Hot seat, huh? Says Richt: ‘I plan on having a hell of a year’
An action figure of Vince Dooley (middle) was on sale at the Galleria. (Photo by M. Bradley)
On the final day of 2010, Georgia lost to Central Florida to finish 6-7. If you’d asked then, or even a month later, what the mood of Bulldog Nation would be come July, I’d have said, “As grim as Nick Saban with an impacted wisdom tooth.”
Which shows, not for the first time, how wrong I can be.
The Bulldog Club of Metro Atlanta held its kickoff meeting Monday night at the Cobb Galleria, and I’ve attended this annual event — I saw Vince Dooley address these folks, or perhaps their parents, in his final season as coach — often enough to be attuned to nuance in the Red & Black. I’ve seen some tepid Bulldog Club gatherings. This wasn’t one.
Even Georgia’s coach conceded that things could have been different. “This room could have been empty,” Mark Richt told the throng. “Everyone could have said, ‘Georgia’s in the tank.’ ”
Last week Richt sat in Hoover, Ala., and said, “There’s no sense of gloom and doom.” To the assembled SEC media not based in this state, that sounded strange. Wasn’t this guy perched on the hottest seat in the college game? Who was he kidding?
Well, I’m here to attest: Richt’s not kidding. The outside world might look on Georgia and see a program poised to dump its coach, but that’s not the reality. At least not yet, and maybe anytime soon. Indeed, the first question from Monday’s gathering began: “Coach, we love you.”
“There are a lot of good vibes,” said Greg McGarity, the Bulldog grad who’s now the Georgia athletic director. And how, someone asked, do you go from not scoring a touchdown against Central Florida to believing you can take the SEC East?
The Dream Team happened. “That was a salve,” McGarity said, speaking of the ballyhooed recruiting class. “We needed something to calm the waters.”
But it wasn’t just one signing class. (Although Richt did tell the gathering that three incoming freshmen have “Dream Team” tattooed on their arms.) Said McGarity: “People also responded to the [staff and personnel] moves Coach Richt made. That sent the message that it was not just business as usual. They sensed a renewed sense of passion.”
And then? “We had a quiet summer,” McGarity said.
Here he knocked on a wooden tabletop. His obvious point of reference: No Bulldog has lately made the sort of summer headlines — meaning: gotten arrested — too many had made in summers past. Said McGarity: “We’ve had good news on top of good news on top of good news.”
Moments earlier, Richt had sought to explain how this fire has been rekindled. “I think, ‘We’re Georgia, ‘ ” he said. “We’ve got good players. We stumbled last year, but we weren’t far off. Greg has done a good job supporting us. The fans have done a great job supporting us.”
Then this, indirectly addressing his job status: “No one’s pushing the panic button. We believe in what we’re doing.”
Yeah, you’re doubtless asking, but will anyone still believe if Georgia is 0-2? The Bulldogs open against Boise State and then face South Carolina, the reigning SEC East champ. Two victories would thrust UGA into the top 10. One would be considered acceptable. None would prove problematic.
“That’s the thing,” Richt said. “If [0-2] happens, can we withstand all the stuff that will come? But just looking at it on paper, those might be the two best teams we play all year.”
For all the emphasis on Boise and Carolina, we forget this part: Even at 0-2, Georgia wouldn’t necessarily be sunk. There’s a chance it could still be favored in every remaining game, a chance — at least on the proverbial paper — 0-2 could become 10-2. And 10-2, in the grand scheme, would be viewed as a Bulldog resurgence.
And Richt, whom the watching world expects to be as restless as a Dawg on a hot tin roof, looks serene even by his own famous standards. He acts as if he knows something something others don’t. “I plan on having a hell of a year,” he said.
(And yes, Mark Richt really did say “hell” — but he meant it in a heavenly way.)
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
408 comments Add your comment
joe taxpayer
July 26th, 2011
11:31 am
Chris at 9:26 preach on brother!!!!!!!
WDE
July 26th, 2011
11:42 am
@Tide roll you want to talk about demanding answers….seems Saban and company need to answer a few of these ..stay trollish my friend http://bleacherreport.com/tb/bad2h
Gorilla Biscuit
July 26th, 2011
11:49 am
The Dawgs are gonna pound your guys’ puddin’.
Go for 2
July 26th, 2011
11:50 am
I am not a huge believer in recruitment hype but what a great example of continued Mark Bradley spin. UGa ranks 4th in the SEC in 2011 recruiting and that is a “Dream Team”?
Mark, so please tell us how many of those dream recruits will letter this season? Do you do any fact finding or just channel notes from UGa’s Athletic Dept? Sad, really sad that this type of lame writing passes at the AJC.
I do agree that UGa will not be sunk at 0-2 but that is only because you will cover for them. Everyone, watch for the “tremendous potential” column and “Georgia looking stronger” columns by mid September. Or you will just ignore inconvenient facts, bad games- who’ll foget your failure to address the terrible loss at Colorado last year? Remember Mark? AJ Green actually played in that game (but it didn’t fit your spin on how the schedule and the Green suspension ruined the year).
Mark Richt will continue to be an ineffective Coach and the fans in Columbia, Knoxville, Starkville, Gainesville, Baton Rouge are loving it…keep bringing us those quality wins over UK, Coastal and Vandy Georgia !
GF2
LHarding Dawg
July 26th, 2011
11:51 am
Gamecock QB coach arrested for peeing in public and smelling of booze. I wonder if Garcia was with him. Too sad but funny. Thankfully it’s not a Georgia coach. You trolls and misfits would have a field day.
WDE
July 26th, 2011
12:13 pm
Hey were did Tide roll go?? Come back we demand some answers!
SSIgator
July 26th, 2011
12:27 pm
“Everyone could have said, ‘Georgia’s in the tank”
Uh, don’t look now coach, but they are.
Rip
July 26th, 2011
12:39 pm
“I plan on having a hell of a year”
Uh, didn’t you “plan on” beating Colorado, UCF, Florida, Auburn, SC, Miss St, and Ark????
Didn’t you “plan on” on winning the SEC last year????
Rip
July 26th, 2011
12:44 pm
“No one’s pushing the panic button. We believe in what we’re doing”
Yeah, really? How bout Belin, Searles, and the recruiting high school coordinator coach who all quit on Richt this off-season? King & Ealey quit. Benedict quit. You won 6 games, players didn’t believe. Administration didn’t extend the Head Coach’s contract–they don’t believe.
Pretty sure if no one’s pushing it, the panic button must be broken from over-use.
SSIgator
July 26th, 2011
12:49 pm
“There’s no sense of gloom and doom”
Of course not. When you are dispensing that high octane KoolAid that UGA fans drink everything is rosy.
WDE
July 26th, 2011
12:51 pm
@Rip we get it you hate UGA…well skippy we hate you right back.
Georgia | MrSEC.com
July 26th, 2011
1:00 pm
[...] Richt spoke to a Georgia booster club in the Atlanta area. His message was upbeat and positive. And the fans on hand liked what their coach was saying:“We’re Georgia. We’ve got good players. We stumbled last year, but we [...]
Rip
July 26th, 2011
1:01 pm
Handy List for Richt to use after the losses this season (see sportscliches dot com):
The final score is the only statistic that matters.
They outplayed us in every phase (facet) of the game.
They wanted it more than we did.
We had our chances but we let them slip away.
We came up a little short.
We don’t care about moral victories.
They caught us on an off night.
It just wasn’t meant to be.
Turnovers killed us.
They out-hustled us.
They out-muscled us.
They out-coached us.
We got a wake-up call.
We weren’t mentally prepared.
We came out flat.
We beat ourselves.
We only have to look in the mirror.
They ate our lunch.
They’ve had our number all season.
They own us.
This is a bitter pill to swallow.
It’s going to be a long plane ride home.
I take full responsibility for this loss.
We didn’t get the job done.
Not to take away anything from Denver, but we didn’t play like we’re capable of playing.
My hat’s off to them.
I tip my hat to them.
You’ve got to hand it to them.
Give them all the credit.
The best team won today.
He always has his team ready to play.
We can still hold our heads high.
These guys have nothing to be ashamed of.
They just made the big plays and we didn’t.
They stepped up and made the plays.
We didn’t match their intensity.
We didn’t maintain the intensity for the entire 60 minutes.
We lost our focus.
I don’t want to point fingers.
There were too many defensive lapses.
Our defense was a non-factor.
Our defense didn’t show up today.
We dug ourselves a deep hole.
We shot ourselves in the foot.
The ball just didn’t bounce our way.
We didn’t get the big breaks today.
We’ll just have to put this loss behind us.
I’m really proud of our guys.
It’s been a great ride.
Atlanta87
July 26th, 2011
1:09 pm
Don’t worry Rip WDE said the same thing to me. It hurt at first, but the counseling helped. Now, if I could just get rid of the nightmares, oh the nightmares.
amau2009
July 26th, 2011
1:11 pm
Don’t worry RIP, WDE said the same thing to me. It hurts really bad to know that UGA fans hate us I know, but hopefully I can get over it one day.
No tattoos
July 26th, 2011
1:16 pm
Hey here’s an idea, be different and don’t get ugly a$$ tattoos. And ladies, that tattoo today is not cool later.
“hey grandma, nice tattoo.”
No tattoos
July 26th, 2011
1:18 pm
Don’t get drunk tattoos….”yeehaw let’s get this uglya$$ tattoo while I’m still drunk”…No regrets later, hehehehe
Tre'
July 26th, 2011
1:18 pm
Ya’ll 6 & 7 is hunky dory.
No tattoos
July 26th, 2011
1:19 pm
Thought black people didn’t want to be branded? What’s with the tattoos?
Tre'
July 26th, 2011
1:20 pm
If [0-2] happens….If? Considering the 2-9 record against ranked teams over last couple of seasons, pretty good chance, 82% to be precise, ranked coaches out-coach Richt.
Kevin
July 26th, 2011
1:48 pm
So Mark Richt said this is a dream year for Georgia well if u lose to Boise state n S.C. Gamecocks bad at 0-2 his dream be Nightmare at end too….He better get the malox in hand pack the Ford truck soon…..lol Oh we love ask that but the AJC holds the strings n Georgia Press folks u ask what be said sorta like Press is told to kiss obama feet say how great is….any way if we go 10-2 someway he be still coach…be 6-6 again well not sure what be next…..Oh wait i know excuse’s well he was hurt he broke wind at Practice …he rob a bank failed at atlanta city schools…and this way i type too so be nice okay
Kevin
July 26th, 2011
1:57 pm
Oh Richt has a dream i see do u think Boise state not readin this now..what great idea give Broncos to come to Ga dome n beat The Dream team bad n get Booooed out of Ga dome…my pick 34-20 Boise state n S.C. Gamecocks be very well played till we lose 28-23 n Uh-o Richt how the dream now….auburn will win east vs fla gators in SEC championship also…that me pick fla gators will be back now folks n No i not gator fan just facts too…They my facts i do so shoot me!This will be like Mark Richt on the X-Factor bein judge n all 4 sayin No u awful go home.
dont get it
July 26th, 2011
1:59 pm
I just dont believe a word this man says anymore. Does a “heluva year” mean we beat florida? ya right coach! we couldnt beat the worst UF team in over 15 years! Hire Kirby Smart before someone else does.
dont get it
July 26th, 2011
2:00 pm
well said RIP!
dream team??
July 26th, 2011
2:01 pm
let’s beat central florida before we start tattooing ourselves with “dream team”. once again, sounds like we’re recruiting athletes when we need character
Nerds! Nerds! Nerds!
July 26th, 2011
2:07 pm
Trolls everywhere, I tell ya.
slydog
July 26th, 2011
2:16 pm
@ no tattoos.”i thought black people didn’t want to be branded?” you are ignorant. how many white people are branded? what’s the count? do all blacks have tattoos, gold teeth, and dreds? Answer this for yourself punk. Next, I guess while all those lily white Wall Street bankers continue to spend and steal trillions of dollars on themselves, all black people steal too?
me
July 26th, 2011
2:17 pm
?
I-DOG
July 26th, 2011
2:34 pm
Rubik,
Half of the recruits will end up in trouble for DUI, suspended license, or assault?
That is about as deceptive a statement as one can write.
The number of UGA players that have been arrested for assault is VERY VERY low over the past 5-10 years. Same with DUI, though there have been a couple of DUI’s.
The Sturdivant deal where he touched a pregnant woman’s stomach shouldn’t be lumped in with several UT players alledgedly nearly beating a guy to death in a bar. The Sturdivant thing was a little creepy and not great manners, but I wouldn’t call that an “assault”. Mettinger was dismissed from the team over his Spring Break incident. That is the death penalty from Richt and UGA. Richt can’t assign jail time, so they gave him the maximum penalty they could (kicked off the team).
I remember that Bollinger was pulled over for a suspected DUI, but those charges were dropped. I understand that we have had a couple of other DUI’s and I consider that a serious offense and in each instance they were either suspended and or kicked off the team.
Most of the arrests were moped (yes moped) related or driving with a suspended license. Not exactly menace to society stuff, but still dumb and all too frequent.
Half of the recruits aren’t arrested for assualt or DUI that just isn’t true and there are VERY few players that have gotten kicked off for scholastic reasons over the past 10 years.
Bammer
July 26th, 2011
2:38 pm
Hmmm…4th in the West, fresh off a NC, finishing 10-3 with a Capital One bowl blowout. OR 3rd in the East, haven’t sniffed a NC since Reagan was in office, and a non-TD scoring loss to a CUSA team. I think I’ll take 4th in the West douche.
WDE
July 26th, 2011
2:46 pm
@Bammer for a team that demands championships its a bitter pill to end up 4th in the West I would imagine….and something else we haven’t sniffed since Reagan having to vacate wins for cheating..by the by know where I can buy a new suit or a signed Bama jersey?
mm
July 26th, 2011
2:47 pm
ESPN.com 2011 Recruiting
1. Florida State
2. Alabama
3. Auburn
4. USC
5. Texas
6. Georgia
Those recruting rankings are about as useless as the team rankings during the preseason up to the midpoint of the season.
John
July 26th, 2011
2:49 pm
The dream team is getting the #1 running back you target – Isaiah
The dream team is getting the #1 quarterback you target – Christian LeMay
The dream team is getting the behemoth nose tackle you needed – Jenkins
The dream team is getting two of the top three corners – Mitchell and Swann
The dream team is getting the minister of defense and one of the top 10 in America any position – Ray Drew
RedandBlackDAWG
July 26th, 2011
2:51 pm
I think this applies to a few on here like RIP,
If you don’t know what the term means, “troll” refers to an online personality that uses his/her anonymity to “bait” users or turn valid discussions into full-blown arguments.
Don’t take the bait, UGA supporters.
GO DAWGS
Buck Blew
July 26th, 2011
2:54 pm
I just don’t see it. Dawgs will go 7-5. Losses to Boise St, Cocks, Miss St, Gators and Auburn.
THE DUDE
July 26th, 2011
2:54 pm
I BELIEVE HE IS RIGHT. SO LETS GO RICHT. THEM DAWGS ARE HUNGRY. 10-4.
John
July 26th, 2011
3:07 pm
The Dream Team is getting Andrews one of the top 6 centers in America
The Dream Team is getting Dantzler and Debell for bookend tackles
The Dream Team is getting the Theus brothers- a top snapper and a top tackle
The Dream Team is getting the Long brothers who are Dawg to the Bone
The Dream Team is getting Nick Marshall – an athlete that can play virtually any skill position
The Dream Team is getting another Bailey – Sterling this time
The Dream Team is getting Conley and Scott-Wesley – two burners and HS All-American receivers along with Mitchell if he stays at receiver over corner.
The Dream Team is getting Turene, Wilson, and Herrera at linebacker with two of them from Florida
The Dream Team is getting AJC Super 11 Chris Sanders and Superprep and Army All-American Corey Moore at Safety
The Dream Team is getting Jay Rome who got the ball rolling – the top tightend in America!
The Dream Team is getting anyone who truly wants to be a Dawg and dominate the SEC
3rd best in the SEC? The rest of the SEC wishes that to be the case. This class is toe to toe with Bama’s and maybe better.
Dawg Gone
July 26th, 2011
3:09 pm
@John I like the way you talk ! Go Dogs!
John
July 26th, 2011
3:16 pm
While we didn’t win in 2002 and 2007 we sure did sniff it. Our 2002 team equaled Saban’s 2003 team but did not win the beauty contest that is the NCAA since there is no playoff. Seems like I recall an Ohio team and a team from southern Florida playing for that year’s title. Interesting looking back at those two teams now isn’t it. Go Dawgs!
AltamahaDawg
July 26th, 2011
3:17 pm
Good for coach!. We shall see how it all turns out, but giving the state of affairs the hour after the bowl game, the man could not have handled this any better till now. Text book for turning it around.
dont get it
July 26th, 2011
3:22 pm
@slydog – by assuming all wall street bankers are “lily white” your exposing your own racism. Also the fact that you dont see how racist the term lily white is, shows once again you are the racist. typical of people like you to put your foot in your mouth when trying to discuss race. the truth is your so full of hate you cant think straight.
dont get it
July 26th, 2011
3:27 pm
we need a dream coach! we got a loser! cant believe he’s not smart enought to see a pattern here. how about we put a gag order on stuff like this. lets not talk about how good we are going to be untill its over. thats uga football bunch of paper champions. and our coach encourages it. if you dont think so think back to….black outs, black helmets, endzone celebrations (which led to an a$$ beating of epic proportions the next year) and all of the NC talk of 2008.
slydog
July 26th, 2011
3:28 pm
@John That Dream Team does not include CMR or Coach BOOBOO under developing them, under coaching them, not putting them in positions to succeed. Funny how your list did not include ONE FACT about who will coach this “Dream Team.” Chuck Daly coached the first one. No questions about him or his coaching ability. Most of those guys wanted to go to UGA for UGA. Which is what it should be in the first place. It definately isn’t the coaching. CMR isn’t strong enough to pull these guys in himself. That’s the only reason BOOBOO didn’t get demoted or dismissed. He had his hooks in these guys already. At least he can recruit some. Why isn’t Herschel the RB coach? Why was Cam Newton viewed as a tight end? Even B. Boykin admitted that Cam ran him over in high school. Why is Nick Marshall being played at every skill position but QB? Why? Lack of imagination and lack of putting players in the best position to win championships.
puppykiller
July 26th, 2011
3:28 pm
Gettin’ all pumped up for the annual letdown I see!!!! Hee heee heee heee hee heeee!!
slydog
July 26th, 2011
3:33 pm
@ don’t get it.. i was only responding to an ignorant idiot. excuse me for not writing a term paper on this blog. In physics, I learned every action requires an equal and opposite reaction. So have a nice day sir with statements like”typical of people like you.” Now how does that sound? like the pot calling the kettle black. Got me? My fault, let me name every ethnic group at Wall Street who robbed people just to appease you. This is a sports blog and yet everyday black athletes get blanket treatment being called thugs, criminals, gangsters, illiterate, etc. Where is your voice when that appears? Go see “The Help” to make yourself fell better.
Dawg Gone
July 26th, 2011
3:37 pm
@slydog just who in the heck is your team or are you just a cowardly troll?
John
July 26th, 2011
3:38 pm
Watched Richard Samuel running the ball against South Carolina two years ago. He started the game and played well. Carlton Thomas came in and carried the ball some, but Samuel was impressive. Gained 4 yards or more on almost every carry. Georgia won the game 41 to 37 and Samuel scored the first touchdown and set up the game clinching field goal. Those that are concerned about our running game, fret not! The Samuel Boo Crowell train is going to be rolling!! Watch for big yards to be paved by Glenn, Gates, Jones, Burnette/Lee, and Anderson.
With Aron White, Arthur Lynch, and Jay Rome in the mix at tight end, look for Orson Charles to be spread some with our receivers to get more experience on the field. Murray will have Charles, White/Lynch/Rome, King and Brown/Wooten/Troupe/Bennett to throw to on any given down. (With Malcolm Mitchell being the wild card in the mix.)
Go Dawgs!!
slydog
July 26th, 2011
3:38 pm
@ I don’t get it…I have been deployed three times on behalf of this nation and have been sent on assignment to 30 other countries. It’s almost impossible for me to HATE white people idiot. I would not have survived. I have interacted with almost every race and ethnic group on this planet. Get your facts straight before you hop in other people’s conversation. However, let us come to one agreement: UGA needs a DREAM COACH.
honky talkin'
July 26th, 2011
3:39 pm
I hope Dawg fans enjoy the Boise State loss…you’ll never see the inside of the Dome again.
slydog
July 26th, 2011
3:40 pm
@Dawg Gone… I am a UGA grad, fan, and a non CMR supporter, as far as football goes. Period. I am am sick and tired of him under coaching and under developing this team. Time for both parties to part ways.