Q&A: Richt disappointed in pass protection, encouraged by players’ attitudes
Here’s what Georgia coach Mark Richt had to say after Saturday night’s 35-21 loss to Boise State in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game at the Georgia Dome.
Q: Opening statement:
A: “Congratulations to Boise State. They just beat us tonight. They were better than we were and my hats off to them. Our players understand understand that and our players understand that we’ve got to get a lot done before we play next week and open Southeastern Confewrence play. We’ve got a lot of work to do. We know that everybody’s 0-0 in league play. Our goal is to win the Eastern Division and that’s not changing. So we have to get ready for that. Boise State did a great job tonight and I congratulate them. Questions? . . .
Oh, I have an announcement. (Bacarri) Rambo is eligible to play next week. He was suspended for the first game for the usual team rules violation. Carlton Thomas will play next week, too.
Q: It looked like y’all were trying to execute a hurry-up offense and send in plays after the from the line of scrimmage after the defense was set. Was that the case and how’d you think the offense played?
A: “We did try to go up-tempo. Tried to run some no –huddle. We tried to spread it out a little more and get some of our guys out in space. We didn’t have an awful lot of success. Historically, Boise State’s defense has been pretty good. It’s not like they’re not one of the top defenses in America. But I think we’ll continue to do that. I don’t think we’re going to stop trying to do that. No matter what you do offensively, whether you go no-huddle or not, you’ve got to execute, you’ve got to get first downs, you’ve got to make plays. Whether we huddled or not I don’t know if that had any bearing on it.”
Q: What are you most disappointed about?
A: “First of all that we lost the game. I think our protection on third down was a little disappointing. The majority of our sacks came on third down. First and second down I thought we protected pretty good. Offensively that was an issue. Defensively we just couldn’t get them off the field once they got going in the second half. Just didn’t get them off the field enough.
Q: Your defense did not record a sack. Why couldn’t you get any pressure on Kellen Moore?
A: “He’s a very good player so he knows where to go with the ball and when to go there. They protected him well, too. He rarely got knocked down. We forced him a couple of times to throw the ball a little sooner than he wanted to, but we didn’t get any sacks. . . . We didn’t get enough pressure on him.”
Q: How would you assess the running game?
A: “It wasn’t real clean. They did a couple of things differently. They did a little more stunting and late movement. But we just didn’t block it clean enough to give them some space to run. The backs had to earn everything they got.”
Q: Your impressions of Boise State?
A: “We went in having an awful lot of respect for them.. We knew they were a very good football team. They were good on both sides of the ball. Very veteran defensive football team. An awful lot of experience on the offensive side of the ball as well. And they get after it. They did a great job.”
Q: What kind of adjustments do you need to make for South Carolina?
A: “We get a little time to think about what kind of adjustments we’ll have to do. We’ll have to do a better job than we did a year ago on quick screens and things of that nature. But we’ve got time to work on all that.”
Q: What’d you think of playing in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game?
A: “It was a big game, a big atmosphere. I thought the crowd was into it. The kids were excited on both sides. Everybody was excited. There was a lot of buzz around the city, a lot of buzz around the Dome and inside the Dome. It’s a great venue and a great game to play.”
Q: How bad are the injuries to Alec Ogletree and Kenarious Gates and how’d it affect your team’s play?
A: “Ogletree was probably, between Christian Robinson and Ogletree, we couldn’t really afford to lose one of those two guys. The drop off was going to be pretty steep, with true freshmen and a walk-on in there. They’re good kids and they’re busting their tails, but it was a position we felt we really couldn’t afford that type of an injury. I have to get with Ron [Courson] to find out exactly what’s going on with Tree. Gates leaving was not good for Georgia and not good for Gates. But Dallas [Lee] was a guy we felt comfortable could go in there and play guard. I’ll have to watch the filmto see how he did.
“As a coach you don’t want anybody to get hurt, but at certain spots you feel like you might could take a hit and be OK. The linebacker position was one we weren’t too thrilled about losing anybody and, of course, we lost Alec.”
Q: Did you think your team was too hyped up?
A: “I thought both teams were a little overly excited early on and made some mistakes. But I thought everybody settled down relatively quick.”
Q: Did you think poor field position cost you?
A: “We were in a bind. We decided to take the ball first and didn’t get much going. Maybe we were too excited or whatever you want to say and then we were a little backed up. But then we had the long touchdown by [Brandon] Boykin and then we were back to normal field position after that. So it didn’t really cost us.”
Q: Why did you not kick the field goal on the fourth-and-one you got stopped?
A: “I decided to go for it. I did that because I felt like we could get one yard. I also felt like more than likely touchdowns wwere going to be needed to win the game. I know we’ve got a great field goal kicker and he could’ve made that one. Maybe in hindsight we should have kicked. If I had known we were going to get stuffed I would have kicked the field goal at that time.”
Q: How big of a momentum changer was it for Boise State to score at the end of the fist half and the beginning of the second?
A: “It was big. They got a two possession lead. But as early as it was in the second half, it wasn’t like everybody was in panic mode or anything like that.”
Q: How did you think Isaiah Crowell and Malcolm Mitchell did in their first games?
A: “I think both of them did well. I think Isaiah, I’ll have to watch the film, but my guess is he got about as much as he could get out of what he had to deal with. Of course Malcolm made a couple of nice plays. He had the reverse and three catches and a touchdown. He’s a good football player. Those guys got a bright future.”
Q: How do you team get your team up off the mat and motivated after putting so much into this first game?
A: “I was encouraged by the reaction of our seniors especailluy in the locker room afterwards. They were encouraging everybody to get to work. Southeastern Conference play hasn’t even started and it’s a long season. We’;ve got to get our minds right. After a game like this, there’s no question we know more about our team than if we had played somebody we might’ve beaten by 40. So hopefully that will translate into us having a better idea of how to play these types of games and help us see where our weaknesses are.”
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627 comments Add your comment
TampaGator
September 4th, 2011
5:23 pm
CkGator….
Georgia is one of the top 25 elite programs in the country. If they weren’t, they would not be able to get the top recruiting classes they get every year. The problem is not that they aren’t ellite, they are. The problem has been coaching up the elite talent they recruit, which Richt hasn’t except for one year….2006…..and even then, he should have won the national title, not just the Sugar Bowl. They were the best team in the country at the end of that year but did not ge the opportunity to prove it. Florida is a top 10 elite team because they have transitioned the elite talent they recruit into multiple championships in recent years.
TampaGator
September 4th, 2011
5:25 pm
Kick….
Exactly how is Boykin a punk? What he is….is the best player on Georgia’s team. But he should have avoided his public comment. I am sure that fired up Boise even more.
TampaGator
September 4th, 2011
5:32 pm
I guess all you Dawg fans have heard that Sharieff Floyd was ruled ineligible before the game last night for Florida. I guess you are too angry at your coach to rip into him today. His ineligibility has nothing to do with his recruitment or anything related to agents or Florida boosters. My guess is that it has something to do with earning money or taking money or benefits inappropriately as related to NCAA rules. I am sure he will be asked to pay back or give back and will get his eligibility back. But you have to wonder what is going on in these kids minds…..that they would risk making millions in the NFL for a one time opportunity to gain something outside of the rules. But, a lot of these kids come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds and are tempted by opportunities that present themselves. Something needs to be done, but I am not sure what that something is. If Floyd’s eligibility is not restored by the NCAA, Florida’s depth of the DL become more of an issue this year, especially if someone goes down with an injury.
Speaking of the Florida DL…..I watch Dominque Easley last night…..and he reminds me of Nick Fairly….same size and quickness….motor never stops. Even the ESPN announcers made that comparision during the game.
North Georgia Dawg
September 4th, 2011
5:36 pm
It’s time to flush the toilet in Athens! I was at the game and we where not anymore prepared than last year. We lolly-gagged up to the line, we lolly-gagged to the huddle, we lolly-gagged off the field. What does that make us..? Lolly-gaggers! Also, somebody get Jarvis Jones and Isiah Crowell new helmets cause apparently the ones they had would not stay on their freak’n heads!!!!
TechRedNeck
September 4th, 2011
5:47 pm
Doggies, you guys look as bad as us Teckies. Your team should be about as competitive as us by November. It just may be a good game. See you in November. And lets all agree on one thing “KICK OBAMA OUT” !
Big Wally
September 4th, 2011
5:49 pm
I knew we were in trouble when I took one look at Ben Jones. He is so fat he looks like he is pregnant. I have a bad feeling that this years OL is going to make last years OL look good.
BeerDawg
September 4th, 2011
6:03 pm
Look, for all those who ask not to be so negative….how much longer do you expect us to put up with this crap. I’m a FAN…..not a cheerleader!!!
GAmyTHIRDfavorite team
September 4th, 2011
6:05 pm
They were coached and played about the way their new uniforms looked – crummy.
BeerDawg
September 4th, 2011
6:05 pm
North Georgia Dawg….they like their helmets loose. So they can show off their pretty braided locks!!
GAmyTHIRDfavorite team
September 4th, 2011
6:05 pm
Enter your comments here
CHDawg
September 4th, 2011
6:11 pm
Tampa, I had not heard that, but I’ve been busy and had company during our game and didn’t get to concentrate that hard. I have had my eye on Easley since the HS all star game–nobody could block the guy. Not a guarantee, but I suspect he is going to be a great one. Funny enough on your earlier comments, I have a son in Gainesville, and he went to his first Gator game last night. He said, Dad, it was fun and exciting but our (Gator) fans are really obnoxious! They boo the other team when they run out on the field even when they stink (it was FAU) and they don’t let up with the abuse even when they are ahead by a mile. I said son, there is a reason UF wins the most obnoxious fans in CF award every year!
Gman 84
September 4th, 2011
6:13 pm
Can you imagine how bad we’d be if CMR hadn’t spent the offseason studying “cutting edge football”?
Big Old Dawg
September 4th, 2011
6:14 pm
The Dawgs are in real dire shape……..it appeared they had no idea Offensively what they were doing….another well coached game this week, Richt and maybe you’ll see that BooBoo is a bozo!!!
Oh well
September 4th, 2011
6:19 pm
Dawgs and, particularly Richt, will have a long season. Bye Mark. You are a good man, sorry, but bye.
True DAWG fan
September 4th, 2011
6:41 pm
@TampaGator…..I appreciate your and admire the fact that you can apologize for your comments. I miself meant no disrespect in what I said….my 14 yr old son was doing the typing for me,he is just as passionate about Georgia as me.You speak from the head not the heart…something I need to learn as well.Apology accepted…and as a TRUE GEORGIA fan i get a little emotional about the games.The kids are trying too work hard on turning last yr into a bad dream…but fell short,not for lack of talent….but lack of coaching!
hind tit
September 4th, 2011
6:57 pm
The fact is they got beat by a team that had played together four and five years.These guys honor their four year scholarship. They were 25 seniors, 18 of them fifth year seniors on this team. I would guess you would be doing good to find 18 fifth year seniors total in the sec. But no the hot shot sec players red shirt one year, play part time the second year, start the third year and gone either to the NFL or flunk out. Did anyone notice how lucky Auburn was yesterday and what a hard time some of the other sec teams had to win their game. The fact is the top teams in the sec would have a hard time beating Boise yesterday because they have a veteran football team. The sec is on the way down because the players care nothing about anything but making it to the NFL.
LAKE OCONEE DAWG
September 4th, 2011
7:01 pm
Timbodog:
Don’t know that we had the best athletes….Their runningbacks were much better than ours, and their QB is on a level with the guy at Stanford….They have a heck of a team…..Might win it all if somebody gives them a chance….
Return to Glory
September 4th, 2011
7:02 pm
Can we please play defense: 35 points given up 1st game: worst DC possible he makes WM look good. SC will hang 40 plus on us next week. We WILL NOT win anything until our defense is coached prepared and performs up to SEC standards.
bulldawgbill
September 4th, 2011
7:16 pm
This is it for me. Time for Richt to go and his whole staff with him.
Jordan
September 4th, 2011
7:22 pm
http://isportsweb.com/2011/09/04/georgia-loses-to-boise-state/
Hound Dawg
September 4th, 2011
7:28 pm
South Carolina 45, Georgia 17
Why do Richt, Grantham, and Bozo still have a job?
monty
September 4th, 2011
7:34 pm
Bad thing about our defense was they werent doing anything complex on offense. Just executing, they were just way better and coached and conditioned better. Our guys were cramping up like crazy before the 2nd half. Our helmets were flying off. Never seen so many helmets come off. I was thinking there was some defect in them.
monty
September 4th, 2011
7:36 pm
After the Ole Ball Coach and their half back get though with us next week, it’s bye-bye dreams of glory.
Hope DAWGS get slaughtered
September 4th, 2011
7:41 pm
My hope came true and maybe this is the beginning of the end of Mr. Smiley Mark Richt and his butt buddy Bobo……..,
david
September 4th, 2011
7:43 pm
fier bozo let richt call plays
Big Wally
September 4th, 2011
7:45 pm
Well, under Richt, we can’t compete in the SEC lately. Got beat in a bowl game by a Conf-USA team, now lost to a MWC team (albeit a good one). If we are going to keep Richt, then we should move to the Sunbelt Conference. I think we can successfully compete with their teams.
Last 14 Games, 6 W's, 8 Losses
September 4th, 2011
7:46 pm
Boise’s 1st year OC made our Pro DC look like a junior high school coach. I don’t think Grantham can adjust a thermostat.
Richt has turned the “dream” team into a night mare.
Big Wally
September 4th, 2011
7:55 pm
I have a bad feeling that this will be the picture next Saturday. SC with a 3 touchdown lead with 5 minutes left in the game and running the clock out. Ga. will not even score a touchdown. SC fans going crazy, and only a few thousand Ga. fans will be left in Sanford Stadium. Mark Richt will have a blank stare on his face. And of course, Eric Zeier will be comparing South Carolina to the ‘71 Nebraska team.
Football Fan
September 4th, 2011
8:03 pm
Boise State’s starters on the defensive line were outweighed 329-282 on average, but the Broncos recorded six sacks, harassed quarterback Aaron Murray much of the night and limited the Bulldogs tailbacks to 72 yards on 22 carries (3.3 yards per carry) with a long of 12 yards.
Where was the vaunted SEC dominance? The whole recruiting class rankings are way overrated.
Macon Dog in Middle East
September 4th, 2011
8:03 pm
Considering that Boise is an experienced, top-5 team, we did not fair as poorly as some would argue. Still, we should never have worn those horrible Nike uniforms, which made us look like losers! (NOTE: From this point on, no more uniform gimmicks! Besides, the Coach Dooley-designed (silver briches, red helmet w/one white center stripe, et. al.) “traditional” uniform is the most beautiful in all of football, so why “ugly it up?”) OK, get ready: Here comes the Evil Genius again. I want to watch him throw his visor again. I want to beat him and his team badly. Enough of this treading water in the middle of the conference (or lower). All of our “Dream Team” recruits need to step up NOW!
Big Wally
September 4th, 2011
8:16 pm
An article from this same site has a quote from their running back saying they were in better shape than our team. There is no freakin excuse for that. Fire everyone of these fools.
kybodawg
September 4th, 2011
8:18 pm
insanity, doing the same thing over and over and expecting different rersults. re. crowell between the left guard and center 5 plays in a row.
JeffB.
September 4th, 2011
8:24 pm
Well no wonder Murray looks like a dark headed Joe Cox he has Bobo coaching him, Bobo is no QB coach, he was coached under Vince Dooley and all he knew was to run the ball.
Now for the rest of the team, it was the same ole,same ole, no one could line up right, arm tackling and so on. This is all coaching they had 8 months to get ready for this and to come out look this pathetic. NEED CLEAN HOUSE NOW AND HOPE FOR THE BEST THE REST OF THE YEAR. GOD HELP US!!
billcanoe
September 4th, 2011
8:26 pm
The game was bad enough, but those uniforms were like baby one-piece pullovers over diapers. And the helmets looked like something out of a Buck Rogers cartoon of the 50’s.
Get rid of the stupid uniforms and go back to real GEORGIA uniforms and maybe play some real GEORGIA football.
Tired of this crap
September 4th, 2011
8:35 pm
Wow…sounds like directions on the bottle of shampoo…..wash…rinse….repeat….year after year….same comments…different year
TampaGator
September 4th, 2011
8:53 pm
CHDawg…..
If your son is at Florida, then he sits in the student section to the right of the opponent. Most get drunk before the game and act like total JA during the game (like with most students in any college stadium). I would not sit anywhere near there myself. But that section does not represent the remaing 85,000 Gator fans in THE SWAMP. I have attended many, many games in The Swamp, and I see nothing but respect for other teams from the non-students for the most part. Considering booing the other team…..that is what you are supposed to do when they come on the field. Other than that time, the very loud cheering for the Gators covers up any booing of the other team by some drunk student. Florida fans are no more or no more less obnoxious than any other college football fan in America. We all love our teams with total blindness for the most part….including Georgia fans. So get off your high horse with that stuff.
bigroot
September 4th, 2011
8:58 pm
coach fire bobo and call the plays yourself at least go out swinging and go get a defensive coordinator
jojatek
September 4th, 2011
9:13 pm
LOL
Dream Team Weaver
September 4th, 2011
9:16 pm
So how do you guys like the way your dream team is shaping up? Didja like Crowell’s “banana peel scheme?” I wove that one myself. And aren’t those all-red unies just dreamy? That was my touch too. Matches the necks and chewing tobacco labels of the fans. Look, don’t blame me. You WANTED a dream team. I gave you one. OK, so it’s a wet one. A dream’s a dream. Dream on, dawgies.
bigroot
September 4th, 2011
9:17 pm
Coach Ricth first WON with Coach Donnans players after they all finished school and Van Goder left he is showing that he really don’t no how to LEAD a TALENTED FOOTBALL TEAM they are not responding to him,bobo or todd bring in MIKE LEACH
Columbus
September 4th, 2011
9:28 pm
@honestly….Needs to change quarterbacks? Really? You showed your football i.q.
@UGA Alumnus….you were gith on the money. Good team that beat UGA and much more experienced and it showed why they were ranked #5 and UGA was ranked 23rd.
Play calling could have been better for sure but what else is new. Give Bobo one more game….
Everybody chill. Everyone expected you to freakout and panic if UGA lost by more than 7 and you did. Not taking onto account ANY rational facts. The NEXT game is the important one. Not the FIRST ONE OF THE SEASON AND WHEN UGA BEATS SC IN ATHENS, HOPEFULLY YOU WILL SHUTUP THE REST OF THE SEASON!
Give the YOUNG PUPS A CHANCE. IT WAS ONLY 1 GAME AND AGAINST A TOP TEAM IN THE NATION! IT WAS A VERY DIFFICULT SEASON OPENER, NOT UTAH ST OR FLORIDA TECH, OR SOMETHING!
EVERYBODY CHILL!!
September 4th, 2011
9:30 pm
We’uns can still win the national Champyon Ship.
Coach T.
September 4th, 2011
9:45 pm
I’ve been reading about this new drill called wind sprints. It’s quite an amazing drill. Your players run a series of sprints over short distances to build up their conditioning. Who’d a every thunk that, I know I’d never heard of it before. Relax folks, we’re be in shape next year.
DAWG Fan
September 4th, 2011
9:52 pm
Georgia was totally unprepared, if they play this way next week, they won’t be able to stay in the Stadium with SC.
Contractor
September 4th, 2011
10:01 pm
Patheitc excuse for a pass defense. 10 yards, 10 yards, 10 yards, 10 yards. TOUCHDOWN Broncos. Grantham hasn’t proved a dang thing to me or anyone else for that matter. With the money he is getting paid, and the attitude he carries, he isn’t worth a damn. The run defense was pretty great in my eyes, but pass coverage was atrocious just like last year. I don’t understand where our pass rush was, considering they have a Heisman type quarterback that has made a living picking apart defenses.
I still laugh at all the comparisons to size, because this just goes to show you a well coached team that plays hard can beat out athleticism and size every time. Our coaches obviously need to get more emotional and spread it through the players. We came out flat, and were pretty awful. Orson Charles, hair do aside, and Malcolm Mitchell had amazing games, as well as Jarvis Jones on defense. Could name a few more if our ugly ass jerseys actually had names of players, seeing as we have some new guys out there.
Sorry to keep running my mouth, but it hurts putting so much anticipation into this for nine months and having to deal with the same stuff that has been happening. Crappy defense, no emotion out of our head coach, and another whipping at the hands of a team we had potential to play with. Pretty sad when the fans have more emotion than the coaches that are engrossed in this every day of their lives.
BIG JOE
September 4th, 2011
10:10 pm
Same ole crap, different year. It’s amazing some of ‘us fans’ who don’t know a lick about football would’ve fired Bobo 4 years ago, but Richt hasn’t. Richt had his chance last year but instead choose to transfer power of the stength & conditioning program to the video producer. Richt has a big heart & didn’t want to put Bobo on the steet because he knew that he probably wouldn’t be able to find another job making decent money to support 5 kids. Sad truth is, now they’ll BOTH be without a job soon. Sad, bad decision –again.
Big Wally
September 4th, 2011
10:10 pm
Your right Contractor. Our defensive philosophy is to read and react. Let the other team do what they want and maybe we will get lucky. Sitting back and letting him carve us up was just horrible coaching, but should we expect anything different from this bunch?
BIG JOE
September 4th, 2011
10:19 pm
@@@@@@@@@@@@Columbus
UGA has 4-5 star recruits acorss the board. Boise has 3 star guys throughout their roster –not 4-5 star guys. That means on average they are s-l-o-w-e-r and smaller.
UGA is 14-13 in their last 27 game of ranked opponents. Don’t forget that they just lost to Central Florida game before last.
In fact, I believe they are around 2-4 in their last 6 games. Do you see a pattern???
Get off the Kool-Aid.
idiots………
ES
September 4th, 2011
10:24 pm
Guys they did not score 4 of their first 5 possessions and had the better field position.If Bo Bo and the offense had stopped running at their strength:and run outside on them and threw bombs to mitchell instead of Tavares and Wooten we might have had a chance.Bo Bo is the problemand Richts going to ride him out of town!
Big Wally
September 4th, 2011
10:33 pm
Unfortunately, it has come down to when, not if, Right will get fired. I don’t know if McGarrity has the nads, but I know Adams does. Can only hope they hire a coach who will teach fundamentals; blocking, tackling, and knocking the other team on their butt.