Don’t look now but it’s second and long and Mike Bobo just called a run up the middle.
Dogs Smell
October 31st, 2010
5:18 pm
Dog fans ! You are so sorely full of excuses, Bye week? Please ! You had one last year before the Florida game and had your tails handed to you ! This is the worst Florida team in a decade or more and you still cant beat them. Im sure if the game were played in Athens and you had Hershel Walker and FT, you would have won. If this if that , bottom line you lost AGAIN !!!!!!!!!! You are an average program. Dont think next year will be any better without AJ Payme because UT will be a LOT better, Auburn will be as good , LSU , BAMA and where will UGA be? Making excuses and talking about next year as usual. At least the rest of the SEC fans are realistic about the team their school puts on the field and knows when they are good and when they are not !
makes sense
October 31st, 2010
5:18 pm
Mark Richt is a far better coach than UGA deserves. The problem with UGA is not the coach or the team. The problem is the obnoxious fans which includes the UGA Athletic Board members. I almost hope that UGA fires Mark Richt so he can get a better job with a better class of people. He deserves better.
——————–
Oh…so it’s the fans fault MR lost 2 out of 3 to Ron Zook, is 1-5 against Meyer, 0-1 against Lane Kiffin, and loses to Miss St., Colorado, South Carolina and Arkansas in the same season. I understand now, it makes total sense.
FLA DAWG
October 31st, 2010
5:19 pm
Mark,
I am guessing that most of Dawg Nation is grateful to you for putting in black and white what we’ve been saying and thinking for years.
You have been more than fair to Richt. You even picked them to win yesterday! (I had them losing 10-31).
Now you are calling it exactly the way it is.
Richt is not The Dawg Coach Of Now nor The Future.
If he returns next season it will be another disaster.
You are the first AJC sportswriter to call it they way it is.
Thanks Mark, this is the first step toward rebuilding a fearsome, winning Dawg Team.
FLA DAWG
(Class of ‘79)
The Truth
October 31st, 2010
5:19 pm
UGA is without a doubt the best 4-5 team in the country this year, hands down. UGA will absolutely kill Idaho State next week, Auburn will be close and will be favored against GT at home.
Delbert D.
October 31st, 2010
5:19 pm
bigcalidawg – “This year, after the Tech game, I’m goin’ on that Blog and do an end zone dance. I think we all should. Just blow it up and make ‘em close comments”
It’s pretty much like that every day. Roberson has to do multiple blogs, and it would be better if comments were closed on all of them.
Ed
October 31st, 2010
5:19 pm
I’d rather have Jim Donnan back. and he spends all day playing with plastic spoons and legos.
Scooter
October 31st, 2010
5:19 pm
Difference between Richt and Meyer…when they both have their backs against the wall in disappointing season…Meyer makes changes and does what he has to do to win..no matter what. Richt lets his players grow beards.. and “stays the course”..that’s all you really have to know…
If you can honestly say that Urban Meyer hasn’t coached rings around MR while they have both been in the SEC, then I have some beachfront property in Arizona to sell you.
tell me again
October 31st, 2010
5:20 pm
We beat Kentucky because we recovered fumbles and picked passes – we lost to Florida because we lost fumbles, didn’t recover their fumbles and played a bad first half….which team is actually better? The one that couldn’t hold the lead or the one which came storming back to tie but fell short because of a freshman QB mistake? I’ll take the Dawgs any day – Murray will get better and so will the team – first year D system, first year starter at QB and all of the suspensions and dumb things that kept players off of the field – all things considered we are doing just fine – we have not played a game we could not have one – we’re just a tick off this year – we’ll get there. GO DAWGS! It’s just a game boys – quit acting like it’s life or death. It’s supposed to be fun – not something that wrecks your life. Nobody wants to win more than those kids.
FLA DAWG
October 31st, 2010
5:21 pm
Mark,
You MUST have heard some fallout from Gainesville or Athens since the game ended.
Care to share, sir?
Jayson
October 31st, 2010
5:21 pm
I must not be too smart. Let’s see here. Meyer has the #1 most talented team in the history of college football, and loses 3 games, in a row. Although he has the most talent. Wierd.
Army Dawg
October 31st, 2010
5:22 pm
How many of you calling for Richt’s job would like the opportunity to hire a coach with experience, a 75% winning percentage, a proven track record winning bowl games, the ability to recruit Top 10 classes, and two conference championships? Well, if that sounds good, then you’re in luck, because we’ve already got that coach.
Mark Richt: 94 wins, 32 losses, 2 conference championships, 75% winning percentage. This includes 7 bowl wins, an 11 win season in year 7, followed by a 10 win season in year 8, 8 wins in year 9, and (at most) 8 wins in year 10.
During Richt’s first 10 years, SEC teams won 5 National Championships (LSU-2, FL-2, Bama-1).
Army Dawg
October 31st, 2010
5:23 pm
Vince Dooley: 73 wins, 32 losses, 5 ties, 2 conference championships, 66% winning percentage. This includes 4 bowl wins, an 11 win season in year 8, followed by back-to-back 7 win seasons in years 9 and 10. Actually, the 11th season was only a 6 win season.
During Dooley’s first 10 years, Alabama won 3 National Championships.
College Football Expert
October 31st, 2010
5:23 pm
UGA will get blown out by Auburn and GT. That’s the truth.
Let's Talk About UGA!
October 31st, 2010
5:24 pm
DawgNation,
I was just about to stab myself in the heart with a fork when I realized that my beloved dawgs need ME getting drunk and howling at the moon to make them win.
It’s not about the coach. Stupid.
It’s about the fans! Go Dawgs!
DawgNation is a compilation of the brightest people on the planet. Those of us who are not rocket scientists are brain surgeons or world-traveling statesmen.
I personally don’t want to see Richt go. I spent much time airbrushing the tan on my Fathead poster of him.
Go Dawgs!
Sic ‘em!
Woof! Woof! Woof!
Army Dawg
October 31st, 2010
5:24 pm
Look, I’m mad as any other FAN can be about this season. When things aren’t going well, everyone’s a critic and especially start pointing to things they don’t like about the coach as the reason the team isn’t doing well. I’d like to see Coach Richt do the play calling, or bring in a more established OC than Coach Bobo. I think that stands out as the biggest difference between our success the first 5 seasons, and the last five seasons – Coach Richt was doing the play calling. He addressed the defensive problems last season, and guess what, the defense is actually doing better this season! Look at the stats. FL scored more against us than any other team and it was still less than they scored either of the last two seasons. No other team has scored as much as their average the rest of the season.
I say Coach Richt gets the opportunity to address the problems this off-season. We’ve got more good recruits coming in; a lot of players returning on both sides of the ball; a better schedule next year. Another year to grow the defense into the 3-4; and a chance to see how some of the discipline CMR is instilling during this season to carry over into next year.
Next year should be the make or break year. Too much money to lose buying out the contract of the coach with a better record than Legendary Vince Dooley. If next year’s record is 8 wins or less with losses to rivals like FL, then it’s time to go.
Ed
October 31st, 2010
5:24 pm
Even if we win 2 more, we probably wont get a bowl game. Bowl eligible doesnt mean you go, it just means you are eligible to go. I honestly would prefer we didnt go, just so I dont have to watch this flaccid, aborted fetus of a football team dry-hump its way through another embarrassment.
Jayson
October 31st, 2010
5:24 pm
Man, I must be even dumber, I can’t figure out why there are more Georgia players than Florida or Alabama players currently playing in the NFL, if Mark Bradley’s right?
The NFL must be WAY dumber than Bradley.
http://espn.go.com/nfl/college/_/letter/g
Paul in RDU
October 31st, 2010
5:25 pm
I’ve seen a bunch of comments about Bobo always calling a run on 2nd down after an incomplete pass on 1st down so I checked out the play by play of the UGA-UF game. UGA had incompletions on 1st down 7 times and ran the ball on 2nd down 5 times afterwards – that is one heck of a tendency.
We need a football coach
October 31st, 2010
5:25 pm
I almost hope that UGA fires Mark Richt so he can get a better job with a better class of people. He deserves better.
Promise us he’ll take Mike Bobo with him.
Time for a CHANGE!!
October 31st, 2010
5:26 pm
I am officially done with Richt and the entire UGA coaching staff! That game no matter how close it was, was pathetic! No excuse for losing that game. The players weren’t prepared and played like it! It’s time for a change! I would hire someone who isn’t scared to coach these kids the way they need to be coached and someone who doesn’t wet his pants every time he goes into Jacksonville!! Remember the Head Coach from the Water Boy? That’s CMR!!! How about Gary Patterson or Chris Peterson. Either one of those guys would be a huge upgrade over what we have now. The players weren’t prepared and it showed on the football field. The play calling is pathetic! Let’s throw the ball against a top ranked pass Defense with a Freshman QB and not run the ball against a team with one of the worst run Defenses in the country. Makes a lot of sense to me?!? McGarity needs to make a change! UGA will never return to the National Championship until they beat UF on a consistent basis. Period!! There is no way around it! Any chance UGA has at a NC runs right through Jacksonville way before it runs through Atlanta!! If AD McGarity won’t make it because he is just coming in, then President Adams needs to make the change! Its not like this is the lone down season! This has been building for 3 seasons now starting in 2008. Coach soft, practice soft, play soft and get your A$$ kicked when you step on the field!! ITS TIME FOR A CHANGE IN ATHENS!! 2 & 8 in Jacksonville doesn’t cut it in my book!!
Paul in RDU
October 31st, 2010
5:26 pm
Jayson – You are making Bradley’s point for him. If there are far more UGA players in the NFL than UF players – implying that UGA has better talent – why is CMR 2-8 against UF? Could it be coaching?
Jayson
October 31st, 2010
5:26 pm
It’s bizarre how Scout and Rivals both consistently rank Richt as a top 10 recruter.
I guess they all dumber than Mark Bradley too. Man, he’s smart, everybody else must be dumber.
Dawg gone it
October 31st, 2010
5:27 pm
To answer your questin CMR – Fold up like a tent.
You asked CMR (in your F150 commercial) , and the aswer is Fold up like a tent.
Praise the Lord,
Prayers were answered. Jesus blessed the enemy of the inbred thuga dawgs and smit them yet again with their mighty strength.
Praise Jesus!
Give CMR tenure for eternity sweet Jesus.
Fold up like a tent.
College Football Expert
October 31st, 2010
5:27 pm
When Richt gets run out of town the police will be sad to see him go. His players are their bread and butter
Kenny Powers
October 31st, 2010
5:27 pm
Pay the 5th choice DC candidate $750,000 to coach and give up 450 yds of total offense, coaching guys to “scoop and score” instead of falling on the ball, a safety who can’t catch a ball thrown to him for an Int, and where were the fleet footed db’s who never came close to closing on 4.6 yo yd Burton, way too many big plays are being given up by the D…this team is a mess, especially on the D side of the ball…someone should go, plenty to choose from…
Scooter
October 31st, 2010
5:28 pm
Jayson..you’re not too bright are you? You’re coming up with this “most talented” thing based on some website talking about Florida’s 2010 recruiting class? I’d guess Urban’s excuse would be that his team is young…you know…the same excuse you blind homers are giving MR? The difference is…UM’s young team just beat MR’s young team…and if they have all this young talent then apparently it’s going to continue to do so.
I really don’t get the logic or lack thereof from some of you guys….this team has a new QB…well..who stuck with the senior in a mediocre season last year? Oh yeah..MR..
This team has a whoooole new DC and defensive scheme..well..who had to fire his previous DC after years of mediocrity? Oh yeah…MR.
This team isn’t as talented as UF…well..who recruits these guys? Oh yeah…MR does.
But hey, you can blame the talent, the players, the assistant coaches, even the fans…I’ll lay the blame at the feet of the guy in charge of all that…call me crazy.