What Mark Richt had to say at end-of-season news conference …
ATHENS — Mark Richt officially turned the page to 2011 at his end-of-season news conference Wednesday morning.
“Just want to start out by saying I’m glad 2011 is here,” Richt said. “I’m excited about that. Last season certainly was not anywhere close to what we expected or what we expect here, and it was certainly well below the standard of what Georgia football is all about. I understand that as much as anybody. I’m not happy with the way things went, but I do think in the process of going through what we went through, we’ll be better for it in 2011.”
Despite the team’s 6-7 record this past season, Richt said he has “a greater sense of excitement than I’ve had in a long time,” partly because of changes implemented in conjunction with new athletic director Greg McGarity that Richt said will free him from some administrative duties to spend more time focusing on football in 2011.
“In some ways, I feel like a first-year head coach,” Richt said. “Usually when you come in as the first-year head coach, the administration is coming to you and saying, ‘Coach, what do you need? What do you need to win?’ You wouldn’t think going into your 11th year you’d have that kind of feeling, but that’s what’s going on.
“Instead of me being the new guy, Mr. McGarity is the new guy. And as he has come in, we have had many conversations about what we need to get done to make this program the very best in the United States of America. That revives me; that rejuvenates me; that excites me in a big way.
“We’ve got some things that have been put in place and are being put in place that are going to make us better. And quite frankly things are being put in place that are going to help free me up to [spend] more time doing the things I love the most, which is study the game of football and … be on the cutting edge.”
Richt said director of player development John Eason, a former wide receivers coach, and administrative assistant Dave Van Halanger, a former director of strength and conditioning, will handle certain duties that previously fell on the head coach. Eason serves as the football program’s academic liaison, and Van Halanger heads a new mentoring program for the players.
Also, Richt said, “there are a lot of little things that crop up along the way that sometimes don’t get solved [or] sometimes take too long to solve in my opinion, but now the relationship that I have with Mr. McGarity is helping us expedite some of those things. . . . I am just spending less time messing around with things that Greg will be able to take off my plate from an administrative point of view.”
Richt, though, did not express any intention to take over as the Bulldogs’ play-caller.
“I’m not saying I’m taking over as the [offensive] coordinator or anything like that,” Richt said. “Mike Bobo is the coordinator; Mike Bobo is the quarterback coach, and Coach [Stacy] Searels is the running game coordinator. And they have done a great job . . . so I have confidence in those guys.
“The point I’m making is, I’m going to have the ability to have the time it takes to truly study the game of football, the trends and what’s going on, so a higher percentage of my time is going to be able to be used for that, which is exciting to me.”
Overall, Richt spoke with a confident tone as McGarity and several of Georgia’s associate athletic directors watched and listened.
“We’re not looking to blow anything up,” Richt said. “In my opinion, we are very close. I mean, how many teams have what would be considered a down season one year and the next year they are right there?”
He also stressed the importance of the recruiting class Georgia will sign on Feb. 2.
“You’ve got to get a boost from your recruiting class, your freshman class,” Richt said. “I’ve never been on a championship team that didn’t have guys step up and make a difference.”
– Tim Tucker
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727 comments Add your comment
lawdawg
January 5th, 2011
10:52 am
2nd Verse same as the 1st,either Bozo and Searls have something on Richt or he is a complete Idiot.I thought McGarity had gonads,its easy to act like a big bad athletic director and fire the Volleyball Coach.
Obama
January 5th, 2011
10:54 am
I’ll bring you some of my hopey changey. It’s worked so well for the country. I know it can help your football program.
rincon dawg
January 5th, 2011
10:54 am
I’d feel refreshed if I was getting another 2.8 million. Bobo is his scapegoat for next year folks.
RiffRaff
January 5th, 2011
10:55 am
Has any other school EVER approached UGA about obtaining the services of Mike Bobo or Searels?? I would doubt it.
Mtn Dawg
January 5th, 2011
10:56 am
‘Mike Bobo is the quarterback coach [and offensive coordinator], and Coach [Stacy] Searels is the running game coordinator. And they have done a great job . . . ‘
You’ve got to be kidding!! Great job? I don’t think so! After watching Stanford/Arkansas/OSU/ etc., it is painfully clear that there is no imagination on the offensive side of the line at UGA. Need serious work there.
Just Sayin'
January 5th, 2011
10:57 am
I use Irish Spring, Dial or Lifebuoy when I want to feel refreshed. My wife uses summers eve.
JB
January 5th, 2011
10:57 am
Can’t you hear Saban Telling the press that to get better, I’m handing off some of my paper work so we can get better….LMAO…….We’re doomed…….Bobo and Searles would be fired off ANY top 25 rated program. He’s worried about Bobo’s baby formula bill rather than Georgia Football.
WTF???
January 5th, 2011
10:58 am
“I’m not saying I’m taking over as the [offensive] coordinator or anything like that,” Richt said. “Mike Bobo is the coordinator; Mike Bobo is the quarterback coach, and Coach [Stacy] Searels is the running game coordinator. And they have done a great job . . . so I have confidence in those guys.
This guy must be smoking pot during his free time!!
1eyedJack
January 5th, 2011
10:58 am
He needs to go back and watch the game film of this years games. Searles is not doing a great job. We have gotten poorer on the OL since he’s been in charge. Despite scoring 30+ points on some bad teams Bobo’s play calling is still suspect and his game planning and execution is just this side of horrible.
Bulldog Fan
January 5th, 2011
10:58 am
I heard Osama Bin Laden is available for a coaching position. Kim Jong-il can run the S&C program and be in charge of disipline. Now we’re talking.
Dawgdad (The Original)
January 5th, 2011
10:59 am
With all his free time and studying, I wish he would study up on the importance of special teams. UGA has the worst special teams in the SEC. I think Champ Bailey probably blocked the last place kick or punt. Watching Ark block that kick last night and Florida block one to score on against PSU really made me realize how bad our special teams are. Richt seems to think that defense and special teams are just something you have to survive in order to get to play your boring, unimagitive, tired offense.
Why do we have such a mobile qb and no plays, other than the qb draw that Bobo so loves, to exploit his ability. When is the last time we ran a QB option down in the redzone.
What a load of pure unadulterated crappola from a press conference. Basically, we are going to try to do somethings differently but no specifics. Gethimoutahere!
NORCROSS DAWG
January 5th, 2011
10:59 am
MORE BS FROM CMR! HOW LONG CAN MCGARRITY LETS THIS GO ON? PLEASE GREG,,,TELL CMR ‘it is what it is”(CLASSIC REMARKS AFTER THE CF ASS BEATING) AND FIRE HIS NO HEART ASS! PLEASE GREG! SELAH
Sick & Tired Of Being Sick & Tired
January 5th, 2011
11:00 am
It won’t matter in the big scheme of things that Richt won’t have to do paperwork. He will still be just an average coach with 5 star recruits. 2011 SAME ‘OL….SAME ‘OL…just wait and see.
How about studying the odds of going for it on 4th and inches instead of taking the pu$$y way out?
January 5th, 2011
11:01 am
The point I’m making is, I’m going to have the ability to have the time it takes to truly study the game of football, the trends and what’s going on, so a higher percentage of my time is going to be able to be used for that, which is exciting to me.”
JLAII
January 5th, 2011
11:01 am
gadawgs: My sentiments exactly! What planet is this guy on? Holy cow! How can he not look back at the video of the games we’ve played and see what we all see? From the first game of the year with Louisiana Laughter we were unable to establish a running game. As a matter of fact, their dline spent most of the game blowing our guys back. My 5 year old wouldn’t have had a hole to run through. Searels is horrible! As for BooBoo? His play calling has no luster or creativity! I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Most coaches have a complete sheet front and back loaded with plays. BooBoo could house all his creativity on the front of an index card! Why doesn’t Richt get it? Talent we have had, coaching we have not. I still am a fan of VanGorder! He was awesome in my opinion! Richt has to understand, business is business. If his coaching buds are that good of friends, they should be able to step down so their “bud” doesn’t get canned. Richt’s above words just ruined my day! If I were a recruit, I wouldn’t want to come play for this mess we have assembled. God I love Georgia Football but am so humiliated by what we show on the field. The Colorado loss was bad but the UCF loss made us the laughing stock of the SEC. This is just aweful!
SCAM Newton
January 5th, 2011
11:01 am
” We are very close.” Really………..Really………. Really!!!!!
I would hate to be Katherine Richt
January 5th, 2011
11:02 am
the trends and what’s going on, so a higher percentage of my time is going to be able to be used for that, which is exciting to me.”
JT
January 5th, 2011
11:02 am
Some of you may not be happy with he had to say (or didn’t say), but the bottom line is that he was and is still coming back in 2011 AND he has laid his head firmly upon the chop block. Oops, I meant chopping block. Another year similar to the past 2 and there will be a new coach this time next year. He has apparently decided these are the assistants he wants to go to war with this fall. May not make you happy, but so be it. No point replacing someone now. Besides, a high quality assistant would never willingly leave a job to walk into this situation. We’re likely stuck with what we have for better or worse. We’ll know soon enough if not taking enough time to “study the game of football” and a new commitment to strength and conditioning is what’s been missing.
JB
January 5th, 2011
11:03 am
We’re schedule filler. No more. No less. I wonder when teams will start offering us big money to show and play them. ( you know, for a W against a mid to lower rated SEC team)
dawggirl
January 5th, 2011
11:04 am
“Mike Bobo is the coordinator; Mike Bobo is the quarterback coach, and Coach [Stacy] Searels is the running game coordinator. And they have done a great job . . . so I have confidence in those guys.
This reminds me of some other infamous comment, “Brownie, you’re doing a heck of a job”. Yeah, some great job, running the program into the ground.
Ready for 2012 and a new HC, who will start with an entirely new staff.
An old sales pro
January 5th, 2011
11:04 am
“We want to help you so you can make money, son”. These are the words often spoken to a young sales person who is struggling. I ran a international sales organization for many, many years. I was a MADMAN out of NYC and ATL. Your best folks send in the $$$ business and need no sales management help beyond producing timely and complete shipments and sending their commmission checks on time. They do not need assistance and intense micro managing like CMR is getting right now. This is SPIN.
McGarity is the puppetier. He knows that he must provide everything that Richt needs to win big. What really can he do? HE NEEDS to fire some coaches, rather than moving the chairs around the deck of the Titanic. Joe T as S&C Coach was absolutely McGarity’s choice, period.
Other needed changes:
Hire a Recruiting Co Ordinator. His job soley will be to rebuild fences with high school coaches. Gardner is a failure as a recruiter lately. Fire him.
Hire a NFL caliber D line coach. TG knows who is available. Maybe David Pollack.
Hire a quality O coach …………… maybe Stinchcomb is avaliable.
Hire a quality O co ordinator from the NFL like Florida is doing. Geeeeeeeeez. Bobo will end up as a middle school coach in two more years.
Contracts would have to be broken, so maybe the UGA money is too tight. Dang it.
Go Dogs.
MOTS
January 5th, 2011
11:05 am
More of the same….LOSING!!!
SickandTired
January 5th, 2011
11:05 am
Georgia has become a recruiting school moreso than a football playing school. Every year we hear how great the recruiting class is gonna be and how great it is on signing day and now here today he’s telling us again, recruiting is the paramount thing about Georgia Football. Wake up people, this guy is wasting time and money recruiting players that can’t play and his coaches can’t coach. So let’s just quit kdding ourselves and admit that Georgia is now a middle tier program in the SEC and it’s all under the leadership of Mark Richt. We’re here January after January for the last five years hearing this crap and it’s time for a change. I thought McGarity was the man to change it. Obviously he can’t see the forest for the trees and is either unwilling or incapable of seeing that Mark Richt cannot lead this program forward. He needs to be fired as well as of today. Wow.
NORCROSS DAWG
January 5th, 2011
11:05 am
UGA IS GETTING LAUGHED AT BY ALL MAJOR RECRUITS..CMR IS JUST GIVING THEM MORE TO LAUGH AT…THE OTHER RECRUITING COORDINATORS IN THE SEC ARE EATING UP UGA BECAUSE OF THE WORDS FROM OUR HEAD COACH! PLEASE GREG,,SEE THE LIGHT,,,,HE HASNT SAID ANYTHING WORTH A $HIT SINCE HE TOOK THE JOB 10YEARS AGO..AND HE STILL DOESNT KNOW HOW TO USE HIS TIMEOUTS..MY GOSH,,HOW MANY STUPID GAME DECESIONS OR STUPID QUOTES DO YOU/GREG NEED TO RUN HIS CLOWN BUTT OUT OF HERE! SELAH
80sDawg
January 5th, 2011
11:06 am
CMR was hired as the FOOTBALL coach. What other stuff does he need to clear from his schedule to “study football.” Mock Daily Schedule:
0700-Football
0800-Football
0900- Oh Yea, Football.
That’s all he has to do. Stay off the diving board and out of the Ford Commercials and Study Football!!!
GIVE ME A BREAK
January 5th, 2011
11:07 am
How long has Richt been coaching and just what exactly is he still trying to figure out. Just try to score more points than your opponent.
HeartBrokenDawg
January 5th, 2011
11:07 am
And this is going to translate into wins how?
rincon dawg
January 5th, 2011
11:08 am
Were going to be homecoming opponents to all teams we visit this year.
Sargent Highway Gunny
January 5th, 2011
11:09 am
Cluster f*u*k, sir
Vance Duly
January 5th, 2011
11:09 am
No offensive changes — I suppose that means that after almost every incomplete 1st down pass, we will run between the tackles, leaving us with 3rd and 8 or 9. I suppose that means more idiotic playcalling, such as throwing 11-14 for 220 yards and 3 TDs against Tech in the 1st half on 14 passes, followed by throwing only 5 passes in the entire 2nd half and almost losing the game. (EVEN Coach Richt questioned that during his post-game interview on WSB). I suppose that means continuing to forfeit several drives per game because we insist on going away from what is working to force our mediocre running game on the opponent. I suppose that means driving 95 yards only to settle for a chip shot field goal against a Conference USA team. How about running Carlton Thomas and his 175 pound body up the middle just ONE more time!!?!
If our defense is not MUCH better, we won’t be able to overcome our sluggish playcalling (brilliant at times, predictable and filled with lunacy at others….). Do we have more than 4 running plays?? If you watch some of the other bowls, you’ll see teams with KILLER instincts on offense. We haven’t had that in years, if ever. And, for those who say “we scored plenty of points, over 30 in 7 straight games, blah blah”, we LOST 2 of those games. Scoring 30 isn’t enough if our defense gives up 31. The point is that our offense LEAVES POINTS on the field due to inconsistent playcalling. How could our Offensive Coordinator (if he’s a great one) NOT find some adjustment to make against the undersized defense of CENTRAL FLORIDA!?!?!
Bobo seems to be a good QB coach and recruiter. Let him do those things, and bring in a fresh offensive genius!!! GO DAWGS…!!!
What
January 5th, 2011
11:10 am
Does anyone really think that having “the ability to have the time it takes to truly study the game of football, the trends and what’s going on”, will make the UGA program better in the future? Nothing changes!!! I can’t believe what I’m reading here. CMR has LOST TOUCH with REAL world.
GT51
January 5th, 2011
11:10 am
cmr was optimistic about 2010 – thought uga could win the east. cmr will have less talent to work with in 2011. aj gone. houston gone. gamble gone. 2 sr on off line gone, maybe 1 jr gone. no def line. possibley another 4 or 5 loss season.
king donko of punchstania
January 5th, 2011
11:11 am
Richt and his staff of bumbling idiots all need to be put on a slow boat to a Christian mission in Cambodia. I’d take a 3-headed coaching monster of Ray Goff, Jim Donnan, and that Ramsey clown right about now. Ok, maybe that’s a bit overboard, but either way, UGA football is headed nowhere but down the toilet if Richt and his merry band of morons stays in Athens. Here’s my proposition for all 2011 recruits – drop UGA! If no one signs with UGA this year, it will be a clear statement that no one wants to play for Richt. At that point, the university will have no choice but to make a change.
Al
January 5th, 2011
11:11 am
How many times every week are they having to mow the grass down at Sanford Stadium? Must be a lot with all the BS that CMR is dumping down there.
“Last season certainly was not anywhere close to what we expected or that we expect here, and it was certainly well below the standard of what Georgia football is all about. I understand that as much as anybody. ”
No coach, you don’t get it. Not only is it below standards, it is totally unacceptable and you should admit that publically. Furthermore enough with the platitudes. Tell us WHAT you are going to do! What are the problems and how are you going to fix them. At the very least give us some hope that you have a clue. Simply being a better student of football just isn’t going to cut it with me.
Dr. Phil
January 5th, 2011
11:11 am
The real problem is, Richt is just not very smart. His fix to arrests and lollygagging is “study the game of football.” Richt would be better served studying for the Bar Exam.
ga gator
January 5th, 2011
11:12 am
I am a gator but attend all UGA games with my lady and root for them except during our annual trip to Jax and this even makes me mad.
sandman053
January 5th, 2011
11:12 am
GT51: Have you seen that offensive line block? yeah me neither, so that might not be an altogether bad thing.
collegeballfan
January 5th, 2011
11:13 am
I detect a growing frustration in the Bulldog fanbase.
Is that feeling also in the UGA grads?
There is a real difference. Most coaches could care less about the fans, only the grads matter.
NORCROSS DAWG
January 5th, 2011
11:14 am
HEY GREG AND ANY OTHER CMR LOVERS…….THESE KIND OF COMMENTS FROM OUR HC ARE EXCATLY WHY WE ARE NOT GETTING THE BIG TIME RECRUITS IT TAKES TO RUN A TOP 10 PROGRAM,,AND DO I HAVE TO MENTION THE LACK OF TALENT JUDGEMENT BY CMR AND COACH RODNEY “IM STUPID AS HECK’ GARNER….IT HURTS TO SEE WHAT OTHER RECRUITING COACHES ARE SAYING ABOUT UGA AND GETTING AWAY WITH IT..THE TRUTH HURTS AND IT IS KILLING UGA! SHOULD WE ALL SHOW UP AT MCGARRITY’S FRONT DOOR STEP? WILL THAT GET HIS ATTENTION? OR MAYBE WE NEED CMR TO DO A DAILY PRESS CONFERENCE,,IM SURE THAT WOULD GET HIM OUT OF HERE THE QUICKEST…COME ON GREG! SELAH
sandman053
January 5th, 2011
11:14 am
@ collegeballfan: the grads I spoke to are furious and have been fed up with Bobo calling plays for two years now.
I Bet
January 5th, 2011
11:14 am
Bet you that Nick Saban spends the month of January studying the game of football. Good golly,,,almighty,,,are we hearing what we’re hearing. Please someone tell me that this a very early April Fools joke or something. This is GREAT comedy out of Athens. WILL IT NEVER END? HOW LONG DOES THIS BAD DREAM LAST?
king donko of punchstania
January 5th, 2011
11:14 am
As a graduate and former player, this is unacceptable.
O L E A R Y
January 5th, 2011
11:14 am
if you cannot get it done with A J Green, what will it take? GEEZ
Jeffro Bodeen
January 5th, 2011
11:15 am
“Mike Bobo is the coordinator; Mike Bobo is the quarterback coach, and Coach [Stacy] Searels is the running game coordinator. And they have done a great job . . . so I have confidence in those guys.
What evidence that can be brought forth does CMR have to back up this quote? I’d much rather have him flip us the bird finger while saying “screw you all…I’m doing it my way and you can’t do jack S*** about it”! Gotta go find me a toilet paper tic-tac to get the taste of that line of crap out of my mouth.
Ford Trucks
January 5th, 2011
11:16 am
In the TV Ford Truck commercial where CMR calls his wife and asks her to say Go Dogs …………. next one will be her not answering the phone. Whoops.
He also says that the quiet time in recruiting is when they can call him and his phone does not ring. Whoops. Hey Rodney, what happened with so and so kid that you swore was signing with us?? Whadaymean that he is bolting for KY???
UGA ’s football ship is listing badly. We are all stop in the water. Engine room, engine room ………….. how badly are we hit?
I have seen this before with Dooley in the very late 60s and early 70s and the late 70s and with Goff, Donnan and now CMR. These things happen over time, as it is a natural evolution in coaching college football and UGA within 3 or 4 more years, will still be one of the top four ALL TIME BOWL GAME WINNERS, like ESPN showed on the screen Sunday night. Alabama, the REAL USC and PN State and UGA.
Goooooooooooooooooooooo Dogs. Sic em!
UGA class of 71 & 73
DICK
January 5th, 2011
11:16 am
WE STILL HAVE BOBO. CMR WILL LET BOBO COST HIM HIS JOB.
DIT
January 5th, 2011
11:17 am
Let’s be honest here. It would not really matter what CMR had to say. The bottom line is the product that will be on the field during the 2011 season. We are all tired of the talk! When your only claim during the season is beating a 6-7 tech team…. The ship is hanging on barley.
I want CMR to turn things around. However, my confidence level is at an all time low with him and just don’t see it happening.
I feel that we can have the #1 recruiting class(not saying we are, just an example) and I just don’t see a trip to the SEC CG in 2011. That’s were CMR needs to be to hold onto that job. I have nothing against CMR, he is a great person with great intentions. I just think that he has allowed all the SEC football programs to pass UGA as if we are going backwards!
We will know by the 1st 2 games.
Prove Me Wrong Coach…. I beg you!
UGA92
January 5th, 2011
11:17 am
“One down year”?? Try 3 year slide that isn’t looking like it will stop any time soon.
Richt spending more time “studying the game of football” isn’t going to solve anything. More of the soft language we usually get from him. I’m glad he’s suddenly really excited about coaching, etc., but it might have been good to get that fire back in 2007 before this pathetic run started. Leaders don’t wait for other people to motivate them…and Richt has proven that he’s no leader.
It’s going to be a long off season and potentially even longer 2011 season since we’ll be lucky to finish 7-5.
Go Dawgs. Sigh.
coachx
January 5th, 2011
11:18 am
The DAWGS will be back in 2011 !!!!!!
Then you all will be saying you never had any doubt in CMR ability to turn it around bla, bla, bla.
What a joke!
January 5th, 2011
11:19 am
Blah.. Blah.. Blah.. This is the same crap we are fed after every joke of a season! Bobo did a great job? Seriously? He just doesn’t get it. We will be a joke of a team again next year and he will be gone soon enough.