Unless it beats the Gators, UGA will be a 10-2 underachiever
"Wait just a doggone minute! Isn't that the signal for the infield fly?" (AJC photo by Bob Andres)
At the absolute worst, Georgia figures to finish its regular season 10-2. Just last year, a 10-2 regular season yielded an SEC East title and bought Mark Richt a contract extension and was taken as a sign that Georgia football was on the ascent. To go 10-2 again, assuming this 10-2 includes a loss to Florida and the absence of another division title, would be taken as an abject reversal.
Here’s where the Bulldogs’ bunny schedule serves as both boon and burden. Georgia still must play Kentucky, Ole Miss, Auburn and Georgia Tech; the aggregate record of those teams is 7-16. The Bulldogs also will face Georgia Southern, which plays at a lesser level. If Georgia beats those five but loses to Florida, it will be described, oddly but accurately, as a 10-2 underachiever.
When the Bulldogs were going 8-5 in 2009 and 6-7 the next season, the question became: Would they ever win big again? They’ve since gone 15-5, which would seem to offer an answer, but in light of the drubbing administered by South Carolina we note there can be a difference between Winning Big and Winning Big Games. Georgia has come to occupy the space between.
Its last victory over a Top 10 team came when it defeated No. 7 Georgia Tech on Nov. 28, 2009. The Bulldogs last beat an SEC team ranked in the Top 10 on Oct. 27, 2007 (No. 9 Florida in the Gator Stomp game). Their last victory over anybody in the top five came against No. 5 Auburn on Nov. 11, 2006. Since Oct. 30, 2008, Georgia is 4-13 against ranked opposition, and three of those times the Bulldogs were the higher-ranked team.
Coming off their 2011 turnaround, these Bulldogs figured to have much working for them: A fourth-year junior at quarterback, nine defensive starters who are either seniors or juniors and, above all, the softest of schedules. But when you play so few games against opponents of comparable worth and you lose them all, that schedule turns against you. It makes you seem a team that is, as Lou Holtz once said, living a lie.
It would one be one thing if the Bulldogs were capable of no more, if the only thing enabling them to be ranked at all was the canny maximization of modest resources. But you cannot recruit at such an exalted level and then claim personnel bankruptcy. There aren’t 10 more talented teams in the land. So why, when it comes time to step up in class, does Georgia invariably flunk?
We cannot help but look to the coach. It’s his program. He hired these high-salaried assistants, recruited these star-spangled players. And isn’t as if Richt has never won a Big Game: From 2002 through Jan. 1, 2008, Georgia was 22-10 against ranked opponents. It is 6-14 since. It has become the classic bully: It terrorizes the small fry but turns tail when the big boys show up.
After winning the East last year, the Bulldogs faced No. 1 LSU and lost 42-10. After rising to No. 5 in the land this season, they played South Carolina in Columbia and lost 35-7. That’s a 60-point spread in prove-it games, and the latter loss was truly alarming. Georgia wasn’t ready to handle a team like LSU last season, but 1o months later it was even less prepared for what the Gamecocks unleashed. Isn’t experience supposed to be a teaching tool?
Maybe it can still be one. This year isn’t over. If Georgia can beat Florida, there’s a chance the Bulldogs can again win the East. South Carolina would have to lose twice, but its next two games are against LSU and Florida on the road. Even so, the sight of the Gators again on the rise is surely disquieting: Of the four times Georgia has won the SEC East, three came in Year 1 after a Florida coaching change, and the fourth was in Ron Zook’s final season. This is Year 2 for Will Muschamp, and Florida just climbed to No. 4 in the Associated Press poll.
Having lost three in a row to South Carolina, Georgia has already fallen behind the Gamecocks in both standings and hierarchy. If Florida jumps back ahead of the Bulldogs, the Richt renaissance will have been the briefest of moments. His program will be in danger of falling into the hole from which he once rescued it: That time in the ’90s when Florida and Tennessee owned the division and Georgia, under Ray Goff and Jim Donnan, was relegated to third place.
This looked to be the season Richt and his Bulldogs consolidated their hold on the division, and they might yet. But anything less than an East title would rekindle all those questions about Richt. There’s no way Georgia would move to fire a coach who wins 10 games two years running; there’s also no way the second 10-2 would feel half as good as the first.
At some point Georgia has to answer the question, “Yeah, but who did you beat?” And that answer cannot continue to be, “Well, there was that Tech game back in ‘09 …”
By Mark Bradley
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987 comments Add your comment
Dawg Turd
October 8th, 2012
3:52 pm
Bring out the black helments for Florida. We would look cool at least.
DeezNutz
October 8th, 2012
3:52 pm
Give McGarity a chance. I think he’s up to the challenge. Nobody’s dumb enough to fire Richt tomorrow, despite the evidence in these comments. Wait till the end of the season and see how it plays out and then we’ll know what McGarity is made of.
JB
October 8th, 2012
3:53 pm
Damn good chance the next person we see in orange pants will be Kirby Smart. HE WILL be on the short list. They may go with a proven guy, cause money may be a problem up there. I would hate to see that. Muschamp and Kirby may come back to haunt us,,,,,,as we continue to slid to ACC status.
South Carolina Dog
October 8th, 2012
3:53 pm
It would be one thing to have lost Saturday night if the team looked prepared. I could tolerate Mark Richt IF he recruited players who were not thugs(some, not all), or if he kept them in line and evoked fear from them. Kirk had it right – the players do not listen to Richt. UGA will never, ever win a NC with Richt as the coach. I agree with a former blogger – no one does less with more than Richt. I respect his Christianity, but he is getting paid to put complete seasons together. He has proven time and again that he cannot put together one great season, and that he cannot control his players.
Old Dawg
October 8th, 2012
3:54 pm
I just don’t the horses on the Dawgs’ OL or DL that can handle the Gators. It’s the same old story, we’re soft up front.
Dawg Turd
October 8th, 2012
3:54 pm
I do not know how we lost to USC! We have a perfect team.
I am a Good Christian Man
October 8th, 2012
3:54 pm
I am a good christian man and my job performance should not matter as long as I am Holy. <<< A Quote from Mark Richt
dawgfan
October 8th, 2012
3:55 pm
Any coaching decision is inherently risky. I’m willing to take the risk. I’d rather be 2-10 knowing that we at least tried something different than stuck in the football purgatory that we are currently stuck in with Richt.
Nothing gained, nothing ventured.
georgedawg
October 8th, 2012
3:55 pm
Mark great article but this is the problem. We don’t need to worry about Florida and the Sec championship. We need to worry about Kentucky and getting better. We are not good enough to even mention that we might scrape into the chamoionship game. We haven’t looked good except against Vanderbilt.
We should all be marveling at what a great team Steve Spurrier has built at South Carolina. Of course, I feel embarassed and humiliated getting my butt handed to me year after year but that’s a coach. We don’t have that with Richt. He is good but clearly outmatched against the best. We will continue to have some great stars, good team but not a top team. Should be obvious by now.
McGarity – time to earn your fat paycheck and spend some of UGA’s money if you want to do better. 72′
Dawg Turd
October 8th, 2012
3:55 pm
UGA leaves SEC!!! Joins the MAC!!!
I am a Good Christian Man
October 8th, 2012
3:56 pm
HIRE DANA HOLGERSON HIRE DANA HOLGERSON
Son of Sammy Davis Jr, Jr
October 8th, 2012
3:56 pm
Joker Phillips is good for one upset at home every year. Be careful JAwGA and don’t over look KinTucKee
Dawg Turd
October 8th, 2012
3:57 pm
Can we compete in the MAC?
JB
October 8th, 2012
3:57 pm
TECH FIRED AL GROH TODAY>>>>>COME ON RICHT, demote or fire Bobo
Saucer
October 8th, 2012
3:57 pm
No worries.
One thing you can counts on a Steve Spurrier team to do at the end of a season is LOSE.
Spurrier ALWAYS loses games to take himself out of the equation.
Somehow, this team will find a way to lose 2 games, they always do.
this is South Carolina, and Steve Spurrier, after all.
No one takes them seriously as a National contender.
They’re always a pretender.
Start strong, and fade. Spurrier wears Lattimore out, Shaw’s taken a beating too. Always backfires on Steve.
Lanner Ball
October 8th, 2012
3:58 pm
Embarrassed??? HE double hockey sticks. WE WERE HUMILIATED!!!
RNB
October 8th, 2012
3:58 pm
CAJDAWG – Good post. We as hans need to start demading greatness or cut the money off. It works for Alabama and Florida. My question is, Why not Georgia? I think we are past due.
Dawg Turd
October 8th, 2012
3:58 pm
Hire the other Dooley from Tennessee.
Rob in Chapel Hill
October 8th, 2012
4:01 pm
Jefferson Davis Hogg: I hear what you’re saying, and I’d agree that many assistants and head coaches would be interested in the job. But it just seems to me that UGA would need an outstanding, proven coach in mind if it really wanted to can a guy like Richt, who I believe has accomplished a lot (and who I also believe does need to be pushed by the AD to take it to the next level). JB mentions that UT might try to hire a “proven guy.” But again, I don’t know who that proven guy would be. There aren’t too many Sabans and Spurriers sitting around out there!
Ed
October 8th, 2012
4:03 pm
“ED….Fla, Bama LSU…. They all play wuss OOC games. THEY ALL DO…..”
No kidding JB, I’ve complained many times on this site about all the joke games everyone is playing nowadays. The problem is those teams seem to get by with it, while we get a false sense of how good we are. Inevitably, someone like Florida or LSU (and now, incredibly, South-freakin’-Carolina) puts us in our place.
LakeDawg
October 8th, 2012
4:03 pm
cajdawg @3:47 pm
BINGO!
TopDawg
October 8th, 2012
4:04 pm
OK, I get it. The Dawgs looked terrible against South Carolina. Regardless of whether, Rambo picks off that first long pass attempt and changes the momentum of the game. Or whether Mike Bobo called the screen pass that was nearly picked off for a pick 6 or lost us 5 yards on another attempt or at other times went for no gain. I am not happy about the outcome of the game, nor am I happy about reading for the umpteenth time that maybe it is time for Richt to go. I am a big Richt supporter and a supporter of the team, but I will play along. I would like to see some names suggested as his replacement that everyone seems to think is going to lead us to the promised land. Because there are many that seem to believe that teams should win a National Championship every five years or so. It’s not that easy folks, it just isn’t. Given the right circumstances, anybody can beat any team on any given day. However, for the sake of sanity, I would like to see some names put on these blogs as potential replacements. Kirby Smart (never been a head coach)? Gene Chizik (hey, he won a National Championship)? Derek Dooley (what great bloodlines)? Please start including some names as replacements when you post about firing Mark Richt. Keep in mind, with those changes come assistant coaching changes (not saying that is a bad thing either), and likely many decommitments!
DeezNutz
October 8th, 2012
4:04 pm
If I was AD, I’d offer the job to Bobo at his current salary + $1 million for a SEC champ + $2 million for a NC. In the meantime, we could hire a special teams coach and a real OC.
Rob in Chapel Hill
October 8th, 2012
4:06 pm
TopDawg, that’s what I’m sayin’ (except you said it much better)!
1776
October 8th, 2012
4:06 pm
UGA was exposed as having been vastly overrated (as usual). All their so called “talent” is also overhyped. They’ve not been a legitimate “top tier” team since the 13-1 year. UF will likely steamroll them and they’ll likely lose another to either AU or GT. Look for a Capital One or Outback Bowl bid (at best), but most likely a Music City Bowl invite.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
October 8th, 2012
4:07 pm
Lets be real
This coaching staff wouldnt win in the MAC
HUH?????
October 8th, 2012
4:07 pm
What is Richt’s record against UF?
Not good.
Spurrier owned UGA at UF and owns them with USC.
Macclenny_dawg
October 8th, 2012
4:08 pm
Our coaching is one of the worst in the land period. Even games we win we let up and survive. We don’t ever put teams away to get some backups game experience. We run a pro style offense which is won in the trenches. Look at our recruits where is the linemen. Every year our questions are on the line. What bothers me is we could see we were getting whipped on both lines and did nothing to help them. If d-line is getting whipped you bring extra blitzers and try to confuse the o-line. If your o-line is getting whipped u keep extra blockers in and not your littlest rb. Malcome the biggest back with most experience was no where to be seen until last possession. We did nothing to try to change momentum except running our predictable offense. No all out punt blocks or nothing. More of the same for years to come with this staff. Still not recruiting enough linemen. Bobo been o-cordinator 3 years to long. We might not hire someone as good as Richt but we could hire someone better than Saban. Its a chance but at least I would know we were trying!!! SICK OF RICHT!!!
HUH?????
October 8th, 2012
4:08 pm
“they’ll likely lose another to either AU ”
Doubt that.
Dawg Fud
October 8th, 2012
4:10 pm
cajdawg,
Possibly the greatest and most entirely accurate post I have ever read on these blogs. Well done sir. Hilarious but at the same time dead on.
JB
October 8th, 2012
4:10 pm
1776…. IF that happens, it could get ugly in Athens….. And not all based on THIS year, but a 4 year slide of under achieving. And Last year was. Dawgs lost 4 games. The four important ones.
T-Dawg
October 8th, 2012
4:11 pm
Who cares? As long a Richt is here we will never win a big game.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
October 8th, 2012
4:12 pm
Here is the deal
If Mcgarity is happy with national embarrassment everytime
If Mcgarity is happy with not beating Top 20 teams
Then
He needs to stop having the UGA Season ticket holders pay a donation just to get season tickets
Pete
October 8th, 2012
4:15 pm
The Dawgs beat the Gators ??
In whose world will that happen ?? LOL
Bob
October 8th, 2012
4:16 pm
Saying that things would have been different if Rambo picked off that pass ignores the fact that he was outplayed by the South Carolina receiver on the play. It wasn’t a fluky bounce, it was a pass play that they caught and we didn’t. The other guy went hard for the ball, apparently wanted it more than our guy did, and wouldn’t be denied. Out-fighting someone for the ball isn’t luck, it’s one of the core principles of football.
We need to stop making excuses for sorry, uninspired play. The better coached team won hands down.
LagDawg
October 8th, 2012
4:16 pm
fortunately I didn’t jump on the “they’re back bandwagon. I really expected a better showing in the SC game, but it still shows just how inept these coaches are at making game plans against top rated teams and coaches. How is it that UGA returned all of its D and they look worse than last year. If this staff can’t do any better, it is time to hire someone that can. Also it appears to me that UGA is still way behind in the S&C Program. They were physically manhandled and looked like a high school team playing a top college program. UF will hand them a butt whooping also. D and OL look horrible and the WR still need too be more physical.
MrDan
October 8th, 2012
4:16 pm
The State, Columbia SC’s newspaper is reporting Aaron Murray’s and Christian Robinson’s house was egged and rolled after Saturday’s game.
http://www.thestate.com/2012/10/08/2472843/national-notebook-ga-player-says.html
If this is true, and it’s being reported there and elsewhere, I want to say to the cowards who did this. You’ve done more to hurt Georgia’s recruiting than any loss to SC, or any coach, or any sportswriter could ever do. I hope someone’s man enough to turn in whoever did that and the school or authorities is man enough to do something about it. Grow up you chikin s*&t bas*%(ds.
joe jenkins
October 8th, 2012
4:17 pm
We have the best looking uniforms in college football….but our play on the field is ugly as the chickens uniform….and thats saying something folks. Our defense with 9 of 11 starters returning and a DC in his third year should be better than the chickens defense…shame on you grantham….The only way i get over this game is…..we win out from here and blow everybody out…including fla….whats the chance of that happening though…slim to none
Raiderbeater
October 8th, 2012
4:17 pm
Give Chris Peterson whatever he wants. He thinks and adjusts on the fly. He is even hard nosed defensively. One and two star recruits being coached and trained up to the level that they are at is amazing. It has been consistant as well. No one or two year fluke……every year with small, slow, “weak” players. They regularly beat big name, ranked teams….and even when they lose they lose close.
LakeDawg
October 8th, 2012
4:18 pm
TopDawg@4:04 pm
Logical fallacy. You’re setting up a strawman. Nobody ever said we should win the NC every five years and you know it. Disingenuous on your part. As for who we get as head coach? I don’t know, but if one is not satisfied with the results you have to make an attempt. Unless, that is, you’re satisfied with the results, which you seem to be. I would proffer that at least 50% of the possible head coaching candidates could do more with the resources than Richt has lately.
Ted M
October 8th, 2012
4:19 pm
“The Bulldogs also will face Georgia Southern, which plays at a lesser level.”
I’m not so sure they play at a lesser level the GT.
LagDawg
October 8th, 2012
4:20 pm
@ Bob, I agree totally. This team is not hungry enough and neither are the coaches. Very poor display for such a high ranked team. Not only should the players be embarrassed, but the coaches and the entire university. As long as excuses are made, UGA will continue to underachieve.
Chizdick
October 8th, 2012
4:20 pm
Better yet, hire me as the new Head Coach. Head Coach is the easiest damn job in the nation. Find coaches that are better than you and make them your OC and DC. Learn how to manage the clock effectively. Don’t shoot yourself in the foot. Recruit players that don’t make mistakes and let other teams beat themselves. Tell all the boosters that we can’t win without your extra $10k this season. Tell them another $20k and you’ll win them a National Championship. Watch the money roll in. If you win, take all the credit. If you lose fire everyone and change schemes and demand another season to make it work. In the end, if you follow my rules you’ll get paid stupid money for 3-6 years. If you’re lucky maybe you’ll end up with a player that wins you an NC and another 6 year contract extension and 3 more get out of jail free cards.
richie
October 8th, 2012
4:20 pm
USC was preparing for UGA since the summer,thats the reason for thr loss,now they have to go thur the gauntlet..Uga has to start preparing sooner for the big games. something they have to learn.That game was more important to USC than Uga.
old fan
October 8th, 2012
4:21 pm
when i was in college, my schools jocks all lived in the “jock dorm” had curfews, offenders were dealt with quickly when things went awry…..and they were the OVC champs too. the system seems to be allowing them to live like they want, w/o any supervision. tighten up some CMR, it ain’t gonna hurt.
Warhorse
October 8th, 2012
4:21 pm
Beat the Gators???
Why not start with an attainable goal.
OC_Dawg
October 8th, 2012
4:22 pm
Good write up! I like Richt as a person, but I just don’t think he has what it takes to really win in the SEC anymore. We need a football coach, not a chaplain.
a voice in the wilderness
October 8th, 2012
4:23 pm
@saucer
No one takes them seriously as a National contender.
They’re always a pretender.
_____________________
pot, meet kettle…kinda describes UGA too…
Dogs>fl
October 8th, 2012
4:24 pm
Ga will beat florida—mark it down. Richt will have the dogs sky high for that game and fla is overrated. They beat an average lsu team by only 8 points. Ga’s offense will light up their defense. Dogs go 11-1 and get a bcs bowl!!!
Mountain Dawg
October 8th, 2012
4:24 pm
Grantham is the greatest con artist of all time. We got sucked in BIG TIME>