Question: Will it ever get better for Mark Richt at UGA?

Has Mark Richt, like his team, run out of steam? (AP photo)

Has Mark Richt run out of steam? (AP photo)

AUBURN, Ala. — On the weekend of Cam-demonium, the Georgia Bulldogs were rendered a footnote. But one snippet of semi-news did emerge Saturday morning, courtesy of the Denver Post: Colorado is apparently interested in Mark Richt to fill its coaching vacancy.

And that might be the best for all concerned: Richt to the Rocky Mountains and a new challenge, Georgia spared a decision no program wants to make. Namely, when and how do you say goodbye to a man who lifted your program but seems incapable of further lifting?

In Year 2 under Gene Chizik, the Auburn Tigers clinched the SEC West by winning Saturday. In Year 10 under Richt, the Georgia Bulldogs fell to 5-6.

Said Bacarri Rambo, the safety: “I never thought the University of Georgia could be 5-6.”

Said Akeem Dent, the linebacker: “That would not make sense to anybody.”

It doesn’t make sense, but it’s grim reality. Georgia was 8-5 last season, its worst under Richt, and it will be worse this time — worse with 10 of 11 offensive starters returning plus a hotshot quarterback making his debut, worse with a $750,000 defensive coordinator hired as a presumed upgrade.

Georgia took a 21-7 lead on the nation’s No. 2 team Saturday, whereupon Todd Grantham’s defense yielded touchdowns on six of the next seven possessions. Yes, Auburn has a great offense, and yes, after days of uncertainty the famous Cam Newton not only played but played beautifully. Still: Had the Bulldog defenders even practiced?

Linebacker Justin Houston on Newton: “He didn’t do anything special.”

Then, asked how Auburn could score seven touchdowns and amass 463 yards: “Blown assignments — that’s what has been going on all season.”

How could a defense still be making mistakes in its 11th game? Have players not yet learned the scheme? Houston again: “I guess not. Some guys are not as focused as they need to be.”

That indictment of Grantham is a greater indictment of Richt. The failing of Georgia this season hasn’t been skill or desire but stamina. Players appear to tire, and even the coaching seems to flag.

Georgia had it going Saturday. The Bulldogs were throwing deep off play-action — Auburn doesn’t play much D, either — and running hard, and then coordinator Mike Bobo ordered a direct snap to receiver Branden Smith that gained nothing on second-and-five and blunted a second-quarter drive. Why throw a change-up when they haven’t hit your fastball?

Soon the game was tied, and Richt lost his nerve. Georgia took the ball at its 21 with 51 seconds left in the half and one timeout remaining. It ran a draw to Caleb King and let time expire, content in the belief that it would take possession to begin the second half.

“I guess we didn’t want to make a crazy mistake,” said A.J. Green, who to that point had caught five passes for 114 yards and two touchdowns against Ted Roof’s overmatched secondary. “We took the safe way out.”

Only it wasn’t safe. Chizik called for an onside kick. Auburn retook the lead without Georgia touching the ball. Richt said he told his kickoff-return squad to be wary of such a maneuver. He also said: “I guess you could only tell them so many times.”

Make no mistake: Auburn was the better team. But Georgia had a chance here, and its coaching failed. Same as in Jacksonville. Same as in Starkville. The same thing, again and again.

Richt on this saddening season: “A few key plays, if they went the other way, we win.” Then: “Teams that win championships win close games. We haven’t won a close game yet.”

For the record, Richt spoke in the same room that housed his triumphant press briefing Nov. 16, 2002, the day Georgia beat Auburn in an excruciatingly close game to clinch the SEC East. There was a time when Richt’s teams were the aggressor throughout, when they made the requisite plays at the end. No longer.

Asked about Colorado, Richt smiled and said: “Georgia is my home.”

Asked about Richt, the newly minted Georgia athletic director Greg McGarity said: “I’m really looking forward to working with him.”

And yet you wonder if it will ever get better for Mark Richt at Georgia, if we haven’t already seen his best work. His Bulldogs had a chance to grab the nation’s attention Saturday, and they led by 14 points. They lost by 18.

They got weary. Then they got beat. The same thing, again and again.

1,438 comments Add your comment

26.2

November 14th, 2010
7:41 am

Possums – good one. Mad me laugh and that’s not easy.

independent

November 14th, 2010
7:42 am

What a dispicable display the dogs were at the end of the game. Talk about a bunch of sore losers, starting a fight for no reason other than you were getting your behinds handed to you. I can’t see why any parent would want their son to play for the dogs, they are nothing but a bush league outfit. First you have a coach insinuating he is going to choke out the opponents kicker then you have the classless act of last night. What a bunch of thugs, I hope Tech runs the score up on you. The NCAA should consider some sort of ban or probation for ga football, their bush league antics are not good for the game and college football would be better off without this classless bunch of criminals

Poor AUburn

November 14th, 2010
7:44 am

Mark where were u when someone needed to call for Bobby cox to be fired u creampuff marsh mellow

independent

November 14th, 2010
7:45 am

I hope you keep Richt, it is good to see you punks get beat down weekly

Corny Hull

November 14th, 2010
7:46 am

Don’t put so much blame on the defensive coordinator or the players. Every team Auburn has played this year has had the same problem. It’s virtually impossible to stop a “FREAK OF NATURE”. Teams had same problem with Herschel and Bo and Emmitt. You need 12 or 13 players on defense to stop Auburn, it seems.

big hoss

November 14th, 2010
7:46 am

Hearing all you Dawg whiners and cryers is hilarious. I have hated the Dawgs all my life and it used to drive me crazy watching their luck win games. They for years were the luckiest team on the planet. But now the sun is shining on another dawgs ass. The truth is their defense is as sorry as it gets. And has been for several years now. But you sorry fans only can think that you are the best program in the Nation and should play for the National Championship every year. Please just suck it up. All this is payback for the lowest and mosst classless act ever seen on a football field-ie the team running onto the field in the Florida upset. It is payback time and am praying that the Techies come to play after thanksgiving. SUCK IT UP!!!!!

Billyboy

November 14th, 2010
7:47 am

If the dawgs lose to the Jackets, then it’s bye bye Richt. However, I predict the dawgs win the SEC in 2011, and that’s the way it is in SEC football.

SMITTYSTHEMAN

November 14th, 2010
7:48 am

Well it’s an understatement to say that the season for both Tech and Georgia has sucked. Without Nesbitt, Tech should have no chance against the Dawgs — not sure they would anyway. But Georgia should be wary that it will surely be an incentive for Tech to knock the Dawgs out of a playoff berth and ensure them a losing season. It’s been kind of crazy the last two seasons. Two years ago, Tech beat what was supposed to be one of the best Georgia teams in recent history. Last year, Tech is the ACC champion yet lost to what was supposed to be one of the worst Georgia teams in recent history. For anyone on either side to boast ahead of time about what they will do to the other is ignorant at best.

Hurt Kurbstreit

November 14th, 2010
7:50 am

The good news is that Auburn will end up having to forfiet the Georgia game for using an ineligible player. Count on it, The ncaa moves slowly but will eventually get around to the conclusion that Cam knew his father was shopping him around for cash. Auburn’s dream season will be a nightmare.

big hoss

November 14th, 2010
7:51 am

I guess you Dawg whiners have a right to bitch and moan after paying a couple of hundred extra for each season ticket just to have a shot at buying a ticket. This is orgasmic and to watch old suntanned Mark getting 4$ out of every ticket sold has me so weak that I cannot stand any more of it. Please stop it-I can’t take it any more.

independent

November 14th, 2010
7:51 am

It is funny that a certain columnist for this paper wrote just a few weeks ago that ga was the hottest team in the East because they had beaten Kentucky and Vandy. Wonder if he thinks they are the hottest team now? This describes ga exactly, they beat the Vandy’s and the Lousiana-Monroe’s and claim to be an elite team, then play someone that actually counts and get beat down. That is ga football, long on excuses, short on results. The few wins they do get is because they play a cowards schedule, which is how your cowardly hero vince dooley won most of his games, he was scared to play a real schedule. The only NC he won was false, he ducked the number 2 team and played the number 10 team instead, like the coward he is

John Galt

November 14th, 2010
7:53 am

What coach could we get that is better?

Furman Bishop

November 14th, 2010
7:55 am

Richt should go to Colorado. Best for everyone concerned: Richt, Bozo, McGarity, Adams, and, last but not least, the UGA fan base and donors. Colorado will offer less, but will demand a hell of a lot less. Just the kind of laid-back place Richt needs. With Richt already being paid $25 million, he should be financially secure. However there is one down side: McGarity and Adams have to get off their collective a$$e$ and find somebody that can stare down Saban and Meyer on a regular basis. If they don’t, then the situation will be no better. Remember, with the exception of Richt, you generally get what you pay for. One last thing: no more ten year contracts.

AUflyer

November 14th, 2010
7:56 am

GA fans calling AU players thugs when half of GA’s bowl ineligible team is on a work release program….. LOL. The pups get beat again and the sad part is it won’t be their last beat down this season. Nice job THUGA. Way to represent the SEC.

rosezeee

November 14th, 2010
7:56 am

Richt is soft; always has been, always will be. Surrounds himself with inferior coaches and he lacks the guts to make tough decisions and changes when necessary. This is nothing new and the state of this program will remain the same unless changes are made. Just a nice dumb guy. Took him 9 years to figure out he should spend some time actively recruiting instate.

And worst of all is that McGarity seems like he’s cut of of the same mold.

Christopher

November 14th, 2010
8:03 am

If the UGA football program was a major corporation (which in a lot of ways it is), the CEO would have been replaced by now. It’s not one particular coach, it’s the entire program that is overdue for replacement.

Jack Lambert dawg

November 14th, 2010
8:03 am

Mark,

Coach Richt has nothing to prove to you or anyone. His record speaks for itself.. (you have to look at a record in totallity) and already other schools are expressing interest (see Colorado) simply because of crap like this being written in his own state. By the way, has Meyer forgotton how to coach as well. You dweebs with your poision pens make me sick and its sad you have a forum like this to fuel the lunatic fringe.

As for the game congrats to Auburn. I thought however the dawgs played CLEAN, with heart, and left it all on the field. In loss I am still proud to be a Georgia Bulldog. I believe Coach Richt has proven he is one of the best coaches in College Football and as important, one of the best men in College coaching.

Aubie2010

November 14th, 2010
8:03 am

For all you Cam haters. He is not a Thug. He is someone that made some stupid mistakes as a freshman in college. We’re all human. I did some stupid things my first year in college too. Come to think of it, my sophmore year as well. At least he wasnt arrested for threatening to kill someone. (sound familiar uga)? At least Auburn hasn’t had enough players arrested to make up the cast for “The Longest Yard III”. (Yes UGA I’m talking to you).

Cam’s father is a pathetic selfish man who, behind his son’s and wife’s back and without their knowledge, tried to pimp out his son for cash. I truely believe that this was done, but I also believe that it was between him and a Miss. St. wealthy booster and neither Miss St nor Auburn or even Cam were any wiser to this. I think that Cecil rules Cam with an Iron fist and Cam does what daddy tells him to do. After Cecil got nowhere with Miss St, he told his son to go to Auburn and that’s what the good son did.

Nick Fairley’s hit to Murry in the back? Yep, that was BS and it should NOT of happened. But the helmet to the knees? Not his fault. CLEARLY he was going in to wrap the legs with his arms and he was blocked away by a Ga defender, and that pushed him back where his helmet hit his knees. You can see in the replay that his arms were still stretched out trying for the legs. Trying to say he did this deliberatly is just sour grapes on behalf of disgruntled UGA fans.

Randy

November 14th, 2010
8:04 am

Hey Georgia fans the biggest problem you faced yesterday was the fact you played the dirtiest cheating football team in the history of the game. You can’t win when you have to play not only the other team but the referees as well, you never had a chance. Your coach should have sent in a guy who will never start for your team let alone make it to the NFL and let him put a cheap shot to the legs of #90 or a head shot to Newton when he was on the ground. In other words level the playing field. But Richt is not that kind of guy so like I said you stood no chance. Secondly the SEC and it’s gutless, spineless joke of a commissioner should suspend the officiating crew and 1/2 of the auburn team for cheap shots.

But on the bright side at least you don’t have Assdassio for an offensive coordinator.

Poor AUburn

November 14th, 2010
8:05 am

No matter how bad it gets it will never be as bad as having to be a tech fan now that is a slew of losers

rogeriter

November 14th, 2010
8:07 am

Not that my opinion matters much, but I think you need to back off Cam Newton and Mark Richt. Most of you who are indicting them –well, probably seeing your name on the AJC blog, is the highlight of your accomplishments in life.

Elvis Dog

November 14th, 2010
8:07 am

CMR needs to go. He is horrible. For all of you that continue to support him due to fear of not finding a good replacement. What are your afraid of? Winning 3 games next year! That is going to happen regardless. With a new coach we will be biulding on something, with CMR we will have wasted another year.

Larry

November 14th, 2010
8:08 am

Richt gave up in the Florida game with 50 seconds left in regulation; he did it again against Auburn with 50 seconds left in the first half. Both moves led to defeats. Mark Richt is a good man who should go to Colorado. He has lost Georgia’s respect and faith.

southside dawg

November 14th, 2010
8:09 am

Every coach has ups and downs in today’s college game. The D has improved under Grantham. It is not fair to judge him on players he did not recruit and had to learn his system from scratch. Give him a couple of seasons and then he will have his own guys in and they will be fine. Don’t know if Richt will go to another school. McGarity claims he has spoken to no one from Colorado, but that could change quickly. I do know one thing, this type of speculation can only hurt recruiting.

Larry

November 14th, 2010
8:11 am

By the way, it’s not all on Richt. Grantham hasn’t earned a quarter of his money; Lakatos is an unmitigated disaster; and Bobo hasn’t a clue about how to coach a complete game.

brian henry

November 14th, 2010
8:11 am

Does Rambo understand this is not touch football?Is it me or does he not try to tackle?I’ve watched this all season>Surely the georgia coaches who watch film over and over would see something so obvious.Put in a freshman that will at leats try to make a hit.This is a joke!

TechRon

November 14th, 2010
8:12 am

Take heart Dawg fans. At least your guys show up and try. I was impressed with their effort against a much better team. Nobody is going to stop Cam Newton anyway. Not this year. Dawgs gave it all they had to the bitter end. I respect that. They will run over Tech, that is for sure. Tech players have no heart at all. Good try Dawgs. I have been a Tech man since I was a kid and I have often said that an important diffence between Tech and UGA football is that Tech usually does not play as good as they are and UGA often plays better than they are. True.

Denver Dog

November 14th, 2010
8:14 am

Dawgs suck, period end of story
How bout dem dawgs Buck

Poor AUburn

November 14th, 2010
8:15 am

Whatever u say auburn sure cam knew nothing Right he was at Wednesday night church service I believe he is a deacon oh no my mistake they don’t trust him with the offering plate unfortunately u know he’s a thug at least he’s ur thug right my word on the street is that was his last college game and bring on NFL

Randy's Concience

November 14th, 2010
8:16 am

As you can tell when I wrote the above comment. Im just a dumb UGA fan. Didn’t graduate from there (Like most of the athletes) heck, I didn’t even attend. Anyway, I always say stupid stuff like “you play dirty” and “They cheated” when in reality, Im just mad becasue we got outplayed and got our @$$ handed to us. Anyway, just wanted to clear that up.

Richie

November 14th, 2010
8:16 am

Auburn is a big con game………The SEC deserves that bunch……..

rogeriter

November 14th, 2010
8:18 am

Yes, I am convinced I am right. AS a Georgia fan for over 50 years, I am convinced that the complainers are losers whos highlight in their pathetic lifes, is seeing their blog on AJC. Go do something in life that really counts!

jackyldo

November 14th, 2010
8:20 am

going into this game it was apparent that Georgia had to play a perfect game ,, keep their drives going, score touchdowns and keep Auburn off the field on offense.

Auburn’s time of possession was 34:15 and they ran 73 plays to 52.. That’s whey the D gets tired and looks “weary”..

Poor AUburn

November 14th, 2010
8:20 am

You are correct ur opinion don’t matter but I did get a college degree something I promise u cam won’t get so I count that as an accomplishment

Law Dawg '93

November 14th, 2010
8:21 am

Mark –

I just now read your article in the print edition. I know your job is to sell papers, stir the pot, etc., but I disagree with your ultimate conclusion that Richt’s best days are behind him. I do agree with several of your comments about certain aspects of all of the coaching, however.

Most notably, thank you for restating Justin Houston’s comments after the game. Twice this year, most recently after the UF game, Houston called out his teammates on defense by saying they did not play a full 60 minutes, etc., essentially saying some guys tooks plays off. Last night he really called them out as stated above. And he’s right. Defense in the front 7 is assignment football. The reverses worked because guys on the edge did not stay home and contain. Auburn did not not do anything fancy, and not just Newton but all their running backs had good games. UF, S. Carolina and MSU ran all over us, too. Lack of focus on D falls on Grantham. We don’t have the space eaters up front that we need for a 3-4 just yet, but even if we were in a 4-3 (which we really are most of the time because Houston lines up as a rush end) without focus and intensity on every play no D can play well. Defense is the reason LSU only has 1 loss and we have just as much team speed on D as they do. And Rambo needs to be moved to SS because all he wants to is hit people and not read the QB’s eyes.

On offense, I agree some of Bobo’s play calling is ridiculous. Against UF he has a QB with 1st qtr jitters, but does nothing to establish the run, wear down UF’s D, and set up play action to make the game slow down for his QB and make the pass more effective. Last night, when Auburn was clearly showing blitz in the 4th qtr, Murray had no hot reads he good go to. He had Murray taking 5 step drops to look for AJ (split out wide) down the field. Murray would have endured a little less punishment had Bobo adjusted and lined a WR tight in the slot so Murray could have unloaded on a quick slant or something in 2 seconds – but he couldn’t since all his options were still running routes downfield or staying in to pass block.

Bobo needs to return to just QB coach, or just go. I recall going to 3 SEC title games with Richt calling his own plays.

I give Richt credit because one thing we had to do this year was eliminate turnovers and penalties. We have improved. None of the turnovers this year were because of bad decision making. The killers were Ealey’s lack of ball security (which he fixed) and Murray’s panicky first half against UF (for which Bobo made no adjustments). The offense has played with great intensity this year and overall Richt made a good call by naming Murray # 1 QB very early, taking the red shirt off Mason, benching guys who don’t pass block, and realizing he had to get the ball to his best player (#8) to win. The penalties (except when the game is out of reach and kids get stupid) are definitely down. And he did a difficult thing by firing his old college roommate, Martinez. In the real world, how many of us could do that?

But to your ultimate point, I see no reason why a Mark Richt team cannot return to the Dome again. We just need to recruit on D. He is a class act (taking the knee to keep anyone else from getting ejected or hurt is an example). He isn’t a weasel like Meyer, Chizek or Petrino. I don’t know how you can control the poor decision making of young adults without watching them 24/7.

Keep Richt. But take the game plan from Bobo, keep Ga players in Ga, and beef up the talent on D so the guys who think they can get by on talent alone can get benched until they are willing to leave it all on the field. Thanks, Houston, for trying to tell us all year what one major flaw on this team is.

And ask yourself – if Richt should go, then who is the replacement? Huh? Any answers?

Dooley didn’t win a NC until his 17th season. Spurrier didn’t win an Eastern Division crown at S.Carolina until last night. Chizek’s ultimate record this year will be 0-12 in the books no matter what prize they take this year.

Friday you wrote Auburn should bench Newton to protect their rep. What rep.? The one established by Pat Dye?

And Jim Donnan had far less control over his players.

I’ll take Mark Richt.

Michael

November 14th, 2010
8:22 am

Richt should go to the Terps!

big hoss

November 14th, 2010
8:23 am

Even if Cam is taking the old payola, the loss for the Despised Dawgs will not revert to a W. It will be as if the game was never played-which is about the way it was for the Defenseless Dawgs. I hope that you keep Mark Ritch-that way the Hated Dawgs will NEVER NEVER NEVER beat the Gators. The best Christmas gift every year is watching the Dawggs get their asses handed to them by the Chompers. This game has about all the rivalry to it that tennessee and Vandy. Ga will win about every decade or so. And you fools still go to Jacksonville every year just a hoping. For long time Dawg haters like me, there is no better comedy ever made.

Poor AUburn

November 14th, 2010
8:24 am

What should we do? Ironic that u are blogging after that statement huh!

Aubie-won-knobi

November 14th, 2010
8:24 am

What else is new. Our opponents have declared us as “cheaters” all season and have accused officials in EVERY game of bad calls in favor of Auburn. Yes! There is a conspiracy. All SEC officiating is biased and ONLY wants Auburn to win.

Poor AUburn

November 14th, 2010
8:27 am

Can’t argue about dogs not being able to beat gators and that is sad has anyone noticed how bad the gators are they are awful

DawgNation

November 14th, 2010
8:27 am

I will give you this Mark. You at least don’t threaten posters with being banned if they post negative comments as the Almighty Shultz did yesterday during the Tech game with his blog. I found that the funniest thing all year. The King of stirring stuff up, and doing a hit and run, and can not take it when he HAS to stay on the blog for more than two minutes after posting it. But that is how you are as well with this one isn’t it? I, for the life of me, have no idea as to why you guys have such a heartache with UGA and its program but man it flows from each or your blogs everyday. Maybe the AJC needs to be renamed the Anti Junkyard Dawg Crap as that is all you three amigos have managed to do this entire year. Oh and as far as you wanting CMR fired. Put in for the job Einstein. You, or anybody else at that rag, could not hold his jock with your amazing abilities of coaching.

Paddy

November 14th, 2010
8:28 am

Many problems but this one sticks out to me. Tailback U. does not have a quality featured running back. Not one team on our schedule fears our running game. This has not been the case in the 37 years I have been a Dawg supporter.

Cam the man newton

November 14th, 2010
8:29 am

Hey Poor Auburn…. true, I may not graduate, but who needs a degree when I will probably sign a contract worth at least 100 – 120 MILLION dollars? Big difference between that and not getting a degree becasue you’re just too stupid.

What was your degree in? Polical Science? Recreation? How’s that working out for you?

Spain

November 14th, 2010
8:32 am

Look what Ealey does with ball when he gets a chance. He should get more touches. He holds state record in TD’s in high school. Just not getting enough touches. Look what Lattimore is doing with all those touches he gets. Ealey is a THROUGHBRED!

Poor AUburn

November 14th, 2010
8:32 am

Gotta agree where is a tailback that can break a tackle major disappointment along w defense if we just had an avg D we would be ok

Sec fan

November 14th, 2010
8:34 am

The uga fans crying about Auburn remind me of Au fans crying about uga a couple of years ago during the classy soulga boy game. When you are 5-6 that’s what you do, you complain about bull chit.

TampaGator

November 14th, 2010
8:35 am

No shame in playing well and losing to the #2 ranked them in the country….but a lot of shame in getting soundly whipped and playing horribly once again on offense….to the South Carolina Gamecocks. Seriously….how did the Georgia Bulldogs lose to the Florida Gators this year. The Gators are a horrible team that has a lot of talent….and I have never said that about a Gator team before….but the Gators last night played way beyond horrible on both sides of the ball. And John Brandley is the biggest wimp QB I have ever seen play the position in college. No leadership skills. No backbone. He plays scared. And Steve Addazio has to be the worst offensive coordinator and offensive line coach in the country….bar none. Bobo is outstanding compared to the man. The Gators have excellent OL talent and….under Addazio….has the worst OL to ever play at Florida. And the worst offense to ever play at Florida. What else can be said. Richt may need a change of senery…but Addazio HAS TO GO at Florida (at least as OL and OC coach….but he can stay as head recruiter if he wants).

I didn’t see the game…..but Cam Newton is better than Tim Tebow ever was. He was never this good at Florida…but he really grew up at JC and is now thriving under Mitch Mustain at Auburn.

Also….the DL at Auburn has been a dirty player all year…but he is no more dirty than your RAMBO….who is constantly trying to hurt people instead of playing sound football.

Randy

November 14th, 2010
8:36 am

“Randy’s Concience”

Don’t speak for me you trashy Auburn ghetto punk. I am not a Ga fan never have been and never will be but from this point on I will never pull for Auburn to win anything I have always been a die hard “Pull for the conference no matter what”. That changed yesterday and I hope your dirty team gets embarrassed by Oregon. In fact I will be pulling for Oregon to wipe you off the field. Oh and by the way, that referee that high fived your player for scoring a touchdown that has no business refereeing and I hope Mike Slive has some nuts and sits him down. He is no better than that Jack Childres trash formerly of the All Criminal Conference.

Poor AUburn

November 14th, 2010
8:36 am

I would take the 100 mil too but I settle for 100k since that is the best I can do

TampaGator

November 14th, 2010
8:37 am

Poor Auburn….the Gators are worse than pathetic this year. Addazio has to go as OL coach and as the offensive coordinator. Period.