Richt: ‘0-2 for the first time in 10 years, and it’s not a comfortable spot’
Listening in on Mark Richt’s weekly radio call-in show Monday night:
- As you’d expect with Georgia’s 0-2 start in the SEC, there was some discord in Bulldog Nation. The first caller asked Richt for reasons to continue to invest in the program, asked the coach “to sell me” on Georgia football “not just for this year but 2-3 years down the road.”
Richt replied: “The bottom line is if you’re a true fan, in my opinion, you’re going to support your team no matter what. I don’t think you’re going to just love the boys when they win and hate on them when they lose, you know. . . . Our league is one that is a very, very tough league, and we’re not always going to win. We find ourselves 0-2 for the first time in 10 years, and it’s not a comfortable spot. It’s not a spot we want to be in. But it’s not like we got shellacked and run off the field. We actually, I thought, represented very well, even though we lost.
“The bottom line, of course, is the win. But the way the guys fought . . . there was a lot of courage; there was a lot of blood, sweat and tears. . . . If you just watch the spirit of these young men and how they fought and how the coaches fought, I think that is admirable. And I would say you certainly should continue to support for those reasons. . . . ”
- Richt talked quite a bit about Aaron Murray, acknowledging the young quarterback has areas to improve but making it clear he’s a special player.
“We looked at the film and realized every time that kid moved up inside that pocket good things happened and every time he started up and then dropped back again and tried to reload, something bad happened. So he’s just got to learn, and he’s getting there,” Richt said. “But you can’t question his toughness, his ability and just his love for the game and love for Georgia. So we’ve got the right guy right now. We’ve just got to keep going.”
- Richt disputed accounts that said Georgia sent all of its receivers on deep routes on the late-game 3rd-and-4 play that resulted in a Murray sack and forced Georgia to punt to Arkansas, which scored the game-winning TD three plays later.
“I did watch the TV copy myself, and I know the commentators were saying … there was no outlet, there was no short route, that there ought to be,” Richt said. “I don’t know what he saw, but there were actually two routes that were about a five- or six-yard depth and a couple of them that would be deeper routes.”
- Richt didn’t disagree with a caller who expressed disappointment in the play of the veteran offensive line.
“It is a little disappointing,” Richt said. “I think the offensive-line play has been good but not great. Like you say, we got to find ways to sustain drives.
“I’d like to see us continue to run-block better, and I’d like to see us continue to pass-protect well, which I think we are. Some of the pass-protection issues really have nothing to do with the offensive line. It’s more back-related. The running backs have to step up and do their job too, and the receivers got to run the right routes, and the QB has got to put it on them.”
Murray, Richt said, needs to develop “a better feel” for when a receiver is open.
As for run-blocking, “we need to continue to … provide more space for the backs,” Richt said. “And the backs have got to get more than what [the linemen] block, too. If you watch around the country, you see backs breaking tackles, you see backs getting yards after contact and all that. I think we improved in that area last ballgame, but we still got a ways to go.”
- A caller asked why the Dogs aren’t getting the ball to talented tight end Orson Charles.
“There were a lot of calls that were made where Orson was the No. 1 priority or No. 1 read for the quarterback,” Richt said. “Sometimes that No. 1 option is taken away, so you go to No. 2. Sometimes protection breaks down. Sometimes the QB is moving right or left at the moment when he should be cutting the ball loose to his primary receiver. Those were some of the issues.”
- Another caller asked about “the state of the program,” noting that a few years ago Georgia was “considered one of the elite programs” in the nation and is “now 8-8 [actually 9-7] in the last 16 ballgames.”
“You’d be surprised,” Richt said, “but the same things we did when we were finishing in the top 10 and all of that kind of good stuff — we’re doing those very same things. Sometimes you win some close games and sometimes you don’t, but right now I can promise you our coaches, our players are battling as hard as we can to get a victory. That’s going to be the plan for this week against Mississippi State. Hopefully, next time on the show, we’ll be talking about all the good things that happened.”
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391 comments Add your comment
PreyDawg
September 21st, 2010
8:35 am
gomdawg you lost all credibility when you questioned AJ’s heart. Did you see the hits this kid took for Cox last year? Cox hung him up in the air with high passes over half the time. No fan in an armchair gets to question this kids heart. AJ if you read this, ignore that putz.
As for the rest of you calling for a new coach. I am to the point that I agree on BoBo. But the truth is, as fans we have no idea what is supposed to happen on a given play as opposed to what gets played out on the field. So a new O-coordinator may or may not be a magic bullet.
The biggest question I had was answered and I believe Coach Richt. We never did have a good TV angle of that whole play on 3rd and 4 where we had the ball and our timeouts and got sacked. That was the ballgame. If Richt says we had a short route then we had one. End of story. The guy wouldnt lie about it.
Those of you who want Richt gone, who do you want to replace him and why do you think that person could do better? Saban aint going nowhere. Alabama has money too.
We lost to maybe two of the better SEC teams. Alabama is in a class by itself right now but SC and Arkansas have moved into the top tier. And yes…that hurts.
Pago Pago Dawg
September 21st, 2010
8:36 am
Columbus DAWG….PLZ use “paragraphs”. Nobody can read your comments!
Tom
September 21st, 2010
8:36 am
Nobody has metioned Special Teams … Kick-offs, punt coverage and the return game has been lousy … and have decided both the SC and Ark. games. We haven’t gotten any field position and our opponents have.
And I’m tired of all these “4 star & 5-star” recruits … why can’t we get kids who are “2 or 3 star” … that want to improve and want to play. It is a mindset.
Hater of the coaching staff only
September 21st, 2010
8:36 am
“I’d like to see us continue to run-block better, and I’d like to see us continue to pass-protect well”
To continue ANYTHING you must be doing it first. We would like to see them START to run block better and to START to pass protect well. I wonder if he hates making excuses as bad as we hate hearing them??
DawginLex
September 21st, 2010
8:37 am
We will win Saturday.
And the next
and the next
And the next
5-2 headed up here to Lexington. That will be a tough game but UGA can run the ball on UK. Their interior d line is not as good as past years since Peters and Pryor and Johnson have gone to the NFL.
PreyDawg
September 21st, 2010
8:38 am
TazzDawg…put up or shut up. Who ya got? Who is the guy to fix all this? You? I want names.
ga gator
September 21st, 2010
8:38 am
As much as I hate to admit it, you are better than us on offense right now. The Gator offense is next to the last in the SEC currently.
UGA '06
September 21st, 2010
8:38 am
Hutson Mason is not the answer. He sucks. Watched him play my old high school team last year and we completely shut him down. Stick with Murray.
Brock
September 21st, 2010
8:39 am
I agree- you are wrong. That did not happen last year. CPJ lost to UGA, won the ACCCG, then lost the bowl game. So he still hasn’t lost 2 in a row.
Ray Ray Goff
September 21st, 2010
8:41 am
I am still available if you want me. I will even keep CMR as
official swim coach for the boys.
We will work harder to get better if you rehire me.
tide roll
September 21st, 2010
8:41 am
Florida’s offensive line. Xavier Nixon, Carl Johnson Mike Pouncey, Maurice Hurt, Marcus Gilbert. Copy them, they win. Move Josh Davis to left tackle, He’s athletic enough, Glenn stays at left guard. How in the heck does Burnette suffer a concussion this far into practice?! Bean back to right guard. ( No to Tanner Strickland) and Sturdivant to right tackle for less stress on the knee. Most schools move defensive lineman to offense if they need to become more aggressive, Uga moves its most agressive offensive lineman ( Bean and Tripp to backup DLs.). Only at the UGA!
I am going to go out on limb here...
September 21st, 2010
8:41 am
…and GUARANDAMNTEE a Bulldog victory this weekend in Starkeville…
Bony Tarnhardt
September 21st, 2010
8:41 am
True dawg fans would have kept Ray Goof !
GOP
September 21st, 2010
8:42 am
REALIST
You got it right, very good players and no COACHING. Spurrier had Georgia pegged years ago
when he said, “Georgia get all the players, but we win all the Games.”
Spot on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
TazzDawg
September 21st, 2010
8:43 am
Kirby Smart
Chris Peterson
Will Muschamp
Whats your solution? 3 more years of the same B.S. we’ve been watching for the last 10 years?
Tell me how great we’ve been for 10 years.
Whats your solution PreyDawg? Now you put up or shut up!
Good point Brock...
September 21st, 2010
8:43 am
…I stand corrected…(I am a Clemson fan and forget that part)
Tom
September 21st, 2010
8:43 am
I tried to tell you UGA fans over the summer….Richt is done. He is a fine man and he is a good coach, but sometimes, a coach loses the team and he has def lost the team. If Richt was going to win one he would have won one by now. After 10 years a coach if he hasnt won a title must rethink everything he is doing. Richt doesnt have that edge that Saban, Meyer, or even Les Miles has. Richt is soft and the players getting in trouble is evidence of that. The players do not fear him. Richt will keep you competative, but he will never win you another SEC title. His recruiting and hiring of coaches has been mediocre at best since Shockley left. His allegience to Bobo is remarkable, a guy who hasnt developed a QB yet. Before you call BS on that consider that since he has been OC look at their play…Greene and Shockley don’t count….you got Terishinsky, Stafford, Cox, and Murray….Bobo couldn’t even win an SEC title with the NFL’s first draft pick. Anyway, UGA is done with Richt…it’s just a matter of time. He is soft and can’t turn things around. The only thing that will fire up this program is a new head coach…not hiring DC’s for 750K.
FLA DAWG
September 21st, 2010
8:44 am
This season was over almost as soon as it began. If Richt is still here next season we can look forward to more of the same.
How depressing is that!?
SC Dawg
September 21st, 2010
8:44 am
HIRE DEREK DOOLEY. Richt has brought UGA as far as he is going to bring it. Tierd of the same excuses. “We are getting better” Give me another line.
Since Vince
September 21st, 2010
8:46 am
This season is OVA and Dawg nation is deeply divivded as is America !
tide roll
September 21st, 2010
8:46 am
All this “rebuilding” was unnecessary, and is simply an excuse that allows Richt and Bobo to stay on the gravy train for three more years while Uga Rebuilds. You don’t see Ala. and Florida “rebuilding. It’s simply an excuse to reap undeserved benefits while not having to compete at the highest level.
Talent Scout for Dancing with the Stars
September 21st, 2010
8:46 am
I am hoping for another endzone dance this year. Sturdivant looked great when he was a freshman dancing on National TV, too bad he can’t block.
DawgFaceBlues
September 21st, 2010
8:47 am
Thought last week we could run the table. You can still do it Georgia. Win remaining games and you are in the SEC Championship. Beat BAMIE and you in the National Chamionship! South Carolina will begin their downhill trend this week.
Dave Cutler
September 21st, 2010
8:47 am
I wonder if all the redneck fans in Sanford Stadium the other day grunted a little when Mallett hit that pass with 12 seconds left….I hope their first thought was 750K? Wow…you really overpaid for your defensive coordinator. Guy sucks if you ask me…well he did get fired from the Cleveland Browns.
dawgster
September 21st, 2010
8:47 am
Hey Slawdawg…great comments, alot of these bloggers truly are fair weather fans…I’m not excited about where we are also, but i think we can still have a very good season, we need to improve on offense and i do have some issues with ouir lack of production there, and not just this year…the defense is learning a new system so it is only fair to give Coach Grahtham a little time there…I see one blogger wanted to bring BVG back as head coach..well i won’t say that he isn’t a fine coachl, but he didn’t do so well at Georgia Southern…The problem that Coach Richt has with expectations is that Bama and Gators have done so well that everyone is behind them right now…What the dawgs need to do is to continue to recruit well, and we are doing that…What alot of people don’t realize is that as good as our talent has been and despite the recruiting rankings(which to me means very little until they suit up for Div 1 ball), Bama, Gators, LSU, Auburn, have been getting as good if not better recruiting classes if you believe the scouting services…Bama and the Gators have been ranked number 1 or at best number 3 the last few years…So as good as we have been other teams are giving out scholarships also…Coach Richt made some critical changes this off season and i would expect if the offense continues to struggle this season i am confident that additional changes will be made…The ones calling for a change in the head coach and wanting a savior, well be careful for what you wish for…Who will come here and guarentee instant success..Is the dawg nation ready to be patient with another new system and the loss of the outstanding recruiting class that we appear to be putting together….And as far as recruiting, there is an outstanding RB in South Ga, that the dawgs need very badly…I know one player is not the only answer, but we are weak in that area in my opinion, and a speedy RB with power could be the piece that opens up our offensive game..At this point i think we have some good backs but they really do not break tackles and usually go down on initial contact…The O-Line has not played great i will give you that, but the RB’s have to create something themselves and i just don’t see that very often…
a 70s word is FUNK
September 21st, 2010
8:47 am
UGA is in a FUNK. That is to say that they were snake bit for the first game with SC. They were timid about doing battle without their man man AJ. That disgusts me. UGA went into a funk and cannot get out now ……………too much negativity is swirling and it is gonna bet much worse with the staff,etc . The team’s energy now is negativity …………out weighing any pathetic positives that the coaching staff and render. Too late now.
AJ and his selfish antics have caused this team to slide. As HC, I would ask AJ to take a hike. I would win or lose without him. We can go forward without the cancer that has afflicted this squad.
College is about traditions and memories ………….AJ will be forgotten as soon as the season is over. He will have 0 legacy at UGA ………………when he is older, he will realize that.
Go Dogs and go forward without Green,. Who needs him or ealey???
Mediocre
September 21st, 2010
8:48 am
UGA should get used to moral victories because it sounds like the coach has accepted them. You are now a middle tier SEC team with sights set on lower tier.
Talent Scout for Dancing with the Stars
September 21st, 2010
8:48 am
Dave Cutler, that was the Cleveland FREAKING Browns.
RxDawg
September 21st, 2010
8:48 am
Good read Tim. I know as bad as we feel, Richt and company feel just as bad. I would. I like how Richt explain some things and defended some bad TV commentary calls about what’s wrong with UGA. The SEC may be gone, but these guys have a chance to win a few more games. Maybe we can knock off some rivals and get a good bowl…maybe. I’m pulling for ya Richt, and I’m pulling for the Dawgs.
tide roll
September 21st, 2010
8:48 am
Also, Whoever was responsible for evaluating Cam Newton, and deciding not to offer, thus allowing your hated rival to sign him instead,should be evaluated himself, by a head doctor!
GOP
September 21st, 2010
8:49 am
DawginLex
You do know Miss State is favored this Sat, (1 1/2 – 2 points). The dawgs will like lose 2 of the next four games. Easily a 6-6 year for the dawgs, after all that preseason hype.
A serious comment
September 21st, 2010
8:49 am
One thing to remember. South Carolina had a warm up game and longer prep time. Arkansas had two warm up games – didn’t have to show Georgia anything. This doesn’t excuse the awful play calling, terrible line play, etc, but the sky isn’t falling…
crossdawg
September 21st, 2010
8:49 am
Not gong to wear my GA shirt to Lions Club today.. Don’t want to listen to the junk from fans of other teams.
russ
September 21st, 2010
8:49 am
the coach needs to spend some time learning how to dicipline “STREET THUGS” !!!!!!!
Bony Tarnhardt
September 21st, 2010
8:50 am
Hey dawgster…… back it up and say you are a true fan and Ray Goof should still be UGA’s coach ! Yeah I didnt think so you moron !
UT96
September 21st, 2010
8:51 am
Wait a minute, SC Dawg. Leave Derek Dooley alone. Look elsewhere for a coach.
Talent Scout for Dancing with the Stars
September 21st, 2010
8:52 am
Serious comment, and you dont call La Lafayette a warm-up? Any coaching staff worth their salt would have spent significant time during the La Lafayette week preparing for SC. More excuses and I am sick of it. Some of you fans sound the same as Richt.
WonderDawg
September 21st, 2010
8:53 am
“You’d be surprised,” Richt said, “but the same things we did when we were finishing in the top 10 and all of that kind of good stuff — we’re doing those very same things”
*************************************
Boy does that sound familiar! Oh yeah!
“Georgia is the easiest team on our schedule to prepare for. They are doing the same stuff they’ve been doing for 10 years.” – Lane Kiffin, 2009.
Kiffin said that shortly before backing up his words, crushing UGA.
Better make some “out with the old, in with the new” changes in your offense,starting with a new OC, before your overmatched-every-week-best friends cost you dearly, Coach Richt.
WOW
September 21st, 2010
8:54 am
I can’t believe how many of you really think that Richt is doing a bad job. Most of you probably didn’t graduate from UGA and surely have GED’s. He is by far one of the best coaches in the SEC. He can’t help that our main offensive weapon has been out for 4 games. This is also BS since Marcel Darius of Alabama did worse things and only got 2 games. Defenses have to make special plans for AJ ie. double teams. This would allow Murray more options over the middle with which he can use to hit TE’s over the middle. You guys have to stop this crap, if you get rid of Richt, who do you bring in. What would happen is what heppened in Tennessee when they got rid of Fulmer. We would probably have a three or four year stretch of mediocrity. Nobody wants that. So get your head together and be glad that we have had the type of success we’ve had these last eight years and be thankful Richt hasn’t had enough of us as fans and leaves for another job.
Lowcountry Bulldawg
September 21st, 2010
8:55 am
UGA is starting a Freshman QB for the following reason:
2006-2008 Matthew Stafford was THE QB-1.
UGA skipped one year for sure in bringing in a QB and then what High School player that would be deemed ELITE would wanna go ride the pine for 2-3 years behind the future #1 pick. UGA could not recruit the calibur QB it wanted to b/c of Stafford.
In 2009 they were finally able to address the manor with the right talent in Murray and Mett. Also do not forget Grey was the Missouri Mr. Football his Senior year.
So the coaching staff attempting to address the issue, but as long as Stafford was entrenched as QB-1 they were not going to bring in a legit stud. Its as simple as that.
Talent Scout for Head Coaching Job
September 21st, 2010
8:55 am
First stop in Boise for Peterson.
Second stop in Austin Texas for Muschamp
Third stop in Tuscaloosa for Smart
Last stop in Tampa/Bristol for Jon Gruden
There thats pretty easy for the moron asking who would you hire. Actually my first choice would be Gruden. Talking about some fire! Course he would be just the opposite from clean talking Richt.
The evil genius
September 21st, 2010
8:55 am
UGA pain helps sustain me, please continue to whine, cry and make excuses. It only makes me stronger.
elvisaintdead
September 21st, 2010
8:56 am
Sabanish, you DO know your house on Lake Burton is now for sale, don’t you?
‘Cause if you don’t, you’re about as clueless as CMBoob….
PMC
September 21st, 2010
8:58 am
Wow, when the coach has resorted to the “true fan” garbage you know you’re in for a terrible year.
Naturally with nothing to gain from it..this is the year Georgia will beat Florida…and lose to Tennessee.
Lowcountry Bulldawg
September 21st, 2010
8:59 am
Also, the idiots who are bit#hing about Murray are probably the same morons who were bit$hing about him not getting PT last season! Murray IS NOT THE ISSUE! REPEAT, Murray is not the issue! Give the kid time to breathe and lets see what he can do! Look at his Completion %! What was our hero David Greene’s Comp % his Frosh year, or Staffords?
If you can put Murray in the best possible position to succeed he will. Role him out of the pocket, through some screens, give him routes that have 1 check and then an outlet. Don’t make him go through 3 progressions before he has to dump it off. Run plays that allow him to slow the game down. The talent is there!
Talent Scout for Head Coaching Job
September 21st, 2010
9:03 am
Lowcountry that would be roll him out of the pocket.
82Dawg
September 21st, 2010
9:03 am
A few wins and all of the haters go away, most of them are band wagon fans. Who is the coach that can do everything right? He is not out there.
Mediocre
September 21st, 2010
9:03 am
WOW,
Wake up, you are already in the 3-4 stretch of mediocrity.
17 of 20
September 21st, 2010
9:04 am
I like the coaches at Georgia; I hope you guys can keep them for another 10 years.
Lowcountry Bulldawg
September 21st, 2010
9:04 am
Thanks grammar police.