Attitude and defense are better, Dogs say
ATHENS – Thursday night’s post-practice interviews brought upbeat assessments of two key components of the Georgia football team: its attitude and its defense.
- Without naming any past offenders, inside linebacker Christian Robinson made it clear he likes the attitude of this team better than last year’s.
Christian Robinson is a projected starter at inside linebacker. (AJC photo/Curtis Compton)
“I think the guys that are here and that are playing right now and that coach [Todd] Grantham has trust in are those guys that stayed positive and kept working,” Robinson said. “Our whole thing is just being intense and doing what you’re supposed to, and I think the guys we have out there at this point are those guys who will make those plays and do what they’re told.
“I mean [if you have] a cancerous attitude, if you don’t have the right attitude, if you’re a ‘me’ guy –- we can’t have that. . . . I think the guys we have right now are the guys that are going to do it right, and you don’t have to worry about having off-the-field issues, things like that. The guys that are here, that are going to stay here, that are doing the right thing — we don’t have to worry about. And if they do [wrong], they know the consequences.”
Robinson suggested an issue with “people talking down” in the locker room last year.
“It’s a general attitude,” he said. “I think that at this point the guys we have are going to talk positive. There are going to be days you’re tired, you don’t want to be out there, it’s hot and the coaches are on you, and I think everybody is mature enough in this group that when you go out there it’s time to work and [coaches] are going to push you and you just got to deal with it.
“I think the guys we have here . . . know how to contribute to the team where it’s not all about themselves. I think we have guys that care about each other.”
- Meanwhile, coach Mark Richt made it clear he is encouraged by what he has seen from the defense in the first three sessions of spring practice. The unit spent last year adjusting to Grantham’s 3-4 scheme.
“You can already see the kids are getting better at … the technique of their job, of their position,” Richt said. “You’ve always got to learn what to do first, and then you’ve got to learn how to do it well. Last year there was a whole lot of time spent on just knowing what to do, and now that they have a better idea of what to do, they’re learning how to do it better. So techniques are improving. I think that’s the biggest thing I see defensively.
“And they are playing faster. They are playing with a little more certainty as to what they’re doing, so they’re able to turn it loose a little bit better.”
Reflecting on last season, “I don’t know if we ever turned it loose as a [defensive] group,” Richt said. “There were probably certain moments in time when it looked like we were getting it, but as an entire group, I don’t know if we ever played as fast as we hope we will this year. I think we’ll do better this year in that regard.”
– Tim Tucker, AJC
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
375 comments Add your comment
david
March 25th, 2011
8:43 am
Timbodawg-
your post is too dumb to be worthy of commenting on, but I’m bored. That “barney fife” head coach is the greatest in uga history, and one of the top 5-10 in the nation currently. It’s cool though, you obviously are the man.
J
March 25th, 2011
8:43 am
Is Richt right? Was it “techniques” that led to 6-7, or strategy?
Richt for life!
March 25th, 2011
8:44 am
I am a Georgia fan, and a Richt fan. And a very reasonable one at that. Richt is a damn good coach, he’s not as dumb as everyone thinks. If he doesn’t turn it around this year, I’ll be there waiting to pack up his office with you. But he will turn it around and will sign a contract extension after the year is over.
david
March 25th, 2011
8:44 am
“J” is probably a loud mouth walk-on turd that got cut. Robinson must’ve been talking about him.
J
March 25th, 2011
8:44 am
Being encouraged by defense, is another way of saying offense isn’t clicking.
DawginLex
March 25th, 2011
8:45 am
Well, thanks to J, another blog ruined.
Ignore
I’m out.
Congratulations J. Enjoy talking to yourself the rest of the day
J
March 25th, 2011
8:45 am
david is probably robinson.
Snoop Dawg
March 25th, 2011
8:45 am
Same Richt Koolaid every year. I want less talk and a lot more action. Deeds, not words… Richt’s Stratcom is a little tired after this long…
kb
March 25th, 2011
8:47 am
fansince59, sounds like they got rid of attitudes like yours.
J
March 25th, 2011
8:47 am
Auburn’s defense wasn’t good last year. They won the National Championship. Something tells me Richt still has no clue how to win anymore in the SEC, that’s why you go 6-7. Maybe it’s OFFENSE?
Snoop Dawg
March 25th, 2011
8:48 am
Anybody with a blog name like Richt for Life is a sad puppy and is indubitably in need of psychiatric counseling and rehabilitative therapy… Somebody please give him a blanket…
J
March 25th, 2011
8:48 am
Auburn’s offense averaged 42 points a game against winning teams.
Richt’s got 18 a game.
Maybe that’s a problem, PERHAPS?
J
March 25th, 2011
8:49 am
This offense will never click with 6-7 Murray leading. Winners win.
J
March 25th, 2011
8:50 am
At 18 a game against winning teams, the offense didn’t “turn it loose” either, huh?
Timbodog
March 25th, 2011
8:51 am
david,
We went 6-7 last year with the best receiver in the country (a guaranteed top 10 pick, possibly top 5 pick), one of the best pass rushers in the country (another 1st round lock, probable top 20 pick), 3-4 other mid-round picks (Dent, Boling, Gamble, Wood), another fringe guy (Durham), one of the most talented O-line groups around (according to “experts” at least, although they certainly don’t seem to play that way), and consistent top 10-rated draft classes.
You call that the work of a “top 5-10 in the nation” head coach? And who made the dumb post?
J
March 25th, 2011
8:51 am
Richt blaming last year’s ills on defense, classic.
Robinson blaming 6-7 record on teammtes.
Classic.
PeePants the hobo clown
March 25th, 2011
8:52 am
When they simplified things defensively late last year,the team seemd to play better. Another year in a new system, adding players specific to this defense and getting rid of bad attitudes (which has a huge effect) will go a long way towards improving things overall.
This incoming set of LB’s are going to be GREAT. We’ve added excellent talent all over the place,so I’m not worried. Mark Richt is one of the most successful coaches in college football. sure other coaches (SEC) have won NC’s but I still think the best is yet to come.
Richt for life!
March 25th, 2011
8:53 am
Snoop, maybe some of us just aren’t in the habit of bashing one our greatest coaches ever. You guys are always thinking the grass is greener on the other side when we already have an outstanding coach. Yes he has some things to work out but I’d rather him do it than bring in somebody new and have them blow the whole system up. IF Richt gets fired this year (won’t happen) then you guys will be whining about the next guy. Open your eyes.
Paul N Destin
March 25th, 2011
8:53 am
Mark Richt has a discipline problem and has for years. Way too many UGA football players don’t respect the coach and the other players know the situation. Perhaps Grantham can do what Richt can’t. If not then expect Richt to be fired and he should at the end of 2011. UGA is a attractive job so finding a good coach would not be a problem.
AltamahaDawg
March 25th, 2011
8:54 am
I do agree with timmy on one thing. It’s not all about Richt. If UGA does well/poor this year, he will only be a part of that story. I do however think he can’t see his own guilt of elavating Richt above his actually place, from a -just being Georgia fan perspective.
Walker
March 25th, 2011
8:55 am
What if it’s not attitude & defense?
gdawginkalamazoo
March 25th, 2011
8:57 am
Good God people leave Robinson alone will you. The kid says that the attitude has changed from last year. We know what last year’s attitude brought us regardless of who it was coming from.
Don’t worry about Grantham’s work history. He did damn fine job with the Cowboys when he was there. Everybody gets fired in Cleveland. Hell they even fired Paul Brown.
Looking forward to next season. We have some great players with great attitudes coming in. Top notch players that want to play at UGA.
dawgfan
March 25th, 2011
8:58 am
I tried to read this crap but this is all I heard: “Yap, yap, yap. Yadda, yadda, yadda. Blah, blah, blah.”
It just seems like we’ve been down this road before. After we went 8-5 everybody thought THAT was the end of the world. The coaches and players said all the same things about a change in attitude and better effort. I’m just not buying it anymore. If this team is serious about turning things around I don’t think they’d be running their mouths in the press so much. I really don’t. I hate to be so negative but I’m just sick of all the talking.
Thanks.
david
March 25th, 2011
8:58 am
Total 90
27 .769 48-19* (.716)
*Includes 2-1 in SEC Championship games
Top 10 coach
david
March 25th, 2011
9:00 am
If you butt clowns had the internet in Vince’s day you would’ve tried to run him off multiple times.
Timbodog
March 25th, 2011
9:01 am
gdawg,
You’re right. I can’t hold Grantham’s time in Cleveland against him. But at the same time I can’t exactly hold it up as a shining example either. And it’s the only time he’s been a defensive coordinator before.
He did a pretty good job in Dallas with the D-line, but the linebackers (specifically Demarcus Ware) were the real strength of that D.
I am not down on Grantham; I am just being cautious. We will definitely be better this year; but I am not sure if we will be leaps and bounds better.
Bubba J. Dawgman
March 25th, 2011
9:03 am
Thank you David! Some of these “fans” wouldn’t know a good coach if Vince Lombardi punched em in the mouth.
and I hope UGA players or recruits don’t read these blogs. Some of you guys are just embarrassing.
Timbodog
March 25th, 2011
9:03 am
Thanks for spitting some numbers at me with NO context, David…
You completely neglected to answer my question.
Wouldn’t a “top 10 coach” (you did at least concede that he is not a top 5 coach, haha) do better than 6-7 with all that talent?
AltamahaDawg
March 25th, 2011
9:03 am
Zoo, you need to check with your 12 yr old cousin before commenting on Grantham.
DawginLex
March 25th, 2011
9:05 am
Are we done now with the nursery school time?
We can debate this ad nauseum. Last year was a run of bad luck in close games. We were only really blown out by Auburn.
The rest were winnable.
4th quarter, if you can run the ball and be physical, you can eliminate opportunities for the opponent to get the ball back and score.
Ray Goof
March 25th, 2011
9:05 am
Can any of these bozos even read?
UGA 05'
March 25th, 2011
9:05 am
J. You are totally wrong. Robinson is making a comparison. Saying if we gonna be like the players with the poor attitude then we’ll wind up 6-7 again. He wasn’t blaming the whole season on anyone. Give the kid a break for trying to motivate his team. J, you my friend are a cancerous attitude to the bulldawg nation. Just like every one else on here who post negative things.
Timbodog
March 25th, 2011
9:06 am
I can now see what the numbers mean. They broke weird when you posted them. Regardless, look at the trend, David.
Since better coaches (Meyer, Spurrier, Saban, now Chizik) have entered the league, those numbers have trended downward every year.
DawginLex
March 25th, 2011
9:07 am
UGA 05, don’t respond to J. He is a troll who will only post the same negative comments over and over and never respond to you
JB
March 25th, 2011
9:07 am
I’ll come back when we start talking football again. Geez
YardDawg
March 25th, 2011
9:07 am
Before Richt gets too pumped about how good the D looks, he should remember who is running the O that the D is looking so good against . . . Mr Run-up-the-middle-on 2nd and 12.
Timbodog
March 25th, 2011
9:07 am
Am I “Zoo?”
And why is that?
Who Cares
March 25th, 2011
9:09 am
With Richt’s track record the last 3 seasons, and all the bad decisions he has made in hirng and promoting assistants, i’m not sure his opinion matters anymore. This coaching staff has been outcoached some many times the past 3 seasons, and honestly there is no credibility with UGA fans and the local and national media. If Richt was a CEO of a major company, he would have been fired along time ago with the terrible decisions he has made on game day and on promoting assitants(Bobo&Martinez). And none of the stockholders would put any weight into what he had to say anymore, they would see if the bottomline improved or he would be history. In business it’s what have you done for me lately, and it should be the same for a head coach making 3 million per year at a major school. I’m tired of these UGA fans talking about how he won 2 SEC championships, the last being 6 years ago. This coach and this staff have done nothing the past 3 years to earn respect, and what have you done lately hopefully applys to our new A.D., but based on his remarks about we have been losing close, i don’t think he is the right man either. THe hits just keep on coming for UGA fans!!
Molly
March 25th, 2011
9:09 am
Boys, only positive comments ok? Telling the truth will not help, let’s just say a bunch of positive things that have no basis. At least I’ll feel better about the season. Please don’t tell the truth on a blog.
Molly
March 25th, 2011
9:11 am
Everything’s perfect this year, there are no more problems, smell the flowers.
Bowler
March 25th, 2011
9:12 am
Ok, let’s now let the positive guy with all the fake names, blog for 10 pages about how great Georgia is like he does here each day.
david
March 25th, 2011
9:12 am
Timbo-
Possibly. Speaking of out of context, you neglect to mention a freshman quarterback, brand new defensive staff and scheme, 4 game suspension of some of that talent, and a dominant league to contend with.
And I don’t buy the talent angle. Let’s examine that.
1st round receiver- never makes a team dominant.
1st round DE- only helps make a team dominant if there is a war daddy elsewhere on the dline.
Other than that, what talent?
I see a young team taking their licks with a staff growing together.
AltamahaDawg
March 25th, 2011
9:13 am
My first look at that photo, I though the boy was hurling. Or was hoping.
Dogs Smell
March 25th, 2011
9:14 am
Scooter McDoogle
I’m Not a Techie, Just a realist and obviously the truth hurts !
Great compliment paid to Richt by J
March 25th, 2011
9:15 am
J posted that UGA could have gone 12-1 with Mett as quarterback. Yet Richt did not compromise his principles or show favortism in discipline even at the expense of a national championship J said we would have won.
Don’t think you will find many coaches that would sacrifice a NC like that. As a Georgia fan, I appreciate J standing up for Coach Richt like that.
mark, mark-TheHairLipDog
March 25th, 2011
9:15 am
Yeah, yeah, yeah. The same old song and dance from juvenile, dumb dog fans. Most cannot compose a comment wihtout a personal insult. It is spring practice stupes. You have not “finished the drill” yet. None of you have a pair much less a brain. The dogs ain’t jack.
Timbodog
March 25th, 2011
9:15 am
david,
That freshman QB was our best player. Not an excuse in my eyes.
GT1977
March 25th, 2011
9:15 am
You don’t hear CPJ or any tech players spitting this garbage. CPJ will tell you straight up if his team stinks. We turn it around before you losers and you hire Tommy Bowden or somebody else worthless. You guys have the worst fans ever. I’ll tell you right now that I hate you all, but even your “fans” bash on the greatest coach you’ve ever had and players for that matter. You don’t deserve a good team.
Aunty Dawg
March 25th, 2011
9:15 am
A few salient comments:
1. Four different SEC teams have won the last five BCS championships.
2. UGA was not one of those teams.
3. During that period, UGA did not win the SEC championship.
4. During that period, UGA did not even win its SEC division.
5. Red panties.
In other words, UGA has sunk into total irrelevancy both regionally and nationally.
And the players still can’t read or write.
So why is UGA paying Mark Richt millions of dollars a year?
Steve
March 25th, 2011
9:17 am
This year will be the year! 14-0!