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
YCity
September 6th, 2011
11:24 am
Even going 8-4, just beating the 7 unranked teams, and 1 ranked team, and winning the Bowl game, gets you to 9-4, and that’s a 50% improvement in wins over last year.
I can live with that, it’s at least a change in direction and 50% improvement in one year is nothing to snuff at.
sandman053
September 6th, 2011
11:24 am
I still don’t believe Mullen will trade in what he’s built to rebuild somewhere else. Smart I am not sold on since we don’t know how much Nick Satan influence has been over the defense. We should have a offensive person in mind. Or at least total concept instead of what we have now. If Richt demoted Bobo he might get another year possibly, but I think the opportunity for that was last season. I sure wish we had talked the Fridge into comeing to Athens.
ramblingbuzz
September 6th, 2011
11:25 am
Rumor on Facebook that Richt will appear on Dancing with the Stars during the football season. Stay tuned for additional details.
Spokesman for the SEC East
September 6th, 2011
11:25 am
Lets face it even the Zooker had a winning record against CMR. Wait a minute and scratch that comment; we want CMR given a life time contract. Hail him! Hail the suntanned great one! Hail the Helen Hunt look a like!
I-DOG
September 6th, 2011
11:25 am
It wasn’t just that we lost to a good team. If they made a 45 yard field goal to win it after UGA played well and was prepared, I think Dawgnation could live with that.
We had no chance to win this game for the following reasons:
1.) Equipment not properly tested by coaching staff. The helmet is without question the most important piece of equipment in football. The UGA staff failed to properly protect its players by testing these “combat uni helmets”. Jarvis Jones helmet came off at least a half a dozen times when making a hit. He has dreadlocks. So does Crowell, his helmet came off twice… Frosh LB Emarlos came in and made one tackle late in the game, guess what… he has dreads and his helmet came off. This is just one sign that we did not prepare for the game
2.) UGA’s strength, conditioning, and nutrition program is not adequate: Playing in an air conditioned dome, multiple players camped up. Boise State had to travel across the country and deal with a 2 hour time difference and NONE of their players were improperly hydrated. UGA began running out of gas during the first drive of the 2nd half. Some of this can be attributed to the inept offense averaging 1:30 and 4 plays per possession, but if you are calling timeouts to get your gassed players off the field in the opening drive of the 2nd half, you don’t have a championship conditioned team, plain and simple.
3.) Brandon Boykin has athleticism, but as a SENIOR still has not been properly schooled in the fundamentals of kickoff returns. In Middle school, players are taught that when the ball is kicked to them 2 yard deep in the end zone… they take a knee. NOT doing this hurts their team badly as it almost always gives YOUR teamates the ball in poor field position where taking a knee gives you the ball at the 20. Last year Boykin continually ran the ball out of the back of the endzone and it consistantly hurt his team with very poor field position. Was this addressed in the last eight months? No, he did it again in the opener and the ball came out.
Richt should have personally taken Boykin out onto the Georgia Dome turf after the game and walked him to the 20 hard line and made him stand on it. “this is the 20 yard line, this is where you get to when you take a knee like you are supposed to deep in the end zone on a kickoff. Then he should have walked him yard by yard and repeated that message 19 times until the pair reached the end zone. “this is what is known as the 11 yard line… it is further from the end zone we are trying to reach than the 20 yard line is… this is the 10 yard line it is…
to be cont.
LOL
September 6th, 2011
11:25 am
Sure are a lot of Tech fans acting smug. You team still hasn’t beat UGA this year, so until that happens maybe you morons might not want to talk trash. Just sayin…
RiffRaff
September 6th, 2011
11:25 am
Well atleast we got our bowl game out of the way early. Doubt if this team ends up 6-6.
sandman053
September 6th, 2011
11:26 am
@ bamaguy: I think Mullen is trying to make MSU into one of those “step-up programs”. Plus I’ve heard there was possible issues at UF when GM was there?
Doug Wiley
September 6th, 2011
11:27 am
Have always been a Richt fan and appreciate his role model and what he stands for. Now, he needs to get a visor to throw, throw his headset, grab someone by the jersey, just do something to show some emotion. It really does not matter now, as he has lost me and most of the older alumni that backed him the last several years. Boise had 25 Seniors on their roster. I wonder (do not know) how many Georgia has. We either lose them to academics, the sheriff or they go to the NFL, many times prematurely, because they could not or would not cut it in school. Face it, Richt is gone and frankly, I think he wants to be gone, but with his severance package. I would go after Petersen. He will turn you down after hearing the boos the other evening. I would break the bank for Urban Meyer, but he will turn you down as he makes good money for less stress and time and has nothing left to prove. Dan Mullins, no, not until we see what he does another year. There is one coach that was successful in an environment tougher to win at and definitely without the money and prestige, he left there to be hired by what many considered at the time to the premier coaching job in the country, only to be disgracefully escorted away before his first game. He then took over a little middling school and kicked Georgia’s butt in last year’s bowl game. He is very passionate, a winner and I could care less whether he has a master’s degree or a GED. Yep, George O’Leary. He wins and does it without getting into trouble. Hire him ASAP as someone else will. I do not think we will get Petersen, Smart, Saban or Meyer, but think old George might like to come back to the big stage. I would love to see some Irish anger on the sideline after the Dr. Phil we have had for several years. Don’t wait. After Spurrier kicks our ass on Saturday, again (asked when Florida played in Athens, what is the most points ever scored by an opponent, then he went out and did it). Even the evil genius no longer considers us worthy of putting down. Now, he just looks at us, shakes his head and moves on to other real competition. Ordain Richt, give him his severance and let’s all hold hands and sing Kumyba Yi. Bow our heads and bless him for being a great man and role model, much better than most of the rest of us. Then help him load the moving van.
NewnanDawg
September 6th, 2011
11:27 am
Could the UGA Offensive line look any worse? No more excuses. Stop blaming it on Bobo, he’s just running Mark Richt’s offensive game plan….to a T.
Dan Mullen is the obvious choice.
Nerds! Nerds! Nerds!
September 6th, 2011
11:28 am
Its hard to play good Defense when your own offense goes 3 and out almost every series, while not running the clock. Terrible game management.
All blame goes to Bobo. Get rid of him. Our offensive coordinator is the reason our D is so bad. Good grief.
Timmy Dog
September 6th, 2011
11:28 am
How about our lame friends chucking cups and beer bottles on to unsuspecting victims? I know at least 2 people went to the hospital as a result of our inane fans that don’t know how to behave. It’s no wonder people we say have the worst fans on the planet.
Mark Bradley
September 6th, 2011
11:29 am
The reason Saturday was such a disappointment, at least in my view: Many among us expected something different, and what we saw was nothing different.
Antoine Carr
September 6th, 2011
11:29 am
Doug W: Bla Bla Bla no one can read that. CMR is absolutely horrible. It is people like you that make it harder for Mcgarity to do the inevitable and fire him.
Antoine Carr
September 6th, 2011
11:30 am
Mark Why did you expect something different? What changes that matter were made? Please answer
sandman053
September 6th, 2011
11:30 am
Yes let’s get Dan Mullen to run a spread offense with our personnel. That spread worked real well Saturday night.
Personally I like the George O’Leary comment above. He has done much more with much less.
Mark Bradley
September 6th, 2011
11:31 am
Let me also say this: South Carolina trailed 17-0 against East Carolina. I’m not sure the Gamecocks are unbeatable.
PMC
September 6th, 2011
11:31 am
Unless they improve the actual football players they are getting it’s not going to matter who coaches the team. Richt may not have the passion to get the job done anymore I don’t know, but despite the recruiting rankings the players simply aren’t as good as they were when they were winning, but yeah, they haven’t resembled a well coached team in years, but that’s been obvious since 2007 when they still had players.
It’s been 5 years since they looked well coached. I don’t think all of that is on the actual coaching, some of that is injury, a huge part of it is taking the wrong guys in recruiting. A lot of these guys who are great athletes just aren’t translating into good confident football players. Not all of that is related to coaching, you can only polish so much with the level of competition that they face. A lot of these 85 scholarship athletes just aren’t SEC level. It’s been that way again, for years.
ramblingbuzz
September 6th, 2011
11:31 am
LOL – The difference between Tech fans and UGA fans is that Tech fans have a mediocre team (usually) and know it, while UGA fans have a mediocre team (lately) but always deny it.
bamaguy
September 6th, 2011
11:31 am
Good point Sandman, but there is also the fact that MSU will never have the fan base or the cash that the big time programs have no matter how successful they are. I always say, when you watch a televised home game and you can see the parked cars or the field house in game footage because their stadium has so few seats, that school might have brief successes but will never be long-term big time.
BigTimeTechFan
September 6th, 2011
11:32 am
Mark, Do you think Aaron Murry is as good as Kellen Moore like that blog you posted before the game?
I say no, not yet anyway?
sandman053
September 6th, 2011
11:32 am
Yes please by all means bring in Dan Mullen to run the spread with our personnel. That spread worked awesome Saturday night.
UGA_2001
September 6th, 2011
11:33 am
Coaching candidates:
1. Dan Mullen 2. Randy Edsall 3. Al Golden
Ginger
September 6th, 2011
11:33 am
Hope that Bulldog Nation will be at Sanford Saturday making as much noise as possible. Don’t believe that 1 game against Boise has to defend our season. Coaching changes are not going to be made now so what is the point going down the negative road now…Just makes everyone feel bad. Best to support the DAWGS now and on Saturday. I hope that the Stadium will be rocking Saturday
and that Spurrier and his QB have problems with the snap count and calling audibles at the line.
If any players are reading this—work very hard this week….correct your mistakes…know your assignments…watch extra film….know your opponent and GATA on Saturda…You got to stay positive and you gotta believe. Also demand from the coaches that they get you in the shape that you need to be in and work hard at that…
PMC
September 6th, 2011
11:34 am
They are in shape by the way. They just aren’t very good football players right now.
sandman053
September 6th, 2011
11:34 am
Yes please by all means bring in Dan Mullen to run the spread with our personnel. That spread worked awesome Saturday night.
@ bamaguy: I agree with you there, but we just don’t have the personnel for a spread offense. Besides after AU last season and three+ seasons of St. Timmy at UF I think the pro-style smashmouth football still wins NC’s.
Mark Bradley
September 6th, 2011
11:34 am
I know this might seem like splitting hairs, but … I didn’t say Aaron Murray was as good as Kellen Moore. I referenced an ESPN link that suggested their statistics were similar.
JR1967
September 6th, 2011
11:34 am
Jim Mora Sr. is available, too.
Dan Mullen
September 6th, 2011
11:34 am
Actually,
Richt = Mike Woodson. Bobo = Larry Drew
UGA_2001
September 6th, 2011
11:35 am
I-Dog’s post was one of the most refreshing I have ever read by a UGA. It is good to see that someone associated with UGA “gets it”. Maybe we should anoint him AD. Not sold on McGarity yet. And it was his idea to let Nike outfit us in that crap.
Ginger
September 6th, 2011
11:35 am
Mark–what do you think the reason is that we saw nothing different Saturday ??
BigTimeTechFan
September 6th, 2011
11:35 am
They are in shape by the way???
did you see the 1st drive in the 2nd half? 4 players were begging to get out of the game so they had to burn a time-out
sandman053
September 6th, 2011
11:35 am
Ginger I’ll be there Saturday cheering the Dawgs on! And if we call another stupid=a$$ draw on 3rd and 8 I might sell the remainder of my tickets for the season. (probably not, but definitely won’t donate again until Bobo is gone)
Antoine Carr
September 6th, 2011
11:36 am
I think it is way too early to judge Murray. How would any QB do when plays are called like 1st down deep hail mary throw. (incomplete) 2nd down run for three yards up middle. 3rd and 7 a short pass play. Drive killer. That happened 3 times. Is that a creative offensive plan? What QB can be successful being told what to do by Bobo and Richt?
Tom
September 6th, 2011
11:36 am
Hire Coach K. He may not know football but he’d do better than the passionless, laissez-faire attitude projected by Mark Richt. Force of will would probably be worth another couple of wins per year.
Face it, Richt is just not a good head coach. He had early success thanks to a better staff but he is unreasonably dedicated to incompetence in his current staff. Housecleaning time is here, waiting more will only prolong the pain.
georgiadawgg
September 6th, 2011
11:36 am
100 TO 1 THE DAWGS WILL GET BEAT SATURDAY. BUT THE GOOD OLD BOYS WILL STILL BE AROUND.
sandman053
September 6th, 2011
11:37 am
You know if Lou Holtz calls out Bobo’s play-calling then it is as obvious as as George W. at a gay pride rally.
Antoine Carr
September 6th, 2011
11:37 am
Why do we throw deep now that AJ is gone and not throw deep against UCF when we had him.
ga gator
September 6th, 2011
11:37 am
Mark, you sure intimated as you agreed with the ESPN link. Kellen Moore is like a choir boy who moonlights as an assassin. Murray is more athletic but not as well coached.
Are you kidding?
September 6th, 2011
11:38 am
Doug W.,
Read the mess they currently have at Central Florida with the player dying, and then get back to us.
Ginger
September 6th, 2011
11:38 am
I know the play calling just made me so mad too……Why did Bobo not use the crossing routes with the tight ends or some quick slants or the JB screen to wr
Ginger
September 6th, 2011
11:39 am
glad you will be there Saturday ready to fight—Sandman
PMC
September 6th, 2011
11:39 am
BTTF – That’s all they have. They are in the best shape they can be in. They simply aren’t very good right now. They can’t score, and they can’t get off the field. It was bigger than just not winning games in the 4th quarter, but you may be right in that it takes longer than one offseason to take a dreadful conditioned team and get them markedly better. I don’t think they have more to give.
Shug
September 6th, 2011
11:40 am
I agree, Mark. The worst thing about Saturday’s performance was that it was exactly like any from last year. Nothing changed during the long off season of looking deep into one’s soul and discovering what you’re made of. The Boise game was basically game 14 of the 2010 season.
Antoine Carr
September 6th, 2011
11:40 am
Ginger great point. The fact is we no longer throw to tight ends and have not for five years
BigTimeTechFan
September 6th, 2011
11:40 am
Mark,
“I know this might seem like splitting hairs, but … I didn’t say Aaron Murray was as good as Kellen Moore. I referenced an ESPN link that suggested their statistics were similar.”
Agree, you never made the call before, but wonder if Sat’s game made up your mind. When you posted the ESPN link, you could have challanged it but or agreed which you didn’t.
Moore reminds me a little of Montana, don’t know how he gets it done but he does. Not saying he’s as good but he has those qualities.
Dan Mullen
September 6th, 2011
11:40 am
@sandman053
It took me just TWO seasons to turn Miss State into a legitimate team with a new system and 2nd tier players. A good coach will find a way to ease the transition until he gets his own players into the program to fit his system.
Watch this spanking I give to Auburn on Saturday. I’ll make you all believers.
secbama
September 6th, 2011
11:41 am
Keep Richt…we do not want to lose Kirby Smart! ROLL TIDE
Gator Mike
September 6th, 2011
11:41 am
Bama Guy, well said and I agree with you. I am a Gator who always respects Georgia. I remember the dark days when UGA owned us, and it is only a matter of time when UGA becomes a huge threat once again.
PMC
September 6th, 2011
11:41 am
This is like the offensive line debate for the last 3 years.
The recruiting services have people believing this team is better than it is. They have not displayed that on the field whatsoever. It’s not all because of coaching.