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
Dawg Tired
November 1st, 2010
8:45 am
Mark – I think you’re off the mark on thisone. (pun intended)
We need a football coach
November 1st, 2010
8:47 am
Icenupe
All you can see is the turnovers from Saturday’s game?
What about a losing SEC east record since 2006?
Go ahead and stay with keep Richt creeps.
Phil
November 1st, 2010
8:47 am
“We could fire Richt and end up like Auburn, (Tuberville-Chizek) or Alabama (Shula-Saban)Florida(Zook- Meyer).
Absoulutely great analogy.
dawgdave
November 1st, 2010
8:51 am
When is losing to Florida going to become unacceptable? Personally I’m tired of defending Richt and company. Something needs to change. Florida has owned UGA the last 21 years (winning 18 times!!!), you know what would happen if I didn’t do my job for 18 out of 21 years? I get fired! I’m over it all, the excuses, the forgiveness, the nice guy “christian” views. I want meanies, I want ball hawks, I want attitude and swagger. What is it going to take to get over the Florida hump? That should be the FIRST PRIORITY at UGA, and it should’ve been 21 years ago when Spurrier started to beat the tar out of us. I’m over it, I’m SOOOOO glad the Falcons are doing well. They seem like a team headed in the right direction, UGA is the opposite. They look like a sinking ship…
You Richt apologists keep standing up for him. When are you going to hold him responsible for not having Georgia ready year in and year out for the big games? Now that I think about it when was the last time he won a big game? Spurrier, Zook, and now Meyer have all owned Richt. Saban has as well. I say bring on some change.
NYC Dawg
November 1st, 2010
8:51 am
I have to give it to you Mark, you are good at your job… Your job is to stir the pot and jump from one side of the argument to the other on a weekly basis, and you do it well.
Phil
November 1st, 2010
8:51 am
“Here’s another question for the “Fire Mark Richt” idiots. If Florida turned the ball over 4 times to our 1 with an interception on the first possession in overtime, who do you think wins the friggin game?”
If Florida turned the ball over with their first possesion in OT, then we win the game. But they win the coin toss and defer. Now, that makes it IMPERATIVE that we come away with at least a FG. So play smart and get at least that. But no, we play stupid and come away with nothing. Game over.
SOUTH GA DAWG FAN
November 1st, 2010
8:53 am
I have been one of Richts biggest supporters but I will say if you can never beat florida you might need to go.
Denial no longer
November 1st, 2010
8:57 am
When was GA’s coaching ever championship calibre? Since when was playing for their conference ever considered playing for a championship? The last thing Richt practices/preaches is fundamentals: penalties and ball protection. Something that a better coached team with inferior talent obviously did last Saturday. Sad, but true.
Icenupe
November 1st, 2010
8:57 am
@We need a football coach,
Are you seriously going to compare Ron Zook and Mike Shula to their replacements? Saban and Meyer would be upgrades to damn near every school in the country. Do you REALLY think Auburn would be as good as they are without Cam Newton? Auburn was 8-5 last year including a loss to UGA (4 in a row I might add). You can side with the Fire Mark Richt morons if you want. I still think Coach Richt is a good coach. I’m not a fairweather fan. I noticed you didn’t answer any of my 2 questions.
#1
November 1st, 2010
8:59 am
UGA – We hit and run this state!
Honky Talkin'
November 1st, 2010
9:01 am
To insult Michelle Obama instead of admitting your team is spiraling in to mediocrity, proves how ignorant the average UGA fan really is.
GG
November 1st, 2010
9:02 am
Richt has not been a good “gameday” coach against the gators.
Lowcountry Bulldawgs
November 1st, 2010
9:02 am
Richt couldn’t capitalize when Zook was the coach and now he has lost to UF’s worst two teams under Meyer (2005 and 2010). Hard thing two figure out. On one hand I wanna be patient and give CMR another shot, but at some point it gets pretty clear that this is something he cannot fix and a new voice needs brought in. Its just not a good situation any way you look at it.
Icenupe
November 1st, 2010
9:02 am
Phil, you must not know much about coaching or football. Do you REALLY think Coach Richt wanted A.Murray to force the ball into triple coverage? So on 3rd down we should have just run a QB sneak and not try for a first down? 2 things cannot happen on 3rd down in overtime, 1) A Sack 2) A turnover. TURNOVERS COST US THE GAME!!! PERIOD!
Delbert D.
November 1st, 2010
9:04 am
Somebody brought up Notre Dame’s recruiting as a comparison to Georgia’s. Check this:
Top 10 recruiting classes during the past five years
1. USC
2. Florida
3. Alabama
4. LSU
5. Texas
6. Georgia
7. Oklahoma
8. Florida State
9. Notre Dame
10. Ohio State.
Vince Dooley
November 1st, 2010
9:04 am
I’ve been saying this all season: The prayers don’t work with the average thug athlete being recruited to UGA. Does Sabans’ team have 11 arrests this season?
Cobb Dawg
November 1st, 2010
9:04 am
Icenupe -
Why don’t you just quit making excuses for this coaching staff? You’ve been doing this same ol’ song and dance for as long as I can remember. You’re truly worthless.
Delbert D.
November 1st, 2010
9:05 am
“Richt has not been a good “gameday” coach against the gators.”
So he should replace Lee Corso?
Cobb Dawg
November 1st, 2010
9:07 am
Delbert -
Don’t be smart with the Corso comment. You know what was meant.
Jimmy
November 1st, 2010
9:07 am
42-19…….In my book thats pretty good. Dawg Nation acts like we win national championships all the time…..we have one. We are not a superior program and thats got nothing to do with coaching.
Enough said.
Jeff
November 1st, 2010
9:08 am
If he loses to Auburn and Tech, he is done.
Lowcountry Dawg
November 1st, 2010
9:09 am
You won’t win turning over the ball 4 times…it could have went either way, but it went UF’s way…oh well, “Wait ’til next year!”
Just hope Carolina can beat Univ of Felons to get to SEC CS…I’m sick and tired of seeing UF win!
jtdawg
November 1st, 2010
9:10 am
Homer N Butts – Why, then, are you here?
Oh yeah, idiot blathering at the mouth. So easy to be a classless jerk when you win, I guess. Nice way to win with grace and dignity, schmuck.
Cobb Dawg
November 1st, 2010
9:10 am
Lowcountry Dawg -
That’s the typical loser’s mentality we can do without. Our team sucks so let’s hope team X beats team Z. Please give me a break.
AtlantaDawg
November 1st, 2010
9:10 am
I totally agree with Bradley. In the business world (and football is big business and BIG MONEY), if I was a great employee years ago and a lousy employee for the last several years (and made $2.5+M per year), I doubt I’d have job security. After ten years on the job, Richt has clearly proven he’s not the type of coach who can motivate players (on and off the field) and bring championships to UGA like many other great coaches. With Mark Richt, UGA will ALWAYS remain a Tier II SEC coach.
Brad
November 1st, 2010
9:12 am
Ice
We had a huge advantage on them with kickers. On 3rd down you play for the field goal and put the pressure on them. It was just another stupid call by bozo.
And anyone who thinks this deflated team will beat Auburn is crazy. They will beat us by 3 tds. And who knows what tech will be like in 4 games. They may get better and start clicking on offense.
jtdawg
November 1st, 2010
9:12 am
Jimmy, so glad you accept mediocrity in your life.
Make sure to give your kid an giant trophy and ice cream party for finishing in 6th place in the Three – Legged Spring Picinc race next year. Yeah, that way they can accept mediocrity in their life, just like dad….
Cobb Dawg
November 1st, 2010
9:13 am
Brad -
You’re seemingly the lone voice of reason with all these absurd “fanatics” cuddling Lord Richt.
Santa's List
November 1st, 2010
9:13 am
Dear Mr. McGarity,
Please extend Richt’s contract and secure him as coach of UGA for the next 20 years.
Sincerely,
Urban
Phil
November 1st, 2010
9:14 am
“So on 3rd down we should have just run a QB sneak and not try for a first down? 2 things cannot happen on 3rd down in overtime, 1) A Sack 2) A turnover. TURNOVERS COST US THE GAME!!! PERIOD!”
Exactly my point you idiot. Instead of playing smart in OT, we give up another turnover that decided the game.
jerry
November 1st, 2010
9:15 am
What really sucks is AJC’s new blog format.
jtdawg
November 1st, 2010
9:15 am
Cobb Dawg, tou think that mentality is bad, check out Jimmy’s post.
I am convinced these aren’t Dawg fans. These are Florida, Auburn, SC, Alabama, Tennessee fans who don’t want this program to realize it’s potential sitting in the middle of one of the biggest talent hotbeds in the nation…..
They will keep spewing this junk in hopes that sleepy lemmings will follow along with the “… but Richt is a good, Christian man…” – like THAT has made a difference with the thugs we have on campus…
Red Farmer
November 1st, 2010
9:15 am
I give up. I hate our coach. The radio show tonight should truely be stupid.
Phil
November 1st, 2010
9:16 am
“We had a huge advantage on them with kickers. On 3rd down you play for the field goal and put the pressure on them. It was just another stupid call by bozo.”
Thank God someone else on here has some common sense.
Fake Urban Meyer
November 1st, 2010
9:16 am
I like Mark Richt.
Fake Urban Meyer
November 1st, 2010
9:17 am
A field goal is not guaranteed.
Spot On
November 1st, 2010
9:17 am
The UGA mover and shakers will decide CMR’s fate. The goodwill Richt accumulated during the successful period of his tenure seems inexhaustible, and the patience it’s engendered to date is killing the football program.
This is one of the best analyses that I’ve seen. And right on the money.
Discipline
November 1st, 2010
9:17 am
4 turnovers by your qb. He’s a fresh but you idiots expected something different?
No AJ Kris or Justin next year. Sophmore slump.
Delbert D.
November 1st, 2010
9:17 am
Cobb Dawg – I know, but I had to take the satirical shot that Bradley set up for me.
jtdawg
November 1st, 2010
9:19 am
ATTENTION ALL UGA LEMMINGS -
quit making excuses. This man is the 6th highest paid coach in the nation and you are all prasing him and accepting him coaching like he’s the 60th highest paid coach in the nation.
You are SUPPOSED to get what you pay for…..if all of you accept this in return for the money invested, I am sure I could find some high quality merchandise I could sell you…
Cobb Dawg
November 1st, 2010
9:20 am
jtdawg -
I don’t really care if Richt is Christian, Hindu, or whatever else. As you point out, those that worry about that don’t care about the direction of this program. We are dropping further in further out of relevance in the SEC.
Mark Richt has made enough money to get out of coaching and go build himself a church if that’s what he needs to do. He may be better at that then building a championship team.
Gen Neyland
November 1st, 2010
9:20 am
Geez, it’s not like UGA is still rebuilding from it’s previous two Head Coaches.
Redfern on Capella V
November 1st, 2010
9:21 am
Time to clean house and start over. The bleeding has to be stopped.
Hairy Dawg
November 1st, 2010
9:21 am
and I done telling folks that Coach Richt not goning do hot sitting. Coach Richt is a good Christian and the stinky players need hot sitting.
Icenupe
November 1st, 2010
9:23 am
CobbDawg,
So who is your next coach genius? What game were u watching? 4 FRIGGIN TURNOVERS!! That’s an excuse? Answer any of the 2 questions I posed earlier. Florida commits 4 turnovers to our 1. Who wins the game? You want to replace Richt? What if your next coach beats Florida but can’t beat Tech or Auburn, what did YOU accomplish? Not a damn thing. I HATE LOSING TO FLORIDA, but if all you are going to talk about is one play in OT on a ball thrown into triple coverage by a young QB, you don’t know a damn thing about football. 4 turnovers. 1 lost fumble recovery in our hands that lead to a Florida TD drive. 2 OTHER fumbles by Boykin and B.Smith we were LUCKY to recover and yeah it was Coach Richt’s fault in a 3 point loss in overtime. Some of you aren’t fans, you are just bandwagon phonies with a microwave mentality. Mack Brown lost 3 games at home this year to Iowa St.,Baylor, and UCLA. Texas should fire him huh? Meyer lost 3 straight and was staring at #4. All of you mental midgets find another team to root for. Georgia State is just starting to build a fan base. Go there.
bjohndawg
November 1st, 2010
9:23 am
I will still root for my Dawgs!
But this loss stings like no other.
They should have beat Florida. But they were outcoached and out executed by a less than average Gator team.
I dont think Richt’s heart is in it anymore. And if it is not, he needs to move on to what he really wants to do.
And if you dont think an extra week helps, you did not watch the game. Myer was able to install some offense in 14 days you cannot put in and be successful in 7. Dawgs can in with the same predictable offense. You know the one where you are sitting in your chair, eating your fritos and you say ” well they are going to run it”, and of course they do. And then you take a swig of punch and you say, ” oh they are lined up to throw and they do. And then you just want to throw up because you know if you can see it coming on CBS from 6 hours away, the DC in the press box and the defensive players on the field can see it as well, only they can do something about it. All you can do is go to the kitchen and get another bag of fritos to replace the ones you just barfed.
Much has people hate on Dooley I can only remember one or two games in his career at Georgia where the team seemed unprepared and was blown out. kentucky 31-0 comes to mind in I think 77. But this team under Richt lately seems unprepared the majority of the time it takes the field.
And I dont understand Richt’s on the job training mentality. Bobo at OC…..was he ever coaching at anywhere but GA. Grad Assistant and they QB coach and then to OC…..and you wonder why he cannot call a game? Nepotism at it’s worse.
When Martinez was there? He inherited Van Gorder’s role.
It use to be, ” I just broke my steel metal chair”. Because the team excited you. Now it is just ” Honey I just went to the bathroom and threw up my Fritos. ” Because this program’s coaching and results make me ill.
But I will still root for them, and like a blind pig hope somehow they find an acorn.
jerry
November 1st, 2010
9:23 am
Icenupe ….Are you an idiot? You keep talking about just the last game. Don’t you realize it’s not just about the last game?
Gbal
November 1st, 2010
9:23 am
started the game (first half) in a hole with the T-overs but didnt play that bad folks,,, and came out in the 2nd half with a great comeback to make it a game. I was really proud of the way the staff coached them back in the 2nd half.
Now the OT was really dissapointing. We got people on the blog bichin because the threw on first…bichin cause they ran on second,,, bichin cause they threw on third…. lot of armchairs that know little about coaching and would bich no matter what. Unfortunante that AM let that pas go into coverage not doubt but he did show us a lot in this game after such a bad start… putting it behind him and leading the comeback. Where we lost this game though is not putting up more than 7 in the first half … and the turnovers… and giving up 2 long drives on D
'94 UGA Grad
November 1st, 2010
9:23 am
Hey Mark,
You ought to be ashamed at yourself for this article. I would say that you are no longer a championship caliber journalist but then again you never were. It sure is easy to criticize a guy from the comforts of your own chair. Everyone knows that the ajc is just a dirty piece of rag not worthy of wiping your butt with. This city deserves better.
Just sayin...
November 1st, 2010
9:26 am
Why do I get the feeling Urban Meyer could win with UGA’s players but Mark Richt couldn’t win with UF’s players?