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
Mark Bradley knows coaching. That’s why he’s a pundit. « Get The Picture
October 31st, 2010
7:36 pm
[...] this is one of the more questionable things Mark Bradley has ever written: … Say what you will [...]
reckingball
October 31st, 2010
7:37 pm
go dogs!
College Football Expert
October 31st, 2010
7:38 pm
UGA fans are finally figuring out what everyone else has known, Richt is not a true head coach. Can’t keep his players out of jail, spends to much time preaching and hawking trucks, not enough coaching. He needs to go
mdr
October 31st, 2010
7:39 pm
Also, with 54 seconds on the clock in a tie game, with one timeout, at your own 5 yard line, after your return man just muffed a punt……..NO COACH IN AMERICA WOULD DO ANYTHING OTHER THAN TAKE A KNEE AND HEAD INTO OVERTIME!!!!!
You people who are saying we should have let the freshman QB try to throw his way out of that situation are complete imbeciles. Stop watching football, it is far too complicated for your feeble little brains to handle.
This loss is NOT on Richt. Many that have come before it are, but THIS ONE is not.
Igiveup
October 31st, 2010
7:43 pm
Can we get Boise States coach.
Stinky Mark
October 31st, 2010
7:43 pm
Pay no attention to Mark Bradley. He is really Terrance Moore. He likes to drop stink bombs to get everybody talking but never has anything of substance to say.
College Football Expert
October 31st, 2010
7:44 pm
8th out of 12 in the SEC. Bottom of the barrel. And it cost UGA a ton to do it too. Ouch!
dawghuff
October 31st, 2010
7:45 pm
One idiot actually said this… “we already have a great Christian coach” Well, I wouldn’t care if my coach worshipped Satan if he could beat Florida. The fact is, you homers satisfied with loser Richt are losers yourselves. The freaking man has lost 8 put of 10 times to Fla, that should be enough said to anyone that wants to win.
Pray tell Christian idiots, can you actually say that this moron of a coach is going to make our team contenders and beat Fla next year when this was probably the worst Fla team we will ever face?
I could care less about a man’s religion, he’s there to coach my football team and win… period! He represents the university in which I graduated, and he’s a failure because he wants to be a preacher
UGA Rap Sheet
October 31st, 2010
7:46 pm
Some idiot said:
We could have a student body that doesn’t come from this country and doesn’t care about America, like they do at Georgia Tech.
Georgia Tech produces loads of military officers, fighter pilots, etc. Plus, the school is one of the leading defense research institutes in the country. In short, Tech’s contribution to this country is far more important that UGAs.
dsgd
October 31st, 2010
7:48 pm
You are some spoil, dumb, unloyal dawg fans you all forgot about the sec championship that coach richt won. Don’t worry coach richt the true dawg fans are with u through good times and bad.
Funny...
October 31st, 2010
7:49 pm
Sounds like some if you idiot dawgs are content with 13-11. Idiots
Augusta yellow Jacket
October 31st, 2010
7:50 pm
It was not nice for Mark to spew on the field after the lost [no class red neck]
Lakeside Gator
October 31st, 2010
7:51 pm
Richt is still living off his first five years, when Florida was being coached by the Zooker, Tennessee was on the way down, Spurrier had just arrived in Columbia, and Bama was in the process of running Shula off. Once the competition stepped up UGA was passed by.
As long as Meyer is at Florida, UGA has no shot at the East. Get used to bowling in Shreveport.
aarh
October 31st, 2010
7:52 pm
Jeff Gibson- College football doesn’t have sudden death over time…the NFL does. If UGA would have kicked a field goal..then FL still would have gotten a possession..either from teh 20 or 25 yd. line. If they kicked also kicked a field goal…then it would’ve gone into another over time, but if FL scored a TD…then UGA would’ve lost. So, that’s why it’s important to at least try to score a TD & not go ahead & kick a field goal.
Gator Mike
October 31st, 2010
7:54 pm
Tampa Gator, Well Said!
Go Gators!
Ronnie
October 31st, 2010
7:58 pm
The “body of work” is a bunch of bull. I get evaluated at work every year for the previous year’s work. A good year in 2002 or 2007 doesn’t help me when 2009 or 2010 is the evaluation period. I would be fired if I was as bad at my job as Richt is at his. Each year is its own as you cannot rely on last year’s success to predict this year’s results, so say the coaches until they have a bad one and then want everyone to look at the “body of work.” What a joke.
College Football Expert
October 31st, 2010
7:58 pm
This year, it won’t even be Shreveport. They can’t be bowl eligble since they don’t play enough cupcakes
College Football Expert
October 31st, 2010
7:59 pm
or did you mean Richt would be looking for work in Shreveport?
Ronnie
October 31st, 2010
8:01 pm
Georgia is the cupcake.
aarh
October 31st, 2010
8:02 pm
Dennis- UGA has given up 30 or moew 3 xs, & 20 or more 5xs this season. I’m not blaming Grantham, bc this is only his first yr. implenting the system….w/ W. Martinez’s recruits. I just happened to look that up this morning. You can check the facts at this link if it shows up.
http://uga.rivals.com/
SECdominence
October 31st, 2010
8:04 pm
You Georgia fans crack me up. You always cry for Richt to be fired because you dont think he can take you to the national championship, but in realty, if you fire him you’ll likely go several years without even having a winning record. A new coach for UGA will likely cause it to become like Tenn, not bama. There is no magical coach waiting in the wings out there. And whoever above said they need Paul Johnson is a fool. GA Tech is not even good in the ACC and my old highschool could win the ACC. His gimmicky offense surprised people early on, but now everyone knows it and anyone with a decent rush defense can easily shut them down. Any team who can’t throw the ball, or even out rush their opponents when all they do is run it, doesnt have a good coach. All Im saying is, Richt has been great for the SEC, and he’s been the only reason UGA has been even remotely relevant. But hey, if your want to go back to the Jim Donnan years, be my guest.
HitaSingle
October 31st, 2010
8:06 pm
Nobody outcoached anybody yesterday. It was a case of poor QB play and that was something that no one expected because Murray had played so well. He will bounce back because he is a winner. Chalk it up as gaining experience.
Nanook
October 31st, 2010
8:06 pm
Get used to bowling in Shreveport.
Or much colder places.
dawghuff
October 31st, 2010
8:09 pm
Jim Donnan wasn’t given half the time Richt has been given you nimwit. Richt won with Donnon’s players. Richt needs to preach and quit acting like he knows anything about coaching.
none
October 31st, 2010
8:09 pm
Who can Georgia get to replace Richt? I don’t think Muschamp or Smart are good options. Chip Kelly and Jim Harbaugh aren’t leaving the west coast. Get real. You guys have never played a sport and lossed. The defense has come along alot in the last few games. It’s a totally new system. Then, we have a freshmen quarterback, who has played great. We need a big name receiver for next year and we will be fine. And for Bobo to loosen up a bit.
Tired of Losing to Florida
October 31st, 2010
8:09 pm
All of you Homer CMR fans need to wake up!!! This was a very decent article because I could have said much worse. Its true CMR has to responsible for how BAD these teams are prepared each week because he is the head coach…. I’m tired of hearing people talk about how his win-loss record makes CMR one of the best in college football. Oh yeah, then tell me how many NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS does the University of Georgia have with CMR as the top dawg in the country??? ZERO!!!! How many times has a CMR coached team played for the National Championship????? ZERO!!!! Now, dump BOBO before next year. Cause if he runs another draw on 2nd or 3rd and long I will need to replace my flat sceen cause I will kick the TV while screaming at the top of my lungs, NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Red Panties Rick
October 31st, 2010
8:11 pm
How can any Georgia fan tease Georgia Tech about running a “high school offense” when y’all allow Mike Bobo to make brilliant strategic decisions like running the ball on second and ten in an overtime situation? That’s not even “elementary school offense.”
HitaSingle
October 31st, 2010
8:11 pm
Richt is a hell of a better coach than Donnan.
Navigator
October 31st, 2010
8:15 pm
Both UGA and Tech blamed their defensive coaches for all their defensive woes last year. One year later we find out it was the coaches, but the lack of talent on that side of the ball. Now both coaches see their programs going in the wrong direction, but wait I have a thought.
Leave them alone, and give them a chance to straighten the ship out.
The said thing
October 31st, 2010
8:16 pm
As of now we are to UF as GT is to UGA in recent history.
JSS
October 31st, 2010
8:16 pm
“Pizza, Pizza!” You’re only hope is the Papa John’s Bowl!
Yes I know it is the Little Caesar’s slogan but it sounds spiffy!
HitaSingle
October 31st, 2010
8:16 pm
Tired of Losing to Florida – UGA was prepared for yesterday. Poor QB play was the difference. Only thing I noticed was team speed and Florida was a heck of alot faster. Oh by the way how many NC’s has UGA won before Richt? One, thanks to Herschel and Dooley giving him the ball?
FLA DAWG
October 31st, 2010
8:17 pm
JB,
You are correct that any change will take “winning time”.
But I am informed that changes will be made this season yearend.
Bobo is gone. Richt is living on the Auburn Game – it’s a season – changer.
As long as Richt has a good showing he’s here next year but a blowout means he’s gone.
Terry
October 31st, 2010
8:18 pm
“How can any Georgia fan tease Georgia Tech about running a “high school offense” when y’all allow Mike Bobo…”
Say no more!
FLA DAWG
October 31st, 2010
8:21 pm
Hita,
One NC before Dooley?
Go back and check your record book dufus.
Gator Nation
October 31st, 2010
8:23 pm
Secondguesser,
I was curious about the sweep call on 4th and 12 at the 30, too, but when we kicked the FG to beat your ass AGAIN, I realized that is why Urban is who he is. He makes the decisions that matter and takes responsibility for them.
PLEASE KEEP RICHT!!! CELEBRATE MEDIOCRITY!
The said thing
October 31st, 2010
8:23 pm
I don’t believe Richt’s should be fired unless he refuses to upgrade his OC and DC to the SEC standard. We all know Bobo can’t coach and Grantham needs to coach the secondary. We give up to many 2nd and Longs & 3rd and Longs. If Richt can’t make the change that everyone knows then he does need to be dismissed.
Canton DAWG
October 31st, 2010
8:24 pm
Mark: Get a real job because as a sports writer you are nothing but clueless. When UGA wins you and you sport writer buddies write positive articles and when UGA losses you write a crap article like this. Go research this. Remove one turnover from each of UGA’s losses and they are undefeated and you are writing what a genius Richts is..
raymond
October 31st, 2010
8:27 pm
Suppose Richt was not as good a person or as popular and was more like Spurrier, Leach, or Kiffen, do you thing he would be getting as much support as he is. Ok he is a good person, but he is no longer getting the job done. When we brought him in he was a young exciting Offensive Coordinator from FSU and never a head coach. The program picked up a lot of momentum becasue we had this new guy after two 8 win seasons under Donnan. Smart and Mushchamp would do the same thing. We need new blood.
Jerome
October 31st, 2010
8:28 pm
Remove one turnover from each of UGA’s losses and they are undefeated.
Right, and if a pig had wings, it could fly.
The said thing
October 31st, 2010
8:29 pm
What would your Boss do to you if your not productive?
TampaGator
October 31st, 2010
8:30 pm
Wow….gone for 5 hours and….already….the Dawgs are better than the Gators because they have more current players in the NFL. Is it summer already? Are the Dawgs the summer national champs already. Are the Gators the Dawgs bitches already? It must be summer already. Let the same old story start all over again….until the same beating happens again in November….ONCE AGAIN.
Gator Mike….
thanks….not many on here agree with you however. But we know the truth don’t we. Most dawg fans think I am ignorant and classless.
Dawgster….
your long, repeated comments (you have said the same thing about a thousand times) about me have grown very old. Get used to it….my Gators own your Dawgs….ask the ESPN SEC beat writer. He agrees with me and just about everyone who is not an “on the ship/off the ship” Dawgs fan. Gosh…this summer you believed your Dawgs were the 2010 national champs and Aaron Murray was going to be better than Tebow. Now you want to fire your head coach and toss Murray to the wolves. Richt is still a very good head coach….who may have worn out his welcome in Athens….and Murray is still a good but not great QB (as he always was) and will remain a good but not great QB. Florida has one excellent QB already on the team (Burton) and one on the way (Driskell) that are better than Murray…but Burton will not be a QB in the future….he will be all-american everything for the Gators…what an athelete….like a ton of other young Gators. And….yes….I was wrong about Brantley….but not wrong about his talent (he is an outstanding passer)…I was wrong about his ability to run the spread…I though he was a lot more athletic than he is. It looks to me like he has gained a lot of weight since last year (and muscle) and he is not as fast or quick as he was last year. Brantley would fit better into your system than Murray does. And Murray would fit better into our system than he does in yours. Can we arrang a trade…..but Murray wouldn’t agree to it because he would have to back up Driskell when he arrives next year.
It sure is nice to be still in the hunt for the SEC East championship and at least the opportunity to play in Atlanta again. And that is what the Gators are…..very young and very talented….coming together….and still in the hunt….and you never know what might happen if they beat Vandy and SC….and then beat FSU in the process as well.
Speaking of FSU….what happened to the next great team Saturday? Thinking about beating the Gators already, are you?
DawgVoiceofReason
October 31st, 2010
8:32 pm
aarh,
Well said. Too many folks get too emotional and then appear to be fools when they post on the blog.
Too the rest of you who have lost your minds: Of course it was a devastating loss and could have been a huge win for the program. But if you think that Coach Bobo called a “terrible” game, then how did we score 31 points in a game in which we had 4 huge turnovers and missed at least two of our own that would have made the difference in the game? Was every call perfect? Of course not. But get a grip on reality.
TampaGator
October 31st, 2010
8:32 pm
I’m a Looser so I jumped on the UF band wagon when FSU started loosing.
HitaSingle
October 31st, 2010
8:32 pm
TampaGator – You take your stalker and kiss my grits.
BiggestDawgintheWoods
October 31st, 2010
8:33 pm
I love it when the Tech fans show up… but here’s a little reality check:
IF, and it’s a big if, Paul Johnson can win 50% of the games against UGA, he gets a lifetime contract.
Any UGA coach that wins only 50% of the time against Tech gets fired.
Therein lies the difference in the two programs.
zach
October 31st, 2010
8:33 pm
Funny how no one is talking about the penalty problem being gone. Anyone else see that we actually came back? How many times have we even come that close in the last 20 years? give the man some time.
Richard Cranium
October 31st, 2010
8:34 pm
At this pace, THUGA, the new mascot, will keel over dead within a year…….
Poor Georgie.
But ya’ll can start talking about that 2011 PRE-SEASON NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP !!!!
30 YEARS IN A ROW BABY…
doug
October 31st, 2010
8:39 pm
Excellent article. What more proof of intimidation, trepidation, unpreparedness do you need than throwing an interception on the first play. Oh, yea, throwing an interception on the last play. These Dogs just look uncoached. Watch Oregon for 15 minutes and tell me your think Georgia looks well-coached.
TampaGator
October 31st, 2010
8:41 pm
HitaSingle….
The Gators and Rainey didn’t kiss it….they kicked it!!!