Question: Will it ever get better for Mark Richt at UGA?
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.
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1,438 comments Add your comment
Buck Beleu
November 14th, 2010
10:15 am
I wished we had a QB like me who simply had to hand the ball off to Herschel every play…and I also wish our D wasn’t so soft…and I wish our fans weren’t such crybabies..And, wish we defeated more teams besides:
louisinna lafayette, tenn, vandy, kentucky, and idaho st….
big bad BRUCIE (Uga VIII)
November 14th, 2010
10:16 am
Ga is the best team in the country period, it’s the other teams fault for playing dirty, the ref’s fault (they hate us) the NCAA’s fault cause they suspend our players but let other teams get away with more serious things cause (they hate us too). We are the victim here I tell you. The victim!!
cursive
November 14th, 2010
10:17 am
It’s funny that Rambo can’t believe the record. Watching him get burned 10,000 times this season is one of the big reasons FOR the record.
Dawgs73
November 14th, 2010
10:19 am
Vince D = Blind Homer – Yet again another blind homer with the proverbial quotes of “True dawgs fans don’t bash their coaches” and the greatest blind homer quote of all “while most of the poster and writers and all want-a-bees, have never steped on a college football field” are you indicting yourself as well???
Stop with this b.s. and become objective about “our program”. If you are not satisfied with “your” team and voice your opinion (based mainly in fact) does that make you less of a fan? Of course not, it just means that you/I/we are concerned with the apparent decline of “our beloved Dawgs” and demand that changes be made to bring “our great” team back to national prominence.
Now here’s something for you to chem on, I believe that I am a greater supporter of “my” team because I don’t accept anything but the best from “my coach”, “my players”, & “my program”. Does accepting make your more supportive…I think not.
nick fairley sucks
November 14th, 2010
10:19 am
Nick Fairley is an idiot. Yeah, he’s got talent but no brains. He is a complete moran. I am sure he probably a whole 400 on his SAT– that is if he ever really took one. His unsportsmanship totally overshadows his talent.
Madmike
November 14th, 2010
10:20 am
I’ll trade you a Paul Johnson for CMR any day. I,m a Tech fan that watched the U embarrass the team for 4 quarters. uga will beat Tech by at least 4 tds.
Wally
November 14th, 2010
10:21 am
All you arm chair quarterbacks who think you know it all, listen up. Most of you don’t know what you are talking about, most of you are losers who has never played football and some of you tried and didn’t make the team. Yead it is easy to go on hind sight, he should have done this or he should of done that. The Georgia football team don’t need fans like yall, so why don’t you find some other team to cheer for, maybe Auburn they will accept anything or anyone………we don’t need ya
DIG
November 14th, 2010
10:21 am
Mark – Why would you even refer to Murray as a hotshot? Your an idiot.
Chuck Clausen
November 14th, 2010
10:22 am
I have always had great respect for Mark Richt, but for whatever reason his football program has lost momentum. I worked on Woody Hayes’ staff for 5 seasons and I remember him telling us most of us would not be coaching when we were his age (Woody was 68 and in his 28 season at Ohio State) I was 31 and thought I could coach for ever – most coaches after a period of time at the same school, particularly after having success lose the burning desire, that drove them relentlessly when they had something to prove both to themselves and to the fans. Mark is still a good coach, but would probably benefit from the fact; he has a new bunch of fans and players who he felt the strong need to prove himself.
bigkidfromMadrid
November 14th, 2010
10:22 am
I didn’t realize Fairley was such a dirty player but people who have been watching him all year have told me this is his style of play. Too bad he didn’t break his neck when he speared Murray. That was the nastiest hit I’ve seen in a long time. He should have been ejected. I did like the way the Georgia lineman went after him later in the game. If only they could have gotten one of his knees! I look forward to the game in two weeks when we come to Athens. Even our idiot coach Johnson wouldn’t allow our players to play like that. Go Jackets!
big bad BRUCIE (Uga VIII)
November 14th, 2010
10:22 am
ya’ll excuse me for a minute, I need to take this call from my therapist. I called him last night for advice on how to deal with those mean old Auburn players who were being so mean to my Ga boys.
Swampdawg
November 14th, 2010
10:22 am
The Problem is the defensive players! They can’t stop ANYBODY! Too many boys and no men! They look like Grambling out there. Need more Diversity!
joe suggs
November 14th, 2010
10:24 am
Cash Newton played a great game ! He is a polished Thug ! Staying college eligible just long enough to go pro . Smiling gorilla .
Michael Harley
November 14th, 2010
10:24 am
Played not to lose by not pushing for a score at end of 1st half. You are 5-5 , playing top team in the country – you are on a roll and you play not to lose!! Unbelievable! This program has been going downhill for 3 years. Underachieved with Stafford and Moreno (preseason # 1 year) and show nothing the last 2 years. 3 year slide. Time for a change.
I missed the Fourth Quarter
November 14th, 2010
10:24 am
We played well enough to win for the first 3 quarters….
…then we wet the bed in the fourth. 5-6! are you kidding me?
Mike
November 14th, 2010
10:24 am
Again no defence, Maybe if Coach Richt had made a few more Ford Truck commericals things would have been different!
SCAM Newton
November 14th, 2010
10:25 am
I kicked yo az last nite. I still yo laptop today. Can anybody take my test monday. I pay you money I got from my dad. Every body think I stupid but I not.
Buddy
November 14th, 2010
10:25 am
Mark Richt has one bad year and all of you inbred mouthy “Georgia Fans” are running your mouths about getting rid of him. Richt seems to be a good man and a good coach so shut your mouths. I am a Tech fan and have been my whole life. I’ve seen the good and the bad with Tech and Georgia and the one thing I’ve noticed is, when Tech has a bad season, they have a bad season. When Georgia has a bad season all of the redneck, inbred, think they know something about football fans want to see the coach get fired. DUMBASSES!
emmysmom
November 14th, 2010
10:26 am
I think if I had the file of rap sheets the UGA team has, I wouldn’t be throwing stones at anyone else’s glass house.
Flatsdawg1
November 14th, 2010
10:27 am
Uga grad student, I believe you, I’ve seen the same umm… a few years back when I was there, and I believe it starts with discipline, which may be the toughest thing for Richt. Playing football for UGA (as with any college program) is a privilege, not a right., just like driving, lol The standards have evidently not been held up in the past couple of years and it shows.
Brian
November 14th, 2010
10:27 am
Yeah, fire him and you will be in the same boat as Tennessee.
True Dawg Fan
November 14th, 2010
10:27 am
Did a Dawg fan just call Cam Newton a “smiling gorilla”? Note to recruits: Keep looking out of state as you always do
Dawgfan13
November 14th, 2010
10:27 am
Wally, so you are saying the performance is acceptable and no criticism should be levied? What utopia do you live in? I don’t mind losing tight games against quality competition, I mind the piss-poor technique and execution of this team. Look no further than the performance of #2 Boykin. His defensive coverage stunk the place up and his kickoff returns were a joke. and don’t forget the stupid penalties.
big bad BRUCIE (Uga VIII)
November 14th, 2010
10:28 am
watch out mom, you are going to be in the doghouse with me. Ga fans don’t think they have ever done anything wrong, ever.
Poor AUburn
November 14th, 2010
10:28 am
Wally u obviously are a blind loyalist or kin to richt
REAL FAN
November 14th, 2010
10:30 am
I think it is a bit ironic that one of the most penalized teams in in league (UGA) is complaining about Auburn and how dirty that they are. I guess that it is okay when UGA plays dirty and wins, but when another team does it they are cheaters and dirty! QUIT WHINING!! YOU LOST BECAUE YOU SUCK!!!
gomdawg
November 14th, 2010
10:30 am
HOW IS A. MURRAY CAN’T FIND ANYTHING ON HOW HE IS ???/?//
SCAM Newton
November 14th, 2010
10:30 am
Hey Buddy, I kick yo az to. You the DUMBAZZ. And who the idiot calling me a smiling gorilla? You better keep a eye on yo laptop.
Ed (The Original)
November 14th, 2010
10:31 am
Another reason Richt should go: South Carolina and Florida lost a combined 7 SEC games this year, and not one of those losses were to Georgia. Tennessee was terrible this year. In the weakest year ever in the SEC East, Georgia was 3-5. Richt’s done.
big bad BRUCIE (Uga VIII)
November 14th, 2010
10:31 am
and we do it good!!!!!!!!!!
Poor AUburn
November 14th, 2010
10:32 am
Really buddy have u checked out the tech blog they are roasting Paul Johnson why don’t u check it out u inbred nerd
auburnson
November 14th, 2010
10:32 am
Class of UGa fans beginning to show.
gomdawg
November 14th, 2010
10:32 am
REAL FAN YOU WON THE GAME , BUT AS FOR AS CLASS THAT’S WERE YOU SUCK. DIRTEST PLAYERS I HAVE EVERY SEEN AND THAT COACH IS A AZZ HOLE
JD
November 14th, 2010
10:33 am
Why is it that classless acts by a player get all the attention? Florida linebacker tries to gouge the eyes of Ga runningback, Ga tackler tries to twist the ankle/knee of the Ga Tech QB, Auburn lineman late hits the Ga QB. All of these are classless acts and some draw 15 yd penalties, but they are meant to gain an advantage by putting an opposing player out of the game. Unfortunately the NCAA does not review and fine like the NFL, but that’s not the issue. We teach from small fry football to “hit to put out” which is why so many tackles are not wrapped up, just helmet and shoulder hits. Then we bit&h about our defenses missing tackles. Just fine($$$) the schools for these plays and maybe they will stop, starting in high school.
ps: Cam Newton was obviously a thug at Florida, but here’s hopeing that he changed his life in junior college and is a new person at Auburn so he doesn’t follow in Michael Vick’s footsteps.
Don
November 14th, 2010
10:33 am
Best question of the day, Bradley, had UGA even practiced to defend this offense?
Between this ugly effort (I use that word loosely) and the ugly Florida effort (south Carolina showed how “recovered” the Gator offense is), Grantham has shown nothing in 2 very critical games.
big bad BRUCIE (Uga VIII)
November 14th, 2010
10:33 am
low class
FedUp
November 14th, 2010
10:35 am
No MR is fine. All teams go through this.
Auburn Fans..Listen Up
November 14th, 2010
10:36 am
I wouldn’t be thumping your chest for giving Georgia the beat down. They are a bottom dweller at 5-6. However, congrats on winning the WEST. See you in the GA Dome for a rematch.
Roadrunner
November 14th, 2010
10:38 am
Bull! Richt had his 5-5 team ready to play yesterday, and played the number 2 team tough all game long. It says a lot that the team played that hard even when the game got away from them in the 2nd half. Are Gator fans call for Urban Meyers head? If they are they’re idiots, just like the folks who think the next great coach is just waiting for a call from Athens…
ed
November 14th, 2010
10:38 am
I hope he does go to Colorado. I would. Thats an awesome place to live, and they would actually appreciate him out there. Hell they would be tickled pink with an 8 win season
atltiger15
November 14th, 2010
10:38 am
Hey SCAM, I bet you’re one of those fools who were wishing we’d play Cam just because you didnt want AU fans to have an excuse if yall won. Guess you’re happy he played and ran the hell over the pound puppies, I’ll give ya credit, yall are the best 5-6 team in the country. You better hide everything ya got, Because AU and Cam just violated the hell out of the puppies
BamaBill
November 14th, 2010
10:38 am
Bama fan here…the one thing I noticed about the Dawg D was very poor tackling skills..there were far to many arm tackles and body bumps…no wrapping up…the most basic skills taught to a defensive player seems not to have been stressed enough…
FedUp
November 14th, 2010
10:39 am
It’s ashame that the whole Auburn season is going to be negated because of Cam and his father. Now the reports this morning have the FBI involved. This will make the Reggie Bush story look small. And if MR is in trouble after two lame seasons, is PJ in the same boat at Ga. Tech?
big bad BRUCIE (Uga VIII)
November 14th, 2010
10:39 am
Now we are getting beat by teams whose mascots are BIRDS!! At least with Florida their mascot is a Gator. Oh the embarrassment!
Spain
November 14th, 2010
10:39 am
Look what Ealey does when he gets 15 or more touches. Don’t understand swapping in and out the backs. 6 carries for 44 yds just isn’t enough. He must get more touches. Dawgs usually win when a back goes for 100 yds or more. Go Dawgs!
Chopdawg
November 14th, 2010
10:40 am
Mark…do you remember the Vince Dooley years? I do, I was in school for several of them vbg–but maybe you remember how Dooley started with a huge splash, won SEC championships in ‘66 and ‘68. Then, down years in ‘69 and ‘70; a big year & near SEC-championship in ‘71, then several more down years before the Junkyard Dawgs in ‘75 and ‘76, the Wonderdawgs in ‘78 and the nat’l champs in ‘80, SEC champs ‘80 ‘81 ‘82 & nearly ‘83.
During a lot of those down years people were out to get Dooley–one night after a loss, someone rented a U-Haul trailer & left it parked in Vince’s front yard. Dooley didn’t quit, he wasn’t fired, and he came back after several mediocre years to win championships. There’s no reason Richt can’t do the same thing.
As for players not being as focused as they need to be: whose fault is that? Somewhere in all this mess, the player has to take some of the blame for his poor play, & one thing I haven’t heard all season is any player saying, this is my fault, I haven’t done my best.
Somebody tell me where we can get another coach who’ll do as well as Richt has, over the course of his first ten seasons, & I’ll jump on the anti-Mark (Richt, not Bradley) bandwagon; but whenever we hire a new coach, we don’t know how he’ll turn out. I say we stand behind our man during these tough times, give him a chance to get the team back on track.
FedUp
November 14th, 2010
10:42 am
If ANYONE thinks this story is going away on Cam and his father you’re crazy. Even if Cam knew nothing about it, it makes him ineligible, all records and season stats will be gone. It’s a shame for Auburn
Spain
November 14th, 2010
10:42 am
Lattimore goes for 212 yds. for 40 carries. Thats what a back can do when he gets the touches. Ealey should get many more touches, but that’s not happening.
Bosshog
November 14th, 2010
10:43 am
Paging Willie Martinez, paging Willie Martinez, clean up in aisle 6 please.
ugadave
November 14th, 2010
10:46 am
You are a hack and you should be fired Schultz. Now, I have been an editorial director of a national trade magazine which at least gives me more insight into what you do for a living than your background gives you to make assumptions about coaching in college football.