Win or lose Saturday, can Richt ever again feel safe at UGA?
"Let's try that play where we jump offside. That's working!" (AJC photo by Brant Sanderlin)
The label “must-win” has affixed itself to the South Carolina game, but a more precise description is “darn-well-better-win.” There’s a chance an 0-2 Georgia could still make something of its season. Say the Bulldogs win nine of their next 10: Wouldn’t 9-3 with a strong finish coming after 6-7 be construed as, ahem, significant improvement? That said …
Beyond simply saving himself for next week or next season, can Mark Richt ever again be truly safe in this job?
When the second game of any season is deemed, however inexactly, a “must-win,” matters have already deteriorated. When something is so far gone, is there any going back? The Georgia-Tennessee game of Oct. 6, 2007, was considered a “must-win” for Philip Fulmer, and he won it 35-14 and rose from 2-2 to 9-3 and led the Vols to the SEC East title (shading Georgia on a tiebreaker). Great recovery, huh?
Reality check: Philip Fulmer was fired in November 2008.
The Fulmer parallel is often invoked regarding Richt, and it’s apt. Both men won big for a good long while. Both took two SEC championships. (Fulmer even won a BCS title, a prize for which Georgia under Richt has never played.) Then they stopped winning so much. Fans noticed. Fans began asking: “Is he still the right guy?”
When enough fans ask that loaded question enough times, games stop being games and become referendums on the coach. This week a man who has a finger on the pulse of Bulldog Nation estimated Richt’s job-approval rating at five percent. Should Georgia lose to South Carolina, what might the approval rating be? Two-point-five percent? Zero percent?
We need to ask this, too: Even if Georgia wins this game, will Richt’s doubters again become believers? Or will they just doubt a bit less until he loses again?
A coach cannot serve for long at the displeasure of his constituency: This has always been true, but it’s truer than ever in a world where the athletic director has an e-mail address and anyone with Internet access can post on Twitter and Facebook and AJC.com. With so much money in play and so many seats to fill, can any AD wage a protracted fight against the wishes of his fans?
Loading ...When C.M. Newton was in charge at Kentucky and folks were upset that Bill Curry wasn’t winning, the AD advised the dissidents to go find another school to support. Even with such administrative backing, Curry wound up resigning. When you lose so often that the roar of discontent drowns out the huzzahs raised in any victory, you’re a goner even before you actually go.
Richt is treading perilously close to that tipping point. Losing to Boise State mightn’t have been so bad on its face — the Broncos arrived ranked No. 5 in the land and were favored by Vegas — but the manner of the loss was devastating. This disjointed performance didn’t augur a new beginning; this was merely more of the same, which made it worse than ever. You sign the Dream Team and can’t stay onside? To borrow from Steve Spurrier’s famous 1991 dismissal: “Georgia gets all these recruits, but I don’t know what happens to them.”
Should Georgia lose to South Carolina, as coached by the dastardly Spurrier, Richt won’t resign on the spot or be fired on Sunday. He might still win enough to keep his job. (For another year, anyway.) But here’s the bigger issue: Even a win over the Gamecocks won’t convince many folks that the 51-year-old Richt remains the daring young man who Finished The Drill way back when.
It might take another SEC championship to do that. It might take a BCS title. And if, after Boise, you espy such glory on the horizon … well, count yourself among that five percent.
By Mark Bradley
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594 comments Add your comment
Joeinthe know
September 9th, 2011
5:40 pm
I always see that Mike Bobo is the escape goat when Georgia loses. We should look at the numbers and see if he is really the culprit.
From 2001-2004 the Avg. scoring offense was 28.80 ppg and avg scoring defense was 16.26 ppg.
From 2005-2007 avg. scoring offense was 29.10 ppg and avg scoring defense was 18.05 ppg.
From 2008-2010 avg. scoring offense was 30.82 pgg and avg scoring defense 24.18 ppg.-2004
Since 2007 Mike Bobo has avg. 29.22 ppg as compared to 2001-2004 of 28.80 ppg.
Based on these trends it looks like the defense is a bigger problem then the offense.
Boise State beat Georgia because they have a great defense and a very good quarterback.
Lighten up on Bobo.
Real Dawg Fan
September 9th, 2011
5:42 pm
It seems to me that it is a set-up. First, why did UGA play Boise State instead of Louisville in the first game? I DO not think that it was an idea of Mark Richt’s. This comes before top ranked South Carolina??????? Also Top-Ranked. Put ANY SEC team against these two, back to back, and what would the results be with the fans??????? The media has allowed fans, who incidentally swamp this blog, to dictate negative assessments of an SEC program. After last season, these same fans and media were salivating for negative results with the beginning of the football season. I feel for the players and Coach Richt. I am NOT a fan of Mike Bobo. A friend of mine who is a seasoned high school retired coach told me after the Liberty Bowl last year that Mike Bobo was the problem. He had coached with him in an all-star game and said that he defied what others said. He was soooo arrogent!!!!!! I have thought about that several times lately. I hope he does not cause Mark Richt to lose his job. It is his choice.
At this point, I think that we need to get behind the team and support them. I know all the other SEC teams are glad that they do not have to play the two ranked teams back to back number one and number two in the season.
Have some faith, Bulldog nation!!!!!! We have a long season to go.
GOOOOOOOO, DAWGS!
heartofdarkness
September 9th, 2011
5:47 pm
Crank up the victrola and play that broken record one more time.
jerry
September 9th, 2011
5:49 pm
When UGA and Florida parted ways:
In 1990 Florida hired Steve Spurrier who had a winning record as a professional head coach with the USFL Tampa Bay Bandits and had also been twice voted Coach of the Year with the Duke Blue Devils.
In 1990 UGA hired Ray Goff, a running back coach who had never won anything anywhere at anytime as a head coach.
Now who the hell do you think made the better move?
1eyedJack
September 9th, 2011
5:50 pm
I’ve heard of an escape car, and I’ve seen James Bond escape in a boat, but what in the he11 is an “escape goat”? Two words that are worth a picture for sure.
UGA 1962
September 9th, 2011
5:52 pm
Enter your comments here
1eyedJack
September 9th, 2011
5:55 pm
Well, jerry….when you put it that way….
Golf was a dang good running QB though. My brother still has a headache from trying to tackle him in high school.
jerry
September 9th, 2011
5:56 pm
I don’t know if I go along with religion interfering with Richt’s coaching. I saw Vince Lombardi’s daughter on tv and she said that Vince went to church 365 days a year. Joe Gibbs won two Super Bowls.
Mike
September 9th, 2011
5:56 pm
Jerry –
Didn’t hurt that Spurrier won the Heisman at Florida and was coming home to his alma mater.
Guess Ray Goff did too, but it wasn’t his time. It’s all about recruiting and player management and development after they get on campus. We seem to get one without the other. By the way, I guess Florida made the best decision, but I can’t see Spurrier at UGA!!
UGA 1962
September 9th, 2011
6:04 pm
To the UGA recruiters. Can we work on getting more offense linemen each year so that we are not always short. How can we have 4 or 5 tight ends for one slot and almost never any reserve in the offense line? This is just common sense and dose not require a football genius to understand. I’d like to hear your answer.
DAWGtired
September 9th, 2011
6:05 pm
I hate to sound like a defeatist are going to lose this game. I know it in my head, and I know it in my heart. Those poor kids have received the same lies and hype that we’ve been fed ever since VanGorder left: we’re making adjustments. We know the problems. It’s the conditioning and it’s been fixed. It’s the DC and he’s been replaced. We just needed a big recruiting class.
Let’s face it gents: Our Coaching schemes are stale. We’re as predictable as tic-tac-toe. Our athletes aren’t hard and mean the way that Erk and CBVG would have had them. They look like sissies. All that “strength and speed” just to go out and hit like a bunch of ballerinas. Until our staff changes, expect these same results: continuous short-comings against top-quality competition and sloppy, poorly coached avatars that are supposed to represent football players. UNSAT.
I drank the Kool-aid that the AJC and our Atheletic Department were pouring all summer. Now, I wish that we were Alabama or LSU. Sad.
jerry
September 9th, 2011
6:09 pm
Mike, I was just pointing out the differences in resumes and which made the wiser choice. Not making a statement about whether either would have hired the other. I really don’t think there would have ever been a time for Goff. Terrell Davis once said “all he ever did was lean up against the building.”
“They’ve gone out on a limb, there’s no doubt about it” Ray Goff
pop
September 9th, 2011
6:17 pm
coach richt the bulldog nation dont wont u to leave but its time to wake up and see same play bobo aint worth losing your job the buddy system is going to get u fired please demote him of the play calling and see what a great team u really have please read this and show them ga is the sec champs.
DAWGtired
September 9th, 2011
6:17 pm
Would Petersen be complaining with our offensive linemen? NO. He would coach, train, educate, and condition them to the point that they were at HIS standards. WAKE UP! Richt thinks he has the Golden Ticket with these recruiting classes and he turns good HS athletes into a pathetic excuse for a college football player.
Chatt Matt
September 9th, 2011
6:28 pm
I think UGA will play hard tommorrow for Coach Richt and it will be a close game I say toss-up.But to all you uga fans who want Richt gone just think Jim Donnan and Ray Goff.I am a Tennessee fan who wanted fulmer gone and we got Lane Kiffin.All I am saying is be careful what you wish for.
Dawg Tell
September 9th, 2011
6:40 pm
Here we go! Board member Lawhorne(UGA Athletic Board)planted the seed today. In the open meeting he stated he had concerns about our football program and where it was going.This is the first step on moving Richt out over the next year. Next you will hear other board members question our program. The hot seat just got hotter.
Whiznot
September 9th, 2011
6:51 pm
Richt is already out as a coach and in as a national joke!
LakeDawg
September 9th, 2011
6:54 pm
It’s been obvious for a while that UGA misses VanGorder. He not only could coach, but he greatly influenced the overall attitude of the whole team. Ist time his absence was felt was the WV game in the 2005 Sugar bowl. Its been a steady decline since. Another thing that can’t be overlooked is the presence of Greene and Pollack. Great leaders and coaches on the field. Those types of players are worth their weight in gold, no matter their talent level. CMR benefitted grreatly from their presence on the team.
01HAWK
September 9th, 2011
7:01 pm
What has happened is the SEC winning 5 straight BCS Championships has put alot of pressure on Tenn, and UGA……………………………………Vandy, KY, Ole Miss, Ms. St just want to finish 9-3 and they are happy. ARK and SC will never win a National Championship in Football. Once Spurrier is gone it will be down hill. Petrino would be better to go to the BIG 12.
NUTT CASE in Ole Miss will be gone after this year for sure. Mullen at MS. ST is sure to leave soon.
Reverend Richt
September 9th, 2011
7:22 pm
The big mistake or more correctly huge missed opportunity was when Richt didn’t even try to pursue John Chavis (Defensive Coordinator) when he left Tennessee and landed at LSU. Say what you will about the Mad Hatter, he still wants to win more than some misplaced loyalty for non preforming assistants. It’s at the bottom of the Reverends unraveling and his inevitable firing.
PT
September 9th, 2011
8:07 pm
Richt turned too much over to his assistants and backed off to free up some personal time. Unfortunately, the program has gotten out of control. I think they recruit based on sports analyst rating more than whether it meets a program’s philosophy. This year is no different than a first year coach, you are starting from scratch. It will take two to three years to correct.
BigTimeUGAFan
September 9th, 2011
8:14 pm
What time does the UGA and USC game start? Is it on TV? Does Richt still coach UGA? Is Bobo still involved with the team? Does Spurrier still coach USC? I hope not! Go DAWGS!
Delbert D.
September 9th, 2011
8:16 pm
@6:40 “Here we go! Board member Lawhorne(UGA Athletic Board)planted the seed today.”
Dr. Lawhorne is a former linebacker for the Bulldogs in the 1960s. Fine fellow; I knew him in high school.
dawg4life
September 9th, 2011
8:25 pm
Georgia was fine with Richt calling plays. Granted, we also had Brian Van Gorder as D-Coord, which helped exponentially. Fire Bobo, and I think Richt has a punchers chance…
dawg4life
September 9th, 2011
8:26 pm
The question I want to ask is, can we get the Falcons coaching staff on loan for a season or 2????
BigTimeUGAFan
September 9th, 2011
8:29 pm
Is Spurrier still alive? I hope he is OK? Did Lawhorne really plant a new seed? What kind of seed? I hope it grows! Well, maybe…what kind of seed is it again? Wait, he did not say…either way GO DAWGS!
Stinger2
September 9th, 2011
8:32 pm
To all UGA fans who want CMR fired: You need to stop and think about what you may get if he is fired. I doubt it will be a Saban, Petersen, Miles or Spurrier level coach.
No top tier coach in his right mind would want the UGA job where they would have to put up with such an unrealistic fan base.
Big Dawg
September 9th, 2011
8:42 pm
Finally! The cavalry has arrived! The seed has been planted.
http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/2011/09/09/1728746/two-board-members-express-concern.html
Never buy a Ford
September 9th, 2011
8:45 pm
Gag me, I just sat through a Muck Richt Ford commercial on ESPN.
Why does the guy have to do those stupid commercials when UGA is paying him 3+ million a year? Maybe he should act like he cares more about his job – football.
Whatever, Richt is a lame duck anyway.
Money talks
September 9th, 2011
8:51 pm
Nothing will happen until the football revenue drops. In other words, when enough empty seats show up in the stadium, McGarity will sack Richt.
Mobile Dawg
September 9th, 2011
8:56 pm
Lake Dawg, who recruited and signed Greene and Pollack?
Delbert D.
September 9th, 2011
9:02 pm
That Ledger-Inquirer has some meaningful bits that weren’t in Tim Tucker’s AJC article.
wreckmaniac
September 9th, 2011
9:08 pm
He is very safe as long as he continues to beat Tech and produce a top 10 recruiting class both of which he has been doing very well. Thats all that really matters. The rest is fluff.
Mookie
September 9th, 2011
9:08 pm
Coach MR teams just never look coached up and recruit in top 10 every year but can’t finish in the top 10. Can’t even tackle or line up and hike the ball without confusion. I would get John Gruden head coach, Steve Merriuchi? OC and Brian Billick DC and run pro style program to groom the kids for playing at the next level and the 5 star recruits will all want to come here. Coach MR needs to be promoted to AD.
wreckmaniac
September 9th, 2011
9:11 pm
Whats the point of have Calvin Johnson talent level and not using it as Tech did. ?
wreckmaniac
September 9th, 2011
9:14 pm
Mark, it never comes down to one game. If UGA wins tomorrow and then looses 2 of the next 3, which is always possible, the same crisis attitude will continue.
Furman Bishop
September 9th, 2011
9:21 pm
Phat Phil has something Richt will never have, even if Richt stays at UGA until the proverbial hell freezes over: A national championship. As for the SC game, one can bet that Spurrier would like nothing better then to put Richt down for the count.
wreckmaniac
September 9th, 2011
9:21 pm
The only way UGA can win this game will be with one of those last-gasp, last- minute TD’s or field goals for which UGA is so famous. There is no way UGA will manhandle a team like South Carolina for a full 4 quarters. Alabama will beat your head in during the first quarter.
Mookie
September 9th, 2011
9:24 pm
Who is the worst play caller: Bobo or Mularky?
Tater Tot
September 9th, 2011
9:27 pm
Lets everyone quit bad-mouthing and lay off him and let him do his job. He will succeed i assure you. GO DAWGS !!……..Just give him a chance. I know i was ill about last weekend but lets not expect too much so soon. It will all work out in the end. That i know will happen. I believe in them as so should yourselves. God Bless.
frannie mae
September 9th, 2011
9:30 pm
Mark Richt is in BIG BIG trouble………
Man Ray
September 9th, 2011
9:31 pm
Where is this Dream Team we all heard so much about?
Since Vince
September 9th, 2011
9:32 pm
Pack it up… This season is OVA
BigTimeUGAFan
September 9th, 2011
9:33 pm
Sorry I have not been able to keep up, it’s the job and all. Well, Richt and Bobo are still in charge. All is well. I’m happy to hear Spurrier is OK, but can we please beat him tomorrow? The game is not televised but we can still hear it on the radio. I’ll be listening on my car radio…I’ve got Kenwoods .I plan to cook some hotdogs on the grill, and wash them down with a few “Milwaukee’s beast”. I read we lost to a “Boise State” last week. Never heard of them but I’m sure it was a fluke. How did they get on the schedule? I’m looking forward to a good old fashion beat down over USC. For those that don’t know USC=South Carolina not Southern California. Oh, and by the way I’ve been to both places, not the schools but the general area. So, what do you think of that?
Big Dawg
September 9th, 2011
9:34 pm
With Mark Richt and Co. at the helm, the “Dream Team” has officially been renamed “The Nightmares”.
Lurg
September 9th, 2011
9:37 pm
How can Ben Jones say they had not seen some of the formations that Boise was running. They had 9 friggin months to prepare for this team. Richt needs to go period.
Hot Dawg
September 9th, 2011
9:37 pm
If that O Line doesn’t grow a pair and play better tomorrow, it’s gonna be a LOOOONG day. History with this program recently tells us that it will be more of the same. False starts, holding, giving up sacks and not creating any holes for the backs. How long to UGA fans have to put up with this mediocre BS?
Buzz 2011
September 9th, 2011
9:44 pm
The Gamecocks have an even better defense than BSU. The Dawgs could do nothing with BSU defense and therefore have no chance. The Gamecocks win by at least two touchdowns. UGA is not very good …
reality check
September 9th, 2011
9:58 pm
CMR has not forgotten how to coach, he has had enormous success his entire career, he has simply stopped coaching and surrounded himself with under-qualified coordinators. This is his own fault however and should be held accountable, but firing CMR would set the program back 3-5 years. We have the talent to win rather quickly all we need is better coordinators. Head coaches are only as good as the men calling the plays!
edumacated
September 9th, 2011
9:58 pm
Bulldogs can’t run or pass, can’t stop the pass, probably won’t stop the run either against SC. What else is there? This isn’t rocket science. Football is pretty darn simple. Teams with talent that prepare win. Richt just isn’t working these guys that hard anymore, and it shows every week.
We will only win if SC shoots itself in the foot.