Herschel Walker weighs in on UGA’s off-field problems
Herschel Walker expressed concern about the number of Georgia football players arrested this year, saying coach Mark Richt has “got to take control” of the issue and the players “have to take responsibility.”
The former Georgia football great, who led the Bulldogs to the national championship as a freshman 30 years ago, was asked about the issue during an appearance Wednesday on ESPN’s “College Football Live” program.
“That’d concern me a great deal,” Walker said. “The losses, that is going to concern me as well, but when you got kids that got off-field problems, we need to get into and see what’s going on. Because when you got off-the-field problems, there’s something going on with that program.
“And I think Coach Richt has got to get a hand on it. I love Coach Richt. He’s a great coach, and there’s no doubt: I do not think Coach Richt should be fired. We got to find out what is going on within that program when you got 11 guys since March that have been off-the-field problems.”
Of the 11 players arrested this year, four were kicked off the team by Richt, one left the program after getting a six-game suspension, one got a two-game suspension and three received one-game suspensions.
“He’s got to fix it,” Walker said of Richt. “He’s the leader there on that team, so he’s got to take control.
“Athletes got to have responsibility,” Walker added. “That’s one of the problems I think athletes have today. They don’t want to take responsibilities, but they have to take responsibility. You’re in college; you’re not out in high school anymore; you’re in college. . . . If you got a problem, you got to be penalized. Now, Coach Richt does that, but I think you got to be a little bit more harsher.”
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410 comments Add your comment
bulldawgbill
October 21st, 2010
1:42 pm
To those who doubt Hershell’s support of UGA — He gave enough $ to endow a football scholarship in his name. Top that!!!!
Ace
October 21st, 2010
1:43 pm
Hey truth, looks pretty challenging to me or do you still think the doggies are good?
The Truth
October 21st, 2010
1:54 pm
@ ace
Coach Richt will be fired at seasons end. The Dawgs will not be invited to a Bowl. Dont cry too much for Richt, FSU will name him their head coach in 2012. UGA gets another Dooley.Go Figure.
F.A Grantham
October 21st, 2010
1:56 pm
I guess this was Herschel Walker’s law and order personality speaking.I have one question though where was this law and order personality when Hershel was tooling around in his Trans-Am 30 years ago? One crook talking about another EPIC!!!!
Stan the Man
October 21st, 2010
1:59 pm
Buck Blew–sorry, Buck Belue is an apologist for all the home teams. He doesn’t have a journalistic bone in his body. Just a whiny-voiced good ol’ boy.
Dawg Doctor
October 21st, 2010
2:05 pm
“All last season he never said one word in the huddle,” says quarterback Buck Belue. “I often wonder what’s going on in his head.” Observes Herschel: “People really don’t know me. Anyone will tell you that. Even my mother will tell you she doesn’t know me that well. Tomorrow I could just dry up and blow and you will never hear from me again.
dawggone shame
October 21st, 2010
2:06 pm
This Herschel Walker fellow has to be a Tech fan masquerading as a UGA fan, otherwise he would never question the mighty UGA. Or that seems to have been the prevailing sentiment on previous blogs anytime someone representing as a UGA fan speaks ill.
Dee
October 21st, 2010
2:08 pm
You dumb hayseeds have the unmitigated GALL to try and ridicule someone else’s diction. Herschel’s a legend. What the heck are you? That is, other than unknown, jealous, prejudiced and stupid as a stump?
Dawgman1
October 21st, 2010
2:13 pm
For the individual looking for the game against Kentucky it’s on Cox Sports TV Channel 337…..GO DAWGS…..
4th and Long Gone
October 21st, 2010
2:14 pm
@TheItalianDawg … I don’t think one group is more obsessed than the other. Look at the blog about the kid decommitting from Tech. It was filled with UGA bloggers cutting down Tech. The kid was decommitting from Tech and thinking of South Carolina. UGA was not in the mix at all, but the blog was filled with nothing but UGA comments. I think that when it comes to blogs, some from BOTH sides would rather write something negative about the other side than something positive about their own. Wish we could get rid of all that fit in that category, especially if it is just the HA HA comments.
DIT
October 21st, 2010
2:15 pm
I’ll never forget the time I went to the UGA/GT game. It was at Grant Field. I was sitting around several techies. Of course UGA was wiping the carpet clean with GT and these techies yelled at once. What has the mighty Herschel done today? Laughing and having a good time. The P.A. dude came over the system just 5 seconds after their toolage comments and stated, “Walker has 204 yards on the day so far.”
I never have seen the Nerd Herd become so quiet so fast. I did not have to say a word, Just let that permeate into their little skulls and watch the steam roll out. Go Dawgs!
fire Richt
October 21st, 2010
2:17 pm
agreed with comment about Buck Blew… no tough questions or critical analysis from this guy… kissing butt and softy
Reality
October 21st, 2010
2:18 pm
How confusing for uga fans….
Richt is the current head coach. The fans support him no matter what.
Hershell is the historic icon. The fans support him no matter what.
Now, Hershell blames Richt – what will the fans do?
fire Richt
October 21st, 2010
2:19 pm
if you dont like the engineers then why try to be like GT and apply for engineering program?
jdawg
October 21st, 2010
2:21 pm
Thanks Walker for putting us back on the headlines of the AJC…call CMR and tell him what you think…don’t go and get yourself some headlines…..
DIT
October 21st, 2010
2:22 pm
Reality
I don’t understand your post? I DO support CMR, however, most of the people on this sight that are UGA people do not. Where are you getting your information from on UGA fans support CMR? Just asking.
Herschel was UGA’s best player. Of course UGA people will always be good to him. So what?
I don’t see any confusion on the sides that the fans are taking. It’s pretty cut and dry on these blogs.
4th and Long Gone
October 21st, 2010
2:22 pm
As a Tech fan, I still wish that Herschel was representing Tech. I obviously wish he had played there, but I would still be happy just to have him associated with the Institute. UGA fans should always be proud of him. Herschel was talking in the article, not writing. I often speak with a little less emphasis on grammar than when I am writing. Herschel says what he feels, but you have to like him. I give him credit for not sweeping the problems under the rug.
Tom
October 21st, 2010
2:26 pm
WOW Well spoken… We want “Coach” to win. Run a clean program. Make sure the kids go to school and graduate. How many non football players…. per 100 UGA students have been arrested in the same period. This is not a “Coach” problem. When you look the cross section of students arrested, you will find that alot of college students get arrested for the same type of infractions. He or HE can not do it all…..
chuck
October 21st, 2010
2:27 pm
I guess Herschel is showing off that great education that he received at UGA. Compare his comments to those of Bo “KNOWS” Jackson who was at Auburn last weekend and you’ll see who the better school is.
War Eagle!
Honky Talkin'
October 21st, 2010
2:28 pm
This is all completeley irrelevant if CMR doesn’t drastically change his demeanor.
SuperB
October 21st, 2010
2:28 pm
Taking “responsibility” is not just a problem with college athletes– it is a national problem. Politicicans, who are supposed to work for this country, blame everything on their opponents’ parties. If you listen to him, George W. Bush never did anything wrong. (Remember Dick Chaney, Scooter Libby, John Ashcroft, etc.) I am sure the more than 4,400 families of the soldierts killed in Iraq think Bush and those misfits never did anything wrong.
President Bush
October 21st, 2010
2:31 pm
SuperB
HOW’S THAT HOPE AND CHANGE WORKING OUT FOR YA!
MISS ME YET!
YOU KNOW YOU DO!
WITHOUT LINDSEY SCOTT,THERE'S NO 1980 TITLE
October 21st, 2010
2:39 pm
HERSCHEL YOU SHOULD HAVE GONE TO AUBURN OR FLORIDA SINCE THESE RACISTS DONT RESPECT YOUR WORD,REMEMBER CRACKERS HE WON THE LAST NATIONAL TITLE FOR YOU REDNECK HICKS!
P.S. MARK RICHT HAS’NT WON A NATIONAL TITLE YET,SO HERSCHEL HAS THE RIGHT TO SPEAK HIS MIND!
autiger83
October 21st, 2010
2:40 pm
Not exactly sure how Cameron Newton got into this UGA thread, but Georgia cant be criticized too much. Heck, Auburn didnt offer him a scholarship either because they figured Kodi Burns was going to be the next big thing. Auburn got lucky on the opportunity to get Cam to come to AU. its a good fit for him though. I can say with some pride that for the most part, Auburn has not had the kinds of problems with arrests that have happened at other schools such as GA, FL and Bama.
WITHOUT LINDSEY SCOTT,THERE'S NO 1980 TITLE
October 21st, 2010
2:43 pm
HERSCHEL = 2 NATIONAL TITLE GAMES 1-1
COACH RICHT = NO NATIONAL TITLE GAMES!
KEEP SPEAKING THE TRUTH HERSCHEL!
David
October 21st, 2010
2:44 pm
I agree my good friend!
Carolina Gator Lover
October 21st, 2010
2:45 pm
Enter your comments here
SuperB=uber pansy liberal
October 21st, 2010
2:46 pm
I knew it wouldn’t take long for someone to blame Bush for the mess at UGA. SuperB, I bet you’ve never put on a uniform and wanted to fight for this country, but you sure do enjoy the freedom to be a complete idiot and post the most useless crap on here today. Good job. Do us all a favor and please don’t procreate.
Carolina Gator Lover
October 21st, 2010
2:46 pm
When Herschel posed nude he lost all rights, period. Tell the bum to go away!
someone with a life
October 21st, 2010
2:48 pm
Who gives a rat’s posterior anyway?
Mature-Dawg
October 21st, 2010
2:51 pm
Herschel was paid enough money to stay out of trouble. Plus, the Athens police/public safety in the day did not have such a huge boner for busting the athletes as they seem to have today.
GwinnettDad
October 21st, 2010
2:53 pm
Count on some nimrod by the name of ‘Glory Glory’ to presume that nobody on earth heard about the arrests at UGA until Hershel spoke about them on ESPN today, which will cause the sky to fall upon the future of all of mankind, not to mention UGA football. Such a clutz. Of course, this bumbling bonehead ‘Glory Glory’ spells words such as “natinally, critisize, thugush, possesing” Uh huh. Why should we listen to anybody that has the grammer of a third grader? And I’m sorry if I’ve insulted anybody, particularly third graders. Maybe his real name should be ‘Gory Gory,” regarding his abuse of the English language, not to mention the idiocy that he expresses when he tries to think.
Hershel Walker
October 21st, 2010
2:53 pm
I may not have good grammar, but I is a multi-millionaire.
Go Falcons!!!
Angry Dawg
October 21st, 2010
2:55 pm
Mr. Walker try Coaching an SEC school before you tell someone else how to do it. Great running back does not equate to coaching know how.
VolGrad
October 21st, 2010
2:56 pm
Do they teach grammar at UGA?
ruthie
October 21st, 2010
2:58 pm
Put them back in a dorm, and have bed check. Then you will know where they are.
UGAgrad
October 21st, 2010
2:59 pm
UGA Honor Grad: “Herschel through coach undar the bus.”
Oh my, how embarrassing for you. Did you take English courses from the same professors as Hershel?
Sav'h Dawg
October 21st, 2010
3:00 pm
Did a little investigating last weekend while in Athens….I asked parents and students if they had any interesting stories about changes in the Athens/Clarke County police department:
The most insane story was told by the parents of a 20 yr old. He caught a cab after drinking (underage granted but responsible enough to get a cab). The cab had a taillight out and was pulled over. The boy was asked if he had been drinking. He told the truth and was taken to jail. The parents spent 2k on attorney fees because UGA has a two strike rule: Two violations and you’re out. This was one of a dozen stories that left me with a more realistic picture of what athletes and non-athletes in Athens are up against.
seabass
October 21st, 2010
3:01 pm
Well I’m sure that just killed his invitation as a motivational speaker. But to be honest he really just needs to keep his opionions to himself.
jacket22
October 21st, 2010
3:01 pm
Hey homo winston sorry your pretty little pink panties are all in a knot, and sorry you’re jealous i have a blow up woman and all you have had to play with since the age of 10 was your daddy’s John Holmes life size model schlong and you’ve used it so much you’ve worn it down to the size in your little panties. And 46-39 sorry i wrote so much I did it only because it hurts little winston’s head when he has to read more than the directions on his hemorrhoid ointment. I don’t hate georgia I actually agree with most of the people here the program needs to be cleaned up.
FRED
October 21st, 2010
3:01 pm
THE PROGRAM NEEDS A FULL TIME BABY SITTER JUST MAYBE HERSCHEL WOULD DO IT.
jacket22
October 21st, 2010
3:02 pm
THIS IS
jacket22
October 21st, 2010
3:02 pm
FOR WINSTON
jacket22
October 21st, 2010
3:03 pm
F.!@%$$%$*%*^%^^&(^(^&*^*^*(^*(^*^(*^(*^(*^*(^*(^*(^*(^(^^&(*((^(^(^(^&
Dennis
October 21st, 2010
3:03 pm
Wow. from a guy who signed with an agent and thought it would go away.
jacket22
October 21st, 2010
3:03 pm
U”"”"”"”"”"”"”":::::::”"”::::::<<<><<<><<><><<
jacket22
October 21st, 2010
3:04 pm
C***********************************************************************
kyle
October 21st, 2010
3:04 pm
While I disagree with Herschel being the Conditioning coach, why not name him the RB coach? I can’t think of anybody better to teach our boys how to run the rock better than him
jacket22
October 21st, 2010
3:05 pm
K@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
jacket22
October 21st, 2010
3:06 pm
YOU and by the way I’ll walk up to Hershel anytime anywhere and mention his grammer. What’s he gonna do a triple axel ballet spin and scare me?