Richt: ‘We are going to end up turning this thing around’
A few notes from Mark Richt’s weekly radio call-in show Monday night. . . .
- Richt said he was “very proud” of the Georgia team’s effort against Florida, “but the bottom line is we turned it over four times to [Florida's] one and you’re not going to win many games that way. . . . There was a lot more than that to that ballgame, but as we know the turnover stat is the one that is the most devastating in those types of ballgames.”
- The team was “crushed” by the loss, Richt said. “We all were.”
- A caller scolded Richt for his 2-8 record vs. Florida and asked how he’s going to turn it around.
“I think that the game this Saturday was a game that could have gone either way, but it didn’t go our way,” Richt said. “People are tired of hearing that, and I’m kind of tired of it myself. I don’t like the record myself. But we are going to keep banging, and we are going to end up turning this thing around. I thought it was going to happen on Saturday, but it didn’t.
“So what are we going to do? We are going to go back and make sure everything we’re doing is the very best it can be. I am very encouraged with our new athletics director Mr. McGarity, Greg McGarity. I think he is very intent and excited about looking at every facet of our program and helping me and us make any type of changes that can help us. Of course, him being at Florida for some time certainly gives him the credibility of knowing what the national championship team looks like . . . I am excited about some of the things Mr. McGarity and I have talked about.”
- Later, Richt added: “The bottom line is, we are going to go there again next year and we are going to get after them and we are going to turn this thing around. . . . I really do think the future is very bright. Right now, the immediate future is what I’m most worried about, which is beating Idaho State and working on down the line to the three games after that [Auburn, Georgia Tech and a bowl].”
- Richt rejected the idea that his team has a mental barrier about the Gators, saying it had “every confidence” it would win going into the game and even when trailing 21-7 at halftime.
- But he acknowledged that to win “a game of this magnitude” the team has to make more plays in the clutch and has to play smarter. He particularly bemoaned two Florida fumbles that Georgia failed to recover, including one inside the Gators’ 10-yard line with the game still scoreless. “Twice [Florida] had fumbles in a crowd of bodies, and twice we tried to scoop it and score. And both those times, we should have got on the ball in that crowd. Not only do we teach it by verbalizing it, but we drill it, too. And we just did not get on the ball like we should have.” He noted Florida drove 91 yards to the game’s first score after Georgia failed to recover the fumble inside the 10. “Who knows? Just one play can make the difference,” he said.
- Although Aaron Murray “made some critical errors and knows that,” Richt said the redshirt freshman quarterback never lost his poise against the Gators. “He’s got a lot of the tools it takes to be great, and he has the intangibles to get it done, so for him to get this much experience early in his career just bodes very well for the future of Georgia football.”
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
300 comments Add your comment
pcidoc
November 2nd, 2010
8:32 am
CMR deserves a couple of years to turn this around. I, for one, don’t want us wandering in the coaching wilderness for years. CMR has proven he can win championships. It’s a crap shoot when you hire a new coach. Ask Alabama, MSU, Colorado, UT,etc. CMR will get it done.
Jim Mora, Sr.
November 2nd, 2010
8:34 am
Bowl Game??!! Are you kidding me??!! Bowl Game??!! Not happening. Looking a 5-7 season right in the face. Maybe 6-6, since GT usually chokes against UGA just like UGA does against UF.
JB
November 2nd, 2010
8:34 am
Who ever commented about commits the last 5-6 weeks is correct. We have at least 10 more spots to fill, and ALL the blue chips in the State ( According to 10 at 10 in this paper) appear to be heading out of state.
JB
November 2nd, 2010
8:36 am
pcidoc………………………Don’t forget to Ask Auburn ! 9-0, year two, and on fire in recruiting………………..Don’t worry, We’re working hard to turn this around……
FLA DAWG
November 2nd, 2010
8:37 am
The Real Pity Here is that The SEC East was ripe for the picking this season – everyone is weak.
In The West LSU is shakey and Auburn is good but could be beaten as well.
“I coulda been a contenda, I coulda been somebody.”
SOUTH GA DAWG FAN
November 2nd, 2010
8:40 am
I think mr. Mcgarity will really help the coach turn UGA around I am just not to sure that Richt will be the coach he is backing .
GO DAWGS but
Done with wait for next year.
Dawg_Mike
November 2nd, 2010
8:43 am
•Richt rejected the idea that his team has a mental barrier about the Gators.
I disagree. There are mountains of facts to support it.
ALDawg
November 2nd, 2010
8:47 am
Removing assistants and creating scapegoats year after year isn’t going to change anything. Does anyone on here that knows anything about UGA football really see CMR ever running the table? The man apparently lacks the fire and intensity it takes to get his football team ready to play week after week in the SEC. I am sick of hearing “Aw, shucks.” And for all of you that say that say, “he’s a proven winner.” No, he’s not. What have you done for me lately? 2005 was a long time ago in football years. A good winning percentage is only that. UGA football should not be satisfied with just winning the East or winning the SEC. Our goal should be to win the national championship every year. Tell me we do not have access to or possess the talent to do that. If someone is not committed to that, I don’t want him. I’m sick of the ifs and buts that come with CMR. I’m sick of reading about an arrest at least every month. The man is failing on all fronts. If you are still a believer, you are either a sucker or someone that perpetually enjoys saying, “Wait ’til next year.” Most preseasons the UGA balloon is blown up and every year it gets deflated.
UGAVII
November 2nd, 2010
8:50 am
About the choke sign.
The Georgia coach knew the Field Goal would be good. It always is in this game.
His red underwear was too tight and he was gasping for air.
coachx
November 2nd, 2010
8:53 am
My donation will say keep Mark Richt on the check………as well as a couple of extra seats for the ones the whiners will leave.
Go Dawgs !
VN Dawg
November 2nd, 2010
8:53 am
How many years in a row has Auburn lost to Georgia, what is our bowl record since CMR, how many times have we beat GT, there is a lot to be grateful for and I have confidence that next year Murray will be one of the best players in the SEC and will win a lot of games because of his ability and leadership. He came to Georgia because of the coaches. CMR has also been through a tough year which I believe will help make him become a better coach. I was sick about the loss but this is a game played by young kids not life or death, get over it. I have a lot of respect for the way Murray reacted after the game, of course disappointed by determined. The kid is a winner.
Jeff
November 2nd, 2010
8:56 am
I hear Coach Richt and he still has my support but I am not sure about his comments concerning a bright future…..remember at the beginning of the season his remarks about a “special year”…..What concerns me more about this mess is it will eventually hurt recruiting if it hasnt already….I would be interested in hearing McGarity’s thoughts as well to what needs to be done…..the no brainer is the off week prior to the game
Michael
November 2nd, 2010
8:58 am
CMR sealed his fate with the statement earlierin the year about we were calling plays blind…and no emotion/passion on sidelines.
Burma Shave
November 2nd, 2010
9:00 am
The dawgs are bad
It goes on and on
We need to fire Richt
And give the dawg a bone.
Burma Shave
Big Dawg Daddy
November 2nd, 2010
9:03 am
Changing coaches always works. Just ask Tennessee.
Sojourner
November 2nd, 2010
9:05 am
Richt is full of BS, but too many fans still hang on every word looking for some kind of hope. Wise up and realize that this is about as good as it’s going to get while Richt is at UGA.
Fire him now and let’s start the rebuilding.
jtdawg
November 2nd, 2010
9:06 am
Depressing
Richt has something hanging over his head…. anyone remember all of the ‘almosts’ at FSU? ‘Wide Right’, ‘Wide Right II’, ‘Wide Left’, et al?
Bobby Bowden had the same type of issues – one team he just couldn’t beat.
Co-inkydink? I think not….
JB
November 2nd, 2010
9:06 am
If I’m making close to 3 mil a year, I tell them anything…..
JB
November 2nd, 2010
9:07 am
Big Daddy, ask Auburn
TheItalianDawg
November 2nd, 2010
9:07 am
Amen Coach Richt! I believe in every thing you mentioned. I do believe the future is very bright and I liked the fighting spirit of our guys, and I absolutely loved our defense and Coach Grantham, they are tenacious, and Im glad to hear about our AD is planing to help especially in scheduling.
I must say I was one of the fans who call for coaching change but the last few weeks, I can see significant changes in our team. Just lets beat the crap out of Auburn and humiliate Tech. I really believe Georgia can beat Auburn and it will be a very close game.
Blackberry Cobbler
November 2nd, 2010
9:09 am
Fans are sick and tired of the same old lame excuses. CMR ain’t got a d@mn clue how to do anything. SOS.
I think McGarity should, behine the scenes, start searching for possible replacements right now. If I great coach can be indentified and we have a good chance to get him, kick CMR to the curb. Otherwise, give him 1 more year.
AFDawg
November 2nd, 2010
9:10 am
Georgia will never again beat Florida as long as Mark Richt is at the helm — it is as simple as that. Read Mark Bradley’s article from 31 October 2010 — it sums things up perfectly. UGA alumni — we need to put the pressure on with our wallets. Fire Richt!!!!!
PALADIN DEATH DEALER
November 2nd, 2010
9:14 am
Danny:
WHAT DO WANT COACH RICHT TO SAY, THAT HE’S GONNA PUT THE 1ST TEAM ON THE BENCH AND PLAY THE 2′S AND GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO WIN….TELL US BIG BOY, WHAT YOU WOULD HAVE SAID…WE WAITING FOR YOUR INSIGHT…..
Brain-dead Dawgs
November 2nd, 2010
9:15 am
We beat Ky by keeping R. Cobb off the field but we lost to Fl by playing into C. Rainey’s hands. Six times we kicked directly to him resulting in 148 return yards. Yet we have kickers who can put the ball out of the end zone. Anybody else think it’s past time to hire a special teams coach? Maybe the game plan should have been just kick the ball out of bounds. Like someone said “same ol same ol”. The only way things things will change is that someone, McGarity, will tell Richt what he will do before any changes are made.
jtdawg
November 2nd, 2010
9:20 am
Depressing
Richt has something hanging over his head…. anyone remember all of the ‘almosts’ at FSU? ‘Wide Right’, ‘Wide Right II’, ‘Wide Left’, et al?
Bobby Bowden had the same type of issues – one team he just couldn’t beat.
Co-inkydink? I don’t think so…
WALLACE BUTZ
November 2nd, 2010
9:21 am
Pie in the sky. Drink that free bubble up nd eatin that
Rainbow stew.
At least we can beat GT.
Oh how the mighty have fallen.
jtdawg
November 2nd, 2010
9:22 am
Blackberry Cobbler -
Dan Mullen. Don’t doubt Foley and McGarity at UF had him tabbed when Meyer was waffling so much last winter.
I still think McGarity gives Richt another year … unless he is absolutely convinced Mullen has something Richt doesn’t. And I believe he is…
UGAKEV
November 2nd, 2010
9:24 am
Some of you georgia fans need to open your eyes . . Georgia will be fine as soon as our defense becomes the Junkyard Dawgs again. We had some mistakes on offense but we still scored 31 points. In the old days that gets it done every game. If we dont get a great recruiting class this year we will prob be screwed
Dave
November 2nd, 2010
9:24 am
The first thing to do is rearrange our schedule so that there is always an OPEN week before the Florida game. They are biggest game on our side of the conference year in and year out. We should go into the game well rested. It makes a difference. Until we do that, everything else will be moot.
ALDawg
November 2nd, 2010
9:27 am
Ask Bama (when they finally got it right) about coaching changes. Or Florida (Zook even owned us). Being “grateful” for a few scraps here and there is pathetic and a loser mentality which seems to be what plagues UGA and our fans. If you are happy with the “we run this state” mentality, we do not have the same goals and obviously see the meaning of success differently.
UGAKEV
November 2nd, 2010
9:29 am
I really like Ogletrees future on defense he will be our thomas davis in the coming years. We just need to get alot of depth in on defense and players to fit our 3-4 scheme. Defense defense defense . . Thats our key to ever being great again. . I will be at the auburn game in two weeks sticking with my Dawgs through thick and thin! Go Dawgs!
jtdawg
November 2nd, 2010
9:33 am
UGAKEV – I’m glad you have the faith. Me, I have metrics…..
What has Richt done to convince you he can take this program up a notch, assuming he can even get us back where we were? He can’t even beat our biggest rival, not even in his best years with his most talented teams.
His record vs. ranked teams > 28-31
That’s just some facts that smelll. I’m not confident. This was his best chance at turning this rivalry around and again he was the one left standing on the field, stunned, again.
AND – don’t forget that we’ve had the benefit of a WEAK Tennessee program the last 4 years. A program in shambles and we are still only 2-2. Hell, Fulmer even started beating Richt with inferior talent, that last stretch before he was canned.
I vote no confidence. YOu might get your year or two, but I don’t see it improving by enough to put us where we should be….
AltamahaDawg
November 2nd, 2010
9:34 am
Fla Dawg, its certainly a lost opportunity by the fact of how it turned out BUT, the talk of “the east was ours for the taking” is simply not true. It was UF’s for the taking. They were the top 10 team coming in to the season. They were the one with the much better recruiting classes. They were the one with the “reputed” QB who was going to have the awesome year. None of that was true for UGA, who was for the most part barely ranked with a lot of question marks coming into the season, and except for a freshman brain fart or two, they are no better than we are.
They beat us, and can rightfully have those bragging rights, but who has underachieved more?
jtdawg
November 2nd, 2010
9:43 am
Bad statistics – don’t remember where I got the bad piece, so let me correct those stats (including this year)
Richt VS. ranked teams – 20 – 21
Versus Top 10 Teams – 8 – 9
Not terrible, like the rest of his record, but not ringing endorsements of a coach who is solid against teams as good or even better than his.
Not great examples of a staff that can “coach em up”.
Evansdawg
November 2nd, 2010
9:43 am
All the bad attitudes among the fans is justifiable. But…I take the position that our players and coaching staff are learning lessons this year that will serve us well in the future. I don’t want a knee jerk reaction that pushes us backwards. I like it that Richt is talking about preparations for the rest of the season and into next year.
RealDawg
November 2nd, 2010
9:44 am
I support my team and coaches. Our QB lost that game. Simple as that. He is a solid QB but not a super hero. He overthrew at least 4 players and could have easily had one more interception. I hope he finds some maturity from this game. Go Dawgs!
lawdawg
November 2nd, 2010
9:45 am
UGAKEV,name me great recruits that want to go to Ga. now.
McDawg
November 2nd, 2010
9:49 am
so what are the intangibles that continue to contribute to mediocrity??
defense could not stop thenm when we had to -constant theme of the past 3 years soft coverage-throw underneath and gain 7-8 yds
Soulja Boy
November 2nd, 2010
9:53 am
Richt’s brilliant end-zone dance was worth at least two UF touchdowns in the last three games. That special event was the turning point in Richt’s career. Stupid is as stupid does!
BirdDog
November 2nd, 2010
9:57 am
News flash to all of the Richt haters: He will be back next year so stop with all of the b!tching and moaning already. It’s getting old. Your points have been beaten into the ground time and time again.
Bruce Mac
November 2nd, 2010
10:00 am
Are you Gators really crowing about beating a 4 and 5 football team. Really? How far the mighty Gators have fallen.
yogi2
November 2nd, 2010
10:06 am
Richt , you ten year tenure is up. you have failed. you are a very high
paid coach. you have not produced. Thank you for giving us hope. Thank you for everything you have done. Please leave now for your own sake as well as the team. Take Watergirl , Bobo and your red panties
with you. You may not want to take Bobo,But take one for the fans. Thanks again
stevo
November 2nd, 2010
10:07 am
Coach…its not always how hard you work, but how smart you work. That is the problem. I just dont think we have coaches that are above average in intelligence. Intellingence helps in critical thinking which is needed especially during a game. Have you ever seen Bobo’s play calling when the game is on the line? Oh yea, we witnessed that against Arkansas and just last week in OT. Have you ever heard Bobo speak? My 4 year old has a better grasp of the english language. I’m tired of hearing next year. We could honestly be worse off next year than we are today.
SadDawg
November 2nd, 2010
10:10 am
I’m glad coach thinks the “future’s bright.” I’m a little worried that with our two best receivers and half of the O-line gone, Murray’s gonna catch hell next season. And, who’s gonna rush the other QB with Justin Houston gone?
Top Recruit
November 2nd, 2010
10:11 am
I’ve watched the CBS broadcast of the game 3x’s since Saturday…never done that with a game…but I’ve come to the conclusion that Aaron Murray is a dynamite QB. At this point he may be the best QB in the conference. In this game you saw a young QB come in one side but you saw a better, more mature confident QB go out the other side. I think that game is the turning point for UGA. If this team had been able to have had it’s full roster all season with a break after the UT game this would be a team viewed alot different by alums and fan base. For sure no team they have played wants to play them again. This team needs to relax, let it roll, and allow themselves to be as good as they can be. And they can be damn good the next 3 games. Light’em up Dawgs!
Todd
November 2nd, 2010
10:11 am
Do we realize GA under MR needed Steve Spurrier’s assistance one yr. to get to Atlanta, in fact every yr. MR needed help.
He’s never swept the East.
If you go back and take a close look at the losses over the yrs. in the big games you see crazy stuff all over the place.
The guy started Joe T. and wasted a whole yr. of GA football on Joe Cox.
The guy took forever to get Knowshon Moreno on the field.
Look at AJ Green’s stats while at GA. Dont’ add up for a Top 5 NFL draft pick next April and no championships.
Wait till you go ofer with Aron Murray and Orson Charles. MR. can recruit and is a great person, but he’s just to uptight or something, can’t work thru the emotions and focus and get it done in the big games.
IT JUST AINT GOING TO HAPPEN FOR MARK RICHT, GUARANTEE YOU THAT AND HE WONT’ FIRE MIKE BOBO, LAST YR. BOBO WAS AS MUCH A PROBLEM AS MARTINEZ.
SadDawg
November 2nd, 2010
10:14 am
jtdawg,
It’s the losses against UNRANKED opponents that get me upset – like Colorado and UF.
ga gator
November 2nd, 2010
10:14 am
Bruce Mac, I don’t know about crowing because this is the only page I have read since getting back in town late last night from the weekend. But here are a few observations whike at the game:
1. UGA was not ready to play.
2. UF was noticably bigger than UGA.
3. Murray played great and he played lousy. The bad plays were directly due to his lack of height and ability to see over both the UGA line and the even taller UF line.
4. There were some vicious hits on both sides.
5. UGA tried to pick up fumbles and the Gators tried to recover them.
6. Jenkins did a fabulous job on AJ.
7 Several times in the second half, UF had 5 true freshmen on the field on defense.
8. Judging by the fans around me, only UF gets away with holding.
9. Bobo is not the blame for the loss, it is that blowhard Grantham.
10. It is going to be nice having Trey Burton around for 3 more years; he is better than Tebow was as a true Freshman.
Big Dawg
November 2nd, 2010
10:15 am
10 years is long enough. Let’s clean out this mess and start fresh. For all you that want to keep Mark Richt, you are more than welcome to follow him wherever he goes. If anyone thinks 2 wins out of 10 tries against your biggest rival is getting it done, maybe you should start pulling for Stony Brook where they are just glad to have a football team. Who knows what Dan Mullen, Manny Diaz, and the Miss St staff could do in Athens, but considering what they’re doing with a lot less talent, I’ll be more than happy to give them a shot. I played, coached, and gave a heck of a lot of money to the university up until now. And I didn’t blow my knee out and end my career. Lol
ALDawg
November 2nd, 2010
10:21 am
When we lose to USCe, Auburn, Florida, Miss St., and potentially others next year, will all of you Loyalists be convinced then? What’s it going to take? Thank God we don’t have Colorado on the schedule. You people deserve one national championship in 60 years, and the only reason we got that was because of a superhuman. Keep enjoying watching other programs in the national championship game. Because as long as CMR is the head coach of the Georgia Bulldogs, we will never be in that game.