Richt says Georgia will be ‘knocking on the door’ of greatness
"Hot seat, huh? A little cold water will take care of that!" (AJC photo by Brant Sanderlin)
Tampa – Back in July he was being asked if he could turn it around. On the first day of 2012, Mark Richt was asked if Georgia had turned it around. And he said …
“I think so. I don’t think there’s any doubt we’re in a good place. We won 10 games, and when you win 10 games you’ve done well.”
Here he smiled. “Though 11 is better.”
Richt’s team can win its 11th game of a rebounding season by defeating Michigan State in the Outback Bowl on Monday. It won’t be easy — the Spartans rank fifth nationally in total defense, two spots behind Georgia — but being paired against a ranked opponent here beats the heck out of spending the holidays in Memphis readying to lose to Central Florida, which is where Georgia was 366 days ago.
A year ago we wondered — and by “we,” I mean “me” — if Richt was still the man for Georgia. Calendar 2012 begins with Richt negotiating a contract extension, which tells us Georgia believes he is. (About which Richt said: “We haven’t said anything [publicly regarding his contract] since we said we love each other.”)
The Bulldogs have been saying that the Outback is really the first game of 2012 on more than just the calendar, that it could propel them to a Top 10 preseason ranking, that the season ahead could be bigger and brighter than the one about to conclude. And it just might. Seventeen starters are scheduled to return, and some key figures among the Dream Team recruiting class haven’t made their collegiate presence felt.
Said Richt, speaking at a Sunday news briefing: “Some people believe in momentum. We have good positive momentum. In the future, we’re going to be in good shape. We had a taste of playing in the SEC championship game. We need to be able to finish, but we got the taste.”
A bit later, Richt was asked how he handled the criticism that stemmed from Georgia finishing 8-5 in 2009 and 6-7 last season. “As the leader of the program, I can’t act like I’m fretting or I’m mad about something,” he said. Then this:
“We’re going to be knocking on the door of the greatest success you can have in college football, and if you knock long enough you’ll eventually break through.”
There was a time when a national championship seemed Richt’s manifest destiny. He came close in 2002, when his 12-1 Bulldogs missed the BCS title game only because Miami and Ohio State finished unbeaten, close again in 2007, when Georgia was excluded from the championship tilt but finished No. 2 in the Associated Press poll. The Bulldogs entered the next season ranked No. 1 but lasted only one week there, and the thrashing they were dealt by Alabama on Sept. 27, 2008, marked a watershed moment for both programs.
Alabama started playing for SEC and national championships again. Georgia went from the Sugar Bowl to the Capital One to the Independence to the Liberty, and Richt, once a hot young coach, was suddenly neither. He was on the far side of 50 and hadn’t won the SEC since 2005 and hadn’t taken his team to the BCS title game ever. The SEC is about to annex its sixth consecutive national championship, and Georgia has had no hand in any part of the run.
But that, too, could be changing. It’s true that Georgia didn’t play the most testing schedule — it won’t next year, either; is Richt living right or what? — but it’s also true that the Bulldogs began to win the sort of games they’d come to lose. They even gave LSU a go for a half. They weren’t quite ready to win such a game, but next year they might be. All things considered, you’d rather be Georgia than Florida or Tennessee or even South Carolina today.
“We’re in good shape going into the offseason,” Richt said, and Georgia undeniably is. But it wouldn’t hurt to beat a Top 25 team to round off this turnaround. (Though Georgia is favored by a field goal, Michigan State is ranked higher in the AP and USA Today polls.) Winning 10 games in a row was nice. Winning an 11th would be better still.
By Mark Bradley
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351 comments Add your comment
todd grantham
January 1st, 2012
5:26 pm
VD, let’s not be too critical of Murray. Yeah, he implodes sometimes at inopportune moments, but Georgia wouldnt have won 7 games without him in ‘11.
Mark Bradley
January 1st, 2012
5:28 pm
I’m not sure the Saints and Packers are going to meet. But if they do, I think I like New Orleans
JB
January 1st, 2012
5:28 pm
virginia dog….I hate to admit it…but I agree. I like Aaron. I like his spirit, his work ethic, his love of UGA….and he’ll beat just about every 7-5,8-4 team we play……but on the big stage against a top rated team, he falters…and that is based on results from being in that spot.
todd grantham
January 1st, 2012
5:28 pm
Yellow Fuzz, you’re where?
Grandmaster JeJe
January 1st, 2012
5:29 pm
UGA will never compete for a NC under Mark Richt. not even with its cupcake schedule in 2012
todd grantham
January 1st, 2012
5:29 pm
I dont see anybody knocking GB or NO off. You must.
Yellow Fuzz
January 1st, 2012
5:29 pm
hahahaha
Big Al
January 1st, 2012
5:29 pm
Man, I hope Georgia keeps Mark Richt forever. He is getting as good with his cute little comments as his old mentor Bobby Bowden did at Florida State. Georgia will be blessed with another easy schedule in 2012, so old Mark better make hay while he has the chance. Spurrier will kick his azz one more time.
Mark Bradley
January 1st, 2012
5:30 pm
Murray had a funny season: Great numbers, but not quite as precise as you’d like. Still a good college QB, though. And he started in an SEC title game, which is more than Matt Stafford managed.
todd grantham
January 1st, 2012
5:31 pm
YB, thought so. on the 7th level huh?
Yellow Fuzz
January 1st, 2012
5:32 pm
I’m in Tampa with my girlfriend and her obnoxious family. Looking for some dogs to tailgate with tomorrow morn.
JB
January 1st, 2012
5:33 pm
Spurrier playing Dawgs 6 games in does not bode well for him. He has always spent the entire summer preparing for Georgia…and he’ll have five days this year…..and the whole world knows that Georgia gets stronger as the year goes and Carolina tends to fold….Fact.
todd grantham
January 1st, 2012
5:33 pm
Murray can look great and awful in the same game. Although he has been victimized by Bobo’s play calling more than once.
JB
January 1st, 2012
5:34 pm
Yellow Fuzz…………….I’m stunned…………………Not that you’re at the game….but you have a girl friend.
todd grantham
January 1st, 2012
5:34 pm
If you promise not to bring her family, i’ll invite you to our shindig.
ARdawg
January 1st, 2012
5:35 pm
I expect Murray to be a much more matured qb next year. He’s made more bonehead decisions as a 2nd year starter than he did the first. Hopefully, he has it behind him. Tomorrow will reveal alot about Murray going into next year
todd grantham
January 1st, 2012
5:36 pm
the thing that kills me about Bobo is how Georgia’ offense can look great for a half, then he will completely abandon what’s worked.
i guess he assumes the other team will make adjustments at the half so we will outsmart them by changing his strategy.
JB
January 1st, 2012
5:36 pm
Stafford had his eye on the prize his entire time at UGA, not helping them win anything. That’s why he checked out of Bobo’s plays 70% of the time and flung it. He needed yards and TD passes. Sad but true.
Yellow Fuzz
January 1st, 2012
5:37 pm
JB
believe me I would not be here if it was not for here. And dude, she is the best licking girl at uga, bar
Yellow Fuzz
January 1st, 2012
5:37 pm
looking
DawginTX
January 1st, 2012
5:39 pm
JB, Carolina didn’t fold down the stretch this year. But you have a point. I have often wished that we could play Auburn in September–they generally start weak and finish strong–and Carolina in November.
JB
January 1st, 2012
5:39 pm
Georgia’s offense clicked and moved the ball when we were 3 or 4 TD’s behind pre Grantham. Why Bobo and Richt don’t call plays like they are behind like that is beyond me. This scripted offense crap drives me crazy.
ATLER (Ramblin Wreck)
January 1st, 2012
5:39 pm
The SEC football gods have smiled on ugag again with for next season. I don’t see Florida, Tenn, or S.C. doing anything next year. Again the SEC (L)east will be down this year and the teams other then ugag will be playing the powerhouses of the SEC West.
todd grantham
January 1st, 2012
5:40 pm
JB, i think Stafford checked out because he knew Bobo had no feel for a game.
JB
January 1st, 2012
5:40 pm
Yellow, you drunk? you misspelled “her” also
Mark Bradley
January 1st, 2012
5:41 pm
I rate Mike Bobo much higher than apparently everyone else. Sometimes he calls plays than don’t work, true. So did Walsh. (And I don’t mean Blair the kicker.)
JB
January 1st, 2012
5:43 pm
ATLER…………..Carolina brings back a pretty solid team. Again, playing them game 6 helps us, not them. If it’s anybody who needs to open with 2-3 cupcakes, it’s Richt.
1eyedJack
January 1st, 2012
5:43 pm
Capping off the season with a big win makes it a lot easier to lift those weights at 6am during January and February.
JB
January 1st, 2012
5:45 pm
1eye, MSU is gonna be a load on D……But that plays right for us. Their offense stinks and our D is pretty stout….and we can move the ball on anyone…..even LSU.
ARdawg
January 1st, 2012
5:45 pm
Mark
Bobo’s penchant for calling a low percentage play is unmatched by most any other OC in college football. He’s just too transparent. I’m no offensive guru but, I can read him 70% of the time
supsalemgr
January 1st, 2012
5:46 pm
Yellow Fuz won’t have this girl friend long. Being a an obvious Tech guy what is the statistical possibility is there of numerous Tech people with UGA people in Tampa with their girl friend? Duh?
todd grantham
January 1st, 2012
5:46 pm
Mark, you’ve always been somewhat of an apologist for Bobo. I’ve never understood why.
JB
January 1st, 2012
5:47 pm
It’s a good weekend to cut and paste for later how the Tech folks really feel about Johnson….
ARdawg
January 1st, 2012
5:48 pm
JB
That Tech blog yesterday was fuggin halarious
todd grantham
January 1st, 2012
5:49 pm
let’s see, Walsh. JOE Walsh!! never hit a bad note!!
evil empire
January 1st, 2012
5:49 pm
….and we can move the ball on anyone…..even LSU.
wow…post of the day…you ugatards are something else…
bitter QB
January 1st, 2012
5:49 pm
VD ive seen you before and painful you bee—-joke——-hahahah—-butt true that murry
cant hang with the big boy’s—–so after butt whopp-ins from boise st and the chickens
he then hangs 6 TD’s against new mexico st—-??they have a football team???
and the dawg hommer nation goes crazy—–please—wet your pants murry folded like a cheap seat
—————————against LSUUUUUU———ITS TIME FOR—–HUSON MASON
JB
January 1st, 2012
5:50 pm
ARdawg….. made my day……..They have short memories. I can remember this summer them DEFENDING Richt against UGA bloggers, that they ALWAYS Support Coach Fish Fry…..LOL
todd grantham
January 1st, 2012
5:51 pm
1st down screen pass for a loss of 5 yards. second down draw for no gain. third down bomb that Murray underthrows.
Preston
January 1st, 2012
5:52 pm
Looks like we’re getting some monster OLinemen coming in this year!
Mark Beard
OL
Coffeyville, KS
Coffeyville C.C.
6′4″
290
Chester Brown
OL
Hinesville, GA
Bradwell Institute
6′5″
340
Greg Pyke
OL
Baltimore, MD
Boys Latin School
6′6″
315
John Theus
OL
Jacksonville, FL
Bolles
6′6″
292
willie martinez
January 1st, 2012
5:52 pm
Bobo is the worst coordinator in the history of UGA football, save one.
JB
January 1st, 2012
5:52 pm
evil…IF we could catch a pass, we would of been up on LSU 21-0 in the first half. I call that moving the ball against the best D in College ball.
bitter QB
January 1st, 2012
5:53 pm
@TODD GRANTHAM—-DONT YOU HAVE A GAME PLAN TO PREPARE???—-JUST SAYING —
—————————————-COACH————————————-
todd grantham
January 1st, 2012
5:53 pm
Preston, about time we did.
1eyedJack
January 1st, 2012
5:53 pm
“It’s a good weekend to cut and paste for later how the Tech folks really feel about Johnson….”
Yep, after they thump a couple of chumps to start the season they’ll be ready to take on the Packers in the Super Bowl.
todd grantham
January 1st, 2012
5:54 pm
bqb, game plan is completed and, i might add, perfect.
ARdawg
January 1st, 2012
5:54 pm
JB
They had Moobs diced, sliced and Julianned after that loss yesterday. They were fit to be tied even some of the old hands. I lent them some condolences and just watched. They were worse on themselves than the few UGA trolls that were there to rub it in
JB
January 1st, 2012
5:55 pm
Did Auburn look that good yesterday…..Or is Utah that bad?
bitter QB
January 1st, 2012
5:56 pm
DAWGS WIN——-mason throws 4 secound half TD’S———murry through 3 pick sixes in first half
todd grantham
January 1st, 2012
5:57 pm
i’ve just spoken with Coach Richt and does very much appreciate Mark your continued defense of Coach Bobo.