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
dawgster
January 11th, 2011
7:15 pm
Whether you agree or disagree with what Fran said, to me to publically throw your coach under the bus in the way you did is unexcusable…the kind of stuff he said should have been behind closed doors..Fran is the last one that should be throwing stones in my opinion…Again just another way to shed some negative light on our program at the worst time..I know Fran loves the uGA, but if he thinks what he says helps he is so wrong, like i said he can make it known to UGA in a manner that doesn’t look like tabloid stuff…and as much as i love and respect Coach Dooley, there were seasons that did not turn out so well either, but he got the chance to turn things around and i believe Coach Richt has earned that right for at least another season…One thing i will add is i hope Coach Richt can take a honest look at some of our schemes and realize that we have become too predictable, if he is not willing to do that and open up some things with the talent we have and are bringing in then the cards will fall where they may…I plan on supporting the coaches and the team, Coach Richt is our coach next year so lets get behind him and help this team to turn it around…if it doesn’t happen then no one can say that Coach Richt didn’t get the opportunity…To me the biggest thing that keeps coming up over and over, although Coach Richt’s record has been fantastic the past 10 years, he has not won the NC as some other schools have and that unfortunately is the problem that everybody focuses on…without that NC on his resume puts him behind some other coaches…
Fran i would encourage you to think about what your comments can do to this program, perhaps you did, but in my opinion you threw the Coaches, the players and UGA under the bus…You know as well as i do that you could make your concerns known to the right people at UGA and could have kept them out of the public spotlight…Whether you are correct or not in your accessment of Coach Richt, you should have had more respect, especially from a former player and someone that loves UGA…Please tell me how anything you said does anything to help the dawgs right now…go dawgs
Rick
January 11th, 2011
7:16 pm
GTDog – get a grip…Richt is no Barry Switzer…LOL
kral
January 11th, 2011
7:17 pm
I am so glad that we have our df coordinator on this blog tg tell me what you think will improve our df next yr..oh dan here..got a lot of players back next year..what do you think will happen in Athens nect ….so much knowledge to tap out here…gosh I am amazed that they would take the time to blog with us…downtime in recruiting I guess
Rick
January 11th, 2011
7:17 pm
Hey Fran is full of BS – you’re mostly right, but Fran hit the nail on the head with this one………
kral
January 11th, 2011
7:18 pm
dawgster he has been doing it all year on 680
bobby
January 11th, 2011
7:18 pm
leave coach alone fran
SickandTired
January 11th, 2011
7:18 pm
It’s about time someone stood up to Mark Richt and told the dadgum truth. It’s like a lot of the republicans are afraid of Rush…just tell it like it is. Do not be afraid…..just say it…Mark Richt is a cancer on Georgia and needs to go now. Don’t put off to tomorrow what you can fire today. Come on down McGarity…….let him get thru signing day and fire his A$$.
JB
January 11th, 2011
7:18 pm
In business, you don’t lose 3 million dollars 3 years in a row and keep slapping backs and welcome back those who caused it. Hello Mark Richt. In Fairness, he finally Fired Wille, but it was year to late. He had to settle on Grantham ( he demanded a 3 year deal, he know Mark was on a short leash). Fran is right. Hell, we all love Mark, but we love UGA winning football also. His offense is stale and predictable and he refuses to change a thing. Recruiting has had to many “misses’ lately and he let the program slip so far most blue of bluest recruits are looking for better run programs. I hope for the best next year, but our first two games are tough, and lose those, gonna be hard holding that team together.
SID
January 11th, 2011
7:19 pm
We all know it’s the “curse of the red panties”!!!!!!!!!!!! It will pass.
BibbCityDawg
January 11th, 2011
7:20 pm
Don’t y’all go throwin’ out the baby with the bathwater………specially you Fran.
I remember when CMR first got here the change was apparent. he was known as an offensive mind. Problem with CMR is he really is too nice.
I do not agree with him letting Bobo take over play calling duties. It appears as if it must have been a relief for him to let go of that chore, but now we have lost too many close games for him to let the “O” be run by Bobo. Bobo does not “step-on-the-throat” of the other team. I have seen us run the ball well on one play, only to get sacked on the very next play, on a seven yard drop, when we could have just kept on drive blockin’ our way downfield.
I think offensive balance is great, but if we can drive block, then let’s drive block……and win the game, rather than look cute statistically……
Rick
January 11th, 2011
7:20 pm
How many of you guys are going to go to your employer and say “I just haven’t been able to spend enough of my time doing my duties”?
Atl_Dawg
January 11th, 2011
7:21 pm
Fran, just keep your mouth closed for the time being. We all know you want attention here and there, but you’re not doing the football program any favors right now. Wait to ramble after national signing day, and remember to take your vitamins and eat your oatmeal..
BAMA
January 11th, 2011
7:21 pm
It’s about time somebody spoke up about Richt. He’s screwed up so many talented teams it’s pathetic. Would someone give Fran back his DAWG glasses because he actually see’s what’s going on here.
SG
January 11th, 2011
7:23 pm
Why don’t we see what Q.Carter thinks about the program, I respect him more than Fran. Since we know that there aren’t any changes this year, the best thing we can do is be positive and hope we can pull out of this slide. You idiots constantly bashing is ridiculous.
Rick
January 11th, 2011
7:23 pm
Dawgster – we don’t need butt smoochers, we need leaders with accountability.
Good for Mark Bradley
January 11th, 2011
7:24 pm
Gonna get an exclusive interview with either Tarkenton or Richt next week. Can’t lose!
Rick
January 11th, 2011
7:26 pm
To all you Richt sympathizers – what will take for you to realize that Richt took this path a few years ago because HE DIDN”T WANT TO WORK HARD ANYMORE!!!
GEEZ…
Ralph
January 11th, 2011
7:27 pm
There is no problem, no problem, no problem. thUGA, thUGA, thUGA.
Matt
January 11th, 2011
7:27 pm
I got a good laugh out of this.
Jobs for Richt once UGA fires him
http://community.gainesvilletimes.com/blogs/detail/2267/
UGA fan
January 11th, 2011
7:28 pm
waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
All I know how to do is cry and make excuses
waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
BG
January 11th, 2011
7:28 pm
The AJC loves to post negative stories about UGA!!
GlenU
January 11th, 2011
7:28 pm
Fran Tarkington’ s recent opinion on Mark Richt coaching ability comes as shocker to anyone familiar with his position as a legendary UGA alum. I don’t remember Mr. Tarkington’s comments following the 2001 (8-4), 2002 (13-1), 2003 (11-3), 2004 (10-2), 2005 (10-3), 2006 (9-4), 2007 (11-2), 2008 (10-3), & 2009 (8-5) but we do know what he thought about this past season. What is so remarkable about such outrageous comments is that is comes from someone in which we would expect wisdom first & emotions last. It would seem natural that Mr. Tarkington show his years of experience by reminding us that before the 1960 championship season (10-1) that Wally Butts preceding 4 years looked like this: 1955 (4-6), 1956 (3-6-1), 1957 (3-7), and 1958 (4-6). If your going to blame the coaches for the losses you’ve got to give them credit for the wins. You can’t have it both ways. Even if Mark Richt were to have a second loosing season he would still go down as one of the most remarkable coaches the Un of Ga has ever had.
But it seems I have misjudged Mr. Tarkington all these years. As a contemporary of his at the University I would have expected him to realize now is the time to rally around the UGA flag, promoting what Mark Richt does well, and giving us some insights on how as a fanbase we can help our athletic administration & coaches to accomplish our goal; to put together a team that we can be proud of both on & off the field.
SID
January 11th, 2011
7:29 pm
Why is there so much trash at UGA on a game day/ Other schools don’t have this problem. Is it the “culture” of UGA????
Dawg Fan
January 11th, 2011
7:29 pm
Mark,you really enjoy writing negative articles like this. What a shame. You are not nearly the writer that CMR is a coach. You and the AJC sports writers feel it is your mission to get rid of CMR. Please just go away.
JB
January 11th, 2011
7:31 pm
Those on here that support Richt ( and that’s fine) think we live in secret over here.We played at noon this year, not prime time. Lot’s of stories have been written the last 2 years about the state of decline in Athens. It’s REAL. This is college football. It’s Now. There is a guy on here who defends Richt Daily, and he talks about 2002 and 2007 ALL THE TIME. Really. Who at Bama or Florida cares or remembers those teams? We lost to Colorado. We didn’t score a TD on Central Florida with a month to prepare with AJ on the field. We give up 30+ on a regular basis. We used to tailback U, now it’s tailback WHO. We are a predictable on offense as any Div 1 team, and won;t change. Teams start on kickoffs on about our 40 most of the time. OK, I’m through. Yes, I like the guy, but I’m ready for NEW BLOOD.
JSS
January 11th, 2011
7:31 pm
JDW
January 11th, 2011
5:47 pm
“Mark Richt is the fifth winningest active college football coach in the country…Fran Tarkenton has lost more Super Bowls than anyone save Jim Kelly.”
Actually he’s tied with John Elway… And Craig Morton thanks you for forgetting how he stunk up his two Super Bowl starts…
Dawgs88
January 11th, 2011
7:31 pm
I think UGA should hire Fran Tarkenton as the new head coach lol. He seems to be the only person not shoveling manure and shying away from reality when it comes to the football program. Mark Richt is a sissy, plain as that, and the poor physical conditioning of his teams show that. No goody two shoes is ever going to dominate an aggressive all out conference like the SEC. Richt only had the success he had because of Donnan’s players and the fact the SEC was in a down period. Florida, Alabama, South Carolina, Mississippi State, Arkansas, and even Kentucky were all pretty weak overall back in 2001 when Richt started. Now, everyone of those programs has surpassed Richt and his sissy mary coaching.
Pete
January 11th, 2011
7:32 pm
Bradley – Your an idiot.
Rick
January 11th, 2011
7:32 pm
good one Matt – and the Gainesville columnist is probably right, McGarity is not about to dive-in and fire Richt this early on, but next year?
KY Dawg
January 11th, 2011
7:33 pm
This is really unfortunate. Mr. Tarkenton should not be so blatant about bad-mouthing the Head Coach of his school if he genuinely cares
about the best interest of the Dawgs. Comments like those should have
been shared with the AD one on one. I don’t agree with his comments and certainly not with the lack of professionalism and manner in which he has chosen to express himself. Go Dawgs! Best to you Coach Richt!
The recruiting efforts are starting to yield fruit and I’m convinced the program is on the road to success.
JB
January 11th, 2011
7:34 pm
I find it hard to believe Michigan didn’t give Rodriguez 10 years…. Geez…..THREE years. Cut bait. Good for them. We’re fishing without bait.
5150 P.O.A.D.
January 11th, 2011
7:35 pm
WHO is the Last Great Dawg to run their mouth GOOD or BAD about coaching in the last 20 years? WHAT GREAT DAWG(non radio/print paid ex-player) had anything in Print or Sound Bite to say about Goff or Donnan either?
Rick
January 11th, 2011
7:35 pm
That’s real nice GlenU – let’s all just keep the peace and smooch our bottom holes…
GT
January 11th, 2011
7:35 pm
Tarkenton was remarkably on the money with his comments. It was a breath of fresh air, what amazes me is how many people are disassociating themselves with Fran. He just didn’t start this on Friday, he has been very consistent and correct with his predictions of Georgia the whole year. You go to a cocktail party and mention to a Georgia fan the name Fran Tarkenton and you get about the same negative reaction you get bringing up Obama. Friends you have a mess in Athens, not just in a team you all have over hyped, but in character. Anyone from Georgia talking about Cam Newton is truly in denial of his own situation. Tarkenton would have sounded like an idiot saying anything else. About the only radio show that is not gummed up with clueless northeastern transplants that understand nothing besides professional sports, including hockey, is 790 in that window they have Tony and Durham and that 15 minute segment of Tarkenton on 680. It literally gives a old southern boy like me a headache to hear big hat and no cattle Yankees try to talk about college football. I think 680 has one west coast jelly belly that I have no dealt is paid by doughnuts from the University of Georgia bakery to spin it the way he is fed. Why can’t we have more like Fran, but you have to pay grownup talent more money don’t you.
JRW7
January 11th, 2011
7:35 pm
FRAN,
I agree 100% with you, CMR is not the man! He has lost control of this team, too many loses and arrest and he says he needs more time to study the game of football, to be on the cutting edge. GIVE ME A BREAK!!! CNS and CUM both had a good laught at that weird statement by CMR!!!!!
Charles
January 11th, 2011
7:35 pm
Fran Tarkenten is a crook and is universally hated by people that know him…especially in the Athens community. Who cares what that bitter old scumbag of a human being thinks. This is the same guy that asks for money to make any appearances in the UGA community…as such, he’s not asked any longer. I can understand why he’d be so hard-up for cash though; what, with him owing all that money to the SEC for his crooked biz dealings.
UGA’s got no love for you either, Fran…and isn’t that a girl’s name?
ugab
January 11th, 2011
7:35 pm
MR has one more year at UGA! If he wins 7 or 8 games he will given an additional year.
Terry G
January 11th, 2011
7:35 pm
Bradley is a Finebaum wannabe. Attacking Mark Richt will not make you a more powerful columnist.
Fan
January 11th, 2011
7:36 pm
I heard Fran on ESPN a few weeks ago and they asked him about Farve and he went off on a rant like this about Farve except he worked in some old Vikings stories with him cast as the hero about when he played in Minnesota. Didn’t seem to want to talk about being a dawg when it was mentioned but did want to make it clear he was the best Vikimgs QB ever seemed to be his agenda. The few times I’ve heard him, he always is on a rant except when he’s tooting his own horn. Another great athlete who could use a personality transplant.
Marion Morrison
January 11th, 2011
7:36 pm
Fran Tarkenton should know and understand sub-par performance. He played 18 years and was in three Super Bowls. How many championships does he have? Nada….none…zilch…ZERO. BTW…how many Barners met AU AD Jay Jacobs at the airport to boo him after the annoucement of the hiring of Gene Chizik as head coach???? Guess these same jackwagons are still tossing tp at Toomer’s Corner tonight and won’t sober up until Easter.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7TxIMAwc1k
ugab
January 11th, 2011
7:37 pm
Same ole, same ole, bullsh’t. The spread offense is the way to go.
Tech cant block Rudy
January 11th, 2011
7:37 pm
I really respect Richt, but We have sit here and seen LSU, Florida, Alabama, and Auburn win national championships over the past few years. We have recruited as well or better than those schools in the last 7 or 8 years. Where is our national title? I know it seems we never catch any breaks, but good teams make their own breaks sometimes. Im tired! I follow recruiting almost daily and I count the days til fall. Im just tired of having my heart broke!!!!!!!!
First Dog
January 11th, 2011
7:38 pm
Fran is a bitter bitter ex jock. This was very evident in his comments regarding
Farve with the Vikings. It is sad – but he is just saying wild things to get some attention.
Way to on top of this old story though – what’s tomorrow – we just lost to UCF?
JB
January 11th, 2011
7:38 pm
KY Dawg…..He probably has. Fran is very wealthy….and probably has a right or stake at speaking out. Adams has way to much power. The Athletic Board is a ruse. Those businessmen, check writers and letterman ought to be ashamed. They are scared of Adams. Good for Fran. We stink. I hold one guy and his 3 mil paycheck responsible. It’s been THREE YEARS, NOT THREE GAMES !
Carlton
January 11th, 2011
7:38 pm
I don’t think Mark Richt is a “cancer” on this program-he has had success in the past and he has recruited well. I’ll tell you one thing though, when we get a talent like Stafford, Moreno, or Green, we tend to focus solely on those players and those players only. To win a Championship-you need a TEAM effort. I’m not saying having great players is a bad thing, but when our team goes 1-4 without AJ Green and then 5-2 with him, what does that tell you? It means that Mark Richt and Bobo rely too much on those players who are game changers rather than utilizing ALL their weapons.
This is why when UGA didn’t have any big names on teams of old (from ‘01-06 basically) they were a better TEAM unit. Richt’s gotten to concerned with recruiting highly and not developing players around the stars they have (and this I suspect, is also why Moreno, Stafford and green left early). if they saw a UGA TEAM that actually did well and was winning championships, they would be more apt to stay instead of bolting after 3 years. We’ve become a funnel for the NFL-no more, no less.
Not having AJ Green on our team next year could be the best thing to happen to us. Because, now, we won’t just have #8 to throw to like Bobo and Richt like to do, they’ll have to find other ways to get the ball down the field which I believe they can do with players like T. King, Marlon Brown, and Orson Charles on your offense..
UGASlobberknocker
January 11th, 2011
7:38 pm
Some of what Tark says rings true, however.
Tarkenton is just a bitter old player..he always has been an a-hole, and has never, I repeat never come out in support of any Ga. coach..not Dooley not Goff, no one. He is virtually invisible to Ga fans for three decades, then now he shows up throwing bombs. When has anyone seen Tark at a Ga game? Please, Fran, go back into your hole and stay there.
Rick
January 11th, 2011
7:38 pm
Sure, it is a shock to most of the morons to hear Fran and he is a used up loser. But he has struck a chord and is 100% right on this one folks…
kral
January 11th, 2011
7:38 pm
BG he totally has a right to say what he thinks about UGA..but he ain’t God so he gets to go on a major ATL sports station and rip away..well guess what I get to go on a lowly blog and rip away..once again I ask you..tell me where he coached..great players do not always make great coaches..he is the one of the greatest 2nd guessers I have tried to listen in along time..most of the time I cut 680 off..because I know what coming and rick your blogs sound like you hit your thumb…he is right you sure..you positive..dam..help win some money next year..your like wy ahead of anybody I know
ugab
January 11th, 2011
7:39 pm
Bottom line MR is a good man! MR is being out coached.
westcoastvol
January 11th, 2011
7:39 pm
That’s Incredible!