Richt’s deal with Dogs: Win turnover battle, grow beards
ATHENS – Georgia’s football team is looking scruffier these days. And that’s a good thing, coach Mark Richt explained Tuesday.
Richt, who normally forbids beards on the team, made a deal with his players: When the Bulldogs win the turnover battle in a game, shaving is optional the following week.
And after winning the turnover battle the past two weeks, 3-0 against Tennessee and 2-0 against Vanderbilt, beards are sprouting all around the locker room.
“I hope they are the nastiest looking bunch in America by the end of the year,” Richt said.
Richt actually made the same offer to his team last year, but no one noticed because the Bulldogs lost the turnover battle for the season by a whopping 28-12 margin, ranking 118th out of 120 major-college teams.
“Unfortunately, we were clean-shaven all year,” Richt said. “This year, they’re getting a little furrier.”
All that fur will have to be shaved after any game in which the Bulldogs are on the losing end of the turnover margin, Richt said. And what if the team breaks even in turnovers in a given game? In that case, Richt said, the beards can stay if the team is ahead for the year in turnover margin. Georgia has an 11-7 advantage in turnovers so far this season, thanks to the 5-0 edge the past two weeks.
“It’s just something we’re doing for a little motivation,” said scruffy-chinned linebacker Akeem Dent.
Fullback Fred Munzenmaier and tight end Artie Lynch appear to have the fastest-growing beards on the team, according to several players.
Turns out, though, Richt’s rule isn’t always the final word on the subject.
“I got a little fuzzy last week,” quarterback Aaron Murray said, “but my mom got mad at me so I had to clean it up before the game. She likes it clean-cut. I’ve got to make Mommy happy because my birthday is coming up and I want some good gifts.”
Besides, Murray admitted, he can grow a beard only in patches. “I’m still a teenager,” said the redshirt freshman quarterback, who will turn 20 on Nov. 10.
Senior wide receiver Kris Durham is among the players growing a beard, which he calls “icing on the cake” compared to the larger benefit of winning the turnover battle: “It is going to help us win games.”
Turnovers have been a serious problem for Georgia in the past couple of seasons. Critical fumbles figured largely in losses to South Carolina, Mississippi State and Colorado this season. And the problem was at its worst in the second half of last season’s loss to Kentucky, when the Bulldogs committed four turnovers to blow a 20-6 halftime lead and lose 34-27. Georgia plays at Kentucky on Saturday, hoping to win the turnover battle this time and keep the beards growing.
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230 comments Add your comment
Ray on the River
October 19th, 2010
7:03 pm
Wildcats 34, dawgturds 17.
With red panties falling from the sky!
Sucks to be a Yechie
October 19th, 2010
7:06 pm
Look at all the Tech fans on here scraping and scratching, spewing their usual garbage See they thought the dogs were just going to lay down and die. Are Tennessee and Vandy powerhouses, by no means. The important thing is we beat them down and beat them down badly. A month ago we probably would have lost to both of them. If your a Tech fan your looking at Georgia and saying oh crap, they have come around and are will probably smack us down again this year. When I get smack talk from gator fans or tide fans I shrugg it off because of respect. When I here Tech fans running their mouth it’s all sour grapes. By the way not all Tech fans are like the winy, annoying ones that we see on our blog all day. GOOOOOOOO Dawgs!
Thirtyfour Cent
October 19th, 2010
7:07 pm
I think that Richt should let them wear the Red Panties.
Hairy Perry
October 19th, 2010
7:09 pm
Harry the Nat,
Can you think of something else to post for a change, I think thats like the fifth time I’ve seen your stupid attempt at being witty and funny. Nats, give me a break.
Hairy Perry
October 19th, 2010
7:11 pm
34 cent,
No, I think it’s just time you washed yours. PEEEEEEEEUUUUUUUWWWW!
Soulja Boy
October 19th, 2010
7:13 pm
I don’t recall Bear Bryant or any other successful coach making this kind of deal with his players. They are going to play hard because they don’t have to shave? That is stupid and pathetic. I do recall Vince Dooley shaving his head one time. Maybe Richt should try that.
Hairy Perry
October 19th, 2010
7:15 pm
It’s to easy squashing all these little nats.
Hairy Perry
October 19th, 2010
7:18 pm
Remember Nesbitt for heisman? Has he completed his 2nd pass of the season yet!
AltamahaDawg
October 19th, 2010
7:19 pm
Turkey how much time do you actually think he spent on this? Between making the bet, and then talking about the bet. 15 minutes?
I’m guessing the normal 60-70 hrs working on getting ready for the KY game this week was not really put in much danger.
Turnover are huge. Richt has never lost a game in which his team did not turn the ball over. I don’t know if KY has ever won without getting some. Not in any game that I care about anyway. I would say this is the perfect week for such nonsense. It IS getting ready to beat Ky. Its the definition of getting ready for Ky. (and whats to follow)
AltamahaDawg
October 19th, 2010
7:20 pm
really? You dont remember reading in the internet about everything Bear Bryant used to do. Hmmm.
Hairy Perry
October 19th, 2010
7:20 pm
Oh yea Harry the Nat,
Your little yellow jackets are just a little turd in our great big cesspool.
Hairy Perry
October 19th, 2010
7:23 pm
Who cares about the beard thing. Man, I doubt Richt is even taking it half as serious as you guys are. He just wants to beat Kentucky down like the rest of us.
Racer X
October 19th, 2010
7:25 pm
Harry the Hat, you are so filled with hatred that I actually feel sorry for you. How sad that you’ve spent your entire life dwelling on this “earthshaking” event that happened almost 30 years ago. Is this all that your pitiful, little life has become? This is what you have to offer? Quite sad, really.
tdog
October 19th, 2010
7:27 pm
Here we go again with the gimmicks. Cant’t he learn to coach and just keep the boys in line. We don’t need celebrations in the end zone, different shirts every game, white, red or whatever outs he feels the need for. Practice during the week,keep your head in the game
and quit the distractions. Is not that what got us in this mess to begin with. Who cares if they got beards or not. Their parents might not be so pleased,
The Shadow
October 19th, 2010
7:29 pm
Beard growht indicates Munzenmaier has superior manhood. Why do they not use him?
On the hair subject, make coaches shave their crotches every week they make a dumb decision. Assumes they already have hair or anything else down there.
Dawg Gonnit
October 19th, 2010
7:35 pm
I don’t see it as a gimmick as much as I see it as the guys just having some fun as a team. What’s it going to hurt? Let the boys have some fun. They can build some comraderie! They’re 18-22 year old college kids having fun as a team. Who cares!
Top Dawg
October 19th, 2010
7:39 pm
Man, the Techies on this board are obviously scared to death of the Dawgs this year. They thought they had a shot this year but now they’re scared to death of the beating come Thanksgiving. Run little Techies, run..
Ziggy
October 19th, 2010
7:40 pm
Georgia will win Saturday if the play like the way I know they can.
Ziggy
October 19th, 2010
7:44 pm
I am concerned about the Gators. The way they lost to Miss State will make them all the harder to beat. It’s not going to be easy to give them their fourth loss in a row, but first there is Kentucky and we better be really careful.
Ziggy
October 19th, 2010
7:49 pm
Will Ealey remain have another 100 yrds sat?
MR>SEC
October 19th, 2010
7:51 pm
I’d much rather them grow some balls.
Obvious
October 19th, 2010
7:59 pm
Why not get mean and grow some nads instead of a beard!
He Hate Gator
October 19th, 2010
8:04 pm
How about this gimmick: we just line up and play football instead of taking “The Dirty Dozen” approach…
He Hate Gator
October 19th, 2010
8:06 pm
Also, do we really want the team looking like half of them just got let out of jail?
Dawg Days
October 19th, 2010
8:18 pm
Go you hairy dawgs!!
johnny
October 19th, 2010
8:28 pm
Beards or no beards UGA is still a joke
Kentucky Colonel
October 19th, 2010
8:34 pm
I wonder if they can stop shaving theri asses too?
Go Wildcats!
Obvious
October 19th, 2010
8:38 pm
Maybe if they beat Florida CMR can let them get matching tattoos! Nah, isn’t going to happen.
Obvious
October 19th, 2010
8:39 pm
I suppose CMR realized that he had to fire up the team this week to play the mighty powerhouse Wildcats. Are you friggin kidding?
Crimson Crush
October 19th, 2010
8:54 pm
Coach Richt is going to combine this with a “lose by less than 10 and you can stop taking baths” deal . His slogan as he puts together his next “dream(ing?) team” recruiting class will be “Come to Athens and and YOU can stink to high heaven too !!!!” ”
SEC Observer
October 19th, 2010
8:54 pm
With UGA’s image I don’t think this is a very smart choice by Richt. Why not run their a$$e$ off when they continue to turn it over?
BTW, it’s good to see the Dawg posters come back after winning 2 games against the sorry teams from Tennessee
SLim
October 19th, 2010
9:05 pm
It doesn’t matter….UGA is not that good. This season will be over with the next lost which is just around the corner.
BBBieUgaVIII
October 19th, 2010
9:06 pm
When the Dawgs have to shave after this weekend Richt should make them use Gillette Fusions. You know the razor with 5 blades . You know more blades than UGA has wins.
Mobile Dawg
October 19th, 2010
9:07 pm
I don’t have any problems with the beards but to announce it like that seems like you’re asking for negativity. Maybe if it were an internal thing and people found out by asking a player, or the coach, after the fact? I don’t know, just don’t understand what motivates Coach Richt sometimes, things like this are what makes me question him at times. Just wish we could stick to good old fashioned football and kick some but like we’ve done the last two weeks.
Patsy
October 19th, 2010
9:12 pm
Alt-a-ha-ha, you crack me up. You’re the epitome of an unrealistic Dawg fan. I guess you really didn’t lose to SC, Arkansas, Miss St and Colorado. (did I just name those 4 teams ?!) I guess UGA isn’t really 3-4. You act like none of that happened and you’re going to beat everybody else on your schedule. How many losses will it take to teach you a little humility ? My guess is that there isn’t a number high enough. Why don’t you wait until you’re 9-4 until you start to crow or bark or whatever it is you do. Drool, maybe.
BBBieUgaVIII
October 19th, 2010
9:12 pm
MobileHomeDawg kicking the T state with 2 vowel teams is no big deal. The Vols and Vandy will both forfiet the state rivalry game so save face.
Mobile Dawg
October 19th, 2010
9:18 pm
BBB were you hit by a car while playing in the street? Want to try and explain your last post?
Hit A Single
October 19th, 2010
9:21 pm
Kentucky could care less if we shave or not. We better be ready to play and play our butts off. Ealey needs to run like he did against Vandy.
Red
October 19th, 2010
9:24 pm
TO ALL BASHERS. COACH RICHT IS PUTTING SOME FUN BACK TO AN ALREADY DISMAL RECORD SO LIGHTEN THE “F….” UP!!!
TO ALL BASHERS. COACH RICHT IS PUTTING SOME FUN BACK TO AN ALREADY DISMAL RECORD SO LIGHTEN THE “F….” UP!!!
Georgia_Tider
October 19th, 2010
9:29 pm
I prefer “fumble and you sit your arse on the bench” and georgia should never change their uniforms-theyre classics just like Bama should never change theirs. Certain teams uniforms are instantly recognizable . Hope the Dawgs finish well but they’ll be better off not playin in sec title game.
Douglas
October 19th, 2010
9:30 pm
Amazing…Saban treats his players like men..and Richt runs a day care.
Stinchcomb is just sayin
October 19th, 2010
9:31 pm
I was at practice today and saw cleaning of the black helments and black pants in boxes
Mobile Dawg
October 19th, 2010
9:34 pm
Stinchcomb, I hope you’re just trying to stir the pot with that last comment. If CMR tried that again and it backfired he might as well kiss his you know what goodbye….Not even CMR would be that ignorant, would he?
BBBieUgaVIII
October 19th, 2010
9:40 pm
mobile the T state? Tennessee! Vowel teams? the Vols and Vandy. V’s not really Vowels but the Volunteer people pronounce it VOWELS.
BBBieUgaVIII
October 19th, 2010
9:43 pm
Their are going to wear all Black so the cans sneak out of the state fast after the loss. I don’t know what the Dawgs are worried about most of their fans will be gone by the start of the 4th qtr just like last year.
Hit A Single
October 19th, 2010
9:44 pm
The black helmets are going to be used as hard hats around the state at all the voting precints on Nov. 2. It is going to be a black day for Georgia.
Coffee Bluff DAWG
October 19th, 2010
9:45 pm
Will be at Commonwealth stadium this Sat. Sis (lives in Lex and big UK fan) had extra ticket so will have to sit with a bunch of UK people with my UGA red.
Expect to see a UGA win – UK can play well but they have been inconsistent.
Greg
October 19th, 2010
9:46 pm
Why Coach Richt REPEATS strategies, that DON’T WORK, is a mystery to all.
Does the guy LEARN from his mistakes?
Coffee Bluff DAWG
October 19th, 2010
9:49 pm
Greg,
Richt teams have gotten better as the season goes on. 2007 lost to Vandy and UT and then won out finishing # 2 in polls.
BBBieUgaVIII
October 19th, 2010
10:01 pm
#200