Mark Richt’s patience wearing thin on line of questioning, and actual line
ATHENS — Georgia coach Mark Richt, under fire since the Bulldogs’ loss on Saturday, found himself on the defensive again during Wednesday’s SEC coaches’ teleconference. By the time he met with beat reporters at the end of Wednesday’s practice, he had resorted to sarcasm.
“I can only guess what I’ll be asked today,” he said with a smile.
When he got a somewhat loaded question, Richt decided to have some fun with it.
The question: “After the game on Saturday, was your response more encouragement and trying to be positive or have you reached a point where you’ve thrown chairs and really tried to light a fire?”
His answer: “Everybody want me to snap? Is that what they want? You all want to see me snap, is that what it is? Yeah? Well, we don’t discuss what happens in the locker room. But if you guys want me to throw a table or something I’ll do that, maybe smash a camera, if that makes everybody feel better.”
Reporters laughed and Richt did, too. But he has encountered a similar line of questioning for much of the last four days. In fact, six questions during Wednesday’s teleconference had something to do with his coaching status or the mood of his team or the fanbase.
“We’re just coaching ball, OK?,” Richt said. “You guys want to make things bigger than they are. The bottom line is like anything in life, you’ve got to control what you can and that is my attitude and my effort and our team’s attitude and effort. That’s true every season. . . . Everybody’s locked in, everybody’s working hard and everybody’s confident we’re going to have a good ballgame.”
Offensive line issues continue
Richt pointed to third-down pass protection as the Bulldogs’ biggest breakdown after last Saturday’s 35-21 loss to No. 4 Boise State in the Georgia Dome. Four days later, he was seeing the same problems on Woodruff Practice Fields.
“Some things just got in my craw,” Richt said after the Bulldogs practiced in full pads for a rare second day in a row in a game week. “Third-down pass protection was just not very good today. You’ve got to win the possession downs, third-and-short, third-and-medium, third-and-long. You usually pass more than you run and we just didn’t protect very good, not good enough to beat anybody.
“Our boys better get it going or Murray is going to be on his back. That’s what made me the most mad.”
Sophomore quarterback Aaron Murray was sacked six times and pressured another 10 times against the Broncos.
Enter South Carolina, which is believed to have one of the best defensive fronts in the SEC. The Gamecocks are particularly strong at defensive end, where junior Devin Taylor (6-7, 248) is a first-team All-SEC and Jadeveon Clowney (6-6, 250) was the No. 1 freshman signee in America.
The key for Georgia, senior center Ben Jones said, is being better on first and second down.
“That’s what happens when you get in third-and-long,” Jones said. “If we had been in third-and-short they couldn’t have brought those blitzes because they would have known we might run the ball. So that’s what we’re focusing on, getting into third-and-mediums and third-and-short so they have to guess run or pass.”
Kwame Geathers still sidelined
Starting nose guard Kwame Geathers was unable to practice with the No. 1 defense for a third consecutive day. The 6-foot-6, 350-pound sophomore from Georgetown, S.C., suffered a neck sprain (aka, “stinger”) in the opener. Nonetheless, Richt believes Geathers will be ready to play on Saturday.
“Kwame is from South Carolina and he wants to play in this ballgame,” Richt said. “I don’t think you could keep him out of this one. We’re just trying to be wise. We don’t want to light him up again and set him back.”
The good news is junior college transfer John Jenkins has been getting almost all the repetitions in practice with the first team. And he needs them.
Defensive coordinator Todd Grantham said this week he believes that Jenkins and Geathers together can help Georgia defend the zone-read dive play up the middle the Gamecocks ran with such effectiveness last year. Tailback Marcus Lattimore had 182 yards rushing and scored two touchdowns on 37 carries in South Carolina’s 17-6 win in Columbia.
Etc. . . .
Richt said the Bulldogs will make a decision on the starting Mo linebacker on Thursday. “We will after we watch the film and discuss what happened today,” Richt said. Georgia is having to replace starter Alec Ogletree, who suffered a broken foot last week. . . . Wide receiver Marlon Brown practiced but was did not participate in contact. His left ankle was heavily wrapped. . . . Georgia practiced on the artificial turf fields Wednesday afternoon in hopes of it being lightly warmer than on the grass fields.
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465 comments Add your comment
To: Snoop
September 8th, 2011
9:49 am
Whether a real UGA fan/grad or not, you are 150% correct in your assessment of why young gun coaches want no part of UGA under CMR.
Coach Chavez of LSU destroyed that fast break of Oregon last week and made them look like a JUCO. SC’s D coach will humble UGA’s inept lil offense even further and he too was asked to come on down to A town by CMR and took a giant pass.
Saturday is going to be very, very ugly.
Gooooooooooooooooooooooooo Dogs.
Go Dogs.
JB
September 8th, 2011
9:49 am
Kalamazoo………I’m not concerned about them giving up. I worried about the guy leading them into battle on the white horse with saber and that goofy sidekick captain of his not giving us a chance.
JB
September 8th, 2011
9:50 am
GtBook……….True, ya’ll were pretty fair with Hewitt??????
Restore UGA
September 8th, 2011
9:52 am
1eyedJack, maybe that is what infuriated me so much about the Boise game. We had huge figgins, and hardly used him. We should have broken the smaller Boise team by running our old style power I and worn them out with toss sweeps.
This was the ideal game to break a top ranked opponent, and we instead played to the opponents strengths. SC will hold up much better against a power run game, but we have no choice but to do it along with short passes. Do I think Bobo or Richt will? I have no freakin idea. I expect they will continue with the shotgun and delay runs.
JB
September 8th, 2011
9:52 am
Miles is a lot of things at LSU, but smart enough to hire Chavous…….and you know, with an offer, I really do think he would of come to Georgia.
Ray D ator
September 8th, 2011
9:53 am
Athens is not a difficult place to play for visiting teams. Between the 20yd. lines, old Ga.$, set on their ass and act like they are watching a tennis match. I have actually been asked to set down during key situations of a home game. Most Ga. fans are a joke. Go to Auburn, LSU, Fla., to see the difference
JB
September 8th, 2011
9:54 am
GtBook………I would thing Tech folk would be cheering for Richt to leave. He has owned ya’ll.
BigTimeTechFan
September 8th, 2011
9:54 am
Look on the bright side, UGA looked better then Auburn last week and Auburn is the Nat’l Champs.
UGA play Boise St who is a very good team, people have to understand that there are teams that are not in the SEC that are real good.
Florida did look pretty good but can’t say they looked better then UGA because of who they were playing
USCe Looked ok, East Carolina is a pretty good team but not to level of Boise St.
Kentucky didn’t look as good as I thought they would be
Tenn looked a little better then I thought, but still have to wait and see.
UGA has home field advantage, after all the negative press this week the team will be fired up when they see the crowd supporting them.
I say UGA 27 USC 24.
GtBook
September 8th, 2011
9:54 am
The funny thing is, it doesnt matter if cmr is fired or not! The players thats getting beat on the field will all return! Watch what happens with Tech basketball! Fire Paul Hewitt, keep the same players and watch the results stay the same or get worse!
JB
September 8th, 2011
9:55 am
Ray D ator…….you are correct. I’ve been to Auburn several times, and your ears hurt when you leave..
Restore UGA
September 8th, 2011
9:56 am
Great coaches should love to play for Richt because he is willing to defend them for years.
Of course, Richt doesn’t have years left at this point. If he can’t turn it around, this will be the last one. Believe me when I say that until this last game, I have never thought Richt should go. I still don’t want it and would love for him to turn it around, but if he can’t then he has to go.
JB
September 8th, 2011
9:57 am
Thanks bigtimetechfan…..
Restore UGA
September 8th, 2011
9:58 am
BigTimeTechFan, I hate to say it, but your offense is much more interesting and fun to follow than ours.
Fixit
September 8th, 2011
9:58 am
USC 42 UGA 23
Taylor Woote
September 8th, 2011
9:59 am
The offensive line looked flat, slow. Why?
JB
September 8th, 2011
10:01 am
I watched the replay of the Tech game. Western Carolina or not, Washington threw the ball very well…if fact to good for my comfort. His passes were crisp and on target…and caught. That could be trouble!
DawginLex
September 8th, 2011
10:01 am
Snoop
So now I recgnize you. the cyber stalker who has been posting under my handle on the Tech blogs and the UGA blogs.
I’m a Dawg through and through.
You can spew all the lies you want to.
It doesn’t change the facts
I’m a Dawg. I’m smarter than you.
you are a TROLL. and a stupid one at that.
I will never stop pulling for UGA to win. I will never stop supporting the coaches and the players. He is our coach until we are told otherwise. Doesn’t mean I’m happy with losing.
So you can slither away now back into your hole or wherever you live.
DawginLex
September 8th, 2011
10:03 am
Restore UGA
Watch out with that praise of Tech and Johnson’s offense. Snoop will call you a closet Tech fan
NOBODYYOUKNOW
September 8th, 2011
10:03 am
Yea, all the coaches want the dogs to lose. Thats why BOBO calls all those losing plays. And thats why CMR lets him call those plays. The dogs have many young freshmen playing. They will improve each game. I don’t care how much money CMR makes. He’s only human. Anyone would get tired of all the 2nd guessing from a bunch of know-it-alls who have most likley never played a down of ball in their lives. And yea I know I’ll get alot of flack from this post. So have at it JAWJA fans.
Bruce Weeks
September 8th, 2011
10:06 am
Insanity is doing the same thing and expecting a different result. I do not expect a different result this week end. UGA will be out coached and out hustled all game long. Talent is useless unless you know what to do with it.
Gator Mike
September 8th, 2011
10:06 am
I am pulling for the DAWGS to beat SoCar. Good luck DAWGS!
Nothing Could Be Finer
September 8th, 2011
10:07 am
Dogs beware:
Carolina is gonna blitz All-Day-Long.
BigTimeTechFan
September 8th, 2011
10:07 am
@Restore UGA
Yea, I really enjoy watching the Trip Option offense Tech runs. So many big plays, can control the ball if needed. Love watching the adjustment CJP makes as team look like they are containing Tech. Only problem I have are all the TO’s on pitches, players getting hit before the have ball controlled and stuff
BigTimeTechFan
September 8th, 2011
10:08 am
CJP = CPJ
what of it?
September 8th, 2011
10:08 am
Why the hell would you wait to watch film until today? Why wouldn’t you be making corrections beginning on Monday?
ole riche
September 8th, 2011
10:09 am
A must win for UGA? No. A must win for Mark Richt to save his tail? Yes, Yes, and Yes.
AntoineFord
September 8th, 2011
10:12 am
The boo birds are gonna be so loud Saturday that it’s gonna be hard to hear the USC band playing their victory song.
Say When
September 8th, 2011
10:14 am
I can already hear the Fire Richt! chants when we lose Saturday.
UGA Insider
September 8th, 2011
10:14 am
Shame on you guys for believing the hype this spring and summer. I have been telling you guys the entire time that this is the same team that lost to Colorado and UCF.
CMR has done a poor job of recruiting and it shows. It’s gonna get ugly Saturday as well because we cannot sustain drives and keep our D off the field. Lattifmore may get it 35 times.
However CMR and UGA have a mutual decision in place and this will be his last year at UGA. A search committee is already looking for a replacement. McGarrity had a private meeting with Peterson just last week. He is my bet to get the job.
Mike Frech
September 8th, 2011
10:15 am
If ya can’t take the heat, then get outta the kitchen…it’s just that simple.
Mike Bobo 17 INT
September 8th, 2011
10:15 am
It’s a beautiful thing…..
BigTimeTechFan
September 8th, 2011
10:15 am
Run the ball right at Clowney, player like that like to track down plays rather then plays someing to them.
UGA should run 2 TE sets / Goal line package, cut DE inside. Run the edge
Let Figgins handle the LB
Then it’s one on one, RB verses DB
Do that all day till the safety pulls up, then burn him
Pass some to keep them honest
38 Yardline Dawg
September 8th, 2011
10:16 am
Well if Richt is fired, I say we call up Muschamp. It’s the perfect plan: steal a great coach with lots of fire in his belly AND enrage the entire Gator nation in one move. Brilliant, eh?
You Idiots
September 8th, 2011
10:17 am
All you Mark Richt Lovin Idiots keep saying he is trying to turn the program around…. Lisen to what you are saying. If Mark Richt was a good coach he would have never let the program get in such a mess that it would have to be turned arond. Nick Saben doesn’t have to turn Alabama’s program around. Urban didn’t have to turn Florida’s program around, Les Miles doesn’t have to turn LSU’s program around. Fire Mark Richt now and move on. He will get his money.
DawginLex
September 8th, 2011
10:18 am
Insider
you have been spouting crap too.
UGA 44
boise 10
Remember that one?
This defense is the fastest ever in Athens?
Your early predictions were right and then you guzzled the “we are different” kool aid just like many of us.
Cfn.scout says SC 34 UGA 27
I say SC 28 UGA 20
I hope Garcia accepts my delivery of 2 hookers and a case of Bud Light and connor Shaw plays. then it’s UGA 21 SC 17
Mike Bobo 17 INT
September 8th, 2011
10:18 am
ole riche
His tail is already saved, your school was the idiot who gave him a 10 year contract, excuse, that was Dooley who gave him the 10 year agreement.
Question? If you fire CMR and he goes to another program and makes it succesful as a head coach or OC, then where is the real problem with UGA football? That’s right, your AD. Recruiting is fine, but UGA has proved over and over, they do not know what to do with these recruits
Joey
September 8th, 2011
10:18 am
SC’s gonna “drop 50″ on us?
Spurrier only dropped 17 on last year’s brand new defense in Columbia.
We’ve already seen the best offense we will see this season.
Nothing Could Be Finer
September 8th, 2011
10:20 am
Run the ball right at Clowney, player like that like to track down plays rather then plays someing to them.
—————————————
Not sure what you’re trying to say, but it probably won’t work against Clowney.
DawginLex
September 8th, 2011
10:21 am
Richt can go to UNC and recruit well and will most likely win a lot of games.
That doesn’t change anything.
The next coach at UGA will win big if the recruits keep coming and we have a coach who knows how to use them
How does the AD have anything to do with the results on the field?
that’s idiotic.
Nothing Could Be Finer
September 8th, 2011
10:21 am
Spurrier only dropped 17 on last year’s brand new defense in Columbia.
———————————–
Well, it was enough, right?
GtBook
September 8th, 2011
10:22 am
Maybe if the majority of the idiots played football or was ever fortunate enough to watch practice or game film with a college or NFL coach, they would see the breakdown of why plays and players succeed or fail on thoes levels! I heard David Greene on 790 state that it takes 11 players to make a scheme work! If just one player misses an assignment or gets dominated it will make a coach look as though the was bested on that play! Players know when they mess and and cause a play or scheme to fail, but often they get overlooked by the average fan because its looked at from a broad prespective…..ie wins and looses! Like I said, some people know the game from playing it and other think they know the game from watching it!
Since Vince
September 8th, 2011
10:22 am
What about dawg nations patience Mr. Richt?
The Dude
September 8th, 2011
10:23 am
Everyone needs to take it easy, man.
Artdawg
September 8th, 2011
10:24 am
“UgaB”, Where are you from boy? I am betting easy money that you did not attend UGA, and lost likely high school either. Unless you are doing it for effect, you have the grammar skills of an 8th grade redneck, and an attitude to match.
Mike Bobo 17 INT
September 8th, 2011
10:25 am
USC 55, UGA 17….Spurrier wants to beat his ‘95 record when he hung 52 on the Dogs when he was with Florida. Matter of fact, those were back to back 52’s in ‘94 and ‘95.
Florida was on 17 of the last 20 since 1990, and CMR has only won 2 of 10 since arriving at UGA, and someone gives this guy a 10 year extension? CMR is smiling because he is a very wealthy man.
Lowcountry Bulldawg
September 8th, 2011
10:25 am
Gtbook,
Very well said.
Say When
September 8th, 2011
10:26 am
Carolina 48 Richt’s job 10
Kirby is waiting for that call…
Funny
September 8th, 2011
10:27 am
All the kool aid drinkers are back out in force. Let me clue you all once again UGA will be 0 – 2 come Saturday night. Mark it down…
Mike Bobo 17 INT
September 8th, 2011
10:27 am
AD’s hire and fire, and most importantly that is CMR’s boss. In addition, a good AD will bring in the right coaches for the respected sports, UGA has failed in this category for football. Donnan, Goff, and now CMR.
Smart said no, and Muschamp went to Florida….hello, is there anyone home McFly?
Summit Dawg
September 8th, 2011
10:29 am
I’m all for supporting the team, and WILL do so……but not the coaches, ’til I am shown they can coach all these FINE young men they’ve recruited to be “DAWGS!”