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
GT
September 6th, 2011
1:47 pm
Marge Schott is available. Wait, no…she’s not.
GT
September 6th, 2011
1:47 pm
Peter, Paul, and Mary are available. Wait, no…there not.
GT
September 6th, 2011
1:48 pm
Ray Goff is available.
Tim
September 6th, 2011
1:48 pm
I think if Richt is gone after this season then look for Urban Myer to be the first person contacted by his old buddy Greg. Urban comes to UGA then we will win the NC by 2015. Just sayin………………GO DAWGS
GT
September 6th, 2011
1:48 pm
Watson Brown is available.
GT
September 6th, 2011
1:49 pm
Tiny Tim is available. Wait, no…he’s not.
b
September 6th, 2011
1:49 pm
Oldfan hit the nail on the head about Murray.
Can he win?
His stats are very misleading.
GT
September 6th, 2011
1:49 pm
George Welsh is available.
smokedawg2011
September 6th, 2011
1:50 pm
I do not see nor do I want Urban Meyer here. I don’t want Kirby Smart either, but I’d take him over Urban. No one can question his coaching ability after Utah and Florida, but he bailed on the program fairly quickly. I’m not knocking him as I already mentioned he can coach, but we are going to need someone strong mentailly, emotionally, and physically…that isn’t Meyer right now, or at least wasn’t the last two-years.
GT
September 6th, 2011
1:50 pm
Sidney Poitier is available.
Jed_Clampett
September 6th, 2011
1:50 pm
fans in Bama thought the Bear was washed up in the late 60’s-he had 3 straight bad years. The most dominate decade in college football followed soon after. I’d wait till after the season to throw any more stones.
USC GAMEC0CK
September 6th, 2011
1:51 pm
WOW, georgia fans calling for their coach to be fired….and that is before they play USC.
Times have really changed folks.
GT
September 6th, 2011
1:51 pm
Jim Mora Jr is available.
adam's apple
September 6th, 2011
1:51 pm
how ’bout ted roof by way of central gwinnett
USC GAMEC0CK
September 6th, 2011
1:52 pm
WOW, georgia fans calling for their coach to be fired…before the game is even played….Man how times have changed!
GT
September 6th, 2011
1:52 pm
Greg Louganis is available.
coach13
September 6th, 2011
1:53 pm
Meyer ain’t coming to Athens. Gruden ain’t coming to Athens. Why hire Smart? He’s unproven as a HC. Chris Peterson ain’t coming to Athens.
GT
September 6th, 2011
1:53 pm
Eric Zeier is available.
GT
September 6th, 2011
1:54 pm
Papa Smurf is available.
Steve Spurrier
September 6th, 2011
1:54 pm
He said this long before Richt arrived in Athens, but it is just as true today:
“Why is it that during recruiting season they sign all the great players, but when it comes time to play the game, we have all the great players? I don’t understand that. What happens to them?”
GT
September 6th, 2011
1:54 pm
Mr. Ed and Flipper are available. Wait, no…they aren’t.
Gamecock Jeff
September 6th, 2011
1:54 pm
Good thing you leg humpers got a new scoreboard. The Cocks will break it in all nice for ya after we put half a hundred on there. Carolina will be leaving Athens with a big W on Saturday, and Coach Richt will be putting all of his belongings in boxes in his office. Cock a doodle doo!!!!
GT
September 6th, 2011
1:55 pm
Tom Osborne is available.
GT
September 6th, 2011
1:55 pm
Fred Sanford is available. Wait, no…he’s not.
How far as UGA football fallen?
September 6th, 2011
1:56 pm
So far, that Boise State decides to kneel down to end the game and put the Dawgs out of their misery in the GA Dome. WTF?
GT
September 6th, 2011
1:56 pm
Dick Cheney is available. Wait, no….he isn’t. Oops….heart re-started….he’s available again. Oh wait…..no, he isn’t. Defibrillator worked. He’s available again! Oh wait….
GT
September 6th, 2011
1:57 pm
Rich Rodriguez is available.
smokedawg2011
September 6th, 2011
1:57 pm
coach 13, why not Petersen. I am in complete agreement about Gruden and Meyer, but why not Petersen. If Boise State gets passed over for a National Championship game again, Petersen may want to move on with pending realignment and Moore leaving. If he doesn’t leave for UGA, he won’t leave for anywhere.
The trolls can poke fun at UGA all they want, and rightfully so after the last couple of years, but all jokes aside, UGA is still a premiere job to have for the conference, financial resources, and recruiting grounds. There are not many jobs better out there…present team not withstanding.
GT
September 6th, 2011
1:57 pm
Robert Kennedy is available. Wait, no….he’s not.
sandman053
September 6th, 2011
1:57 pm
Douglas and HardTruth: Yeah I agree Spread Option isn’t the way to go and obviously (PLEASE READ THIS BOBO) it does NOT work with our personnel. Line up in the I and run a toss-sweep. My God no one has seen us run one in what? three years or more so there isn’t any film out there.
GT
September 6th, 2011
1:58 pm
Zombie Ronald Reagan is available. Wait, he’s busy eating brains.
GT
September 6th, 2011
1:58 pm
Aunt Jemima is avaiable. Wait..no…she’s not.
GT
September 6th, 2011
1:58 pm
Father Dowling is available.
Carolina Jeff
September 6th, 2011
1:59 pm
Good thing you leg humpers got a new scoreboard. We’ll be happy to break it in for ya real nice and put about 50 on there. Carolina will be rolling out of Athens on Saturday night 2-0, and Coach Richt will be putting all of his belongings into boxes in his office. Lattimore, lattimore, Lattimore ALL day long puppies. Get used to it, and tell that walk-on linebacker of yours he may just wnat to step out of lattimore’s way because he could get hurt. LOL!
RobertNAtl
September 6th, 2011
1:59 pm
Recruiting a stud tailback like Crowell, then *not* starting him in the first game, then inserting him on the *second* series and letting him get more snaps than any other tailback…….that is all just so, so Mark Richt.
Abnerish
September 6th, 2011
1:59 pm
I think McGarity will hold off making a public decision about the Richt’s future until after the Florida game at the absolute earliest. I think all good Dawg fans should do the same. Let’s support this team and our coach. I realize it is difficult as Coach Richt and his staff are giving us plenty of reasons to be upset. But the fact is there are still 11 games in front of us and giving in now is not what you’d expect the team to do, so why would it be ok for its fan base?
GT
September 6th, 2011
1:59 pm
Mike Ditka is available.
GT
September 6th, 2011
2:00 pm
Ricki Lake is available.
sandman053
September 6th, 2011
2:00 pm
smokedawg I agree with you there. I am somewhat disappointed at the booing Saturday night. If I were a coach from Boise State feeling all the love I might think twice about it myself. But I understand the boos were mainly aimed at our lacklaster….er no scratch that pi$$-poor play-calling.
I think Peterson would make an immediate impact on both recruiting and our offense. And I think he would be willing to leave CTG where he is for one year then lower the boom on him.
sandman053
September 6th, 2011
2:01 pm
GT Jesus son we get it
GT
September 6th, 2011
2:01 pm
Gomer Pyle is available.
GT
September 6th, 2011
2:01 pm
Fred Flintstone is available. Wait, no….he’s not.
GT
September 6th, 2011
2:01 pm
Jesus Christ is available. Wait, no….he’s not.
sandman053
September 6th, 2011
2:01 pm
Sometimes it is better to let folks think you’re ignorant than to type the same thing fifty milllion times and remove any doubt. (although the Dick Cheney one WAS pretty damn funny.)
USC GAMEC0CK
September 6th, 2011
2:02 pm
Wow, Uga screaming to fire Richt and that is before the game is even played. My My how times have changed.
But Uga looked good in the red on red uniforms.
Carolina Jeff
September 6th, 2011
2:02 pm
Glad y’all got a new scoreboard so we can break it in just ride. We plan on hanging half a hundred on the Dawgs on Saturday. Carolina will will leaving Athens 2-0, while Coach Richt will be putting his belongings into boxes in his office. Lattimore, Lattimore, Lattimore! You UGA folks better get used to it because you are gonna see it all game long. BTW, tell that walk on linebacker that he may just wnat to get out of Lattimore’s way because he’s gonna get hurt. LOL!
New Coach?
September 6th, 2011
2:02 pm
Seriously GT -
If it comes down to it (I know alot of Dawg Fans wont agree) but I’ll take Jimmy Johnson and maybe we can bring the U of the 80’s back between the Hedges….
GT
September 6th, 2011
2:02 pm
All the Pointer Sisters are available. Wait, no….they aren’t.
GT
September 6th, 2011
2:03 pm
New Coach?
You already have the U of the 80’s between the hedges..minus the wins.
sandman053
September 6th, 2011
2:03 pm
USC Gamecock, if we run the I formation we will give you all you can handle. If we do that BS spread crap formation no huddle bulls*&(t then the Evil Genious might well hang another 50 on us in Sanford.