Alas, fixing UGA will require more than a few Richt ‘tweaks’
"How the heck did we win that goshdarn thing, anyway?" (AJC photo by Brant Sanderlin)
Looking lousy against Boise State was one thing. Looking good but losing anyway was, in its way, worse. After the Georgia Bulldogs congratulated themselves on their Great Effort against South Carolina, the thought occurred:
Does Nick Saban congratulate himself after losses?
There are two ways to regard the bizarre doings of Saturday night. Mark Richt’s sunny-side-up stance was to speak of his team having “all the ingredients” and just needing “to tweak a couple of things.” The burnt-toast way is to reference the scoreboard and note that, once again, Richt’s team did whatever it took to lose.
You don’t go from losing half of your past 30 games to winning championships by tweaking. If anyone should know, it’s Richt. The march to the 2002 SEC championship was fueled by the desire — Richt’s words — to knock the lid off Georgia football. (The Bulldogs had gone two decades without a title.) Knocking implies force. Tweaking implies rather less. For contemporary Georgia football, less cannot yield more.
Optimists among us will point to Isaiah Crowell and Malcolm Mitchell and Aaron Murray and Orson Charles and laud, as Richt did Saturday night, Georgia’s “talent base.” But the Bulldogs haven’t lacked for talent — not under Richt, not under Jim Donnan, not even under Ray Goff. At issue is whether Georgia again can learn to win, and that’s a whole ‘nother matter.
There’s a troubling label for what Georgia has become, and that label is “South Carolina.” For more than a century the Gamecocks would try very hard and stir deep passion but never quite get it right. How many times did Carolina play the Bulldogs off their feet and lose at the end? It happened in 2002, the David Pollack sack/snatch game that also featured two Gamecock fumbles on the goal line; happened in 2004, when Carolina led 16-0 but lost 20-16; happened in 2009, when it outgained Georgia by 119 yards but lost because Brandon Boykin returned a kickoff to score and because DeAngelo Tyson blocked a tying PAT.
There was no reason for Georgia to lose Saturday. Indeed, losing required real doing. More than just being fooled on a fake punt, Georgia couldn’t intercept a defensive end as he thundered 68 yards to a touchdown. It was bad enough that nobody blocked Jadeveon Clowney, far worse that Murray waved the ball and left it unsecured, thereby turning a sack into a sack, strip and score.
“We’re going to shake off the mistakes and become a very good football team,” Richt said, and maybe Georgia will. But I’m more skeptical after South Carolina than after Boise State. More and more, Richt bears the look of one of those coaches who can take his’n and lose to your’n and vice versa.
Loading ...Did the coach order Murray and Crowell to botch a handoff at a time when Georgia was poised to take a 27-14 lead? Of course not. But the worst possible play at the worst possible moment has become a Bulldog signature. Georgia should have beaten Colorado last season, but Caleb King fumbled. Georgia could have beaten Florida, but Murray threw into a throng in overtime.
Mathematically speaking, Richt was correct in saying: “We’re still in the Eastern Division race.” Having watched Richt’s team contrive to lose a game that would have been far easier to win, I can’t summon up much enthusiasm for math.
Sure, it’s possible Georgia could win the next 10 games and take the East. It’s possible Richt could not only keep his seat but cement himself in place. It’s also possible Georgia will continue to do as Georgia now does — lose most every close game — and Dan Mullen will be tapped to coach the Bulldogs in 2012.
Speaking of Boise, Richt had said: “When you play a team that’s used to winning and that knows how to win, it’s hard.” Georgia has become the kind of team that’s easy to play. An opponent needn’t do all that much — just hang around long enough for the Bulldogs to mess up.
By Mark Bradley
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639 comments Add your comment
Mad
September 11th, 2011
8:18 pm
Look who’s pic is on the front page of yahoo ncaa sports. CMR
Another Paul Hewitt?
September 11th, 2011
8:19 pm
Mark Richt = Paul Hewitt = Chronic Loser
And you know what happened to Hewitt.
BigTimeUGAFan
September 11th, 2011
8:20 pm
Bee84, the game eventually is going to be played in Athens! I think the odds are 50%, but I can’t be sure! Go Dawgs!
Eric
September 11th, 2011
8:20 pm
What’s that? Two ranked sec teams playing on thursday. I thought from the douchebag uga fans on here, that only crappy teams played on Thursdays!
RT
September 11th, 2011
8:21 pm
The worst part about it is that South Carolina didn’t even look that impressive. I think there is a good chance that Muschamp is a good enough coach to capture the East in his first year.
Jeff
September 11th, 2011
8:28 pm
Wow a crap clemson team is favored by 4 over Aubbie.
wastedyears
September 11th, 2011
8:31 pm
5-7 no contact after this year he knows it what about urban meyer he its out there richt its not a coach but one hell of a recruiter see if he will stay has that urban would make ga legite again im goin out on a limb here but me thinks we get in the win colunm this wk against our lady of the virgins catholic school …the season is over in sept again..par for the course with what is there its became comical …….uga is a joke ….
Engineer
September 11th, 2011
8:33 pm
The dawgs may win 7—-look for a beatdown by Tech—Coach Johnson has the machine well oiled, again. Ga better hope they don’t play ucf again—O’leary has a better team this year.
wastedyears
September 11th, 2011
8:34 pm
IF MARK RICHT IS A SEC COACH IM A SPACE SHUTTLLE PILOT ALSO WHY DO THEY PUT SOOOOO MUCH GLUE ON ROLLS OF TOILET PAPER
Garner!
September 11th, 2011
8:35 pm
if richt gets fired, Ga needs to hire an African-American coach to better relate to the players. Most of the team is African-American and Ga should hire Rodney Garner as head coach! Garner will not let them lose to average teams!
Dr. Phil
September 11th, 2011
8:38 pm
Anyone who remembers the “Bear” Bryant tv show will remember him saying things after a loss like, “it is all my fault. I didn’t have the team ready. Poor coaching.” Then he would have the team out scrimmaging on Sunday morning, and sometimes Saturday night. I also remember him saying, “I am nicer now, but I haven’t forgotten the old way.” Richt has not held himself, his coaches, or his players responsible for sorry play or behavior issues. He has set the tone for himself and his team, and he can’t change it at this point. He will surely be gone at the end of the year, but then, no successful coach will abide Adams’ micromanagement. That was what sent Donnan and Dooley on their way and brought us Harrick and Tony Cole. Most university presidents would have stepped in years ago as Richt’s players rolled up ten or so arrests a year and became a national spectacle with the end zone dance against UF. But Richt was winning games, and donations and ticket sales were at record levels. That won’t be the case by the end of this season.
LakeDawg
September 11th, 2011
8:38 pm
Your article hit the nail on the head. Nothing for me to add.
DA BEARS!!!!!!!!
September 11th, 2011
8:39 pm
HOW BOUT THEM FALCONS!!!! NO DEFENSE AT ALL AND OFF LINE PROBLEMS APLENTY MAY GO 7-9..ALL OF GA TEAMS SUCK
bugsquacher
September 11th, 2011
8:39 pm
“We need everybody to support us,” Richt said. “We need everybody to just watch and see what happens, because things will turn around. The future is still very bright, I know that.”
WHEN MARK? WHEN? ………….. (continue to drink the kool-aid, drink the kool-aid)
Hairy Dawg
September 11th, 2011
8:39 pm
Coach Richt is best we had in winning SEC East and the bad fans that eat to many dungs from cat pan is tryings to hot sit him out of here. Quit letting your heads a filling up with cat pan stuff to interrupts your thinking.
Weve got to keep Coach Richt cause he makes us get the good tecruits like Crowell. Without Coach Richt we have a harder time getting Christainizing players commits to Dawgs. That makes difference in getting all the talents from Georgia and keeping evil coachs of other teams out of state. Then when we keeps talent in state for Dawgs and that makes us with the talents to dominants SEC and win BCS.
But we got to keep Coach Richt to do it and get behinds him in support againts the pointy heads of Adams. Then we can recruit without restrictoins and stockpile talent at Hargraves for running league and BCS.
Go Dawgs!
Captain Obvious
September 11th, 2011
8:39 pm
We will not hear from Tampa Gator between October 1st and October 15th. He will go in hiding after 2 embarrassing back-to-back losses to Bama and LSU, only to emerge October 16th after the Gators barely beat Auburn. Then he will, once again, run his mouth about how great the Gators are, how exceptional the talent and coaching level is at UF, and how they are going to beat down the Dawgs. Typical jort fan.
bugsquacher
September 11th, 2011
8:39 pm
test
bugsquacher
September 11th, 2011
8:40 pm
mr mcgarity? paging mr mcgarity? the patient is coding…. please return to the operating room and remove the clowns….
bugsquacher
September 11th, 2011
8:43 pm
in the great words of lewis gizzard… after this game… Elvis is dead and Im not feeling so well myself…
UGA 99
September 11th, 2011
8:48 pm
We can still win the sec and a national champeonship. No need to panik yet.If we win out and it can happon we will be top 5 and when we beat alabama or lsu, we will be in the big game. GO DAWGS
Tampa Gator
September 11th, 2011
8:52 pm
Captain obvious…….
My preseason predicition for the Gators this year was 9-4 with loses to Bama, LSU, Georgia, and FSU. However, I am changing that now. I also predicted that Georgia would beat SC and win the East this year. Not sure that will happen now. Also…..when Florida lost to Georgia a few years ago….I was on the next day taking my lumps….
After watching Bama this weekend…..I am not sure anyone can beat them. But I think the Gators will play them well in THE SWAMP. I believe it will be a close game, but Bama will edge to victory.
It will be hard for the Gators to upset LSU down there. They are very, very good. But it is possible.
The Gators are very young in a lot of positions….but very talented….and well coached. We will see. But…in any case…..I have never hid after a Gator loss. So you no little of which you speak or predict.
BULLDAWG BILL
September 11th, 2011
8:52 pm
FIRE MARK RICHT NOW! CLEAN HOUSE! GO THE REMAINDER OF THE SEASON WITHOUT A COACH — COULDN’T BE ANY WORSE.
SugarHillDawg
September 11th, 2011
8:55 pm
Hey Engineer, I’ll be the first to say that we are sucking right now but who in the HELL are you to say a DAMN word about UGA? We’ll beat the ever loving pocket protectors off you NERDS . Crowell will have 300 yards against you perennial puscatores!!!
Tampa Gator
September 11th, 2011
8:55 pm
P.S. Captain…….
This is sports blog for people to come on and express their opinions. What are you going to do to me if I come on here when the Gators lose. Reach through the computer and choke me? One thing I will not do……is come on here and rip the Gator coaching staff apart if they lose two in a row to highly ranked teams and want them fired. I can guarantee you that. I never posted that I wanted Zook fired. I was supportive of Zook (blindly, as it turned out) when he was losing games as the coach and some idiot had the fireronzook.com site up.
So…..be ready to read my posts all year….
The Real Hairy Dawg
September 11th, 2011
8:56 pm
Pay no attention to the buffoon mocking my ineffable perfection as a mascot! He is just another little bee who was good at math, but can’t spell or make sense with the written word to save his life.
Tampa Gator
September 11th, 2011
8:57 pm
That should have been….”you know little of which you speak.”
LakeDawg
September 11th, 2011
8:57 pm
I feel like I did during the Goff years. Knowing that the coach would never turn it around, but having to wait for the string to play out. All the while, another season down the drain.
Russ is Gonna Run Away
September 11th, 2011
8:58 pm
Hey, M.B. Your poll results shows 58% saying 7-5 or worse, 41% 84 to 9-3, and 9% saying 10-2. According to my calculator, that adds up to 106%. You must be a GA Tech valedictorian.
Whole lotta Richt cheerleaders in full blown denial on the blog tonight. The undisputable facts are:
UGA is the only team in the SEC – East or West – at 0 & 2. We are officially the worst of the worst in the SEC. Which puts us on par with the ACC.
There’s not a single SEC game left in the schedule where anyone could make a sound, objective argument that we should be the favored team in the contest. It’s come to that.
SEC haters use UGA as a point of mockery to pull down the SEC’s reputation as the toughest conference out there. And they’re right.
The multi-year denial of the downward spiral of the program by coaches, administration and fans who mistake lemming-like devotion for fan status has resulted in our being in the condition we find ourselves in: a laughing stock of the conference and the NCAA, a source of embarrasment, and a program that no championship caliber coaching prospect would want.
How can we delude ourselves into thinking Smart or Mullen would WANT to coach us? To put it simply, we stink, and it’s going to take several years to wash the stench away. No coach already on the cusp of greatness would want to take on such horrible odds.
Our insistence on hiding our head in the sand for the past several seasons has led us to where we are, and it will take longer to climb out of the quicksand than it took to slide in it.
We are now forced to “hope” for victories, “be patient” and wait for the always-prmosed but never delivered improvements to show up.
Don’t anyone doubt my UGA credentials. I’ve been a devoted fan since the 70’s, got my Grady ABJ on the wall, met and married my UGA wife, and raised my kids to be future Bulldogs. I’ve put in the effort over the years and earned the right to speak the truth. We suck and it’s only getting worse. No amount of sugar coating can fix that.
Dusty
September 11th, 2011
8:59 pm
It was a 3 point game. Cut out the turnovers, OR BENCH MURRAY, and we can start winning.
Phil
September 11th, 2011
9:02 pm
Mark Richt = Bobby Cox
Cox had a good run but stayed WAY too long. Richt had a good run also but it’s over, been over. We thank you for what you did in the past Richt, but it’s time for you to hit the road also. We need a whole new mindset in Athens. Losing breeds losing and that is the cycle we are in.
Tampa Gator
September 11th, 2011
9:03 pm
BulldawgBill….
You are a true Dawg fan, aren’t you? Not. I think the Dawgs will go head to head with the rest of the teams they face this year and are capable of winning each game…..including the one against my Gators. But your DC needs to coach better….and Murray needs to play better….as does you OL. If that doesn’t happen, the Dawgs might lose 5 to 6 games this year.
RedShirt
September 11th, 2011
9:04 pm
Look for UGA to finish 9-4 or 10-3.
BBPrince
September 11th, 2011
9:04 pm
Nice game guys, 45-42. Gave it all. Let’s run the table.
The Real Hairy Dawg
September 11th, 2011
9:04 pm
Lake Dawg, and then Georgia hired Richt after a few more years and we started winning. Remember?
Colton
September 11th, 2011
9:05 pm
Bobo scored 42 on a great front 7. Crowell is the real deal Lucille. Commings owned Jeffery, the td was on Smith, not Commings.
NoDawg
September 11th, 2011
9:06 pm
Where to start? 1st the 2 top RBs from last year are gone, 2nd the best receiver is gone, sophomore QB, freshman wide out, freshman (small) RB, former LB is the other RB, injuries are mounting. So why is everyone surprised? Why is it EVERY year is supposed to be THE year. USC started a 5 year senior QB, All-American wide out, All-American RB. You’re lucky you weren’t run out of the stadium. ANOTHER long year for the over-hyped dawgs and the delusional fans.
SHOULD BE FUN
Remiss
September 11th, 2011
9:06 pm
Bench Aaron Murray. He was too tired ot hand the ball off, and had a fumble and an int, lost 21 points on 3 dumb plays by a 3rd year guy. Gets worse wiht every start.
HB
September 11th, 2011
9:07 pm
I’d like to see Hutson Mason or Christian Lemay. Murray chokes under pressure.
Athens dawg 2
September 11th, 2011
9:07 pm
I see glimpses in Murray, but does anyone know his record as a starter. I believe it is 6 – 9. One of the worst percentages by one of our qbs in my lifetime. Not all Murray, but maybe a switch could change momentum.
Garcia was off yesterday. Anyone who thinks our d played well did not see how many wide open receivers Garcia missed and missed and Lattimore still got 170 yards rushing when we all knew that was the only option they had to move the ball with Garcia out of sync. Uga would have kicked deep with 2 minutes left and 2 timeouts if we had any confidence we could stop Lattimore. Wise decision – we did not come close.
GarthBooks
September 11th, 2011
9:08 pm
The way I see it, without #11, we win 42 to 17.
The Real Hairy Dawg
September 11th, 2011
9:08 pm
NoDawg=NoClue
Hot Dawg
September 11th, 2011
9:08 pm
Tampa Gator, was it miserable during the 70’s when you were a student at UF and Dooley owned you guys?
Disgusted with Journalists
September 11th, 2011
9:09 pm
Mark, you are a journalistic thug. A thug with an obvious agenda of stiring up the yahoos instead of reporting on what happened on the field. Unfortunately, you are backed by your mighty pen and a train-load of ink. Have you ever strapped on a helmet? Stop picking on these kids and the mistakes they made. You act like Mark Richt conjured up a play that would cause a sack and fumble or that all of these kids weren’t playing their heart out. Georgia got beat by two ranked teams with more experience, and in the case of this Saturday, just plain more luck. If you want to pick on someone deserving, pile on the Falcons. Those guys were getting paid and underachieved. Maybe you should call for Mike Smith’s job. Get lost, you rabble rousing jerk. I’m done reading your crap.
Jumpshooter
September 11th, 2011
9:09 pm
I’ve never seem a UGA QB with worse TIMING than Aaron Murray.
Kid OVERTHROWS early in games.
Then UNDERTHROWS late.
The FUMBLES at the WORST TIMES.
He does the WRONG thing at the WRONG time more than any UGA QB I’ve watched in 37 years.
The Real Hairy Dawg
September 11th, 2011
9:10 pm
Put Brantley under the kind of pressure and see how well he does! We ought to start calling Murray the Great Wallenda–had good stats while demonstrating death defying escapes!
Scout
September 11th, 2011
9:10 pm
One tweak is get a new QB.
ncdawg
September 11th, 2011
9:11 pm
Mark, write a real column, you are reaching for comments!!!!
XrAYED
September 11th, 2011
9:12 pm
I’d like to see a few things tweaked:
1- Get No. 2 QB some reps
2- Stop fumbling
3- Stop throwing int’s for pick 6’s
4- Stop falling for 63 yard fake punt for td
5- Start hanDind crowell the ball 45 times a game, stop ROTATING RB’S
joe taxpayer
September 11th, 2011
9:12 pm
Please hire Patterson from TCU.
Uga2002
September 11th, 2011
9:13 pm
Cam Newton throws 422 yards with no true off season and looks fantastic as a quarterback in his first game in the NFL. Kind of like he was in college.
Glad CMR only saw him as a tight end.