UGA President Michael Adams calls for support of football team, Richt

UGA President Dr. Michael Adams on Thursday called for Georgia football fans to unite in support of the team. His comments came during the fall semester meeting of the UGA Cabinet when asked to assess the job being done by 11th-year head coach Mark Richt.

Said Adams:

“I don’t believe I have ever commented on any coach mid season. You know the answer. What we do weith every head coach — every head coach, not just the high-profile head coaches – but at the end of the season the AD sits down and makes a judgment. Then he makes a judgment whether or not he needs to talk to the president about that.

“The issue for me right now is I think this is the time for all of us to come together and get behind this group of guys who played a heck of a game last Saturday and deserve our support. I’ve never folded on anything 15 or 20 percent into it, and that’s what we would be doing.

I’d love to see the stadium full Saturday for probably what will not be the most high-profile opponent we’ll play this year. I go to the locker room. I know these young men. I know a number of our student-athletes. We had a heck of an effort last Saturday. There’s nobody here who likes to win more than I do. But it’s time for us as a community to get behind this team, support them from now ’til the end of the season. And once the whole body of work is in, we’ll do what we do every year. We’ll see where we are.”

ALSO:

It seems there are a lot of folks coming out in support of Richt today . . .

335 comments Add your comment

Joey

September 16th, 2011
9:17 am

Dang, I just read where we have the second-worse conference record in the SEC since the start of ‘09. Yep, right behind Vandy.

So, in my effort to remain optimistic about UGA football, I’ll just say things could be worse . . .

Dr. Phil

September 16th, 2011
9:22 am

In the good old days, Adams entertained the gov and key legislators in Roman opulence in his suite and took a gang of them to New Orleans at University expense. Now, who wants to go to Shreeveport or watch a terrible performance in Memphis? This is Adams’ real problem: the politicians and fat cats won’t play with him. His concern with the football team is, what’s in it for Adams. Right now, it’s not much.

Joey

September 16th, 2011
9:23 am

True, LkB, if Bobo calls plays like he did vs SC, and we get a handle on the turnovers, we could beat anybody left on the schedule. Key word being “could.”

It’s hard to envision, but I hope we do it.

Dirty Dawg

September 16th, 2011
9:27 am

What is it with you people? You act as if you’re some kind of football genius and that the rest of us want, and need, to know what you think…well we don’t – in either case. What Adams – not my favorite guy either – and Dooley are saying, and what plenty of ‘true’ Georgia fans are saying, is that now is exactly the worst time to be attacking the coaches and players. We have an opportunity to do some good this season and our job as fans is to yell our damn heads off in support of the team and to make sure that they know we appreciate what they do – and that includes the coaches.

Those of us that appreciate that role will ‘circle the wagons’ – leaving you naysaying caterwaulers outside…and, by the way, we plan to ‘make every shot count’.

BulldogBen

September 16th, 2011
9:27 am

Sorry if Adams doesn’t quite inspire unity. The same guy that has killed the overall gameday experience in Athens and ran Dooley off campus.

I’ll be watching this weekend but sorry if a 45 point beatdown of a cupcake doesn’t inspire unity.

1eyedJack

September 16th, 2011
9:31 am

“Snoop Dawg” says it all. You assume the Nom de Guerre of some blitzed low-life gang-banger. You’re another dumb “get rid of da preacha man” loser. Go polish your participation trophies.

Some folks just don’t know what they’ve got ’til they lose it, and then they’ll be the ones crying the loudest.

Now as for Dan Mullen as a possible replacement. NO. NO. NO.

TampaDawg

September 16th, 2011
9:31 am

NewnanDawg

September 16th, 2011
6:49 am

Well said, Doug. We lost at HOME, AGAIN, to a South Carolina team that gave us exactly what we wanted…..a terrible game from Stephen Garcia.

Richt hasn’t sniffed a shot at a national championship in 11 years. He’s had plenty of chances. This downswing didn’t start last year, it started when DC Van Gorder left in 2004.
————————————
First part of this could not be more true .. second part is a bit inaccurate. 2002, 2004 and 2007 were years the Dawgs had a shot at the title or as you would say .. a “sniff” at it. Maybe a little less in 2004 than in 2002 and 2007, but the chance was there.

WDE

September 16th, 2011
9:33 am

I hate to agree with Adams about anything but I do in this case…and I’m hoping we can play the 1st team for the first half get up 14-21 points and let the younger guys play the 2nd half we will need for them to gain as much game experience as they can get….as soon as they can get it! That to me is much more important than winning by 40.

1eyedJack

September 16th, 2011
9:34 am

I’m not sure but I think a bunch of drunken “fans” crapping in the library and trashing the whole place “killed the overall gameday experience in Athens”.

McDawg

September 16th, 2011
9:34 am

its called leadership

TampaDawg

September 16th, 2011
9:35 am

1eyedJack hit the nail on the head there buddy.

Rotten in Denmark

September 16th, 2011
9:35 am

The kool aid drinkers are really just the Coordinators and graduate assitanct coaches begging to keep their jobs under pen names. They know they lack the goods to keep their jobs based on merit, so they resort to attacking the fan base for stating what is blatantly obvious – everone from the AD to the locker room janitor needs to be fired immediately. And Adams needs to find another institution to run into the ground, he’s done enough damage to UGA.

DawginLex

September 16th, 2011
9:35 am

Indiana of the SEC

Stick to soccer or croquet son.

Leave the football talk to the men

David Greene never played one down for Jim Donnan

Jim Donnan never called one single play in a game for David Greene to run

David Greene played 4 years and was coached all 4 years by Mark Richt.

Saying richt won with donnan’s recruits makes you to be an idiot.

DJ Shockley was a Richt recruit.

What did DJ do? Won an SEC title.

Just shutup

Rotten in Denmark

September 16th, 2011
9:36 am

Enter your comments here

38 Yardline Dawg

September 16th, 2011
9:36 am

I’d give a d@mn about Adam’s remarks to support our team, had he not ruined my group’s long-standing tailgating experience on north campus. But him asking to back our team and his policies restrict the enjoyment of going to the games is at conflict. I also agree that his interest in supporting the team is financially motivated more than ‘team spirit.’

DawginLex

September 16th, 2011
9:38 am

38 yardline

You are absolutely correct. Adams should have kept his trap shut.

He is all about money. That’s all he wants us to do, keep buying tickets, hot dogs and cokes.

TampaDawg

September 16th, 2011
9:47 am

DawginLex, saw your comments about the “indiana of the SEC” clown. When I jump on this blog in the morning and there are already about 150+ comments, I usually skip to the end so I don’t comment on something said 12 hours ago. But seeing your response to that knucklehead made me have to go look for the comment because I couldn’t believe someone that stupid even knows how to type.

AltamahaDawg

September 16th, 2011
9:49 am

Been out of commission a few days so I admit not reading all the posts, BUT of the few I have read…why is anyone changing Adams words to make thier point? The only thing he said about the coaches was,…. as has always been the case……it’ll be worked out one way or the other at after the season.

As far as him talking about support, that was all in relation to the players, team.

DawginLex

September 16th, 2011
9:52 am

Tampa

If it’s on here, it’s fair game in my book :)

read between the lines, people

September 16th, 2011
9:56 am

“we will re-evaluate at the end of the season.”
That’s corporate speak for “your head is on the chopping block.”

here’s what I see happening over the next 3 weeks…….

expect field goal jesus to go against his religious views and run up the score this week.

then you can expect the koolaiders will come out in force with their “see I told you so” remarks. expect richt to stick out his chest after this “victory” and claim that the ship is righted.

richt will give his team a light week to bask in the glow of their first victory….and besides, it’s just ole miss. (deja vu….it’s just central florida…its just colorado…its just mississippi state…we can beat them)

expect a freaking dogfight and possible loss in oxford.

then if MSU comes in here and hits like they did last night, we might not have enough bodies to finish the game. it all goes downhill from there…..

TampaDawg

September 16th, 2011
10:03 am

yeah, Lex, that guy is as sharp as a marble.

AltamahaDawg

September 16th, 2011
10:03 am

38, I never really tailgate on the North campus so I don’t really know how the newest of rules are working, But what is it that you can’t do now, (that you use to) that has ruined it so much? You don’;t seem like the type of person that the crackdown would have affected that much.

DawginLex

September 16th, 2011
10:04 am

MSU beats us and Richt is done whether it gets announced or not.

Ole Miss beats us, I predict he gets made lame duck even though Bill disagrees with me.

Bulldogs will win :-)

September 16th, 2011
10:14 am

MSU is the best 1-2 team in the country. They’ll make mincemeat of UGA.

Afterward, an angry mob will run Richt out of town on a rail.

TampaDawg

September 16th, 2011
10:23 am

How is it that MSU beats ONE team being freaking Memphis, loses to a good, but not great Auburn team, loses to a great team in LSU and they are the best 1-2 team in the country that will make mincemeat out of UGA? UGA played a couple of games against very good teams too but somehow MSU is the moral favorite I guess. And for the record, Chris Relf has looked HORRIBLE this year but at least he is completing over 62% of his 4 yard passes.

Numberwang

September 16th, 2011
10:24 am

Adams is a smart cookie… he’s exactly right. We need to rally around this team. There is hope, because there’s no question about the young talent we have on this team. There’s no logical reason why you shouldn’t support Mark Richt. He wants to win every bit as much as you or I. He’s made a lot of moves over the last two years to addressed known and perceived problems in the program. We owe it to these young men to give them our full support!

Show up tomorrow and be loud!

Half Century Dawg Fan

September 16th, 2011
10:29 am

AMEN Dirty Dawg, well said

TallaDawg

September 16th, 2011
10:32 am

I like Dr. Adams’s statement, and wholeheartedly agree with the sentiment. I just do not believe that CMR is the answer for UGa football in the future.

TallaDawg

September 16th, 2011
10:34 am

Great point TampaDawg, and I agree. (Sunshine state Dawgs stick together.)

David

September 16th, 2011
10:36 am

HEY Fellow DAWG FANS…..Read this….. you need to be very careful what you wish for….

“Georgia, you better know what you’ve got because [you’re not] getting no better. You’re not going to hire nobody better than that man,” Bennett said. “And he’ll get it back — he’ll get it back to the top. … He’ll win another SEC championship. I think [the program will] win another national championship with him. But if they want to get rid of him, me personally, knowing the man and knowing coaching, it would be a mistake.”

TampaDawg

September 16th, 2011
10:38 am

Rock on TallaDawg! It gets lonely down here at times. Especially when some of my best friends are Gator grads.

just a fan

September 16th, 2011
10:38 am

@WDE

I couldn’t agree more we need to get the 2nd and 3rd stringers as much playing time in this game as we can.

TampaDawg

September 16th, 2011
10:39 am

Hey David, pardon my ignorance on this but which “Bennett” is that quote from? It’s interesting to say the least.

True DAWG

September 16th, 2011
10:42 am

I support the Dawgs but Adams please leave us and get another job! Your probably the long term reason we are loosing!

what of it?

September 16th, 2011
10:42 am

Don’t ask questions, just support. That must be the only reason we’re losing. Nothing to do with the coaches or administration. It’s the fan base that’s causing the losses right now.

hardly working

September 16th, 2011
10:47 am

i have to say, this is the first time I’ve ever heard of a team like UGA having to practically beg for support after game 2. really…? man, talk about your wishy washy fans.

David

September 16th, 2011
10:47 am

Tampa…..it’s from a head football coach……doesnt matter where he is from…a head coach with a very true observation

TampaDawg

September 16th, 2011
10:49 am

Gotcha David. Was just curious though. I am pulling for CMR to get this thing going back in the right direction. I love to see critics get theirs.

LakeDawg

September 16th, 2011
10:49 am

This quote from the Finebaum article echoes what I’ve said before. The “see no evil” crowd should take note.

Nice guy or not, the facts don’t lie: Richt is on the verge of losing the program and the support of his fans. Georgia fans, among the most mild and merciful in the South when it comes to expectations (the program’s last national title came in 1980) and demands on the head man, are slowly getting disgusted and running razor thin on patience.

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/paul_finebaum/09/15/mark-richt/index.html#ixzz1Y7vkFiSn

David

September 16th, 2011
10:50 am

Tampa….sorry…hit soon to quick….Bennett is the head Coach of Coastal Carolina

David

September 16th, 2011
10:50 am

HA! send…not soon

TampaDawg

September 16th, 2011
10:53 am

Cool, thanks David. And I can just picture him with his big southern drawl laying out that quote.

shankit

September 16th, 2011
10:56 am

Where are the Mullin supporters?
Poorest coached offense I have ever seen.
Mullin thinks his quarterback is Tebow.

KB

September 16th, 2011
11:04 am

Laughing at the MSU is the best 1-2 team in the nation, for beating up on Memphis and losing to what will eventually be a very average Auburn team, and playing just well enough at home to stay within 2 Tds of LSU.. Only SEC west team Mullen has beaten is Ole Miss.

LakeDawg

September 16th, 2011
11:07 am

Personally, I don’t want a coach who runs the spread, so I have to say no to Mullin.

shankit

September 16th, 2011
11:16 am

Mullen is 0 – 3 this year
Mullen 1 – 10 the last three years against SEC West opponents.
Only win was against Ole Miss.
STock has gone down, the cow bells are quiet.

New kid on the blog (pun intended)

September 16th, 2011
11:16 am

The kool aid drinkers need to stop bashing those fans who think this program is headed in the wrong direction. Just because we aren’t fans of CMR does not mean that we aren’t true fans. It is possible to be fans of the program and university without being a fan of the head coach. UGA is bigger than one head coach.

That was an extremely lukewarm statement of support from Adams. Notice he said “I don’t believe I have ever commented on any coach mid season. You know the answer. What we do weith every head coach — every head coach, not just the high-profile head coaches – but at the end of the season the AD sits down and makes a judgment.” Pretty much says it all – if Richt does not win out, we will be searching for a new head coach at the end of the season.

AltamahaDawg

September 16th, 2011
11:17 am

Come on Lake dawg, there is no such thing as the “see no evil” crowd. (or they are a statistically as insignificant as the complete opposite end who are far more vocal and just as irrational) Everybody sees the exact same thing, but there are some differences in behavior about it. It’s as simple as that. It always seems to me that a person diminishes their point if they had to set up a fallacy to make it.

shankit

September 16th, 2011
11:17 am

What about the rumor, BoBo to Kennesaw as HC?

Georgia | MrSEC.com

September 16th, 2011
11:23 am

[...] lend Richt his full support.  They see that is a sign that Richt’s a goner.In reality, Adams called on fans to support Georgia’s team while tossing out a boilerplate answer about waiting until the end of the season to make a judgment [...]