If nobody kept score, UGA did well. Someone did, and it lost
His teams used to win these games. What happened? (AJC photo by Brant Sanderlin)
Athens – It was there for Georgia, the second-biggest game of Mark Richt’s stewardship, same as the biggest game this coach has worked had been there that cold day at Auburn nine years ago. His Bulldogs needed one drive to win. On Nov. 16, 2002, the prize had been Georgia’s first SEC East title. On this warm and frenzied Saturday, the prize was ….
A sliver of job security? Yes. A hushing, even if only a temporary one, of a roiled Bulldog Nation? Sure. A leg up on another SEC East title? Absolutely.
One drive to win. At Auburn, it had come down to fourth-and-14, to 70-X-Takeoff, to David Greene throwing and Michael Johnson leaping over Horace Willis. That was the victory that made us believe Richt’s Bulldogs could win any game, degree of difficulty be hanged.
But that was then, and this, sorry to say, is now. And now we can say of the same coach — the same but different — that his team can manage to lose almost any game, the excellence of its effort notwithstanding.
With one drive to win, Georgia couldn’t even make one play. This on a day when it would outgain South Carolina and amass 23 first downs to the Gamecocks’ 15. This on a day when the Bulldogs seemed the more gifted team. One drive to win, and here’s what happened.
Nobody blocked Jadeveon Clowney, the No. 1 recruit of 2011. Clowney burst up the middle, grabbed Aaron Murray and shook the ball loose and watched as Melvin Ingram gathered it up for the touchdown that made this a 10-point game with 3:12 remaining.
More would happen — Georgia would score a quick touchdown and Richt would botch the calling of his next-to-last timeout and the Gamecocks would run out the clock — but that sack-and-fumble-and-touchdown was the moment. These Bulldogs and their coach had the chance to grab a game they weren’t expected to win, and they wasted it.
There might well be better days — great days, even — ahead for these Bulldogs and their coach, but what we saw Saturday was what we’d seen all last season. Given the chance to Step Up, Georgia takes a seat. It hasn’t lost the capacity to make inspired plays, but it no longer makes winning plays.
So much had gone right. The defense had played far better than it had in the deflating loss to Boise State. Murray had steadied himself. The offensive line had blocked, finally, and Isaiah Crowell had rushed for 118 yards in his second collegiate game. If nobody had bothered to keep score, you’d have scored this a Bulldog victory. That said …
This is big-time football, and a score is kept. And Georgia lost.
We can look at this game and say, as Richt said afterward, that this is “going to be a fine football team.” But there was a time when Georgia didn’t need to traffic in moral victories. There was a time when Georgia went out and won these games.
A strange sequence in an exceedingly strange first half was telling. Richt ordered an onside kick after Georgia had taken a 13-7 lead, and it worked — almost. Bacarri Rambo, who recovered the ball, had been a hair offside. Undaunted, the Bulldogs forced Carolina to punt — almost. The Evil Genius in the trademark visor called for a fake punt, and Ingram took it the distance. Steve Spurrier’s Gamecocks were back in front.
As Ingram was fleeing up the sideline, Richt flung his play cards and his headset 10 yards onto the field. All week he’d had to parry the question of whether this was a must-win, but here he gave us the answer. The famous stoic was throwing things in exasperation.
“Georgia outplayed us,” Spurrier said, “but we won the game. Sometimes it happens like that.”
Sometimes it does, but it no longer happens that way for Georgia. This has a program that has the requisite talent and resources but has lost half of its past 30 games. There’s still an opportunity for these Bulldogs to make hay of this season, but at this moment it’s hard to see beyond 0-2.
As for Richt: The end is not yet at hand for this coach, but we’ve reached the point where every loss nudges him a bit closer toward the door. He now presides over a program that could and should win big. It has, alas, forgotten how.
By Mark Bradley
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1,658 comments Add your comment
sprouse27
September 10th, 2011
9:36 pm
As Troy on Swamp People would say, it’s time to “Choot him”. It’’s not just these two games, it’s the long slide that’s been CAPPED by these two games. And after taking those administrative duties away from him so he could focus on cutting edge football too…..
DrDawg
September 10th, 2011
9:36 pm
I saw the old Dawgs tonight. Crowell is going to win the Heisman before he leaves.
The Dawgs will have a winning season. The dark cloud is going away and Real Dawgs need to step up, shut up, and appreciate what we’ve got.
James
September 10th, 2011
9:36 pm
THERE’S ONLY ONE THING TO TAKE OUT OF THIS.
We are 0-2.
Period.
Mark was right. We just can’t win the big games anymore. Maybe it is time for a change.
We fumble this state
September 10th, 2011
9:37 pm
C King, W Ealey, I Crowell, A Murray……
Chaz
September 10th, 2011
9:37 pm
I dont see Georgia winning much more..they look absolutely devastatd tonite. And once a team hearts is taken from them..they hardly ever have a good season. I dont think they will win any games on the road nor have a winning season. ITS OVER DAWG FANS..Just start looking for a rebuilding 3 years…if you lucky. Stop dreaming that Richt is going to take you to the promise land..ITS DONE
Pete
September 10th, 2011
9:37 pm
Murray made 2 mistakes. pick and fumble Richt sucks
BeerDawg
September 10th, 2011
9:37 pm
I am SOOOOOOO sick and tired to you folks saying…”relax”, “chill”, “we’ll be fine”, “this is a really young team”, “caught a few bad breaks”……for Pete’s sake, STOP IT!!!
1-10 against ranked opponents over the past 5 years……1-10!!!!!
’nuff said….
FLA DAWG
September 10th, 2011
9:37 pm
We are now 14 – 14.
Proud of that record DAWG NATION?
Unload Richt and hire Derek Dooley.
Bobby Petrino
September 10th, 2011
9:38 pm
Im ALWAYS available……
KBP
September 10th, 2011
9:38 pm
If this team finishes 9-3 in the reg season and wins a bowl game, Richt will be back and rightfully so. The last 2 years we have not had the caliber of players we had from 2001-08. That’s the primary reason for the losses. Yes, high ranking recruits but not big-time players. Look at the number of NFL prospects within the first 8 years as compared to the last 2( quality, not sheer numbers). Now, we have more NFL caliber players than in 09-10. The future looks good and finishing 10-3 or at worst 9-4 is a significant step in the right direction.The SEC dominates the BCS Championship games because we have more NFL caliber players(depth) per team(upper level teams, Bama, LSU, Gators,) than other conferences. Take a breath, my fellow dawgs and let’s see how this year finishes before we fire Richt.
Something Bad Just Happened
September 10th, 2011
9:38 pm
I just pooted and now i have sticky goo in my crack
Jimmy
September 10th, 2011
9:38 pm
Fire MR:
You are no UGA fan.
You seriously want to fire him now?
Of course you do Techie.
You know how that would impact recruiting.
Don’t you have a life?
Just can't
September 10th, 2011
9:38 pm
seem to win those 45-42 games. LMAO!!!!
Sloan
September 10th, 2011
9:38 pm
We looked like the better team – but we seem to find ways to lose. Sad state of affairs indeed. If we go the rest of the way without a loss, does that save Richt? What about 9-3 or 8-4?
cedrick
September 10th, 2011
9:38 pm
WOW, I just went to that link on page one of the comments to see The New York Times talking about our team. Better yet they were talking about how much pressure is now on CMR. I was just looking at our schedule and I can only see 6 or 7 wins there. Unless Bobo understands his own play calling there is gonna be a major heat on CMR and the Georgia AD for the rest of the season! SMH…….. this is really pissing me off; 0 and Freakin 2!!!
Steve
September 10th, 2011
9:38 pm
I am more disappointed than mad at this point. Yeah mistakes are made, and Murray made more than he should have but also made some great plays too. The Dawgs played hard all 4 quarters and I am proud of their effort. So many young guys out there that will continue to get better each week. Mistakes have to be made so that they learn from them. I feel good about the future with these guys. I am impressed with Crowell. He held his own against the more experienced Lattimore in yardage. He is going to be great. I support Richt and this team and hope that we can start racking up some W’s. GO DAWGS!
NCDawg
September 10th, 2011
9:39 pm
All you haters, have an original thought. Pile-ing on the hate gets you nowhere. You think the players are going to play hard for bandwagon jumper offers like you? Think about the program long term.
Here’s what to love.
Jesus that was better than the Boise game. The d gave up only 17 points, Murray 14, Crowell fumble and fake punt the rest. Grantham FINALLY attacked. Jarvis Jones is an absolute beast. Rambo is back.
We scored 42 points on a very good SEC defense, even with 3 turnovers. Crowell is going to be INCREDIBLE. He is the real deal. We have big time playmakers down the field. This offense is going to be unstoppable very, very soon.
We played our hearts out, kept getting punched in the mouth, kept getting back up. You think this SC team is going to do any better than 4-4 in the league? Garcia a mouth breathing drunk. They are going to lose lots of games.
Phil
September 10th, 2011
9:39 pm
Even though Richt is a bufoon, I don’t blame him for today’s lost. They look prepared and much more motivated than last week. The turnovers killed us. Bobo even did much better today. They finally figured out that you have to get Crowell to the corners and let him use his speed and agility to bust loose.
Richt not calling timeout on the 2nd down play didn’t matter, he would have called timeout on the 3rd and 4th downs to stop the clock. You only have 3 timeouts, not 4. So the clock would have ended up the same anyway. So Bradley is wrong about that.
Better coaching this week but it’s still been atrocious for the last several years. We need a change just to break this horrible slide we are in.
McGarrett
September 10th, 2011
9:39 pm
The kinds of mistakes these dawgs continue to make seem to be the very definition of a “Richt team”.
Have another sip of that jack and take your drunk ass to the house, please have a designated driver.
Rev. Jim Ignatowski
September 10th, 2011
9:39 pm
Well, it stinks, but since this 0-2 start was expected, Don’t get too discouraged. The basic question UGA has to answer is about intelligence and character. It isn’t just about athletic ability, but do they understand that? Can Georgia build a program where the players care so much about game-intelligence and character that they become a smarter, better team?
Coach Richt is a GOOD man, and reportedly good with players. That is what makes this so perplexing. He is supposed to be the one who would take young athletes to the next level of their personal character development. Not just a star here and there, but the whole team. You sort of knew this was a problem when you saw all the off-field misadventures.
The hope here is that he figures it out. This won’t be the year (sorry, but it won’t.) Richt should now go “all in” on building team character for this season. It won’t hurt his W’s and L’s. If he survives to next year (he will) all these talented young kids will be better young men and UGA will have a team it can really be proud of. Win or lose. Imagine that.
BIG MIKE DAWG
September 10th, 2011
9:40 pm
I know ive bashed Bobo and CMR but game was all on A Murray. He hurt the team with sloopy ball handling, poor passes, and bad decisions. He repeatedly eyed his recievers and failed to see the field infront of him. There was recievers open but he threw he ball into tight coverage. He is innacurate and apparently has tunnel vision. The hand off to Crowel was high to the chest. He gave them 14 points all on his own. Now subtract that from the total. And you have a new ballgame. This was’t on CMR Dawg Nation!!! Bobo bone head play calling along with A Murray sorry performance. I have always felt that Murray was over rated and he hasn’t improved this year he has regressed into a below average SEC Qb he really is.. They will not win a game if he doesn’t improve. The guy behind him looks better as a Qb. But Bobo isn’t smart enough to pull him out a series or too like CMR used to do with David Greene and Shockly.. So set Murray, let it fester and fire Bobo. Maybe Vandy could use him… Murray if u read this then u know i’m right and quit holding on to it too long and take a sack vs giving up 7…. Save CMR!!!! YES WE CAN!!!! BoBo = ” That aint change, thats more of the same”
Chili dog
September 10th, 2011
9:40 pm
Nice job Arron Murray. You’ll win the same number of championships as m staff.
NCDawg
September 10th, 2011
9:40 pm
Oh, and MB thought Paul Johnson was going to be a great coach, a true winner and eclipse UGA. That turned out about right, right?
Ron Burgandy
September 10th, 2011
9:40 pm
If the effort present tonight was there last Saturday, dawgs win against BSU. I think that the coaches focussed on tonights game prior to last Saturday. Team played very well…so well in fact that we are in no man’s land with respect to Richt.
Losing is acceptable when the effort–and preparedness is there. 6 inches on the onside kick–6! This would have been a totally different game. That was an inspired play call. Inspired. That level of inspiration is infectious–and was totally lacking in game one.
The players played hard tonight–it is a shame that they weren’t rewarded. I hate to say it but I think Richt stays–so long as the effort tonight is there from here on out and provided he brings in a similarly talented recruiting class.
muttsuck
September 10th, 2011
9:40 pm
“We looked like the better team – but we seem to find ways to lose”
Spoken like a true dawg fan. Correction…”better teams find a way to WIN”.
JB
September 10th, 2011
9:40 pm
Clean up a few mistakes and play this hard the rest of the way, I don’t see anyone beating us. I’ve been watching florida. They are pounding Rainy up the middle. He’s 170 pounds. He’s all they got and Brantley is very average. Auburn and miss st are not as good as Carolina. Hell, You know fish fry would wilt. I can see 9 wins, maybe all of them. ….. Yes, I’m sober.
BeerDawg
September 10th, 2011
9:40 pm
KBP……I know I’m sounding like a broken record…..but…..1-10 against the last 11 ranked opponents. You can rationalize it all you want……but that number is not gonna change
dawg tired
September 10th, 2011
9:40 pm
Mark Richt has become the Dale Earnhardt Jr of college football coaches.
D man
September 10th, 2011
9:41 pm
I still believe in Marks ability to coach up these boys and have a good season. Mark is a great coach and deserves better results this season. Don’t forget what he has done for this team in the past. Bad seasons happen folks. Get off the fire Richt bandwagon and start being real fans… GO DAWGS…
confused
September 10th, 2011
9:41 pm
How about this for a headline….The Evil Genuis beats Saint Mark
DamntheButcher
September 10th, 2011
9:41 pm
We can’t Stop. We have to keep up the pressure until Mark Richt is fired. Please people, we have to keep the Bashing going.
Bubba Bean
September 10th, 2011
9:41 pm
I can coach….
mason
September 10th, 2011
9:41 pm
If UGA is going to keep this coaching staff then UGA needs to leave the SEC and join the ACC. Right now they are not competent enough to have UGA compete in the SEC.
The only wins I see are to CC, Ole Miss, Vandy, NM St and KY
Jon Glover
September 10th, 2011
9:42 pm
This is border line insanity……..seems to think losing is acceptable.
ATLCock
September 10th, 2011
9:42 pm
Dogs finally feel like the cocks have for so many years. The played a better game, butbstill lost. Welcome to hell.
Dawg fans....
September 10th, 2011
9:42 pm
I hope it hurts like hell!!! IT DOES!!!! Doesn’t it??!?!?! LOL!!!
Too bad for Richt
September 10th, 2011
9:42 pm
God isn’t a Bulldog Fan, so stop acting like his religion matters.
DamntheButcher
September 10th, 2011
9:42 pm
D Man
A bad season happens every now and then. Not 4 years in a row you idiot.
Ron Burgandy
September 10th, 2011
9:42 pm
Worth saying 2 more things:
Did anyone else think the game turned when Bobo called the draw play on 3rd and 16 from the 5?
Also…it used to be that USC found a way to lose when we played. The roles have now reversed.
itrubslthelotiononitsskin
September 10th, 2011
9:42 pm
Mark Richt licks the sweat of Paul Johnson’s moobs.
JRW7
September 10th, 2011
9:42 pm
The DAWGS did play better, but too many big time mistakes, and we lost again! Does well coached teams make that many big time mistakes in one game? Which loss pushes CMR out? Which one?
Complex Simplicity
September 10th, 2011
9:42 pm
“My prediction is that they take it up a notch and win eight of the remaining ten games.”
At least you’re sticking with your dawgs, delusions of grandeur be damned. Yall have been singing this sad song for five seasons. Sad.
MountainDawg
September 10th, 2011
9:43 pm
I’m tired of losing. Enough said.
BOISE in ATL
September 10th, 2011
9:43 pm
Wow – what can you say?
UGA just does not know how to win a football game.
South Carolina made the plays to win – made the playes to overcome their mistakes.
UGA did not.
Consider the early opportunities turned into only 2 field goals and 1 missed 29 yeard field goal.
Consider the PATHETIC play calling on those drived – two of them 3RD and 2 – and throwing into either double coveraged or locked on a receiver 15 – 20 yards down the field. Why call these plays when your O-Line is getting push and the running game is clicking! At least you put yourself in 4th and inches if desired to go for first down.
Details and mistakes – Rambo offsides – DETAILS STUPID!!!!
Murray not hanging onto the ball on the sack – he should ahve gone down – STUPID!!!!
Punt Fake – STUPID STUPID STUPID – they had numbers for the play – my wife said – hey look for the fake – and boom 6 points for South Carolina.
Hey – the Georgia team played hard – but who cares – UGA lost again.
This team beat themselves with stupid coaching decisions, sloppy play – and it was too much to overcome. By the way – Jordan LOVE – interfence call again – same against BOISE!!!
Bucky
September 10th, 2011
9:43 pm
Four words – The Old Ball Coach !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Coaching skill matters.
AK Dawg
September 10th, 2011
9:43 pm
The dawgs got hosed by the refs as usual or they would have won. They will beat Fla and Tenn easy–bank on it! If usc loses a couple, Ga can still win the SEC east!
Not Disappointed!
September 10th, 2011
9:43 pm
UGA played a good game! They just has a few bad mistakes and Garcia played enough to win! Dawgs should win the next two and be back on track. Good Luck
Ramblin Wreck!
S Spurrier
September 10th, 2011
9:43 pm
All those recruits….Naaaaahhhh….did I say that??? HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!
virginia dog
September 10th, 2011
9:43 pm
Folks … i think i see a light at the end of the tunnel. Richt is still on the hot seat but i saw improvement and if we continue to see improvement we have to assume we are headed in the right direction. BUT WE GOT TO WIN 8 games. After all Vanderbilt has moral victories, not Georgia and not coaches that make a quarter million dollars a game.
After all look at Tennessee and Michigan … two proud programs that fired successful coaches and both are lost and in worse shape than Georgia. ( I’m just saying … firing a coach that has a winning past is risky and does not always pay)
JB
September 10th, 2011
9:44 pm
mason…it you’re a Gator or a Bama fool, I remember years they sucked big time. It happens. Charlie Pell and Shula………..I remember.