Richt reclaims seat in quarterback, offense meetings (PLUS: practice notes)
ATHENS –- Mark Richt says he might be a bit slower to answer his mail this year.
That’s because, for the first time in several years, Georgia’s head coach plans to make it a point to attend every quarterbacks meeting –- the almost daily, hour-long sessions at which the QBs meet with offensive coordinator Mike Bobo to review film and, during the season, game plans. Richt said he also will attend every offensive team meeting.
“Like I told Mike and the staff, I’m not in there to make them crazy at all,” Richt said Tuesday night. “But I’m in there because, No. 1, I do miss it and because I want to be able to add as much value as I can as we go.”
Richt’s increased involvement in the offense comes after a 2009 season in which the Bulldogs finished 75th in the nation in total offense (362.15 yards per game), 51st in scoring offense (28.92 points per game) and 99th in turnovers lost (28).
Richt said he stopped attending the QB meetings on a regular basis around the time he delegated play-calling duties to Bobo at the end of the 2006 season. Part of the reason, Richt said, was to afford Bobo the same autonomy that Florida State head coach Bobby Bowden had afforded a young Richt.
“Sometimes when the head man’s in there,” Richt said, “they maybe worry too much about what I think.”
But Richt said he has attended all quarterbacks meetings, as well as offensive team meetings, this spring and plans to do so during the season as well.
The impetus for the change was this spring’s competition for the starting quarterback job, although Richt said he plans to continue the practice “from here on in.”
“This spring in particular, we’re trying to make a decision on a starter and I want to make sure I understand completely,” Richt said. “I want to see [the players] react to coaching. I want to see them answer the questions that [Bobo] has to ask them. I want to just kind of get a taste of how they are handling the pressure.
“A lot of times [in recent years], I would watch practice film separately from the staff and maybe make my notes and talk to the staff about things I saw. But what I have decided to do is just be in there every day as they’re going over it and make sure we’re all on the same page.”
The main tradeoff for more time with the offense, Richt said, will be less prompt attention to some off-field aspects of the head coach’s job.
“I was starting to let some of those extra things roll into meeting times,” he said. “Now, certain things are just going to have to wait. It’s not like they’re not going to get done. They just might not get done as quickly as some people may want them.
“I may not answer my mail as quickly as I used to, or sign a bunch of stuff as quickly as I was. But it’s good medicine for me, really.”
—————————–
From Tuesday’s practice:
- Richt ranked the practice as the worst of the spring -– “ninth out of nine.” After praising the tempo of the first eight practices, “it kind of fizzled on us a little bit” Tuesday, Richt said. “I just didn’t think we practiced like champions today. I felt like we practiced like we were going through the motions and just didn’t have the mental toughness to push through.”
- Based on Saturday’s scrimmage, Richt said he believes tailback-turned-linebacker Richard Samuel “is catching on” to the new position. But Richt did not rule out the possibility of a redshirt season for Samuel, who will be a junior in the fall. “He’s new to the position, and we want him to be ready to compete for us –- not so much compete for a job but get out there and play championship defense,” Richt said. “If we think he’s ready to do that and produce at a high level, we want him to play. If he’s still finding his way a little bit, I don’t think we’ll be in a big rush to get him out there.”
- Junior-college transfer Jakar Hamilton was working at first-team safety, along with Bacarri Rambo.
- After missing all of last week’s practices with a sprained shoulder joint, wide receiver Marlon Brown returned to work on a limited basis. He was wearing a green non-contact jersey.
- Backup offensive lineman A.J. Harmon, who will miss the remainder of spring practice because of a high ankle sprain, was on crutches Tuesday. Harmon becomes the fourth offensive linemen on the sidelines, joining Trinton Sturdivant, Tanner Strickland and Austin Long.
- Several players returned to practice after missing last week with nagging injuries: outside linebacker Justin Houston (shoulder), tight end Bruce Figgins (hamstring) and wide receiver Israel Troupe (hamstring).
- Quarterback Logan Gray, after practice Tuesday, reflected on Saturday’s scrimmage in which he completed only 6 of 14 passes for 37 yards: “I don’t think I had my best day, to be honest. I kind of felt a little out of rhythm. Luckily, it’s not our only scrimmage of the spring.” He added: “I would have liked to have gotten a few more reps with the [first-team offense]. But I’m sure it’ll even out Saturday [in the spring's second scrimmage] and G-Day because we’ve got a rotation going [among the quarterbacks].”
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480 comments Add your comment
patrick
March 31st, 2010
4:02 pm
sorry UGA does not base its season on playing Fla. Their goal is to win the SEC and Richt has done so twice in last nine years….same as Fla
patrick
March 31st, 2010
4:03 pm
400 miles away is not the same as 80 miles away. Get a grip
Nate
March 31st, 2010
4:05 pm
I agree with James, UGA has a great head coach who has a proven record to back it up. Your fans are insane and dilusional to want to throw Richt under the bus and blame everything on him. Richt is a good man with good morals and coaching ability. Now, someone said that Tech is the one getting all the love from the AJC writers staff, son apparently you didn’t read a single paper from at least 02 – late 08 because GT has and will always be the second rate football school in the state and that’s coming from a long time Tech fan and student. Just stop the whining and support your coach. Go Jackets.
patrick
March 31st, 2010
4:05 pm
So ….if you consider the real goal…winning a SEC title…then Richt has been as successful as Fla over last 9 years. The NC is to subjective and is an opinion poll based NC that the NCAA does not sanction nor do they even recognize it as legit. The NCAA merely cites on its web page what a school claims. So the real title is the SEC title. UGA Richt has as many as Fla under his tenure.
U G A Y hater
March 31st, 2010
4:07 pm
Patrick, son everyone on here knows that you are the one who has lost his grip. Sitting on your ass for an hour the day before the game is the same whether you are on a bus or a plane. Funny it didn’t matter when Dooley was the coach did it?
U G A Y hater
March 31st, 2010
4:08 pm
No the real goal is winning the National title, or as you would say the mythical national title except 1980 of course when it was the real mc coy.
patrick
March 31st, 2010
4:08 pm
When Dooley was coach Fla was barely on South Carolina’s talent level. Fla is more equal to UGAs talent level lately and the long road trip has an adverse effect and most reasonable people see that.
U G A Y hater
March 31st, 2010
4:09 pm
No Florida is not equal to UGA’s talent level. If that was the case it wouldn’t be 3-17 the last 20 years.
patrick
March 31st, 2010
4:10 pm
the NC is mythical….has NCAA basketball ever had multiple NC’s…has NCAA baseball???? No. How can it be considered legit if more than one team can claim a NC title? This is one nation not multiple nations so for it to be considered legit and a real goal then there needs to be a playoff. Notice only D1A football does not use a playoff to determine a real NC.
U G A Y hater
March 31st, 2010
4:11 pm
So your 1980 was mythical?
patrick
March 31st, 2010
4:12 pm
Actually UGA has equal talent as both have 90 wins playing in the same conference over the last 9 years…might I also point out the true talent test??? UGA has more players in the NFL than Fla.
.
Of course you already knew this
U G A Y hater
March 31st, 2010
4:13 pm
Goodbye Patrick, you make me sleepy. I think I will look on tonight when you debate the ga gator guy to see if you can be rational.
patrick
March 31st, 2010
4:13 pm
ALL NCs are mythical.
.
However, UGA has 12 SEC titles to Fla’s 8
.
12 is more than 8 right?
U G A Y hater
March 31st, 2010
4:14 pm
Not a true talent test; they werent developed until they left uga. If they had the talent there, they would have dominated. Something always seems to happen when jawja recruits players. Hell even Goff recruited talent, they just counldn’t produce.
patrick
March 31st, 2010
4:15 pm
rational? You mean like stating facts and not hyperbole like you?
U G A Y hater
March 31st, 2010
4:15 pm
How many do they have since the conference split and went to a playoff to insure the the best team was the champ?
U G A Y hater
March 31st, 2010
4:16 pm
Patrick, none of your facts are rational. Out!!!
patrick
March 31st, 2010
4:17 pm
UGA and Fla do not play each other in a playoff. Duh
patrick
March 31st, 2010
4:18 pm
Facts are facts! There can not be a more rational thing than facts
patrick
March 31st, 2010
4:21 pm
THE talent test is how many players move from the college ranks to the pro ranks. Also, Fla and UGA play in the same conference and both have equal records and SEC titles since Richt became HC. So by virtue of the fact that they have equal records but UGA produces more NFL talent then there can be NO ARGUMENT that UGA has more talent.
chazzo
March 31st, 2010
4:21 pm
I would like to add…. though I absolutely give UB and the Gators props for stellar years and NCs that he has also gone 9-3 every other year he has been at UF. I wonder how many down-in-the-mouth Gator fans wanted to fire him? They just kept boosting and cheering.
Just a point. I’d like to see a little more positivity out of the dawg fans. Not delusional optimisim. Just a little positivity.
patrick
March 31st, 2010
4:24 pm
Chazzo……..Its interesting to note that UF and LSU have won national titles with the same record UGA had when it won its two SEC titles. Its not that UGA is not as good of a program as either of the two, they have just been luckier than UGA. And that’s the truth. It is not Fla credit that USC lost to unranked inferior teams in both 2006 and 2008 opening the door to the NC game. UGA didnt get so lucky when OSU won all those close games in 2002.
UGA VIII Candidate's
March 31st, 2010
4:27 pm
Patrick talk to the South Ga UGA fans if you want to move the game to Athens. The Old UGA ALUM (real Diploma holding Fans) love their weekend on Tybee, St. Simons, Sea Island ,and Jekell Island for golf, food, fun, and old friends. GAME is where the $$$$$ wants it. Your better talk to the RICH ALUM if you think you can get it moved. It never mattered the location when UGA was the winner.
Pi$$onaDAWG
March 31st, 2010
4:30 pm
Patrick you do know in 80 that the only reason UGA made the game was because Georgia TECH tied Notre Dame. Tell a Tech Alum THANK YOU and judt walk the F away.
patrick
March 31st, 2010
4:31 pm
dude there was no “the game” in 1980. WTH are you talking about?
Pi$$onaDAWG
March 31st, 2010
4:35 pm
So UGA doesn’t have a national title from 1980 against Notre Dame? Wow then what are all the dawgs barking about a National Title in the Sugar Bowl?
patrick
March 31st, 2010
4:35 pm
UGA “won” the NC due to BEATING EVERYONE on its schedule and most likely would have gone undefeated in a playoff. Note Fla has NEVER had a season where they defeated EVERYONE in its schedule and backed into each NC they participated in.
patrick
March 31st, 2010
4:37 pm
UGA “won” the SUGAR BOWL in 1980. They got AWARDED a NC by an opinion poll. You clearly are lost and have NO football knowledge and need to leave and let grownups talk
Pi$$onaDAWG
March 31st, 2010
4:38 pm
So the Undefeated on probation AUBURN was the REAL National Champion because none of the players or coaches were involved in the Infractions right.
patrick
March 31st, 2010
4:39 pm
BCSNC games started in 1998. 1998 is AFTER 1980 so in 1980 there was no “the game”. Dayum son go back to school.
patrick
March 31st, 2010
4:40 pm
First I never said the was a “real” NC. But Auburn certainly has a legit dispute. Probation does not disqualify some one from NC consideration….again leave and let grownups talk.
patrick
March 31st, 2010
4:41 pm
**there**
Pi$$onaDAWG
March 31st, 2010
4:50 pm
So by your logic the BEST BASKETBALL team in the country this year will win the national championship? Duke, West Virginia, Michagan St, and Bradley are the BEST? Not a chance. Matchups mean a lot. Kansas, Tenn., Kentucky, and Syracuse would beat the FINAL FOUR in an NBA type FINAL 3-5.
patrick
March 31st, 2010
4:55 pm
No moron the NCAA has a sanctioned Playoff and the winner of a playoff will determine a NC. Same as Baseball. I playoff determines the best team. Like I said leave and let grownups talk.
patrick
March 31st, 2010
4:57 pm
By my Logic??? I have been saying a playoff determines a NC and hence D1A football NCs are not legit due to that. Please learn to read or at the very least be able to comprehend what you read PRIOR to making any retort..
patrick
March 31st, 2010
4:59 pm
The best team? Any sanctioned playoff determines a NC. Its not necessary that the subjective term “best team” team will win. Just the more deserving one.
yogi B
March 31st, 2010
5:00 pm
Bobo needs to coach his 5 childrens’ T-Ball team and or move to Alaska or Hawaii Just leave Georgia . Honestly he is not Qualified to cach high scholl football.
yogi B
March 31st, 2010
5:00 pm
coach school sorry
Pi$$onaDAWG
March 31st, 2010
5:27 pm
Patrick make it easy! All Comferences have 12 teams and a Champion. 1o leagues and a playoff. 10 teams make it hard but 2 will get leftout on their SOS and record. 8 teams play and then extend the chance a PRO career could be lost. That would make a 17 games to find the Champ. I don’t think so. Div II and Div III is ok because they are lil boys. Big Boy NCAA football doesn’t need 17 games to find a champ. Play every team in your comference and we should know the 2 best teams to play for IT ALL.
patrick
March 31st, 2010
5:37 pm
pi$$onadawg=clueless. Playoffs are used in EVERY NCAA sport except D1A football. Dont be stupid enuff to think it would not work if it does so well in ALL OTHER SPORTS. Now leave and let the grownups talk.
Meyer is 0-2 against Auburn and New Mexico
March 31st, 2010
8:09 pm
Notice how fFlorida fans never write about Meyer’s head to head against teams where Meyer is winless, like Auburn and new mexico. I am sure that’s because it proves their point about richt’s head to head match-up is wrong. Richt has won a game against Meyer, meyer has NEVER won a game against Auburn, meyer is winless, so who’s the better coach based on this one fact?
Meyer is 0-2 against Auburn and New Mexico
March 31st, 2010
8:15 pm
I need to buy a powerball ticket because little I predicted little patrick would write this at 3:40 this afternoon.
Meyer is 0-2 against Auburn and New Mexico
March 31st, 2010
8:16 pm
Richt has lost to Vandy and Kentucky at home while UF hasnt lost to them anywhere in 30 years.
Richt is 0-1 against Oklahoma State so he must be a terrible coach.
March 31st, 2010
8:17 pm
Enter your comments here
Delusional Dawg
March 31st, 2010
8:32 pm
“patrick” is to the delusional UGA fanbase on here what Sarah Palin is to the Tea Baggers…
Delusional Dawg
March 31st, 2010
8:34 pm
notice how you never see “chazzo” and “patrick” at the same time??
Delusional Dawg
March 31st, 2010
8:36 pm
Man, I’m sure glad these UGA’ers don’t live in the past!
Delusional Dawg
March 31st, 2010
8:50 pm
Richt 1-4 vs mighty Meyer. Can you imagine having the title of Brain Surgeon and doing it right only 1 out of 5 times?? They’d change your name to Coroner.
Delusional Dawg
March 31st, 2010
8:54 pm
Richt 1-2 vs the Zooker. Are you smarter that a 5th grader??
Meyer is 0-2 against Auburn and New Mexico
March 31st, 2010
8:54 pm
Richt doesn’t have a winless record against ANY team he has played at least 2 times.
Meyer is 0-2 against New Mexico.
Meyer is 0-2 against Auburn.
Meyer has a WINLESS record against 2 different teams, who he has had at least 2 tries at.
Pathetic record.
Glad we have Richt.