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
Sandyspringsjacket
October 31st, 2010
2:21 pm
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville:
Black helmets, black jersey, black pants, black socks and shoes
You forgot the red panties.
THUGA will beat Ida Who and lose to Auburn and the Jackets. Bowl streak OVER; 5-7 season. Should help the recruiting of more 4-5 star under achievers.
It's the sunglasses
October 31st, 2010
2:21 pm
Where were Richt’s sunglases? I think that was the problem – no lucky sunglasses.
Always a Dawg
October 31st, 2010
2:22 pm
So if you’re such a genius, why weren’t you calling for CMR to be fired last week, and thus avoid the Christmas rush. Easy to criticize a coach when the team is losing, but why did you, in all your giftedness, not call for his outster in same column in which you predicted UGA would beat FL? In 1979 UGA went 6-5. You probably would have called for Dooley’s firing that year. For the record, the next year in 1980 UGA went 12-0 and was the national champ. Some years are off, but every Dawg will have his day. I have no doubt this team and coach are just one Herschel Walker away from being national champions.
Jwall
October 31st, 2010
2:24 pm
90% of y’all are idiots. Richt didn’t turn the ball over 4 times!!!
SEC Fact Finder
October 31st, 2010
2:24 pm
Tampa Gator….
I enjoyed this morning in the lovely Tampa area, but I did attend Church this morning close your neck of the beach.
I knew as I left the stadium you would be on cloud 9 this morning. Congratulations on seeing the Gators do everything in their power to win a game that SHOULD not have been close in the 2nd half.
I give the Georgia players credit for having pride and making a valiant comeback.
I agree with the Rambo deal, he made several questionable hits and according to one of my associates many of those plays were flagged as well as a few on some Florida hits. But that is done every game, most of the time nothing comes out if it, but with the emphasis on leading with the helmet deal, one never knows.
I have just a couple of questions and comments for you Tampa Gator…
Do you really think that Florida(after the UGA) game is even close to playing at the level of an Auburn or Alabama? I will go ahead and answer it for you, NO! They had a week off to prepare for UGA and should have won.
What are their chances with South Carolina in two weeks? I really do not know, I think the Florida/USC game will bring out the best and worst in both teams.
Have a great week my brother and congratulations on the win.
Cobb Dawg
October 31st, 2010
2:24 pm
Always a Dawg -
More like “Always a rosy outlook in a fairy patch”. You sicken me dude. Get over yourself.
NOLA
October 31st, 2010
2:24 pm
c’mon bradley. it ain’t the coaching. it’s that stupid nfl coordinator who thinks he knows it all. kid of like that chump over at the flats coaching D?
a 3-4 in college is absolutely a disaster that’s why only stupid NFL rejects try it.
send that stupid cowboy coach packing and bring willie martinez back.
No Rambo
October 31st, 2010
2:25 pm
TampaGator’s analysis of Bacarri Rambo is spot on. Get rid of this stupid punk now before he loses any more games.
What took you so long?
October 31st, 2010
2:26 pm
We haven’t been championship caliber in a long time. Move on Richt.
NOLA
October 31st, 2010
2:26 pm
per a real good source, murray was playing with a heavy heart. apparently some of the tampa gators put a bounty on his family’s head and he had no choice but to throw those pics.
Steve
October 31st, 2010
2:26 pm
Cobb Dawg, you are an idiot. I swear. War Damn Eagle on you and your pathetic team.
Dogdawg
October 31st, 2010
2:26 pm
cobb stilll hung over ?
Dawg The Mediocrity Settler
October 31st, 2010
2:28 pm
Kids keep going to Georgia for a reason “MR”.
Really?!?!?!? Is it really Coach Richt? Or is the most popular and successful college football program in this state at the most prominent state university in this state, a state that possesses a ton of high school football talent?
Is it really Richt’s recruiting, or is it really the inherent recruiting advantage the school has due to its location and its popularity and prominence in that location?
Really, stop giving Richt credit for the talent. First of all, they don’t look all that talented. And the level of talent that he does have looks like the kind of talent even a mindless monkey could get without even trying considering the built in recruiting advantage the school has.
TampaGator
October 31st, 2010
2:29 pm
Also….now you see why I have been saying Chas Henry is a better punter than your great punter. With the game on the line….twice….Chas Henry punted Georgia inside the 5 yard line….WITH THE GAME ON THE LINE.
Yes…your punter made a great punt with the game on the line from the endzone…..and he is really good as well….
But no one kicks the ball inside the 5 like Chas Henry….and his average per kick is basically the same…a little better…than Butler…before the start of the game yesterday.
But both Butler and Henry will be NFL punters….but give me Henry every time….over any punter. He is the best.
…..and….as you know now…..can kick a FG once in a while….but I wish he had done it against LSU and MSU…..and the Gators would be 7-1 right now….not 5-3. But what heavenly, sweet redemption yesterday for Mr. Henry.
dawggirl
October 31st, 2010
2:29 pm
Congrats, Beast. You are one of the classiest Gator fans I’ve come across here. Thanks for your comments, although I still think you are giving us too much credit.
TampaGator
October 31st, 2010
2:30 pm
…and Henry is from Dallas, Georgia…..SWEAT!!!1
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
October 31st, 2010
2:30 pm
Jump up and down on the AUBURN logo please so we can win
TampaGator
October 31st, 2010
2:30 pm
That is….sweet.
SEC Fact Finder
October 31st, 2010
2:30 pm
Over and under on my first TRICK OR TREATER ARRIVAL TIME?
5:15….
Last Trick or Treater?
10:05…then the threats start…it is a school night..
NOLA
October 31st, 2010
2:31 pm
Everyone knows the dawgs are habitual losers. That’s your lot in life, just accept it and be pleased with a few victories each year.
LSU that’s a school with pride, tradition, and championships.
If you think this loss was awful wait till you play a Auburn.
Gator Man
October 31st, 2010
2:32 pm
Mark Bradley, what a hypocrite he was just praising a team that loss 4 games last week. He was just saying how these losers were gong to win the East. Mark Richt would have been fired at any of the big 3 schools in Florida by now.
Furman Bishop
October 31st, 2010
2:32 pm
Bradley, I have to give you credit, albeit one of the few times. No doubt the “Richt forever” Lunatiks will slander you and threaten your life. Better disconnect your phone and computer. You have had the temerity to incur their rath by directly stating the obvious and bitter(to them) truth, which pains them deeply. But unless and until they realize that you have “hit the nail on the head”, they will forever be doomed to saying, “just wait till next year, Richt will have us back on top”, and once again, be disappointed. They are the eternal “wait till next year crowd”. Some people never learn.
Michelle Obama is Hot
October 31st, 2010
2:32 pm
On to next week. I’ve been looking at this matchup and I have to tell you, Georgia matches up very well with Idaho State and I very much like our chances. Georgia is going to surprise some people next week, write it down.
Cobb Dawg
October 31st, 2010
2:34 pm
Someone has hijacked my screen name.
Dawg The Mediocrity Settler
October 31st, 2010
2:34 pm
Folks, quit saying that Tennessee is in the dumps because they got rid of Fulmer. Tennessee being down ain’t because of Dooley, Kiffin, or Fulmer being fired. Tennessee is down because they let Fulmer slowly drive the damn thing into a ditch over his last 8 years there. That really is the lesson to be learned with Tennessee.
TampaGator
October 31st, 2010
2:34 pm
SEC FACT FINDER…..
Sorry for being an ass to you recently. I had a bad attitude…I admit towards you.
By the way…..I went on a walk last Sunday afternoon on beach walk and took in the new Hyatt….as you suggested….for the first time. Wow….I even got to check out one of the suites upstairs…amazing. The place was almost empty though. The sign of the times for the area.
…..and….yes….it has been a sweet, sweet weekend. I am looking forward to traveling back to THE SWAMP for the SC game…and I hope that visit to my beloved SWAMP will have me coming away with better thoughts than the last two trips (LSU AND MSU).
dawginduluth
October 31st, 2010
2:34 pm
I hate for the dawgs having to lose to get rid of Richt. So be it.
JRW7
October 31st, 2010
2:36 pm
I agree MB, CMR got outcoached by CUM yesterday, enought said!!!!
Cobb Dawg
October 31st, 2010
2:37 pm
Come on Stevie boy, give it up. Tech? If so, you’ll get your annual beat-down soon enough. AU? You talk about OUR fans and campus!?!? Which is it?
Buckeye
October 31st, 2010
2:38 pm
Bruce, you must care if you felt compelled to repsond. I was making a comparison of coaching records against a rival. You win, you stay. You lose you go.
Thanks for calling me “Dude”. Whoda thunk it…me and The President, both “Dudes”‘.
I’ll be back, Bruce.
SEC Fact Finder
October 31st, 2010
2:38 pm
Tampa G-MAN…
No problem, I REALLY try to stay as neutral as possible and I have to be as professional on Saturdays as possible. UF played a great game yesterday.
Enjoy the week, it has been 4 long weeks for you and your gators…and 17 out of 20 long years for Georgia fans…;LOL…
UKUGA
October 31st, 2010
2:38 pm
Don’t forget . . . Richt has lost to Kentucky twice, and Vandy once. Pathetic, really. Kentucky actually looks forward to playing Georgia each year.
(And don’t forget, this is the same Kentucky that last beat Tennessee in 1984 and Florida in 1986).
Georgia is not feared. Bottom feeders like UK and Vandy look @ UGA as an opportunity to beat one of the big boys.
TampaGator
October 31st, 2010
2:38 pm
SEC FACT FINDER…..
Ever had breakfast at the New York style deli at the corner of Alt 19 and Alderman in Palm Harbor? Had breakfast there this morning….very good….nice place……but too many Yankee fans. You might want to try it some time….but I forget the name….my wife discovered it with her lady friends.
SaffronGator
October 31st, 2010
2:38 pm
Athenzdawg
Hate to break the news – if the Gators took a bye week before their bug rivalry game, it would be before FSU. Losing to Georgia back in the day was embarrassing, but Georgia has never been a big rivalry game for the Gators – just a fun trip. If we need to win one game a year, it is always FSU – after that its Miami, when we play them, and after that Tennessee. I do agree the bye weeks helps Florida – but the main reason it comes when it does is because it is mid-year.
coachx
October 31st, 2010
2:39 pm
Typo Mark……….learn to count:
“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.”
2008, 2009, 2010 is 3 tries and not 6.
Godd game by the Dawgs but not good enoughto over come 4 turnovers. Just got back from Jacksonville. Time to rest up for the work week.
Go DAWGS !
We are hangin’ with you Richt ! Your our coach !
Saluki Mike
October 31st, 2010
2:39 pm
Mettenberger is 9 – 0. Coming to an SEC team next season.
dawginduluth
October 31st, 2010
2:39 pm
Head coaches should be paid on a base salary plus bonus. Say $500,000 base salary plus $100,000 per win for UGA’s head coach.
Steve
October 31st, 2010
2:40 pm
I can’t blame this one on the coaches.
Exhibit A) Two players try to pick up a fumble inside the Florida 20 instead of falling on it. Costs Georgia at least 3 points or maybe 7 if we take it in right there. Florida also drove the length of the field to score, so that was a HUGE momentum swing you cannot blame on the coaches.
Exhibit B) Georgia recovers a fumble and tries to run with it, fumbling it right back to Florida. Yes, you could say the players are lacking in technique which is the coaches fault, but please .. that’s beyond lame to blame the coaches for that.
Exhibit C) Third and long and Florida throws a corner route that Cummings stood there and waited for it to come to him for an INT. If he simply takes a step or two towards the ball, or just bats it down, Florida has to try a long field goal or Georgia gets the pick. Instead, Florida got a first and goal and scored on the next play.
Exhibit D) Orson Charles letting a pass go right thru his hands that would have been a huge gain.
Exhibit E) Murray trying to do more than he should on an obvious sack and loses a fumble giving UF a short field. There is no doubt this has been covered with him time and again, but he is a gamer that thinks he can make a positive gain out of everything. He will learn, but it will take experience, not coaching.
I think this jumping on the coaching is getting out of hand. Yes, we gave up far too many yards on defense but we have played well on defense this year so one anomaly is not enough to offset that. Yes, we should have come out running the ball until they could prove they could stop us. Yes, we should have tried to get the ball to Green more.
We should have won that game. We outplayed Florida but couldn’t take advantage of them turning the ball over to us. Notice how Florida took advantage of every break they got. Georgia playrs left that one on the field. They played a great game, but you have to be able to take advantage of every opportunity, and the players did not.
RosGator
October 31st, 2010
2:40 pm
UGA had the Gators number for years and as UF Fan living in ATL I thought there would never be enough UF wins inflicted to atone for the arrogant and obnoxious behavior by UGA fans in the 70’s &80’s. However, last evening’s win may have finally drawn us even. CMR is fine man building character, please do not fire him. I can visulize a new “Upward Bulldawg” bumper sticker for your Red F150’s.
SatanisaGator
October 31st, 2010
2:40 pm
UGA has nothing to gain from firing Richt. I think he and Bobo suck at coming up with “taylor made” game plan for their opponents, hence they are always playing from behind and being forced to reacted to whatever the other team throws at them, but who are we gonna get to replace them? It is a well known fact that Satan is a UF alum, Gainesville being the closest thing to home he could find. Since then, the Universtiy has benifited from a string of demonic coaches and child sacrificing fans that have kept them in the dark princes graces. As UGA fans, we can only pray that Frodo will make it to Mordor and we will at last be delivered from the orcish horde.
Supes
October 31st, 2010
2:41 pm
Sad to say but that TampaGator is actually right about something…
RAMBO is a thug who is more interested on being a BA and looking tough than actually playing good, sound fundamental football and being and actual leader in the secondary. I long for the days when we had great safeties like Thomas Davis…
But lets examine the issue closer…why is RAMBO allowed to repeatedly fail at his job (lets face it, the only thing he seems to do well is close on a runner trying to turn the corner)…why isn’t he benched and made an example of…that when you make a big hit and the freaking WR makes the catch for a FLA 1st down anyways, you don’t stand there and CELEBRATE it!!!
It all comes down the COACHING Folks…CMR’s teams have always lacked discipline when the players don’t have natural leaders on Defense like a Thomas Davis or David Pollack.
CMR and staff = Failing to coach with discipline. It is what it is.
And Rambo is someone as a UGA fan I can’t wait till he’s out of here and goes to the NFL (lower round pick) only to find out that his football fundamentals suck!
One Herschel?
October 31st, 2010
2:43 pm
I have no doubt this team and coach are just one Herschel Walker away from being national champions.
Right. Just keep on thinking that way, you idiot.
jellybeandawg
October 31st, 2010
2:45 pm
If you think Georgia is bad this year, wait til next year. I really think we will be the doormat of the SEC.
We are graduating most of our O Line and any player considering the draft AKA Houston and AJ are gonna run like their balls are on fire.
Barring an amazing upsurge from underclassman, It will seriously be a struggle to win 6 games next year.
Georgia’s only big time playermaker –AJ Green is going to turn pro, so Georgia’s going to have nothing next year. Nothing!
Any player considering the draft AKA Houston and AJ are gonna run like their balls are on fire. Not to mention were graduating most of our O Line. It will seriously be a struggle to win 6 games next year
Historydog
October 31st, 2010
2:45 pm
Right, they were not ready to play. Richt is outcoached by the coach of every top Sec team, and the mediocre coaches are giving him a hard time. Time for Richt and his whole crew to go, but we will probably have to have a couple of more mediocre seasons for anyone in power to make that obvious decision.
Steve
October 31st, 2010
2:45 pm
Saffron .. you are so full of it. Georgia is a bigger game than FSU because it frequently determines if you win the SEC East. Even if Georgia can’t win it, a loss to us hurts your chances.
If it didn’t matter so much, why would Mr. Holier than though Urban Meyer bring ‘Time to Die, b*tch’ back for the UGA game? And don’t tell me it’s because he met all the criteria Meyer laid out for him. He should have been booted off the team, but Meyer knew he would need him.
The only reason the UGA game might not mean as much is because it’s been lopsided. For all but the last two decades Georgia dominated UF, and now it’s the other way. Not too many really close battles. It would be like a true Georgia fan saying GaTech is a more important game than Florida. Yes, it’s a rivalry game, but the GaTech game means so very little in the current state of ‘conference’ tie-ins and BCS qualifiers. It just means bragging rights and maybe some recruiting influence and thats about it.
I really feel sad for you Gator fans that try to act like the game means nothing. It’s lame.
Top Recruit
October 31st, 2010
2:47 pm
Florida is a super program with a great HC. He had a OC and a DC leave to become head coaches. Mullen can coach and I said so before the season,,,like I said Auburn would be too. Go back and look at their film and you could see this coming. Florida is getting their players back and will have great class coming in.
We can keep wishing, hoping, saying I learned (what and why after a defeat you always hear that), and etc., but where does that get you other than what you have..
Here is further evidence of the decline in CMR. What was the record when VanGorder was the DC and Calloway was the OC. Now compare that to Martinez and Bobo. Finally Martinez was let go. How many of those DBs he recruited played yesterday. There was a change on the D side. The 3-5 is the scheme best suited against the spread, but UGA does not have enough D lineman there. Plus the LB have to have size and lateral quickness to shut down the edge and run it into the sideline.
You can not have players suspended, miss several games, and expect your program and players to move forward. You saw the play of King yesterady from having missed most ot this season. Same with Green. And did Murrary come out of spring with the QB spot settled. Think not. He has been there 2 years, but you still need a band your arm.
Like some one posted prioir, CMR does not seem to be in the program now. If he wants to leave, tell us and be fair about it. Otherwise take control and make some changes.
Sly was the real thing
October 31st, 2010
2:47 pm
And Rambo is someone as a UGA fan I can’t wait till he’s out of here and goes to the NFL (lower round pick) only to find out that his football fundamentals suck!
No NFL team will waste a draft pick on this goon.
Dawg The Mediocrity Settler
October 31st, 2010
2:47 pm
Mettenberger is 9 – 0. Coming to an SEC team next season.
i will make sure to warn as many women as possible of that creep’s possible arrival on a campus near you
SEC Fact Finder
October 31st, 2010
2:48 pm
Tampa Gator…
We attended church not far from there this morning, we will definitely give it a try…she insisted on Lenny’s this morning off US 19 and then Pete and Shorty’s for lunch…thanks for the tip, we will try it next sunday..
Mark Richt coaches his players down
October 31st, 2010
2:51 pm
Georgia program starting to look like Phil Fulmer. Don’t care who Georgia recruit they always fall flat.