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.”
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300 comments Add your comment
Class of 98 Dawg!
November 2nd, 2010
1:13 pm
Have faith Bulldog nation. CMR is right. Don’t be so quick to call for Richt’s head either. Ask Tennessee about that. Lastly, ask yourself this, “Who are we going to hire that is better than Richt?” Don’t give me that Boise State answer either. Go Dawgs!
dlagator
November 2nd, 2010
1:17 pm
I don’t understand why UGA just cannot accept the fact that the coaching job is not that high profile. You better keep Richt because you aren’t going to get a better coach. Do you actually think high profile coaches are waiting to go to Athens? Richt is as high profile as it gets for you guys and you see where that has gotten you. i tell you what, hire Lil’ Dooley once UT send him packing…
Old Gator
November 2nd, 2010
1:17 pm
One thing for sure; the Gator Nation hopes Richt stays forever.
SEC East Spokesman
November 2nd, 2010
1:18 pm
So tell us Dawg fans, who has a brighter future, Aaron Murray or Trey Burton?
NCAA Investigator
November 2nd, 2010
1:23 pm
The only Championships CMR wins these days are the Fulhmer Cup Standings..
He has turned UGA into FSU North, and look how their program dipped with all of their thugs and free trips to foot locker. I wonder who Paid Caleb King’s ticket he thought was paid, or paid back the money he stole from the girl he was blackmailing…… could the NCAA be coming into the Dog’s smelly house of disarray they call a football program?
UGAX
November 2nd, 2010
1:25 pm
East Spokesman-
I think both have bright futures – Murray as a QB in pro style offense; Burton as a tight end/ SE.
SEC East Spokesman
November 2nd, 2010
1:31 pm
UGAX I think Murray is good and his play sometimes borders on outstanding. But if you were also at the game and noticed, his INT’s were because he never saw the DB’s because of his short height. The only thing that will really help him to be consistant will to be rolling him out. But for overall team value, Burton is better as a true freshman at what he does than was Tebow.
ALDawg
November 2nd, 2010
1:38 pm
It’s true. We are not going to get a high profile coach. Pete Carroll or the like is never coming to Athens, GA (wouldn’t want his cheating ways anyway). Hire Dan Mullen. Ties with McGarity. He’s never going to reach his full potential with MSU. He can beat Florida. His offense isn’t as predictable as the i-form pass-run-pass crap that we run, and he will only get better the more toys he has to play with. Richt/Bobo need to go yesterday.
Longtime Hater
November 2nd, 2010
1:43 pm
ALDawg why dont you go ahead and name Samford and Son Stadium the Swamp North while you are at it?
ALDawg
November 2nd, 2010
1:51 pm
Hater, I’m open to other logical suggestions. I just don’t see any better options that have SEC experience. Peterson’s gimmicks aren’t going to work week to week. Tuberville? Please. We hired McGarity. Everyone seems pleased with that. Alumni (Evans, Bobo) that have served the program have not panned out. If something works for someone else, steal it, especially if you have the $$$ to do so.
Snoop Dawg
November 2nd, 2010
1:58 pm
1. Firing Richt is not the answer.
2. Finding a OC who understands his offensive talents, and how to properly utilize that talent. Sorry Bobo…your opportunity has passed.
3. Simply your defensive/offensive playbook. If its taking more than a year for incoming players to understand your playbook…then something is not right with the system.
4. No more bunch formations.
5. Spread the damn field!
6. Signigicantly upgrade offseason strength/conditioning.
7. Mentally prep this boys for games.
8. Support your dawgs, no matter the record!!!!!!
g8rbait
November 2nd, 2010
2:06 pm
yeah, yeah, yeah. Ron Zook said the same thing. Thank goodness we didn’t fall prey to his lunacy. He did keep the recruiting machine going, but then again, this is FL, a state loaded with top shelf athletes, so not such a big deal
Over and over
November 2nd, 2010
2:06 pm
The year that we ended up in the Sugar Bowl vs Hawaii was the last hooray for UGA. We played well vs Hawaii because they were simply too small. They did not have the beef where you need it.
Since then, UGA has been lousy. I am a UGA grad, class of 71 & 73 and I have had enough.
When UGA decides to hire a coach, I am on board again, otherwise, I am done with CMR. I said here last year that come Nov of 2010 we will be having the same old conversation about CMR and we ARE at it again. This is bizarre that UGA contionues with the guy. He should have been canned in 09.
CUT CMR LOOSE.
GO Dogs.
Over and over II
November 2nd, 2010
2:09 pm
ALDog ……………YOU are right. Mullins would be fabulous and next year with our talent he would take us to at least the Cap One Bowl and better in his second and third.
Mullins IS NOT intimidated vs Meyer like Richt is.
Go Dogs.
The Real SugarHillDawg
November 2nd, 2010
3:51 pm
“Who Knows” is the favorite reply of a coach who has lost it!! He’s a wounded tuna swimming in a tank full of sharks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Election Day
November 2nd, 2010
3:54 pm
We hear the same things over and over.
Tiresome, ain’t it? No end to it as long as Richt is in Athens.
Big Kahuna
November 2nd, 2010
3:58 pm
“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].”
Is that Mark Richt or Obama dressed up for a late Halloween as Richt? Monumental arrogance! Would serve him right if Idaho State pulled the greatest upset in the history of football. He only goes to a bowl if uga beats AU & GT. Hope both schools have Richt’s quote blown up and highlighted in their dressing rooms!
Repeat
November 2nd, 2010
4:10 pm
Remember CMR came from A program(Florida State) that had the most talent throughout the 90’s but only 1 championship…He knows how to get the least amount of talent from the most talented players. I feel one of the biggest problems might be recruiting. Either they are over evaluating players or the coaching staff don’t know how to get the most out of the player. How can Florida, Alabama and others take a top recruit and start him as a freshman and he shines but we have 5 star recruits who never pan out(Troupe, L. Grey, M.Brown, C. King etc.). Look at how many top 5 recruiting classes we have had over the years and we are never consistently ranked in the top 5 in any poll. There is something thats not right I just wish someone would figure it out. There is no way over the past 10 years we shouldnt have been mentioned in the national championship hunt at least 7 times.
bigDAWG
November 2nd, 2010
4:14 pm
EmmettDawg,
Your darn right I’m blaming the Principal – what is the problem with that, we all pay his salary. I’m just saying that its not the coaches – they can’t get the players they need into school. The Principal needs to stop expecting football players to be as smart as ivee league students.
Chip
November 2nd, 2010
4:32 pm
We were in position to win Saturday, but at some point players must make plays. Two fumbles that should have been recovered and that pass on UF’s last drive that should have been intercepted all would have sealed the deal. We don’t have the talent on defense that we’ve had in years past, but the unit is improving each week. Lobbing the ball over the middle into triple coverage was a rookie mistake by our QB in the OT, but it should not have come to that.
Coach Richt is the best coach UGA has ever had. Let’s give him another year to get things right. Coach Dooley was a career 7-4 coach that just happened to own UF during a time when they were cycling through some pretty sorry coaches.
Big Dawg
November 2nd, 2010
5:13 pm
Boy…I don’t know about all of you other Dawg fans…..aren’t you a bit tired of “getting em next year”. Again, stupid plays (first pass play), horrible penalties and mediocre at best play calling (where AC for 3/4 of the game) had Georgia coming up short again. We should have kicked those damned Gators all the way back to Gainesville but once again came up short. At least Grantham had the “D” playing some inspired football choke sign and all.
DawgGoneFishing
November 2nd, 2010
5:47 pm
In 1980, TN fumbled inside our 10 yrd. line late in the game. We recovered and won the NC.
Same year-George Rogers fumbled late in game and we recovered. We won NC.
POINT !!! Those went our way-Sat. they didn’t.
As for now, either stay on the wagon, get on the wagon or get the _ _ _ L off and leave the country because you are hurting recruiting.
We know we aren’t going to win the Eastern Conf. nor the SEC.
Let’s ride it out folks and hope this years lack of success will attract a lot of guys who can play early.
Bob
November 2nd, 2010
6:03 pm
I sure hope McGarity is learning from the panel of really smart people commenting on ajc articles about how we need to Fire Richt. That would be such a smart thing to do. These smart people on here know so much about it, I’m really glad they’re taking time away from their important work on coaching college football to condescend to tell the lesser lights in the UGA athletic department and us other pathetic losers how much better off we’d be without Mark Richt and all his lame stats and championships and NFL draftees he churns out year in and year out. It is so obvious that the man now sucks after having two whole down seasons. He must be removed, so we can make way for one of the Wise Ones whose rants may be found on this and other ajc comment sections. Because, after all, They Know.
Mr. Georgia Football Returns
November 2nd, 2010
6:36 pm
I am glad to see Greg McGarity has become such a Mark Richt Apologist…………NOT!
RDUdawg
November 2nd, 2010
7:04 pm
Georgia is good when our D is dominant. Offense still put up 31pts while turning it over 4 times. We stink in shootouts. We’re missing the dominant D that we had under Van Gorder when we had DL’s that could alter game plans.
I see a lot of improvement from last year on the defensive end. We all know how reluctant Richt is to fire his coordinators…don’t hold your breath on Bobo. And if you think Richt is going anywhere you’re an idiot.
Same people who want Richt gone are the same people who want Obama gone…simpletons who fail to understand root causes behind overall results. Martinez set us back half a decade with his ineptitude. Offense has been strong all along.
If we had recovered either of the fumbles vs Florida or had Rambo caught the gift in his hands at the end of the game than we would have won…it’s really that simple.
Is this how Richt is going to turn it around?
November 2nd, 2010
7:52 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0357VcZfmE
Is this how Richt is going to turn it around?
November 2nd, 2010
7:53 pm
RDUdawg
You had me until you said that about people wanting Obama gone. I don’t drink that idiots freakin coolaid either.
Supervisor
November 2nd, 2010
8:41 pm
The only good thing a bad season would do for us is perhaps we can lose some of our “redneck” fan base.
The West is the Best
November 2nd, 2010
8:43 pm
But then you wouldn’t have any fans.
Big Wally
November 2nd, 2010
9:15 pm
When AJ Green leaves after this year, we’ll be 6-6 and he’ll be saying the exact same excuses.
Still running untouched
November 2nd, 2010
10:01 pm
Bottom line is losers make excuses and winners make plays..we have become losers.
We have to much talent to be blown out twice as was the case in 2008 and the last two years have been a joke.
I know why Gratham was our third choice…he and his unit are a joke. Our only chance in OT was to score a TD, his unit would have given up six, UF played it safe after we failed to score.
Bottom line 31 points should win a game, especially for 750,000.00.
The choke sign should have been when he was looking in the mirror after the game.
Real Dog
November 2nd, 2010
10:31 pm
I for one am irritated that we are on the down side of the curve in the Florida series, and thankful that the ‘fire Richt’ crowd is not running things. If this bunch had been, we’d never had won the MNC back in ‘80. Dooley would’ve been fired after the ‘79 season in which he went 6-5. I do think Van Gorder was a big part of Richt’s success in the first half of his tenure, with his sideline fire and raw emotion. I think Grantham has some of the same qualities BVG does, and if the idiots will let him coach and not whine when he grabs his throat to try to psyche out the opposing kicker, or other displays of emotion that may happen in the future, he may just turn out to be a great hire.
The folks that pay big money to the ath dept have been around long enough to know that things go in cycles, and this cycle will turn, too. Richt didn’t forget how to coach.
Mark Yecht
November 2nd, 2010
10:33 pm
Florida wins every year…BAAHAAHAAHAHA
Mark Yecht
November 2nd, 2010
10:36 pm
Its not that the coach grabbed his throat…its what he said…you too can earn $750K and act like this for the kids you are teaching???? you would be fired…quit making excuses for the pure lack of discipline..it starts at the top. THINK…oh wait you like pups
emautt1
November 2nd, 2010
11:47 pm
I am glad others are seeing the Mark Richt to Ray Goff correlation also. Losing with better talent was a Goff thing along with not having a plan prior to any game. Mark you are beginning to fill his boots. When you are constantly getting beat at the start of every game, and fail at crunch time; it is because you have not prepared. BTW when did the dogs quit teaching anyone to fall on a fumble!! Basic football we can not achieve.
'93 Dawg
November 2nd, 2010
11:59 pm
To all the idiots calling for Mark Richts head…SHUT UP. There are MAYBE a couple of better coaches in the country, and they happen to be in the SEC. One of which probably will be on the Cowboys sideline next year. Richt is a good coach, good person, and good role model. All these arrests? For drivers licenses and DUI? Ha! No “Time to Dies” in this bunch. I would like to know how many of those wanting a new coach actually graduated from UGA and suffered through the 90’s.
DAWG with bag over his head
November 3rd, 2010
12:37 am
I can’t for the life of me understand where all this “give CMR another year to turn this around” sentiment is coming from. We’re now in the third year of a slide that has given us teams that start most games and seasons slowly, get into a lot of trouble off the field, and continually play at a below-talent level. The 2007 season could have be special, but once again, early in the season, and early in the two games we were totally unprepared. We don’t need another season to make a decison. Waiting to clean house is only going to prolong this perpetual rebuilding do-loop we’re in.
BoWeevil
November 3rd, 2010
12:40 am
Timmy Tucker,
what a Load of HOGWASH.
Turn what around ?
His horrible “coaching staff” he will have fired all of over 12 months’ time ?
Turned it around that now we are to believe CMR can hire a coaching staff ?
He will not make this mistake in his new job
aarh
November 3rd, 2010
12:52 am
17 of 20- Murray’s not a turnover machine. He had as many in that game as he had the entire season. Turnovers aren’t always the QBs fault either. FL has had their share of turnovers thsi yr. as well, but fortunately enough for them…they just didn’t seem to have them in this game. Which often seems to be the case in this game.
aladawg
November 3rd, 2010
1:23 am
Hey Richt, you may teach those idiots to jump on a fumble but they are to damn stupid to do it. They all want to be the hero and score. With the exception of AJ
aladawg
November 3rd, 2010
1:26 am
Richt, you may teach those idiots to jump on a fumble but they are to damn stupid to do it. They all want to be the hero and score with the exception of AJ you don’t have crap for a team. Why don’t you try to recruit some players with some intelligence.
BoWeevil
November 3rd, 2010
1:41 am
Aaron Murray absolutely has beat only 4 teams whose combined record this entire season is 11-31.
Aarh, you bragged about David Greene’s won/lost record, but you are full of EXCUSES about Aaron Murray’s
If Bobo is going to go back to being QB coach because he is a great one, then why didn’t Bobo pull Murray to the side after the 1st of 4 interceptions and a 34-yard fumble / sack, and settle him down ?
We have played 9 games this season, how many games do you feel Aaron Murray was the better QB ?
Same old same old
November 3rd, 2010
6:32 am
Same old same old from Richt. Bla, bla, bla, bla, bla. Just do it. Quit mealy mouthing and put a team on the field to win. I’m not sure Richt can bring it back. Looks like the off the field
lack of discipline extends to the field. If he continues to have arrest after arrest and can’t get control of his team (and his coaches), he needs to be on the bus out of Athens. I love Mark Richt but right now he is not looking like the coach to carry UGA anywhere but to the lowest level of mediocrity.
T Tindall
November 3rd, 2010
6:57 am
CMR – Maybe
T Tindall
November 3rd, 2010
7:04 am
CMR – ” Kind of Tired of Losing to Fla.”? Maybe that is the root of your problem. Maybe when you get to the point that you are “sick and tired of losing to them”, things might change. Let’s try getting the team ready to play and play for 4 quarters, not 2. This has become a pattern in big games and that is your job, get them up from the beginning. Yes, we are all “Sick and Tired” of your laid back demeanor when in big games. Let’s try out coaching the opponent for once. Go Dawgs.
G
November 3rd, 2010
7:40 am
We need a coach with some stones. Nice guys finish last in the SEC.
G
November 3rd, 2010
7:46 am
Mcgarity needs to fly to Starkville and hire Dan Mullen asap. He can become a real dawg and Mark can go to Starkville and sing Kumbya my Lord in the heart of the bible belt. It’s time for a change sorry Mark and Obama.
Andy in Blairsville
November 3rd, 2010
7:54 am
http://www.ajc.com/sports/big-east-will-expand-713626.html
Why not join the Big East since the SEC has been too high speed for the Dawgs particularly over the last 5 years?
Richt was capable of winning a NC’s when he had NC quality teams, then he was hired by UGA and what you see is what he is capable of with the resources he has.
Lower your expectations in the SEC or move to another conference where you can get 9 or 10 wins per season.
Notso Fast
November 3rd, 2010
8:09 am
COACH R IS RIGHT ABOUT ONE THING FOR SURE AND THAT IS MURRAY HAS ALL IT TAKES TO BE A GREAT QUARTERBACK. ALL HE NEEDS IS SOME COACHING. HE WILL BE A GOOD ONE.
munsondawg
November 3rd, 2010
8:20 am
Mark Richt needs to grow a pair. Screw the pretty boy crap.