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
Top Recruit
January 12th, 2011
9:36 am
A weather advisory. A little snow and ice and you metro winnies begin to cry, wimper, and piss on yourselves like you do about everything. Time to grow up a lot. Same thing for that bunch over in Athens.
San Francisco Dawg
January 12th, 2011
9:36 am
I have always had the feeling that Richt views this as a 9-5 job with half days on Saturday…lol…Sunday film watching? No, he’s at church…remember, he is the highest paid employee in the entire university system in the state of Georgia. I will be there are employees that make under 50K a year that work harder than Richt does…you have to eat and sleep this business…he does not…
gt
January 12th, 2011
9:36 am
If Richt can’t pay attention in Athens, he would be MIA in Atlanta, a Pepper Rogers repeat only dull. You saw this lack of concern for the job in FSU with the old coach that refused to go away down there, yet he couldn’t win in the weak ACC. In his early days Bowden was running a probation office too, but he was winning. To have the thugs and still lose is like marrying a fat wife and still having to ply her with mink and diamonds. You can’t have your cake and eat it too.
Wally Butts
January 12th, 2011
9:36 am
I like those commercials. “Say go dogs!” “Go dogs!” “Say woof woof!” “Woof woof!”
John Davidson
January 12th, 2011
9:37 am
After reading his comments all I have to say is “That’s Incredible”.
PACKERHATER
January 12th, 2011
9:37 am
JDW, to compare Mark Richt’s overall record with Fran Tarkenton’s record in SUPERBOWLS is idiotic. What is CMR’s record in national championship games?
John Davidson
January 12th, 2011
9:39 am
After reading Fran’s comments, all I can say is “That’s Incredible!”
Cathy Lee Crosby
January 12th, 2011
9:40 am
After reading Fran’s comments, all I can say is “That’s Incredible!”
wethepeople31
January 12th, 2011
9:41 am
francis needs to go sell another turbo blender. his comments mean nothing to me. he is an embarrassment more than anything else. i would like to see CMR step down because i think he is a good man. he can do more with his life. to all other uga alums, be careful what you ask for…lane kiffin.
Lakedawg
January 12th, 2011
9:41 am
This says much more about Fran Tarkenton than it does about Mark Richt.
If Tarkenton’s a Good Dawg, why go on the radio 3 weeks before National
Signing Day and say something like this ? There’s a time and place to
express any opinion, but those who love this program are going to put a
little more thought into when/how their opinion is expressed. Here’s
my opinion: the fact that he would even choose this method/timing of
delivering this opinion means that he has questionable judgment anyway
so I take what he says with a grain of salt – not only on this subject,
but on any subject henceforth.
NORRIS
January 12th, 2011
9:42 am
Classless verbage by Fran.
Now is not the time to be making statements like this when we are trying to get recruits.
very stupid on his part.
Florida Dawg
January 12th, 2011
9:42 am
Fran T is telling it like it is……..I quit wearing my Georgia gear in Jacksonville out of embarrassment.
Losing to Central Florida pushed us over the top…time to bite the bullet and make big time changes for a once big time program.
LakeHardingDawg
January 12th, 2011
9:42 am
I’ve been a season ticket holder for 26 years and this is the first time I can remember Fran saying anything about Georgia. If he cares so much, he should call Coach Richt and ask for permission to help recruit, not scare away recruits.
UGAFan
January 12th, 2011
9:43 am
I’ve wondered about that too, San Fran Dawg. Last season we had the off-date before the UF game, and on his radio show the week of the game, a caller asked if Richt had the team more ready, due to the off-week, and Richt replied, “well, we used the off week to work on fundamentals. We’ll get started on UF this Tuesday.”
Just a guess, but I’ll bet Spurrier and Myer worked on UGA during BOTH weeks all of those years UF had the off-week.
Gator CHOMP Champ
January 12th, 2011
9:43 am
I will go out and buy a Ford truck. Support Richt-he’s a good guy and that’s all that should matter to you ungrateful people. That FG on 4th and inches was a great move in your bowl game. Your DC (who showed fantastic grit and coaching in OT) was just merely unfortunate against them in shutting down UCF-they’re simply an excellent program. Maybe UGA should consider moving to their conference and you could contend w/ them since the top tiers of the SEC are for programs like ours and the western SEC powers? McGarity might be able to work that out for you guys, and then you’d be able to have winning seasons again. Thoughts?
Dr. P
January 12th, 2011
9:44 am
Looking at the big picture, if Richt’s performance this year isn’t enough to get you fired, then please Gawd or someone tell me what it would take. This isn’t our sorry a$$ educational system keeps sorry a$$ teachers from getting fired, but that’s the way the AD is treating it. Get some ‘nads and fire this guy so he can go to Africa on missions.
fishdog
January 12th, 2011
9:45 am
All these Tarkenton comments from someone who has been an invisible member of the dog family for years. He even snubbed his Viking teammates last month by not going down on the field with them during a team anniversary celebration. He was a great dog but since his qb days he has been a fair weather fan at best.
Wally Butts
January 12th, 2011
9:45 am
You might not want to bite the pillow quite yet Florida dawg because Im not sure losing to UCF actually pushes you over the top. Au contrair. And you know what, give the man a chance.
War Eagle
Bring Back Damon!
January 12th, 2011
9:45 am
That red panty thing is no big deal–a man gotta party hard sometimes. Damon can turn things around quick. McGarity doesn’t know what he is doing. Bring back damon—uGA send him packing only because he was doing a white chick.
Wally Butts
January 12th, 2011
9:47 am
Every dog hass its day.
chris
January 12th, 2011
9:48 am
This will really help our recruiting out Fran (thanks alot you idiot)! Your a former Bulldog and you just cost us dearly. What we really need is idiots like you and BRADLEY to quit screwing us. Your no more a TRUE GEORGIA BULLDOG than BRADLEY. Fran my man you sir have took too many helmet to head blows. THANKS ALOT IDIOTS!
Wally Butts
January 12th, 2011
9:51 am
That morning crew at 680 are instigators and just unlistenable anyway. Mazzone is the only who knows what he’s talking about. Fran Tarkenton. Please.
Bob Dawg
January 12th, 2011
9:52 am
AMEN FRANCIS, AMEN!
Dostoveyskiy
January 12th, 2011
9:56 am
What recruit in his right mind would want to sign with a school whose fans and alumni are like the Hatfields and the McCoys concerning support of their coach. UGa is worse at this sort of thing than any other school. They can’t simply celebrate their coach and their program. It’s win at all cost for them. Do you really want that the rest of your life? Chances are that if you go there and ever get to play, at some time you will be vilified. Now that’s a fact! Just look at arguably its most famous sports alum, Sir FT.
gt
January 12th, 2011
9:57 am
Lord there are some hard heads out there. Now you are blaming Fran for the recruiting problem? The recruits are not coming to Georgia for the first time in a long time, the same reason it took about a dozen tries to get an assistant to coach the defense last year. The football community has no respect for what Richt is doing in Athens. I can’t imagine in any accountable measure anyone can have respect for any phase of this program. If you measure it against any program of equal status it has lost value and has lost the university return on it’s investment in this program. Every time a kid is in the newspaper Georgia gets a black eye. Then you add the athletic director? The whole state of Georgia looks like fools. Then you lose to Central Florida, which means any value in the good faith of the Georgia name is totally drained, a school not even playing division one ball a few years ago has from scratch passed a once proud program. There is a smell in the room so strong people are passing out and you want to blame Fran for mentioning it? Maybe when Vandy has passed this program starting 11 white rhode scholars there will be a awaking, but then why when we can blame it on Fran.
Boise State is coming...
January 12th, 2011
9:57 am
Fran Tarkenton was right on the mark (no pun intended). Mark Richt should have been fired immediately after the humiliating loss to UCF.
Dan Dawg
January 12th, 2011
9:58 am
Give Richt one more year. If he does not have a great season, it would be wise for the AD and the rest of the Bulldog Nation to listen to Sir Francis.
Wally Butts
January 12th, 2011
9:58 am
War Eagle. been fascinatin.
AltamahaDawg
January 12th, 2011
9:58 am
I agree BuLLdawg. I don’t understand attacking Fran. He is a paid promotional speaker and celebrity. Obviously he deals in provacative language. He would always have UGAs best interest at heart though. I found about 5 things that were either just factually incorrect or purposely misleading in some of his comments, but that doesnt seem to be what matters when you “tell it like it is” I suppose.
But you have a long history of attacking somebodies character and not disputing thier actual comments, so not sure what your problem is with that.
BTW, God and doing a good job. Those are at opposite ends of the spectrum for you, huh. My church seems to be filled with the leaders of the community that do
DawginLex
January 12th, 2011
10:00 am
UGAFAN,
There was no off week before the UF game in 2010. We beat UK in Lexington the Saturday before Jacksonville.
The last off date before the UF game was 2007 and I would say that game worked out pretty good for the Dawgs.
Over Easy
January 12th, 2011
10:01 am
Tarkenton is 100% correct in his assessment of UGA and Mark Richt.
Starring Kam Fong as Chin Ho
January 12th, 2011
10:01 am
Has Tarkenton ever attended a Ga game since he graduated? I’ve never seen him on the sidelines or heard him interviewed before a game. He has as much credibility as the people on these blogs do………not much……..myself included
ValdostaGuy
January 12th, 2011
10:02 am
Sounds like Fran Tarkenton is spot on. Time for many to get their heads out of the sand on the current state of the UGA athletic program, not just football
Paul N Destin
January 12th, 2011
10:03 am
You don’t have the money to fire Richt otherwise he would be gone. I suggest your AD get in touch with Kim Basinger and setup a 100 buck loto for a one nighter. Take the profits and buyout Mark. Amen. You need to think outside the box…lol
DawginLex
January 12th, 2011
10:03 am
DOES FRANCIS HAVE THE GUTS TO MEET COACH RICHT IN PERSON AND DISCUSS HIS VIEWS OF THE GEORGIA FOOTBALL PORGRAM?
A REAL MAN WOULD.
DawginLex
January 12th, 2011
10:04 am
PROGRAM NOT PORGRAM
wins-by-a-link
January 12th, 2011
10:04 am
Fran nor Mark had anything to do with the situation in Athens, Coach Richt and his staff are sole owners of this team and the mess the program is in, Richt is now the coach of a losing program, A program which has regressed for the last three yrs, Richt has another two yrs remaining on his contract which many think is not enough time to turn things around, Several SEC schools have won the national championship the last few yrs, But UGA can’t beat UCF.
Kendawg
January 12th, 2011
10:06 am
I will be surprised if Richt survives more than one more year in Athens.
Jessie
January 12th, 2011
10:06 am
Tarkenton has a good point. 6-7 and no major staff changes? Tarkenton is a little surpised Richt doesn’t respond to a 6-7 season with more urgency and anger, then again, Bill Billachek had a few 6-7 seasons too, so likely Tarkenton is overreacting, he comes across as an emotional guy who speaks before he thinks.
browndog
January 12th, 2011
10:07 am
The recruits will have to “Google” Tarkenton to find out who he is. It seems that most who comment feel that UGA could hang out a sign that says “Opening for Head Football Coach” and we would have our choice. Personally, I don’t think recruiting a new head coach to UGA will be that easy.
Reality Check Dawg
January 12th, 2011
10:09 am
I love these idiot UGA supposed supporters or Alumni who still support the head ball coach! The facts speak for themselves and the facts are not in Saint Richts corner! 2-8 against Florida should be enough of a reason to fire any football coach from the University of Georgia period! The fact is Mark Richt in each of his 3 SEC appearances (know over half a decade ago)needed another school to beat Florida to get to the game. He cannot and will never be able to beat Florida with any type of consistancy. Is that what you Richt supporters want for your beloved Bulldogs? Maybe you idiots do but I want a coach and a coaching staff that can beat floriday 8 out 10 times not the reverse.
Here is the hard cold truth people, this year 2011 is going to be a long year and your saint Mark Richt will not and I repeat WILL NOT be the head football coach of UGA this time next year.
Wally Butts
January 12th, 2011
10:09 am
Most UGA fans would have to google me, too, browndog.
Dawgtownrambler
January 12th, 2011
10:10 am
Fran, you hit the nail on the head my friend. I totally agree with your religion to football coaching statement. UGA does not pay him to be a religious leader. They pay him to win football games! They pay him to lead! I do think some part of his job is to make sure these guys become productive citizens of society, but the bottom line is they pay him to keep our football team in the upper echelon of college football. I agree Mark is a great guy, but he doesn’t have that fire. Look at coach Saban. His players respect him on a very different level. Coach Richt’s guys just seem to respect him as a friend not as a coach. There is no intensity in our players. Our boys do not play with any kind of sense of urgency. If they do not want to excommunicate Richt… Keep him as an offensive coordinator, and hire a head coach that has red in his eyes and fire in his gut. I would cut off an appendage for ERK RUSSELL (God rest his soul) to be our head coach. Why not hire a young buck like Manny Diaz? That guy is going to make a great head coach for a team someday! He is on the cutting edge of football. I am certain he could handle what CMR has had taken off his place plus the stress of SEC FOOTBALL! If you have not realized that college football has become a “what have you done for me lately” business you must have been living under a rock. Richt has had a good run, but sometimes the game passes the coaches. Richt at Georgia is one of those cases. SEC football is the best in the country. That is why its coaches are paid big money. Lets cut our loses and stop the bleeding at our beloved UGA. The talent level in Georgia is over the top. UGA should be able to get these guys with no problem, but instead they let out of state schools cherry pick them until we are left with just a few top ranked recruits. McGarity, you know where the ship is headed and it is not in the right direction. Why prolong the inevitable?
Va'jayjay Jackson
January 12th, 2011
10:10 am
Okay it’s a .05% tolerance policy. The point is CMR must start cracking down.
Big Dawg
January 12th, 2011
10:11 am
Shhh!! Be quiet everyone, Mark Richt is studying! He’s watching the new DVD “Football 101 for the Self-Described Non-Expert”. Now, boys and girls, this is a football……..
Mr. AJC
January 12th, 2011
10:12 am
Come on Mark, you are always trying to cause problems for UGA. We already have enough issues without your negative reporting. Plus your reports are weak and inaccurate.
Just the messenger
January 12th, 2011
10:13 am
Too many people are trying to shoot the messenger. Tarkenton is just pointing what should be obvious: Richt has to go.
two dawgs
January 12th, 2011
10:13 am
Finally, someone comes to their senses and expresses it out loud. Thank you!
browndog
January 12th, 2011
10:13 am
Wally Butts, you will get mentioned in the same search results .as Fran
WTF
January 12th, 2011
10:13 am
Fran Tarkington is a has been who has been irrelevent for about four decades. Hey Fran . . how about winning a Super Bowl before you annoint yourself head of the Bulldog Nation.