Richt: ‘We’ve got to look within, starting with me, as to the things that have kept us’ from success
For a complete roundup of the AJC’s coverage of Georgia’s loss to Mississippi State, please click here.
STARKVILLE, Miss. – Partial transcript of Mark Richt’s news conference following Saturday night’s 24-12 loss to Mississippi State:
Opening comments: “We’re definitely in a position that I’ve never been in as a player or a coach. . . . It’s certainly not a good place to be, but we are where we are. We’ve got to stay together, and I’ve seen no signs of change in my mindset that we’re a close-knit family. But we’ve also got to look within, starting with me, as to the things that have kept us from having the success that we want. That’s what we’re going to do.” (Later, asked for specifics, Richt said: “I’m not going to say anything right now, because I’m not sure. I need time to watch and reflect.”)
“I want to congratulate Coach Mullen and Mississippi State on the great job they did. They came out ready to play. They played hard, and they did what they had to do to win the game. Their fans did a wonderful job of supporting them.”
On Georgia’s lack of scoring: “We had a turnover inside the red zone and a penalty on a touchdown that got called back, so that’s at least one touchdown and possibly two touchdowns right there that got taken away.”
On where the team is: “If you go by watching film down by down, you’d say we’re not as far off as some people might think, but if you look at the record, then we are pretty far off of where we want to be.”
On Mississippi State’s defense: “They were blitzing a lot and out-numbering the running game and trying to pressure the quarterback. They were blitzing the quarterback a lot because he was a freshman, but they blitz a lot anyway, period. My guess is that there were a higher percentage than most of their games. At times we just called running plays blindly. We were going to run the play no matter what, and there were times where we had success and times where we got hit in the mouth.”
On being 0-3 in the SEC: “I never would’ve predicted it, but that’s where we’re at.”
On Mississippi State’s opening touchdown: “You’d like to get a stop and get points on the board yourself. It’s a 60-minute football game, though, so it wasn’t the difference in the ballgame. It was good for Mississippi State to build momentum, but we didn’t feel like that had a tremendous effect on the football game.”
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727 comments Add your comment
YAD
September 26th, 2010
5:37 am
Like many life long fans, I bleed Red and Black. Today, there’s blood in the streets, it’s up to my ankles/blood in the streets, it’s up to my knee (Peace Frog)
indydawg
September 26th, 2010
5:50 am
The next coach of the dawgs could have been on the miss state sideline last night. Odd, but look at our new ad and consider mullen’s former job.
O
Charles
September 26th, 2010
5:54 am
It is amazing how fast people get off a team and coaches. All you brilliant armchair players and coaches who only suggestions are fire the coaches and go hire new ones. Do any of you genius have any idea what you are talking about? The question can Richt get this team and coaches back on track. If not then the AD and President will make that decision at the end of the year. Not all these light weights. .
ToccoaDawg
September 26th, 2010
5:59 am
I have defended richt this whole time. I’m tired of defending him and boo boo. Why are we not playing Mason when clearly Murry isn’t working out. Its time for a big change all around. Don’t get me wrong, I really do like Coach Richt as a person but this is a Million Dollar business, and Coach isn’t getting it done.
AngloDawg
September 26th, 2010
5:59 am
I’m tired of the excuses. I’m tired of hearing what CMR has done for UGA. What about what UGA has done for CMR. The bottom line is CMR and his staff are very well paid and none of that staff is earning their very large pay checks. Job security has made them complacent and they have lost their edge. In most any other career field they would all be in the unemployment line. A lot of coaches do more with less but CMR has excelled at doing less with more. This team has actually regressed from last year and that is hard to believe after losing to a basketball school (Kentucky) but CMR managed to lose to Mississippi State. Now the fact that he is a nice guy no longer matters to me as a life long Dawg fan. He needs to resign but if he can’t bring himself to step down then our new AD needs to help him with that decision.
HATinGA
September 26th, 2010
5:59 am
We havnt been really good since CMR stopped calling the offence. He needs to get out of the office and start coaching football, Bobo has never had a really good year!!! Hes a QB coach not a OC.
Old Dawg
September 26th, 2010
6:18 am
Its time. Its time to admit that the only thing these pansy players are good at is breaking the law, NCAA rules or talking trash. They’re a bunch of weak, undisciplined, and downright stupid little boys trying to play a man’s game. They’ve been physically whipped by evey SEC team they’ve played. They have no fire or backbone. Finish the Drill? Heck these losers can’t even start the drill. To quote their own coach from a commercial they “fold up like a tent”. Yeah the play calling on offense and defense could be better but Bobo can’t block and Grantham can’t tackle. Two things need to happen. Richt needs to take over the play calling not because Bobo has done such a bad job but just to get himself more involved with the players. Two, the players need a come to Jesus meeting with themselves to decide whether they want to find a backbone or they want to change their names from the Bulldogs to the Jellyfish.Right now I’d be in favor of removing the G from their helmets as their off field and on field performance has shown they don’t deserve the honor..
Richard Samuel
September 26th, 2010
6:24 am
What am I doing? Would like a chace to tote the ball!!!
BrizDawg
September 26th, 2010
6:32 am
Durham dropped a touchdown, too. Through the defenders hands, bounced into his chin, couldn’t hang on. Would have redeemed that penalty. Same story every loss: too many missed opportunities.
Dump Bobo or Dump Richt
September 26th, 2010
6:34 am
If Coach Richt don’t dump Bobo … we should dump Mark Richt. If he’s not strong enough to make needed changes, he’s not strong enough to coach Georgia. CMR addmitted it … “we just called running plays blindly”. Called plays blindly!!!! That’s not coaching … that’s guessing. Mike Bobo did not have a game plan, did not have a clue, coached the game “BLINDLY” just like Richt said. Bobo should be demoted today and CMR should make the game plan and call the plays. It could not be any worse than it is now. CMR is on his way out. The AD should call CMR this afternoon and ask if he would consider resigning for the good of the program. If he don’t can Bobo, he deserves it. Loyalty and friendship are good qualities in most of life but not in the competitive world of college football. Mike Bobo just can’t cut it as OC and to delay the ax is going to cause greater problems for Richt. Bobo goes now or Richt goes later.
OwlDawg
September 26th, 2010
6:36 am
At least you guys apparently got to see the game. Here in Statesboro, Northland Cable decided to broadcast the Georgia Southern Game on 3 (yes, three) channels, including the channel that was scheduled to show the UGA game.
COACHING STINKGS!!!!
September 26th, 2010
6:41 am
84th in the nation in rushing. It’s a big success when we gain two yards and hold on to the ball. Ealey lost the Arkansas game by throwing a “look out” block for Murray and lost this game on the goal line. The undisciplined, independent, lazy, independent “thug” lifestyle of this current UGA team is showing up on the field and CMR isn’t strong enough to do anything about it. CMR has lost control of the UGA program. It’s over. Play your freshmen and sophs and start building for next year. If CMR don’t demote or can Mike Bobo after these four games, he is really saying he cares more about friendship and loyalty than the Bulldawg team and nation. CMR has to do something about Bobo or the howls from the fans will be heard in the AD’s and President’s office. Come on guys, pull the trigger, make the changes NOW!!!!
Waterboy
September 26th, 2010
6:42 am
I would say Bobo had his green notebook with the fool proof plays taken from him but that would be giving him way too much credit to even say that he ever had one..A playbook that is..Maybe we can make it to the Bourbon Bowl and play the Cougars..
Willie Rerun
September 26th, 2010
6:46 am
I feel like I am caught in time and seeing a Willie rerun with Mike Bobo. CMR waited too long to can Martinez and is waiting way too long to do anything with Bobo. CMR will down play Bobo’s failures and weaknesses due to his loyalty and friendship. If I were head coach the sun would not go down tonight before Bobo would be packing his backs. It ain’t going to happen. Richt is too nice, too low key, too loyal, too valuable a friend to Bobo. It ain’t going to happen.
tony
September 26th, 2010
6:46 am
Mr.Richt is trying to fool God. You can serve God and Wealth(2.8mil). Mathew6:24
Mr.Richt, it is easier for a camal to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. Mathew 19:24
Mr.Richt, Read below
Luke 18:18-23 (King James Version)
18And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
19And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God.
20Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother.
21And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up.
22Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.
23And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.
Stop trying to fool God Mr.Richt or continue to face failure.
OwlDawg
September 26th, 2010
6:51 am
I wish CMR were unlikeable, as this would make the required changes easier. Players care more about selling jerseys, rings, etc. than saving them as a reminder of the honor of playing for UGA. The team has gone 2-7 in its last 9 SEC games. Terrible decisions have been made, perhaps out of loyalty and other good character attributes, but nonetheless terrible. For example, Joe Cox was owed nothing but an opportunity to compete for a job, but CMR let him have a year, when the time could have been used to help mature Murray. ETC., ETC.
Nahila
September 26th, 2010
6:51 am
Georgia’s defense seems to always tackle the ball carrier either with the UGA player’s feet off the ground from leaning to make the tackle or because their angle of approach to make the tackle is wrong so that the ball carrier most times seems to gain additional yardage after impact which is partly caused by tackling high allowing the ball carrier to continue to use his legs to gain the extra yardage. In the meantime, our opponents appear to be tackling with a full head of steam, tackle our ball carriers low and wrap up their legs so they cannot gain that extra yardage.
What can you say about the UGA play calling, it was awful. We rarely passed on first down, we ran on second down almost everytime and we passed almost every third down.
Even a midget league coach and players could figure out how to setup their defenses to stop the run. There were few misdirection running plays, just run off tackle up the gut ones.
Player errors were caused by players being out of position and forcing their actions to try to make plays or just careless errors of judgement. It is going to be a long season for UGA. Looking ahead on our schedule, UGA will be lucky to finish 6 wins 6 losses and more likely to finish 4 and 8 or 5 and 7 unless major improvement is reached.
gomdawg
September 26th, 2010
6:53 am
AJ, I bet beat he wished he would have kept his Bowl Jersey from last year because he want have one this year to sell. STUPID , STUPID
dawgman
September 26th, 2010
6:55 am
At least Mark won’t have to worry about who is selling his bowl game jersey this year. There won’t be one.
gomdawg
September 26th, 2010
6:58 am
Kirby, is not a head coach, love him . Will Muschamp a Dawg but not a head coach. CMR wasn’t a head coach. So with that said if we are going after a Coach then get a Head Coach.
gomdawg
September 26th, 2010
7:04 am
This guys are men not boys ,you got to stop treating then like a baby, play the game or there is somebody on the bench that wants to play . I believe I could have taken the bench and played Miss. State a better game. PITFULL coaching.
Sloan
September 26th, 2010
7:08 am
Toccoa Dawg – Aaron Murray is not the problem. He doesn’t call the plays, he doesn’t block the defense, he doesn’t play defense. He is very talented and is one of the lone bright spots (along with the play of Kris Durham) for Georgia so far this season.
JdawgT
September 26th, 2010
7:09 am
We’re tired of the EXUSES. We want a football team back. Some of the sloppiest football I’ve ever seen from a Ga. team !!!!!!!!
gomdawg
September 26th, 2010
7:11 am
Sloan, I agree, will said
Paddy
September 26th, 2010
7:12 am
DawginAfganistan………..When you consider the great success of TCU and Boise ST, it becomes very clear Scout & Rivals are just for fan amusment and not to be taken serious. And please don’t send them any money. You are better off and would get more use out of Ron Popeil’s :”Pocket Fisherman”.
Sloan
September 26th, 2010
7:14 am
So far I don’t see any improvement from Martinez to Grantham. Our defensive players seem to get pushed around by everyone. Bobo continues to call running plays into a stacked line of scrimage that is so obvious even I can see that Miss. State has 9 or 10 players on the line. And that great O-line of ours continues to underachieve. I don’t know what to think of Coach Richt. It’s as if some body snatcher has taken away the man who was one of the top 3 coaches in the country in his first 6 years and replaced him with Ray Goff. What has happened to UGA football since 2007?
gomdawg
September 26th, 2010
7:16 am
Bring on Basketball
Red Panties Rick
September 26th, 2010
7:18 am
Know the biggest problem Richt has? It’s a common management problem, and it’s called letting personal loyalty come before making decisions in the best interests of the business. And in Coach Richt’s case he let that loyalty come in the form of his offensive and defensive coordinators, which in effect is now proving out to be his death sentence as UGA coach. It’s sad and so unnecessary, but I have a feeling he’s now going to be like Hitler in the bunker – the outcome is obvious, but he’ll wait it out as long as he can….
gomdawg
September 26th, 2010
7:21 am
This goody good shoes has got to go , they are men ,do your job or the man that replaces you will.
gomdawg
September 26th, 2010
7:23 am
I have wasted 4 weeks of being on the river and having fun for this BULLSHzT.
Dawg4life
September 26th, 2010
7:23 am
I have supported this team because they are a younger squad, with a freshman qb, and learning a new def scheme. What happened in Starkville wasn’t the product of any of this. Mark Richt has lost this team. Aside from Murray and Durham, this team plays with no fire or discipline. Bobo has no idea how to call plays, or what personel to use when. Why we run our 150 lb rb up the middle on 3 straight plays is beyond me. This is completely unacceptable from a program like UGA’s. I didn’t expect them to go undefeated this year, but we can pretty much count on losses to Kentucky, Florida, Auburn, and Ga Tech. Flip a coin on who wins the Colorado and Vandy game. I don’t know what the answers are, but they should start at the top, and if it means getting rid of Richt than so be it.
Coffee Bluff DAWG
September 26th, 2010
7:27 am
Last night (and this season in general) showed the effect of losing recruiting wars to neighboring SEC teams. We’ve been beaten on the O and D line all year.
The combination of off-the-field and on-the-field problems = the end of the Mark Richt era at UGA.
rez
September 26th, 2010
7:28 am
I see a lot of posts about having a redshirt freshman QB, but let’s face reality – Murray has been one of the best 3 players on the offense for the past 4 weeks (Murray, Durham, Carlton). The ‘experienced & talented’ offensive line has been simply offensive, ealey and superstud king have done nothing.
Grantham doesn’t have his guys yet but I think they will eventually be fine on D.
Palm City Dawg
September 26th, 2010
7:29 am
This is too painful to take any longer. Richt needs to get rid of Bo Bo and the entire offensive coaching staff. We need someone to motivate this team and kick their butts in practice and during the games, especially the O-line. What the hell is going on. Murray will be knocked out of the game soon. Quit the “he is only a freshman” crap. David Greene was a freshman and look what that team accomplished! Richt is pulling another “protect my boy Bo Bo and the staff, just like he did with Willie. He should have brought in an offensive genuis or canned the offensive staff and took over himself. If he can’t do this now, then he needs to resign and allow us to bring in someone who puts the program’s success first. Someone with fire in his soul that will get the best out of his team day in and day out.
liars and damm liars
September 26th, 2010
7:30 am
Have a good caring Christian coach is worth more than Wins and Losses. Yea right.
Hmmmmm
September 26th, 2010
7:32 am
This is going to be a loooong year.
Michael
September 26th, 2010
7:32 am
“At times we just called running plays blindly. We were going to run the play no matter what, and there were times where we had success and times where we got hit in the mouth.”
about says it all……..gotta go.
VA DAWG
September 26th, 2010
7:34 am
Anyone notice that the dawgs have yet to lead a game in the SEC….they’ve trailed in every game except when they tied the game against Ark in the fourth. Its time to see who has the intestinal fortitude to stay the course or this season could get even uglier…..hard to imagine but it could. Bye, bye to all that have been riding the bandwagon….go cheer for someone else. GO DAWGS!
Larry
September 26th, 2010
7:35 am
If this steady, downward spiral had been happening the past two seasons at Alabama, Florida, LSU, Texas, Ohio State, Penn State or USC, what would happen to their coaching staff?
Should the standards for Georgia be any less?
Larry
September 26th, 2010
7:37 am
I am officially changing my chant for “Go Dawgs” to “Go Dawgettes!”
gomdawg
September 26th, 2010
7:39 am
Alabama win, LSU win, Florida win, Auburn win and yes Tenn. win Georgia another lost. Ark. and S. Carolina lost BUT they played a GOOD game. GONE FISHING
Old Dawg
September 26th, 2010
7:40 am
So, anybody miss CWM yet? Gee, a 3-4 defense seems like no defense at all. There is a coach at UNLV who was at Univ. of Montana who knows how to coach and win. His defense will hit and hit hard, not arm tackle like our semi-tough defense. This season is over. Go get the guy today and get this program back on track. Heck, I saw better hits in a high school team Friday night.
Kenny Powers
September 26th, 2010
7:48 am
Dear Coach Richt…please feel free to use any that you see fit to use…funny how history repeats itself…these can be just plug and play
John McKay quotes…
* On the execution of the Bucs offense: “I think it’s a good idea.”
* On why he rarely had bed checks: “You usually wind up staying up all night, or until your best player comes in.”
* On the significance of experience: “If you have everyone back from a team that lost 10 games, experience isn’t too important.”
* On the weaknesses of linebacker Hugh Green: “He’s not twins.”
* On Bill Capece, who was waived in 1983 after missing a field goal and extra point: “Capece is kaput.”
* On place-kicker Pete Rajecki having a bad camp with the Bucs because McKay made him nervous: “I don’t think he’s got much of a future here, because I plan on going to all the games.”
* On the Bucs’ 42-0 loss to Pittsburgh on a very cold day: “I remember in Pittsburgh we had no players and the ones we did have wanted to stay at the hotel by the fire. I was ticked because that’s where I wanted to stand.”
* On the importance of an older quarterback’s mobility: “As a person gets older he doesn’t get faster. Our quarterback will run from fright or lack of protection.”
* On fan mail he received as a Tampa Bay coach: “It was about three-to-one that I was not an SOB. But there were a lot of ones.”
* On why coaching an expansion team is a religious experience: “You do a lot of praying, but most of the time the answer is `No.’ ”
* On the Bucs early games: “Every time I look up, it seems we’re punting.”
* On O.J. Simpson carrying the ball 47 times in a USC game: “ He doesn’t belong to a union. Anyway, the ball doesn’t weigh that much.”
* On blocking strategy: “Hold when you’re at home and don’t hold when you’re on the road.”
* On his disdain for the Packers: “If a contest had 97 prizes, the 98th would be a trip to Green Bay.”
* On opening days: “Opening games make me nervous. To tell the truth, I’d rather open with our second game.”
* On training camp: “It’s shattering when a player loses interest in camp. When you lose your desire to stand around and eat steaks, you lose everything.”
* Asked if Lynn Cain of the Atlanta Falcons was ready to play against the Bucs: “Let me know if Cain is able.”
William Hedge
September 26th, 2010
7:48 am
read this article last week before the Miss State game – think it carries even more weight this morning http://chuckoliver.net/?p=6647
gomdawg
September 26th, 2010
7:52 am
Georgia , has hit bottom I didn’t think I would ever see this HAPPEN to our program. Bottom line no passion ( Except Murray, Durham ) just a bunch of self centered boys ( not Men ) playing for Georgia Now taking Walk ons. Please Help.
FLA DAWG
September 26th, 2010
7:54 am
We are 2 – 7 over the last 9 SEC Games.
We were just pounded by the Worst SEC Team in the West.
Now Richt needs time to reflect and look inside!?
The HC History Of Mark Richt
Take HC Job at UGA and is also the OC
With Muschamp / Van Gorder the team is doing very, very well.
Richt lets Muschamp and Van Gorder go and replaces them with his college roomie Martinez.
Richt relinquishes the OC Job and gives it to Bobo.
The team does poorly.
The End
NC Dawg
September 26th, 2010
7:56 am
Ealey, Bobo, Richt and whoever the strength and condition coach is are doing an awful job.
tell me again
September 26th, 2010
7:57 am
First of all – As a fan I am disappointed in the year so far and I also feel badly for our kids – certainly they want to win more than we want them to. The defense did well for almost 3 qtrs. – at that point those kids probably just wore out waiting for the offense to chip in. If the offense score a few points the D gets pumped up and plays with some fire…as it was, the D just collapsed at the end. I don’t think D is our problem. The offense which was supposed to be the supporting cast around Murray (who is getting the crap beat out of him) has totally been a no show. I am clueless as to how we can have that much talent and play so poorly. Before last night I was not too concerned. After last night I can see some wheels wobbling about this program. The only people who seem to know less about what they are doing are the talking heads who said we had the best O line in the country – it appears they need to be reevaluated also. After watching SC and Arkie play yesterday it is obvious we lost to two good teams there – BUT – Miss. St. is not a good team – last night reminded me of the Tennessee game where we made an average team look great. I am a Dawg fan till the end but I think a lot of us are hurting right now for the kids, the program and for ourselves – still, it’s just a game my friends – don’t make more of it that what it is
GO DAWGS|!|
NC Dawg
September 26th, 2010
7:57 am
Never thought I would say this, but I am starting to believe that Richt must go.
Gordon
September 26th, 2010
7:59 am
I think with the “blindly called running plays” statement along with everything else he said, Richt was hinting that he is going to replace Bobo.