Emptying the notebook . . .
Duly noted:
– Everyone knew Knowshon Moreno was a special running back who gained many yards on his own, but this Georgia season is re-proving the point. While Georgia’s offensive line clearly has not created the rooming room that was expected, Richard Samuel and Caleb King haven’t been able to generate much on their own, either. Saturday was a low point for the running game (just 45 yards on 24 attempts, just one first down rushing) -– a performance brightened only by the promising debut of freshman tailback Washaun Ealey. Mark Richt said after the game Saturday and again Sunday that Ealey will get more playing time, although he said the staff isn’t ready to “change up the depth chart this second.” Richt didn’t, however, rule out the possibility of that happening in the days ahead.
– And watching Charles Scott break loose from several would-be tacklers on LSU’s game-winning touchdown Saturday also reminded you of what Georgia hasn’t been getting from its tailbacks post-Moreno.
– What will be missing when Georgia and Tennessee play Saturday in Knoxville? A ranked team. According to UGA, it’ll be the first time in 25 meetings since 1937 that the Dogs and Vols have played with neither team ranked in the Associated Press or coaches’ Top 25 polls. Saturday’s 20-13 loss to No. 4 LSU dropped Georgia out of the polls for the first time since Dec. 3, 2006. “I’m just glad it’s not the final poll,” Richt said.
– Georgia and LSU combined for one touchdown in the game’s first 57 minutes — and three touchdowns in the final three minutes.
– Amid Georgia’s much-dissected shortcomings Saturday — running game, kickoff coverage, not stopping Scott when it mattered most, dismal first-half offense, Brandon Boykin returning an interception from the end zone, etc. –- two other plays shouldn’t be overlooked: Joe Cox overthrowing a wide-open A.J. Green on a first-quarter deep ball and Blair Walsh missing his first field goal in nine attempts, a mere 32-yarder, in the third quarter. Those two plays might have meant 10 points in a game decided by 7.
– Richt on Trindon Holliday’s 40-yard kickoff return that set up LSU’s winning touchdown: “We got punctured right in the heart of our kickoff-coverage team. Their wedge did a very nice job. And everybody knows Holliday is a special cat.” Richt said another factor was that Georgia was kicking into the wind.
– Georgia was penalty-free in the first half. Alas, the Dogs had seven penalties for 59 yards in the second half, including the very costly two for 20 yards in the final 69 seconds.
– While still mystified by the excessive-celebration penalty on Green — and, for that matter, by the same penalty on LSU after its subsequent score –- Richt concurred with the call against Orson Charles for his celebration after his 22-yard reception in the third quarter.
– As for the penalty on Green’s celebration, Richt said Georgia will consult with the SEC about the call and the rule this week. “Based on what I saw, I just need to be educated as to what would constitute a flag for excessive celebration,” he said on a teleconference Sunday, “and I want to be able to educate our players in the right way so that won’t happen to us again in the future. . . . I want to play within the rules, but I also want [the team] to have some spirit and have some ability to enjoy some success.”
– Cox on his own celebration of Green’s touchdown with 1:09 to play: “I know I was excited, just running around like an idiot.”
– There were some Sanford Stadium boos in the first half Saturday, most notably on a third-and-8 play on which Georgia ran the ball (Samuel got 2 yards). Cox heard the boos. “People expect you to throw the ball [in that situation],” he said. “They don’t know there’s nobody up in the box for run support, and if you block it right, there’s no one to tackle the back and you get 30 yards. . . . If it works, people think you’re geniuses.”
– Georgia’s defense got more sacks Saturday (6, including 3 in a row to start the second half) than in the season’s first four games combined (5). “The defense was having fun out there,” said DE Justin Houston, who had two sacks against LSU and has been a difference-maker since returning from suspension. “It’s so much easier to play defense if you are having fun out there.”
– Dating to last season, Georgia is 0-4 against top-10 teams, losing to Alabama and Florida last year and to Oklahoma State and LSU this season.
– Of Georgia’s 19 losses since 2003, 12 have been by seven points or less.
– And does anybody have a clue what type of game Georgia will play against Tennessee? “It has been a very unusual year in regard to knowing what you’re going to get on a week-to-week basis,” Richt said Saturday night. “We have not really been able to predict how the ballgame is going to go.”
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148 comments Add your comment
lizard boy
October 6th, 2009
5:32 pm
I guess I will always be a Georgia fan to some degree—-but it sure is hard to figure out what is going on in Athens these days ===they get all kinds of talent over the years but something is missing——————you think maybe it is the kill instinct?
YellowJacket07
October 6th, 2009
5:44 pm
RE: the Penalty Call
Coming from a Georgia Tech Fan / Alum, while I agree it was a horrible call against UGA, you can’t blame losing the game because of it. Missed tackling is to blame for the loss. Whether or not the LSU running back had 100 yards to run, the reality is no one was around him to make a tackle after he broke through the line. That being said it was a bad call, but not the game.
and St Simons.. Stop with the scores. You are not giving Georgia Tech a good name. Have some class.
Another Dawg
October 6th, 2009
6:54 pm
Add John Jancek to the list of coaches who need to be pink-slipped
Franklin Co.
October 6th, 2009
7:02 pm
I’m glad it is bow hunting season. I still follow the dawgs on my headphone radio. I actually talk back to it, so the deer have no reason to fear me. What I fear though, is just watching the good ship ‘UGA football program’ get stuck in neutral. It seems that week after week is a ‘pivotal’ game. The Tennessee game is no exception. Lose it, and what cheering is left will be for the second tier games left on the schedule. I want the dawgs to do well, but the administration seems to put priorities in the wrong place,ie making Stegman pretty, making Sanford nicer. I had a call last nite from a nice young lady representing UGA asking for $$$ for the new Tate Center extension. I was polite, but firm, and told her until a lot of the current administration finds opportunities elsewhere, my contributions will be de minimus. She said that was a complaint she hears very frequently.
Cmill
October 6th, 2009
7:10 pm
Those boos were because of ANOTHER 3 AND OUT!!! Not running just for running on 3rd and 8, they applied to the whole possession.
HBTD
October 6th, 2009
7:57 pm
azdawg – Reading comp. is fine.
Unless you’re supporting the University football program in materially significant manner, I’d suggest you refrain from any further negative blogging about this coaching staff lest you become a very frustrated fan.
As a true dawg fan, you ought to be out there supporting this team and coaching staff with unwaivering loyalty. Let CMR make the call at the end of the season as to who he’d like to lead the troops.
I really just have no patience for fans like yourself that have this “sky is falling mentality” on a program that is and has been one of the top 10 programs in the country for the last several years. If you can’t support the team and coaches with your emotion and your wallet, please go away and find a team more to your liking. A true dawg fan has no patience or need for whiney people like you!!
AltamahaDawg
October 6th, 2009
8:46 pm
Oh so the BOOs were not at the play selection, but rather at the players for thier struggles in general. Well that is so much better.
You know……..telling somebody how low class they are for booing for any reason is useless. Either you know its low-class or you don’t. But from a more practical standpoint, you would assume that folks boo because they wanted some better outcome, and how the hell anyone thinks that booing is actually going help acheive that has got to rate as the stupiest idea of thier week.
jc
October 6th, 2009
8:49 pm
I guess BuLLdawg sat in his chair and did not jump up and down screaming with excitement like myself when Green scored with 1:09 left!
AltamahaDawg
October 6th, 2009
9:00 pm
How is improving facilities counter-productive to winning football games? And who exactly is “administration”?
AltamahaDawg
October 6th, 2009
9:02 pm
07, I would think that a Tech man would understand the concept that if you went back in time and killed your Grandfather………
HBTD
October 6th, 2009
9:32 pm
Here’s a question for any rules interpretation expert.
I read a column online in today’s Athens Banner Herald written by Marc Weisser wherein he referenced an excessive celebration penalty called last year on Washington when their QB tossed the ball in the air with 2 seconds remaining in the game after scoring a TD to pull the Huskies within 1 of tying BYU. A flag was thrown for excessive celebration and a 15 yard penalty was imposed on the extra point. BYU ended up blocking the extra point and won the game.
Question – Why was the 15 yard penalty for excessive celebration imposed on the kickoff this past Saturday instead of on the PAT?? Was there a rule change or is their a specific fact pattern that dictates one imposition over the other??
D.Ellis
October 6th, 2009
9:53 pm
HBTD-I believe it is to the teams discretion of wen to take it. DON”T QUOTE ME ON THAT.
Obviously BYU would not take it on the kickoff because there was only 2 seconds left to pay….ie not enough time to score. THey took the shot of backing up WAshington for 1. THey wouldn’t go for 2 and try and win it. 2. they would give them selves a shot at blocking a 32 yard extra point…which is what happened.
If I’m not mistaken……LSU toook the kick off because there was still 1:09 left on the clock…with 2 timeouts and onlt needing a FG to win.
Like I said don’t quote me I’m not a rule book but I think thats it.
OH YEAH GOOOOOOO DAWGS IN KNOXVILLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
MtnDawg
October 6th, 2009
10:04 pm
Out of curiosity, if you issue a statement wanting to fire Mark Richt…
1) Who would you hire?
2) What year did you graduate from UGA?
I am wondering about the demographics of people who don’t support him, along with their logic as to who they think would do better.
MtnDawg
October 6th, 2009
10:05 pm
By the way, I support CMR 100%.
UGA c/o 2006
HBTD
October 6th, 2009
10:14 pm
DEllis – Thanks. That makes sense and perhaps explains the unusually long delay between the TD and the 2 point try. Maybe the officials were running back and forth to the coaches alerting them as to what had happened and providing them with their options.
I’d sure hate to think that the officials compounded the problem by not assessing the penalty correctly.
ghost dawg
October 6th, 2009
10:21 pm
gt letterman, you people are like the 90 lb nerd in love with the cheerleader, nothing you do or say will make you important, you just don’t matter.
D.Ellis
October 6th, 2009
10:25 pm
HBTD-Probably so. They were making sure they had everything right for the call.
MtnDawg-I to support Mark Richt 100%, and have never jumpede or uttered a word of fire Richt…..and never will…..I hope
But to answer your question if the day ever came and this coach was available.
-Brian Kelley the coach from Cincy. His offense is great and he has won at every level he has coached at. Cincy is about to make a run at their 2nd straight BCS game and are in the top 10 and his “system” has a Heisman candidate for QB
Cincy has no D. But at UGA he could recruit an entire demographic of defensive players that udually don’t have Cincy in their final 3. Nothing agaisnt any Bearcat fan out there but I beleive the level of talent he could recruit on defense would far surpass the level he recruits at Cincy.
Put that talent level of defense (that UGA recruits now) with his offensive scheme that chunks it all across the field and that would be my choice
But make no mistake about it Mark Richt is my coach.
Tuesday’s Message Board Hero of the Day « The Chapel Bell
October 6th, 2009
11:07 pm
[...] wrote a little message to Mark Richt on the AJC comments section, under a notebook written by Tim [...]
Chuck Uga
October 6th, 2009
11:34 pm
The UT game is a make-or-break game for this program. Lose and Coach Richt (and staff) immediately go on the hot seat. A 2-4 record his last six games versus BOTH UT and UF is unacceptable. Florida is understood, but not both. Simply put, better not blow this one.
Chuck Uga
October 6th, 2009
11:35 pm
P.S. Brian Kelly will coach a top program soon. Hoping it is not in the SEC.
He would have been perfect for UT.
FBI
October 6th, 2009
11:48 pm
Has anyone else considered that the ref may have been working the spread. Someone needs to check his bank account balances.
pocket t's Rule!
October 7th, 2009
12:01 am
am I off base my just mentioning that quite often the top teams in the nation are among the most penalized?
Not a fan of Willie
October 7th, 2009
1:28 am
I’m not ready to fire CMR … he’s a great man and we couldn’t do any better. I am disgusted at his inability to make changes. He has a weakness in his coaching … loyalty and friendship. This has and will eventually have a great affect on his position as head coach. I’ll bet you the farm that he won’t make a single coaching change after the season? Anyone want to take that bet?
AltamahaDawg
October 7th, 2009
7:05 am
I dont think they get to choose on that penalty. Obviously anyone would rather just kick what equates to a short FG for the extra point rather than kick off from their our own 15. We certainly wouldnt have elected to kick off from the 7 yr line (double foul) at FL07 game, if we had the option.
I think its always been the case that TD penalties are enforced on the KO rather than the extra point, because there is not real penalty to the team otherwise. The only time you see an extra point backed up is if the penalty occured during the attempt itself.
It might also have to do with the fact that extra points are attempted while the clock is not running. As in penalties would be inforced on the next “live” play.
AltamahaDawg
October 7th, 2009
7:09 am
On another note, somebody questioned if we had KO’d normally and done so out of bounds, and then had the same (3man on the side) procedure call, where would we have been. I wonder if it is possible that you would have 2 procedure calls enforced? Or is OOB basically negating anything else as basically the play was dead. Other team might have had the option to take the 40 OR force a rekick on that.
AltamahaDawg
October 7th, 2009
7:23 am
Richt deciding his staff based on freindship might be the most childish theory I have ever heard in sport chat. The idea that his freindship to a specific coach would negate his freindship to all the other coaching doesnt even make sence. Or that a coaching buddy is more inportant to him than is wife, his kids, his job, his players, the fans, the university, God. Is there any way possible that he just does not evaluate his coaches the same way that you do, therefore it would be illogical for him to take the same actions as you ‘think” he should? That maybe his agenda is different than yours. Or his big plan. Or his timing. Is that at all possible? Say he doesnt know what he is doing, or at least that you can’t understand it, but good heavens loss the playground mentality………its all just his BFF causing all the issues………Do you really not see how stupid that sounds?
BTW, his best buddy is actually Brad Johnson, bro in law, who he lobbied to move to Athens along with all his other family, which makes it all the less likely that he would jerpordize himself living in Athens over a lesser friend on his staff.
we're over rated !!!
October 7th, 2009
8:21 am
out of the top 25 for a reason….. it has nothing to do with the referees either….
Big EC
October 7th, 2009
8:52 am
Mark Richt answers to a higher authority than any of you so called supporters of Georgia football understand. Georgia has not won a national championship while Coach Richt has been head coach. So what. I can assure that his devotion to Christ and his works with the young men that he has come in contact with are much more impressive to our heavenly Father than any of his records as a football coach. You can get on here and degrade the man and the men that work for him, but not one of you has the ability to become a head coach in college and make the decisions that he and his staff make. If you could, you would be doing just that. I wish that they ran a blog for the performance of all of you that are the factory workers, doctors, lawyers, maintenance, janitors, teachers, landscapers, construction workers, garbage collectors, accountants, students, teachers, restaurant workers, landlords, and any other occupations that I have left out. Then you could see how insignificant venters and bloggers really are to what you do for a living. Most of you should be thankful for what you have. When Coach Richt leaves who is going to come to Georgia to turn around a program that has a 78-80% winning percentage in the last Decade. Is Bob Stoops or Urban Meyer or Saban going to leave their programs to come to Georgia? We have the best person in Athens right now. Marck Richt is leading young men to Christ and he’s coaching football. I would just as soon stand pat and enjoy life rather than waste time on something(criticizing a coach and his staff) that I know very little about.
AltamahaDawg
October 7th, 2009
9:18 am
D.Ellis, I didn’t see your responce, which was that the other team gets to choose. Could be. Thats a good point. I wonder though if they have anything to do with it, since they really weren’t harmed or restricted in any way by the infraction. It’s a foul against the “the game” more than anything else, and I am thinking the penalty is predetermined.
REALDAWG FAN
October 7th, 2009
9:25 am
I for one am proud of georgia. I can’t understand beating down a young team or the coaches after a heartbreaker.So keep bashing georgia all you so called fans.Then after a win get your shirt back out of the closet.GO DAWGS!!!
kentucky dawg
October 7th, 2009
9:31 am
If it were me I am sure I’d already be looking for another job. Having been a Bulldawg fan for the past forty years these are sad times indeed.
The Truth
October 7th, 2009
12:19 pm
GA Tech Lies and Cheats and Everyone knows it. Why would any recruit want to attend school at GA Tech? Only a moron would be a GA Tech fan. I’ve heard lately that Tech is giving key players Steroids! Congratulations Tech fans, you’ve hit rock bottom. And I know you are proud of this.
Bobby Bowden
October 7th, 2009
12:29 pm
Dadgumit, what’s wrong with you rednecks from Georgia? Mark Richt is the best coach ya’ll have ever had. He is going to replace me at FSU at the end of the season and we will see how good you are with Chan Gailey as your next head coach.Chan said he thought he could develop that 30 yr old quarterback ya’ll have.
StingDoc
October 7th, 2009
12:54 pm
“Paul Johnson wears a Snuggie” was obviously stung by St. Simons as evidenced by his long response in which he says he doesn’t care about Tech; somewhat of an oxymoron, wouldn’t you say? He admits UGA has a bully mentality & wants to “bully” opponents, esp. Tech when they win. This reflects a lack of class. Winston Churchill said, “In Defeat, Defiance; In Victory, Magnanimity.” He didn’t say “In Victory, Taunt & Bully.” Regarding his boast of 7-1 under Richt, I would remind him that it was 7-4 over 11 years [Tech won in 1998, 1999, 2000], Bobby Dodd still holds the record streak of 8 in a row over the Bulldogs, and that Tech has more National Championships than Georgia even though Tech players must be able to read & write before they are allowed to play.
About Ealey
October 7th, 2009
12:57 pm
Why can every other team in college football play freshmen but GA cannot – put Ealey in and Cox can tell him the blocking assignment for the play if it is a pass – I mean our offense does not look that complicating – it appears every other team’s defense can learn it an dknow what we are doing and they are not even on our team? Go figure – and if we do not start getting playing time for our next years quarterback then we will be in the same boat again.
Get over it
October 7th, 2009
1:18 pm
Too many of you are quick to judge – so what if GA has not won a National Championship since 1980 – they have been in position to win or at least play on the big stage – that is great coaching – Not too many teams have played in or even won a National Championship – so should all those teams fire their staff and bash their players – all programs go through change and have good and bad seasons – look at MI and OK and USC and so on –
It is hard when you lose top players year after year to the NFL and have to replace those guys – NO one guy does not make a team but one guy can help a team a lot –
I may be wrong but wait til next year for FL – let’s see how good they are without their quarterback – lets see how good TX and OK are next year – Look at OK now without their starting qb –
all teams go through it guys and GA has not disappointed for the past 8 years – no NC I know but you cannot expect a NC year in and year out that is foolish in itself –
GA can win out and still play in the SEC championship – but only if the Team believes it and plays like it can with all cylinders spinning at the same time – you can laugh and say they cannot beat FL – but any team can loose on any given day – just look at last year when FL was beat by MS – look at the year when CA beat USC and knocked them out of the NC game –
Go dawgs!
VentingDawg
October 7th, 2009
1:48 pm
Tim?!? We’re in the middle of football season & no UGA blog post for 2 days?!? AJC Sports Editor, that’s unacceptable! Please get a beat writer for UGA that will provide us with regular updates & blogs!
andrew
October 7th, 2009
2:20 pm
I’m a Mark Richt fan but “kicking into the wind”? Please. I kick off team has and does SUCK!
Henry
October 7th, 2009
2:27 pm
I think the Dawgs will beat Tennessee – hope so. After that, who knows?
It looks like losses to Florida, Auburn, and Tech are in their future.
j1ake5555
October 7th, 2009
2:29 pm
To the comment cox said about running on third down and being booed for it. Well mr cox people are booing cause the bulldawg nation knows our offensive line cant run block worth a sh*t. The smarter play call due to our lack of sucess of run blocking would have been to throw in that situation. I mean when our offinsive line is adequate at pass blocking so why not throw huh? Plus we would not boo in the first place if we saw the offensive line play to their ability they are capable of. Im sick of hearing about cox’s comments about the georgia fans. He should be the last one to be commenting on the fans actions when he’s one of the causes in the past two games for us not getting any production on offence. I mean for someone that coaches say is one the most accurate passers in practise, you think he would throw on target in games instead from what i see he’s constantly throwning high and behind recievers. If it wasnt for our recievers ( mainly A.J ) making circus catches we would probably had loss the past two games. Now i love georgia football and have respect for the team but quarterbacks in the past from i can remember didnt talk sh*t about their own fan base. Does anybody eles feel the same way about this as i do?
AltamahaDawg
October 7th, 2009
2:41 pm
Gawd almighty folks how many freshmen do we have to play before you stop wondering if we would ever play freshmen. Is there a team in the country playing more freshmen than UGA right now????? Can we at least let them recover from an injury first?
Sautee Dawg
October 7th, 2009
5:54 pm
Freshmen playing is a good thing when things go well but sometimes their lack of experience shows at the worst time. Boykin coming out of the endzone after the INT was a mistake, but thank God the young man intercepted the pass. How do you get on to a player for that?
CMR is loyal to his staff and that’s fine he should be. Why won’t he appoint a dedicated special teams coach? Fabris? He’s not getting it done.
The directional kickoff works out on paper not much different than a touchback, but the lack of coverage is what hurts. Putting a 5star QB in to faircatch punts is something i don’t understand. Mikey Henderson was a senior before he started returning punts and look how he worked out. I just hope Branden Smith don’t have to wait that long.
Pit Bull
October 7th, 2009
10:44 pm
I got a bad feeling about the Vol game. If we have bad coaching we might lose. It sure doesn’t look like we have GOOD coaching, does it? Have you heard anyone anywhere say (Ga., sure has some excellent Coaches there etc etc. or “great game plan by Ga etc etc”. I’m hearing just the OPPOSITE!
tommy
October 7th, 2009
10:45 pm
I think CMR is losing his pashion for coaching due to his pashion for God. That is a good thing for him, but bad for UGA. UGA has alot of things that are out of balance. The talent is there. The focus is not.
djawjuh
October 7th, 2009
11:34 pm
I want to single out one facet of our ineptness: the special teams. Ours haven’t been very special to say the least. How is it that everybody runs the ball back to the 50 or so? Oh, there are exceptions but you get the jist. In addition, we concede runbacks by fair catching punts. Who approved that? Answers please.
The Poet of North Avenue
October 8th, 2009
12:02 am
Dearest and most special doggy fans and Saint Mark apologists:
This one is dedicated to each of you.
THE BALLAD OF WILLIE, MARK & BOBO
(Sung to the tune “Ballad of Davy Crockett”)
Headed to a mountain-top in Tennessee
Got a big game with the orange U T
They’ll lose by a margin makin his-to-ry
Then they’ll the refs
WILLIE, MARK & BOBO,
Gonna get handed their a##
(Applause)
Footballnut29
October 8th, 2009
1:05 am
It will most likely be a close game. Tennessee has looked as stagnant as UGA on the offensive side of the ball. So maybe the field goal kickers will determine this game. Regardless if UGA rushes for 45 yrds again it won’t be pretty. Tennessee will try to make Joe Cox beat them with his arm. With his lack of arm strength and mobility Richt would have to be crazy not to put in Logan G. At least work in some wildcat plays or just something creative. If I was Richt I would take back over the play calling duties. Bobo has shown poor decision making skills. If UGA losses this game it could be a disaster considering they still have to play Auburn, Florida, and GT. That might lead to a possible 6 loss season. At that time you will hear the UGA faithful call for a town square lynching. They will need a fall guy and I question if Richt has the marbles to fire Martinez and Bobo. He must hire capable assistants. His job is to over see with all this talent they are not a 6 loss team. Considering UGA has been in the top 10 nationally recruiting for the past 5 yrs. If Richt doesn’t make the right decision by the end of the season I’m sure the fan base will make it for him. I heard the Richt Radio Show this week. The callers kept asking the lollypop questions. How about the lack of offense and the weak play calling displayed by UGA. Look at teams like Boise State they do well because they are well coached. It isn’t because they have great recruiting classes. The thug mentality lives in the UGA program. Richt has the same policy as he did at FSU, let them play. When you hold the boys accountable for their actions you are doing him and the community a service. All that gets produced from environments with no control are criminals and deadbeats. Neither is what I want my son to idolize. Heck you can’t even bring kids to the game anymore. People are urinating everywhere. Then they throw their trash on the ground like a bunch of hoodlums. The examples the fans and the coaches set with these oversights is nothing I want to bring my son into. I hope Michael Adams cleans up these low life fans and players. So real people who can be civilized in a public place can enjoy the game.
AltamahaDawg
October 8th, 2009
7:18 am
Are you talking about the 3 or 4 times out of 30 that we put AM into fair catch because the punt is likely to be inside our 20?