Evans: Dogs will stay with traditional uniforms
Athens — If there was any doubt after the black-helmeted debacle against Florida, it seems official now that there’ll be no more uniform gimmickry from the Georgia Bulldogs anytime soon.
Georgia athletics director Damon Evans, appearing on UGA’s weekly radio call-in show Monday night, gave a pretty strong thumbs-down to future variations on the Bulldogs’ traditional uniforms.
“I don’t believe playing the game is about uniforms,” Evans said. “I just want our team to go out on the field and play the best of their ability. We have had some uniform changes in the past, but I would tell you not to look for that anytime soon. I’m not going to ever say never, but that’s not something that we’re going to be focused on.”
The Bulldogs veered from tradition by wearing black jerseys in a big 2007 home win over Auburn and a big 2008 home loss to Alabama and by wearing black pants and black helmets in this year’s big loss to Florida in Jacksonville.
“I know there are times when you try to use uniforms to maybe change the mood of the team and so forth, and that’s been done . . . [with] the blackouts we’ve had in the past,” Evans said. “But . . . I like our traditional uniforms –- the silver britches, the red jerseys, the white jerseys and the red helmets -– and that’s what we need to stick with at the University of Georgia. . . .
“I want people to be able to recognize us. . . . And I had a lot of comments after the Florida game that people didn’t recognize who we were. . . . I want people to know we’re Georgia.”
——————–
Evans again expressed confidence that coach Mark Richt will guide the Georgia football program through the storm that currently engulfs it.
Appearing on the second hour of the weekly call-in show –- Richt fills the first hour –- Evans expressed the same sentiments about Richt as he did in an interview with the AJC earlier this month.
“Mark Richt is our football coach, and I’m glad that Mark Richt is our football coach,” Evans said Monday night. “I have confidence in Mark Richt to get the job done and do the things he’s done over the past years to keep us competing for championships. And I know that what Mark will do are the things he thinks are appropriate for the program.”
Later, Evans added: “I’m glad that our fans . . . know we have a good football coach, a coach that has been through the thick and thin, and somebody who has led us to great heights with SEC championships, BCS bowl appearances. Any program faces adversity, and when you face adversity, it’s what you learn from it and how you come out of it. And I have confidence that Coach Richt will come through this.”
A caller asked Evans if he gets involved in head coaches’ decisions about their assistants. Evans said that across all sports he evaluates the head coaches and trusts them to evaluate their assistants.
“I think head coaches need to have the responsibility to deal with their coaching staff,” Evans said. “If there are times in which I need to get involved, I will do so and voice my opinion.”
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167 comments Add your comment
I-185
November 24th, 2009
9:08 am
Just when did the downfall begin??? Was it the Gator endzone stomp…. or the BAMA Black Out. It has been ugly……………….
TexasDawg
November 24th, 2009
9:15 am
Georgia has the talent to beat anyone, the frustration is the application. Florida won a national championship last year with a fullback at quaterback. On the goal line fumble vs Kentucky, we could put Chappas in shotgun with a full house backfield and stuffed the ball into the endzone with the T-BOW. No one in the country has stopped it, why aren’t we doing it. Our defensive players thrive in aggression not in read and react. I wish we would go a whole game cuttin em loose instead of getting the lead like in the Kentucky game and then playing soft and getting beat in the second half. Lastly, too much thinking bout special teams, stop with the directional, pop up and squib kicks, kick down the middle as far as you can and send the guys that love the contact down to cover em. We would be scary good if we would accept that we are a physical not a mental football team.
NCDAWG
November 24th, 2009
9:24 am
TexasDawg-Well Said…….The problem is the staff at UGA is so stubborn. They never make adjustments they do the same thing over and over again. I am tired of seeing the soft cover 2 D……I am tired of toss sweep into the boundary……..I think UGA needs to line up in the wildcat with Branden Smith, Chapas, Ealey, and King in the backfield and run at Tech all game. That does 2 things it keeps Cox and the D off the field……
SimpleDawg
November 24th, 2009
9:25 am
Great news about sticking with the traditional RED Helmets and Silver Britches.
Now we can return Grambling’s uniforms to them.
Saturday’s result will have nothing to with what uniforms are worn, but it will have everything to do with who’s wearing the uniforms.
coach smith
November 24th, 2009
9:33 am
Go Jackets
thanks! you are a class act and a great representative of Tech. I wish you could get that across to a few of your Tech brothern who post here
DC?
November 24th, 2009
9:34 am
What about Tenuta once the Weiss regime collapses? The GT ties too much?
Reality...
November 24th, 2009
9:35 am
The down fall started after the UF 07 when the SEC refs decided to make sure UGA paid for showing them up.
90 Dog
November 24th, 2009
9:37 am
UGA will stay with the traditional uniforms and helmets. Whew! Glad we got that burning issue resolved….
Otto
November 24th, 2009
9:43 am
Why should UGA let CWM go when his unit made the fewest mistakes out of the 3 units to take the field?
Real Dawg
November 24th, 2009
9:43 am
Reality youre an idiot! Your comment on CMR was stupid and you should be a stupid tech fan. Youre not worthy to be a dawg with your comment you made earlier. Who do you want coaching UGA Lou Holtz. Get a Life! Uniforms don’t matter to me, but I like CMR idea in changing things up. Black Pants, Black Jerseys and Red Helmets for tech Sat. Gooooooo Daaaaaaaawgs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thomas
November 24th, 2009
9:44 am
Georgia Tech will demolish UGA Saturday. Why, because they can EXECUTE. That means score from the red zone, not blow a 14 point lead and not commit repeated, stupid plays that result in penalties (over and over, etc). Furthermore, UGA should focus on execution and stop worrying about what uniforms to wear. All black, black helmet, whatever. They still make stupid plays and are not even close to having a clue. GO RAMBLING WRECK
UGA Gimmicks
November 24th, 2009
9:46 am
Black outs, uniforms, bench clearing touchdown celebrations… all gimmicks that Richt has employed to create distraction from the fact this is a poorly coached team.
Sure you can fool a bunch of 20yr olds and fans for a game or two, but nothing inspires like results.
Good Luck Suckers.
AppalachianDawg
November 24th, 2009
9:48 am
Texas…Good call. Bobo doesn’t believe in any thinking “outside the box” which translates into an offense that becomes predictable. Martinez believes in letting the play come to him, not getting after the ball. When he does decide (or someone decides for him) to get after it, we see what we are capable of and the score usually reflects it. Then, very quickly, WM reverts back to his safe mode. Not good football in my opinion, and definately not good football in the SEC. I think changes will be made, but I’m not positive they will as significant as they should be. I like CMR and for now, he has my full faith to get the program headed back in the right direction. I think losing him would be a mistake for UGA, and I don’t care to see the carousel of coaches at our university….like ND, we see how well that’s working.
Best of luck to both sides this weekend, hopes it’s a smash-mouth, hard fought game. Tech has had a great season (congrats), but I hope to salvage what we can with a DAWG win. GO DAWGS.
All The Way...To The Bank
November 24th, 2009
9:49 am
$7,671.23…that’s how much Richt banked today. That’s how much he makes every day. Even Sunday.
Gametime
November 24th, 2009
9:52 am
Gimmicks – And it’s still working. All of these posters interested in what clothes they’re going to wear to the game. “Does this make my butt look big?”
td
November 24th, 2009
9:58 am
Reality, There is no “down fall” of the program. We are having a down year. This is caused for many reasons. When you lose the 1st, 15th picks in the NFL draft leaving early along with Asher Allan, you can not expect to be as good as last year.
Get a grip man. The program is going to be alright in the long run with CMR leading it. If he chooses to make changes then I will support him. If he chooses not to then I will support him as well because he has forgotten more about the game than you and I and everyone else on this blog combined.
All The Way...To The Bank
November 24th, 2009
10:09 am
td…If Richt went to coach at another school, would you transfer your loyalty to that program?
td
November 24th, 2009
10:16 am
All The Way…To The Bank, No I am a loyal fan and have supported the Dawgs since in the early 70’s. I have supported us through the good years and have not ever bashed the program, coaches or players ever on in public (if I have anything negative to say then I write a letter to the appropriate person).
Rodster
November 24th, 2009
10:39 am
Good call. They’ve embarrassed themselves enought with the non-traditional uniforms.
Johnny DangerDawg
November 24th, 2009
10:44 am
Go Jackets,
For some reason, Rambo has only gotten limited playing time all season even though the average Georgia fan has known for quite some time that he should be a starter…
Curt Long
November 24th, 2009
10:59 am
This Tech fans knows that UGA has the athletes to beat anyone. I look for a good close game Saturday night. Safe traveling to all this holiday season.
blazerdawg
November 24th, 2009
11:00 am
Val Dawg – you are right on! UGA has a great AD and head football coach and will be back.
Bawney Fwank
November 24th, 2009
11:06 am
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! We’ll miss those black helmets in Jacksonville!
Maybe Richt will go to Notra Dame and he can teach them to dance.
BS
November 24th, 2009
11:12 am
What happened to red pants and white jerseys for away games?
Mary Wanna
November 24th, 2009
11:18 am
Black jerseys should be worn the last home game of the season – usually Auburn, and optional for bowl games. No gimmick there.
Dawg Drool (BaseballVol13)
November 24th, 2009
11:19 am
WOW!!! You pups get to play in Atlanta this year! You’ll be leaving town 6 – 6! Sorry to hear UGA VII died from self inflicted syphillis due to too much ball lickin’!
7
November 24th, 2009
11:20 am
when someone says your my coach….thats usually the kiss of death. watch your back, mr. richt.
TexasDawg
November 24th, 2009
11:26 am
I’ve been a Georgia fan since 68. Been through the ups, survived the downs. No doubt about it, this is down Georgia needs a new dog and to open up a can of “bad, agressive attitude” this weekend. Let’s go to Poppa John’s in December knowing that whoever accepts the bid from the Big East has to deal with extra cheese in all aspects of the game. Don’t matter if we are 6 and 6 or 7 an 5. Cause I’d love to see B. Evans hit’em two yards inbounds and knock’em two yards outta bounds and still get the penalty cause it would be worth the fifteen.
PMC
November 24th, 2009
11:30 am
Those Oregon Carbon Fiber helmets look pretty cool I think.
Rhombus
November 24th, 2009
11:30 am
You people are making it seem harder than it is. UGA has an offensive coordinator and a defensive coordinator. All they need to turn things around is a fashion coordinator, someone who can make the players look good, really good. Dress them in the right colors with color-coordinated acessories, a bit of make-up, and some eye-liner, and they’ll do just fine.
Why is Richt still there? Does Damon Evans not want to ever win the SEC again?
heyberto
November 24th, 2009
11:31 am
I agree with a lot of what Evans says here.. but I’ll add that if uniform modification is something they like, I really don’t mind giving them a reward for having them say, beating Florida. If they beat Florida, they get to wear them at a home game or they get to wear them in a bowl game for making the BCS or something… I like that idea a lot better than the ‘fake juice’.
UGASUNCLE
November 24th, 2009
11:31 am
To td. I don’t know what Ga football team you have been watching (I assume you do go to the actual games), but something stinks in Athens and it isn’t the cow pastures. I have seen enough over the last decade that belies your pollyanna pink cloud view of things to recommend a 12 step program to you. All the rhetoric supporting Richt, Martinez, and Bobo, and how they are sooo misunderstood, falls on deaf ears. What they are doing screams so loud I can’t hear what they are saying. Go Dawgs!
Sautee Dawg
November 24th, 2009
11:31 am
Appalachain Dawg-Texas Dawg
Your assesment of Willie is correct. Saturday night UGA’s defense really got after Kentucky in the 1st half and then in the 2nd played that sit back and let Kentucky come to them defense. Seems like in the Auburn game the week before was the only game all year where our defense really got after it the whole game.
I personally think CMR keeps Willie Martinez on his staff, don’t think he’s got the heart to let him go.
Evans remarks on monday stating that we don’t have a dedicated special teams coach is troubling.
Why don’t we. Most teams have one, Urban Meyer is the Special teams coach at FLA. and to get on the Starting lineup for offense or defense you first have to prove that you can play special teams. And play them well. During his tenure at Utah and Bowling Green, and UF, his special teams are responsible for blocking over 50 kicks and punts, not too bad for a special teams coach who doubles as a headcoach.
The uniforms issue, don’t change the out come of a game, i’ve been at all the games where these uniforn color schemes were used and it made a difference in the crowd for maybe the first few minutes before the game but after the kickoff i didn’t see they made any difference. The first blackout against Auburn was kinda fun b/cause all the fans participated.
Don’t think Evans will be a factor in whether coaching changes are made or not but, I don’t think it was a coincidence that Tommy Tubberville was the guest speaker at The Athens Touchdown Club a few weeks ago.
Abilene
November 24th, 2009
11:33 am
Yes, Richt is still here, and that means another year of watching the SEC championship game at home on TV.
Richt has to go. Period.
LAKE OCONEE DAWG
November 24th, 2009
11:36 am
ALL OF YOU SO CALLED FANS WHO THREATEN TO NOT GIVE ANY MORE OF YOUR MONEY UNLESS CHANGES ARE MADE GET THE HECK AWAY FROM THE GEORGIA PROGRAM AND FIND YOU ANOTHER TEAM TO BACK, OR WILL THAT BE STICK IN THE BACK….WE DON’T NEED FANS LIKE YOU…YOU ARE LIKE A LITTLE BABY WHOSE TOY GOT TAKEN AWAY…IF UGA FOOTBALL IS WHAT YOU BASE YOUR ENTIRE LIFE ON, WE ALL FEEL SORRY FOR YOU…NOBODY IS GOING TO MAKE ANY DECISION BASED ON WHETHER YOU GIVE ANY MORE OF YOUR MONEY TO UGA ATHLETICS, SO FORGET ABOUT THAT LAME LITTLE THREAT….GET YO HAT, YO COAT, AND GET ON OUT THE DOOR…..
Abilene
November 24th, 2009
11:38 am
Getting Tommy Tubberville would be super. But Richt has to go first.
Lee Corso
November 24th, 2009
11:39 am
I like Mark Richt and I truly hope he finally understands that this is not the 1990s and the Bobby Bowden system simply does not work anymore. It is no longer only about the “Jimmys and the Joes”. Teams with better schemes, better preparation, and better discipline will beat teams with better athletes- it happens every Saturday across the country.
Georgia’s recruiting classes out rank Oregon’s every year by a mile but anyone who doubts that Oregon would crush Georgia by at least 30 points is simply wearing SEC blinders. Richt has a lot of work ahead of him this off season.
ugaaccountant
November 24th, 2009
11:42 am
I seem to recall watching Richt coach us in multiple SEC championship games. This is the most consistent contending we’ve ever done for a decade.
ugaaccountant
November 24th, 2009
11:43 am
I’d wager GA beats Oregon.
The Ghost of UGA VII
November 24th, 2009
11:46 am
No fun costumes in the future? Dang it!
Does this mean that when they go to the Pappy John Pizza Bowl (in beautiful Birmingham) the boys won’t get to wear unis with little pepperoni’s all over them…..maybe black helmets with some yummy cheese dripping off of the “G”?
Dang, Mr. Evans, next thing ya know, you won’t even let our boys dance to gansta rap or flash gansta signs after big hits.
dagnabit
November 24th, 2009
11:46 am
Have to agree with lake oconee on this one. Richt will have Jawja winning next year and you bulldoggies will be talking out of your other face. I like the black helmuts. Change is great.
collegeballfan
November 24th, 2009
11:46 am
Why is it any of the the AD’s business what uniforms the teams wear? I would think that is a decision of the coach & players.
Maybe the UGA problem is the AD not the coaches & players.
Real Dawg
November 24th, 2009
11:52 am
All you sore losers can’t understand one down year! Lokk at all the sucess CMR has had, and when he gets the program back what will you sap suckers say then? I wished you fair weather fains would kiss off who needs your syupid mopney or supporty!!! Go Dawgs!! And Damon Evans is an idiot!
Dr. J. Michael Pece
November 24th, 2009
11:53 am
I hope Richt stays but please get rid of Bobo, Willie Martinez and the other lackadaisical coaches. We need some fire breathing coaches if Richt is not going to do so. We need someone to slap some helmets, scream in the faces and get the lazy team fired up! Martinez MUST GO!
dawgrific
November 24th, 2009
11:54 am
They are uniforms, who cares. For what it’s worth, I like the idea of a blackout (but not those hideous helmets) once a year or so. Anyways, the points of this post is to say that, while I constantly take shots at moronic tech fans, I want to say thank you to the classy fans of all of our rivals, and especially those from the tech side. I know we all have idiot fans, but that just makes the classy ones come shining through that much more. I can’t believe I am about to say this, and before I do, I would like nothing more than to ruin tech’s season this Saturday, but congrats tp all of you decent techies on an awesome year for your program. I hope it is a one year wonder, as I truly beieve that our beloved DAWGS WILL SOON BE BACK TO WHERE WE ARE USED TO SEEING THEM (10+ WINS AND SEC CONTENDERS). Now, no matter if we beat you or not, I have to say that I will be rooting my backside off for Clemson when they play you in the ACC championship game, just in case any Dawg fans think that I have lost my mind. I NEVER root for tech and NEVER will!
Happy Thanksgiving, and GO DAWGS!!!!!!
The Walking Boss
November 24th, 2009
11:54 am
Black Hemlets = The “Change” We Can Believe In.
Real Dawg
November 24th, 2009
11:54 am
Who needs you fair weather fans!!!You really don’t have any money to give and we sure don’t want your support! Wait till CMR gets the program up again, what will you coneheads say then. Damon Evans needs to worry about someone other than CMR.
Fullback
November 24th, 2009
11:56 am
Who needs you fair weather fans!!!You really don’t have any money to give and we sure don’t want your support! Wait till CMR gets the program up again, what will you coneheads say then. Damon Evans needs to worry about someone other than CMR.
Joe Cox
November 24th, 2009
11:58 am
am sorry for blowing the game Sat. I should have went to Duke! I hope we blackout against Tech! That way we are ready for our final resting place…….
jefferson
November 24th, 2009
11:58 am
Joe is worried the black pants may make his butt look big. (Pulpwood will tell you what Joe IS)
THWG. Go Jackets, sting em’