Richt: ‘I thought that if we ran another play things could get out of hand’
Excerpts from Georgia coach Mark Richt’s postgame news conference:
Opening comments: “Congratulations to Coach Chizik and Auburn. They clinched their opportunity to play in Atlanta in the SEC Championship. I know the feeling, and it’s a great feeling. They’ve done a great job this season and did a great job tonight. They were a better team than us tonight. We certainly had our moments, but they weren’t enough to win. They’re a very good football team and I want to give them credit.”
On Auburn’s on-side kick to open the second half: “We alerted [the players] at the half. The dilemma for our special teams is if they sit at the tee and watch the ball too long when all those guys are flying down the field at 100 miles an hour and they’re supposed to get in position to block, they can’t make the block. Auburn’s kickoff coverage team was one of the bigger differences in the game. And with them getting the on-side kick to start the second half and take the lead . . . we were hoping to get the ball first and put them in a position to be behind. We didn’t get good field position off our kickoff returns, and their kickoff coverage team tonight was the best we’ve played all season.”
On biggest differences in the game: “We just couldn’t stop them. That was the biggest difference. We didn’t continue to score, and that’s all there is to it. Auburn was very efficient in what they were doing on offense. It’s very difficult to stop a quarterback who can run like that. The only way to outnumber a run game like that is to bring both safeties to the line of scrimmage. When you do that, he throws the ball too well. Cam (Newton) is a true dual threat and a tough kid. They have other good players that played well today, but he’s the difference.”
On Auburn playing well despite the week’s distractions: “As a coach and for players, when you go to practice and the meeting room and you’re in your complex, it’s kind of a haven for you. It’s a place where you can focus on the task at hand. When you’re surroundedby guys focused on the same task it’s a good medicine. When there are things swirling around that youcannot control, you have a chance to enjoy playing the game you love.”
On Georgia’s decision to take a knee on the last play of the game: “The reason why I did that was that tempers were flaring and were out of hand. I thought that if we ran another play things could get out of hand. My goal was to take the knee and make sure nothing broke out. When things get that hot and that emotional, I thought it was the wise thing to do.”
(Transcript provided by Auburn.)
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203 comments Add your comment
Macclenny_dawg
November 14th, 2010
10:49 am
We got out coached plain and simple!! WE CONTINUALLY ARE NOT AGGRESSIVE ENOUGH IN EVERY GAME!! Richt on the onside kick by Auburn to start 2nd half!!! “We alerted [the players] at the half. The dilemma for our special teams is if they sit at the tee and watch the ball too long when all those guys are flying down the field at 100 miles an hour and they’re supposed to get in position to block, they can’t make the block. Richt sounds like coaching to me if the guys are doing this why don’t we put guys on the field that can do this??? Bottom line folks we are not very good and our defense SUCKS!!! Don’t blame the officals they get paid by the SEC and the SEC wants a team in the National Championship!! Blame the SEC for not taking action!!!Unfortunately this is what the bcs has created with no playoffs!! Richt 1 more year to right the ship or you are GONE!!!!
Now an Auburn Hater!!
November 14th, 2010
10:59 am
All last week I had a feeling that UGA wouldn’t win against Auburn. I was just glad they didn’t put 60 points on UGA. I have never really had anything against Auburn. I have always thought they were a classy team and I enjoyed watching the UGA/Auburn game. Now last week I was hoping all the allegation against Cam were not true but today i hope he everything turns out to be true and Auburn burns for it.
DT Nick Fairley is a punk, no good, sorry excues for a human being. I watched, just like everyone else did yesterday, him continuously put late hits on Aaron Murray. For all those Auburn homers who say he was blocked into Murray are stupid. I am sure that they coach the offensive linemen to block the defensive linemen into the quarterback. On the play the offensive linemen tried to push him to the outside. Nick Fairley went after Murray’s leg. I was happy to see the UGA linemen went after him after that play. You have to protect your quarterback.
Now the refs need to be punished for not calling the late hits. If they would have call it the first couple of times he might have stopped, fearing he would hurt his team if he continued to do it. One other thing about the refs. In the first quarter Cam put a stiffarm on Baccari Rambo, that could have (I am not saying I did) been taken as a punch. The ref warned him. There should be no warnings. If you commit a penaltie they should throw the flag.
Stay classy Auburn.
Rich
November 14th, 2010
11:03 am
Looking at the replay on the hit that got Murray injured it seemed like Fairly did intentionally get to the QB but there seemed to be no maliciousness involved. However, since it was intentional and below the knees it should’ve been penalized. Not to mention he should’ve been flagged for “showing attention to oneself” after the brawl. If the camera could clearly see it for 30 seconds the officials could’ve seen it.
Still a Dawg fan
November 14th, 2010
11:04 am
Regardless of the record I’ll hang with the ‘Dawgs–but it’s disgusting to lose so many games. AU has a great offense but UGA’s defense only has 2-3 players who really lay it on the line. NOT impressed with the change in coordinators. It just hasn’t panned out. Scoring 30 points in past 5 games means the offense is working. Whaddup Grantham?
AU was extra-dirty last night. Fairley is a thug from the get-go and no, underage drinking and getting tickets (UGA players) aren’t the same as the #$%% coming from the AU team. The Newton story stinks to high Heaven and where there’s THAT much smoke–there’s fire. Time will tell, baby.
Roll Tide by the way. Bama put a stop to this SCam.
wyohog
November 14th, 2010
11:24 am
Georgia fans, we Arkansas fans know how you feel. Our QB was knocked out of the Auburn game with a dirty hit that the referee stared at from 4 feet away and did nothing about. The only way Newton can tip-toe through a congested line of scrimmage all the time is because Auburn’s O-line holds on every play. You were robbed when the refs gave Auburn a TD when Newton clearly lost control of the ball before crossing the goal line. The exact same thing happened in our game with them. I thought the refs were supposed to assume a fumble and let the replay confirm or deny the fumble, but not when it concerns a possible TD for the only undefeated team left in the SEC. In our game the refs later assumed a fumble on our RB that Auburn returned for a TD. Replay showed enough evidence that the RB was down, but because the refs called it differently on the field, they let the call on the field stand. In your game and in our game, the refs called things to help the undefeated team because the SEC simply MUST have an undefeated team play in the BCS game. Shameful. If and when Newton is found to be ineligible, I hope all Auburn coaches lose their jobs. I have never been an Alabama fan, but I will be when Auburn plays them.
$$$$$$$$$money dawg
November 14th, 2010
11:26 am
Someone has to beat AU…Let’s hope Cam is one and done.
DawgGone
November 14th, 2010
11:35 am
YOu UGA fans are funny…can ANY UGA fan simply congratulate Auburn without bringing in all the other stuff (cheating, bad officiating, etc.?)
DawgGone
November 14th, 2010
11:36 am
Crickets…I guess the answer is no.
DawgGone
November 14th, 2010
11:37 am
Stay classy UGA…stay classy.
to Fl fan
November 14th, 2010
11:38 am
Fairley is a dumb a$$; can’t you see how too close his eyes are set. He will get his due by some OL.
maddawg
November 14th, 2010
11:41 am
Our signature win for the season is against 2-5 Kentucky. Awesome.
hugedawgfan
November 14th, 2010
12:04 pm
Yea, we do need to recruit another WR like Green but the fact of the matter is is if Bobo is still the OC, no one wants to come because of the play calling. We should have kept throwing to AJ but no-thanks Bobo. No one person in AU’s secondary could cover AJ (evident in first half) and then we quit throwing to him. Fire Bobo at season’s end.
Tex is a tard
November 14th, 2010
12:07 pm
Tex, you are a freaking nob. Fairly had been taking cheap shots all game. He’s a dirtbag POS and Auburn played with zero class, I guess that fits with who their quarterback is. Cam has been dirty everywhere he has played. So Tex you can shove that moronic jocksniffing crap.
Vagtastic
November 14th, 2010
12:09 pm
Love that the piggies are now throwing in their lot with the puppies. Two loser schools banding together. Why don’t you both go join the Big East? You won’t have to worry about hard hitting football there.
LostDawg
November 14th, 2010
12:30 pm
After the way AU won with all the punching I have to pull for BAMA. What an embarrassment to the SEC. Hope Auburn plays Oregon for the NC.. if so GO DUCKS!!!!
Rich
November 14th, 2010
12:31 pm
Two loser schools? Dude we haven’t been 5-6 since 1996. When’s the last time Auburn’s had that record…. oh yeah 2008. Even though this year has been worse than usual it’s considered a bad year for UGA when we win 8 games a season. For Auburn that was considered the norm before this year.
georgiadawgg
November 14th, 2010
12:35 pm
Fairley is both dirty and dumb. Ibet he can’t even write his name.
Answer this ONE question, AU fans ....only one
November 14th, 2010
12:42 pm
M Robinson of UGA slapped a gal got thrown out of UGA, D Jackson was driving drunka and is long gone to the state of Alabama by the way, King and King both had driving issues as did that moron Ealey and then there was Z the tall UGA QB ( former QB ) and then the AJ Green clothing sale. UGA dealt with them all. Now, um, ah, um, was the FBI involved in ANY of that???
I will ask it again ………….with ALL of the summer of fun crap at UGA, was the FBI involved???
Now with Scam Newtona and his shyster preacher man pa, THEY ARE INVOLVED. The FBI IS INVLOVED IN AU’ sports affairs. We know that you folks are so proud of your AU family now.
AU be proud …………be proud ……………cause when y’all get it hard from the NCAA, we UGA fans will be asking ” why did AJ have to sit for his stupid flea market clothing sale?” Why was the FBI not involved in our issues ……….like they are NOW at AU.
Three years probation will be rough AU and Chizk will be gone as will Scam and his pa. better enjoy this now AU …………..it is coming like death and taxes.
Go Dogs.
Dirty Blaque Preacher
November 14th, 2010
12:47 pm
my chuch be upta code!
praise be!
Music City Dawg
November 14th, 2010
12:53 pm
The sad thing is that Auburn didn’t need #90 and its other defensive player to play dirty in order for it to win. But when they did choose to play that way, it showed the true character of their team and coaches – win at any cost. I thought Les Miles was the only “River Boat Gambler” in the SEC but Chizik has shown he is one too but in a different way. Les gambles in the type of plays he calls but Chizik is gambling with the whole Auburn football program. If it is proven that Cam did indeed know about his dad asking for money (and it seems he did from the phone call he had with a MSU recruiter when he told the recruiter that he was going to AU), then AU will forfeit it’s entire season, get placed on serious probation and perhaps get the death penalty because its head coach made a seriously bad, and perhaps very arrogant, choice.
Dawgtards ruin this state
November 14th, 2010
12:54 pm
Ha Ha thUGA!! All the arrests and none of the victory! Don’t worry Damon’s buying the appletini’s.
K.B.
November 14th, 2010
12:58 pm
Tex, you ignorant slut.
lawzoo
November 14th, 2010
1:08 pm
Looks like ‘Em dawgs will just have to hunker down and get ready for Tech. They have to win because they need a signiture win and to get Bowl eligible.
Too bad it’s just another average season for “Em dawgs.
Cecil Newton
November 14th, 2010
1:10 pm
I got 180, 180, 180, 190 now now from the team with no iron bowl wins since, well, a long time, i got 195 from the bulldogs from Mississippi 200 from the the team that can’t make up their mind on a mascot……going once, going twice…sold to Auburn for $200,000!
The sermon I am gonna preach this Sunday will give thanks for my many blessings and my relationship I have developed with the Auburn alumni.
Macclenny_dawg
November 14th, 2010
1:11 pm
Even though Auburn was playing a little dirty this is football and once again the other team just wanted it more than UGA!!! UGA got out coached again!!! Did anybody really think the SEC was gonna let us win this game!! Quote from Chiztik after the game “That’s a very potent offense, and the on-side kick we felt really good about it during the week, and we felt like we needed to take one possession away from them in the second half. GUYS DO WE EVER TRY ANYTHING OUT OF THE NORM??? NO WE DON’T!!!! RICHT HAS LOST HIS MOJO FOR GETTING HIS TEAM READY TO PLAY!! 1 more year Richt SEC championship or get out of town!!!
auburn fan
November 14th, 2010
1:21 pm
For all you UGA fans that are crying about the tough play. UGA’s RAmbo had a personal foul called on the very first play. You guys started it and we finished it. We took our punishment with 2 ejections. Get over it.
Walter Geiger
November 14th, 2010
1:48 pm
Richt will not get another year!
poopdawg
November 14th, 2010
1:54 pm
How many late hits personal fouls has Fairley had this year? The first i’ve seen was the spear in Murrays back, but its been happening all year. Fairley is a heck of a player but he appears to have quite a leeway for his late hits.
Win P.
November 14th, 2010
2:23 pm
My read on the Fairley chop block is UGA wanted to send Fairley a message, “lay off”, since the officials were too busy to call a penalty on UA. Fairley was going after Murray on every play intenting to take him out of the game with an injury. Unfortunately, another thing UGA is not very good at is chop blocking. My suggestion is. UGA should plan and practice enforcement especially when officials are not very zealous on calling a clean game.
SamoanDawg
November 14th, 2010
2:24 pm
Just finished watching the game again. Go back and watch the 1st qtr. #90 Fairley intentionally late hit Murray 3 times and it continued on thru out the game. Imo, he intended to hurt Murray. It won’t surprise me if they paid him to hurt Murray. But, I don’t condone the chop block Josh Davis on Fairley. Josh was penalized for it and never did it again.. good call by the ref. But, if the friggin refs would’ve flagged Fairley for the late hits in the first qtr, none of that nonsense would occurred at the end of the game. I blamed the fight on the refs, not the players. It’s their job to manage and keep the game under their control.
Happy Thanksgiving to you all!
Dawg in gatorville
November 14th, 2010
2:28 pm
Just wait to see how ugly Auburn players will be treated next year in Athens!!!
DawgVoiceofReason
November 14th, 2010
2:46 pm
Divided Dad,
Wait ’til you see the replays of the repeated intentional attempts (and success) by Fairley to injure Murray. You will change your opinion. It was dirty play. To quote you “Nothing more… Nothing less… ” It was not good, hard-nosed football and the guy should have been ejected from the game by the incompetent refs. When a game get’s out of hand as this one did at the end, it is almost always due to the officials failing to take charge earlier in the game.
AFDawg
November 14th, 2010
2:51 pm
Oh come on Tex — you’re a loser! If you didn’t notice from the 1st quarter on that Fairley was trying to hurt Murray the entire game — then you’re an idiot. How can you defend that type of play? Your coach and players are a bunch of thugs, and everyone in the country watching on TV knows it.
Football Bat
November 14th, 2010
2:58 pm
Killing the clock when you’re 18 points behind is not a problem. Killing it when you’re tied and have :35 with a timeout, a great quarterback and the best receiver in the country is either COWARDICE or IDIOCY. Richt sickens me.
Credit where due: Bobo hung 31 on Auburn. I’d fire them both anyway.
Football Bat
November 14th, 2010
3:01 pm
Pathetic how Verne calls out UGA for chop blocks but when #90 gets his THIRD personal foul not only for a late hit, but SPEARING OUR QB IN THE BACK, he’s called “Frustrated.” Can we please get some impartial announcers???
LagDawg
November 14th, 2010
3:22 pm
It’s plain to see that Auburn is a classless program and will get what it deserves in the end, but I hope CMR sees that he needs to change his coaching mentality and recruit a different type of player to compete in the SEC. We have been subpar since all of Donnans recruit have graduated and our record reflects on and off the field. We still don’t know how to make adjustments during the game and we still only got one quarter of good play from the defense. We have to do a better job of protecting the QB and we definately need to recruit bigger and meaner lineman on both sides of the ball. We need more physical CBs that actually know how to hit somebody and again we need a better strength and conditioning coach. Bobo needs to be demoted and we need to recruit better RBs and WR. Once AJ is gone, the offense will be depleted. The whole program needs evaluating at the end of the season and we need more dedication to the weight room in the off season.
LagDawg
November 14th, 2010
3:25 pm
AFDawg, you defend that type of play by taking the knee away from that type of player. UGA needs to develop a mean streak and keep it from this point on. When you compete against dirty players, you have to play dirty yourself. UGA needs to develop a killer instinct and they will be a lot better off.
LagDawg
November 14th, 2010
3:27 pm
Did anyone see the punch(stiff arm) that Newton threw at the S and only got a warning from the official. It was a very poor job of officiating the whole game.
snake bit
November 14th, 2010
3:31 pm
mac dawg. CMR did the same thing at the swamp in 2008, it failed and everyone caled him an idiot. Where have you been.
Auburns offense is a playground scheme at best. comment from mccaleeb saying we don’t have trick plays that is just our offense. Priceless
JiminLA
November 14th, 2010
3:39 pm
I’m Auburn class of ‘60. I write this so you’ll know where I’m coming from at the start.
Of all of Auburn’s opponents I have greatest respect for Georgia. I’m sorry the situation developed at the end of the game. I was there. I hated to see it. Auburn is paying the price with two players suspended for the first half of the Alabama game.
It was a hard hitting game no doubt. Fairley collected the 15 yard penalty early in the game for the helmet to the Georgia QB’s back. It was deserved. What was not deserved was several Georgia players jumping on Fairley while he was on the ground on a play following the play when Fairley’s helmet hit the Georgia QB’s knee. I’ve watched the replay. He was blocked by a Georgia player and was falling toward the QB when it happened. He had no control of where he fell. This incident appeared to be the cause of the attack on Fairley and the later altercation on the field. I would hope those who are so ready to have a hanging party for Fairley would look carefully at the play were the injury occurred to the Georgia QB before rushing to judgment. Also, they need to look at the later play where several Georgia players attacked Fairley while he was on the ground. Unfortunately the second Auburn ejection came when a teammate came to Fairley’s defense.
Again, I’ve long had great respect for Georgia as a worthy opponent. We don’t need to let a rush to judgment damage the longest football series in the Deep South. Auburn players shouldn’t have thrown a punch, but Georgia players shouldn’t have attacked Fairley while he was on the ground. Both actions were indefensible. Auburn’s, unfortunately, carries the heavier penaly…the suspensions.
DawgGone
November 14th, 2010
3:44 pm
LAdawg…how many times are you going to post the same thing? On every single article on the ajc?
UGA SUCKS
November 14th, 2010
3:44 pm
Bulldog Nation stop crying, you all have been losing all year, you all wouldn’t have won that game unless Newton wasn’t going to play. They are too good with him in the game. The game was close in the 1st half, that’s why you change it up after halftime.
bitter uga fans
November 14th, 2010
4:09 pm
UGA fans are dumb. Your AD got fired for his classiness. You had more players arrested this year than any other school in the nation. One of your fans got arrested for setting Toomer’s corner on fire. You are proud of your “drunk obnoxious Georgia” fans. Your fans and players are routinely classless and they started the fight. The only “cheap shot” was the helmet to the back, and he got flagged for it. Stop being so petty and just take a loss when it’s handed to you. Chizik was excited because the game was over and we had just WON THE WEST you retards. Get off your invisible high horse and realize how classless your team really is. I like Richt and think he’s a good guy, but he obviously doesn’t have control of his team with all the arrest. Chizik will get onto his players and punish them for what happened. How many players has Auburn had arrested this year?
Eric C.
November 14th, 2010
4:12 pm
Cam Newton is great, no doubt. But the Lebron “King James” act, standing at the base of the stands like he is the second coming, is sickening. What happened to the team concept?
Eric C.
November 14th, 2010
4:17 pm
Yeah, the announcers were defending every Auburn non-call, harping on any non-call on UGA, and calling Cam a real feel-good story for CFB…so blatant one can only laugh.
TNDAWG
November 14th, 2010
4:31 pm
The main thing Richt did wrong was playing his starting quarterback for so long in an exhibition game. None of Auburn’s wins this season will count in the end.
Mobile Dawg
November 14th, 2010
4:31 pm
JiminLA, the game was about what I expected with Cam playing. Tit for tat for a while, with Auburn wearing us out in the end. The onside kick was the momentum changer, we hung one more series, luckily by a great catch from Durham.
We left with two minutes remaining after the play Murray got hurt on so we missed the fireworks. I will watch the replay before making final judgement, but from the stands it looked like a hard fought contest. We just didn’t have enough gas to go the distance. The Auburn pass rush was the difference maker in our offense. Murray just didn’t have enough time make good decisions. AJ Green was open going down the right side on the 4th down hurry up throw, Murray just didn’t have the time to pick him up.
The Auburn fans were gracious as usual, outside of one high testosterone, drunk, obnoxious fellow. W.D.E. for me the rest of the year…..
EdPhil2
November 14th, 2010
4:35 pm
what has happened to the Georgia program and fanbase? I used to associate Auburn more closely to Georgia than any other school. But I was at the 2007 and 2009 games. I have never been treated poorly ANYWHERE. I basically had to fight my way out of a bathroom just prior to kickoff in 2007. Both years our group of 5, 50-ish couples were geered, had stuff thrown on us, you name it. I also remember some gansta dancing during the last few minutes of the 2007 game. For some reason, the Georgia program and fanbase think they are Miami from the mid-eighties. You have become an embarasment to the rest of the conference.
Dawg89
November 14th, 2010
4:36 pm
Richt has class, Chizik doesn’t.
Aaron Murray is a man. I’ve never seen anybody that tough, even in pro football.
Fairly is a thug cheater. I bet his NFL draft stock dropped some with his disgusting performance. He should be suspended by the SEC. You can bet AU won’t do anything. Afterall, they play SCAM Newton.
ugab
November 14th, 2010
4:37 pm
Any word on Murray’s leg? Murray was hit late all game! Cam’s stiff arm was a punch! The 1st score Boykin was being blocked in back. Maybe ga needs to toughin up! This is the SEC. Don’t play dirty! But play tuff! What is going to happen next year without AJ? we seen what happened without AJ.