Fran Tarkenton on 680 The Fan: UGA ‘is in in big trouble’
If you haven’t heard what Fran Tarkenton had to say regarding Mark Richt last Friday on 680 The Fan, you probably should. The most famous former Georgia Bulldog (non-Herschel division) eviscerated the Bulldogs’ coach and strongly suggested the program needs a new leader.
Francis T. began boldly — “What has happened over the last week with Georgia has been the most disturbing time I have seen in a long time; you know, people don’t want to look at reality” — and didn’t pause for breath. (A partial transcript is available at SportsRadioInterviews.com.)
Richt’s all-is-well press briefing of Jan. 4 apparently set Tarkenton’s teeth to gnashing. Concerning the announcement that Richt would re-immerse himself in the finer points of football, Tarkenton said this:
“Holy cow! Yesterday, where Mark Richt says, ‘I have been freed from administrative duties to spend more time on football.’ Then I quote him, he said, ‘The moves give [me] more time to study the game of football and be an expert and be on the cutting edge.’ What has he been doing for nine years? I have never heard any college, high school, professional coach [say] that [he] was not able to spend enough time on football.”
Asked by host Christopher Rude if Rich might have been devoting too much time to academics or somesuch, Tarkenton said:
“No, it sounds like a cop-out! It sounds like, ‘I am not taking responsibility. I have other things.’ We hire people to be football coaches. We pay him and others millions of dollars to be football coaches, not to be administrators. He didn’t do a very good job there — we had 12 people arrested this year, including a top-ranked quarterback who was a top kid that is now going to play LSU [Zach Mettenberger], and that has been going on forever.
“[Richt] is a wonderful guy. He is a good Christian guy. He wants to be a missionary. He goes on missions. That is a wonderful thing. But do you know the religion of Nick Saban? Or Gus Malzahn? Or Chip Kelly playing for the national championship? I don’t think we care what their religion [is]. We hire them to be football coaches. If we are hiring religious instructors, let’s go to the Candler School of Theology over here in Decatur and get some of their people to come and coach our football team.”
Let the record note that Tarkenton is himself the son of a preacher. Which isn’t the same as being the son of a diplomat, and is evident throughout this diatribe. More Fran: “You’ve been there nine years [10, actually] and you say [you] haven’t had time to spend on football — if you don’t think that’s a problem, Georgia people, and [athletic director] Greg McGarity, if you don’t think the signs are there, my friend … Bad news does not get better with time.”
Regarding last week’s announcements that two top in-state prospects plan to sign with Alabama and Auburn, Tarkenton said:
” We’re going to lose the elite players this year. We haven’t in the past — we’ve gotten the elite player. We either didn’t choose right or we didn’t coach right, because we didn’t have success.
“Right now our program has had three years of regression, and I don’t see any way this thing is going to get out of the ditch. When I read comments like [Richt's] … we’re putting spin on everything. In the meantime Alabama and Auburn and Tennessee are working and kicking our butts and recruiting people and getting coaches that have spread offenses. I mean, can you imagine? We scored two field goals against Central Florida.”
The son of a preacher then offered a benediction: “I think Greg McGarity has got to look at this awfully hard, I think the signs are that we have a program that is in big trouble.”
And now you’re asking: How noteworthy is this? My answer: Very. It’s one thing for some newspaper guy (like this one) to carp about Richt, quite another for a most distinguished alum to sound the alarm. In the space of nine minutes, Sir Francis essentially said what more and more folks are thinking: That Georgia needs a new coach.
By Mark Bradley
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
1,032 comments Add your comment
kral
January 11th, 2011
9:49 pm
a thanks from you is not needed you do not deserve to thank anybody,,you are so sure about what will happen next year..you wil really be on my mind after the bs game you might be right but if your wrong you just bet the titanic could not be sunk
athdog
January 11th, 2011
9:49 pm
It’s entirely possible that CMR, who has not only won more games than Dooley in his first ten, a stat you might could excuse since CMR has had more regular season games than Dooley had, but his percentage of wins is significantly higher, as well. Dooley coaching this day and age would never make ten years, and he has stated so himself.
Richt has earned the right to turn this thing around. As I see it, we’re in year two or maybe three of the turnaround. One more should be all he gets, and I’m a huge Richt supporter.
Rick
January 11th, 2011
9:49 pm
SlobberKnocker…I love John Madden too.
Matthews Dawg
January 11th, 2011
9:50 pm
UGASlobberknocker….right on! Publicity hound and he will try to make it where he can sell something! I’m disappointed in his comments. Go to the powers, don’t do it on the airwaves!
Frank
January 11th, 2011
9:50 pm
Say Georgia fires Richt and by some great fortune hires Nick Saban. If Saban or anyone Georgia hires goes 8-4 and 5-6, some fans will be calling for his head too, and the merry-go-round begins again, like it was with Ray Goff and Jim Donnan. Georgia has a great program…… don’t think changing coaches is the answer……..heck, if Georgia hires a great coach, he might end up getting hired away by USC, Michigan, etc.
UGASlobberknocker
January 11th, 2011
9:50 pm
Another thing about Tarkenton. Does anyone remember how he reacted when his passing yard record was broken? Like a little spoiled kid who refused to even comment on it other than one sentence. What a pc of crap. I havent seen him in a while..has he gone bald, or does he still have that awful haircut?
lakedog
January 11th, 2011
9:51 pm
Thank you Fran for pointing out one of the most prevalent problems in our society today. That would be the tendency to compartmentalize one’s life into things such as “football coach”, “missionary”, Christian, etc. Thank God we have had someone in Athens for the last 10 years who gets it… that is everything we do in life is for a purpose that will far outlive the results of a football game or a season or a career for that matter. Sure we make mistakes in every area but how we handle those mistakes has the potential to change lives. CMR knows the measure of his success and will not be swayed by critics who don’t. Talk to some of the “kids” who are 5, 6, 7 years removed from the program if you want to know what is really going on, not someone 40 yrs. removed who is no longer on the inside.
dawgster
January 11th, 2011
9:53 pm
@Matthews Dawg…you are first class…keep up the support for the dawgs..i will do the same…as i have said before, its a done deal Coach Richt is our coach next season and if people really love the program they will support him and this staff along with the players…and who knows things might turn around, but if they don’t then i have all the faith in the world in Greg that he will do what is in the best interest of UGA,,,People you can complain and gripe all you want on here but it does nothing but possibly hurting the players, their parents and friends, and future recruits…So if that is your intention then go ahead, but if you really are a dawg fan, then support this staff one more season at least, its not going to change right now, so lets accept it and hope they turn it around…Maybe,if we would be a little positive it would rub off on some people..thats not saying you have to be a “homer” as i have been called and so have others, its just the fact. our Coach is Mark Richt for at least one more season and from all appearances we will have a very, very strong recruiting class coming in…go dawgs
UGASlobberknocker
January 11th, 2011
9:53 pm
Land..Im a lifelong Republican and Carter hater ..but even so,
Fran Tarkenton = Jimmy Carter.
What an insult to Carter
Rick
January 11th, 2011
9:53 pm
OK, Frank lets hire mediocre, then we won’t have to worry with losing them…BTW, if we hire a Saban, shouldn’t we give him more than 1 year to turn it around?..just asking
UGASlobberknocker
January 11th, 2011
9:53 pm
Rick ? dont get it
HoustonDawg
January 11th, 2011
9:54 pm
Where is CMR’s passion? Running out the clock? Get real this is not about religion in the work place which handled right can go hand in hand. It is business and doing the job you are paid to do and CMR is failing miserably and falling further behind in a conference that takes no prisoners. Ask the competion. I live in it.
Fran Who?
January 11th, 2011
9:56 pm
Tarkenton has an ego as big as Texas, and very obnoxious. Go dawgs! I suppport Richt.
Rick
January 11th, 2011
9:56 pm
Gotta love you dawgster, you certainly mean well with your rose colored glasses. Homers do have their place in team support. Think outside the box my friend…
Old Dawg
January 11th, 2011
9:56 pm
Thanks Monkey See.
dawgster
January 11th, 2011
9:58 pm
@UGASlobbernocker..good points and you are right, of all the people that have a right to voice their opinion about the state of UGA football, i give his the least validity..He’s still a dawg and he earned that right, but his comments to me are ill-timed and self-serving…I believe all the points he made about our program are being addressed or have been addressed as far as the future of our program…go dawgs
Kubla and Ollie
January 11th, 2011
9:58 pm
We both know Fran is a jerk
dlind87
January 11th, 2011
9:59 pm
Good story!
Skeezix
January 11th, 2011
10:00 pm
Hey Mark: Postponement. Hewitt’s best friend.
Rick
January 11th, 2011
10:02 pm
All I’m asking for is progressive ownership of this program. UGA is being left behind, if you don’t believe it then, I we may settle for mediocrity for a long time. Alsa, we have a new AD and he may see things accordingly. I suspect this is the cause of Richt’s new DEDICATION. Will he make a difference now? I don’t know,…but I do know this, if you knew something was wrong with your dedication,why didn’t you address this before now?
I ask you all, shall we accept this people?
mcdaviddawg
January 11th, 2011
10:02 pm
The re;igios right can’t stand it when someone calls it like it is. You all are invited to Richt’s church after he “retires”. Fire Richt now.
dlind87
January 11th, 2011
10:03 pm
You did stir the pot at least.
kral
January 11th, 2011
10:05 pm
hd knows all about passion..it is about getting embaressed one year and callind time-outs the next..urbane….it’s about beating your opponent and the taking shots at them in the media…visor..you guys get you a classless coach..see where the thuggery…as some have described goes then…you people know so much but utilize so little…I am a homer ..always will be just like everybody use to say LM was…fixing to leave..bb and good food await..and the fartheads..canlaugh or not but they can also kiss my ass good-bye…never know what is going to happen..ask AU
gadawgs
January 11th, 2011
10:05 pm
Fran shut the hell up. Right now is not the time douche.
always a silver lining
January 11th, 2011
10:06 pm
Kubla and Ollie It’s Kukla, Fran and Ollie – good try though
Rick
January 11th, 2011
10:06 pm
You’re right gadawgs he should wait until we end up in the cellar…
Fran Tarkenton's Dog
January 11th, 2011
10:06 pm
Even I cant stand the guy.
Matt M
January 11th, 2011
10:07 pm
Fran…Someone actually cares what you think “That’s Incredible”
Rick
January 11th, 2011
10:07 pm
Fran is a prick but he’s right on this boys…
Nahila
January 11th, 2011
10:07 pm
Fran should keep his opinion to himself until after the national signing day. He is potentially discouraging high school recruits from signing with UGA because of a potential head coaching change that may never happen as far as the immediate future is concerned. Cry wolf enough on the status of the UGA football program and you get what you were not asking for which a further downtrotten football program when you run off the best recruits with ranting and raving about how bad the UGA football program has become. Stop tearing the program apart and be part of the solution not part of the problem. Suggestions as to how to build a stronger program at UGA are in order not making comments extremely critical of the UGA football program or coaching staff. Recruiting errors were made when we recruited Stafford and UGA did not have other top notch quartebacks willing to sit behind Stafford. Cox was already there but the cupboard was bare for just a short while before bringing in Murray and Mettenberger. A long list of injured offensive linemen over the last 5 years has not helped either. Let’s pull together and get behind our coaches and the recruiting program and go to work.
UGASlobberknocker
January 11th, 2011
10:08 pm
Im a little rusty on my children’s characters..It is Kukla ..but I am pretty sure that Kukla’s cousin Kubla also thinks Tark is a moron.
cmac
January 11th, 2011
10:09 pm
Fran is 100% correct. All you delusional UGH fans will finally see the light by November 2011. But it will be another year wasted!
dawgster
January 11th, 2011
10:09 pm
@Rick..tell me how you want me to think outside the box…i mean Coach Richt will be back next season, and being the type of person i am,i will support him and the players…That doesn’t mean i will accept less than some major improvement, i hope you can understand that, but if i continue to focus on the negatives, especially at this crucial point, with recruiting, it doesn’t help any of our problems…I see your point and get your point and at times i have those same exact feelings…i been around this program in several different ways since the mid sixties and have seen and been involved with many ups and downs…We always seemed to rebound from poor periods and seasons in the past..perhaps you don’t remember them, but i truly do…does that mean i don’t want things to change..i most certainly do, i can promise my passion is very clear there, but i know right now we need to concentrate on securing a great recruitng class and hopefully the additional changes made along with the defensive coaching changes will start to show some results next year…I hope you can see my passion and my positive outlook and respect it, you don’t have to agree with it as i might not with your feelings, but i respect your right to express them, hopefully next season will give you a chance to see some positive things taking place again……go dawgs
Rick
January 11th, 2011
10:10 pm
Nahila–which is worse, a sour puss on the program like Fran or a “I haven’t worked hard enough coach like Richt”?
gadawgs
January 11th, 2011
10:10 pm
Rick..No but he should wait until after NSD, Saying these things now only will put more negative thoughts in the minds of the young men that may sign with us. Richt is going nowhere right now so why in the he** do you stir the pot. Dumb!
Coach Fran
January 11th, 2011
10:11 pm
Maybe Fran should become a coach…. He seems to know everything that needs to be done!!!!!
gadawgs
January 11th, 2011
10:13 pm
Fran likes to hear Fran talk. Especially if someone with an agenda gives him a forum. Huh
Mark?
Gotta Go
January 11th, 2011
10:14 pm
come on guys
of course people are going to be negative. don’t you remember the Goff years? WE HAVE THE EXACT SAME SITUATION HERE! Nice guy….horrible coach. I love the talk about being good fans. What about being good coaches?
Jimmy Buffett
January 11th, 2011
10:15 pm
I have a song that best describes Fran Tarkenton…”The a$$hole song”
my favorite line:
I was talking to your mother
just the other night
I told her I thought you were an a$$hole
she said “Yes, I think youre right”
HoustonDawg
January 11th, 2011
10:18 pm
UNACCEPTABLE. Talent rich state. Only 3 states put more players in the NFL. Something is wrong people.
Matthews Dawg
January 11th, 2011
10:19 pm
dawgster…I couldn’t stay away. This is like watching a train wreck the way some on here slam us “homers”! Your points were right on point! Go Dawgs
CB
January 11th, 2011
10:19 pm
I think you’re right, “Coach Fran”. I think Frank Tarkenton would be an excellent head coach, but he is right about Richt. It seems McGarrity came back to Athens to retire and doesn’t want any controversy; I guess that was his role at UF, to fly under the radar and stay out of the way and get coffee for everyone. We obviously chose another passive person be involved in running athletics at UGA. Too many in the Bulldog Nation are ok with mediocrity, I’m afraid. The program is in a tailspin that is not recoverable as long as Richt (and McGarrity, too, I’m afraid)is in charge.
Wally Butts
January 11th, 2011
10:21 pm
I guess Tony Robbins didn’t need a blowjob this week.
BUBBA GUMP
January 11th, 2011
10:22 pm
Sure have to respect Tarkenton………….Maybe Tarkenton should be offered the job??!!!
Rick
January 11th, 2011
10:23 pm
Love the passion dawgster, I’ve also watched the dawgs since the sixties. We share a common bond. I’m getting old but still feisty. Things are different from yesteryear, and much more demanding. Can we change and adapt? Not if we hold on to the past, but learn from the past. Someone mentioned that Richt has a better record than Dooley, do you consider Mark more demanding of his players than Dooley?…I thought not. For me, it is accountability and I just believe we’re not getting that. We’re not getting 100% from our coach or our players. We didn’t get that from the previous AD. We reached a point to where we thought we arrived…and then the BCS would be ours… well, it didn’t turn out that way and it has spiraled down ever since. You can have passion about a football program and be critical…it keeps them honest and true to the passion at heart….Go Dawgs!
Cali Dawg
January 11th, 2011
10:27 pm
Although Fran has stated what many feel, he is Fran – and Fran only cares about FRAN. Where’s Fran been for UGA all these years?
gadawgs
January 11th, 2011
10:28 pm
Cali Dawg..Well said!
Paul "The Genius" Johnson
January 11th, 2011
10:28 pm
Mark — Thanks again for all of your support this year, I couldn’t continue to under perform without the backing of loyal followers such as yourself. I especially appreciate how you and Jeff ignored completely my losing the bowl game and posting a losing record, one season off of winning the ACC with Chan’s players. Admittedly, the ACC is a crap conference, but for one glorious season we were the tallest midget. Whatever the case, that is history now and all can say is thanks again for sweeping 2010 under the rug for me. Not one column about how I laid an egg this year and ended the season so miserably, your the best! Toddles!!!
dawgster
January 11th, 2011
10:29 pm
@CB…one thing i can promise you..so listen carefully…Greg Mcgarity did not come back to Athens to retire..If you knew him at all, you would know the passion he has for the dawgs…He should have been the hire when Damon got the job, but thats old news…You can bet one thing he will accept nothing short of us competing in all sports for SEC titles…that may or may not be realistic, but thats his expectations…He is very much involved in the football program right now and will continue to be so…I can assure that he won’t let us fall any farther, but you have to understand its extremely difficult to come into the situation he did and rush to judgement..you want to get it right if you have to do something and not set the program back any farther…I have all the confidence in the world that his hands eyes will be all over the workings of the football program…just give his a decent chance to make the right decisions..go dawgs
JD
January 11th, 2011
10:29 pm
Tarkenton was a star in a different time. They could have 100 players on the team, Discipline was tougher, and the competition in recruitment was divided at the time between historical black schools and the ncaa schools. The whole culture was different. Can he possibly do what anyone does today in coaching? I have my doubts. He should just not get to bent out of shape about the program. One other thing back when he played freshmen could not play and no one left school after three years for the nfl. I do not believe the SEC was as competitive then either.