What Greg McGarity has to say …
A few notes from a conversation Monday with Greg McGarity:
- Georgia’s new athletic director concurred with Mark Richt’s decision to dismiss Demetre Baker from the football team after the freshman linebacker’s arrest early Sunday. “When Mark talked to me about it, I was fully supportive of his recommendation,” McGarity said. Asked if this reflects a new zero-tolerance approach to arrests on the football team, McGarity said: “It’s up to the coaches, but yeah, I think Mark has had enough. And he’s made it very clear to the players what is expected.”
- McGarity talked at length during the interview about his scheduling philosophy, which is quite different from his predecessor’s. (I’ll have a full story on that later in the week.) Suffice to say, this week’s trip to Colorado wouldn’t be happening under McGarity’s philosophy, as demonstrated by Monday’s news that a scheduled 2015-2016 series with Oregon has been canceled. McGarity’s basic philosophy is that Georgia should have seven home games per season and should schedule in a way that maximizes the chances of winning championships. “Granted, it may not be the big matchups that everybody loves to play, but I can assure you this: You have to do what is the best scenario for you to get to Atlanta [to play for the SEC championship],” McGarity said. Like I said, much more to come on this.
- One thing McGarity doesn’t want to hear in regard to Georgia’s 0-3 SEC record is about the star player who wasn’t available.
“Nobody likes [the record], but we can’t sit around and play the what-if game — ‘what if A.J. Green had been there?’ We can’t deal with what-ifs,” McGarity said. “They are a crippler. They will absolutely cripple a program if you deal with what-ifs.”
At a meeting Monday morning, McGarity asked the athletic department’s senior staff to approach their work in exactly the same way they would if the team were 4-0. “I think players, coaches, everyone, has to take that same attitude,” he said.
“The only way we have to approach things is to be as positive and supportive as we can be,” he said.
He acknowledged that he’s hearing from Bulldog Nation and “there are a lot of people who are frustrated with the way things are going, and that’s what I’d expect. . . . But we can’t sit around and be pointing fingers. We’ve got to do what we can do to change things.”
The message he gets from fans is mixed, he said. “You’ve got a certain element who just don’t like the way things are. You’ve got an element supporting you, win or lose. And you’ve got an element totally supportive of Coach Richt. You’ve got a little of everything. ”
Also:
Mark Richt: “I understand why everybody’s bent out of shape.”
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284 comments Add your comment
kerryb
September 28th, 2010
10:25 am
Russ must be another closet Tech fan. Go worry about your losing team before you come on here talking about us.
Russ, the Temporary Mascot
September 28th, 2010
10:33 am
This Georgia program is a real mess right now and ducking the Ducks is yet another indication. Even Sonny Perdue is talking about what a mess we have going on and since he is a veterinarian I am paying close attention. Any team without a permanent mascot is going to lose its way. Any head coach who is forced to change his assistant coaches has lost control of his program. Grantham is stronger than Richt right now and is biding his time. He carries dog biscuits in his pockets. I think he is trying to win me over. Of course, he may just need a game time snack. Krispy Kreme was glad to see Coach Grantham come to town. I am rambling now and these comments will only get me in trouble. I am going to visit some of the players on suspension and see if I can cheer them up.
Bamafan
September 28th, 2010
10:35 am
Not sure I agree with UGA AD about schedules. In 2000, Bama scheduled Central Florida and lost.
In 1999, Bama scheduled La Tech and lost. In 2007, Bama scheduled LA-Monroe and lost. Rather lose to someone good than beat, barely beat, or lose to someone not. In 1978, Bama’s non- conference schedule included Southern Cal, Nebraska, Washington, and Missouri, plus seven SEC games, and the Sugar Bowl against Penn State. In 1978, Bama won the national title. Auburn’s non-conference schedule in 2004 is widely blamed for the fact that it could not get past # 3 BCS.
No team will win the national title without winning almost every game, but you sure won’t win it by playing 4 patsies, even if you win big. I long for the decade where Bama and Penn State played every year (1981-1990) and wish Bama would play even more higher caliber opponents than it has recently (FSU in 2007, Clemson in 2008, VaTech in 2009, Penn State in 2010 (plus Oklahoma in 2002 and 2003 and UCLA in 2000 and 2001 – all four these were losses but still better than losing to LA Monroe!!)
Homer,GA
September 28th, 2010
10:35 am
It would help in games that we are behind to run plays that conserve clock time. Out patterns to stop the clock, for example. I think CMR is great but I have never seen them do this since he has been here including last Saturday. You can’t run the football up the middle when you are behind and need as much time on the clock as possible. Tim or somebody please comment on this and tell me if your seeing the same thing.
Taco Time in N. Ga
September 28th, 2010
10:36 am
It’s time to wake up and smell the coffee, y’all who are still in denial. This baby is the Titanic and it’s goin’ down, down, down. Honor demands that the captain go down with it.
Some of the remarks on these boards are just incredible. I see some people saying a new HC should be hired and Richt should become OC…yeah, that’ll happen…why is the guy gonna take a demotion when his contract has a fat buyout and he has a decade of SEC HC experience to leverage into another job if he wants? Sheesh. You guys kill me.
And then there are those who say the ‘Dawgs can’t shuck Mark to hire a Smart or Muschamp or someone who has only been an assistant or coordinator…um, excuuuuuuse me, but how much HC experience did Richt have when he was brought on?? Yeah, that’s what I thought.
Coaching changes can be hazardous, but standing pat in a poor situation is often worse. Act now and the future may still be salvaged. Wait and it could be five seasons plus before the ‘Dawgs are a factor in the SEC or BCS again.
Russ, the Temporary Mascot
September 28th, 2010
10:37 am
kerryb, if all the bloggers on here were like you . . . nobody could spell “advice”. Even a little dog knows the difference between advice and advise. Hang that one next to your diploma.
G. Tampa Bedwetter
September 28th, 2010
10:38 am
Folks screaming for CMR to take over the play calling from Bozo don’t remember why Bozo got the job to start with. Quite simply put, CMR play calling makes Bozo look like a genius.
Schools schedule patsies early in the year so Head Coaches can look tough of crime. It is easy to suspend Willie for 4 games when you have easy opponents for those 4 weeks.
mark
September 28th, 2010
10:39 am
Cam Newton was kicked off of the Florida team for theft, we don’t need guys like that. We have enough problems already!
PTC DAWG
September 28th, 2010
10:40 am
UT actually payed a 750K penalty to UNC for the cancellation. UGA/Oregon was mutual. No funds exchanged hands. That’s a BIG difference, some may disagree.
I’m on the fence about it, but as long as GT stays competitive, our schedule is plenty strong enough. I would like to see us keep Clemson and a few others on a somewhat regular rotation. Travel across 2 time zones is probably out of the question in the future.
d
September 28th, 2010
10:44 am
No Oregon home and Home? Quite disappointing. Maybe we could become like Auburn and Penn St and have 8 home games, renew the Ga Southern rivalry, or start a new rivalry with Ga State. Florida doesn’t leave the state for out of conference games. Georgia doesn’t need to follow suit.
“What’s the matter Colonel Sanders, are you Chicken?” – Dark Helmet
kerryb
September 28th, 2010
10:47 am
I’m not on here posing as a dog.
CaptainDave
September 28th, 2010
10:48 am
“You have to do what is the best scenario for you to get to Atlanta” McGarity said.
You would think an AD would know that Atlanta hosts the SEC championship, and that the OOC games do not count in any way toward accomplishing that goal.
Remember the pride exhibited last year from having three BCS OOC opponents? Now two will be too many. Alabama has no issue scheduling Penn State. Tennessee has no issue scheduling UCLA. Auburn has no issue scheduling Clemson. Why should UGA run and hide from a scheduling perspective?
This AD will cost UGA as much future national relevancy as the coach is costing now.
uuugh.
September 28th, 2010
10:49 am
Hope is not a strategy.
Our Offensive strategy is calling the exact same plays for 10 years and checking into the exact other plays based on a particular defense. All of the defenses in the SEC have figured out not only what play is initially called but what play we will check into as well. SEC Defenses solved the riddle 5 years ago. Yet there have been no changes in our Offensive strategy.
It turns out that we had a few stud recruits that were so good that they could overcome the fact that the defense knew what we were going to do. Well they are long gone…and the one difference maker we do have sold his jersey. Without those type of players our offensive strategy is exposed as outdated and ineffective.
I also notice that there is no change at all in this strategy based on the unique talents of certain individual players. Anyone remember Tyson Browning? We wasted that kid’s talent by trying to fit a square peg in a round hole…just as they are with Carlton Thomas today. Great coaches adjust their strategy so that their players will be most successful. Our strategy seems to stay the exact same regardless of the players and their different skill sets. (Possible exception here is the “Wild Dawg” which was really really innovative 4 or 5 years ago.)
They are always hoping that they happened to get the right guys for their unchangeable system. This system worked at FSU when the number of schollys allowed them to stockpile talent. We can’t do that. We do not have enough great atheletes anymore to overcome our antiquated Offensive Strategy.
2 options…either start getting those atheletes (good luck with Meyer and Saban poaching the very best every year) or change the offensing strategy.
Hoping ain’t getting it done.
Dawg_Mike
September 28th, 2010
10:49 am
McGarity following the UF model. I hope so…
Dawg Times
September 28th, 2010
10:53 am
Dateline – Athens, Ga: An anonymous source is reporting that University of Georgia offensive coordinator Mike Bobo is set to step down this week to accept a post as “Assistant Fry Chef” with a local Hardee’s restaurant. Sources at the restaurant confirmed the story and admitted that Bobo has been secretly training for the position for 2 1/2 years. A coworker who wished to remain anonymous said “he’s ruined a s–tload of potatoes” and “this dude may put us out of business”.
Jim Bob
September 28th, 2010
10:54 am
Yea the SEC is so tough and powerful we can’t possibly play anyone out of conference. I mean that Miss State, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Kentucky conference stretch this year is just downright nasty. If we schedule like sissies that will guarantee us 8-4 seasons.
SadDawg (formerly WonderDawg)
September 28th, 2010
10:56 am
Bull crap! Bobo is the worst gameplanner and playcaller in the NCAA. My high school coach (Charlton County High) would have this same UGA team 4-0 right now.
BW
September 28th, 2010
10:58 am
The team character is suspect as well. Where are the Terry Hoags and David Pollocks of this world. Players you can get into a fox hole with when the battles begin! Sometimes you have to give up a little talent for charcter. Is anyone player wise leading by example on and off the field?
Alpha23
September 28th, 2010
10:58 am
If Bobo is the answer, how stupid was the question?
SadDawg (formerly WonderDawg)
September 28th, 2010
10:59 am
Actually, Jim Bob, is we just transferred to the ACC, that would guarantee UGA double digit wins every season.
When Did It Go Wrong
September 28th, 2010
11:04 am
I like our new AD for the job. You can’t put a price on loyaly. But, everyone seems to be ignoring HOW Georgia got here and WHEN it started? This guy thinks it was with Alabama in ‘08. http://chuckoliver.net/?p=7063 I’m pretty sure it all started against Oklahoma state. But hey, I’m a homer.
uuugh.
September 28th, 2010
11:05 am
Captain Dave…winning a BCS championship without playing any OOC games brings more national pub than scheduling 2 OOC games and splitting them.
Wouldn’t you say?
I mean they are talking about Boise State making the BCS Championship this year after playing 2 decent teams!
ga gator
September 28th, 2010
11:07 am
McGarrity will turn this program around and quickly. He will not threaten anyone; that is not Jeremy Foley’s style and he was McGarrity’s mentor for 17 years. Coaches not performing at Championship levels will be fired. Ask UF’s womens former basketball coach, Baseball coach and Ron Zook.
SadDawg (formerly WonderDawg)
September 28th, 2010
11:07 am
uuugh.,
Talk about a square peg and round hole. What about Bobo/Richt trying to make the most mobile QB we’ve had since Shockley into a Power I, pocket passer. I bet Murray’s high school coach knew enough to put him in a spread-type offense and utilizie his talents.
And for all the “run the damn ball” dinosaurs out there, you can run the ball very successfully out of the spread.
If Urban Myer had gotten Murray, he wouldn’t have changed a thing from the offense Teabow ran the past 3 years.
bulldawgbill
September 28th, 2010
11:07 am
Seven home games is good for the team, students, and Athens economy. We could have 7 home games and schedule interesting out of conference schools if we didn’t have to go to Jacksonville every year. That is something I want McGarity to change. Of all people, he should understand why this is an advantage for FL . We need to do a home and home with FL. Jacksonville is the arm pit of Flrodia. The FL and GA students can get plenty to drink in Athens and Gainesville.
ga gator
September 28th, 2010
11:10 am
One more comment about the Dawgs and then I will leave the comments to the people who love them. If I were CMR or who ever next season’s coach is, I would not touch Christian LeMay with a ten foot pole. The kid is a me kid and has already got himself in trouble. Just sayin………
Dirty Dawg
September 28th, 2010
11:12 am
Look folks, the only people that are clamoring for these BCS, intersectional games are the jerks at ESPN. The sportsmedia types are trying to ‘drum up’ games that they think will have a larger, perhaps even national, audience. What do they care about our school’s situation…that we want as many home games as we can get in order to make as much money as we can…that traveling across the country for the amusement of the Herbstriet (sp) and that bunch doesn’t get us a damn thing, and just costs us money…and that playing in the SEC is tough enough without adding other ‘ranked’ opponents to the list that will only hurt our chances at what Mr. McGarity refers to as a ‘championship’ season. I mean if the idea of scheduling these high-profile intersectional games was Damon Evans’ idea then wouldn’t you, at least, question it’s advisability and his judgment?
As for our other ‘friends’ here. If you’ve ever heard of the word ’schdenfreude’, and even if you haven’t, it would appear that there are plenty of you guys – and it doesn’t seem to matter if you’re Tech, Florida, Tennessee, whomever – you’re having a field day with us about now. OK, that’s fine it only makes us more inclined to ridicule you when your losing. The concept for those that don’t know and don’t care to look it up, is the idea of getting ‘off’ on others misfortune…and you’re really taking advantage of that now. There are those that claim that people with ‘lower self-esteem’ are the most likely to engage in ’schdenfreude’…so go ahead, if it makes you feel better about yourself just ‘do it’. We’ll have our chance down the road and then we’ll feel better when we know that there’s somebody worse off than we are…isn’t human nature a wonderful thing?
CPJ Faithful
September 28th, 2010
11:14 am
It’s Sad When UGA has more arrests than touchdowns!
Russ, the Temporary Mascot
September 28th, 2010
11:14 am
kerryb
September 28th, 2010
10:47 am
I’m not on here posing as a dog.
You should try it. A dog would have an excuse for misspellings.
Wally Butts' Designated Stumbler
September 28th, 2010
11:14 am
So, is Ben Jones going to be benched for a game or two after this stunt?….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reVnna38sPI
What a sorry POS.
simplythetruth
September 28th, 2010
11:15 am
Richt could be in more trouble than his supporters think. I don’t think the new AD is going to put up with the bullcrap performance of Richt, the team, and the coaches. He’s (AD) used to being associated with those that are fully committed to taking the steps necessary to improve the situation. Richt is not one of those types. He’d better learn quickly or he’s toast.
ga gator
September 28th, 2010
11:15 am
Dirty Dawg no field day from me. I root for you guys everygame but one. I agree with his scheduling model. If you get to Atlanta and win the SEC, you will have all of the exposure you need.
uuugh.
September 28th, 2010
11:16 am
Sad Dawg…I have noticed that some of the the brightest spots in the last 4 games have been when the play call was garbage (or somebody screwed up) and Murray just took it upon himself to make a good play. You can’t prepare a defense for something that has never happened the same way before. Maybe Charlie Ward just had an uncanny ability to choose the right time to make a play…and he made plays so often that Richt didn’t try and coach that out of him.
It looked to me that Murray was scared to make a play on his own in Columbia. Richt and Bobo are trying to coach it out of him. It is a shame really. They need to just let this kid play…
Or they should quit recruiting Mobile QBs if they aren’t going to take advantage of that mobility! Shockley, Gray, Murray…all Richt Recruits. It is baffling.
ugaclassof2004
September 28th, 2010
11:16 am
I think the goal for this football team for the rest of this year is this: Play Hard and Play Smart. Period. If this team plays hard and smart on every play I’ll be proud of them in victory or defeat. If they don’t, I’ll be disappointed. This team is in a slump and the only way to get out of it is to give them goals they can achieve. They can’t control the fan blacklash. They can’t control the unrealistically high expectations. They can’t control the NCAA and AJ not being there. They can’t control the fact that they lack experience. All they can do is focus on getting better from week to week, learning the system, and giving it their best effort. I’m not disapointed with this team for being 1-3, I’m disapointed in their effort.
The goals for the coaching staff are this: Put your best players on the field and put them in positions to excel. If Bacari Rambo misses a tackle, put him on the bench and find someone who will make one for him. If our O-Line misses a block, put someone in who will make one for him. Put AJ and Kris Durham in and the passing attack will open up. Run the ball on second and medium and third and short. Make Murray the vocal point of the offense and THAT will be the team’s indentity on that side of the ball. On defense, this team needs to blitz and be aggresive. They will get burned at times, but that is better than being to passive. Blitzing is the best this this defense does, so do more of it.
Bottom Line: Character is developed when things aren’t going right. And the only way to make the situation right is to find out what you do well, and then increase the effort.
Mark (another one)
September 28th, 2010
11:16 am
I have no doubt Richt and company can analyze film, and they use software for tracking the dawgs tendencies. All BCS schools do, to avoid becoming predictable. That makes me question a lot of the ‘expert’ advice on this site.
THe other point about being predictable is that a dominant team’s play calling is not difficult. Look at Alabama. Late in the game the play is almost always a run by the tailback. Almost everyone knows it, and they simply over power people. Once the run is working, all other plays become easier with play action. UGA can’t get the run working so nothing else is easy.
These is a lot of frustration right now but I for one expected a rough time with a new defensive scheme. Georgia rarely has recruited huge defensive tackles, so what was the plan for manning the nose this year? We have three players in this position, one (Tyson) playing out of position, another (Anderson) that played offense until this off season, and a true freshman (Gaethers). With a 3-4 you can bet the nose and inside backers need to play large or the team is in trouble.
My only complaint with Richt is his comment about blindly calling plays. I would expect the HC to know the strategy that was worked out during the week, and the adjustments made during the game.
Ga State
September 28th, 2010
11:19 am
I think Ga State would give UGA a run for the money this year. Probably should schedule someone they beat this year to ensure future winning records for Georgia.
really?
September 28th, 2010
11:20 am
I don’t know why everyone is up in arms over the OU/UGA series being cancelled. The SEC schedule is tough enough. Tech really isn’t that tough of an opponent. They’ve won three games against Georgia in 20 years, which I think is par with Vandy and Kentucky. So Georgia shedules three cupcakes, GT, Vandy, UK – there is six wins. Then they 4-2 the rest between USCe, UF, UT, AU, SECe x2. That’s 10-2 most years with swings of 8-4 and 11-1. McGarity gets it.
Georgia fans whine like no one else.
really?
September 28th, 2010
11:21 am
sorry ***are***
OldFan
September 28th, 2010
11:21 am
I think McGarity is approaching this predicament the right way. What this program doesn’t need now is more upheaval, and if he spent his time trying to please everyone or explain the Dept’s behavior, then he’s not doing his job. He’s been hired to keep the program profitable and make it something all UGA supporters can be proud of. That’s a whole lot more than just wins and losses. No doubt things need to be set straight. Let’s give him and CMR the chance to do that. McGarity deserves the opportunity; CMR’s earned the chance.
uuugh.
September 28th, 2010
11:23 am
Exactly Mark. Alabama is full of Stafford’s, Moreno’s, and AJ’s at almost every position!
Or predictable offense at least works when we have one guy like that. It works great when we have two.
Dawglasville
September 28th, 2010
11:24 am
Until we get a playoff system I don’t think anyone should blame us for scheduling patsies. Now that I think about it, the only true patsy we could schedule would be either team for the red and black game. Sorry for the frustration. Go out there and do your best Dawgs.
producewiz
September 28th, 2010
11:26 am
Florida sets up exhibition games for their 1st 2 games. with the 12th game they added another 1.too much.Every S.E.C. team should play a team from the Big 10,Big 12, etc, and it should be mandated by the NCAA. 2 tune up games is more then enough and your new atletic director is wrong cancelling Oregon. If you win the S.E.C., your chances going to the championship game are tremendous
GDAWG
September 28th, 2010
11:27 am
Great so now we are going to play the Louisiana Lafayette’s of the world while Alabama is playing in the Georgia Dome on national television and continue to take whatever recruits out of the state that they want. I will tell you what the problem is with UGA. We don’t have anyone who has any balls!!!
gt
September 28th, 2010
11:27 am
What this really sounds like is a bad Colorado team has a chance to beat Georgia this weekend. Georgia and most of the SEC are like fat women that try to hide their real figure under lots of clothes and marry some fool who doesn’t know what he is buying. Granted the Alabama team is maybe the best in the country, but the rest of the SEC is suspect. Tech beat the same Miss. State last year and really felt they were a schedule filer not unlike what the SEC goes looking for every year. The ACC was exposed this year but in the long run they have no doubt who they are and will improve because they have scheduled out of conference real competition. I think Georgia floats around thinking they are something they are not, and that is a large part of their problem. Georgia lost last year to some weak teams with Green in the lineup. Still the press and spin made this sound like they were playing in the real men’s club the SEC where on any given Saturday these manly teams can beat each other, throw out the records, what you are seeing here is prime time. What you are really seeing here is a fat wife with expensive taste still telling the world she is a beauty queen with the help of the tricks of the PR trade.
uuugh.
September 28th, 2010
11:27 am
And Mark…Why on earth didn’t we scour the JUCO market looking for our own Terrance Cody? The coaches had to know we were small up front!
Dap01
September 28th, 2010
11:28 am
Who gives a Duck? Who cares about cancelling a game with Oregon? It sounds like some of you are simply complaining about something. Oregon will never be a rival with a team 2,500 miles away.
I am glad we have an AD who knows what he is doing.
Dap01
September 28th, 2010
11:30 am
Bobo shows no ability to call plays based on game situations or on personnel changes.
He should be calling plays for flag football.
Ace
September 28th, 2010
11:30 am
That win cost big bucks. The 3 losses were free.
Russ
September 28th, 2010
11:34 am
“Rain in?” Football isn’t the only thing suffering at my alma mater….
Kevin's Butler
September 28th, 2010
11:35 am
Cancelling Oregon series is a good decision. I went to Tempe in ‘08 and it was fun, but you can’t tell me it didn’t make it tougher playing Bama the next week (than if we had played a patsy). I care more about beating Florida or Tennessee than I do about looking good beating some team from the Pac-10!