Is Richt still under heavy pressure? ESPN’s Haney says yes
"You know, I was on the Hot Seat once myself, Mark." (AJC photo by Brant Sanderlin)
Mark Richt won the SEC East last season for the first time since 2005, did he not? Reversed a downward trend, did he not? Removed himself from the Hot Seat, did he not?
Yes and yes to the first two questions. To the third, Travis Haney of ESPN says, “Not so fast.”
Haney places Richt atop his list of coaches under most pressure to win. Others included: Mack Brown of Texas, Brian Kelly of Notre Dame, Bo Pelini of Nebraska and Bob Stoops of Oklahoma. (To be totally accurate, Haney doesn’t dub this his official Hot Seat list; it is, rather, “the precursor to the hot-seat list.”)
From Mr. Haney:
Richt is safe today, but with the expectations again high, that could quickly change. Such is life in the SEC, where the distance from the title game to the hot seat is seemingly never all that far. And the disciplinary issues only complicate that, because fans generally don’t want their school making headlines for the wrong reasons — much less repeatedly — and because it depletes the talent pool.
If Georgia sinks back toward .500 with this roster, despite its personnel setbacks, Richt could again find himself in an uncomfortable position. Or looking for a job.
Not saying it’s going to happen, but … it’s not unprecedented for a coach who took his team to the SEC championship game one season to be gone the next. Terry Bowden resigned at Auburn midway through the 1998 season after winning the SEC West in 1997, and Philip Fulmer was pushed aside by Tennessee in 2008 after his team played for the conference title in 2007. But Fulmer had been under duress for years, and Bowden fell out with the toxic booster Bobby Lowder.
Richt, on the other hand, remains well liked by those in power and the majority of his constituents. Does Bulldog Nation wish he’d hurry up and win a national title? Do Georgia fans agonize over every single loss? Absolutely. But the biggest issue folks had with Richt was that, since 2007, Georgia football had been on the clear descent.
From the disappointing 10-3 of 2008 to the uh-oh 8-5 in 2009 to the regrettable 6-7 of 2010 — that trend had to be reversed. It was. And the bounce-back season of 2011 followed by what should be another strong year would indicate that the Bulldogs are well and truly on the upward trail.
A year ago, Richt was coming off a losing season, his first at Georgia, and then his team started 0-2. Had the season unraveled further, he’d have been fired. It didn’t and he wasn’t. He’s got a contract extension in his pocket, and his team is sure to be ranked in the preseason top 10. Is he on the Hot Seat as we speak? Not even close. But here’s the trouble with an on-the-Hot-Seat characterization: Once the label has been affixed, it’s tough to tear off.
I think Georgia is going to be very good this season, so good it could render all questions about its coach moot. But Haney makes a salient point: “The Bulldogs have dodged the [SEC} Western Division powers in 2011 and 2012. If you're not going to [contend for a national championship] when you’re avoiding them, when are you going to do it?”
By Mark Bradley
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351 comments Add your comment
Super Dave
July 11th, 2012
3:18 pm
Yeah jack and I hate it when the Bama Turds get off there shift at the tire shop
GovernorBluto
July 11th, 2012
3:19 pm
Overheard mcGarity-Richt dicussion at end of season:
McG: Coach, what’s the problem.
CMR: Dang it Greg, I can’t beat a ranked team anymore.
McG: Coach, how can I help?
CMR: Well, I wish there was some way you could fix things were we don’t have to play those guys.
McG: You mean, you want a schedule void of any top 25 teams, except those we can’t get out of..
CMR: That’s right, ten I feel like I can excel.
McG: Consider it done, I’ll try and make sure you only face 1 top 25 team, and it won’t be from the dreaded SEC West, and it will be a team who plays 2 out of the top 3 SEC West teams, will that work.
CMR: Yes Greg, you’re an answer to my prayer, halleluyah.
GTBob
July 11th, 2012
3:21 pm
Using your logic, why can’t Tech compete with UNC or Duke in basketball?
I don’t really understand the question. Duke and UNC are two of the top 3 programs in all of college basketball and GT beats them much more then they beat UGA in football. They beat UNC 3 times in one season recently.
Ghost
July 11th, 2012
3:21 pm
GT, Why is it that 25-30% of the Georgia roster had offers from PJ and tech, and 7 or 8 of the 2013 class of verbal commits to Georgia also have offers from tech?Pj doesn’t recruit the same players as Georgia. is pure BS . He just can’t sign them.
1eyedJack
July 11th, 2012
3:21 pm
I’m sorry, I meant he had the personality of a lump of clay. He just looks like a sack of taters.
GovernorBluto
July 11th, 2012
3:21 pm
man, can’t figure out why the country doesn’t vote Aaron Murray for ALL AMERCIAN
DON’T THEYT SEE HOW GREAT HE IS????
2012 SEC Discussion & Division Races - Page 9 - BuckeyePlanet Ohio State Forums
July 11th, 2012
3:22 pm
[...] http://blogs.ajc.com/mark-bradley-bl…k_bradley_blog Mash up of ESPN and AJC writing indicating that CMR still under some pressure this season. [...]
@SEC Fact finder
July 11th, 2012
3:22 pm
Agreed. Coaches are evaluated on a number of things. Naturally, winning is very important, but in addition what you mentioned, the ability to recruit well and get the most out of your players. Even more important, don’t have any sexual predators on your coaching staff. Also not advisable to lock up a player in a broom closet, especially if his dad is Crag James.
The Ghost of Wally Butts
July 11th, 2012
3:22 pm
Sure hope our players don’t read the negative comments on this blog….
…I would hate for these comments to distract them from…braiding their hair….firing off insults towards the fans on their facebook pages or tweets…..getting some rest before the Athens bars open tonight….making sure their “burnt number” firearms are kept in a hard-to-find place in case of searches…and other such important things for today’s Bulldog players.
GovernorBluto
July 11th, 2012
3:23 pm
Murray was ROBBED Last yeart
he should have won the hesiman…
SSIgator
July 11th, 2012
3:23 pm
“Let’s talk about CUPCAKES…..YES, A PLAN…..
GovernorBluto sounds like our POTUS. You know, that Piece Of Trash Urban Scum currently trashing the nation.
GTBob
July 11th, 2012
3:27 pm
2 SEC Championships (2002, 2005)
5 SEC Eastern Division Titles (2002–2003, 2005, 2007, 2011)
Awards
2x SEC Coach of the Year (2002, 2005)
You are doing what all UGA fans do. Clinging to 2002 and 2005. Its 2012 now. Those years are gone. Time to move on. What has he accomplished in the last 4 years? One SEC championship berth which was earned by not beating a single quality team?
GovernorBluto
July 11th, 2012
3:27 pm
richt beat derek dooley both seasons,
so,
richt’s a great coach
GovernorBluto
July 11th, 2012
3:29 pm
Do NOT bring up Florida’s record against Mark Richt (since it’s 8-3)
It makes the Coach look like he can’t beat his biggest rival….
GTBob
July 11th, 2012
3:32 pm
Richt in the last 4 years (2007-2011):
4 top 10 recruiting classes
2-14 against teams that finished ranked.
14-18 against teams that finished with a winning record.
50 arrests.
Super Dave
July 11th, 2012
3:32 pm
Aaron Murray had sexual relations with GovernorBlutos girlfriend and bluto is still bitter about it.
RxDawg
July 11th, 2012
3:33 pm
Mark Richt coaches at the University of Georgia. Of course he’s under heavy pressure. The head Bulldog is always under heavy pressure.
Francisco Cabrera
July 11th, 2012
3:33 pm
Anyone can get lucky for one at bat, right?
GovernorBluto
July 11th, 2012
3:33 pm
UGA is 16-11 the last 2 years, try and distract people from noticing that….
blackandwhitestripes
July 11th, 2012
3:34 pm
I think the inmates from the athens cesspool will get beat down by a couple of teams this year. Starting with South Carolina. Next By Georgia Tech.
Pee Wee Herman
July 11th, 2012
3:34 pm
My hero is GT Bob
His ability to cut and paste is awesome.
Mr. Johnson
July 11th, 2012
3:35 pm
I thought I told you to get back to work Bluto! Those toilets aren’t going to clean themselves
RxDawg
July 11th, 2012
3:36 pm
And for the last time yall, it’s the west “powers” that are dodging UGA. BAM
Super Dave
July 11th, 2012
3:39 pm
UGA does not make there own sec schedule so the argument that they’re scared to play them or are dodging them is idiotic and invalid. Next stupid statement?
Delbert D.
July 11th, 2012
3:39 pm
The contract he got says it all.
@GTBob
July 11th, 2012
3:40 pm
GTBob
July 11th, 2012
3:27 pm
2 SEC Championships (2002, 2005)
5 SEC Eastern Division Titles (2002–2003, 2005, 2007, 2011)
Awards
2x SEC Coach of the Year (2002, 2005)
You are doing what all UGA fans do. Clinging to 2002 and 2005. Its 2012 now. Those years are gone. Time to move on. What has he accomplished in the last 4 years? One SEC championship berth which was earned by not beating a single quality team?
So, what does that say for your team, who not only has lost consistantly to the team that you are so critical of, but also cannot win a bowl game. Judging from the number of times I see your name on UGA blogs, sounds like you are “clinging” to bashing UGA, when you should be on a Tech blog.
Al
July 11th, 2012
3:40 pm
The “west” powers dodging UGA, really? Who??
as far as national titles from
July 11th, 2012
3:41 pm
teams in this state goes….
georgia tech rules and rules big.
now i expect to hear from a few dawgs claiming titles they had no biz claiming such as the one in 68 over an undefeated team of the century ohio state over a uga team that had like 3 losses. lmao . you dawgs kill me with bogus claims.
of course most of the nc’s that diehard dawgs cling to are bogus.
georgia tech rules this state wrt national championships.
go jackets
SSIgator
July 11th, 2012
3:42 pm
GTBob -
Wow, talk about clinging to the past, you should hop over to Twit Towers blog he posted this morning “The 10 Greatest UGA Player” list. He almost already has three hundred posts from fans falling all over themselves wanting to re-live the past.
1eyedJack
July 11th, 2012
3:42 pm
Yeah, the only part of the schedule we have control over is the OOC cupcakes, like Georgia Tech.
gomdawg
July 11th, 2012
3:44 pm
Murray is a very good QB if you go back and watch some games last you you will see a lot of the passes was drop and when you dont have a running back that hurts a QB , so at the end of this year ya’ll will eat crow.
GTanner
July 11th, 2012
3:44 pm
What was funny was the fans who moaned and pulled their hair out claiming UGA had been declining “for five or six years.” Math is the first thing to go when you’re delusional.
uga does have control over
July 11th, 2012
3:44 pm
it pathetic ooc schedule. have they won a relevant occ game in this century?
hey dawgs how many schollie players are you down to? you have lost so many players to felony arrests bad grades and poor behavior that we have lost count.
thanks for all the drama. it makes the summer go by quickly.
lmao
Joe D.
July 11th, 2012
3:46 pm
Notre Dame always has one of the strongest schedules in the country, how’s that worked out for them?
Al
July 11th, 2012
3:46 pm
Murray is only good against average teams. The QB position needs to be opened up for competition.
Bama in Atlanta
July 11th, 2012
3:47 pm
Enter your comments here
GovernorBluto
July 11th, 2012
3:48 pm
Try and make going 0-5 against teams whi finish in the top 25 AP POLL in 2010
and going 0-4 against teams who finish in the top 25 ap poll in 2011
look like an IMPROVEMENT. EVEN THOUGH IT’S NOT.
0-5 IS NO DIFFERENT FORM 0-4.
JUST TRY AND GET PEOPLE TO FOCUS ON THE 6-7 TO 10-4 INSTEAD.
SOCKpuppett
July 11th, 2012
3:49 pm
gov bluto, great plan….you’re a winner…
King Pellinore
July 11th, 2012
3:50 pm
Mark Richt is a fine christian, and will be here as long as he likes. Winning football games is not really a big deal, as long as we keep churning out fine young men into the larger community. Raise a glass to Richt, and cheer for the UGA!
Joe Montana
July 11th, 2012
3:50 pm
59.1% completions 3149yds 35tds 14ints looks good to me, but what do I know?
CarbinaDawg
July 11th, 2012
3:51 pm
GOV BLUTO, YOU SOUND LIKE AN IDIOT FOR BRING UP RICHT’S 0-9 RECORD.
CANT YOU SEE HOW THAT MEANS RICHT’S GREAT?
Bama in Atlanta
July 11th, 2012
3:51 pm
I wouldn’t label Richt as on the hot seat going into the season but it will depend on how the season goes as to whether or not he puts himself on the hot seat. The downside risk of an easier SEC schedule and easy non-conference games is that you are not just expected to win but win convincingly.
I believe UGA and SoCal are the only two major teams to be favored in all scheduled games for 2012. Therefore, UGA is expected to be undefeated when they play for the SECCG at the dome. If the coaches and/or players have this on their mind instead of taking one game at a time then an upset or two could occur. In which case Richt will need to buy aloe by the caseload if he wants to sit down.
On the flipside of the risk, if I were a UGA fan I would much rather be favored going into each game than be the underdog by a couple of TDs. On paper, the dawgs have the talent to run the regular season table and take the Athens-to-Atlanta shuttle in December to play for the not-so-mythical SECC…..unless, of course, you’re Steve Spurrier and believe that non-division games shouldn’t count!
My question to UGA fans is if the dawgs go undefeated in regular season but lose in the SECCG and then lose their bowl game would you consider Richt to be on the hot seat?
CarbinaDawg
July 11th, 2012
3:53 pm
Good grief, you bring up Murray’s 39% completion rate vs. LSU, true, 9 other QB’s averaged 55% against LSU, but that proves how truly great Murray is, you sound like an idiot if you can’t see that….isn’t it obvious?
Bama in Atlanta
July 11th, 2012
3:54 pm
Ok, the ajc filter doesn’t seem to like more than on paragraph so I’ll try to split up my comments and see if that works…
I wouldn’t label Richt as on the hot seat going into the season but it will depend on how the season goes as to whether or not he puts himself on the hot seat. The downside risk of an easier SEC schedule and easy non-conference games is that you are not just expected to win but win convincingly.
Bama in Atlanta
July 11th, 2012
3:54 pm
I believe UGA and SoCal are the only two major teams to be favored in all scheduled games for 2012. Therefore, UGA is expected to be undefeated when they play for the SECCG at the dome. If the coaches and/or players have this on their mind instead of taking one game at a time then an upset or two could occur. In which case Richt will need to buy aloe by the caseload if he wants to sit down.
Joe Montana
July 11th, 2012
3:54 pm
Even I had some bad games, his season stats speak for themselves. And you are an idiot if you can’t see that! Isn’t THAT obvious? Loser
Mixer
July 11th, 2012
3:55 pm
Joe montana 4 championships
aaron murray 0
Bama in Atlanta
July 11th, 2012
3:56 pm
On paper, the dawgs have the talent to run the regular season table and take the Athens-to-Atlanta shuttle in December to play for the not-so-mythical SECC…..unless, of course, you’re Steve Spurrier and believe that non-division games shouldn’t count!
Chris
July 11th, 2012
3:57 pm
GT, was Georgia Tech a top ten team when we beat them in 2009? I guess that’s the last time we beat a top ten team…or one that was ranked in the top ten when we played them.
Are you smoking dope or something? You come on a Georgia site to talk trash? You are 1-10 against Georgia since Richt arrived. Oh, and it’s a good thing the NCAA took your 2009 ACC trophy back. They should have given it to Georgia since we were the true champs of the ACC that year.
CorbinaDawg
July 11th, 2012
3:57 pm
AARON MURRAY THREW 14 INTERCEPTIONS, AND GOT SACKED 33 TIMES.
HOW MANY QB’S IN AMERCIA CAN SAY THAT.
MURRAY FOR HEISMAN