A UGA question: Is Richt getting tougher or more pragmatic?
Here we see a tight-lipped Mark Richt. (AJC photo by Brant Sanderlin)
Georgia enters a put-up-or-shut-up season without its best holdover tailback. Had not the Bulldogs signed Isaiah Crowell, Washaun Ealey would constitute a major loss. But they did, and now skeptics have suggested Mark Richt might have been less inclined to let Ealey leave had Crowell not been inbound.
And here’s where I take up for Richt — you’ll have to excuse me if I wheeze; I’ve gotten out of practice — and say: Don’t think so.
I also say: Remember Zach Mettenberger.
There have been times when Richt’s famous patience seemed unending. (We think of Odell Thurman, the gifted-but-erring linebacker.) There have been years where Georgia’s arrest total approached — and last year even surpassed — double figures. We add those together to reach the obvious conclusion: Richt is too easy on his players.
But we’ve seen signs that Mr. Softee is casting a colder eye. Maybe this is a response to the direction of his program, which last season achieved the double whammy of off-the-field embarrassment and an on-field losing record. Maybe it’s just the weariness of a coach in his 11th season who’s sick of hearing excuses. Whatever the cause, I don’t believe it’s a triumph of pragmatism over altruism.
Richt had every reason to have tired of Washaun Ealey, whom he’d suspended twice. And I could be naive, but I don’t think Ealey’s departure hinged on Crowell’s arrival. Does it help that Georgia has a new tailback ready to take over? Uh, yes. But sometimes even the famous Richt forbearance reaches its limit.
Let’s recall Mettenberger, who got himself arrested in South Georgia on spring break 2010. Mettenberger was allowed to play in the subsequent G-Day game and was the best of the three quarterbacks on display, but Richt wound up booting him off the team. (It has been suggested that Richt was pushed by Damon Evans, the AD who would himself be jettisoned after his midnight ride in Buckhead. Still, Richt runs the football program, does he not?)
This left Georgia with two scholarship quarterbacks, neither of whom had played a college down. Had the redshirt Aaron Murray gotten injured last season, Georgia had only the true freshman Hutson Mason as backup. (Logan Gray had been moved to receiver.) Losing Mettenberger could have hurt the Bulldogs in 2010, and there’s a chance it could hurt in the future: He’s now at LSU, which could meet Georgia for the SEC title down the road.
The hope when a program signs a player is that he’ll fit athletically and otherwise. The reality is that not every signee pans out on both fronts. It’s a bit heartless to dump a guy if he’s not quite good enough to play for you: That’s not really his fault. If he fails to conduct himself in the way expected of a student-athlete, that’s something else.
Let’s not paint Richt as some scheming puppet-master. He gave Washaun Ealey repeated chances, and apparently Ealey didn’t seize them. This wouldn’t seem a case of Georgia freeing up a position — even if Ealey hadn’t started, he’d surely have been the No. 2 tailback — but of a coach cutting his losses. Had Richt done more of this sooner, he’d have spared himself much grief.
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
272 comments Add your comment
Wonderful Ohio on the Gulf 'Dog
May 11th, 2011
11:25 am
FACTS:
I remember cracking and eating pecans off trees near Snelling on an occasion that my food money ran out, so, yes, I understand what it’s like being a college kid.
But my experience and your argument undercut your larger argument that something especiallly sinister is going on at Georgia.
You infer by denial that athletes are being paid, then you claim every college kid has to scrape together money for gas or food. All intending to slander the whole program as corrupt.
Then you claim as your sole source of authority some unidentified family member of yours with whom you speak constantly. There is no reason to believe either that your relative knows any facts, has relayed any facts to you, or you have faithfully relayed what your relative tells you.
There seem to be no reliable facts in FACTS comments.
PS: Your comparison of Georgia to Ohio State is a gargantuan leap.
dawgster
May 11th, 2011
11:40 am
@Wonderful Ohio on the Gulf dog….I was going to comment to again to Mr. “Non-Facts…but you post was excellent and stated it pefectly….I think form now on we shoud address him as Mr. Non-Facts…..go dawgs
bobo rules
May 11th, 2011
12:58 pm
buck belue says on 680 that mike bobo is doing a “great job” in athens coaching QBs and the offense. Enough said: buck knows his stuff.
Latest Bama News 5/11/2011 - Page 3
May 11th, 2011
1:25 pm
[...] Latest Bama News 5/11/2011 A UGA question: Is Richt getting tougher or more pragmatic? Reply With Quote + Reply to [...]
WDE
May 11th, 2011
2:52 pm
@Wonderful…I know a guy who dated a girl that once said hello to a UGA player I think it was 1979..and she told her boyfriend’s mother that there was ………….going on at UGA…I swear it must be true.
goodness gracious
May 11th, 2011
2:54 pm
The grass is always greener on the other side, but it is just as damn tough to cut. Everyone wants Richt fired for a couple of bad seasons. Even though he maybe the savior of Georgia football. We were not doing to much until he came along. But just who would we hire to replace him. I think we would be hard pressed to find a better head coach. And anyone who does not believe that winning the right way matters at all. Well they just dont know much about Georgia at all. The Braves have been doing it for years. There is just something about the South that we Believe in right and wrong. And thats something that should be regarded highly amongst everyone. It will be a sad day in Georgia if we ever loose Mr. Richt.
WDE
May 11th, 2011
2:59 pm
goodness gracious great post kudo’s!
Quintin
May 11th, 2011
3:35 pm
Richt is more clueless or more clueless?
Goes from 11 wins in 07′
to
10 wins in 08′
to
8 wins in 09′
to
6 wins in 10′?
FLA DAWG
May 11th, 2011
3:40 pm
After years of dismal performance and off field hijinks leading to arrests, suspensions and releases some of you continue to support the status quo.
Who is the real Dawg Fan? One who supports a coaching staff and players with worsening problems or one who demands major changes – including HC?
FLA DAWG
Class of ‘79
WDE
May 11th, 2011
3:43 pm
FLA DAWG in the 20 years of no SEC championships until CMR got here..where were you? If we have a losing season this year a change needs to be…up till then we have a coach…quit crying.
FLA DAWG
May 11th, 2011
3:46 pm
Agreeing with the release of Goff and Donnan when they couldn’t cut.
WDE
May 11th, 2011
4:04 pm
FLA DAWG I understand that but we aren’t going to make a change YET…so what do you want a new HC or a winning team? If we win this year there won’t be a change so for you to get your wish we need to lose this year..I don’t think either of us wants that.
FLA DAWG
May 11th, 2011
4:26 pm
WDE,
I don’t remember The Dawgs ever having played so poorly as they have the past three years under Richt. I don’t think Goff or Donnan had so many on and off field problems. After years of this it comes down to the Head Coach. If it were not for those of us in Dawg Nation who complain (or cry as you put it) Martinez would still be on the sideline this season.
I want this ship turned around as much or more than you do. Where we differ is in the timeframe. Richt has been given years to improve the D and the O line and nothing has happened but a worsening of both.
I am glad (and very surprised) at the quality of the recruits. If the guy can’t field a quality SEC team and win 9 games this season he’s never gonna.
Ron Smith
May 11th, 2011
4:42 pm
It really doesn’t matter who is in the UGA backfield. UGA seems to be loaaded with talent every year and the team gets worse. It’s poor coaching, poor conditioning and keeping players out of jail. As I stated many times before: “Insanity is doing the same thing over & over and expecting different results”. UGA will have another 6-6 season. Very sad for this once proud program
It Ain't Rocket Science
May 11th, 2011
5:06 pm
Can I buy one of these crystal balls some of you have in your possesion? I need it so I can look into the future and rest my brain after knowing how UGA will do this year and who the national champ will be.
And to think I am now 62 and used to be able to make up my own mind about things, but now I can come onto a blog about UGA and get 100 opinions all based on factual evidence, a clear understanding of the English language and all of these folks with their crystals balls. Shoot, I think I will just come onto these blogs before each game and then I can spend my time doing something else, assured in the fact that the results of the games are preordained. Thanks so much for most of your comments on here. You will become a real time saver. After all, Times a wastin’ when you are 62 so I can’t afford to waste any.
Richt's Butt Cut
May 11th, 2011
8:42 pm
Caleb ineligible…
nahladawg
May 11th, 2011
10:34 pm
Here’s the deal on Ealey…he couldn’t stay out of truoble and didn’t want to work hard and beat out his competition on the field. He was an average back on a team with other average backs. Maybe Crowell will see this unfold and bust his tail to be the BEST OF THE BEST on the team. I am tired of UGA recruiting the next Hershel Walker. Jasper sanks was also a five star rb from the same high school and didn’t pan out. Maybe Crowell will come in with a “prove your worthy” chip on his shoulder and finally be a back that lives IP to the hype. C.king has yet to do that too by the way! Of course the OL is a key here.
So let’s see…we still have King who has been a let down compared to his hype and falls down/dives forward at any hint of contact (not Hershelesque); then we have C Thomas who o think would be a great toss sweep/screen pass back to put in space and let the small shifty speedy guy eat up some yards…but NOOOOO….our brilliant OC wants to run Jim between the tackles 3 times every game for a total of 5 yards. If any RB wantsbto transfer because of the way he’s used it should be Thomas!
Then we have Malcom who I think will be a solid back if he can stay healthy at leather solid enough to replace Winey Ealey. I bet Ealey transfers to a small D1 or a D2 school where you will never hear his name again, but at least he wont have to work hard and can just talk about how Mr. Football he is!
PonGT
May 12th, 2011
9:05 am
Wellsaid! As a resident in Emanuel Co, I was hopeful for the young man from Stillmore to succeed and help UGA in the process. Unfortunately, and this pains me to say it, but Waushan was a washout. Should have been jettisoned last yeear.
Ralph
May 12th, 2011
12:53 pm
Do you think a change in AD’s has anything to do with it? I think Mark Richt has the most support now that he has ever had. E.g. this is not the only change that has occurred, and would it have been possible or happened if not for the famous midnight ride….NAWWWW ain’t happening in my opiinion. You are only as good as the team or in this case your boss, and seems to me he might have had a short coming or two.
batman » Blog Archive » Roundup: Soccer Player Helps Kid Confront Bully, Batman Gets …
May 12th, 2011
5:48 pm
[...] My theory is that Mark Richt is a most-talked about SEC manager this season. [AJC] [...]
truedawgfan
May 12th, 2011
9:24 pm
It’s CYA time. Why don’t you KTA of all UGA supporters of Coach Mark Richt who has something you don’t seem to have. CLASS ! Go Dawgs !
It Ain't Rocket Science
May 13th, 2011
3:57 pm
Well said Truedawgfan. Not sure a lot of these negative bloggers on here ever attended a class either. Using some of their reasoning would lead me to believe that.