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
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1,032 comments Add your comment
bigdsel
January 11th, 2011
6:04 pm
I hope Richt lands all of these recruits, If he gets the right ones we will win the SEC and maybe more. If Auburn didn’t get Fairley and Newton they would be 6-7 too
Mark Bradley
January 11th, 2011
6:04 pm
Where was Tarkenton in 1973? Leading his team to the Super Bowl against Miami. (Played in January 1974.)
D A DoubleU G
January 11th, 2011
6:04 pm
Another day, another negative story about a beloved local sports team. And this one, about 104 hours LATE.
Move away Mark. Go write for a paper where you can relate to the readers, not constantly antagonize them.
Carry on.
BuckyJ
January 11th, 2011
6:04 pm
I hear what Tarkenton has to say and improvement is a must, but coming from a person with his track record of beating people out of wives, money, business interests, etc., I don’t accept it. Many people don’t know the dirty little things about Tarkenton. Maybe he can’t stand to see a man who stands for something.
Matthew
January 11th, 2011
6:05 pm
I think Fran T. is way off base. A couple of things to consider:
1. Richt has been successful and having top recruits leave early for the NFL hurts.
2. Auburn was down for two years, Florida has had its down years, as well as other programs. Some were given time to right the ship, others were let go. Tennessee is still a mess.
3. The new AD has a different approach. There are changes to the schedule, to building the brand, and may be regarding Richt’s off field commitments and JUCO players. They deserve another season of working together.
4. Richt isn’t going to throw anyone under the bus and that’s why he spoke in generalities last week.
It’s easy to kick someone when he’s down. Fran should bite his tongue. If Adams and McGarrity think Richt is up for the job, then that’s the decision.
Mike S.
January 11th, 2011
6:05 pm
People defending CMR are touting his record bolstered primarily by wins in his first 6 years, that was 4 years ago folks. It’s more than that, though, he’s lost control of his players and the program. I think it’s the easy and the right choice. Dooley didn’t have these serious discipline problems, and it’s a bad comparison in support of Richt because recruiting is more competitive now than it was in Dooley’s day. Richt lacks the passion and the direction, he needs to quit and become a missionary full time.
Furman Bitcher
January 11th, 2011
6:06 pm
Come on Fran, I dont remember all those Vikings fans saying their team was out of control all those years you lost all those super bowls.
ormewood
January 11th, 2011
6:06 pm
Fran used to just pick on Brett Favre, now it’s Coach Richt. Personally, he sounds like a bitter old guy.
Elvis Dog
January 11th, 2011
6:06 pm
Bob, Today’s football world is different than when Dooley was coach. None of the current coaches that are contending for national championships are in programs that they coached where they have 3 declining years and then turned a program around to win a national championship. I really don’t care what Dooley did in 1970. CMR sucks and needs to go.
hahahaha
January 11th, 2011
6:07 pm
nothing beats coming home from work to read the chaos and panic that is the UGA football program. what a soap opera! this program is better than watching days of our lives! AD’s with DUI’s and scandal, arrests, thefts, NCAA penalties, losses to big underdogs, 6 pts in a bowl game… who could make this stuff up??
jasont13
January 11th, 2011
6:07 pm
Funny he mentioned Alabama, Tennessee and Auburn having spread offenses, but in rality only one run the spread.
Bob
January 11th, 2011
6:07 pm
Yeah Mark, he was in another LOSING Super Bowl. Please, enough with your amateur BS. Do some homework and actually come up with something new once in a while.
What was your position when UGA fired Jim Donnan in 2000?
Furman Bitcher
January 11th, 2011
6:07 pm
I liked him better on “That’s Incredible” than a football player
Furman Bitcher
January 11th, 2011
6:08 pm
HEY BRADLEY WHY ARE YOU BLOCKING MY COMMENTS. I LOVE YOU!
houston???
January 11th, 2011
6:08 pm
SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME IF jUSTIN HOUSTON IS GOING PRO???? he is supposed to declare by the 10th and i havent heard a thing!! very frustrated!!!
Tweets that mention Alum Fran Tarkenton on 680 The Fan: UGA 'is in big trouble' | Mark Bradley -- Topsy.com
January 11th, 2011
6:08 pm
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Mark Bradley, ajc sports editor, gil tyree and others. gil tyree said: Alum Fran Tarkenton on 680 The Fan: UGA 'is in big trouble' | Mark Bradley http://t.co/5t3rtgH [...]
Mark Richt won with Donnan players and BVG
January 11th, 2011
6:08 pm
Fran is spot on and cutting edge !
SoCal Dawg
January 11th, 2011
6:08 pm
Fran may think he’s a friend of UGA but I would say he’s an enemy! Do I agree with him on his assessment of the situation? Maybe… probably, but wait until after national signing day! We need every recruit thinking this is the best place in the world to play and that the people that recruited them will be here when they get here. This has become big news in GA not helpful to the “DREAM TEAM”. Fran is either an enemy or a moron. What he is doing is not helping UGA. If it needs to be said say it in in late February or March.
Tell the truth
January 11th, 2011
6:09 pm
He’s coming back next year folks. Be big boys now and learn to deal with it.
hahahaha
January 11th, 2011
6:09 pm
keep making excuses Matthew – fact is, you had a losing season, even with wins against idaho state!
your record in the SEC has dropped below .500
your overall record has dropped below .500
you just lost your best players to the nfl
you can’t beat Florida
at least you are better than tech. some accomplishment for a $3M+ salary
Bob
January 11th, 2011
6:09 pm
Elvis, give me a break. You are exactly what is wrong with CFB. We are not talking BCS titles here. Worry about SEC titles which are actually won on the field not in some mythical polling and enormous good fortune.
SEC Fact Finder
January 11th, 2011
6:09 pm
This is not my fight, but Fran Tarkenton does have a proven record of running fairly well as far as I can tell. Fran does have some intersting takes on the status of his school.
falconfromduluth
January 11th, 2011
6:09 pm
These Richt suck-ups need a dose of reality and Fran just gave it to them in spades. Yet, they opt to go for Richt’s “are you going to believe me or your lying eyes?” Richt just isn’t smart enough to, after nine years, “learn” how to coach at the leading edge of football. Stupid is as stupid does. This program is in deep trouble with no end in sight.
jasont13
January 11th, 2011
6:10 pm
Funny, Mark Bradley that you and your cronies call for a new coach but do not want to give any insight as to who they should go after. I’ve asked numerous naysayers on your blogs to make out a staff and no body can give answers. All the answers I get are: ummm Dan Mullen, ummm Kirby Smart, Chris Petersen. Thats great but will be the defensive and offensive cordinators. You can just give a head coaching name with out the other intricle parts of the staff.
houston???
January 11th, 2011
6:10 pm
SoCal Dawg, well said!
Elvis Dog
January 11th, 2011
6:10 pm
CMR reminds me of Bill Clinton. He is in trouble and can hold a press conference and not say anything and have all of you Democrat dog fans kissing his rear
UGA72
January 11th, 2011
6:10 pm
What has Sir Fran done for UGA lately? He called Richt out last spring for his comment that Aaron Murray would enter fall practice as No. 1 on the QB depth chart. How’d that decision work out? Wonder also if he vented on Wally Butts and Dooley when they turned out those sour seasons. Fran’s a smart man and has made more money in his lifetime than most football fans will ever see, but that doesn’t make him the know-everything on the state of UGA football.
keen observer
January 11th, 2011
6:11 pm
Trust me Isiah Crowell is no herschel walker and he ain’t going to save mark richt. Quit living in the past.
Mark Richt won with Donnan players and BVG
January 11th, 2011
6:11 pm
All of these clowns waiting till signing day for the next Herschel. Guess what ? aint gonna happen….
Elvis Dog
January 11th, 2011
6:12 pm
Bob that is the problem you CMR supporters no longer care about winning a national championship.
Carlton
January 11th, 2011
6:12 pm
@houston???
Actually, he has until the 15th (Saturday) to declare..
And way to report on a week-old subject Mark. Didn’t think the snowstorm affected you that much..
ncdawg
January 11th, 2011
6:12 pm
FT said what a lot of dawgs are thinking just didn,t have the guts to say, this program is in a tailspin
houston???
January 11th, 2011
6:12 pm
please….justin houston???? how is noone else interested in this??
Tell the truth
January 11th, 2011
6:12 pm
Mark – so you have now resorted full time to using the opinions of former athletes in local sports matters? I was not impressed with the comments of Dunn on the Cam saga; and I most definitely am not impressed with the comments of Fran. Are you feeling threatened now to that extent?
UGABugKiller
January 11th, 2011
6:12 pm
You people dismissing Fran Tarkenton out of hand are piss poor Dawgs.
And you are doing EXACTLY what he says people tend to do: YOU’VE IGNORED ALL THE SIGNS.
ANYONE with half a brain could’ve seen that the Japanese were going to attack America in 1941 or 1942. Military advisors warned FDR constantly that his choking off trade with Japan was going to result in attack (which is maybe what FDR wanted anyway) and yet, the Pacific Fleet was NOT kept at alert for attack.
ANYONE could’ve seen the collapse of the housing market. In fact, many people did, bet against the inflated market, and made MILLIONS off the collapse. Of course, because they used common sense, the architects of the disaster, like our dear old president, Obamanation, label these smart people as “vultures.”
The SIGNS have been there that Mark Richt was NOT the right person to lead this program going as far back to 2005.
Remember 2005? That’s when Mark Richt refused to back Brian Van Gorder’s request for a raise, to be fairly compensated as a Broyle’s Award Winner SHOULD be.
But Richt didn’t back BVG, in fact, he betrayed him, so BVG walked.
And instead of bringing back Muschamp, or Kirby Smart (who Richt actually made a RB’s coach for a year, leading Smart to jump ship the first chance he got, if you can believe that bullcrap), he hires a man who had FAILED as a defensive coordinator TWICE in his career… a man who happened to be one of his best friends and former college roommate.
The SIGNS were there all the way back in 2005.
As Fran Tarkenton said, he’s had NFL SCOUTS tell him that Georgia’s players are in piss-poor condition when they come to the NFL.
Ever wonder how a mediocre-to-average corner at Georgia, like Asher Allen, all of a sudden becomes a STARTER at corner in the NFL?
THE SIGNS WERE THERE!!!
So Richt refuses to fire one of his best friends for YEARS after it becomes stupidly apparent that he’s an appalling defensive coordinator. SoftWillie set RECORDS for how BAD he was a defensive coordinator.
No Georgia defense had EVER given up more 30, 40, and 50 point games in a 5 year period as they did under Martinez. It isn’t even CLOSE.
And the ONLY reason why Martinez was fired at all is because Damon Evans DEMANDED it.
And what about John Eason? How many years did we have great wide receiver talent at Georgia who couldn’t CATCH THE DAMN BALL???
If AJ Green were tainted by this horrible coach, he’d be just another disappointing Fred Gibson!
We’ve seen for YEARS that Mark Richt puts his personal relationships (Martinez, Eason, and DVH in particular).
Mark Richt should’ve been FIRED. This isn’t Vince Dooley’s SEC. You morons need to stop comparing him to Dooley.
This is the SEC where LES MILES and GENE CHIZIK know have BCS TITLES!!! And Mark Richt DOES NOT!!!
In Vince’s day there was Bear. That’s it. In Vince’s day, it wasn’t a multi-million dollar, bottom-line business.
Mark Richt is NOT a guy who can turn this around. And by giving him another year, you just make it that much harder to dig out of the hole he’s burried the program in.
You people are morons.
The SIGNS were all there for you. But you ignorant fools refuse to open your EYES.
houston???
January 11th, 2011
6:14 pm
@Carlton…the NCAA requires it to be till the 15th but UGA makes them decide on the 10th(i.e first day of classes) maybe since the snow has delayed classes Houston is milking this decision as long as possible, if so, he’s a real american a$$ hole
Paul in RDU
January 11th, 2011
6:14 pm
houston???
The deadline to declare for the 2011 NFL draft is Friday 1/15
Mark Richt won with Donnan players and BVG
January 11th, 2011
6:14 pm
Enter your comments here
SG
January 11th, 2011
6:14 pm
I’ve heard Fran over many years on the radio giving interviews and talking about various things and in my opinion he seems like an arrogant-dork-nuttjob. While, I think we have some problems and a week ago I was ready to start over staff wise, I’ve since calmed down. I couldn’t care less what he thinks about the situation.
Elvis Dog
January 11th, 2011
6:15 pm
You are correct UGABugKiller. These people are going to keep our program down
Bob
January 11th, 2011
6:15 pm
UGA Bug Killer, you really should get some help. That inane rant is not good for your health. You clearly have your priorities in the wrong place. What a bunch of garbage. Pathetic.
DawginOH
January 11th, 2011
6:15 pm
Anything to light a fire. Go Dawgs!
Irked ERK
January 11th, 2011
6:16 pm
Fran tarkenton is tired of the cop outs and excuses like the rest of us non kool aid drinkers.
bad brad
January 11th, 2011
6:16 pm
Tarkenton is irrelevant. His ramblings and ravings are a goofy attmept to stay in the news.
Tell the truth
January 11th, 2011
6:16 pm
The only thing missing was your comment at the end of the article- “Dawg fans, did you read what Fran said here”??? Hmmm?
"Chef" Tim Dix
January 11th, 2011
6:17 pm
Not his first swipe at the program, hardly. At Thanksgiving, he read them the riot act.
SoCal Dawg
January 11th, 2011
6:17 pm
@UGABugKiller I reposted this for you.
Fran may think he’s a friend of UGA but I would say he’s an enemy! Do I agree with him on his assessment of the situation? Maybe… probably, but wait until after national signing day! We need every recruit thinking this is the best place in the world to play and that the people that recruited them will be here when they get here. This has become big news in GA not helpful to the “DREAM TEAM”. Fran is either an enemy or a moron. What he is doing is not helping UGA. If it needs to be said say it in in late February or March.
Buck Commander
January 11th, 2011
6:17 pm
UGABugKiller, now thats what I call telling it like it is. Great Post!!
5150 P.O.A.D.
January 11th, 2011
6:18 pm
Love the 1 Adam 12 photo. Wish you had an photo with EMERGENCY too. Those were great PrimeTime TV shows when I was a lil kid.
Gman
January 11th, 2011
6:18 pm
I’ve never liked Fran Tarkenton but on this I have to totally agree. CMR was hired to win football games AND championships. In the past 3 years, he has been terrible at both. CMR is a good Christian but that is not part of his job description. Give him the pink slip now!