A soggy salute to the Georgia Bulldogs, SEC East champs
Branden Smith returns a first-half interception Saturday. (AJC photo by Brant Sanderlin)
Athens — On the dark night Georgia lost to South Carolina to slide to 0-2, the Bulldogs’ offensive coordinator went looking for spirits to lift. To his surprise, Mike Bobo found that spirits were unbowed.
“I’d tell them, ‘If we hang together and keep working, we’ve got a chance to be very good,’” Bobo said Saturday. “And every one of them said, ‘Coach, we’ve got a chance to be great.’”
As he spoke, Bobo sat in a chair in a locker room, the floor of which had been covered in plastic and doused with water. A nondescript game had ended with the Georgia Bulldogs champions of the SEC East for the first time since the distant year 2005.
“We grabbed water bottles and threw them around the room,” said wide receiver Marlon Brown, scorer of Georgia’s only touchdown this day, and even the 51-year-old head coach got in the soggy swing of things. Seeking to slide across the wet surface, Mark Richt made it only halfway.
“I thought it was going to be fun,” Richt said of his maneuver. “I can’t say it was fun.”
For Richt, the day’s overriding emotion seemed more relief than exultation. He arrived from Florida State in 2001, won the SEC in 2002 and took his Bulldogs to the SEC championship game three times in four years. Then, having set the bar high, Richt went five years without a return to the title game, and when this season began there was no assurance this coach would have this job come 2012. And then the 2011 Bulldogs started 0-2.
“When we lost to South Carolina [the second of the two losses], a lot of things go through your mind as a coach,” Richt said. “Sometimes you’ve got to make something up — you don’t want to lose your team. But [that night] I could stand there with a straight face; it was very easy to believe in them. And I said, ‘If we don’t spit the bit … if we keep grinding, we can do it.’ ”
On Saturday, his Bulldogs finished this latest drill. Yes, they were aided by a schedule that eased after the back-to-back whammy of Boise State and South Carolina, but it isn’t as if Georgia backed into anything. It has won nine consecutive games, beating Tennessee and Florida and Auburn en route, and it finished 7-1 in SEC play. (Let’s note that South Carolina took the East with a 5-3 record last season.)
Richt: “It’s hard to win nine in a row. We’ve done something special.”
The details of a forgettable Victory No. 9 — Georgia trailed Kentucky, which had lost by 30 points to Vanderbilt last week, after 29 minutes and led only 12-10 after three quarters — will soon be forgotten. The ramifications will linger long. Said cornerback Brandon Boykin: “I’ll definitely remember this game for clinching a championship on Senior Day. Everyone had so much riding on this game.”
Richt again: “I told the players this [East title] was the most meaningful to me. I don’t know if that’s true or not, but it felt like it today.”
Here he laughed, but there was no comedic content in the job Richt and his staff did to keep this team buoyant after a start that might have sunk another bunch. “It wasn’t just 0-2,” Richt said, “but 0-2 coming off 6-7 [of last season] and with everything swirling around. We did a really good job handling all the noise.”
Said linebacker Jarvis Jones, the sudden star of a ravenous defense that held Kentucky to 13 yards and one first down after halftime: “It’s not how you drive; it’s how you arrive. We kept fighting, and look at us now.”
Said cornerback Branden Smith: “All [the 0-2 start] did was bring us together as one family.”
Said Brown: “We kept grinding.”
Even after 11 games and nine victories, it’s hard to know just how good Georgia is. The Auburn victory was the only time the Bulldogs thrashed an SEC opponent, and for long stretches Saturday they flailed against the worst Kentucky team of the new millennium. But they won. Since the night of Sept. 10, they’ve done nothing except win.
Said Richt: “I don’t know if we’re a great team, but we’re SEC East champs.”
In the grand scheme, that’s all that matters. Georgia headed back to the big game in the big city, back where it once belonged. Full credit to this team and this coach for taking it there.
By Mark Bradley
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710 comments Add your comment
Drunk Bee
November 19th, 2011
11:38 pm
That would most likely be Bama…but who knows this year!
here's the news, folks.
November 19th, 2011
11:38 pm
We (UGA) can play with LSU, they have a dominating defense, as do we. They have an inconsistent
offense, as do we. Arkansas scares me much more than LSU or, for that matter, Alabama. They’ve got the type of offense, and the gunslinger coach, that could hurt us.
Either way, the Dogs are going to the Dome.
Thomas suspended again? Is that his ‘third strike’? Run him off. He’s only a kid, but apparently learning lessons is not in his makeup.
Crowell…talented, but I don’t think we can depend on him.
Boo Malcolme showed me something today…showed me he oughta be at a Div IA school. Finally…
WHY DOES OUR 275 POUND FULLBACK NEVER GET A CARRY ???? Not even short yardage?
katherine
November 19th, 2011
11:39 pm
i would love for ga to beat whoever comes out of the west in the sec championship…and you never know…its not impossible…then the whole bcs would be in an uproar
Amazing
November 19th, 2011
11:39 pm
Penn State kept Paterno 17 years after he had a team finish in the top 5. Everybody understood it was because they were chasing the all time record.
What in the hell is GA keeping Richt for. The SEC is clearly down this year. After FL, TN, Auburn retool, Richt will become a nobody again.
WDE2
November 19th, 2011
11:39 pm
thats what Okie St thought last night, and the Ducks tonite. They gotta play us, so we have a puncher’s chance…..
Drunk Bee
November 19th, 2011
11:41 pm
All the haters out there jumping on CMR and staff for the poor showing today and we’ve watched Oregon go down to a below average USC team, OSU lost to a bad Iowa State team, etc. At least UGA just keeps on winning.
Tiger Droppings
November 19th, 2011
11:41 pm
So is this where the Gawga fans hang out? The AJC?
Anyways, yall ready for a beat down in the dome? I hate to tell you, I looked at your schedule, is anyone you’ve beaten this year ranked right now? I mean this is the biggest pansy schedule I’ve ever seen in my life in the SEC. Tomorrow the rankings will come out and watch the top 3 spots go to SEC West teams and you haven’t played a single one and yet you’d think you guys beat an undefeated Tennessee, Florida and Auburn to win the East.
You beat nobody 9 times in a row including Ole Miss and Miss St? Those are your signature wins over the best division in the SEC? What a joke.
Yall come on over to tigerdroppings.com, we’d love to talk to you. See how you can justify the celebration… that’s if you get past Georgia Tech. I’m not thinking you will. I don’t know what happened in that Auburn game but the rest of your wins against normal division 1 teams has been lucky and laughable. But Auburn is all freshman and sophmores so that’s probably the reason. They’re weird right now but hey, they won the national championship so what do they care.
Speaking of that, when is the last time you guys won 9 in a row? Or a national championship? Please tell me I don’t have to go back to Her$hell Walker days do I?!?!?
Or how about the last time you won 2 in a 5 year span with 2 different coaches? How long have you had Richt again? By the way, how tall is the QB of yours? He looks small. Love all of the interceptions and fumbling and bumbling they were showing on sports center. I’d sworn UK beat you.
Man this is toooo easy. Oh well, we just need to concentrate on Arkansas, I know I know. But man alive Mizzou has to be excited about being in the SEC East. They’ll probably win it next year.
BTW, who said we have an inconsistent offense? Want to read off some scores to me? And what’s up with that fat dog?
katherine
November 19th, 2011
11:41 pm
thanks for being debbie downer amazing……and georgia is only going to get better too…..
Amazing
November 19th, 2011
11:43 pm
West Virginia (28-0 before Ga wakes up) mountain moma, country road take me home.
That was the Sugar. LSU or Bama 24-0 before Richt says where are we.
Tiger Droppings
November 19th, 2011
11:44 pm
Yall ready for a beat down?
Georgia Logic
November 19th, 2011
11:44 pm
Being better next year has always been our secret weapon.
Drunk Bee
November 19th, 2011
11:45 pm
I guess the wins FL, Auburn, etc. had against a “down” UGA program the last couple of seasons don’t count for those teams either? By Amazing’s logic.
katherine
November 19th, 2011
11:46 pm
georgia is already good…and has a great recruiting class….what is with you negative people tonight….geez
Tiger Droppings
November 19th, 2011
11:46 pm
I’m looking at your schedule, I don’t see any team you’ve beaten that’s ranked right now? How can that be? I thought you beat a ranked Tennessee, a undefeated Florida and a hot Auburn tea… oh wait… wow… what an easy schedule you’ve guys have had.
Now with Oregon out of the way #1, 2 and 3 tomorrow will be LSU, Bama and Arkansas.
3 SEC West teams in a row. And you didn’t play any one of those 3 all year. You got Ole Miss and Mississippi St?!?! Who you guys paying off? I bet Mizzou is excited and Texas A&M is regrettin’ the whole move thing.
Geaux Tigers Geaux!
Fire Bradley
November 19th, 2011
11:46 pm
U r a douche, Bradley. Eat your own words: http://blogs.ajc.com/mark-bradley-blog/2011/09/11/alas-fixing-uga-will-require-more-than-a-few-richt-tweaks/
Coach Richt
November 19th, 2011
11:47 pm
I forgot, we were supposed to lay down after losing to BSU and Carolina. Sorry about that folks.
tell me again
November 19th, 2011
11:48 pm
Wow – Ok. Stata goes down / Clemson goes down / Oregon goes down……just goes to show you – on any given Saturday.
katherine
November 19th, 2011
11:48 pm
lsu still has to beat arkansas….dont count your chickens before they hatch
katherine
November 19th, 2011
11:49 pm
oklahoma just tied it
Drunk Bee
November 19th, 2011
11:49 pm
Tiger Droppings sounds a little scared, doesn’t he?
Amazing
November 19th, 2011
11:50 pm
Drunk Bee,
When has Richt been relevant? He’s been a whipping boy for years now. If you ever watched Sugar Ray vs Hagler you know what stealing the round means. Richt wins against nobodys and keeps his job.
I APOLOGIZE COACH RICHT!
November 19th, 2011
11:51 pm
THANK U RICHT
katherine
November 19th, 2011
11:52 pm
amazing…so who is your team?
katherine
November 19th, 2011
11:53 pm
wow Oklahoma tied it
Coach Richt
November 19th, 2011
11:53 pm
I have an announcement. Because our schedule was so week and I feel sorry for Carolina because of their bad luck AND we are going to lose to LSU or Alabama anyway- we are forfeiting the SEC Championship game. Our players don’t deserve to be there and they won’t be able to tie their shoes before the game because they will be so scared.
Ray Man
November 19th, 2011
11:53 pm
Georgia has beat a bunch of NOBODYS the last 9 games !!! You will lose to Tech , LSU and your Bowl game !!!
Tiger Droppings
November 19th, 2011
11:54 pm
I think Florida is down for good. So is UT. The SEC East is non existent. That’s all there is to it. Like Cowherd said, he’d take the SEC West over every conference in the land. I don’t blame him.
By the way, congrats on 9-0. When is the last time you guys did that and please don’t tell me it was when Hershel Walker was there!?!?
Please don’t tell me it’s been 30 years?! And please don’t tell me you’re still celebrating a 30+ year old national championship like it was yesterday. And trust me, I know you are.
Speaking of national championships, let’s see. We won 2 in 5 years with 2 different coaches. UT won the first. Florida won 2. Alabama won 1. Auburn won 1. Where you guys?
Oh that’s right, getting beat down by Boise. I watched that game. Pattin’ your helmets for dear mercy. Who did Boise lose too?
What is your schedule next year? We playing? You going to have a team next year? Suspensions? Drugs? What’s up? Oh, look here is your 2012 schedule… Buffalo? South Carolina? Loss. Florida Atlantic? Is this for real? Vanderbilt? Well, they’re getting better. They could win the east if Mizzou doesn’t. Tennessee? They still playing football? No. At Alabama? Oh… oh there you go.
You’re done. At Kentucky? With the replay I saw on Sports Center I swear they were about to show a loss. Instead CMR was having a private moment in front of the crowd? That’s kind of childish. Florida? Weren’t they losing to Furman? Ole MIss? My goodness. We were 35-0 on them midway through the 2nd. Auburn? They’re all freshman right now. They’re going to get dangerous real soon. Georgia Southern? Okay, as if you didn’t have enough paid wins by this point. GT? Who knows. They’re weird.
Man, I wish we were in the SEC East. We could play our second string by the second quarter.
Amazing
November 19th, 2011
11:55 pm
Katherine,
I graduated from Bama but I am not a “Saban is all that” fan. Let’s see, the Auburn coach has as many out right NCs as Saban does and he was paid a whole lot less in getting it.
Drunk Bee
November 19th, 2011
11:56 pm
Yea, he’s was a nobody when he won the SEC in 2002. A nobody when he beat the invincible Saban in 2005 and he is a nobody this year because he didn’t let his team quit after a 0-2 start.
Tiger Droppings
November 19th, 2011
11:57 pm
Drinking Bee, scared? Come on over to tigerdroppings and tell us about how much UGA is going to lose to LSU by. And if it’s anything less than what Ole Miss lost to us by then I’m going to have to call you insane.
We’re LSU. We talk trash. Then we walk all over you. Get used to it. We’re concentrating on Arkansas and the national championship, looking at your record… and that’s if you beat Georgia Tech… you’re still a foregone conclusion.
What I find funny is, you’re celebrating that schedule as if it meant something. That’s laughable. You need to be put in your place. I’ve designated myself to do that but invite you over to a real thread for a little attitude correction.
Drunk Bee
November 19th, 2011
11:57 pm
Amazing is not a Bama fan. No Bama fan talks like that.
katherine
November 19th, 2011
11:57 pm
omg touchdown baylor with 8 seconds left
Drunk Bee
November 19th, 2011
11:58 pm
OMG, AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BAYLOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Drunk Bee
November 19th, 2011
11:58 pm
Tiger Droppings- you’re scared.
katherine
November 19th, 2011
11:59 pm
another top team goes down to another unranked team wow
Amazing
November 20th, 2011
12:00 am
Hot Damn, Stoops (what an overrated coach) loses again. Tech Tech has lost 6 of their last 7 games. The one win against Stoops.
Drunk Bee
November 20th, 2011
12:00 am
Oklahoma just imploded.
Tiger Droppings
November 20th, 2011
12:00 am
Drunk Bee? What teams did Gawga beat that are ranked right now? I’ll be honest, I thought UF would kill you but it turns out they’re really awful. And I thought Auburn would do the same but turns out, they’re really awful. But they won the national championship and the heisman so what do they care? When’s the last time you guys did that?!
Or how about twice in 5 years and let me go ahead and say 3 times in 9. Every 3 years we’re winning that thing. Not every 30. Which I hate to tell you, you’re not doing either.
katherine
November 20th, 2011
12:01 am
baylor has never beaten oklahoma…until now wow
Tiger Droppings
November 20th, 2011
12:01 am
Um… what do I need to be scared of Drunken Bee?
Drunk Bee
November 20th, 2011
12:02 am
Amazing, now that is the first thing you have said that I truly agree with. Why does he get a pass every year? When’s the last time OK did anything?
katherine
November 20th, 2011
12:02 am
tiger…why are you even on this blog? I hope you lose to arkansas….just because you are obnoxious
Amazing
November 20th, 2011
12:02 am
Drunk Bee,
I ask when Richt has been relevant. You typed 2005. Do you feel real stupid! Here’s your sign.
Tiger Droppings
November 20th, 2011
12:03 am
From my name, you can see that I’m $hit, just like my team, from the weak west, the division UGA is undefeated against.
Rematch
November 20th, 2011
12:03 am
Resistance is futile.
Tiger Droppings
November 20th, 2011
12:03 am
There ya go, #1 LSU, #2 Alabama, #3 Georgia.
HA HA
Okay for real, #1 LSU, #2 Alabama, #3 Arkansas.
UGA
November 20th, 2011
12:05 am
a Top 10 team isn’t one who doesn’t even pick up a ball on the kickoff return, Oklahoma should get knocked way down just for that ……
tell me again
November 20th, 2011
12:06 am
Ok. St. goes down as do Oklahoma, Clemson and Oregon / half of the top ten. And people say we can’t beat LSU? Today proves anything is possible. That’s why we play the game.
Drunk Bee
November 20th, 2011
12:06 am
No, I don’t feel stupid. Looks like he is making himself relevant this year. The Road to the NC goes through the SEC. Where is Richt’s team this year? In the SEC Championship game. LSU or Alabama has to beat UGA to get to the BCS NC game. I’d say that ’s pretty relevant. Now who feels stupid?
Amazing
November 20th, 2011
12:07 am
Bama Grad here. How is it fair that LSU has to risk injury and a possible loss (and therefore NC chance) by playing in the SEC and Bama only has to play Auburn and still gets to go.