UPDATED: What happened to change direction of Georgia football?
The most significant change in the last four years has been Mark Richt's decision to relinquish offensive game-planning and play-calling duties. (AP photo)
I’m not sure how many people were watching College GameDay this past Saturday morning and saw the piece they aired on the Georgia football program. It was titled, “Discontent in Georgia” and I was among the individuals interviewed for it. Here’s A LINK to the video clip if you haven’t seen it.
But the real fireworks, I thought, came in the ensuing debate among the College GameDay panel, including regulars Lee Corso, Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit and a new castmember named David Pollack, who some of you may have heard of.
In any case, it didn’t paint a very pretty picture of the direction of the Bulldogs’ football program, and that was before they went out and lost to South Carolina 45-42 on national TV. I thought it could have been a little more balanced — surely they could have found some folks that would have defended head coach Mark Richt — but the general theme was that Georgia fans are unhappy with the way things are going and want a coaching change. That’s what set off the debate among the GameDay guys.
The problem when you do television interviews for something like this is, typically, they ask you questions for 15-20 minutes and they may use 30 seconds of what you say. That was the case here and that’s fine. I knew that going in.
But one of the things they asked me about that didn’t make the airwaves was what I thought had taken place that precipitated Georgia’s downturn. It was a tough question and, honestly, one that I kind of struggled with. But after rattling it around in my brain for awhile, I came up with the best answer I could at the moment.
The only thing I could think of that changed from 2007, when the Bulldogs won 11 games, to 2008-10, when they won 10 then 8 then 6, was Richt relinquishing control of offensive game-planning and play-calling responsibilities.
If you recall, it was after the Georgia Tech game at the end of the 2006 regular season that we found out that Richt discreetly turned over those duties to quarterbacks coach Mike Bobo for that contest. Bobo also handled the responsibility in the bowl game and, after being bestowed the title of offensive coordinator in 2007, has been in charge of the offense ever since.
Now this is not to say I think Bobo’s offensive strategies have been the reason for Georgia’s demise. That was not and is not my point. In fact, Bobo’s offenses on average have actually out-gained (387.21-377.76 ypg) and out-scored (31.28-28.13 ppg) Richt’s. It has more to do with the resulting fundamental change in the way Richt directed the program as head coach.
Think about that for a minute. For 11 years before Richt came to Georgia, he was quarterbacks coach and/or offensive coordinator at Florida State, which happened to finish in the Top 5 nationally every one of those years. For the majority of that time, he was game-planning and play-calling for the Seminoles. Then he comes to Georgia in December of 2000 and, after doing calling the national championship game with FSU, he hits the recruiting trail for the Bulldogs and assumes the same offensive responsibilities at UGA in addition to being head coach.
That goes on through the 2006 season, when he finally entrusts the Xs and Os to somebody else. It was an exhausting run, I’m sure.
But again, more than not calling all the offensive shots, this represented a profound change in how Richt went about his business, both on a weekly and daily basis all the way down to game management. That must have had some sort of effect on the way things have gone.
Anyway, I’m not sharing all this to say I’ve figured anything out. This is much more of an observation than it is a hypothesis. But it’s something I’ll continue to look into going forward. And, of course, there are so many other aspects that go into running a college football program. Evaluation, recruiting, coaching, training, injuries, academics, luck, they all have something to do with it.
But that’s what I’m asking you guys today. Here is the cold reality: Georgia is off to an 0-2 start this season. It is 14-14 overall (12-14 vs. FBS) and 7-10 in the SEC since the 2009. So, what do you think happened?
UPDATE: I asked Coach Richt at his presser Tuesday what he would point to as the main reason for the recent downturn. Here’s what he said:
“Last year we went through all that, and we talked about things that are a year old. Those are old. This season is the only thing I’m really concerned about, and obviously, we turned the ball over. Not only were they turnovers, they were turnovers for points. I guess there was five yards they had to track one time. Our defense basically gave up 17 points to a pretty darn good football team. They had no responsibility for the fake punt, the pick six or the fumble for a touchdown. They could have stopped them on the five yard line going in. Sudden change – that’s their job to turn it into a field goal. We just gave that one away.”
– Chip Towers
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734 comments Add your comment
DawginLex
September 13th, 2011
10:13 am
deaddog
You really must be dead.
Coastal Carolina won’t score Saturday
dawg97
September 13th, 2011
10:13 am
1. Richt taking on or other responsiblities or dropping responsibilities not specific and specific to making his team better. This would include relinquishing OC duties.
2. BVG left, defense has not performed the same since.
3. S&C program became stagnant and players got lazy.
4. Staff got complacent/or just took success for granted.
5. Injuries and departures of players.
6. Lack of discipline as a result of coaches complacency.
7. Lack of discipline results in on field penlaties and off field arrests.
8. Lack of focus on recruiting. Until very recently you never heard Richts name mentioned as a recruiting force. Always others on staff, namely CRG.
9. SEC has gotten better over CMR tenure. He has failed to identify that and upgrade assistants or reclaim specific football duties to stay at or around the top.
10. Following wife’s cancer battle, CMR priorities and perspective on life in general seems to have changed. (not a fault, just saying the intensity level and since of urgency seems to have gone away.)
People can blame jersey’s, gimmicks, whatever on CMR but all that is just window dressing.
To fix proram do the following.
1. Recruit harder and better year after year, not every 3 years
2. Train harder and smarter – Look at what other programs are doing, incorporate things you like, combine with your stuff. Or get innovative.
3. Scheme better – Devleop an indentity and then do it great. Make teams stop it. We need to dictate play.
4. Teach/Coach better – Players preparation for what they will see and play against must improve. AKA blocking and tackling. If current staff can’t or aren’t getting it done then find someone else.
CMR – owes UGA all the above first. After all they write his checks. Then his players deserve the best and need to placed in the best situation to be successful. Lastly all the faithfulin the Dawgnation deserve a team that plays its best, and is perpared every time they step on the field. From game 1 right through game 13.
THE UNIVERSTIY OF GEORGIA HAS TOO MANY RESOURCES AT ITS DISPOSAL FOR THE DOWNWARD TREND TO CONTINUE. I like CMR and hope he succeeds and is our coach for years to come. However its past time to right the ship and if he can’t; then its time to dip into those resources and go out and get somone that can.
ARdawg
September 13th, 2011
10:13 am
2005 Sugar Bowl was the beginning of the end. WV shoved it up our tails and broke it off. Richt has no recovered and it shows every time he takes the field
deaddog
September 13th, 2011
10:14 am
Coastal Carolina, our new daddy?
No wonder the UGA`s are all going to the other side.
Harry
September 13th, 2011
10:15 am
While I do think Richt not calling plays has something to do with the subpar play of UGA, I think the bigger issue is that the defense has given up 30 or more points 20 times from 2007-Present. Here is a good site to check out all things coaching.
http://coachesbythenumbers.com/coach-profile/?coach=Mark+Richt
bill arp
September 13th, 2011
10:15 am
Van Gorder’s D looked awesome this weekend up in Chicago,didn’t it? How about last January in the Dome? QB’s is the answer! Two yrs of Murray, one of Cox, one of Joe T…. A QB can single handedly win you 4 or 5 games a year, and LOSE you 4 or 5….
deaddog
September 13th, 2011
10:16 am
I can`t stand it anymore. Too many losses, too many new daddies.
BAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Joe
September 13th, 2011
10:17 am
van goober has been gone five years… We have not had the all americans he had when he coached. He did not recruit them. They were here before Richt came. You have to look at our personel since he left. He has not burn up the woods at all with the falcons and did not have a good year with Jax when he was there. He certainly did not turn around a defense at GSU when he was there. Sorry we could not clone Erk but I guess GSU would like to have him back also…This love of van goober by UGA fans is beyond my imagination. Support what you have at the time. One thing about the GA SC game. The time of possession was as close as the score about one minute different. But the TO’s killed us not the defense. We do call too many passes and take too many chances inside our 20 and have done it consistantly. Vs UF last year, interception for a TD on the first play? Where have most of Murrays TO’s been mostly where it would be easy for the defense to score.
Bear Bryant
September 13th, 2011
10:17 am
And how many national championships has richt one? UGA should definitely retain him, with a pay raise!
bill arp
September 13th, 2011
10:18 am
and speaking of QB’s, do you not hear what the coaching staff has to say about Murray? All i ever hear is “He watches more film…. he works hard….” I never hear, “he’s just plain good and has the physical and mental ability to lead us to wins”…bottom line, even Richt and Bobo aren’t comfortable with who that have at the helm…smoke and mirrors, people, smoke and mirrors…
Evansdawg
September 13th, 2011
10:21 am
I thinkk you’re dead on, Chip. I also think that the cancer that struck Mrs. Richt took the coach’s eye off the ball….and rightfully so. That had to be a huge distraction and I think it festered into the daily operations of the program. The lag-time for it to affect the team has lasted until now. But, the Dawgs fought hard Saturday night in a CLASSIC SEC matchup. If this was last year, they would have given up when Carolina scored 14 points in 28 seconds. But, they continued to fight. I agree with coach Richt, that this team will get “expontentially better” as time rolls on. The question is, does the school allow Richt to develop all of that talent?
GT Joe
September 13th, 2011
10:22 am
FYI, GT is going undefeated this year…
GT-Bama in the BCS Title game… old school matchup…
OLD GREG
September 13th, 2011
10:22 am
finally someone with some sense its completely bobo’s fault. richt has done nothing wrong but hand over offensive play calls.
TampaDawg
September 13th, 2011
10:23 am
Hey Mobile Dawg, I see where you are going with the “chip on the shoulder” thing, but that isn’t the key to success in football or any other aspect of life. It’s drive with a definiteness of purpose. If he didn’t have that, he wouldn’t have even made it this far.
As for the chip, I know a lot of people want the coach that will run up and down on the sideline and yell and scream at players and refs but that doesn’t make a coach. But that is a long way from being actual Leadership. Dungy won a Super Bowl without doing that. Chiczik won last year and isn’t much of a screamer at his players.
Now for those who think that CMR is just a softie and everybody gets away with everything, let’s be honest with each other. None of us are on that sideline. None of us are in the locker room. And none of us are in the coach’s office when he has a player in there for whatever purpose. Every one of you are at best guessing.
gt4ever
September 13th, 2011
10:23 am
Your problem is NOT offense! It’s DEFENSE….. The stats prove this in every way…. If you guys played defense then you would be national contenders every year…. Period! Good Grief, it’s not Bobo!
GT Joe
September 13th, 2011
10:23 am
OLD GREG, if Richt hands over play calling to an idiot, it’s RICHT’S fault…
If he was on The Apprentice, Trump woulda fired him in 2009.
gt4ever
September 13th, 2011
10:24 am
Come on GT Joe,, lay off the booze….
Snoop
September 13th, 2011
10:24 am
Here’s what happened:
Richt inherited a talent-rich UGA team when he took charge of the program. He also had some really good assistants like Neil Calloway and Van Gorder. He was able to recruit well, and he probably enjoyed some initial success bringing ACC offense style to the SEC. A little luck also helped along the way such as the pass to Haynes–the X70.
But as equilibrium developed, Richt was found out. The quality players with leadership skills cycled out, not as many were recruited. Van Gorder and Calloway left and were relaced through MCI Friends and Family program. Richt does not lead the team. He is without emotion on the battlefield. His ACC offense doesnt work in the SEC which is very physical and based on the run. Finally, Richt is worth over $30M nowadays. I’m sure he’s tired, but he probably thinks, “what are they going to do about it? What’s the worst case? That I’ll take off and live like royalty the rest of my life?”
His heart is not in the game. He needed to go after the 2008 season which should have brought the National Championship crystal football to Athens.
There’s a broad based of Bible-belt zombies who will fight to the death while Richt completely destroys the program. These people are like the Benedict Arnolds of UGA football.
The goal of football is to win, not to play.
Fire Richt now.
ok
September 13th, 2011
10:25 am
Bobo problem and bad defense; politics keeps bobo in his job
TampaDawg
September 13th, 2011
10:26 am
Hey Harry, we got the link the first 14 times .. thanks.
Eddie
September 13th, 2011
10:27 am
The problem began at the moment Adams approved Richt to be the head coach! The Georgia program is becoming an embarrassment to the SEC.Only when the the UGA fan base wakes up and calls for his removal will change begin in Athens.By the way, there is a successful coach at the University of North Alabama that would answer the call and solve your problems.
GT Joe
September 13th, 2011
10:27 am
Richt is a softie, Tampa. I’ll tell you the turning point in the game. UGA scored to go ahead in the 4th with 6 minutes to go, and the camera cuts over to Richt on the sideline, all smiles, hugging Crowell for literally 30 seconds talking to him. like the game was OVER.
He’s a chump. But keep him. Please.
GT Joe
September 13th, 2011
10:28 am
gt4ever, who can beat us on our schedule?
Gay Dawg
September 13th, 2011
10:31 am
I was really hoping we woould smoke some coccks this past weekend. We need to set an example on Coastal Car….non of this dancing…straight to laying the wood!
Dawg Trainer
September 13th, 2011
10:32 am
Enjoying the turmoil. Here’s Jawja in a nutshell. You Dawgs were barking about the ‘Dream Team’. Meanwhile, Derek Dooley is stockpiling plug uglies for the lines. Vols took their lumps playing true freshmen last season…but look at them sophomores THIS season. Now we can redshirt the reinforcements, train ‘em up, coach ‘em up, and bulk ‘em up. Bray can kick back in the pocket and decide “Hmmm…shall I throw the TD strike to Justin or Da’Rick? Decisions, decisions…”
In all seriousness, I see the Georgia fanbase becoming as fractured as ours was at the end of Coach Fulmer’s reign. Anything worse than 8-4 and I believe Coach Richt will resign just for the sake of the program and the fan base. He won’t get fired. He’s done too much good for Georgia to deserve getting a pink slip. Don’t know about his current contract, but if he doesn’t resign, maybe his contract won’t be renewed.
Happy Warrior
September 13th, 2011
10:32 am
Listen folks, this is easy. What changed UGa’s direction is this, When BVG left Richt promoted CWM to DC. (Bad move). When BVG left UGa our def. was giving up around 13 points per game. Look it up, but thats not the worst of it. When Coach Callaway left for UAB Richt promoted Bobo to OC. (Really Bad Move)! When Callaway left our offense was averaging 29% more total yards than we are now. But once again, thats not the worst part….. on offense, 3 and out’s are up 71%. Please don’t take my word for this… Look it up. Even with CWM, and our problems of def. our real problem was CMB and our lack of offense.
gt4ever
September 13th, 2011
10:33 am
GT joe….
We lost to a pitiful Kansas team last year… This year they are better… I agree that our schedule is soft, but there are a LOT of teams that could beat us this year… Sorry.. We haven’t played anybody.. Given the same schedule UGA has played, it is my humble opinion that we would be 0-2, just like UGA….
UGA Insider
September 13th, 2011
10:34 am
CMR has also been the victim of some really bad luck.
1.) Marcus Downtin(LB)-kicks the kid off the team for the UCF game some lame reason and the kid transfers. Ogletree breaks his foot and now we have a walk-on staring inside LB.
2.) W. Ealey(Rb)-kicks kid off the team and moves 2nd string LB to fill his position. Ogletree breaks his foot and now we have a walk-on starting inside LB.
3.) Zack Mettenburger(QB)-kicks kid off team because Damon Evans mandated it. CMR was shocked because Zack’s mom worked for Evans. Carma is a biaaathch isn’t it. Anyways, Mett will probably lead LSU to a MNC this year or next.
I could go on and on but what’s the point……….Don’t be shocked to see UGA end this saga at any time. It’s over.
Gay Dawg
September 13th, 2011
10:35 am
UGA Insider thinks he is some kind of guru. He sounds like a clown.
Happy Warrior
September 13th, 2011
10:35 am
Hey Eddie,
Hell no to your UNA solution.
DawginLex
September 13th, 2011
10:37 am
Insider
I’m not buying it.
McGarity has said time and time again that this is a week to week evaluation.
With no backup plan, he is best suited to continue to evaluate week to week and make the call at the end of the year.
If Georgia is 9-2 or 8-3 when we play Tech and Tech is 11-01 or 10-1, I bet all of these “beating Tech doesn’t matter” folks will change their tune.
dawg4ever
September 13th, 2011
10:38 am
Enough with the Richt excuses, and the constant losing. This is UGA for God’s sake. For this coach to continue to sit there and make excuses while his team continues to lose games is a joke. He and his entire staff are terrible. They are terrible at recruiting for need, thus you have a team with no depth at any position except maybe T.E. They are terrible at creating game plans on offense and defense. They are terrible at making adjustments during games, actually they never make any.They are terrible at motivating their team. Yet, after having the worst record in the SEC since 2009 with the exception of Vandy, all the UGA fans continue to defend these coaches and Richt.. How can you call yourself a UGA fan and continue to accept this coach and his total lack of ability. If you continue to back this clown UGA will fall behind Vandy after this year in total wins since 2009. Is that what you want for the UGA program? Is it not enough to wake up every Saturday morning and have to watch other SEC schools play the game the way it should be played, and then have to watch the pitiful performance UGA puts on display. UGA fans deserve better than what Richt has to offer, i’m sorry, but this guy has been given a free pass long enough. He was given more time than he deserved to turn this thing around, and it’s time to move on. ENOUGH is ENOUGH!!
That70sGAdawg
September 13th, 2011
10:38 am
Stop with all the calls for coach Brian Van Gorder- did you watch the last two Falcon Games?? The Packers in the Playoffs and Chicago Sunday? No adjustments and the defense got smoked.
A whole NEW crew is needed. Mike Leach? Kirby? TCU coach? Bring em.
Not A UGA Fan But I Don't Hate You
September 13th, 2011
10:38 am
I think this is one of those issues that can be tied directly to “The Peter Principle”. CMR has reached his level of “Incompetence”. He was a great quarterback coach/offensive coordinator at FSU and then BANG, he was thrust into a position he was totally unfamiliar with. Great players carried him for a while, but his incompetence as a head coach at a football factory has finally caught up with him. I think he should go and discuss this with a counselor and learn how to deal with it and make a decision about his future. However, as a GT fan, I’m hoping he’ll stay and keep on keeping on.
Gay Dawg
September 13th, 2011
10:39 am
DawginLex – how dare you question Insider….he knows people. He once saw bobo at DTs and they hung out!
JRW7
September 13th, 2011
10:40 am
The only team in the SEC that has a worse record in the last 2 years, than UGA, is Vanderbilt, CMR has brought UGA football to a new low! Wins and loses don’t lie!
UGA Insider
September 13th, 2011
10:41 am
A week by week evaluation?
What if 60,000 show up Saturday and we struggle? How about that 11:30Am start to the Ole Miss game??? What more do you need to show how far we have fallen????
It’s over and McGarity has a plan. If only Adams will get his red-haired ass out of the way.
Gay Dawg
September 13th, 2011
10:42 am
I just think Richt needs to lookat the offense….lift up the hood and get both hands in there and root around and pull out any waste.
Bear Bryant's First Grade Teacher
September 13th, 2011
10:42 am
Bear Bryant
September 13th, 2011
10:17 am
And how many national championships has richt one? UGA should definitely retain him, with a pay raise!
I must have failed in teaching first grade spelling to the Bear. And I remember him being such a precocious child. I wonder what happened.
TampaDawg
September 13th, 2011
10:43 am
GT Joe, first, it wasn’t Crowell he hugged but whatever not important. And you guys should be the first ones on the fire Richt band wagon. I mean, really, GT is 1-9 versus CMR and that won’t be stopping any time soon.
True Dawg
September 13th, 2011
10:43 am
I think it starts with the pres Adams-just bad leadership but please how long do we continue down this road??? All of them are getting paid HUGE money to win-I am asking them to please move forward with job changes or SOMETHING
Gay Dawg
September 13th, 2011
10:44 am
Bear Bryant was a drunk cheater…great bama guy. His disciples all cheated later on. I would rather have Richt.
10isbum
September 13th, 2011
10:47 am
Chip – I agree with your timing and the issue being offensive related and think you have a VERY valid point. The question is IF Richt was calling the plays with those same players what would the stats be??? I believe they’d be better.
I noticed the slide start during season you mentioned when offensive talent wasn’t used to it’s maximum potential. Look back at the games Bobo called with Southerland at FB. The year before with Richt calling the plays we never failed on a 3rd down and short because Richt went to Brannan. The year Bobo took over – on 3rd and short he’d opt for a very fancy play instead with no gain results INSTEAD of going to a very consistant bulldozer Brannan (which was his second year when his foot was healthy). I felt that Bobo was trying to showcase Stafford – but I’m not sure the player’s ‘respected’ that approach – that was the year that there ‘was’ discord within the player’s ranks that was never talked about in the media. Now thinking back – perhalps that discord may have been a result of Richt no longer coaching in the style the players were recruited for/used to… as well all know.game strategy and play calls – greatly affects both sides of the ball (especcially when player’s moral is off). Since that change – There are other very talented offensive players (A.J. Green, Knowshown (sp)) that we did not utilitizes to their MAX obvious potiential OR plays which made no sense (to me) on that part of the field with the players on the field, etc.
IMO the ‘leader’ players like Murray, Jones, and Robinson (there are others) have worked hard in the off season to get their peers ‘on the bus’ and those who aren’t to leave…and to make sure everyone is in better physical condition (and students of film!!!). What those player/leaders can’t control is thier coaches and all the last minute play changes which seem disruptive to momentum and player focus.
So yes – when asked when did the slide start – my answer is the same as yours which surprises folks – but I have a little better insight from an ‘inside’ angle than most. I recommend that Richt take over the helm on offensive and game strategy IF HE wants to help finish the drill in the red zones.
DawginLex
September 13th, 2011
10:48 am
so if Richt goes on a 10 game winning streak he is still fired because GM has “a plan”???
I hope he has a plan
It’s his job
There is a big difference in having a plan and already executing the plan.
I’m right.
It’s a week to week evaluation.
If the results are poor enough in the coming weeks, the plan will get announced.
If the results are good, the plan remains in the desk drawer.
Joey
September 13th, 2011
10:49 am
“Yet, after having the worst record in the SEC since 2009 with the exception of Vandy…”
*******************************************************
Holy crap, is that true, dawg4ever?
DawginLex, if that’s true (up top), what gives you any hope we can win 9 games in a row? I want a dose of it. Seriously.
Old Dawg
September 13th, 2011
10:49 am
Used to be when you scored 42 points you won the game running away. It’s all about defense and UGA can’t stop anyone from scoring.
M.D.
September 13th, 2011
10:50 am
Bobo is a great QB coach, but that’s it. We pay CMR the big $ for his offensive mind, play calling ability, leadership, and for being a great representative of UGA Nation. If he wants to remain in Athens he should call the plays. If not, that’s ok too! There are other Coaches who would love this opportunity. I’ll still love the Richt years, but we have the right to expect to be WINNERS and should look good doing it!
GT Joe
September 13th, 2011
10:51 am
Maybe it was Bennett he was hugging. But damn, this is football, hugging is for after the season.
CMR whipped Gailey, sure, but Gailey has been long gone. And I def. like our chances this season. We’ll be favored by 6.
Happy Warrior
September 13th, 2011
10:52 am
“UGA insider” Who should be in control of all this issues? Ealey did not make his grades. Mett&Dowtin thought rules did not apply to them. Bottom line to all…….. the Head Coach of UGA or any school should take full responsability for these. Bad Luck is a player getting hurt!!!! Bad Luck is a player leaving early for the NFL. Bad Luck is not players getting in trouble with the law, or kids not studying. And let me guess???? everytime your kids do something wrong you blame someone else!! they made them do it.
DawginLex
September 13th, 2011
10:52 am
I am not predicting a 10 game winning streak.
But to say the decision has already been made flys in the face of everything GM has been saying.
He says it is week to week.
I say if the results are poor, the plan will get announced, Richt becomes lame duck and the coach search starts publicly.
If the results are miracleville, the plan gets scrapped and richt will be back.
That’s my prediction