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
Buffy
September 28th, 2010
5:17 pm
Bunch a thugs
Eli Parker
September 28th, 2010
5:32 pm
Some of you are just plain idiots. Do you want to try to win a championship or be a cool team on the west coast. This is exactly what FL has done for years. They play 7 home games, maximize wins and revenue, all while winning championships. Why would you want to play other teams besides Tech outside the conference? If you win the SEC, no matter who you play outside of it, you will have a great shot at a national championship a majority of the time. What else do you want? Sure it would be nice to play Texas or Ohio St in September. I would rather play them in January….
UGAVIII
September 28th, 2010
5:47 pm
It would be more interesting to hear how Mark Richt plans to turn things around. So far, all we have heard is “looking within”. I don’t know what that means. But, he could buy himself some credit if he would just open up some about real changes that are going to be made.
doodoobailey
September 28th, 2010
5:47 pm
Listen to the new AD on scheduling….you know who was bitchin at FL schedule during the NC runs? US!!! bulldog fans. Schedule the creampuffs, we play in the hardest conference in the land, we make our mark with the regular season.
Its like the polar opposite of Coach Paul Johnson’s Moobies team, good job with NC state dorks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
UGA fan and graduate
September 28th, 2010
5:59 pm
Honest to God some of the UGA fans posting here have to be the dumbest people on the planet. How does it make sense to play teams clear across the country and come back the next week and play SEC opponents? Besides, the decision with Oregon was mutual and McGarity made it clear that if Oregon had wanted to keep the series UGA would have honored the commitment. Under the previous model of ranking it might have earned you some respect, but under the current model it does nothing to help and has the greater potential to hurt. And the moron who says UGA should kick AJ off the team is the biggest idiot of all. He has paid the penalty and it’s time to move on. You didn’t see Ala kicking their player off the team did you? Now is the time to get behind the team and show support not try to trash the team unmercifully. There will be plenty of time to discuss later but we have the head coach now that we will have for the rest of the season. It’s OK to criticize, but goodness sakes do it with intelligence and respect. I am actually embarrassed to admit that some of you are UGA fans and hope to goodness you are just fans and not UGA graduates.
HobNail
September 28th, 2010
6:20 pm
I admit that there have been some questions over play calling. However, is it really that bad? Ealey is an explosive back but he has fumbled at clutch times. What if UGA scores against USC and MSU instead of turning the ball over at the goal line. We had sustained drives against MSU and mixed things up. It was obvious that Carlton Thomas may not be a good choice as a 1st down back -he had one nice run for 15 but had a negative net in his other 5. King and Ealey are definitely a better punch but Ealey is such a risk. I thought we put together solid drives but the fumble and the inability to convert on 2 3rd downs cost us. How about special teams? They hurt UGA as much as anything – UGA needs field position. Bobo an idiot? Not even close – a freshman qb and a near star running back with fumble problems, a suspended wr, and an offensive line that is struggling. How many of the UGA fans thought you had the shot of having two backs over 1000 yards? Sounded like a very realistic goal. Sounded like a winning plan. Look for positive things in Boulder. Dogs will win without fan support – they better get used to it since they have been thrown under the bus in Athens.
TXDawg (The Real TXDawg)
September 28th, 2010
6:45 pm
UGA fan and Graduate – playing a team across the country is feasible with appropriate scheduling. Playing outside of your region has a positive effect on pollsters as well. Most pollsters don’t know most teams outside of their region and vote based on scores. If they actually have the opportunity to see teams play, they develop a different level of respect (good or bad). This has been going on since the start of football. There were great team in the south (including UGA) in the early years of football but because most of your national papers only covered the team in the north and midwest, they garnered better rankings. Check the history, this is factual. Notre Dame in it’s great days played teams all over the map and never complained about how it affected them from one week to the next. so don’t give me that crap about how stupid it is to schedule west coast teams.
vsublazer
September 28th, 2010
7:55 pm
I really hope this guy doesnt take the Florida approach to scheduling out of conference games. I like seeing the team play tough out of conference teams.
Browndog
September 28th, 2010
7:55 pm
I don’t think we should be so concerned about the future schedule when we are having a real problem with the current one. It is all about winning games.
icedawg
September 28th, 2010
8:00 pm
AJ doesn’t play defense or running back. We’re losing games on the offensive and defensive lines, backfield and at running back. AJ can’t help us there.
jarvis
September 28th, 2010
8:11 pm
Anyone not complaining about another home game that isn’t good to watch is clearly not a donating and paying season ticket holder.
I’m loyal to a fault, but come on! I don’t want to pay for a 7th home game if it’s going to be a crap game. I’ve got three tickets and adding another $120 to my season ticket bill for basically nothing isn’t something I appreciate.
CLEVON LITTLE
September 28th, 2010
8:16 pm
Those are you that are against scheduling easy home games, it worked for FLORIDA. You can disgree & you can brag about the tough schedule you played, but at the end of the year the goal is to Win the SEC Championship & play (and Win) for the NC. You can bitch all you want, but I’d rather have a NC to brag about than a ‘tough’ schedule. McGarity is playing (the game) to WIN. Good hire Dr Adams.
Smart like a Fox
September 28th, 2010
8:40 pm
laughable schedules make us look big and strong….look what playing Laf LAU did for us…..everybody called us A+ , the dark horse. we were so awesome in that game… lets do that 12 times a year and call our selfs National Champs !
Then McGarrity said to Richt
September 28th, 2010
8:41 pm
Just to let you know I spoke to Stanford today about speaking with Jim.
UGA Fan
September 28th, 2010
8:44 pm
How about a little support instead of all the BS..It does no good but makes School look bad.
Smart like a Fox
September 28th, 2010
8:51 pm
who wants to watch Tenn Tech, Catawba U, SW Kentucky, or any other DIV III team at these ticket prices? You would have to a straight up Dummy! Good thing our fan base resembles that remark, we’ll sell them all out!
Concrete Pete
September 28th, 2010
10:01 pm
Would have been interesting had Aaron Murray been caught for the DUI and not a redshirt kid not playing
LHardingDawg
September 28th, 2010
10:05 pm
I think it’s a terrible decision to add a 7th. home game. All it does is add a miminum of $160.00 to my season ticket invoice for a game I won’t even attend. Auburn’s always had 7 home games,8 some years, and they hav’nt won crap, much less a national championship. They just rip off their supporters.
I went to Arizona and had a great time. I’m leaving for Colorado Thursday for that game and was planning to go to Oregon. Those games are fun for the players and the fans. Changing it up does not make sense to me.
HobNail
September 28th, 2010
10:14 pm
Auburn hasn’t won crap? Really? A couple of undefeated seasons and looks like things are pretty good on the Plains in 2010. Go get em Dawgs.
UGA fan and graduate
September 28th, 2010
10:31 pm
TXDawg please tell me you are not a UGA graduate! You used there when you should have used their and it’s when you should have used its. I usually ignore such mistakes but these mistakes are in addition to your obnxious comments. If you are a true UGA fan then get behind the team and be constructive rather than destructive. Please quit embarrassing UGA and stop posting. It is obvious you are posting to feed your own ego.
Glenn
September 28th, 2010
11:02 pm
I agree with Mike S. Give up the playcalling Bobo!
Hesucks
September 28th, 2010
11:38 pm
This guy sucks. Georgia isnt going to be winning any national championships anyway, so u might as well please the fans with good games moron.
hangman
September 29th, 2010
12:09 am
Get Raye…the OC that the 49’s axed.
DEP
September 29th, 2010
2:04 am
Here is the solution play Durham and Green get close enough and get field goals if murray can not get in and if there is a fullback available have them run the short gains into the endzone and play old #4 and set out Ealey, fire Bobo Richt takes over the game calling again 7-5 bowl game
Dawgs are us
September 29th, 2010
2:44 am
Oh great – sounds like UGA is going back to powder puff schedules – to where they only play 2 or 3 real competitors a year. Sounds to me that there will not be anymore OSU, CUs, Arz, Oregons’ etc. IF UGA and the rest of the SEC like to talk about the dominance over other conferences – why cut-out regular season games with them??
Quoting from the above blog “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. “
UGA Grad '07
September 29th, 2010
2:53 am
To UGA fan and graduate – you have the gall to chastise another poster when you read all the other crap that is posted?? Who made you the blog English police? Besides – have you heard or read quotes from UGA players?? You would REALLY wonder how they made it out of 8th grade – much less to UGA. I took a couple of classes with some of the football players – what a joke they were as students. They often had other students taking notes or recordings for them. Most of them sat as far away from the instructor as they could – while they checked email, surfed, talked about who/what they did over the weekend, and made-up rap lyrics. Disgusting – but I guess as long as they can run with a ball, throw a ball, or hit somebody – they are considered “Student/Athletes” – the “Student” should be taken out of most of them.
TN-Dawg
September 29th, 2010
2:59 am
To – UGA fan and graduate – As the previous poster just stated – who made you the blog English police? When did these blogs become an English dissertation? Maybe you should take a look at your on posts before criticizing others. There are numerous punctuation errors and your sentence structure really sucks. Hmm – you just might be a UGA grad.
r2chs
September 29th, 2010
8:41 am
“the message he gets from the fans is mixed’? WTF is he reading? I am shocked at how delusional he is, he makes it sound as if a few fanatics are negative. HELLO…look at every single blog, comment, news report, column, conversation. Blistering criticism. McGarity needs to pay attention he’s getting a failing grade at UGA for not doing his homework.
UGA fan and graduate
September 29th, 2010
8:51 am
Wow, sounds like I hit a nerve. Some posters really missed the main point of my comment, which is to stop being so negative. Some in our fan base are really showing very poor taste and are making the situation much worse than it is. I have been a UGA fan for over 50 years and have seen a lot of ups and downs and believe me the world is not coming to an end. I want UGA to have a winning season as much as the next guy, but the stupid comments that some “so called fans” are making are hurting us rather than helping. It’s fine to criticize because it is a frustrating situation, but please do it in a respectful way. I’m sure many recruits are watching the reaction of UGA’s fans and questioning whether they should commit to a school that has such fair weather fans.
garydawg
September 29th, 2010
9:48 am
First major public decision by McGarity and what a disappointment!! True UGA fans are sick of playing patsy directional schools. One or two mid level out of conference games per season will not hurt our chances of competing for the SEC championship, and will enhance Dawg fans experience considerably, while giving us much needed national exposure and a modicum of respect from the rest of the nation, particularly sports writers who otherwise never see us play.
jon gruden
September 29th, 2010
9:59 am
jon gruden!!jon gruden!!
noseknows
September 29th, 2010
10:28 am
Bear Bryant once said, “championships are won by effective scheduling”
bigcalidawg
September 29th, 2010
11:06 pm
matt dawg
September 28th, 2010
9:48 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.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
This, but with better spelling
bog dawg
September 30th, 2010
4:25 am
Guys please stop it!! We are not out of the national championship hunt yet. Stranger things have happened before. AJ is BACK!! Now watch the scoreboard light up!! Mark will definitely take us to the promised land. I cannot wait to hear all you doosayers eat crow this year.