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
patrick
September 28th, 2010
2:58 pm
“school”
5150 P.O.A.D
September 28th, 2010
3:01 pm
OK Patty go hope in your Mommy Bus and go get the lil brats from school and get back to later if your wife let back on the computer. I guess you can be on the net when your Money making wife is at work.
Flat Tire On I-95 in Jacksonville
September 28th, 2010
3:03 pm
Patrick
what are the facts oh great one
10-13 in the SEC in recent yrs
2-7 against FL
2-2 since 2006 against kentucky
9-9 vs ranked opponents at Sanford stadium
Cant go to the SEC championship without hoping FL loses out because we cannot beat them
No NC
6th highest paid coach with that resume
Hasnt amounted to much since Van Gorder left
What are the facts
5150 P.O.A.D
September 28th, 2010
3:03 pm
Why doe the Amelia Island not paint their Bulldog(in the add to the right) like Russ gets painted?
5150 P.O.A.D
September 28th, 2010
3:06 pm
mahatma what is there to say about the economy but that is sucks and American don’t have jobs.
Flat Tire On I-95 in Jacksonville
September 28th, 2010
3:10 pm
Patrick
Heres another thought
No one cares about where you finish or how many 10 win seasons you have except fans of the school
your just remembered if your a champion
Flat Tire On I-95 in Jacksonville
September 28th, 2010
3:11 pm
like you said Patrick
School is out hopefully you’ll make it to 4th grade next yr
Mobile Dawg
September 28th, 2010
3:13 pm
Lake Oconee Dawg has hit upon a good point if you read it. Motivation come’s from within. If we sold motivation at the gas pump, or with speeches, or with rewards, or pay raises, etc, we only get what you call “short term motivation”. However, when you skin the onion another layer you know self motivation only occurs naturally when one is placed in an environment conducive to being self motivated. Play like a champion means absolutely nothing if your not in an environment conducive to building champions.
This program has coincidentally been sinking since 2006, hardly noticable at first but once the ship was taking on water, it went down quickly. We did have leaders for a while as players. Those players inspired others around them. As attrition took place over the years there were suddenly no players left who knew how to inspire those around them. With a vacuum in Leadership we are where we are.
Let me refresh your thoughts, we were running plays at the end of the game, just to run plays. Probably not the right plays.
@ SMITTYSTHEMAN
September 28th, 2010
3:14 pm
@ SMITTYSTHEMAN September 28th, 2010 9:11 am
“Tell Pretty Boy Murray to stop spending so much time in the salon. That hairdo is just as embarassing as the way the team has been playing!”
Duhhh, he has a buzz cut…now, don’t get confused with having your MULLETT styled by your toothless sister/girlfriend
michael
September 28th, 2010
3:17 pm
Enter your comments here
michael
September 28th, 2010
3:19 pm
Simple solution- Richt refuses to address the Bobo situation, then Richt has to go because he is the enabler!
Ed
September 28th, 2010
3:28 pm
I guess I’m a moron as well Patrick, because I agree that it’s been a downhill slide since ‘06. The No. 2 ranking after ‘07 only shows how screwed up the system is. Georgia was flat awful the first half of the year – should have been 4-3 heading into the WLOCP but Vandy gagged away their second straight win over us (contemplate that for a second).
The second half run was nice, but how many of our opponents were any good? Florida lost 4 games that year, Auburn was ok but not great, Troy, Tech, Hawaii…not exactly a murder’s row.
That beatdown at Tennessee was a harbinger of things to come. Games where Georgia just flat doesn’t show up for a half or an entire game. Actually that started on New Year’s Day 2006, in the Sugar Bowl.
2004 was really the last time I felt that Richt was a great coach. Maybe not so coincidentally, it was Van Gorder, Pollack, and Green’s last year at UGA.
UGA Friend
September 28th, 2010
3:36 pm
I don`t fault any UGA fan for wanting to be the best team in the SEC and compete for NC`s every year. However, I do believe that the expectations
that most UGA supporters set are too high given the caliber of competition in the SEC. This is not the ACC where there are maybe one or two top 25 teams each season. I think everyone should be pleased with the job Mark
has done in his tenure and give him a chance to turn this into a winning season as he has always done.
ugadad
September 28th, 2010
3:36 pm
TIRED OF BEING NICE and Tony…I was at practice for 3days watch Figgins practice Fullback (starting) at the game the kid played very little at fullback and no TE….you tell me its no favor going on…He is not my kid and I felt bad for the kid during the game. Been to some other practices that kid practice so hard and the entire practice he is working his A.. off and game day he don’t see the field…How this kid keep his spirit up I don’t know ….there are a few freshmen that works so hard and don’t see the field…I can’t figure out how/why Richt do what he do but if he can do it …Y not…Go Ga
dawg stuck in SC
September 28th, 2010
3:42 pm
Mark Richt understands nothing. If he did he would resign.
The REAL GA Gator
September 28th, 2010
3:44 pm
All I know is Florida canned Ron Zook when he lost to Miss State….but I guess that’s why Florida has multiple titles and multiple Heisman trophies, etc. UGA will continue being mediocre as long as Richt is coach, but that’s cool with me. More wins in Jax is awesome! Have you seen his Ford commercial? He is by far the least inspiring coach on that commercial…and the ’roundest’ coach on that commercial too. If he can’t inspire you to buy a truck like the other coaches do you really think he can inspire his players like the other coaches can?
TIRED OF BEING NICE
September 28th, 2010
3:45 pm
@ugadad that’s why i chose the screen name, it’s people like
patrick that get me the most. all of the so called talent on
this team and big recruits, yet we always start out like we
don’t have a clue and then have to rally to save the season
why? play the most skilled and talented players even if they
freshmen and build a championship (BCS) caliber TEAM
TIRED OF BEING NICE
September 28th, 2010
3:50 pm
ugadad you also must be tired of mediocrity @UGA
TIRED OF BEING NICE
September 28th, 2010
3:52 pm
@ realgagator thats why FLA contends for NC’S and we don’t
Ignorance at its best
September 28th, 2010
4:12 pm
Patrick,
If you want to see someone getting their tails kicked with facts look no further than how you ran your mouth about how UGA was gonna cruise to an undefeated season and National Title this year.
How many of those years with top 10 finishes did UGA beat UF? only twice and once was with a lame duck Ron Zook as the head coach.
How many national titles does UGA have compared to UF? 1 to their 3.
It’s funny how you continue to act so completely foolish with your weak rationale and lae rhetoric when anyone in their right mind, which you obviously are not, knows that for the last 20 years UF has been all that and then some of what you could only hope UGA would be.
No one cares who is leading the series record when 80% of your fanbase hasn’t seen a winning record vs. UF in their lifetime. I also guess that you should never utter a word of smack toward Tennessee fans if thats the case because they own the series lead vs. UGA.
You are a sad and pathetic embarassment to true UGA fans and it gets more and more comical that youre right back here with your pathetic drivel after being SO WRONG about UGA vs. anyone not named Lousiana Lafeyette.
Keep claiming you will beat the Gators this year and we will keep looking forward to your pathetic spin when you don’t.
FACE it the FACT is UF has a MUCH better Head Coach and UF has a more talented team. That’s been true for the better part of 20 years and no matter what BS spin you throw out there that’s not changing anytime soon. One day you may grow up and realize how dumb and pathetic you sound.
Gatorbait 17-3
September 28th, 2010
4:35 pm
Just a suggestion for Richt, I don’t know if you have practices on Sunday, but if you don’t start, because the Gators do. Also, the Gators still have 2-a-days in preseason camp———–you need to put them back in——–taking them out was a bad idea.
Valdosta Dawg
September 28th, 2010
4:44 pm
DAWG CATCHER you may want to look at stats before you get on here and talk like an idiot! UGA has finished in the top 10 in 6 of Richts 10 years, and if you really want to go back 30 years that puts us in the 80’s where we went 43 and 4 over a 4 year stretch and never left the top 5 you moron! We also are one of only 11 schools in the history of college football with over 700 wins! So all you DAWG haters go take a flying leap or stick your head back in your, you know where! GO DAWGS!
Gatorbait 17-3
September 28th, 2010
4:50 pm
Ignorance at its best
Patrick is maddening if you try to reason with a fool——–all you can do is just ignore him and eventually he will crawl back in this computer.
Also watch out for his AKA, yesterday he was, WardamnEagle!!!!!!!!, the day before crap sandwich (which actually fits him) and RememberWhen???????????? He will morph into a new handle very quickly, but you can always spot him with his non-stop posts. That his weak point————–he just can’t change his MO.
robert paulk
September 28th, 2010
5:02 pm
i am a ga. graduate and love our dogs.my question,why have you not come to camden co. tolook at our talent.one of our players playing for sc helped beat ga. for spurrier.bad news.we beat the atlanta teams where you recruit. our area produced shaun hummings and the bailey boys.this area loves the dogs.try our talent again.we are winners. b.paulk
robert paulk
September 28th, 2010
5:11 pm
my comment is why are you not in camden county talking to our players. seven seniors last year got scholiships.i helped my secretary son go to u.ofdelaware. defense end ga. needed some of these guys.we have a shot at being state champs for the third year.do you need gas money to get south of atlanta.
ARdawg
September 28th, 2010
5:45 pm
@ED
I agree with you. A slide did start in 06. VanG and Calloway and the atmosphere of the previous 5 years was dissipating. We saw it again in 07 with TN b!tchslapping us around for 28 points. I did and do believe by the end of that year (07) nobody could beat UGA. Hawaii was an insult in the Sugar Bowl. 08 it was becoming clearer. Ranked #1 in the country but couldn’t put away the baby seals early and dropped in the polls like a stinky turd even though we were winning, all up and until the Bama game where we got exposed for the weaklings were were. Then it was glaring yet, as most fans choose to ignore it. It has been steadily declined every game since.
Tony Bonehead is right, were not very good. I however defy that it is the players. We have good players. We have no leadership from the coach on down. We have no plan and to date I still haven’t heard of one. No plan, no desire, no drive, no discipline. I want to see CMR turn it around. I really do, however, I have no faith in him doing so.
Dawgs not Ford Tough
September 28th, 2010
5:59 pm
If UGA wins their game sat, everything will great with CMR.Georgia fans will beat their chest about the win and keep all the coaches. They lose, throw everybody under the bus, fire everybody. Stay classy UGA.
GATORHATER
September 28th, 2010
7:01 pm
I agree…Richt has served this University well in most cases. We should support our Team no matter the situation. Before Richt got here where were we????? I think we stay off his back for a few weeks and lets see what happens. All of this hate toward our coaches and team 4 games into the season IS NOT helping!!!! I spend alot of my hard earned money each Feb and March too…. It is very frustrating, but lets hang in there and see what happens.
tell me again
September 28th, 2010
7:04 pm
Funny how when CMR was winning SEC championships and ending the seasons in the top 10 everybody thought he was a genius – now, all of a sudden, 1 average year and one rough start and the man has become a buffoon…….nowbody is on top forever……there are going to be some valleys in the mountain range now and again boys…..quit crying and support the team and kids and the rough times will pass. I long for the days when game day was a great time win or lose. I’m not saying winning isn’t great but we need to quit bawling like a bunch of woosies when things aren’t going our way. GO DAWGS!
Coach Richt manning up...
September 28th, 2010
7:11 pm
A.J you’ve let this program down for your personal gain and put an “I” in team. Now you’ve got a decision to make. You can either give this program another year of your services or pack your bags now and take your chances in the draft with two seasons under your belt.
W. M. Kelley
September 28th, 2010
7:29 pm
I am a Tennessee fan. Remember that for Georgia, things could be worse.
Dawg'em out!
September 28th, 2010
7:38 pm
this program is soul searching within itself….. the new era of the so called bulldawg nation wants results and sec cg wins, and a nc caliber team…
playing time
September 28th, 2010
7:56 pm
W. M. Kelley – From what I have read (which is alot) about TN’s new head coach, I think you have made an outstanding hire. The problem is he inherited a bad situation. Big Orange needs to be patient. He doesn’t sugar coat it. I really like an honest, intelligent person who speaks his mind.
WestOfAthens
September 28th, 2010
8:09 pm
This Bulldog concedes this:
It’s great to be a Georgia Bulldog! Nothing can take that away, nothing. And for those stingy “fans” who seek otherwise; i say seek other bandwagons. Nobody is perfect, but devotion comes damn close.
“For every trial there is a resolution” HBTD
Old Dawg Fan
September 28th, 2010
9:08 pm
Talk about ‘NO ENTHUSIASM”!!!!!!!!!! I listened to his call in show and after reading his answers here the only difference between a “dead football program” and a “dying football program” is Richt is still coaching the “dying football program”. “We will just have to work harder”!!!!!!! ‘HOW ABOUT WE HAVE GOTTEN OUR JOCK STRAPS HANDED TO US-WE HAVE PLAYED POORLY-IT IS MY FAULT AND I WON’T STOP UNTIL WE START EXECUTING AND PLAYING LIKE WE ARE GEORGIA BULLDOGS”!!!! Wouldn’t that have been nice to hear from Richt but ‘NOOOOOO’ we get the same old thing from CMR- ‘NOTHING”!!!! Time for the whole coaching staff to be gone.
joe cox
September 28th, 2010
9:12 pm
miss me yet?
aarh
September 28th, 2010
9:25 pm
Dawg catcher- Richt’s beaten FL. twice. It may not seem like much, but it’s more than any other of our coaches in recent history. Also, Shockley was hurt one yr., & UGA had to go w/ Tereshinski at QB. They still almost won. So, they for sure would have beaten them if they had Shockley. They had beaten them the yr. before w/ Greene. So, if that would’ve happened, then UGa would have beaten them 2 yrs. in a row. It’s shame it didn’t happen that way, bc who know, but maybe that could have turned things around. ONe more thing, they’ve actually finished in the top 10 quite a bit in the last 30 yrs. They won a National Championship in 1980. They won teh SEC all 3 yrs. from 80-82, & were highly ranked ea. time. Richt had a well publicized stretch…at least for the first half of his tenure, where he finised among the nations elite just about every yr. Just bc you hate UGA, doesn’t mean you should be coming at us w/ inaccurate facts.
Snoop Dawg
September 28th, 2010
9:29 pm
Da Preacha Man’s one slick dude. He’s cashing a check of about two hundred and fifty thousand dollars every month. He reminds me of Marjo. Remember that movie about the charismatic evangelist? Listen, he’s talking smooth and he’s got you hypnotized–he feels our pain! Meanwhile Water Girl’s running up to the mailbox to get that next check.
Get it? This dude is a dud. The gig is up. He’s been found out. The Emporer has no clothes. This guy Mark Richt has absolutely none of the real tools required of a successful SEC coach. He’s just a logo at best, and a scam artist at worst.
The Bulldog Nation needs to man up, demand the right thing which to fire this guy.
I wish him the best as he will find a new flock of believers somewhere who will give him their hard earned money and give him their blind faith while he does nothing but play the role of the righteous man…
All those apologists who can’t see this are nothing but codependent….
RJ
September 28th, 2010
9:33 pm
I don’t know which is more embarrassing: the vast majority of UGA’s “fans” lack of knowledge and spirit or their insistence that everyone be made aware of it.
My sympathies and support to our players and our coaches.
Snoop Dawg
September 28th, 2010
9:35 pm
RJ, if you want to know why UGA is losing consistently, just look in the mirror. You are the enabler with such drivel.
adawgfan
September 28th, 2010
9:36 pm
I’ll have to admit, I’ve had my thoughts of dumping this staff and starting over, but I can’t ignore that he is a very good coach. After all, he is the fifth best active D1 coach and has the longest tenure in the hardest conference. I believe the Dawgs need creativity in all areas: recruiting, conditioning, scheming, coaching and definitely play calling. It may take a while to get the entire program back on track but I believe in CMR and his ability to be creative enough to pull this thing out. GO DAWGS!
Big Dawg
September 28th, 2010
9:37 pm
“Coaches who can outline plays on a blackboard are a dime a dozen. The ones who win are the ones who can motivate their players.” – Vince Lombardi. If you’ve ever seen clips of the great Coach Lombardi, he had several different ways of motivating. Pats on the back sometimes, and of course many times famously getting after the player’s ###, something the current Georgia staff appears incapable of. Good motivation, tough as nails motivation, this program is without that essential ingredient. The Lombardi Trophy – there’s a good reason they call it that name.
aladawg
September 28th, 2010
9:40 pm
Bench Ealey until he can hold on to the ball. Don’t have no idea how to fix his stupidity because as Ron White says, “You can’t fix stupid”
JDawg
September 28th, 2010
9:48 pm
A team that has been declining for 2 years like this one, never comes back under the same leadership that led them to the decline. You’ve done this program a great service, lead us back to greatness in the past. But your plan has run its course. You don’t motivate or have a spark its over, as much as I hate it, it is
Kyle Wittingham , Chip Kelly, or Patterson at TCU please save our sinking ship
Fair and Balanced
September 28th, 2010
9:50 pm
If we all cheer as much as we complain, we might motivate this team better! Go Dogs!
Dawg fan
September 28th, 2010
9:52 pm
Mark Richt is my coach and UGA is my team. Has been, is, and will be.
He is rebuilding his staff and the new coaches are adjusting to their players and the players are adjusting to the new coaches. Give them a chance!
All you who are so adamately negative are just fair weather fans and you will sneak back on the UGA bandwagon before long. Of course I except the UF mullets who post.
Real fans need to just stay on the wagon. Better days are coming!
Bamafan1102
September 28th, 2010
10:03 pm
I am an outsider, so I have no dog in the fight (excuse the pun.) But I understand UGA’s frustrations right now both on and off the field. But NO team in the history of college football has been spectacular year in and year out, especially amid the elite teams. There was a time, not too long ago, when being a Bama fan was difficult. While I am not a big Richt fan, I respect the guy. However, I think a coaching team is what they need. The season can still be salvaged, with a lot of hard work and a little bit of luck.
Big Dawg
September 28th, 2010
10:06 pm
It’s fine that several people on this site are loyal to Coach Richt, and that is to be expected. However, when you lose control of a program on as many fronts as he has, it is simply time for big changes. This is not an overnight situation where so many things are falling apart, and it appears to be the culmination of several factors. Loyalty is a great quality to exhibit, blind loyalty is something else altogether. And you are more than welcome to keep him as your coach at whichever school he ends up, and I’m sure he will appreciate it when that time comes.
bgdawg
September 28th, 2010
10:43 pm
this blog is almost unreadable after a loss. even if we win its always filled with trolls( mainly tech or fla fans) jeez i jus wanna read some dawg comments
Kenny Powers
September 28th, 2010
11:27 pm
Ealey got lit up, plain and simple! He was out on his feet, birds were flying around his head, stars were circling, he was punch drunk, no one could have held onto that ball. Now that doesn’t excuse his previous mishaps!