Richt: ‘I understand why everybody’s bent out of shape’
Mark Richt heard the pain of Georgia football fans on his radio call-in show Monday night and, near the end of the hour, said he understands it.
“I appreciate all the fans, even the ones that are really, really hurt and upset and mad, whatever it might be,” Richt said. “Georgia football is great because of the fans, and I understand that. And I understand why everybody’s bent out of shape.
“I mean, we want our team to win. And when it’s not, everybody wants to know why and they want answers and sometimes they think they’ve got the answers and sometimes they just want to see us do a better job, period, and I understand that and I appreciate that.
“So to all the fans out there: I’m not happy. The boys aren’t happy. Our coaching staff isn’t happy right now. We’re not going to be until we start playing the kind of ball where we can win the games. . . . We’re going to keep banging away until that happens for us. I just hope everybody supports these guys through it all.”
With Georgia on a three-game losing streak for the first time in Richt’s decade as coach, several callers to the weekly show were particularly pointed in their questions and comments. One caller said: “Coach, I’ve been watching Georgia football for 50 years, and I got to tell you, this program is out of control. Out of control off the field, out of control on the field.” At that point, the caller’s line suddenly went dead. Another caller asked a two-part question, starting with Georgia’s in-state recruiting before adding, “And how about getting rid of Bobo?” Richt responded to the question about recruiting but ignored the one about offensive coordinator Mike Bobo.
Other callers expressed concerns about the Bulldogs’ tackling, the offensive-line play and tailback Washaun Ealey’s problem with fumbles. One caller called on the players to play harder. “We do need to play harder,” Richt replied. “I think we’re playing hard, but are we playing as hard as we possibly can?”
Several callers offered support and encouragement to Richt. One said: “I know you’re the right man for the job.” Another said: “Changing coaches is not the answer. . . . We know you and the other coaches have not forgotten how to coach.”
One caller told Richt the Bulldogs are “in some uncharted waters” and asked: “As captain of the ship, what are your plans to get this ship back on course?”
“Right now what I’m going to do,” Richt replied, “is I’m going to keep working my tail off like the rest of this staff and these players. And we’re going to stay together, because I promise you if we don’t stick together we’ve got no chance whatsoever.
“We’re going to maintain a positive outlook no matter what happens around us, because that’s the only chance we’ve got to get back on track and get people feeling better about how things are going.”
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484 comments Add your comment
matt dawg
September 28th, 2010
9:49 am
THE FOLLOWING MUST GO>>the OD BOBO and Strength Coach who ever he is(old school) and finally the Running Back Coach(no improvement with the backs and they fall after contact and trip over there own feet). And yes we risk a chance of losing Lee May if certain coaches are let go but why BLOW TRADITION for ONE…GO DAWGS…GIVE EARLY NOTICE PLEASE DON’T WAIT .SHOW RESPECT TO INCOMING DAWGS AND THERE FAMILIES.
Will
September 28th, 2010
9:50 am
If I were CMR I would have pulled a Spurrier(by being painfully honest) and said that the talent level at UGA is not where it normally is. I would have said the O Line is weak and feeble and the special teams is slow and boring. I would have also said that our defense is small and not ready to contend for an SEC East crown anytime soon. It’s the truth and everyone in the SEC knows it…. So just be honest and get it out there. The truth hurts but it needs to be said.
JB
September 28th, 2010
9:51 am
FLA DAWG……………Yes, I’ve been saying that…..Richt or no Richt, next year will be a challenge. He nor his love ones will survive it……..It’ll get ugly…….Change must happen….
We will be were Tennessee is. A new coach with a program that needs rebuilding. I wouldn’t want Mark to stay…..I really like him as a person,…..He will be fine
JB
September 28th, 2010
9:52 am
That’s where Tennessee is.
Mobile Dawg
September 28th, 2010
9:53 am
JB, in fairness and I try to be frank and fair in my assessments, don’t believe 90% of what you hear at this point. If I don’t hear it first hand, then in my experience it’s usually been spun or misinterpreted by the person passing it on.
I was listening to who else, Finebaum, yesterday while driving around doing my business, and majority of his show, when I was listening was centered on CMR. This isn’t just a local story, Brando, from CBS, etc. No one wants CMR to crash, it’s just the nature of the beast.
And Altamaha, he should be more specific if he’s genuine. Tell people straight up, I’ve failed, and I plan to address our discipline issues, I plan to address our strength and conditioning program, I plan to make sure we’ve got the right people in place to address coaching issues, I plan to continue to reevaluate myself to make sure I’m doing all I can to help my coaches. This isn’t rocket science, it’s damage control 101. His stubbornness, arrogance, or ignorance, don’t know which it is will be his undoing, along with the current ineptitude.
SameOle SameOle
September 28th, 2010
9:54 am
The problem starts with Rodney Garner. Yeah, he recruits 4 & 5 star guys but NONE of them have been leaders. We have no leadership on either side of the ball and it has been that way since Pollack/Greene. Once we ge those recruits, we don’t seem to toughen them up. The strength and conditioning coaches should be feared by players not best friends. Good riddance to Van Halanger and Garner. Someone needs to tell these guys that this is tackle football not two handed touch. Watch films of the Bears/Greenbay game last night and that’s how you tackle. Lowering your shoulder and hoping the ball carrier goes down doesn’t cut it even in Peewee football. Ever heard of wraping up and driving them into the dirt? By the way, take Bobo with you. He was a pitiful QB and now he’s calling plays? Maybe that’s why our field goal unit is so good.
A Big Dog
September 28th, 2010
9:57 am
To all the UGA haters…give your fingers a rest and go give yourself a little wrist action…think you Techies can figure out what FFY stands for..I’ll give you a hint..the first words is Fist….Tech Dork’s know that by Hand!!!!!!
Bill
September 28th, 2010
9:58 am
Dawg Catcher sounds like he is a Gator fan. Why would he even think about using Dawg in his comments.
JB
September 28th, 2010
9:58 am
My friend here in town who is Bulldog president , at the game, said Leeberman ( sp?) the big money guy at UGA, left the game at halftime. Maybe he had a plane to catch.
Andy in WR
September 28th, 2010
10:02 am
Everybody keeps saying we lead the nation in arrests. First of all most of our player’s violations would be traffic tickets in most of the nation and secondly didn’t Notre Dame have 12 players arrested in one night?
Flat Tire On I-95 in Jacksonville
September 28th, 2010
10:03 am
Hey Shameful
I like this quote on your blog from reality stinks
I can say the same about the GT North Ave gang as reality is now setting in on Coach Johnsons 1920’s style middle school offensive scheme, just isnt going to work at this level
Gangs are rioting, buildings are being sprayed with grafitie, muggings are on the rise, cars are broken into and set on fire, stray bullets are everywhere,
GT fans have quit buying tickets, so Bobby dudd field is in danger of the wrecking ball again
A Big Dog
September 28th, 2010
10:06 am
JB…..if your friend knows so much, then you’d think he’d know the guy is Donald Leebern, he’s shacked up with former UGA gymnastics coach and he hates Dooly with a passion ’cause his spoiled little boy wasn’t good enough to ever play QB in game at UGA, along with a sexual tryst that he was/is involved in. Oh and by the way he lives about 30 minutes away from Athens on Lake Oconee. So tell you friend…he doesn’t know jack about UGA goings on!!!!
Observe & Report
September 28th, 2010
10:08 am
The definition of insanity is doing the same things over and over again and expecting different results.
For What It Worth
September 28th, 2010
10:08 am
Let me ask this Question, which year would you have fired Coach Dooley when he had bad seasons? Because he had more than Coach Richt, with fans like yall UGA would never have had a National Championship. Here’s Coach Dooley’s record, and by the way Coach Erk Russell was with Coach Dooley though all the bad times and the good.
Coach: Vince Dooley – 1964 – 1988
1964 (7-3-1), 1965 (6-4-0), 1966 (10-1-0), 1967 (7-4-0), 1968 (8-1-2), 1969 (5-5-1), 1970 (5-5-0), 1971 (11-1-0), 1972 (7-4-0), 1973 (7-4-1), 1974 (6-6-0), 1975 (9-3-0), 1976 (10-2-0), 1977 (5-6-0), 1978 (9-2-1), 1979 (6-5-0), 1980 (12-0-0), 1981 (10-2-0), 1982 (11-1-0), 1983 (10-1-1), 1984 (7-4-1), 1985 (7-3-2), 1986 (8-4-0), 1987 (9-3-0), 1988 (9-3-0)
savjacket
September 28th, 2010
10:08 am
So this is what it feels like to bottom feed on another teams site? I don’t get it.
Mustangdawg
September 28th, 2010
10:09 am
Alot of you fans (short for fanatic) don’t understand football. Yes Georgia has been in the hunt for a national title a couple of years (stafford, Moreno years) But when you don’t win it you have a couple of down years. But richts down years were never really that bad. So please quit all your whining and crybabying we will go back to the top. Ask yourself how many years before richt came did you finish the season in the top ten? How many years has richt finished in the top ten 5 (6 if you count the usa today poll) look at his record 01 8-4 02 13-1 03 10-3 04 10-2 05 10-3 06 9-4 07 11-2 08 10-3 09 8-5 in the last 9 years he has been under 10 wins 3 times out of 9 gimme a break. You idiots calling for his head need to get a life and become a true fan.
Mobile Dawg
September 28th, 2010
10:10 am
Just for what it’s worth when we lost eight out of ten to the Florida Gators.
Mobile Dawg
September 28th, 2010
10:13 am
Mustang, how did it feel when that first rafter came down on your head. Hope you didn’t spill your Kool Aid. And fyi, we’re not idiots for pointing out the problems. The argument has been made on these blogs that maybe the “idiots” are the ones who keep blindly supporting the problems going on in Athens, not that I would call anyone an idiot, I try and have a bit more class.
Flat Tire On I-95 in Jacksonville
September 28th, 2010
10:13 am
For What its Worth
The difference is fans are asked to give much more to continue to lose to Tennessee and FL yr after yr and not compete for championships
Stop making fans donate for tickets
Lower ticket prices
Make parking free again
Cut the coaching staffs salary in half
And most of this will stop
Richt understands fan frustration | ChuckOliver.Net
September 28th, 2010
10:17 am
[...] http://blogs.ajc.com/uga-sports-blog/2010/09/28/richt-i-understand-why-everybody-is-bent-out-of-shap... [...]
saban
September 28th, 2010
10:17 am
Lets see.
The Colorado game. Buff`s favored by 30.
The love thugs challenge`s the Buff`s.
oledawg
September 28th, 2010
10:23 am
You know, as bad as it is, and I’ve seen worse in Athens, it still beats having to sit in a stadium in Atlanta, where the ticket booth operators have to report on Gameday, to try and sell tickets to anyone they can persuade to come in and watch their high school offense led by their “heisman” trophy candidate QB attempt to beat some inferior ACC team. Yep———–I’d rather watch paint dry than be subjected to the nerds doing their “whiteout”.
Trust me————and Tech fans know this—————this situation in Athens will come to an end SOON. UGA will once more get their act together————–but Tech————————–Hell, not even Saban or Meyer could do anything for that program. 100 years from now——–one will still be able to walk up and buy a ticket to a game in Atlanta from the ticket booth. Georgia will rise again———take it to the bank.
guy
September 28th, 2010
10:26 am
Things will get better even though we are all frustrated now. I wish CMR would take over the play calling and those who don’t like it on the staff can go home Your tail is on the line so go for it,CMR!
Observe & Report
September 28th, 2010
10:27 am
Donnan was fired after back to back 8-4 seasons. 8-4 at this point is a pipe dream. And what was last year’s regular season record?
Wreckmaniac
September 28th, 2010
10:27 am
Richt is much smarter that we think. After all he’s making the $2 mill. Right ? He was smart enough to
schedule Colorado School of the Blind two years to go along with cupcakes Vandy and KY. He ( I hate to say it) owns Tech. There’s four guaranteed wins every year. He just has to prepare for only 3 or 4 more games because he knows this crowd always accepts 3 or 4 loses. This is the program and its time that the fan base understands it. Its not hard to figure out.
JB
September 28th, 2010
10:28 am
Thanks big dog
JB
September 28th, 2010
10:31 am
Somebody explain to me( don’t want big dog dressing me down again) where the 66 million dollars in revenue comes from other than ticket sales, Hartman fund and TV/radio and Bowl revenue sharing….or is that it.
David
September 28th, 2010
10:35 am
Why do you GA people think he is so damn smart? He has given the same answers for the last 4 years. Work his tail off, boy that is an original answer. The guy makes several million a year. One of the problems is he answers to nobody. Must be nice and yea I am jealous of the money.
ga gator
September 28th, 2010
10:36 am
JB I will answer it for you; my future mother in law. All she wears is UGA merchandise.
Fire THEM ALL!!!!
September 28th, 2010
10:36 am
THIS IS FOR ALL THE U HAVE NEVER STRAPPED A HELMET ON IN YOUR LIFE U HAVE NO ROOM TO TALK……SO LETS ANALYZE IT THIS WAY IF U WERE DOING AS BAD AS MARK RICHT IS IN YOUR JOB WOULD YOU STILL BE GETTING PAID AND PROMOTIONS AND PRAISE FROM THE 3 BIG DEALS U CLOSED 3, 4, OR 5 YEARS….I DONT THINK SO….IF THIS WAS JIM DONNAN EVERYONE WOULD BE CALLING FOR HIS HEAD ON A PLATTER….IN FACT WE ALL THOUGHT HE HAD LOST CONTROL OF THE PROGRAM BECAUSE OF QUINCY CARTERS MISTAKES AND ARRESTS HOWEVER WHO KNEW THAT WAS CUPCAKES COMPARED TO A PROGRAM THAT HAS CONSISTENTLY HAD 7 TO 15 ARRESTS A YEAR….TOO MANY BLIND IDIOTS LOYALISTS GEORGIA FANS AND THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE HAVE NOT WON A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP SINCE 1980 THE CUPCAKES FANS ARE HAPPY WITH MEDIOCRITY AND DONT DEMAND BETTER….LET ME DEFEND MARK FOR THE CUPCAKERS SO U WONT HAVE TOO….GREAT GUY, GREAT MAN, MAN OF CHARACTER….BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH…..
put me in coach
September 28th, 2010
10:37 am
Are you Georgia Fans the same fans that trash North campus every home game? I hear all these people talk about CMR has lost control of this team. But the fan base is out of control. You want discipline but you lack it in your own life. I hate the way this season has turned out but it makes me more sick to hear the UGA “Faithful” scream it is time for a change.
Wreckmaniac
September 28th, 2010
10:38 am
Olddawg: I beg to differ. You may be in love with the hedges scene but when I went to Columbia for the SC-UGA game this year you would not have known that SC had an opponent. I have always heard that UGA “travels well” but dawg fans were dead that day. I was shocked. Not a peep. Nothing.
I’ve seen more enthusiasm at Braves games. I know UGA lost but thats no excuse.
At Tech, I know our stadium is small and that we have vacant seats but our fans are at least alive. SEC football isn’t the experience that your guys want everybody else to think it is.
Ed
September 28th, 2010
10:39 am
Personally, I wouldn’t have cared if this turned out to be a 10 wins or more season (which it obviously won’t) if we lose to Florida again, especially if we’re going to be humiliated in the process. If Richt isn’t the guy to beat UF, then find someone who can.
In fact, if Richt ever wins another SEC Championship and loses to Florida that year (again), give the rings back (or sell them on Ebay).
People compare Richt to Dooley favorable, mostly because of overall winning percentage. Putting aside for a minute the fact that Dooley didn’t face two lower-division or non-BCS conference gimme wins every year, Dooley had a great record against the teams Georgia fans wanted to beat the most, especially Florida. I’d rather have a 8-4 season with a win over Florida than be 10-2 or 9-3 with a loss to those SOBs, especially when we don’t even put up a fight half the time.
If UGA has to change coaches every 3-4 years, FIND SOMEONE WHO WILL STAND UP TO FLORIDA.
hornblowermg
September 28th, 2010
10:40 am
Jiggy Smaha ? i can’t believe it’s you. remember what you and Cooly replied when someone asked you how you beat Alabama and Michigan both in the first three games of the season ? You said, “they were sucking wind.” Now we are the ones sucking wind. Richt is eerily like a politician we all know in that he has no specific plan to improve the team; only vague generalities come out of his mouth. We need the toughness of JIM HARBAUGH.
ga gator
September 28th, 2010
10:40 am
Fire THEM ALL!!!! not a bad post, but when you make 3-4 million per season, the expectations go through the roof. How many 8-5 years in a row do you think Bama and Gator fans would tolerate. Even Miles in on the hotseat in Red Stick. I feel no sorrow for any of these Head Coaches.
tony
September 28th, 2010
10:40 am
Mr.Richt says he is a christian man so he can’t engage in violence. He can’t let his team hurt their opponents because that’s not the christian way. His defense has to wrap up instead of knocking their opponents silly the way MS knock Ealey silly. His team has to play passive football because that’s the christian way. So stop complaining about how this team perform on the football field.
Fire THEM ALL!!!!
September 28th, 2010
10:41 am
Put me in Coach
U R An IDIOT…..U sound like a DEMOCRAT u cant fight on the merits of what the coaching staff has done so u have to attack the DISCIPLINE OF THE FANS….SINCE WHEN DID THE DISCIPLINE OF THE FANS WIN FOOTBALL GAMES……U NEED TO START PULLING FOR TECH….
SEC FAN
September 28th, 2010
10:45 am
Must be getting a little warm. Before it’s over it will be a lot hotter. A few bland comments are not going to cool things off. Beware of the buffalo. 4 in a row is not unlikely. We will see.
CEPH
September 28th, 2010
10:45 am
I don’t think the fans are “bent out of shape” they are just tired of listening to Richt’s alibis and excuses. He never comes up with solutions, just excuses. Never once have I heard him say emphatically that he is going to correct something, instead he is constantly saying we are going to address the problem or we are going to work on it, or we are going to work out tails off. Why doesn’t he say just one time “It will be corrected” The reason I think he never says this is because he doesn’t have a clue how to correct the problem as matter of fact I think he is clueless to about everything!!!!!
Rob in Chapel Hill
September 28th, 2010
10:47 am
I’m highly disappointed with this season so far as well, but I am starting to find the bashing of Richt, Bobo, the players, etc. really lame, classless, and wrong. This is the time we should be pulling together as fans, just like we hope the team pulls together, and screaming our heads off for the Dawgs when Tennessee comes to town in a couple of weeks.
Fire THEM ALL!!!!
September 28th, 2010
10:50 am
Ga Gator
I am all for FIRING MARK RICHT TODAY sick of it…I HAVE NO SYMPATHY FOR SOMEONE MAKING 2.5 MILLION A YEAR…PUTTING THAT BUNCH OF CRAP I HAVE SEEN THIS YEAR WEARING GEORGIA BULLDOG UNIFORMS…….THE PROBLEM ARE SO DEEP IT WOULD TAKE ALL DAY TO GO THROUGH….I CANT EVEN NAME 3 TALENTED PLAYERS ON THE TEAM….AJ GREEN WHO HAS 7 MORE GAMES IN HIS GEORGIA CAREER….THATS IT THAT IS SUMS UP OUR ENTIRE TALENT ON THE TEAM….I CHALLENGE ANY GEORGIA FAN TO GIVE ME 4 MORE TALENTED PLAYERS ON THIS TEAM THAT WOULD STARTING FOR FLORIDA OR ALABAMA…….IT IS PITIFUL….ON TOP OF THAT HOW DO ALL THE BLIND LOYALISTS EXPLAIN HOW WE USE ALL THREE TIMEOUTS IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF EVERY GAME….THE ONLY COACH EVER SEEN DO THAT….THAT IS PREPARATION AND COACHING PLAIN AND SIMPLE….
oledawg
September 28th, 2010
10:50 am
Mr.Maniac——-it is I who begs to differ——for I too have been to Tech games, and it’s pathetic. How many times have I witnessed those “alive” fans empty the stadium in the 3rd quarter. As far as SEC football being “the experience”, that it claims to be———-compare records from any conference to the SEC’s ,and I think it will speak for itself. SEC football is simply the best. On that note——–I’ll concede that ACC basketball is simply the best. As for the South Carolina game————well there just wasn’t a whole lot to cheer for in that game. Things will change though———-it’s money in the bank for sure.
Paul Johnson
September 28th, 2010
10:50 am
Well, at least you guys didn’t get blown out by NC State
Paul Johnson
September 28th, 2010
10:55 am
HAHAHAHA! Now who looks stupid? UGA should have joined the ACC. At least you guys would be undefeated!!
Paul Johnson
September 28th, 2010
11:00 am
I don’t understand how Navy AND Ga Southern are doing better without me!!!!!!????
@Fire them all
September 28th, 2010
11:05 am
As a passionate fan, you are attempting to make some good points, but for goodness sake, turn off your caps!
hornblowermg
September 28th, 2010
11:07 am
JIM HARBAUGH ! JIM HARBAUGH ! JIM HARBAUGH ! JIM HARBAUGH ! JIM HARBAUGH ! JIM HARBAUGH ! JIM HARBAUGH ! JIM HARBAUGH ! JIM HARBAUGH ! JIM HARBAUGH ! JIM HARBAUGH ! JIM HARBAUGH ! JIM HARBAUGH ! JIM HARBAUGH ! JIM HARBAUGH !
JimDawg
September 28th, 2010
11:09 am
Results, results, results. All the excuses in the world or really working hard doesn’t mean crap. The bottom line is the coaches are not getting the job done and it starts at the top.
CMR acts like he would rather be watching his son play @ Mars Hill and with another year like this one, that is exactly what he will be doing.
NOTSO FAST
September 28th, 2010
11:09 am
I just heard from a good source that Coach R has ordered new jerseys for this weeks game. Don’t tell anybody cause it is a surprise. This is the kind of action a good coach takes to win. I know it hasn’t always worked but it will if we keep trying plus it gives more jerseys for the players to sell.
Alpha23
September 28th, 2010
11:10 am
What good does that “woof, woof, woof” crap do? It’s pretty obnoxious to see some drunk ‘dawg’ fan barking in someones face, after losing a game!!!