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
jtdawg
November 1st, 2010
9:28 am
Icenupe -
It happens every year, every time. Is it just all the cruddy players we recruit? The same players UF, UA, AU, SC, TN, et al recruit? Really?
Do you honestly believe yourself? Do you honestly think there is nothing on where a coach cannot, repeatedly, can just not get his team prepared to play tight, mistake limited football? That’s what you expect??
I think someone else needs to find a new team to root for instead of telling passionate fans not to care about perpetually underprepared football teams.
For all of you supposed fans who continue to say the same stupid things, go find YOURSELVES A NEW TEAM TO ROOT FOR… there are plenty of teams out there that meet your criteria………
Saudi Dawg
November 1st, 2010
9:29 am
حقا ان الكلاب.
Cobb Dawg
November 1st, 2010
9:29 am
Icenupe -
You’re a complete baffoon. Turnovers in a ball game does not excuse the head coach from the crap product he’s put on the field. I guess in your eyes it’s ok we lost to Colorado to since we fumbled the ball then as well. And last year to Kentucky? And the 10 interceptions thrown the last three years against UF?
Get off your high horse Icenupe. Almost sounds like your Mike Bobo himself behind this handle. Jerk.
Hairy Dawg
November 1st, 2010
9:29 am
Enter your comments here
Milkshake
November 1st, 2010
9:30 am
Richt’s just good enough to barely lose. But that ain’t good enough. If I were a UGA donor the fundage would be stopped until a change was made. Is Adams still breathing ?
Cobb Dawg
November 1st, 2010
9:30 am
Saudi Dawg -
Go drown in the sand.
TimDawg
November 1st, 2010
9:32 am
Who do you guys think UGA could / should hire that in your mind would be an upgrade and would come if they were called?
jtdawg
November 1st, 2010
9:32 am
‘94 UGA Grad – instead of lambasting an editorial writer for writing an opinionated editorial (which is the description) – try basing your disgust with facts – all of them, not just the ones that paint the prettiest picture…
We care about our university and want better. THere is a man that get’s paid a King’s Ransom to be one of the best in the country. I’m not sure we’re even the best in our own state……
Maybe you like that, but some people choose to hold him accountable for the $3Million /Yr in taxpayer money he sucks up every year for underperforming, again, and again, and again…..
CPJ looks like Susan Boyle
November 1st, 2010
9:33 am
Fire Richt NOW
It’s not just one game
He did great things at the beginning but now it’s a constant decline
He can’t ever beat Florida ever ever forever never forever never ever ever- unacceptable
He beats Tech – who couldn’t
No Player Discipline
Lets Bobo run the offense – no other program would
Recruiting prospects losing confidence – if good players are underachieving, what will bad players do?
Icenupe
November 1st, 2010
9:34 am
Hey Phil,
I’m sure ‘THROW THE BALL INTO TRIPLE COVERAGE’ was the call signaled in from the coaching staff in overtime. You keep proving my point how you don’t know a damn thing about football or coaching. I don’t know any successful coach in the country who would run 3 STRAIGHT QB SNEAKS as you noted above. No FG is guaranteed no matter how good a FG kicker you have. YOU PLAY TO WIN! I just told you, you cannot take a SACK or TURN THE BALL OVER on 3rd down in overtime! I guess you still slow on understanding what that means. NOBODY CALLED FOR A FORCED THROW TO AJ GREEN INTO TRIPLE COVERAGE ON 3RD DOWN FROM THE SIDELINES YOU IDIOT!
Laffin at you
November 1st, 2010
9:34 am
Firing Mark Richt won’t stop the UGag Thugs from doing crimes. If you recruit idiots they are going to do stupid things. Maybe UGA football should recruit their own police force to watch over the dummies. Just my cents.
Phil
November 1st, 2010
9:34 am
Icenupe
No I would not fire Mack Brown or Urban Meyer for losing 4 games. Those guys consistently compete for a NC, something Richt will never accomplish. I don’t think you will see a bad trend continue under those guys. As for Richt, he’s taken us as far as he can, I think that is evident.
pcidoc
November 1st, 2010
9:34 am
Outcoached? Did you see CUM drop to his knees when the time expired? The turnovers caused by a nervous RS freshman QB in the first QTR and in the only OT he”s ever played in was the cause of the loss. CUM had 2 weeks to get ready, and without those turnovers the gators would have gone down easily. Nohing to do with getting outcoached!
Sharkman
November 1st, 2010
9:35 am
WHAT THE HELL DO YOU KNOW? YOU’RE JUST AN IDIOT REPORTER WHO’S PROBABLY NEVER EVEN THROWN A FOOTBALL. GO BACK TO KENTUCKY!!!!!!!!
EsquireDawg
November 1st, 2010
9:35 am
Great article. It is about time somebody called out Richt for his coaching. All of these we “never quit” moments would not be necessary if UGA did not fall behind in every game and start the season 1-4!!! Bottom line, records like 8-5 and 6-6(at best) should get you fired at Georgia every time with the talent on that campus.
Phil
November 1st, 2010
9:36 am
“NOBODY CALLED FOR A FORCED THROW TO AJ GREEN INTO TRIPLE COVERAGE ON 3RD DOWN FROM THE SIDELINES YOU IDIOT!”
Uh, I think Bozo did………
TheAntiMe
November 1st, 2010
9:36 am
Mark Richt came into the program, made his mark early and over the last several years has become very complacent. He can replace his coaches until the cows come home but it all starts with him and filters down.
His comments after the losses, which are coming at a frequent rate these days, are always something to the tune of, Oh golly gee, it’s a shame we had to lose. That’s too bad, I guess.
Definitely not the attitude of a head coach who is hungry to win championships. If it doesn’t bother the head coach to lose then the players aren’t really going to care either.
jtdawg
November 1st, 2010
9:37 am
TimDawg – it is very dangerous, no doubt.
But it is also obvious we are willing to pay a top notch salary to come to a school imbedded in one of the most talent-rich recruiting areas with great facilities, a proud history, and passionate fans, based in the most prestigous college.
I actually wonder how many top coaches you can fit into this coference, but you still have to make a shortlist of the best and try, or either just move to the ACC if you are afraid to try and compete.
Or we can just keep what we have…. paying for a Top 6 program for 60th place results….
Three
November 1st, 2010
9:37 am
“Who do you guys think UGA could / should hire that in your mind would be an upgrade and would come if they were called?”
Moe, Larry, and Curley.
Wait, I forgot they’re already there!
Icenupe
November 1st, 2010
9:40 am
Cobb Dawg,
Keep dancing around the question I asked. It shows you and the other idiots don’t have an answer so the easy road is to just sit back and cry and complain like a whiny lil b—-. What are you chances of winning football games when you lose the turnover battle? Slim and none. That’s basic Football 101. You answered you own question with 10 INT’s the last 3 games. What was the result? LOSSES! Think the coaching staff didn’t emphasize this coming into the game? So who is your next coach genius?
Darin
November 1st, 2010
9:43 am
Did AJ Green play?? Go to the pro’s AJ ! If we are not going to use you the Lions will ! Love that game plan.. The biggest game of the year for us and AJ Green doesn’t even sniff a touchdown! He is a play~maker… let him make plays! When the DB is playing 10 to 12 yards off of him..throw it to him!
B-Man
November 1st, 2010
9:44 am
2 words… Jon Gruden
bjohndawg
November 1st, 2010
9:44 am
pci doc….outcoached? oh yes. Meyer knew his team could not show up with the same BS and win this game. He ran three different QBs, moved Brantley and Burton and Rainey around.
What did the Georgia offense do? The same old stuff I formation. Nothing new. Same predictable play calling. And how many games has Georgia started with a pass to the flat on the first play. Many…and the florida team was sitting on it waiting.
Meyer’s = creative playcalling and strategic Richt= same old playcalling. Meyer= players ready to play and win. Richt= players hoping to win.
Hence Georgia outcoached again.
Saudi Dog
November 1st, 2010
9:45 am
Saudi Dawg – Go drown in the sand.
لعنة وألف الى أنه بالنسبة لك, فأنت حكم.
NCDAWG90
November 1st, 2010
9:47 am
Didn’t we have an off week last year, and all we got were those black helmets? I seem to remember almost losing to Vandy the week before the Gator Stomp.
I don’t think it will matter that much.
Dawg Gonnit
November 1st, 2010
9:47 am
If UGA won Saturday, we wouldn’t be discussing the SEC East record. If Rambo catches the ball at the end of regulaion, we probably win. If Rambo doesn’t tip the ball at the end of regulation, we pick it and return it in FG range. IF IF IF, that’s the way it is. I think Richt can STILL turn it around next year.. I’m not a huge Richt supporter but just one play here or there, and this season is very different. If AJ Green doesn’t sell his jersey, we win at least 2 of those first 4 games we lost. Did Richt sell Green’s jersey? Green knew better but did it anyway. A VERY bad decision that affected his entire team and University. So many things and “IFs” affected this season, not just Richt’s coaching.
Bo
November 1st, 2010
9:57 am
I suppose you could have a discussion about whether or not Richt can still coach, but Murray’s INT in OT doesn’t prove that Richt has lost his touch. Everyone knew that a freshman QB was going to cost us a game at some point. This was the one. Georgia’s problems in this game are the same problems that they have had all year long:
1. They cannot run block. You cannot run the ball effectively if you cannot block. I know that’s pointing out the obvious but a lot of people on these blogs don’t seem to get it. This offense will never be great until the offensive line can do their job.
2. The defense has no one to stop the inside run. Until UGA can get a good nose, they will be destroyed by the inside run (Newton is going to have a field day in 2 weeks). If you will remember, Alabama’s defense didn’t become great until Mount Cody came to Tuscaloosa.
Richt and Bobo aren’t the problem on offense. It is Stacey Searels. Coach Richt tried to correct UGA’s offensive line problems when he hired Searles 3 years ago. Well, that hire didn’t work out. It’s time to get another one.
It's Great to be a Florida Gator
November 1st, 2010
9:57 am
Dear UGA fans,
Just relax, stop crying and stop comparing yourselves to the Mighty Gators. It is time to face facts, your team is simply not as good. You got lucky 3 times out the past 21. The tide will turn. You dominated prior to the last 20 years. As a Gator fan, I hope Richt stays. It reminds me of the “Gators for Goff” bumper stickers. It would be scary if you higher Mullen from Mississippi State, a former Gator OC.
Look on the bright side, all the players will get to spend Christmas with their families. Enjoy your 6-6 season. You can always come cheer for the SEC West team playing the Gators in SEC Championship this year.
A.J.
November 1st, 2010
9:57 am
Mark. great article. i agree with you wholeheartedly. All of a UGA’s problems comes down to Richt specifically his loyalty. IMO we should be in year TWO with Murray and the 3-4 defense but we’re not because of Mr. Loyalty. He held on to Martinez through the 09 season when everybody knew that he should have been gone at the end of the 08 season. He also should have given Murray some PT last yr especially when the team started to struggle. Dont get me wrong, I think Murray is the best QB in the SEC East but UGA has a much better record this season if Richt had given him just a little bit more experience last yr. Instead we’re breaking in a new scheme and QB in the same yr. Now he’s put himself in a position where next year is a make it or break it yr for him.
zeekiefred for dawgs
November 1st, 2010
9:58 am
Gee, is there enough room to post anything? When the dawgs play Florida, they must catch a bad case of the heebie jeebies. Grantham’s 3-4 defense certainly didn’t do their job when they needed to. Anytime the offense puts 31 points on the board, it should be enough to win. It is amazing the dawgs stayed as close as they did with the turnovers they made. Yes, Murray made some mistakes but not enough to cost the game given his overall performance. This guy is a freshman and playing much better than about any freshman ever has. This game could have and should have been won if the defensive stooges had done their job and stopped the third and long pass that Brantley kept doing right over the middle. Hell, they just stood there and watched the game, they should have moved to the stands and bought a ticket. I mean to say, there’s three of them all around the receiver with their feet cemented to the turf. Coach Richt cannot coach stupidity and that’s what they have….just plain dumb! Mark, leave Richt alone! Dawgs, each of you should have to carry a football around with you all day every day and sleep with it at night. Don’t even put it down to eat.
ChillyMutt
November 1st, 2010
9:59 am
I never thought of him as a great game day coach. I initially thought he was a flawed young head coach with potential. But his progress has long ago stalled and now the wheels are coming off the program. He still has all the talent in the world to work with and his teams under perform. His players neither respect or fear him. And he an his staff are out game planned regularly. I am not saying to fire him now but I think UGA needs to keep their eyes and ears open for his eventual replacement.
Shankit
November 1st, 2010
10:00 am
Best coach Georgia ever had was Erk Russell.
Dooley just got all the credit….
jtdawg
November 1st, 2010
10:03 am
ChillyMutt -
A step up for Dan Mullen and his obvious coaching talent would be very interesting…..
jtdawg
November 1st, 2010
10:04 am
Shankit – I would argue that Brian Van Gorder could very well be in the same mold…
however I would have very little confidence in him as a HC…
TheDawgMan
November 1st, 2010
10:05 am
What is really funny is the amount of Tech fans on here talking trash. How have you guys done vs Richt?
I am no longer on the Mark Richt bandwagon and I do believe its time for a change in Athens, but Tech talking trash to UGA, is like UGA talkiing trash to Florida….
valleyboy32
November 1st, 2010
10:07 am
ALL I WANT IS A COACH MAIN OBJECTIVE IS TO BEAT FLA.. EVRYTHING ELSE WILL FOLLOW…
NOT JUST FOR A YEAR THEN LOOSE 5 I’M TALKING ABOUT DOMINATING …
dawgfan
November 1st, 2010
10:10 am
Richt’s stay at UGA is long past being over. So much promise when he arrived. Although Donnan had his faults, he didn’t leave Richt with a bare cubboard, which he used to win his first SEC title. However, Richt has not brought the program up to the level of Meyer and Saban or Spurrier. He cannot beat either of them, on a bad day for Bama or Florida. He’s made very poor head coaching decisions, like making Bobo OC (very big mistake – the offense funcitoned much better when Richt called the plays), hiring Martinez as DC and the disaster in filling the job after Martinez was fired). Rodney Gardner has been an unmitgated disaster as recruiting coordinator. Grantham is totally incompetent coaching defense at the college level. The fire has left the coaching staff, from Richt on down
All of the wheels have come off. The bus is in the ditch. We need a new bus driver.
Can anyone say “Kirby Smart”?
.
Phil
November 1st, 2010
10:10 am
Icenupe,
Go over to the Junkyard Blawg and read this from Bill King:
“And also to wonder whether the best choice of all might have been to just run it three times and kick the field goal. ”
I’m not the only one who believes that, you Moron.
GApeachdawg
November 1st, 2010
10:10 am
I agree with you Mark, you nailed it here in this article.
Let me give you my unique perspective: I’m a UF graduate, living in Gainesville for the past 24 yrs and working at UF, but I’m a diehard DAWG fan…always will be. I’m not a fair-weather fan and have taken a lot of hits the last 24 yrs from my friends and coworkers about GA losing so much to the Gators. That’s okay, I’m a big girl and I can take it because I bleed red and black.
But this game was TOO much. We should have won, plain and simple.
All that said–The Gator fans down here pretty much expected GA to win…they told me so! They were WORRIED!!! I expected GA to win…there’s NO reason why GA didn’t win…except for the horrible coaching. Sorry, but Bobo has long overstayed his welcome.
As for Richt–yes, he’s a fine man, but he’s just not doing it as a coach. We need someone with some spunk, some fire, and a desire to WIN!!!! He needs to stop trying to be the players substitute dad/reverend, and light a fire under them!
Frankly, I’m tired of making excuses for the Bulldogs, and I will ALWAYS be a Dawg fan because I grew up in GA…but enough is enough! Heads need to ROLL!!!
jtdawg
November 1st, 2010
10:10 am
valleyboy32
Dan Mullen *might* have Florida’s number…. considering his pedigree and what he is doing in Starkville, he *could*, with the right program, have everyone’s number….
I have a very good friend from Starkville – he would be cursing me now if he knew I was *intrigued* by their head coach….
'94 UGA Grad
November 1st, 2010
10:11 am
Hey Tampa Gator,
Congratulations on winning the game and you made some very profound statements with your posts. I think sometimes an outsider has a better perspective and can be more objective when evaluating a team or a coach and I think you are dead on.
I am predicting that McGarity will give in to all the peer pressure from the high dollar boosters and fans and make a knee jerk reaction and fire Richt after this year. I am also predicting that whoever we find to replace Richt will not be as good and eventually we will be sorry that we let him go. UGA fans for the most part are incredibly cynical and they will never be happy even after 2 SEC Championships and 6 top 10 finishes in the last 9 years. Some people might argue that they have been resting on their laurels the past couple of years and there may be some truth to that but even the best powerhouses have bad years (i.e. FSU in the 90’s, Miami in late ’90’s and early ’00’s, etc. I hate losing just as much as everyone else but firing Richt is not the answer. This is a time for patience and perservering because I have faith that Richt can turn this thing around. I guess that makes me a “Blind Homer” but I truly believe it. Plus the margin between winning and losing is incredibly small, usually just a play or two as is the case with all 5 of our losses.
jtdawg
November 1st, 2010
10:14 am
GApeachdawg -
I am proud to be able to call someone like you a fellow Georiga Bulldog supporter. On a dark Monday, knowing of a fellow supporter like yourself brightens my day and strengthens my resolve. These are dark times as far as I’m concerned, and we have to hold strong and forge forward…
Dawg Gonnit
November 1st, 2010
10:15 am
Ok, Let’s beat Idaho St (hopefully!) and knock off Auburn (you never know, maye we can outscore Auburn). Then kill Tech as usual and go to a crappy bowl as a 7-5 team and win the Bowlgame..and head into next year on a positive note.. GO DAWGS ! SIC EM !
Snoop Dawg
November 1st, 2010
10:15 am
YOU NEVER SEND YOUR BEST RECEIVER INTO A ROUTE THAT CAN LEAD TO DOUBLE, TRIPLE, QUADRUPLE COVERAGE. OC playcalling takes all the blame. Why not allow murray to run more to keep defenses honest?? It was effective when you needed…especially on that last drive. NO MORE FADE ROUTES ON THE SHORT SIDE OF FIELD. IDIOTIC!!! Do the assistant coaches know anything about controlling the blitz? The offense is very vanilla…doesnt require alotta adjustments for opposing defenses. Our talent is scoring the pts…not the creativity of the coaching. Defense just got tired in second half…finding themselves outta position on key plays.
Pope UGA XXIII
November 1st, 2010
10:15 am
Usually Mark Bradley’s objectivity shows better during roundball
season, but this article is dead on. Once the top tier talent stops
signing, then we will be in deep dawg doo-doo. Can you imagine
where we would be with the overall talent of say, Tech, Kentucky,
or Mississippi State ? There just might be some coach out in
Starkeville who could take this team and improve it greatly.
Mark Richt is owed all of the respect in the world for the type of
person he is and what he has accomplished in years past, but this
continual underachieving has gone wayyyy too far, I’m afraid. I have
vivid memories of Vince & Erk accomplishing a whole lot more with
a whole lot less in the pre-Herschel years.
SECfan
November 1st, 2010
10:16 am
Mark Bradley,
You are truly an idiot. Richt made a statement saturday. His team was down 14 at the half and Florida had momentum. He fired his team and they came back and fought. As a fan, I will never complain about that. Florida did not beat Georgia. Georgia beat Georgia. It is easy to point fingers and say what the problem is but another to actually have to assess and try to fix. I’m sorry but Richt should not be fired and anyone who believes he should are not true Dawg fans. Stabiliy pays off and I believe that this program is going to bounce back.
Long Gator
November 1st, 2010
10:16 am
At least you underachievers can go beat can mediocore ACC GT.
This may keep CMR his well paid job.
As long as you accept this fact please quit complaining and
give more money.
By the way, thanks for the annual beatdown!
harold
November 1st, 2010
10:16 am
AFTER NOT EVEN BEING IN THE SEC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME IN FIVE YEARS———IT IS TIME FOR RICHT TO GO!
KakNiqueTree
November 1st, 2010
10:16 am
Mike T “He ain’t tellin’ him how to coach…”
Oh, OK, whatever ye say :>
KnoxDawg
November 1st, 2010
10:18 am
Well. it was a great football game. Usually when we lose to UF its a blowout. But we lost to Florida. Again. To follow Bradley’s theme, UGA did well early in his tenure when he called the plays and ran the offense. Bobo is a terrible playcaller. Need a yard, send everyone long and get a sack. Need 10 yards in OT on second down? Run it stratight into the line. Game after game, year after year. Like Martinez, Bobo has to go. Maybe CMR didn’t want to do it at the same time as the def staff last year. Ok, but do it this year. Them CMR had better clean up the dumb penalties, lack of discipline on and aff the field or he may well be gone after next season. My view is don’t replace CMR but get rid of Bobo.