The All-UGA Heat Check: Hot – Mark Richt’s seat. (Duh)
Isaiah Crowell: It wasn't all (or even mostly) his fault, folks. (AJC photo by Jason Getz)
The Monday Heat Check arrives, due to the holiday, a day later than usual. Georgia fans might wish it didn’t arrive at all. Because it’s all about the Bulldogs.
Mark Richt’s nerve: It was in place. Georgia won the toss and chose to receive. Get After Their Assets, as the famous Bulldog slogan (sort of) goes. Trouble was, the players’ nerves were jumping all over the place. There was a false start before the first snap, another false start on third down and a delay of game before the punt. Heat Index: Richt tried to be cool, but his players were uncool.
Todd Grantham’s pass defense: Kellen Moore threw 34 passes. One was intercepted. (He was pressured and threw poorly.) Five were incompletions. Twenty-eight were completed. Georgia mustered no sacks. Heat Index: If this is aggressive D at its best, Willie Martinez is Buddy Ryan.
Mike Bobo’s offense: It managed 373 yards, which doesn’t sound so bad. But 167 of those yards came on three plays. (All resulting in touchdowns.) Georgia ran 60 plays and netted 13 first downs. It converted two of 13 third downs. Only one possession spanned more than seven plays, and it ended when Richt chose to go for it on fourth-and-one and Richard Samuel was halted in the backfield. Heat Index: A damp squib.
Isaiah Crowell: He rushed for 60 yards, which is only 24 fewer than Herschel Walker managed in his collegiate debut. But Herschel scored two touchdowns and trampled Bill Bates. Not really a fair comparison, I know — but so much hope has been invested in this latest New Herschel. Heat Index: By normal standards, Crowell’s first game was warm enough.
Aaron Murray: If you want to call it the worst game this gifted quarterback has played as a Bulldog, I wouldn’t argue. He wasn’t terrible; he just wasn’t very good. Heat Index: What’s the opposite of balmy? Tepid?
Alec Ogletree: He figured to be Georgia’s best defender this season. He broke his foot in the first half. He’s out at least a month. Heat Index: That cold chill? It’s traversing the spinal column of the aforementioned Mr. Grantham.
Georgia fans: They came to praise their team. Many left early. Some booed as they departed. Heat Index: A few of these folks seemed hot under their dog collars, if you’ll pardon the expression.
Mark Richt’s seat: He’s not going to be fired on Sunday if Georgia loses to South Carolina on Saturday. But losing to South Carolina could well convince Bulldog Nation that there will never again be great days under this coach, and once that happens there’s almost no going back. Heat Index: No warmer than a blast furnace.
By Mark Bradley
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720 comments Add your comment
Nerds! Nerds! Nerds!
September 6th, 2011
11:11 am
Why did we elect to receive the kick after winning the toss?
It was to our advantage to put the D out there with a rocking dome. Most UGA fans at the game doesn’t understand the reasoning behing being loud on D and hushing your yap on Offense, also.
Why are many UGA fans offended when a fellow UGA fan asks them to stand up and make some noise?
Why would you pay at least $75 for a ticket to a big game to just sit there quietly with your arms folded?
Couldn’t you do that at home, in your recliner?
What the H is Bobo doing out there?
Has he ever heard the saying, “run it until they stop it?”
Why does he try to be so cute out there?
Why in the world did he call a draw play on 3rd and 16 while down by 21?
Why? Why? Why? That was flat out awful.
Will UGA fans show up next week?
I will. Go Dawgs. There is still plenty of time to right the ship.
I have zero confidence in Bobo.
GT
September 6th, 2011
11:11 am
Gerry Faust.
GT
September 6th, 2011
11:11 am
Lord Byrom is available.
GT
September 6th, 2011
11:12 am
Bill Arnsparger is available.
GT
September 6th, 2011
11:13 am
Chuck Noll is not available, but Brad Childress is.
Oh, Boise!
September 6th, 2011
11:13 am
Watching Mark Richt coach during the regular season is like watching Bobby Cox manage during the MLB Post-Season.
ramblingbuzz
September 6th, 2011
11:13 am
So has CMR already turned in his resignation for the end of the season or is that just wishful thinking on someone’s part?
Hot Dawg
September 6th, 2011
11:13 am
Hey Savannah Bulldog, the buck stops with Richt….period. I agree with you that our O & D lines didn’t play well. Richt hired Grantham and Friend, so he is responsible for them.
In my humble opinion, Mike Bobo is a joke and name one other SEC school that would have him as their OC. I bet the SC defensice coaches are laughing in their meeting room right now watching this pathetic Bozo offense. I read yesterday that our senior center (Ben Jones) was quoted as saying that the reason the OL struggled was because Boise lined up in a way that they never saw on film. Really Ben? You guys cannot make adjustments on the sideline?? Good grief, this whole program just stinks of mediocrity. GA has no excuses, and with the right HC and staff, they would be a top ten team year in & year out just like LSU and Bama. Does anyone know Dan Mullen’s cell number??
Nerds! Nerds! Nerds!
September 6th, 2011
11:13 am
Where were the Oline and Dline?
Bobo is seriously in over his head. Time to go.
GT
September 6th, 2011
11:15 am
Buck Belue is available, along with Kincade.
Curious George
September 6th, 2011
11:15 am
Mark,
Do the organizers of the Chick-fil-a Kickoff Classic HATE you as much as the organizers for the “Third-Tier” Chick-fil-a Bowl?
ramblingbuzz
September 6th, 2011
11:15 am
Lame Kiffin could be had if you made him AD also.
Fridawg
September 6th, 2011
11:15 am
Reality… you forgot a step between #6 and #7. Beat Tech!
Benjamin [Atlanta, Ga]
September 6th, 2011
11:15 am
lol @ GT. Even from a UGA fan like myself, I chuckled at a lot of those names.
Mark Bradley
September 6th, 2011
11:16 am
I believe those organizers are one and the same, Curious George.
GT
September 6th, 2011
11:16 am
Phil Jackson is available. Wait, wrong sport. Wait, doesn’t really matter…yes, Phil Jackson is available.
Hershey Walkee
September 6th, 2011
11:16 am
Let’s go back in time to the early 80’s when we were SEC King and Florida sucked!…….As the Rock Singer Eddie Money says………”I wanna go back and do it all over but I can’t go back I know”……… next time…………..Maybe I should attend a Brave’s Game Instead?
Terry Shirey, Sr
September 6th, 2011
11:16 am
Its time to fire Mark! But Mark Bradley not Mark Richt. This is fhe third straight year of failing, boring columns. He is a disgrace to the University of Kentucky School of Journalism. He continues to write about UGA’s problems because it opens up the columns to useless comments by people without one iota of influence on what will happen at UGA. If they had the courage to sign their correct name (the one I’m using is my real name) I might have a little more respect for their comments. Please, AJC fire Mark Bradley so he can go home. His village misses their idiot.
Terry Shirey, Sr
Nashville, TN
ramblingbuzz
September 6th, 2011
11:17 am
Terry Bowden is available.
GT
September 6th, 2011
11:17 am
Ralph Friedgen is available.
GT
September 6th, 2011
11:17 am
Nate Newton is available.
BigTimeTechFan
September 6th, 2011
11:17 am
UGA looked pretty good as far as talented skill players.
Boise St just has a better OL and DL and teams gameplan was better. Happens to the best of them against Boise St.
No need to call for a coach to get fired over one loss to one of the best teams in the country, let the season play out.
Better get the most out of M Mitchell now, he’ll be in the pros in 3 years.
Snow Dawg
September 6th, 2011
11:18 am
New year…more of the same. UGA has clearly done less with more for too many years. Not many coaches can sustain success at one program for many years and it is crystal clear Richt ran out of gas several years ago. His leadership style is no longer working and program continues to falter. Richt needs a fresh start and so does UGA. I wish Richt well but it is time to find new leadership. Oh…yes…I realize UGA MIGHT win Saturday but even this years easy schedule will produce a minimum of 4 L’s which does not cut it!
Mark Bradley
September 6th, 2011
11:18 am
It is not too soon for you to start speculating, Curious George. You’re free to do as you please.
sandman053
September 6th, 2011
11:18 am
Bobo couldn’t outcoach the Delta Zeta Powder Puff football team homecoming week with a year to prepare. Murray isn’t Tebow nor is he $cam….so what’s with the spread crap. UGA has a FB for a reason and a big ‘un. Let him roll over folks and spring Crowell to the second level to show his speed. When they stop that THEN go to new crap.
ramblingbuzz
September 6th, 2011
11:18 am
Mr. Shirey, Mark always spoke highly of you sir.
GT
September 6th, 2011
11:18 am
Ted Roof is available.
Curious George
September 6th, 2011
11:19 am
After the murder of an SEC [ahem] “powerhouse” on Saturday, should the SEC start considering Boise State as its next member in order to save face before it destroys Alabama or LSU in the BCS Championship Game as well?
(Or is Mark Richt really just THAT bad at his job and in representing the conference?)
GT
September 6th, 2011
11:19 am
The Jackson Five is available. Wait, well the Jackson Four is available.
bamaguy
September 6th, 2011
11:19 am
The problem with firing a good coach in hopes of getting a better one is that it can go either the ‘Alabama way’ or the ‘Tennessee way’. There is certainly no disgrace in losing to the #5 team in the country. Next Saturday should tell us if UGA is that bad, or was Boise just really that good.
Glad my “dog isn’t in this fight” so to speak. We have all suffered through down periods (probation, no bowls, a string of bad hires for me) Georgia will be fine in the end.
Has Richt Already Given Notice?
September 6th, 2011
11:19 am
http://thegeorgiasportsreport.blogspot.com/2011/09/has-richt-already-given-his-notice.html
smokedawg2011
September 6th, 2011
11:19 am
I hate to admit it, but I am going to have to side with Herschel Talker who has been calling for Richt’s tenure to end since, well, last season. I have always supported Richt and the team and I had the Red and Black sunglasses on after reading about the off-season.
It isn’t that we lost, it is how we lost. Not disciplined, no creativity, winded in the 3rd quarter, and our players were the ones laying on the field hurt the entire game despite being “bigger and stronger”. I have lost all faith in Richt and the coaching staff in general. Barring Boise State being the best team in college football and the Dawgs lighting it up on Saturday, it is finally time to start over. I just can’t see Boise State’s D Line being better than what we are going to see on Saturday…couple that with no Tree and I see Lattimore finishing this game with 160 yards or more.
I am hoping that if Boise State goes undefeated and still left out of the big game, this past Saturday will serve as an interview for our future coach. If Petersen elects to stay at Boise (and tip your hat to him if he does), then I would much prefer Dan Mullen over Kirby.
There comes a point when you need to stop having blind faith and that time has come now. I bleed red and black, but Richt would need to have a biblical finish (pun intended) for me to jump back on board with this coaching staff. At least the cupboard is full for whomever replaces him.
Go Dawgs!
GT
September 6th, 2011
11:19 am
Chuck Dowdle is available.
ramblingbuzz
September 6th, 2011
11:20 am
What do you guys think about that undisciplined Uga player thing? True or False? Inquiring minds want to know.
Dan Mullen
September 6th, 2011
11:20 am
<—AHEM!
sandman053
September 6th, 2011
11:20 am
The Fridge would be a 200% improvement!!! Plus we have enough money in the athletic dept. to feed him.
GT
September 6th, 2011
11:20 am
Ren and Stimpy are both available.
GT
September 6th, 2011
11:20 am
Spongebob Squarepants is available.
GT
September 6th, 2011
11:21 am
Barbara Dooley is available.
GT
September 6th, 2011
11:22 am
Little Orphan Annie is available. Wait, no she’s not.
YCity
September 6th, 2011
11:22 am
I say we go 7-0 against the 7 unranked teams.
Leaves SC, MSU, Aub, Fla.
Win 1 of these 4 ranked teams and we go 8-4, 33% improvement in wins. Win 2 and we go 9-3, a 50% improvement in wins.
Go 8-4, or 9-3, get to a Bowl game, win that, and you finish 9-4 or 10-3.
That’s what’s going to happen here folks.
Even an 0-2 start, would mean we’d need to go 7-0 against unranked teams, and win 1-2 against MSU, UF, or Aub.
Piece of cake.
arrowhead1959
September 6th, 2011
11:22 am
I still support CMR, but……Everyone says Ga was badly outcoached, so why not go after the coach on the other sideline Saturday night? He has to be tired of people making fun of his conference, schedule, etc;Considering Ga is one of the top 5 schools financially with deep pockets,Mark, any chance of that happening at season’s end if CMR goes?
iago's yoda
September 6th, 2011
11:22 am
Even Mark Bradley is available.
TrueDAWG
September 6th, 2011
11:22 am
Its all about the SC game Sat-loose we need to contact Smart, Mullen, or Peterson
Nerds! Nerds! Nerds!
September 6th, 2011
11:22 am
GT
quit while you are ahead.
GT
September 6th, 2011
11:22 am
Mark Bradley is available.
Dan Mullen
September 6th, 2011
11:23 am
Mark Richt = Larry Drew. Dan Mullen = Phil Jackson.
GT
September 6th, 2011
11:23 am
Yoda is available.
bamaguy
September 6th, 2011
11:23 am
I would go after Dan Mullen. There are about 15 schools that, when you get there, there is no step “up” except to the NFL. Georgia is one of those schools (as are SEC rivals Auburn, LSU, Florida and Alabama). But also schools like Ohio State, Michigan,Texas, Oklahoma, etc.
If Georgia doesn’t go after Mullen, one of the other top tier schools will.
GT
September 6th, 2011
11:24 am
Mickey Mouse is available. Wait, ya’ll already have him.