Florida in Jax: Big for UGA, it’s even bigger for Mark Richt
"Did you know my darn strong football team is 6-1?" (AP photo)
The surest sign that Mark Richt is miffed: He cites numbers. He did it back in 2006, when Georgia was 5-0 but coming off shaky victories over Colorado and Ole Miss. (Those Bulldogs would lose four of their next five games, FYI.) He did it at the end of the 2008 season, which began with Georgia ranked No. 1 but wound down with Richt trying to make 10-3 sound like a major achievement. He did it again Saturday night.
Responding to a question (mine, actually) about the possibility that the halting performance against Kentucky had been a function of focusing more on the Florida-South Carolina score than the opponent at hand, he stopped in mid-answer. “Know what?” he said, his voice rising. “I’m happy with the victory. We’re 6-1. That’s not bad.”
Know what? He’s right. Georgia is 6-1, and 6-1 isn’t at all bad. (It’s good enough for 10th place in the BCS standings.) But now comes Florida, and this game will do more than define the Bulldogs’ season — it will shape the remainder of Mark Richt’s tenure at Georgia.
Richt has been in place since January 2001. He has — here we cite numbers for him — taken Georgia to two conference championships and four SEC title games. He has presided over seven 10-or-more-win seasons and seen his team finish in the Associated Press top 10 five times. Twice the Bulldogs under Richt have come close (in 2002 and 2007) to playing for the BCS title.
That said, his greatest successes came early, and not since 2007 — Richt’s seventh season — have the Bulldogs given their fans reason to believe the long-sought national championship is within reach. Thus have significant achievements come to be taken with a grain of salt. Winning the SEC East in 2011 was nice, but how nice is a season that features losses to the four best teams on the schedule? Being ranked No. 10 in the BCS is not nothing, but 17 days ago the Bulldogs were ranked No. 5 in the land, and not much good has happened since.
The question for Georgia and Richt is no longer about winning mere games; it’s about winning games of consequence, the games this program has ceased to win. South Carolina has become such a game, and the Bulldogs were embarrassed in Columbia on Oct. 6. Florida is another such game, though technically Georgia beat the Gators last season. But now the repellant reptiles are roaring again, and the Bulldogs under Richt still haven’t whipped a first-rate Florida team. (Richt’s three victories in Jacksonville have come against Gators who would finish 7-5, 9-4 and 7-6.)
If Georgia loses Saturday, it won’t repeat as SEC East champs. Given that the Bulldogs were picked to win the division in preseason, that would be a major disappointment. It would make last year’s return to prominence seem an aberration, not the new normal. Even worse, it would fuel the loaded question: If the 2012 Bulldogs, who came equipped with a bunny schedule and a seasoned quarterback and what seemed a mighty defense, couldn’t play for a conference or a national title, what Georgia team will?
Mark Richt is 52, which is considerably younger than Nick Saban or Les Miles, but a 10-2 season that doesn’t yield at least a division title would not play well among the noisier precincts of his constituency. That doesn’t mean Richt would get fired: There’s no way those in power would move to dislodge a coach who’s again winning 10 games a year. Still, the quality of life for Richt’s remaining seasons as Georgia’s coach would surely be lessened. The emphasis wouldn’t be on the many games Georgia has won but on the magnitude of the games it hasn’t. (No victory over a Top 10 team since 2009, et cetera.)
That the Bulldogs looked awful against South Carolina and awfully unimpressive against Kentucky could benefit the cause. Richt’s biggest victory over Florida — the Gator Stomp of 2007 — came when Georgia wasn’t expected to do anything except its usual Jacksonville flop. Now Florida, picked No. 3 in the SEC East, is ranked No. 2 in the BCS standings. Now this is considered Florida’s game to win.
But make no mistake: This is a game these Bulldogs and their coach need in the worst way. There have been breakthrough victories for Richt over the past 11 1/2 years — Tennessee in 2001, Auburn in 2002, Auburn again when Georgia had lost those four of five in 2006, Florida in 2007, maybe Georgia Tech in 2009 — but none lately. If Georgia wins, Mark Richt won’t need to invoke the record to remind us how good his program is. The record will again speak for itself.
Further reading: If you missed today’s Heat Check, it can be found here. (Georgia is mentioned.)
By Mark Bradley
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608 comments Add your comment
Hold up fellas
October 22nd, 2012
2:34 pm
If we are going to get rid of Richt, please go out and hire a coach winning at another program with less talent. Please don’t go out and get an assistant like Smart to appease the fan base. You need to make a big splash, especially if you want to keep recruits. Spurrier to Carolina or Saban to Alabama should be the blueprint. Even Meyer to Fl. is a good example because he had shown he could win at a smaller school with nowhere near the talent he would have at Fl. Tenn getting rid of Fulmer to make a splashy hire is a perfect example of what not to do. They have been set back for years. Plus if it happens this year (which I don’t think it will), we might be in competition with Auburn and Tenn in the hiring dept.
Here we go
October 22nd, 2012
2:35 pm
Here we go again with the CMR talk that he will leave or get fired if we lose to the Gators.It will not happen! If he wins it just calls off the heat till next year.At the end of the 2013 season if he only wins 7 or 8 games they (Admin.)will plan a easy and correct way for CMR to leave.He will walk away and have new goals in life,not football.At this point in time,the Board likes him and he has strong support from several KEY people.Also forget the Kirby Smart talk.He will not come to UGA. Just waiting on Saban to leave or retire.He wants to be Head Coach at Bama.We can talk about the 2.8 million he makes in salary,but to CMR the reason he coaches is the love of the game and being around young men to be an influence too. I know it’s hard to support the DAWGS this year(I also have a problem with the support)but as I have said before,funny things can happen on any given Saturday. Go DAWGS and please play like the DAWGS of years past.
TN Dawg
October 22nd, 2012
2:35 pm
Needless to say, as a UGA alum, I was very disappointed with UGA’s performance against Kentucky on Saturday night…70-something yards rushing against UK. That’s disgustingly embarrassing!
However, one moment summed up to me the Mark Richt situation and why UGA will never compete at the most elite level of college football. At the end of the first half, the freshman place kicker, who had already missed a PAT, shanked a chip shot field goal that banged off the upright and through to give Georgia a slim two-point lead at the half over the worst team in the SEC. The camera caught CMR laughing as he left the field. I, as a UGA fan, saw absolutely funny about any part of the Dogs performance in the first half. I can’t imagine Nick Saban laughing in that situation. There would have been steam coming out of his ears as he sprinted to the locker room to raise he$$ with players and coaches.
There’s the difference…no fire, no passion! The players take on the personality of their coach…no sense of urgency.
Unfortunately, we are stuck in this rut. McGarity is not about to fire a coach who wins 9-10 games each year. UGA with CMR will always win at least that many because of scheduling and the fact that they will out-talent the lower level teams in the SEC. You might as well be satisfied Bulldog Nation because Richt’s job is safe until he decides to leave on his own. The game against the hated Gators this weekend will, in no way, have any effect on CMR’s employment status. Resignation is a pretty bitter taste to swallow.
Wow!…wish we had Will Muschamp. Watch his passion on the sidelines on Saturday.
JB
October 22nd, 2012
2:36 pm
Bama boy, better hope the rumors out of Cleveland with the Browns and Saban ain’t true. Turning down the first 10 mil per year contract may be more than Saban can stand.
Mike S.
October 22nd, 2012
2:36 pm
I’m personally tired of whining UGA fans that think Nick Saban and Urban Meyer can be found around every corner. No one else is beating these teams, so you can stop lining up head coaches from other conferences. Mullen has yet to beat a single good SEC team. So much for him being a prodigy. Smart? Lets see him do something out from under Saban’s shadow. Muschamp looks good now as long as Brent Pease stays as OC. Driskel was a mess until they lured him in from Boise St. If they fire Richt, I hope Ray Goff Jr takes the job and Tech wears out UGA for 10 years straight.
phil
October 22nd, 2012
2:36 pm
Lenny, amen, brother!!
DollarDawg
October 22nd, 2012
2:37 pm
I’m afraid our problems won’t be cured until the roster changes some. Some of these guys are more concerned with the name on the back of the jersey instead of the ‘G’ on the helmet. Unfortunately they are the players with the most talent. It becomes a double-edged sword: Give yourself a chance to win by playing the best talent you have or try to teach a lesson by playing the guys with the most desire.
Before you automatically say you would play the guys with the desire be careful. Ray Goff did that one year and we lost a homecoming game to Vanderbilt. He was right (there were discipline issues with some selfish starters) but it cost us in the won-loss department.
I suspect Richt and McGarity have already discussed this. Some NFL caliber talent will exit in the offseason with well wishes but no tears of sadness.
hit a single
October 22nd, 2012
2:38 pm
Saban won’t go Pro (players won’t listen to him-NFL is full of spoiled players). If he goes anywhere it will be the University of Texas.
phil
October 22nd, 2012
2:38 pm
Saban will coach Georgia State next year…
DawgsForever
October 22nd, 2012
2:38 pm
6-1 is not bad, but it’s not good either. 6-1 is not bad if you are happy with being 4th best in the SEC, happy with not contending for the SEC title (based on performance so far), happy with not being a national title contender, happy with being… average. If that’s you then 6-1 is not bad…. Now 7-1, THAT will be a significantly different stat than 6-1. 7-1 brings in a whole entirely different path for this program. So let’s review this post again in a week.
gdawginkalamazoo
October 22nd, 2012
2:39 pm
Maybe all of our “future stars of the NFL” on defense are playing not to get hurt as opposed to playing to hurt somebody. IMO the former is a lot more dangerous to your health.
hit a single
October 22nd, 2012
2:40 pm
DollarDawg – you are completely right and this is an area of weakness for Coach Richt. He does not handle these guys very well.
phil
October 22nd, 2012
2:40 pm
You blind homers are the reason we can’t win a big game with your love of mediocrity and support for this pathetic display we see week after week….
Revoke ticket priviledges for these boneheads!!
drunken dawg
October 22nd, 2012
2:40 pm
Ill be drunk and yelling crap in the stands come Sat.. Whooooooooo Hooooooooo. Go Dawgs!!!
JB
October 22nd, 2012
2:41 pm
I’ve heard the Texas rumor also with the allure of winning a NC at a third school, a record that will never be broken IMO, and with Saban, it’s all about about him…You know, like his ONE voice of the program policy.
phil
October 22nd, 2012
2:41 pm
drunken dawg
October 22nd, 2012
2:40 pm
Ill be drunk and yelling crap in the stands come Sat.. Whooooooooo Hooooooooo. Go Dawgs!!!
***************
Exactly…..sigh.
Bet your momma is proud. Then again, she’ll be drunker than you.
hit a single
October 22nd, 2012
2:41 pm
Petrino is wanting to come to Ga. State so he can come back home (the Dome). I just hope some of those Falcon players don’t get a hold of him.
docta
October 22nd, 2012
2:42 pm
if there is 2 yards to go to score pass!!!!!!! Don’t run my God—————–the sky will fall!!!!
drunken dawg
October 22nd, 2012
2:42 pm
I’ll drink to that!!!! Cocktail Party Baby….. Go DAWGS
hit a single
October 22nd, 2012
2:43 pm
That is what I have heard. Saban to Texas because they are going to give him half the state.
phil
October 22nd, 2012
2:43 pm
Some are already drunk, i see….
drunken dawg
October 22nd, 2012
2:43 pm
Gonna Get wasted and have a party in JAX.. Go Dawgs!!!!
You want to go back to this???
October 22nd, 2012
2:43 pm
Dooley’s Dawgs
Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs Coaches# AP°
Georgia Bulldogs (Southeastern Conference) (1964–1988)
1964 Georgia 7–3–1 3–2 5th W Sun
1965 Georgia 6–4 2–3 8th 15
1966 Georgia 10–1 5–0 T–1st W Cotton 4 4
1967 Georgia 7–4 3–2 5th L Liberty 18
1968 Georgia 8–1–2 5–0–1 1st L Sugar 4 8
1969 Georgia 5–5–1 2–3–1 6th L Sun
1970 Georgia 5–5 3–3 T–5th
1971 Georgia 11–1 5–1 T–2nd W Gator 8 7
1972 Georgia 7–4 4–3 5th
1973 Georgia 7–4–1 3–4 T–5th W Peach
1974 Georgia 6–6 4–2 T–2nd L Tangerine
1975 Georgia 9–3 5–1 T–2nd L Cotton 19 19
1976 Georgia 10–2 5–1 1st L Sugar 10 10
1977 Georgia 5–6 2–4 T–6th
1978 Georgia 9–2–1 5–0–1 2nd L Bluebonnet 15 16
1979 Georgia 6–5 5–1 2nd
1980 Georgia 12–0 6–0 1st W Sugar 1 1
1981 Georgia 10–2 6–0 T–1st L Sugar 5 6
1982 Georgia 11–1 6–0 1st L Sugar 4 4
1983 Georgia 10–1–1 5–1 2nd W Cotton 4 4
1984 Georgia 7–4–1 4–2 T–3rd T Florida Citrus
1985 Georgia 7–3–2 3–2–1 5th T Sun
1986 Georgia 8–4 4–2 T–2nd L Hall of Fame
1987 Georgia 9–3 4–2 T–4th W Liberty 14 13
1988 Georgia 9–3 5–2 3rd W Gator 15 15
Georgia: 201–77–10 104–42–4
Total: 201–77–10
gdawginkalamazoo
October 22nd, 2012
2:44 pm
Just like Muschamp said “one game season” this weekend. Whether or not our coaching staff believes it, we’ll see.
JB
October 22nd, 2012
2:44 pm
If it gets ugly Saturday, it’s just one more validation that it’s the staff. No way we should get blown out with the talent of our starters.
PR
October 22nd, 2012
2:44 pm
Definitely a pivotal game for Richt and the entire program. Can’t deny that…
DollarDawg
October 22nd, 2012
2:44 pm
Single, unfortunately you’re right too. I think the world of the guy but Mark Richt appears unable to get the attention of guys like this and, as a fan, I want the most talent on the field. Other coaches deal with selfish players and find a way to win. It is not impossible.
dawg4life
October 22nd, 2012
2:44 pm
Let’s take all the suspense out:
GA loses….big.
I love the dawgs but I know how these “BIG” games turn out. If we get a turnover there where be a penalty to negate it. If we have a wide open receiver for a touchdown he will drop it. If we have a big play, our undiscpilned team will get flagged for unsportsman conduct. The biggest impact player will be the punter. I will not watch this game because #1 I have something else to do, and #2 because they’ll just break my heart.
phil
October 22nd, 2012
2:46 pm
drunken dawg
October 22nd, 2012
2:43 pm
Gonna Get wasted and have a party in JAX.. Go Dawgs!!!!
**********
Moron.
Joey
October 22nd, 2012
2:46 pm
“The momentum is back in the program.”
******************************
Are you serious, Mike S?
You do realize we have lost 5 games the two easiest schedules UGA will ever have, 3 in blow-out fashion. We have beaten no ranked teams in damn near forever. Momentum?
I’ll show you momentum – Muschamp’s Gators go 7-6 in his first season.
Muschamp’s Gators are unbeaten in his 2nd season – including wins over ranked teams A&M, LSU, and SC.
Paul The Vol
October 22nd, 2012
2:46 pm
All of you wanting to get rid of Richt – I can only hope that you do because Tennessee would try to hire him in a heartbeat.
phil
October 22nd, 2012
2:47 pm
Look, get real, people….
We’re not about to win this game. If it’s closer than 45-17, it will be cause for celebration.
Wake up and live in reality!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
JB
October 22nd, 2012
2:47 pm
yep, started getting nervous when I saw CBS promoting the game all weekend. Usually laying an egg time for us when the lights go up on a big stage.
Mike S.
October 22nd, 2012
2:47 pm
Firing Richt would be asinine. He’s obviously got the program back on the doorstep of contention after it had collapsed as recent as 2010. The overall production from the last two recruiting classes have been the best I’ve seen since the 2006-2007 classes. Unlike his early years, you have to win the national title to win the SEC right now. They need to wash some more of these entitled upperclassmen out, and keep the momentum going.
gdawginkalamazoo
October 22nd, 2012
2:48 pm
What’s the over/under on Murray throwing a pick 6 at the most inopportune time?
phil
October 22nd, 2012
2:48 pm
LOL at Paul the Vol…..
True. You morons are far worse than us and yet, you came close to beating us!!!!
And you want our coaches? Nuts.
Mark Richt
October 22nd, 2012
2:49 pm
Ho, Hum;
Another great 12-2 season and another bowl game in Shreveport.
Ho, Hum.
phil
October 22nd, 2012
2:49 pm
Right, Mike S…..
Do you have cat liter for a brain?
JB
October 22nd, 2012
2:50 pm
Paul the Vol…….You’ve been bad to long to really mean that. Sleepy eyes would do less up there because of the no talent in Tenn high schools. Richt wins 9, 10 games with talent, not coaching. Boy, if we had both!!!!!!
Mike S.
October 22nd, 2012
2:50 pm
@Joey – Muschamp is also renting Brent Pease as OC. He lured him there from Boise St. which is why his offense isnt a mess like last year. Pease took a lateral move likely to get noticed for a HC job. Who saw UGA winning the East last year? The 4 games they lost were to teams that finished in the top 11. Thats a year later from losing to the likes of Miss St., Colorado, and UCF.
AFDawg
October 22nd, 2012
2:50 pm
A few things going into this game to give the Dawgs their best chance at winning. First, Bobo doesn’t need to worry about establishing the running game. Run when you think you can break one but other than that — spread the field and throw, throw, throw! Let’s do this Texas Tech style. UGA seems to move the ball best when they open things wide open. Put some new sets in. Use a lot of trick plays. On the defensive side of the ball — scheme a lot and blitz a lot. Put your fastest linebacker on Driskell and tell him to key on him the whole game and hit him every play. Special teams — practice for a change.
gbal
October 22nd, 2012
2:51 pm
Enter your comments here
Bobby Petrino
October 22nd, 2012
2:51 pm
I GUARANTEE I CAN COACH UP RICHT’S CURRENT TALENT AND OPEN A CAN OF WHOOP A** ON FLORIDA AND SOUTH CAROLINA !
I’LL LIGHT A FIRE !
phil
October 22nd, 2012
2:52 pm
AFDawg is as delusional as paul the vol…..
VICTOR
October 22nd, 2012
2:52 pm
OLD COACH IS A GREAT GUY FOR SURE BUT HE WILL NEVER TAKE US TO A TITLE.GREAT GUYS ARE NOT GREAT LEADERS.HE LACKS EMOTION ON AND OF THE FIELD.HE HAS WAY TO MANY EXCUSES.HE NEEDS TO GET PISSED ONE TIME AND LEAD THE DOGS THROUGH THE GAME.MAKE THEM LISTEN AND PLAY FOR THE WIN.LAST YEAR THE BOWL GAME MADE ME SICK.3 OVERTIMES TO WIN AND NO SCORE.
dmr
October 22nd, 2012
2:52 pm
Consistency must be the hallmark of any football team. Richt has been a consistent winner. Richt’s wins have consistently come against inferior talent. Richt has consistently had this team underperforming. Here are your other consistencies.
1.) This team is inconsistent.
2.) The defense sans one year has woefully underperformed
3.) Special teams have been a consistent source of trouble
4.) The offense has been consistently predictable
5.) The offensive line has been consistently offensive.
Now, just for s&g, here are a few names of coaches you could toss around should the Georgia job ever become available.
1. Charlie Strong (defensive minded coach with great ties to the SEC)
2. David Cutcliffe (great offensive mind, currently doing good things with Duke)
3. Skip Holtz (it may mean Lou may be around, but make no mistake, he can coach)
4. Kirby Smart (D.C. at ALABAMA, gotta figure if Alabama wins another title, Smart is looking to become a H.C. —- just don’t like bringing in another person with no H.C. experience, but Saban has taught him well)
Nick
October 22nd, 2012
2:53 pm
The fact that they had two weeks to prepare for the worst team in the SEC and looked that bad from start to finish sums up what’s going to happen Saturday. TWO WEEKS!
The defense in particular looked like they hadn’t played a snap all year starting with the first play of the game, nor had even prepared one lick, It baffles me to no end.
SEC FORECAST
October 22nd, 2012
2:54 pm
As long as Spurrier & Saban continue to coach, Mark Richt and UGA will be playing second fiddle.
gbal
October 22nd, 2012
2:56 pm
Q: Ive read the AJC and Columbia papers this weekend and have wondered …. Why had the been no piece criticizing CSS for not being able to “win the big ones” for two years in a row and calling for his head at SC. He lost two last year at LSU and ARKY and the two this year LSU and FLA that wouod have put him in the SECCG had he come away with one win either year but he could not come thru either year. Why arent the writers calling for his head?.
DarthDawg
October 22nd, 2012
2:56 pm
How many stud seniors has UGA had since the 2005 team? Seems to me that UGA is nothing but an NFL feeder program. Perhaps the reason that the defense cannot stop anyone is because most players are auditioning for the NFL and trying to stay healthy instead of going all out to try to shutdown opponents.
The same can be said for Murray. Didn’t he come to UGA as a dual threat QB who could pass? How many times have we seen Murray hold the ball and look at covered WRs when there’s plenty of running room to pickup a 1st down yet he doesn’t take off like he used to? How many times have we seen other SEC QBs running to pick up 1st downs and TDs to give their team a chance to win?
I think UGA players are all about the money.