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
Dawg with bag back on head
November 13th, 2010
10:54 pm
Why on earth does CMR deserve another year and how did these delusional homers come up with that one? Three progressively worse seasons does not entitle one to another. Putting the inevitable off another year just means we’ll suffer longer. We have enough evidence to make a decision. CMR’s best days are behind him. Too bad we’ve got yes-man McGarity as AD. I guarantee you things will be worse next year without a coaching change.
Watching the ignorant speak
November 13th, 2010
10:56 pm
Boise Dawg,
You would rather have Richt than what AU has with Cam Newton. You sir are a fool.
dawgfan728
November 13th, 2010
10:57 pm
you guys are crazy cmr will carry us back auburn will be pay for that crap at the end of this one
Howard Roark
November 13th, 2010
10:57 pm
Hey it could be worse dog fans you could be Texas. Oops, sorry UT has a NC in 2006 and played for it last year.
Bottom Line
November 13th, 2010
10:57 pm
Cam ’s still laughing in the face of those neutered dogs!!!!!
Jack
November 13th, 2010
10:57 pm
If Bradley’s right, Ruicht will be fired tonight.
If I’m right, and I always am, Richt won’t be fired tonight.
Howard Roark
November 13th, 2010
10:58 pm
Why do you all say “cmr”? We know he is the coach. mr works fine.
Jack
November 13th, 2010
10:58 pm
If Bradley’s right, Richt will be fired tonight, If I’m right, and I always am, Richt won’t be fired tonight.
JDawg
November 13th, 2010
10:58 pm
screw you Mark…….so sick of your crap
FLA DAWG
November 13th, 2010
10:59 pm
Richt should go to Colorado. He has lost the majority of his support here.
Let’s wipe the slate clean and start fresh. McGarity should have already spoken to a few candidates by now.
The ship has sailed. It is no longer a question of “If” Richt will leave but “When” he will leave.
The sooner the better.
FLA DAWG
Class of ‘79
Dawglasville
November 13th, 2010
11:00 pm
Chili Dog – Man up. Name your team and take your lumps too.
Watching the ignorant speak – If this thing with Cam Newton proves to be true then yes, I would rather be Duke or Vandy than Auburn. It will be a huge black eye for the entire conference.
mayor bob
November 13th, 2010
11:00 pm
go cocks
Joey
November 13th, 2010
11:00 pm
Really Mark, you think Richt will be fired for this? Seriously? You’ve been saying this now for what, 36 months, and it hasn’t happened yet, keep hoping, maybe one of these months, you’ll finally be right.
These last two years.....
November 13th, 2010
11:00 pm
I have been dissappointed, First it was slick Willie and Bobo…..now its Bobo and Grantham. Personally here again insanity is doing the same thing over and over and over expecting different results. Bobo…3 and 4 loves to go deep 20 yards:) Defense couldn’t defend themselves in jail if their life depended on it!!! I really don’t understand how this program has digressed but it is unsettling. I have loved UGA all my life. Even during the Goff and Donnan Years and Richt years. I hate to say this….but we have serious issues. If your team goes up 21-7 in the first quarter….and then you can’t defend squat with blown assignments. Your azz ought to be chewed, spit out, and take a pay cut. I personally dont like the fact that an instiution of higher learning who is on budget cuts is paying Grantham 750k to go 5-6 and we hadnt played Tech yet. I dont see much improvement coming up for next year. Its gonna take a whole lot of praying. AJ I dont believe is coming back. If he does CMR owes him big time!!!
This is funny...
November 13th, 2010
11:01 pm
GA held Newton to 150 yards rushing.. better than some other teams… bahahahahah.. this should tell you something about your program… Newton is the QB he had 150 yards rushing and you are proud???????? you just got lit up for 315 yards rushing puppies…. bawahahhaha
Castle Pines Canine
November 13th, 2010
11:01 pm
It was a great victory for Auburn, we should all give them the credit that they deserve. Who really cares about how dirty they did or didn’t play? As far as I could see that was not the difference in the game. The failure to adjust the offense, and the extreme lopsided time of pos. for Auburn. Give Auburn the credit. If something comes of this scandal it will not matter right now. UGA had the chances to win this game, but did not. No poor refs, no dirty play, just got beat. The other stuff everyone is talking about is just window dressing. Nobody has stopped Newton this year, and we didn’t either. Hate to say it, but we need to beat Tech, and then we don’t need to go to a bowl. Let’s just stay at home and enjoy the holidays for a change. I really don’t think that we want to make another trip west or south of Athens this year.
Dawglasville
November 13th, 2010
11:01 pm
Southern – don’t be bitter because you couldn’t get into UGA.
These last two years.....
November 13th, 2010
11:01 pm
I mean hell pay me that kind of money I will go 1-10 every year for these dawgs
You've got to love
November 13th, 2010
11:02 pm
Neutered dog along with their neutered fans
Au_Alum
November 13th, 2010
11:02 pm
Cobb Dawg
To Cobb Dawg: All I have to say is that at least I use real words. Go and check the dictionary and you will find it does not exist! You do not even make it to your sentences before you screw up the grammar.
If you were around kids like Fairley all the time and realized what they go through, then maybe you would change your mind. To answer your question, yes, I do believe in what I wrote because you do not know any more than I do what goes on his head. Obviously, you see the bad in all so you would not get that.
Joey
November 13th, 2010
11:03 pm
Like I told you guys weeks ago, the last 2 losses are now MEANINGLESS, because, since SC beat Florida, Georgia couldn’t have won the SEC anyways.
BWilson
November 13th, 2010
11:03 pm
AU will NOT take home the crystal this year, there D is an issue. OR, BS or TCU will take them out in the end………..Then the NCAA will there season HAHAHAHA
cmac
November 13th, 2010
11:03 pm
I will watch the Alabama – Auburn game in hopes that one of the Alabama players body slams Scam Newton into the ground & snaps some part of his body!! What is good for the goose is good for the gander!
Joey
November 13th, 2010
11:04 pm
That’s right folks, the Florida loss? Meaningless, didn’t matter.
The Auburn loss? Meaningless, didn’t matter.
SC won against Fla, wouldn’t have mattered anyways.
TheItalianDawg
November 13th, 2010
11:05 pm
First Georgia played very good and I want the coaches to be back
this game was the worst officiated game so far, Auburn is a dirty team, at least 3 personal fouls on Auburn’s # 90 haven’t been called and he should be ejected from the game .Chizik is very irritating, I hope they get F***ed up by Bama.
1- the kicker did touch the ball before travelling 10 yards
2- Cam indeed fumbled the ball on the goal line, it wasnt a touchdown
3- 3 personal fouls were never called
4-passing interference on Rambo and it wasn’t
Joey
November 13th, 2010
11:05 pm
Who care sif AUburn wins, they sold their soul to the Devil.
back atcha
November 13th, 2010
11:05 pm
Mark this might be the crappiest article you have ever written. And to think the pages that Jesse Outler and Furman Bisher wrote on have come to this. Will they ever recover?
azdawg
November 13th, 2010
11:05 pm
Hit the nail on the head, MB. Au’s as good as GA is terrible. Any other coach in the sec w/a 21-7 lead wins most of these games if they play solid D and smart O. Keep doing what they were doing on Offense instead of going stale again and we stay in this game. AU took chances, on side kick, got it, while GA lets 51 seconds tick off the clock w/a time out w/o trying to get points!! Thats terrible coaching, no imagination at all. Grantham is awful. He’s got to go. His players can’t tackle and he doesn’t help w/his lack of pressuring the QB at all. Our corners lay off while other corners in the SEC are so close to receivers its like they’re in the receivers shoes. We are fed up w/players not in condition, pop warner level coaching and play calling that at times shines then as predicted goes south with the same plays that have not worked all season but continue to be run.
Let Richt go to CO because he apparently doesn’t want to coach at UGA. He won’t take charge of his DC and OC so its time to take chARGE OF HIM and discharge him and his 2M dollar salary. He’s being paid to lose so what good is he.
justin
November 13th, 2010
11:06 pm
:51 seconds and one time out… you are on fire, and Richt decides to play NOT TO LOSE rather than playing TO WIN… had you asked him while walking off the field to halftime, he would have said some crap about getting the ball at the start of the second half… but guess what? The other team’s coaches came TO WIN and hit the onside kick. I am personally growing very tired of his lack of gutsy play calling. It’s lazy and safe and I think it flows through to the players. Why can’t we be the aggresor?!
Funny
November 13th, 2010
11:06 pm
Great TV shot of Cam laughing at those pitiful neutered dogs
Wreckmaniac
November 13th, 2010
11:07 pm
Surely UGA can recruit its way out of this mess. Isn’t recruiting everything ?
dawgster
November 13th, 2010
11:07 pm
Everyone that is bashing the dawgs Coaching staff for letting us lose to Au, please tell me what Caoching Staff has handled Au this year..I thought the dawgs did well, but they are not good enough right now to beat the number 2 team in the nation…the dawgs are not that far away from being a very good team…yes the defense needs some more playmakers, especially in the secondary and at linebacker…i think next year you will see a big improvement there with Jarvis Jones and Samuals in the middle…from everything i have heard Jones is going to be really good…the defense was our biggest problem this year as it has been, we have got to get more playmakers on that side of the ball..As far as Newton and Au, i think they have basically sold their program out to get to where they are…When all the facts are known, and they will be, Au will in my opinion along with some other schools that are involved, will find themselves with some major penalties..these are too serious of allegations to be dropped at this point…its just a matter of time..but until that time Au is a better team, period…the dawgs held their own, but just isn’t our year…We have a great recruiting class coming in and hopefully will get better by NSD…but that is what is going to turn our program around…Look at the Au’s Coach resume, before Newton..and then lets look at after Newton…then we will see how great of a coach he is or is not…and to close…Bradley, you take your shots at Coach Richt, but where are the shots at Coach Johnson…seems to me both programs seem to be struggling this season…
Ben Dukes
November 13th, 2010
11:07 pm
Ever the hack writer pulling for Atlanta Vocational. This game was no indictment of anything. The 18 point final was no tale of the game, and you know it. Georgia was not outschemed or outcoached. We simply did not have an answer for Cam Newton. Who has? If you want to use this game as an indictment, then you should put every Defensive Coordinator he has faced, and every head coach as well, on the chopping block. You’re praising Chizik, who is a middling coach of a middling team without Newton. With Newton, he looks incredible. And then there’s that nagging little thought that it may all be for nothing, pending NCAA investigation. Not that I want that. I would feel terrible for Cam if his father’s actions cost him the notoriety his play deserves. However, I would feel no such sympathy for Chizik and his regime. If they are found guilty of any wrongdoing, they should get a career death penalty.
I’m not defending all of the coaching decisions throughout the game. The snap to Smith made no sense to me before the ball was off the grass. Not attempting to move the ball at the end of the half left me dumbfounded. I understand protecting your freshman quarterback from a horrible mistake, but you also prevent your team from snagging a lead and momentum going into the half.
Still, when you call out Grantham’s defense, you should also note that this defense held Newton to much lower-than-average production. We were weakest against McCaleb around the end…took some bad angles and such, but that’s not on the coaching. Also, twice our true freshman safety was beat for touchdowns. One TD was the game-clincher (Newton’s final dive was a stat-padder, and made no difference to the outcome), the other was the tying catch at the end of the 2nd half. Ogletree was out of position on the 1st, and frozen by play-action on the second. These are not scheme or coaching problems – they are a young player making mistakes to learn from.
And for the people who say “This year is worse than last year” I ask them to truly look at the football games, the way we played them, and say that objectively. But, they won’t. They won’t, because they are fans. Fans don’t look at things objectively. They are born of emotion, and exist in it. People will still call Mike Bobo a terrible offensive coordinator, though he is the first in UGA history to coach an offense to 30+ points in 6 straight games. They call Mark Richt a terrible head coach, even though he has three SEC East Titles and 2 SEC titles. They think Grantham isn’t an improvement over Martinez, which is simply assinine.
And what’s worse? You give them fuel, Bradley. You do, because when people read your articles, they think you speak with some form of authority. You don’t, though. You simply express your opinions, and they are no better than mine, or any other blogger’s. You report the Colorado connection like it’s an actual possibility. You call Richt a has-been, and you annoint a coach who is nothing without a phenomenal player. You are everything that is wrong with the media in college football.
11-0
November 13th, 2010
11:08 pm
dont worry they cant body slam newton because he is not a little piss ant like murray… Cant wait to see tech beat the dogs and keep them out of a bowl… I mean that is what the jawja fans want anyways right.. Do you really want to play in the bham bowl at 6-6??????????
Wreckmaniac
November 13th, 2010
11:08 pm
How could this team have any fans or sell any tickets ?
Dawglasville
November 13th, 2010
11:08 pm
To the South Carolina Fans – Congrats. Every dog has his day and you guys have waited way too long. We cry as Dawg fans about having to wait so long to get back to the championship game but you guys have endured a lot and have stayed faithful. I hope it has been worth the wait.
FLA DAWG
November 13th, 2010
11:08 pm
With all of the lousy calls Auburn won this game outright. We had it to win and blew it again.
But for the record, Fairly took some of the cheapest shots I’ve seen all season. How that kid didn’t get booted from the game is beyond me.
And Au_Alum, I could care less what poor Fairly has gone through. Cry me a river. Who hasn’t?
Rammer Jammer
November 13th, 2010
11:09 pm
Auburn is a bunch of dirty thugs who has exactly what they deserve coming to them. Anyone with a pair of eyes can tell that they are coached to be as dirty as they can be during and after plays. The late hit on UGA’s qb’s knee was a tasteless act of cowardly bullcrap. Auburn is the dirtiest team in the NCAA and i for one can’t wait until their day comes. Nov 26 Bama’s coming for you , you bunch of pay for play , late hitting , classless goons. ROLL TIDE
Big Wally Dawg
November 13th, 2010
11:09 pm
I think UGA should join the Sun Belt Conference. It’s obvious we can’t compete in the SEC anymore.
Rambo
November 13th, 2010
11:11 pm
I freaking ran into the receiver before the ball got there are you serious???? PI all the way.. AJ green pushed off on one of his touchdowns and freaking gary and vern were laughing about it
Cobb County
November 13th, 2010
11:11 pm
@FLA DAWG – u are a sore loser blaming everyone for your teams poor showing, u are sad, and Im no AU fan
dawgster
November 13th, 2010
11:11 pm
And for some on here that blame the Coaching Staff for not being prepared for the onside kick..who says that the players were not told to watch for that, but even if they did or did not suspect one, the onside kick was perfectly executed…you could not have had one placed more perfectly where the only person that had a chance to get it was the kicker…i’m still not convinced after looking at replays over and over that he didn’t touch it just before the ten yards, but the call went in their favor, but that wasn’t the dawgs coaching staff fault on that play, Au just made a great call and it worked…
TheItalianDawg
November 13th, 2010
11:11 pm
and this kid Newton is irritating to say the least, very annoying!!
Wreckmaniac
November 13th, 2010
11:11 pm
Ben Dukes: Any team, including Tech, that loses to UGA should fire its coach. Its that simple. I look at today’s UGA-Auburn game and see one team that understands that the role of QB has changed and another team that still believes that you bring in NFL prospects to pass your way to championships. Method # 2 is obsolete. A Matt Stafford type offense cannot, repeat cannot, win the SEC championship.
Gunter
November 13th, 2010
11:12 pm
Mark, why don’t you apply for a job with the Denver Post……….again Coach Richt will be here long after you are gone.
Dawglasville
November 13th, 2010
11:13 pm
Funny – Let’s all hope that Cam is not laughing like Reggie Bush has been laughing after he wrecked USC.
Wreckmaniac – Really? You know what it going to happen in Athens in two weeks. It’s not going to take all of the pain away but it will help a little.
FLA DAWG
November 13th, 2010
11:13 pm
Cobb,
Read a book.
wreckmaniac
November 13th, 2010
11:14 pm
Ben Dukes: What game did you watch ? Auburn could have scored 85 against UGA today. It was sad.
TrishaDishaWarEagle
November 13th, 2010
11:14 pm
Judging from all the whiney comments about hitting the wittle qwawtaback , UGA Fans must think all time NFL greats like Reggie white, LT, Bruce smith, Simeon Rice, Deacon Jones have no place in football! (They are the NFLs alltime Qb busters)
AU fan here
November 13th, 2010
11:14 pm
I will have to respectfully disagree with you Wreckmaniac. Alabama did it last year with a QB that doesnt have a shot a being a NFL qb