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
Mama is Tricker Treating
October 31st, 2010
10:25 pm
Choo Choo Charlie..do you really think anyone is frightened of Coach Richt since Urban, Petrino, Saban, Spurrier, Mullen and Miles has entered the SEC? The answer is absolutely ..NO…
There is not a member on CMR’s staff with the exception of Todd Grantham that would even be considered by another SEC dominant school.
How many BCS games has CMR coached UGA in?
Since the big 3 Meyer, Saban and Spurrier have re-entered the SEC, How has CMR faired?
NOT TOO GOOD…
SO
October 31st, 2010
10:26 pm
SO yea, he’s 2-8 against Florida. What about 8-1 against GT? 7-3 against auburn? If richt is ever fired, he will have another job within a week.
——————–
Going 8-1 against GT means nothing. UGA should be GT every year, not to mention 4 of the wins were against a Reggie Ball led Tech team. Big deal.
46-40
October 31st, 2010
10:26 pm
What?? , I agree. I’m not one calling for Richts job.. As in my above post, I just think he needs to figure out how to win this game. There have been 2-3 times at the very LEAST that Richt should have beat FL –one of those times less than 48 hrs ago. One just hopes that McGarity sits down w/ RIcht and they come up with a strategy to BEAT FLORIDA–EVERY YEAR.
Mama is Tricker Treating
October 31st, 2010
10:29 pm
If this were the Basketball program at UGA how would we feel?
If this were the Baseball program how would we feel?
I guess those sports do not matter and the money is still rolling into the coffers at the State University.
Mediocrity at its finest = Mark Richt the past 5 years at UGA.
yogi2
October 31st, 2010
10:31 pm
Maybe Coach Richt could coach the swim team or Go to Tennesee and assist Derek Dooley and Mike Bobo
Rod
October 31st, 2010
10:32 pm
Lattimore and Burton are not going anywhere they are only going to get NFL bigger and better AJ Green is the only NFL body UGA has and he’s gone bye bye does anyone on UGA’s roster look like they can hold Lattimore now nonetheless next year lol and Cam Newton ’s coming back next year oh yeah Alabama bringing in YOUNG STUDS every year enoy the bunghole bowl lolol!
College Football Expert
October 31st, 2010
10:34 pm
Richt is passed his prime. It’s all downhill from here. Fire him and get anyone with a pulse. Too much time in Athens rots the brain.
bow-wow
October 31st, 2010
10:34 pm
Oregon, Boise St., Utah and TCU have a better football program than UGA. Don’t tell me there’s not a coach out there somewhere that can replace Mark Richt. And don’t give me that “SEC is a tougher conference crap”. CMR got blown out by W.V. in the Sugar Bowl, Oklahoma St. last year, and lost to Colorado this year.
Wallydawg
October 31st, 2010
10:34 pm
Paging Kirby Smart,,,,,,,,paging Kirby Smart
When will Georgia get serious?
October 31st, 2010
10:36 pm
If richt is ever fired, he will have another job within a week.
Good, nobody is wanting him to go hungry. Mark Richt is a likeable guy. He is just not the best head coach.
College Football Expert
October 31st, 2010
10:37 pm
Who would hire Richt? Idaho state? Seriously.
Wait til next year
October 31st, 2010
10:39 pm
We gonna win it alll next year!!!!!!!
Woooooooooooohoooooooooooooo
True Red & Black
October 31st, 2010
10:39 pm
The next time Mark Bradley writes a article about sports that is true will be his first time. Mark Richt is still one of the top coaches in all of College Football and Mark Bradley is still one of the worst writers, much less sports writers in all the world. I don’t understand why some fans and media types always want to get the coach fired when things are not going well. Coach Richt will get this turned around and Georgia will be just fine. If the idiots who feed off of this crap from the Mark Bradley’s of the world get their way and Dr Adams and Greg McGarity replace Coach Richt then we the Dawg Nation will get what we deserve when we get a Lane Kiffin type of coach. Alot of UT fans are probally missing Coach Phillip Fulmer.
Lets just give this some time and UGA will be just fine, Just remember Coach Dooley’s Dawgs went 6-5 in 1979 and won the National Championship in 1980.
Liberty Bowel welcome comittee
October 31st, 2010
10:40 pm
Welcome to Memphis losers….. be careful if you are white.
Pitbull
October 31st, 2010
10:40 pm
The SEC has the best Coaches in the country. Who are you going to get. The TCU coach that was so great now at ND. What about the SC (calf) defense of kiffen. Look at TN. Look at LSU. There are no great coaches. Saban is good but he cost millions. Ga ain’t got millions. Wake up people! It is what it is!
Chuck Allison
October 31st, 2010
10:41 pm
UGA’s football players are good and may get better. Richt is an excellent coach and he will undoubtedly get better over the years. Problem is that UGA’s fans never show any improvement. In fact, they seem to deteriorate every time the team goes through a losing streak.
Richt surely deserves better than to have to tolerate fans that are nationally famous for their obnoxious behavior. He deserves to coach at a school with at least a little character and integrity.
When will Georgia get serious?
October 31st, 2010
10:42 pm
If richt is ever fired, we might could get someone that will have us competing for SEC and NC,s
within a year or two. Like Saban after Shula, like Meyer after Zook, and now Chizik after Tuberville.
Auburn fired Tuberville after a 13-0 record in 2004 and Tennessee fired Phillip Fulmer after winning
a NC in 98
College Football Expert
October 31st, 2010
10:43 pm
Experts think Richt is below average and in trouble. The AJC thinks this. The rest of the SEC thinks this. The rest of America thinks this. The only ones who don’t are either deluding themselves because they are UGA die-hards or deluding themselves because they know Richt has a big fat contract that’s gonna have to be paid. Eventually, even the diehards will get fed up with losing and contracts run out. Richt is gone sooner or later. Why not try to start winning now by firing him?
Dawg with bag back on head
October 31st, 2010
10:43 pm
To all you blind homers, what have you seen over the last three years that makes you think CMR can turn anything around? This is the third season of the downward spiral. Looks like the only thing he’s done this season is to benefit from a schedule that includes a stretch against other bottom-feeders. How is a team coached by CMR not going to wet its pants in another big game next season. The long-term pattern is there. CMR doesn’t have what is takes to win a big game. Time to move on. Another year of CMR is going to mean we’re another year farther away from fixing our many problems. And enough about how great Murray is going to be. He’s had his moments this season, but yesterday’s loss was mostly on him and the coaches that didn’t/couldn’t prepare him.
Fire CMR
October 31st, 2010
10:45 pm
Richt can’t beat Kiffin either. Remember, UT beat UGA last year.
When will Georgia get serious?
October 31st, 2010
10:47 pm
Everyone needs to get off richt, it took Dooley more than ten years to win a title
I wonder what Dooley’s record would have been, if he had as many top 10 recruiting classes that Richt’s had? Ummm
College Football Expert
October 31st, 2010
10:48 pm
UGA has to pay half a million to get a patsy to show up in Athens and the fans will be all talk after next week but it won’t change the fact that there won’t be any bowl under the tree for CMR this year.
Fire CMR
October 31st, 2010
10:48 pm
The SEC has the best Coaches in the country. Who are you going to get. The TCU coach that was so great now at ND. What about the SC (calf) defense of kiffen. Look at TN. Look at LSU. There are no great coaches. Saban is good but he cost millions. Ga ain’t got millions. Wake up people! It is what it is!
———-
ND doesn’t have the athletes UGA does. Kiffin beat UGA. Zook beat UGA, twice.
When will Georgia get serious?
October 31st, 2010
10:50 pm
The only ones who don’t are either deluding themselves because they are UGA die-hards or deluding themselves because they know Richt has a big fat contract that’s gonna have to be paid
Georgia is second in football revenue behind Texas. Pay him off and get us a winner.
Fire CMR
October 31st, 2010
10:50 pm
Everyone needs to get off richt, it took Dooley more than ten years to win a title
———————–
I guess we should wait around and hope the next Herschel Walker comes to Athens.
When will Georgia get serious?
October 31st, 2010
10:52 pm
Ga ain’t got millions
Football revenue leaders
1. Texas like 65 million
2. Georgia like 45 million
Then McGarrity said to Richt
October 31st, 2010
10:54 pm
We are now “In the Hunt” as bottom feeders of the SEC!
College Football Expert
October 31st, 2010
10:55 pm
No UGA is a solid 8th in the SEC. Out of 12.
bubba dog
October 31st, 2010
10:58 pm
Fire mark richt NOW
cwm
October 31st, 2010
11:01 pm
SOME ONE PLEASE HELP ME OUT AND TELL ME WHAT A THUG IS …. ARE THE SOPRANOS THUGS OR IS IT ALL STUDENT ATHLETES , IS IT RAPPERS , OR IS IT JUST BLACK ATHLETES ….. LET ME KNOW … THX
Statesborodawg13
October 31st, 2010
11:02 pm
In my opinion, what we witnessed in Jacksonville is the Gator coach utilizing his skill players to the best of their abilities … and our own coach sticking to a system that he’s used his entire career .. and coming up short.
I saw a reply a few weeks back of a FSU game when Richt was offensive coordinator – identical plays and formations as the Dawgs of today. Not one thing different. Maybe he runs the ball a bit more now, but other than that, it’s identical.
You use the players you have to the best of their abilities, and if something works, you work it. Ealey finally runs with purpose and determination in the KY game, so what does Bobo/Richt do? Tuck him back into the “running back by committee” system – good runners get stronger the more carries they get. Obviously his knee was okay enough to start him – so put him in a couple of series, and then he comes back in 30-45 minutes later? Whether it’s King, Ealey, whoever – really good runners need to tote the rock to really get the adrenaline flowing.
Look at the multiple ways Rainey was used. Look at the ways all Gator QB’s were used – Meyer got busy in those two weeks and figured out how best to use his offensive weapons. Single coverage on Green and we rarely throw to him? And don’t even get me started on the play calling in overtime. Might we not work out innovative ways to get Hutson Mason in the game – that very type of play calling and switching back and forth Florida was doing I would imagine would work wonders with Murray and Mason.
Richt’s shortcoming, for me, is the inability, or unwillingness, to figure out multiple and creative ways to use his weapons … he’s sticking to the only “finesse” system he’s known, and it feels a bit like time has passed him by.
Roll up your sleeves, CMR. If you want to keep your job, truly show us that you’re an offensive genius. The act is getting a bit stale.
Go Dogs.
When will Georgia get serious?
October 31st, 2010
11:03 pm
Richt is an excellent coach and he will undoubtedly get better over the years
He has had ten, and did better with Donnan’s recruit, Richt’s team are getting worse every year
Tuberville 13-0 in 04 and fired in 07. Fulmer NC in 98 fired 08.Georgia holds on too long.Goff was
coach seven years should have been gone after four.
benchwarmer
October 31st, 2010
11:07 pm
Yea, GA under Ricth should be over soon. I label their style now as soft and under prepared. Next please!
Mike T.
October 31st, 2010
11:11 pm
I guess one of these days, we are going to hire our equivlent to Steve Spurrier and the program will be fixed. We can beat Florida and we can win in Jax just like Dooley use to do.
dawgster
October 31st, 2010
11:13 pm
TampaGator..you never disappoint me….you talk ame repeating myself…thats all you do sir…i have asked several times before to stop with the accusations about things i post..i never once thought that the dawgs would be or competed for the NC this year…you attributed my comments to someone else that evidently you thought was me…as respectful as i could i told you that it wasn’t me..unlike you, i am honest and i don’t forget what i post…you can bash the dawg nation and me all you want…I personally don’t give a crap if you believe me or not…you my sir are very pathetic…you cry and whine how the dawg fans were rude to you…have you ever gone back and looked at your post…but you know what, doesn’t matter, you are what you are… and i have yet to see any class comming from your posts…its above you…i usually try and stay away from this kind of stuff and i have even defended you at times, but thats fine because i can promise you it wont happen anymore…what makes me sad though is that your team won fair and squared and yet you can’t get on here and show a little class…as i’ve told you before, why don’t you just try it sometime, you might be surprised at the fact that the favor might be returned..i’m sure i’ll get some kind of sarcastic remark from you TampaGator….so give it your best shot..unlike you who whines and crys tells us over and over and over and over and over…about how great your team will be in the future, and about all the excuses of why your team was failing up until Sat…over and over and over and over same excuses…do us all a favor and grow up…act like a man…maybe you could look it up in the dictionary and see what it means..also while you are there look up the word “Class”..i give you permission to bash me after this post, because i refuse to try and have any civil conversations with you in the future…as far as other gator fans…thank you for the class you show and good luck the rest of the season…i look forward to more interesting discussions…go dawgs
Mr. Brightside
October 31st, 2010
11:17 pm
This article hits the mark (pun intended). Richt has flat out lost his mojo. He used to have the magic to pull out the last minute and OT wins. Now, it seems his well has run dry and it’s always others coaches doing it to him. Unfortunately, they’ll let him remain at the reins for what promises to be another underachieving season. All that’s left is to hope for Kirby Smart in 2012.
Mike T.
October 31st, 2010
11:18 pm
07- #2
08- #10
This is just not good coaching!!! Horrible!!!
Lets focus on the last three years numbers
07- #2
08- #10
09 unranked
10 as of the moment unranked
do you see a decline here?
Mike T.
October 31st, 2010
11:22 pm
Err-Bane Cryer
Control yourself boy. It was a three point OT win, not 49-10.
Mike T.
October 31st, 2010
11:24 pm
@Benjamin ….there is no way there will be a new head coach in Athens next year.
Yeah and there was no way Obama was gonna get elected.
are y'all serious?
October 31st, 2010
11:25 pm
Okay..listen up! The last 5 years? Starting from five seasons ago (06) we finished top twenty-five, top five, top ten, then last years’ debacle resulting in a defensive overhaul, and finally this year, where the defense is playing with a new scheme with old scheme’s players.
I wish we could beat Florida more often, as we all do, but it’s possible the defense will improve and with it, the record, as the players match the scheme. I mean, really…Bobo’s offense put up 31 points, shouldn’t that be enough to win?????????
dawgster
October 31st, 2010
11:27 pm
Statesborodawg13..some well said points..i think you said it best…coach Richt and staff are very predictable on offense…i know thats the type of offense they believe in…and yes the players have got to execute, but their just doesn’t seem to be any change into their approach…absolutely absurd that AJ Greene or our running game did not get utilized to its fullest…i am proud that we did go to the TE’s more. and the playcalling was better the last few weeks, but OT, terrible choice of plays..we are very lucky that the first pass did not get intercepted..i know if it had worked we would be saying the opposite, but still i think it was a very risky call..but the 2nd and 10 clall was the worst call of the night…the gators new what was coming as they stacked the box daring us to throw…we have to get an OC that can get the most out of this offense..we looked good at times but we have little or no imagination on offense..how many screen passes do we see, how many shuttle passes do we see….that would sureley work one time as we never, ever do it so at the right time it might break a big play for us…quick slants…i used to run that play alot years ago..almost always successful if you needed 5-6 yards…anyway some good points..Statesborodawg13…
KakNiqueTree
October 31st, 2010
11:28 pm
This has to be insulting to Coach Richt, Mark Bradley telling HIM how to coach…
RakkasanDawg
October 31st, 2010
11:31 pm
Skydawg,
Michelled Obama has NOTHING to do with the game. Be a man and stop denegrating that woman or else step forward to the man and say it to his face about his wife, but I imagine you will have tiny heart syndrome if that were to really happen. Now back to where your critique ought to be-in the game. Mark I basically believe that overtime was extremely poorly handled. On that third down there was no reason to run that ball with Blair Walsh available. Florida’s offnese just showed it’s all about gimmicks, simple. It works but let’s face it, it does nothing for those guys in the pros. Mark Richt needs to get involved more on the offensive side, Bobo can’t handle it. As for the defense, how many times must Burton be in the back before we realize that the fool IS GOING TO RUN THE BALL!! The young man has no other talent!! That’s Grantham’s baby along with the sorry cornerback/safeties. It’s true when we ask where is all this so-called talent going? Where? Lastly any of you sorry folks out there who want to attack a woman, do yourselves a favor, man up and name yourselves.
rincon dawg
October 31st, 2010
11:32 pm
Hey you homers who say this is a young team wait till next year. A. Murray is the only new starter on offense. Next year him charles gates king and ealey will be left. How does it get better than what we are losing?
Icenupe
October 31st, 2010
11:37 pm
What game were some of you watching on Saturday? Turnovers was why we lost the friggin game! Its the same story as it has been every time we lose to Florida in recent memory. For all you bandwagon “Fire Mark Richt” tyrants who had nothing to say for 3 weeks, I guess Texas should look at firing Mack Brown for losing to Iowa State, Baylor, and UCLA too huh? All losses at home too. What did Coach Richt have to do with Commings losing a fumble in HIS HANDS from Trey Burton deep in Florida territory? What did Coach Richt have to do with Aaron Murray’s early jitters throwing incompletions on plays that were open? What did Coach Richt have to do with Aron White’s deflection off HIS HANDS for another interception? What did Coach Richt have to do with Murray throwing into quadruple coverage in overtime? If some of think we are going to go from a 6 or 7 win coach in Goff. An 8 win coach in Donnan. A 10 win coach in Richt to 12 wins a year is lunacy. I want Coach Richt.
Want Chris Peterson? Does he know how to coach in the SEC? Does the name Dan Hawkins sound familiar?
Want Will Muschamp? See my above comments about Baylor, Iowa State, and UCLA.
Want Jim Harbaugh? Don’t think he will be tempted to go back to Michigan or the NFL? Then what?
Do you want to be the current version of Tennessee? I don’t!
The same type of criticism was heaped on the likes of Tom Osbourne, Bobby Bowden (both eventually won 2 NC’s) and Frank Beamer. I’ll bet the same nonsense was spewed on Bob Stoops last year too.
Mike T.
October 31st, 2010
11:42 pm
This has to be insulting to Coach Richt, Mark Bradley telling HIM how to coachor in the case of Spurrier
He ain’t telling him how to coach. He’s just pointing out that with Meyer, Saban, Miles,Chizek on the rise
and Spurrier now having a resurrgence, that most of Richt’s accomplishments are now a long ways
back in the rear view mirror. All these guys have come into the SEC or in the case of Spurrier reenter
since Richt was hired. Meyer Miles and Saban have surpassed him.
icedawg
October 31st, 2010
11:43 pm
I would say that the biggest difference maker was the loss of VanGorder. There has been no suitable replacement since. Defense wins games and championships and the old vintage Junkyard Dawg defense is sadly a relic of the past. It was the defense of Erk Russell that made the difference during the Dooley years. When Russell left you could tell it. Maybe the new guy can turn this thing around. Hope so.
dawgster
October 31st, 2010
11:43 pm
are y’all serious?..no we needed 4 more points…i see your point..and yes the defense didn’t make some plays when they could have….i think the thing with Coach Bobo…is not so much the playcalling, but its when things are called and the position our QB is put into with some of the calls..we run the ball much better on sweeps with our RB’, but yet more often than not its right up the middle or off tackle…up until this game O. Charles had “0″ TD catches…unbeleivable that somone with his skills had “0″ TD catches going into the 9th game of the season…i not saying thats all on Coach Bobo, but it just shows me some of the under utilization of some of our players..What about Wooten…saw some good things out of him last year..what happened to him this year…Marlon Brown…i have no answer for his utilization..i mean if you are not going to throw to him then i guess he wont have any receptions…again its not all on Bobo, Coach Richt is the HC and they both know what the game plan is..i just think that until a little imagination is used with the weapons that we have, we are going to look back and see that we wasted alot of talent…i would like to see Coach Bobo remain as the QB coach but it would be nice to see some new insight brought in as and OC to make our offense very scary to opponents..the defense will be fine as we made some changes that need time to get the right people in place…but offensively, very inconsistanat and we really don’t know when to run or pass…after all i said, i will add though that i would take that offensive performance Sat everytime out…maybe the future will be bright and Murray should get better..go dawgs
Dawg Whisperer
October 31st, 2010
11:44 pm
Ice… you’re 100% right but everybody wants a new toy under the Christmas tree.
Georgia needs to get serious
October 31st, 2010
11:47 pm
I guess Texas should look at firing Mack Brown for losing to Iowa State, Baylor, and UCLA too huh
Let Mack Brown go 2-8 versus Oklahoma and I bet there will be a lot of talk about it,probably will happen.
What game were some of you watching on Saturday? Turnovers was why we lost the friggin game! Its the same story as it has been every time we lose to Florida in recent memory
This doesn’t explain a losing SEC E record since 2006.Calling for Richt’s job goes way beyond Sat’s game.