UGA’s Richt volleys ‘must-win’ questions, players defend their coach
Georgia coach Mark Richt found himself on the defensive for a brief time in Tuesday's press conference. (Photo provided by DawgTime.com)
ATHENS – Just three days after Georgia’s season-opening loss to Boise State, Georgia’s Mark Richt is already getting the type of questions reserved for November of a horrific season.
Twice Richt was asked during his weekly press conference Tuesday if he felt Saturday’s game was critically important to him as the Bulldogs’ head coach.
Phrased a different way by two different reporters three minutes apart, Richt gave the same terse answer.
In the first case, Richt was asked if he viewed the South Carolina game as “pivotal for you and your program.”
“I view it as a very important game,” he said, without further elaboration.
A short time later, a reporter from a South Carolina newspaper asked if Richt felt like it was “a must-win game.”
“Didn’t I just say it was a really important game?” Richt snapped back.
“But is it a must win?,” the reporter repeated.
“I think it’s a really important game,” Richt said, now glaring. “You want to ask me again? Because you can, and I’ll answer it the same way.”
And so the tone was set for this week’s SEC opener against No. 12 South Carolina (1-0) at Sanford Stadium on Saturday.
It could be argued that the game was already markedly more important than the opener against Boise State. But after the Bulldogs (0-1) fell 35-21 to the No. 4-ranked Broncos, the perception is that Richt’s job is on the line against the Gamecocks.
That’s certainly the message that Georgia’s players are getting. And they left little doubt Tuesday as to where they stand on the issue.
“We always try to play for Coach Richt, seeing how much he’s done for us,” said junior defensive end Abry Jones.
Said senior tight end Aron White: “I feel like we’re defending Coach Richt just like he defends us. We’re playing for him just like he’s coaching for us. We’re behind him 100 percent. I have complete confidence that all the players on this team are playing for Coach Richt, regardless of what we might agree with or not agree with. He’s still our coach, we’re still his players and we’re in this together. We have full support for him, We’re pulling for him, we’re playing for him, we’re doing everything we can.”
The fan reaction to the Bulldogs’ loss on social media platforms and blogs has been prolific and vitriolic. Likewise, it has been nearly impossible for players and coaches to avoid the negative feedback.
“I didn’t even check my Twitter account,” tight end Orson Charles said. “We know everybody we have in that team meeting room is all we have. If things are going right everybody’s going to jump on board. If they’re going wrong then that’s when things start breaking down. I just pray that the fans stay behind us. Yeah, we let them down in that first game. But I don’t see us letting them down the rest of the season. We just have to come out there and bounce back from this loss.”
Said White: “We catch a good bit of it, now more than ever. I remember coming in in ‘07 and they were coming off disappointing season and there were a lot of people saying a lot of crazy stuff back then. It just comes along with the territory. You have a bad season, you lose games and people are going to talk. You’ve just got to rise above it. You’ve got to tune it out and realize you’re playing for the guys in that locker room.”
Regardless, the players insist fan sentiment and negativity won’t have an effect on how they play against the Gamecocks. As always, it will come down to blocking, tackling and execution.
“We’re not trying to worry about that,” quarterback Aaron Murray said of the hot-seat talk. “We’re just taking it one game at a time. We just know it’s a big game just for ourselves, to get back rolling in the right direction, to get a win under our belts and to get a big win against a great opponent in an SEC game. It’s a huge game. We definitely don’t want to start 0-2 an you don’t want to start 0-1 in SEC play, especially against a team like South Carolina that’s predicted to win the East. We just want to get the ball rolling and get a big win this weekend.”
– Chip Towers
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813 comments Add your comment
dawg7
September 6th, 2011
4:01 pm
“How do you like me now!!!!!!!!!!!
Dawgdownsouth
September 6th, 2011
4:01 pm
I’m Just dissappointed that we were promised at the end of last season that we would see a different attitude & different performance by both the players & the coaches but?………………………… looked like the same lazy, out of shape, out of position, lack of effort, lack of desire, team that lost to Central Florida in the Bowl game . Nothings changed in eight months, when we know this could be a great team with the caliber players we have. Whats the key ingredient thats missing???? Lack First Rate Coaching is the area id look to change. Offensive play calling is they area we are suffering the most the defense actually played well in the first half but all the 3 & outs the offense had in the second half wore them out
True Bulldawg Supporter
September 6th, 2011
4:01 pm
It is funny how so many people prior to the opening game has made the statement that UGA’s first two games are their toughest, even predicting them to go 10-2 after most likely losing the first two games. Then they talk about firing the Head Coach because we lost to the #5 Team in the Nation that is supported by a Heisman Candidate Quarterback. Instead of calling for the heads of the coaches and sending nasty messages to the players, Support the whole team. IF you can’t support the whole team, find another team to support.
GT Fan
September 6th, 2011
4:03 pm
I hope Richt remains coach for UGA for years to come. I think he is awesome!…
Go Jackets!!!!
14 Games 6 W's, 8 LOSSES
September 6th, 2011
4:04 pm
DawginLex
Give Garcia a brake, the kid is trying to turn his life. He is clean shaven, cut his hair and is going to class. BTW he also brought his team back from 17-0, Murray no so much. Pick on some one your own size.
Lil Dawg
September 6th, 2011
4:04 pm
After watching SC play and watching my dawgs play, I’m afraid my dawgs better be ready are it will be another a@@ whipping.
Bo-bo needs to go!
Mobile Dawg
September 6th, 2011
4:04 pm
First, there is a MD poser @3:34. Now Lowcountry, I respect you man but I’m tired of hearing excuses for CMR, and that isn’t aimed at you, he deserves every once of criticism he’s getting. Why does a man get thin skinned and defensive, it’s because he knows what is being said is true. He doesn’t have a clue what to do, IMO he’s scared. I think he knows he’s failed and is having a hard time dealing with it. The last thing these kids should have to do is come to the defense of their coach.
Second, the kids do deserve our support, I agree emphatically. What’s debatable among us is what the kids are getting from Richt. I guess it just depends on what we think they should take away from their experience at UGA. I can’t tell you that, I’m just looking at it from the football perspective which may be wrong. This staff is not putting these kids in a position to win games IMO.
Carlton
September 6th, 2011
4:05 pm
Richt’s decline started at the end of the ‘05 season after the Sugar Bowl win against FSU. After that, he lost all the players Donnan had recruited, he stopped calling the offensive plays himself, he began taking on waayy more responsibilities than he needed to outside of coaching, and he was a year removed from letting Brian VanGorder leave as D-Coordinator.
After all these things occurred, UGA began to slide and Richt began recruiting and expecting to win solely on the talent they recruited. Anyone else notice how all the big names the past 4 years haven’t stayed past their junior season? Green, Stafford, Moreno, Houston, etc..that’s because they know the coaching isn’t worth a darn and they want to get their money in the NFL rather than stay around the sinking ship. You can recruit big high school prospects all you want by using the “brand” of UGA and the promise of making it to the NFL through one of the 4 major programs in the country that is considered an NFL pipeline all you want, but if you can’t coach them in college, it won’t mean a darn for the players when they get there, or the institution you are trying to win with and the fans you are trying to appease.
If Richt doesn’t win against SC this Saturday, he’ll still have a chance to win the next 10 (and on paper, soft) games on the schedule, but even a win over UF, UT, and GT this season and 10 won’t do much to quell the Bulldawg Nation’s understanding that we are not an elite program anymore.
Why is this happening??
September 6th, 2011
4:07 pm
Answer to the questions is: We lack top quality Offensive linemen AND WE LACK some depth on the same. This is due to mis reads on kids like OT Benedict that left after having a catostrophic HS knee injury, then as a Frosh red shirting and then, it not “healing” enough to suit Daddy. This is due to kids simply quitting and walking away and career injuries to kids like Trinton Sturdivant who just never played 100% healthy.
Richt has not gone out and recuited HS O linemen in sheer numbers, if only to have them on the squad for depth. This is why we have maybe 7 or 8 TOTAL O line guys and most are in the Journeyman category. We saw that Saturday night and will view it again vs SC on Saturday. That lackluster O line performance was not an abberation but a constant with his particular bunch. They are second and third team linemen on most squads. This is why Tracey Searels QUIT for U of Texas. He knew that this year would be very ugly due to 0 quality linemen. Three or four O linemen at UGA left after he left, making the situation far worse.
CMR is 100% repsonsible for this lack of O line recruiting and his sub standard coaching staff. HE MUST GO.
UGA will be fine come 2012 and 2013, as we do have a core nucleus of skilled stars and with some bad ass coaching and some JUCO O linemen in sheer numbers, we should be fine going forward. Richt must be fired after the SC game, however. Then, we can search for the right guy all year lond.
Go Dogs
UGA class of 71 & 73
Just askin
September 6th, 2011
4:07 pm
Carlton just when has UGA been an elite program?
Beast from the East
September 6th, 2011
4:08 pm
“I just threw up a little…………”
DawginLex,
Better get used to that taste.
DawinLexEatenByGator……gonna be sweeeeeet!!!!!!!!
ga gator
September 6th, 2011
4:09 pm
Beast, Lex is reasonable; show some class dude!
UGA Law Dawg
September 6th, 2011
4:09 pm
Mark Richt: ” someone stole my .MOJO! Have you seen my MOJO?”
gdawginkalamazoo
September 6th, 2011
4:09 pm
Maybe if everybody sends them enough crap on tweeter they will stop using and focus on football.
Hey coach, THIS IS A MUST WIN game. Play it like a must win game. If you do what would you do different?
How many plays did we run in the redzone Sat. night?
How many completions did Moore have? 28? No sacks?
Tell Grantham that the 3-4 defense doesn’t mean we spot them 34 points.
lawzoo
September 6th, 2011
4:09 pm
Turnovers could be the key.
Joe T
September 6th, 2011
4:10 pm
Dont worry fans. I was able to have a sandwich with the Strength coach at Boise and he told me what they did during the offseason. So Im going to put that in place this Winter. So we will be ready to go next year. Be patient. I’ve watch all the films from the last 10 years and I truely believe we are building a program that will be the best in the East over the next 5 to 10 years. I may even do a push up or two. I’ve also got an inside line on what is going on at Wake Forest. So dont worry. Be happy!! Go Dawgs!
Lil Dawg
September 6th, 2011
4:10 pm
Richt’s biggest problem is BOBO and he is to loyal to his Coaches and players. He needs to get tough and kick some A@@ to keep his job.
Nothing Could Be Finer
September 6th, 2011
4:11 pm
Turnovers could be the key.
——————————————
Yes, but I expect SC to have a better grip on the ball this week.
DawginLex
September 6th, 2011
4:11 pm
I just traded my UGA season tickets for two autographed RANDY RHINO collector cards. If I had only single game tickets they would have thrown in a free Chriopractic exam from RHINO himself.
Lil Dawg
September 6th, 2011
4:11 pm
@4;10 lol
invictus mon
September 6th, 2011
4:11 pm
I went to Air Force where we only had 4 plays: Option Left, Option Right, Pass, Punt. Our playbook there was more diverse and unpredictable than the playcalling from BOBO the other night. He’s just in over his head. 8 months after not scoring a touchdown in a bowl game you had 4 weeks to prepare for, you start the first possession with 2 false starts and a delay of game? Wow coach, what have you been working on? Do you not know you’re on the hotseat?
Beast from the East
September 6th, 2011
4:12 pm
ga gator,
You don’t have to defend Lex to me. He’s a stand-up guy. It’s a little bet he and I made a couple of months ago about which team (UF or UGA) would win the most games this year. Let me enjoy it while I can. UGA’s schedule gets much easier while ours gets MUCH harder. I may very well be eating crow in about 60 days. It’s all in good fun!
Gatorbait 18-3
September 6th, 2011
4:13 pm
Beast from the East
September 6th, 2011
3:55 pm
DawginLexEatenByGator……….coming soon to a blog near you!
Beast, it will happen sooner than you think. 1st Spurrier will eat his dawgs alive and the SC will eat his cats, next the Gators will do the same thing. oooooooooooooooooch
DawginLex
September 6th, 2011
4:13 pm
14 Wins
Tell me that Garcia would still be on the team after 5 suspensions if he was a 3rd string defensive back.
NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He would be playing at furman or wofford.
Spurrier is desperate and is a smug hypocritical a$$hole.
He deserves to get his a$$ kicked weekly
jackson
September 6th, 2011
4:14 pm
@ Soon 2B Idaho resident
Maybe you are correct but at least we could have said we did everything to win. A loss is a loss. I guess I have a bit of a riverboat gambler in me in the aspect that you may beat me but at least you’ll know I was there. The game was decided in the first drive of the second half. At that point, I am doing everything I can to create pressure, a turnover, anything positive to bring energy back into the playing field.
DawginLex
September 6th, 2011
4:14 pm
4:11 ain’t me
My admirier from the Tech blog is back stalking me again
ga gator
September 6th, 2011
4:15 pm
Sorry Beast; you are right we will probably be getting ours vs Bama first, then the next week in Baton Rouge.
Beast from the East
September 6th, 2011
4:15 pm
DawginLex,
I know one thing…..Spurrier never suspended ANYONE 5 times while at UF. They would have been long gone. He’s changed quite a bit over the years.
Chuck
September 6th, 2011
4:15 pm
here is some feedback that will hopefully make its way back to the players and coaches:
Orson- we have not given up on you, the team or the coaches. That said, it is very concerning that with 8 months to prepare- we come out looking like we did against UCF.
White- Please know that most of the true fans are behind this team and coaches and want you to suceed. I contribute hard earned money to UGA and this football team- so No- its not just you and the others in the locker room. Maybe get a bit humbled instead of the us against them mentality. We are all in this together.
Mr. Murray; As the leader of this team- might I suggest that we stop all the talk of how great this one and that one is and tweeting oposing head coaches and just go out and prove it on the field. Its easy for you to dismiss fan reaction and to not worry about what fans think but again, that is puting a divide between this team and the majority of fans that are in this with you. We are just so tired of smack talk and not going out and backing it up. Great teams dont smack talk. Did you smack talk at Plant when you were on your way to State Championship? Did any of your teammates tweet one of the opposing coaches daring him to do anything??????
Bottom line- we want to win and do it with class. lets put Boise behind us ALL and go handle carolina.,.
Bobo
September 6th, 2011
4:16 pm
Old Jeff Gordon wins Atlanta 500 today…..
P-Man
September 6th, 2011
4:16 pm
Well. let’s see Just Askin…
UGA was ranked #2 at the end of 2007. That’s pretty elite. They won SEC titles in 2005 and 2002. That’s pretty elite. They had an undisputed national championship in 1980, and a 43-4-1 record from 1980-1983. That’s pretty elite. They won SEC championships in 1966, 1968, and 1976. That’s pretty elite. They won the SEC in 1959 with a 10-1 record. That’s pretty elite. In the 40s, they won the SEC 3 times (42, 46, and 48). That’s pretty elite. I could go on. They’ve had several undefeated seasons in their history. That’s pretty elite. (Ask Florida fans how many they have had!)
Except for dry spells in the 50s and the 90s, the Dawgs have done pretty well for themselves through the years.
BALDYB
September 6th, 2011
4:18 pm
I READ BEN JONES INTERVIEW. HE SAID LINE WAS CONFUSED THE WHOLE GAME NOT KNOWING HOW TO ADJUST TO SOME OF THE ALIGNMENTS AND STUNTS. HE SAID THEY WATCHED FILM ON SUNDAY AND FIGURED IT OUT. THOSE ADJUSTMENTS SHOULD HAVE BEEN MADE DURING THE GAME. GOOD LUCK THIS SAT.
DawginLex
September 6th, 2011
4:18 pm
DawginLex after awl you are one cool guy.
jackson
September 6th, 2011
4:18 pm
@ True Bulldawg Supporter
It’s not that we lost the game, it’s how we lost the game.
Beast from the East
September 6th, 2011
4:18 pm
ga gator,
I think we’ve got a CHANCE against Bama if we take care of the ball. At Baton Rouge? Not a chance in heck after what I saw this weekend. They looked awesome considering the turmoil and suspensions.
Charlie Hayes
September 6th, 2011
4:18 pm
I agree. Why didn’t our offense adjust by calling some slip screens, half back passes in the flats, double tight end seam routes and roll Aaron Murray out away from pressure. This would have caused the BSU LB’s to play back off the ball so we could block the front four with our O-line and execute. Bobo didn’t make any adjustments, just a couple trick plays to try and get the rhythm going.
The D didn’t make any adjustments at all to the short yardages passes. I thought Willie was on the sideline with his “bend-but-don’t-break” D schemes. Why didn’t Grantham go to a bump-n-run in cover 2 or man coverage instead of all the zone that we were playing. The BSU receivers could recognize the zones and squat in the soft spots waiting for a 5 to 10 yard pass and keep moving the chains.
UGA got out coached, not out played. The players made plays (Boykin, Mitchell, Jones and etc). The coaches didn’t do their part in the BSU game. We are gonna see what this team is really made of this week against USC. I just hope that Bobo and Grantham are taking their jobs seriously and making adjustments this week. If not, Richt will be out since they couldn’t plan or adjust properly for the games.
UGA Insider
September 6th, 2011
4:19 pm
I must admit I started to believe the hype….Then the game started with penalties showing a lack of preparation and I knew it was over. “It” being the season folks… Let’s be reasonable here… We have no depth on our OLine and our LB’s are in major trouble. I would move Samuels back over there ASAP! I think we are looking at a 4-8 campaign at best as I originally expected after the UCF debacle. We are basically the same team without AJ and Ealey.
I think the way to solve the problem now is to fire CMR on 9-11 and roll with what we have. If we move fast enough after the season is over we can hire a coach who can keep a recruiting class intact perhaps. It’s gonna be between Mullen, Smart and Peterson. Folks I hate to say this because I like the guy but the CMR era at UGA is almost over. It’s time to start over.
DawginLex
September 6th, 2011
4:19 pm
Went to a family member funeral and was told a story about a SC grad who was a contributor/season ticket holder who took his 8 year old son to SC’s version of Fan Day.
Man shook SOS’s hand and told him good luck and that he hoped it would be a championship season. SOS turned his head and said “whatever”. Man left and didn’t bother to get an autograph. Went home and cancelled his season tickets and called the university and informed them he wouldn’t be donating anymore.
Mobile Dawg
September 6th, 2011
4:19 pm
If’s and but’s were candy and nuts, wouldn’t it be a Merry Christmas?
dawggone
September 6th, 2011
4:19 pm
stop the unform crap and go back to silver pants etc and smack u in the mouth football..stop trick crap and play UGA football.
Tech guy
September 6th, 2011
4:19 pm
You Georgia guys kill me. Every program has re-building years. I love the Jackets but have a tremendoous amount respect for Coach Richt and the program he has built. I really think that by this time next year, y’all will be behind him 100% again.
just askin
September 6th, 2011
4:20 pm
Pman in 2007 you didnt even win the SEC East, Tn did. In 2005 you lost in Meyers 1st year and were 1-2 against the GREAT RON ZOOK. Elite means near the top consistently or at least challenging for the top. UGA is in a time warp to think you are elite and no one outside of georgia will agree with you.
Lowcountry Bulldawg
September 6th, 2011
4:20 pm
Mobile,
Hey I was was messing with ya back I took no offense to your post, that why I inserted that LOL after calling ya bubba. Hey your posts strike a cord for sure. It just does no one any good at this juncture to throw in the towel. If this things ends in some more bad loses then we all know what will happen. I respect your opinion more than others as you are a regular. The fly by night bloggers that show up just to encite the masses drive me up the wall. It just looks like its going to be a long season and that I think can all agree on is the last thing any of us wanted.
michael
September 6th, 2011
4:21 pm
Richt has to be held responsible for his own actions or “inactions” in this case. He should have fired Bobo last year. Now he is living with his own mistake. The truth hurts!
ugh....
September 6th, 2011
4:21 pm
I’m so sick of all of you fair weather fans posting negative comments about our coach and our team. These are a bunch of kids playing college football, not the Falcons. Do all of you have nothing better to do than bitch about them not playing as well as you want them to play? Get a life and shut the hell up.
Beast from the East
September 6th, 2011
4:23 pm
ugh….,
If other’s opinions make you sick, then why read them? Go have a chat with yourself in the mirror. You may actually agree with that guy!
dawggone
September 6th, 2011
4:23 pm
ugh..who the hell are u to tell someone to shut up..a smart A@@!
ga gator
September 6th, 2011
4:24 pm
Lex that may be true but I have a nephew who when he was 10 sent Spurrier a hand written note and told him he wanted to grow up as a Gator receiver and wanted to know what excersizes to work on. My brother felt bad and prepared him to never receive a reply and then 7 days later he got an autographed team photo with a list of hand written excersizes written by Spurrier with encouragement. So who knows what kind of guy he really is.
UGA Law Dawg
September 6th, 2011
4:24 pm
Is CMR on “double secret probation” via Dean Wormer errr President Adams?
CHDawg
September 6th, 2011
4:24 pm
Ga gator and Beast, I think you will upset Bama, and maybe spank ‘em good, and I must say, I have been saying that for a few weeks. Losing your good D lineman is a big blow, though. Unfortunately for you, I was convinced we would go undefeated last week, so my predictions are pretty much worthless. Hey, I did pick AU last year in the summer, so I can be right, just not on UGA apparently!