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
Gators for Richt
September 10th, 2011
10:11 pm
Uh… maybe some new uniforms. Maybe go with all-white this time.
FORTY FIVE POINTS to your forty two points
September 10th, 2011
10:11 pm
(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((45-42)))))))))))))))))))))))))
Cali Dawg
September 10th, 2011
10:11 pm
Everyone needs to get off the new coach thing with a “known” name. IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN HERE AT UGA. PERIOD. UGA hires up and comers, cheap. Also, they will NEVER pay two head coaching salaries during the same season, so save it all for the end of the year. Plus, Bobo has like 5 kids…Richt will never relinquish his duties and work him out of a job. No way. He’ll go down with the sinking ship before he does that.
Chuck Dowdle
September 10th, 2011
10:11 pm
It wasn’t CMR’s fault. Its an evil plot by that dastardly Ole Ball Coach.
BobbyDodd
September 10th, 2011
10:11 pm
Yeah, a new coach will help, thats definately the problem. Dog fans are such idiots.
whatacrew
September 10th, 2011
10:12 pm
To Mark Bradley – you stated concerning the Auburn game 9 years ago – “That was the victory that made us believe Richt’s Bulldogs” – wrong – that was with Donnan’s Dawgs. Richt can’t seem to win the big games with HIS PLAYERS.
rosezeee
September 10th, 2011
10:12 pm
Underachieve year after year. Like spurrier said years ago, what happens to all the great recruits when they go UGA? But hey, its all good. So what if we are the doormats of the SEC, at least our fan base is loyal to a fault.
All that the preseason hype and the season’s toast after week two. What a joke.
Well, at least we can get some satisfaction watching the rest of the SEC dominate college football.
Wally Butts
September 10th, 2011
10:12 pm
I said it wouild come down to turnovers.
Grantham
September 10th, 2011
10:12 pm
Only gave up 45 today, make sure my paycheck is waiting for me Monday morning!
M Bradley
September 10th, 2011
10:12 pm
Someone just told me…they DO keep score, and FORTY FIVE points does beat forty two points.
blueboy
September 10th, 2011
10:13 pm
Like I said ” jawja is the best 0 – 2 team in the country. You really think you will beat Tennessee, you have lost your minds! Your defense is the worst in the SEC and tennesse’s offense is the best. Keep dreaming and hope Kirby Smart will take the job.
Furman Bishop
September 10th, 2011
10:13 pm
Assuming Richt is gone, McGarity needs to devote a lot of time, starting now, pondering the question of who is going to replace Richt. If he’s smart he will go after a proven head coach, not some assistant who has never had head coaching experience…i.e. Kirby Smart and the like. He will also have to realize to get a first class coach, it’s going to cost around $4 million bucks, give or take. Another thing to consider, never offer a contract lasting more then 5 years. You can always extend it. One big mistake was offering Richt a ten year contract. Entirely too long, because, as GA fans now know, circumstances can change. Good luck McGarity.
Dawg with two bags on head
September 10th, 2011
10:13 pm
You have to hang this one mostly on Murray and some on Crowell. It looks like Murray beileving all the hype and not coming ready to play.
For once in a long time, I thought the coaching was pretty good outside of Richt falling back into his “play for field goals” mentality early in the game. Like others have said, when Walsh missed that field goal, I told my wife that would come back to bite us.
gcs
September 10th, 2011
10:13 pm
Hooray for moral victories!
tdog
September 10th, 2011
10:13 pm
Look to lose agains Tenn., Auburn, Kentuky,Fla. Ga.Tech and one of the Mississippies. N M State could be a problem. Here we go again. It is tough to keep living in the past. Heck, we would probably be better off with Paul Johnson. His offense is exciting.
Feel Sorry For Richt
September 10th, 2011
10:14 pm
MB could you stop blocking my comments. I’ve said nothing no where near as bad as some of these other comments. But here’s a good comment:
It’s sad that a DOVE (Christian) of a man (Richt) is basically a LAME DUCK for the rest of the season because he lost to a CHICKEN HAWK (Spurrier) and his CHICKENS (Gamecocks) and his GOOSE (Job) is cooked because now the VULTURES (UGA Fans & Alumni) are screaming to have his head chopped off old school style like a Thanksgiving TURKEY and they want (his career) to go the way of the DODO (extinct).
UGA 92
September 10th, 2011
10:14 pm
I wouldn’t shed a tear of CMR announced his retirement tomorrow. But tonight was different. The players lost this game, not CMR. Too many points of turnovers. We are, however, about to start rolling off some wins, so the get rid of Richt bandwagon may shrink. The get rid of Bobo bandwagon will only grow later and larger.
The end is near, or perhaps the beginning..
September 10th, 2011
10:14 pm
I remember being a sophomore at UGA after a freshman season of only 5 wins back in 95. Goff was fired, Donnan came in. Things were still pretty dismal in Athens until that Auburn game..it seemed to change everything. From that point on, we entered every game with the belief we could win it. Now we seem to be back to that dismal feeling of loss. Last 3 games..Central Florida, Boise St, and South Carolina.
Really?
CLIPPER
September 10th, 2011
10:14 pm
So we’ve lost to two good teams. Ten games left, the season is not over. I am more than a little put out with fickle, fair weather fans. GO DAWGS!
bleed gold and black
September 10th, 2011
10:14 pm
Who runs this state>>>>> USC?? Once again the thugs make the state of GA look pathetic. Crowell is alright,
at most he will be there two seasons if he does not flunk out or end up behind bars.LMAO
LakeDawg
September 10th, 2011
10:14 pm
I just wrote a long post summing up the situation CMR and the Dawgs find themselves in and it was eaten by this damn blog! The hell if I’m going to rewrite it. This AJC blog is just like UGA now. Can’t win for losing.
rosezeee
September 10th, 2011
10:14 pm
Make it 9 out of the last 10 against ranked teams. Nuf said
Suwaneedawg
September 10th, 2011
10:14 pm
No coaching mistakes? Really?. Was anyone on the sideline screaming, “watch for the fake”? That ended up being the difference in the game!! I only played little league ball and coached flag football but I was screaming it. How do they NOT expect it in that situation??
CMAC22
September 10th, 2011
10:14 pm
15 – 15 in the last 30 games . the head coach & all the coaches are WAY over paid!!!! You ugaly fans need to start boycotting the sponsors of ugaly football until a change is made!!
ozzfest
September 10th, 2011
10:14 pm
…just got home from Athens.
What time is the McGarrity press conference on Monday morning?
DamntheButcher
September 10th, 2011
10:14 pm
The ole Chapel Bell is silent in Athens tonight.
NCDawg
September 10th, 2011
10:15 pm
Rev. Jim,
Ummm, no arrests this summer, dude. Did you write this entry last year and forget to post it?
Dogs Smell
September 10th, 2011
10:15 pm
Ga you got beat at home. You were out coached ! Dont blame calls or blame refs (typical uga) blame the FACT your D gave up another 45 points ! Oh Ga ’s defense will be sooo stout ! Really Really ? You have given up 90 points in 2 games. That is why you’re 0-2 Your “D” STINKS !!!!!!!!! Lucky to win 5 games this year.
EXCUSES EXCUSES EXCUSES
September 10th, 2011
10:15 pm
What a bunch of goobers the UGA broadcasters are! I mean, I know where your paycheck comes from but don’t insult my intelligence by telling me that it’s o.k., that things are going to be o.k. It’s only cool to be a homer when you are in support of a program with a winning tradition. Things are NOT o.k. Things are NOT going to be o.k. This coaching staff has a losing tradition, it’s what they do. LOSE! Period. It’s inexcusable really. This miserable coaching performance didn’t start tonight. It started 3 years ago and has been allowed to continue. Somebody needs to tell the A.D. to get his head out from up his a** and put a stop to this bullsh** now!!!
National Champion Fan
September 10th, 2011
10:15 pm
UGA, your program is average at best. No threat for the SEC East, much less for the SEC, much less for the Nat Champs. War Damn Eagle. Some teams just know how to win. Bless you all and the USA for tomorrow, Sept 11. God Bless America.
Dawg with two bags on head
September 10th, 2011
10:15 pm
Grantham,
Defense only gave up 17 points.
Phil
September 10th, 2011
10:15 pm
“Onside kick with 2 mins left and 3 TO’s? Wow, Stupid, stupid, stupid”
I have been down on Richt probably more than anybody, but I agree with the decision to try the onside kick. Chances are they were not going to stop Lattimore from getting a first down even if they had kicked it deep. You know they would have ran him 3 straight plays. So at least with the onside kick we have a chance to get that ball back. Kicking it deep would have only meant they get their first down from their side of the field rather than ours. Game over either way.
cleotis, sr, baxley GA
September 10th, 2011
10:15 pm
well shoot, we still got a chance to play for the SEC and national championship. two losses don’t mean a hill of beans. mark my words y’all will be begging mark to stay after the dawgs get that national championship but i don’t blame him if he leaves for noter dame
Ga Fan
September 10th, 2011
10:15 pm
Can’t wait until next spring….”Drem Team, GREATEST recruiting class EVER, NATIONAL cHAMPIONSHIP”!
And then we start playing real games…what a let down.
The end is near, or perhaps the beginning..
September 10th, 2011
10:16 pm
Somebody hire Michael Vick..we need our Dawgs whipped into shape.
Homer
September 10th, 2011
10:16 pm
I’ve never seen the comments of SO many delusional twits in one place. Uga got the usual home field officiating gimme, played against the worst QB performance they’ll see all season, & still choked at HOME. If you’re still proud, you’ll be ecstatic at 5-7!
ET
September 10th, 2011
10:16 pm
OK, quit crying about the officiating. The UGA player was off-sides on the on side kickoff attempt. It wasn’t by a lot, but he was over the line. Carolina should have been given the ball on that fumble that the officials blew UGA kept the ball. Crying about the official’s calls just sounds like your making excuses.
Bucky
September 10th, 2011
10:16 pm
BobbyDodd is the only poster on this site that has a brain. I am no Ga Tech fan, but I do live here now and thankfully we have a real university in Ga that actually produces students with a brain rather than the brain dead fans of UGA. Man you UGA posters are void of brain matter. At least there is no shortage of people to work on my car or make me french fries.
Dawg Tired
September 10th, 2011
10:16 pm
Special teams SUCKED…
If Mark Richt ever rushed a field goal, extra point OR PUNT it would have been different!!!
kennyg
September 10th, 2011
10:16 pm
45 + 35 = 80
DamntheButcher
September 10th, 2011
10:16 pm
Wait till next year… We will gettum
bleed gold and black
September 10th, 2011
10:17 pm
Dream team bla,you mean the same ole team
Notewise
September 10th, 2011
10:17 pm
As a Univ. of South Carolina graduate and fan here in ATL, I can’t believe all the hatred toward CMR on here. You guys played a fantastic game tonight and took us all the way to the wire. The game plan against us was a good one, we just made one extra big Defensive play at the end to squeek out a win. UGA has nothing to be ashamed of. It was an AWESOME football game!
BIG MIKE DAWG
September 10th, 2011
10:17 pm
This is to Josh… get off this blog Bobo.. Ur ass is gone… Hate to tell u bro but we all r rednecks and proud of it.. ” country is country wide” Shot out to Brantley Gilbert..
Jimmy
September 10th, 2011
10:17 pm
FMR:
Your loyalty is not to Georgia.
If you want MR fired this early in the season you want to blow recruiting.
Doesn’t sound like you have UGA’s best interest at heart.
Sowing discord this early in the season
Doesn’t sound like you have UGA’s best interest at heart.
The AD doesn’t need your negative blogs to help him make us his mind on MR.
Winning and losing will do that…and how we win or lose will do that.
Your loyalty is not to UGA Techie.
1-10 Against ranked teams (formerly BeerDawg)
September 10th, 2011
10:17 pm
I’m sick of being called a “fair weather fan” when UGA’s record is 1-10 over the past 5 years…..that’s y-e-a-r-s!!!
Are we supposed to shut up and just wait until we are 2-20 against ranked teams before we’re allowed to complain???
Suwanee Dawg
September 10th, 2011
10:17 pm
It was definately a better effort, but there was ALOT of coaching decisions that were HORRIBLE!!
1) first quarter we had 3rd and short(2yds and 3yds) twice and Bobo calls for 12 yard passes instead of giving it to Crowell or throwing a quick hitch for 4 or 5 yds. we settled for fieldgoals BOTH times
2) Crowell was running all over them, but Bobo continued to split carries with Samuel. You dont see the evil genius splitting carries with Lattimore!! he knows what a weapon Lattimore is and he gets the ball in his hands 35-45 times EVERY game.
3) why the hell were we not ready for that fake punt??? Spurrier does that at least once a game EVERY time we play them!!! you have to be ready for that
I hate to say it, but its time to make a change. the game has passes coach Richt by. we have become a middle of the pack SEC team and thats a shame when we have as much talent year after year as ANYBODY in the conference
SatillaDawg
September 10th, 2011
10:18 pm
Well, there was some improvement. But bottom line, Dawg fans…it’s yet another LOSS! And a crucial SEC one at that. Win the East? Hah! Not gonna happen. Wake up, people! CMR must go. He’s not earning the millions we’re paying him. The captain goes down with the ship, and this ship has been sinking, sinking, sinking for years. How much longer are we alumni and fans expected to bail water on this floundering crate? The clincher for me was the inept special teams play on the fake punt. How on earth was this allowed to happen? Even casual football fans know Spurrier loves trick plays. Simply inexcusable. I called for CMR’s resignation last year, and I renew the call this year. He’s a nice enough guy, but college football has evolved and changed. CMR’s coaching style has not. Time for fresh ideas.
gadawgs
September 10th, 2011
10:18 pm
This one is on Murray and our special teams, not the coaches.
Bulldawg Nation
September 10th, 2011
10:18 pm
I was one of the most vocal people calling for Mark Richt and the coaching staffs job after the Boise State game b/c it was evident they were not ready………………..but they were today and played a hell of game while missing Alec Olgetree…………….if Alec was playing maybe we don’t give up as many yards on the ground………………….I was proud of all our players…………………..they are kids and everyone is going to make mistakes just seemed like they all happened to us in the second half. I wish i could be p*ssed @ Murray but he was spot on the second half minus the fumble…………….wish he had thrown it away or tucked it but he didn’t………………….people this is a very young team
they are improving