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
The Bear said it best.....
September 9th, 2011
3:09 pm
“I make my practices real hard ……..
because if a player is a quitter…..
I want him to quit in practice, not in a game.”
Bear Bryant / Alabama
1eyedJack
September 9th, 2011
3:11 pm
TampaDawg, I would like to see Bobo make good seeing as how he’s a S.Ga. boy, but I have to admit that I am disappointed in his progress, or lack there of.
I think this team will only get better as the season goes along, though having 3 of your 4 toughest teams at the front end is a tough row to hoe.
Jesus Christ
September 9th, 2011
3:12 pm
If the DAWGS win, will CMR’s wife run on the field and give him a big kiss? Or, if they lose, will CMR not get any for another week?
Burdell 90
September 9th, 2011
3:13 pm
95
What actually makes you a dumba$$ redneck this time is the fact that you would listen to what Lou Holtz would say…how drunk was he when he said it??
Yes, you are dumba$$ rednecks, trust me, my brother cheers for them so I know first hand about it. Yes, my brother is a dumba$$ redneck. Also, you can make fun of that all you want, I can handle the truth, problem is…you cant.
Phil Fulmer
September 9th, 2011
3:14 pm
Don’t worry Mark, win this one and you are totally safe……
TampaDawg
September 9th, 2011
3:16 pm
Dang Flat Tire, looks like you found a punching bag ..
Jesus Christ
September 9th, 2011
3:17 pm
Football and Christianity don’t mix.
Big Dawg
September 9th, 2011
3:18 pm
@TampaDawg Terrible example. Goff and Donnan were fired as you well know. If you want to talk winning, try this: Coach Dooley never lost 2 in a row to the Gators in 25 years. And they had top notch athletes coming through Gainesville during that time. Bear Bryant said that if Florida ever got a good coach to go with their talent, they would be tough to beat. Enter Spurrier. You obviously are related to Coach Richt trying to peddle this garbage. Not facing the facts is one of CMR’s biggest flaws, and it looks like it’s one of yours. Stick to the issues at hand my friend.
Don in DC
September 9th, 2011
3:20 pm
You demonstrate a great talent for stirring the pot, Mr. Bradley. One less talented might not have used the KY example without pointing out that their coach went 7 consecutive seasons without a winning record before he was forced out, or the TN example, where the coach’s ouster is considered a huge mistake. If you want Richt out you should man-up and say so, and explain why. Or, not.
JB
September 9th, 2011
3:20 pm
So Obama wants to give Tax incentives for hiring. The dumb Bas***d thinks the private sector is like the Government. The private sector hires when demand is out pacing capacity. That ain’t happening. If fact, a recent survey said 62% of Americans companies said they need to lay off more, The guy is clueless. America is a consumer driven, supply side economy. Get the economy going, the jobs take care of themselves. Cut the tax rates for 2-3 years and get rid of all these regulations and get the Banks in a position to loan money. What economy we have is in spite of him, not because of him. Geez.
Yeah..Right
September 9th, 2011
3:21 pm
Those Tater Chuggers are real “studs”. No shame in that loss. Georgia did the best they could and that’s all you can ask for, eh? And how about those fancy uniforms? Best looking losers in the SEC.
Give Mark a few more years and he’ll get this team back to 8-4 / 9-3 seasons again.
jerry
September 9th, 2011
3:22 pm
“An army is a team. It lives, eats, sleeps, fights as a team.
This individuality stuff is a bunch of bullsht.” – General George Patton Jr
but it is allright to give a freshman who has never done anything for the team the #1 jersey.
1eyedJack
September 9th, 2011
3:24 pm
Did I miss something? Did Mark Richt design those uniforms, or even have a say in ‘em?
John
September 9th, 2011
3:26 pm
doesnt matter folks, he will retire in 3 months. Mark it down!
Thanks for playing, new search is on.
Bobo, use the stinkin' I formation
September 9th, 2011
3:26 pm
I love it when people like JB post their political tirades on a football blog… NOT
Go Dawgs!
TampaDawg
September 9th, 2011
3:28 pm
BigDawg I think you are one of the short memory people also. Try to think back beyond 2009. Not to mention, college football was a very very different animal back in Dooley’s time.
Now, as for Yeah..Right .. which 8-4 / 9-3 seasons were you referring to? From 2002-2008 he had 10 wins seasons in all but 2006 when they went 9-3.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
September 9th, 2011
3:28 pm
Burdell 90
What makes you an idiot again is this
We are in the season now so Richt cant go out and hire an offensive coordinator moron
So what should he do, take over the play calling.
Like I said it would show at least he is willing to make some kind of change
Let me explain this since you have shown today already that you cant read
I dont think Richt is the answer so dont bother with a your a Richt kool-aid drinker
Let me guess your a Tech fan
Yeah..Right
September 9th, 2011
3:28 pm
Dunno? Does he have any say in what the team wears?
Does he have any say in how the team practices or plays?
Aside from praying, what exactly does he do in Athens these days?
JB
September 9th, 2011
3:30 pm
Wearing those uniforms and getting beat is like going to your prom in a leisure suit. Just not a good idea, especially if you’re not a good dancer.
david
September 9th, 2011
3:31 pm
my neice went to uga with bobo .said he did not know where to get off bus for class. some had to tell him.
JB
September 9th, 2011
3:31 pm
Thanks Bobo
TampaDawg
September 9th, 2011
3:32 pm
JB, although I believe you are 100% correct on your politics, let’s stay with football.
Mike
September 9th, 2011
3:32 pm
Mark, I bleed red and black. UGA til I die … but drop this game and ultimately get smashed by Florida … again … and bye bye Richt. Love the guy, but sometimes it’s just that time.
Feels like it’s just that time. I know I’m not wasting another dime on gas and time traveling to Jax until we compete atleast a couple of straight years.
doug dawg
September 9th, 2011
3:33 pm
no use going on and on about solutions that don’t exist. we’ve hit the bottom of the barrel. only one fix, and that is to clean house and start over. it will be painful, but no more so than watching a once proud program sink to the bottom. start now; fire them all now. grad assistants could do better than the present coaching staff; which will be to win no more meaningful games. maybe we’ll be able to get past coastal carolina and n.mexico state. that is all, folks. that is all. pitiful and sad.
GT
September 9th, 2011
3:34 pm
Richt was selling kool-aid and some were buying it. This paper even helped him sell the stuff. The high expectations and the sobering reality. The whole Bulldog nation was buying and selling it. Kevin Butler came on 680 Radio and announced there wasn’t a position Georgia was not better than Boise State, said it in Athens with the players listening. Buck Belue cheered him on. Mark Bradley has the SEC so dominant the rest of the country doesn’t even need to show up. I heard some guys talking at a cocktail party this summer that Murray was the greatest quarterback who ever played for Georgia. Straight faced bunch of guys. You think Vince would like this kind of talk? Where are the adults around this program? I have not gotten over the AD with the panties. The inmates are running the asylum in Athens, the party school of the nation two years ago. Our tax dollars at work.
Hit REAL Hard ?
September 9th, 2011
3:34 pm
$750,000.00 Todd Grantham is a huge dissapointment.
……… We already knew about BoBo.
TampaDawg
September 9th, 2011
3:34 pm
Jesus Christ
September 9th, 2011
3:17 pm
Football and Christianity don’t mix.
———————————-
CMR isn’t trying to “mix” them, you are.
Yeah..Right
September 9th, 2011
3:35 pm
@TampaDawg
You do know that there are 12 regular season games? Right? I mean, putting a beat-down on Hawaii is fun, but what does it really mean? It means you got the consolation prize while somebody else went to represent the SEC in the NC game.
Here’s an idea… Let’s keep Mark Richt around and simply go back in time to when he was actually winning a meaningful game occasionally. That’s more likely to happen than a winning season for the Dawgs this year.
Dawg08
September 9th, 2011
3:35 pm
Just a thought….Boise had a ton of seniors, many 5th year seniors.
One big problem we have there is most of our JR stars leave for
the NFL but we can’t blame them for taking the millions. One more
thing, Mr. BoBo, you run plays with what you have. We have another
weak line so TRY RUNNING THE BALL OUTSIDE THE TACKLES!!
Crowell had 60 yards running into a wall of 320 pounders being pushed
back into him. GIVE THE KID SOME ROOM TO FIND A HOLE!!!!
Dawg Tell
September 9th, 2011
3:35 pm
I would not resign if I was Richt.Three million a year; you would have to drag me with a team of mules from UGA.I still say 8 and 4 this year and he will keep the job.Anything less and he is gone.
Burdell 90
September 9th, 2011
3:38 pm
95
Yeah, that makes sense. Now you are an idiot…if I had one of my employees that was not performing on the job, they are out and I hire someone new. You just stated
“We are in the season now so Richt cant go out and hire an offensive coordinator moron”
And I am the moron? Do y’all need someone to lift the seat for you when you go to the bathroom?
Ok, so he should take over the play calling, I agree but y’all are dumb enough to keep Bozo on the payroll even if CMR takes over!!
Tell you what, I can show you the way to the Promise land, you can ask for forgivness of you sins and everything will work out for you in the end….
All it takes is for you to say these four magic words…
TO HELL WITH GEORGIA
It’s ok, it wont hurt…trust me, say them and you will be free from the Darkside
1eyedJack
September 9th, 2011
3:39 pm
Coach Richt, take over the Offensive Coordinator duties.
“Promote” Bobo to Asst. Head Coach/QB coach/Recruiting Coordinator.
Trade Rodney Garner to Boise St. for a coach to be named later.
Move Tony Ball to RB coach and move Bryan McClendon to WR coach.
Yeah..Right
September 9th, 2011
3:39 pm
Hafta beat Tech to make 6-6 this year. Tech’s pretty bad, so there’s hope for that. If we make 6-6, then maybe we’ll get another big bowl game — like last year.
JB
September 9th, 2011
3:39 pm
Tampa……Yea, i had an Obama moment. Most on here who know me never see that from me.
bill
September 9th, 2011
3:39 pm
2-8 against the Gators…a 20% winning percentage…ouch!!! Regardless of what happens in all other games, lose to them again (2-9), and Richt should be gone!
" HOT " seat
September 9th, 2011
3:40 pm
The old evil genius ball coach
thinks the game in Athens is gonna be finger lickin’ good.
JB
September 9th, 2011
3:41 pm
By 8 o’clock Saturday, we’ll know more.
dawgster
September 9th, 2011
3:41 pm
I wish the many of so called fair weather fans or whatever you call yourself on here would find another team to support…We don’t need that kind of support…Yes, we have some problems right now, but you will be the first to jump back on the wagon as soon as we have success…I’m feel confident the dawgs coaching staff are doing all they can to turn this thing around…
..Oh for anyone wanting to question my remarks…I don’t really give a crap…I busted my rear end many years ago to get on the field with this University so I have no qualms about saying what I feel…Please support this team Sat night, we have some major, major recruits here and we need another great recruiting class as we did last year…Am I pleased with everything or content…NO…but I know that our progrma will be evaluated by the powers to be at the end of the season, so quit your gripiing and show support for these young men..At the end of the season the results will either satisfy you or not, but quit acting like you have all these great answers…Yes there are many on here that probably have a clue, but many just want to gripe because some 18-19 year old young kids let you down….Enough of the rant, but thats all this blog seems to be good for along with the AJC Journalists trying to rile up the dawg fanbase with these continued articles about our Coach…
You have the right to feel as you do, but when boo these kids and the coaching staff on national TV and in front of recruits, its absurd…and it just opens all the negative reporting and comments up for everyone to jump on…Its been one game folks, thats it…last year is over, new season and one darn game…We didn’t play a smaller school this past weekend, we playerd one of the premier programs in the country and we didn’t look good, but to give up on this team this early is not being much of a fan in my opinion…And yes we heard the boos and criticism back in my day but it was nothing in comparison to what these guys are hearing from some of our so called fans….I will close just by saying that in truth alot of people on these AJC blogs that throw out the continued absurd comments are probably fans from other schools that want to rile up the dawg supports…go dawgs
dawgster
September 9th, 2011
3:42 pm
Enter your comments here
TampaDawg
September 9th, 2011
3:44 pm
Yeah..Right, EVERY team’s overall record includes their bowl game, or didn’t you know that?
Lowcountry Bulldawg
September 9th, 2011
3:44 pm
Here in Chattanooga JSU is playing the Mocs. So tempted to go watch the game since Ealey is playing but the kickoff is at 6. Interesting to see how he does this season.
TampaDawg
September 9th, 2011
3:45 pm
And maybe we can soon be back to winning the SEC as CMR has done twice along with winning the East two separate years.
TampaDawg
September 9th, 2011
3:46 pm
it’s cool JB, like I said, I couldn’t agree with you more, but this is, being that it is JUST football, my release from the real world. Most here take it way too seriously anyway.
1eyedJack
September 9th, 2011
3:48 pm
Line Crowell up behind that bulldozer a run the ball!
Bobo, use the stinkin' I formation
September 9th, 2011
3:54 pm
Line Crowell up behind Figgins and run the @#$& ball.
moonbeam
September 9th, 2011
3:56 pm
you are right jerry…cmr sold his soul to ic
Mike G
September 9th, 2011
3:56 pm
The only folks talking about mutiniy and being on the “hot seat” are you, Schultz and a few folks that are an embarrassment to the Bulldog Nation. Coach Richt has McGarity’s backing and most of the large donors and season ticket holders. The rest of you don’t get a vote. The Fulmer situation at Tennessee is a prime example of why you don’t react too fast when you have a few bad years. Tennessee is still trying to recover. Coach Richt is a man of great character who has gone through a rough couple of years and if we are patient he will lead us back to prominence. Bradley, why don’t you just report on what happened in the games and let folks decide if they liked what they saw or if they were displeased. You can do that for the Sunday paper and then go over to the Editorial guys and see if they will want your valued opinion Monday thru Sat.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
September 9th, 2011
3:57 pm
Burdell 90
Please quit digging your Im a moron hole in front of everyone
You stated
“And I am the moron? Do y’all need someone to lift the seat for you when you go to the bathroom?
Ok, so he should take over the play calling, I agree but y’all are dumb enough to keep Bozo on the payroll even if CMR takes over!!
In case you didnt know but Bobo has a contract
Whether he is told to clean the toilets at Sanford Stadium or come to your house and wipe the baby food off your mouth he will still remain on the payroll until his contract ends or is terminated due to certain stipulations which is usually doesnt happen unless he commits some kind of criminal act
Yeah..Right
September 9th, 2011
3:57 pm
TampaDawg,
You’re right. It’s only football. Who really cares?
Not Mark Richt — he’s fat and happy.
Michael
September 9th, 2011
3:57 pm
Enter your comments here