Georgia, Vanderbilt coaches discuss postgame skirmish
NASHVILLE – Forget Georgia-Florida, Georgia-Auburn or Georgia-Georgia Tech. The new white-hot rivalry for the Bulldogs may be with Vanderbilt.
Players and coaches had to be separated following the Bulldogs’ hard-fought, emotional 33-28 win. The game wasn’t decided until Vanderbilt tight end Branden Barden of Lincolnton, Ga., was corralled at the Georgia 16-yard line as time expired.
Immediately afterward, a skirmish ensued between the teams that appeared to be mostly yelling and gesturing and little actual physical confrontation. Georgia defensive coordinator Todd Grantham was a central figure in the fray.
Grantham pretty much refused to comment directly what went on with Vanderbilt head coach James Franklin at the end of the game. All he would say and kept repeating was, “I love our players. I’m going to stick up for my players. Everybody’s competitive.”
Franklin was a little more telling with his comment: “We just had a tough, emotional game and some things were said that I didn’t think were appropriate. I went to find Coach Richt and didn’t find him, so I found one of his assistant coaches and it didn’t go well. We’re not going to sit back and take it from anyone.”
Franklin said he eventually found Richt.
“I explained to him what happened,” Franklin said. “That’s for me and Coach Richt to deal with. Hopefully we’ll learn from that experience. Those things happen.”
Replays after the game show Grantham screaming at Franklin in the middle of the field as the players from both teams stood across opposing lines separated by coaches in the middle.
Grantham was reprimanded by Richt last year when he made the choke sign toward Florida kicker Chaz Henry as he prepared to make a game-tying field goal attempt to send the game into overtime. Henry made the kick and the Gators went on to win.
Georgia was called for three personal foul penalties in Saturday’s game and Richt clearly wasn’t happy with the way his players or his coaches acted at the end of the emotional contest.
“I don’t know exactly what happened. Maybe TV picked it up and we’ll get a better view of what was going on. But we are grown men and we need to act that way. But we’re also competitors and we all have emotions and xometimes when you get a little fired up it’s hard to keep from getting in some kind of jawing contest.
“I’ll say this: There were times when I was ashamed of some of the choice things that came out of my mouth during the game. So I’ve got to be disciplined, too.”
On the fracas between the two teams at the end of the game, Richt said:
“I don’t know for sure what heppened. I’ve heard a couple of different sides of the story. It’s hard to know which one is 100 percent the truth. But the bottom line is when the game is over the game’s over. You shake hands and you be thankful for the victory. Just like at the end of a play. When a play’s over, it’s over. Go to the sideline. We didn’t do a very good job of that at times.
“It was heated. It IS battle. It’s not war with real bullets but it’s a war in a sense and it’s very physical. Tempers do get flared up. I don’t mind our blood getting hot but we have to be able to get excited or maybe even angry but not foul.”
Georgia was penalized 11 times for 89 yards in the game and generally played sloppy and without poise. When the Bulldogs were trying to salt the game away in the fourth quarter, they threw an interception, lost seven yards and had to punt on one possession, and finally had a punt blocked on its last possession.
Georgia senior punter Drew Butler should probably go down as the hero of the game. After the punt was blocked by another Georgia native — wide receiver Udom Umoh of Fort Valley — Butler managed to gather his wits quick enough to haul down Umoh at the 20 after Umoh had scooped up the ball.
After an illegal substitution penalty, the Commodores got off two plays before the game ended. The first was a pass in the end zone that bounced off the hands of receiver Chris Boyd, another Georgia native, from Roswell.
Said Grantham, whose unit gave up 349 yards to Vandy: “The bottom line is we stopped them three times in the fourth quarter when they had a chance to win the game.”
Said Richt: “I think Vanderbilt did a fantastic job. They were inches from winning the ballgame.”
Tailback Isaiah Crowell did not play the entire first quarter. Richt said it was “just a situation where it was a coach’s decision not to play him.”
Crowell. finished with 35 yards on 10 carries. He did not play late in the game because of the wrist injury that has plagued him the last three weeks, according to Richt.
Here’s some video of Coach Franklin’s postgame news conference:
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667 comments Add your comment
True Dawg Fan
October 17th, 2011
10:01 am
Tom
October 17th, 2011
10:01 am
Wait….so now we’re hearing he was also flipping off FANS? Seriously? A COACH?
No one flipped anyone off. Stop spreading retard tech rumors.
Tom
October 17th, 2011
10:02 am
TDF, just passing along reports from the radio.
SEC Fan
October 17th, 2011
10:04 am
Grantham should just start a fight at the beginning of the Florida game and get himself ejected. He would become such a hero among this delusional fan-base that none of you would even notice the Gator’s 600+ yards of offense after you lose the game.
DawginLex
October 17th, 2011
10:05 am
There was no flipping off fans
Franklin said somehting directly to one of our players
Grantham called him out for it
How retarded do you have to be to not underatand that?
Grantham did right. The players love him for it.
Chaz Henry
October 17th, 2011
10:06 am
The choker will blow it again against the Gators.
DawginLex
October 17th, 2011
10:07 am
SEC fan
No one with a brain is delusional about the UF game
You on the other hand are predicting an anemic Florida offense to get 600 yards on us?
Who is delusional?
SEC Fan
October 17th, 2011
10:09 am
None of this will matter after Georgia loses to Florida and Auburn. Maybe UGA can beat the lowly YellaJackets and save Coach Richt’s job one more time.
Just Wait ‘Till Next Year!
True Dawg Fan
October 17th, 2011
10:09 am
DawginLex
October 17th, 2011
10:05 am
There was no flipping off fans
Franklin said somehting directly to one of our players
Grantham called him out for it
How retarded do you have to be to not underatand that?
Grantham did right. The players love him for it.
Another True Dawg Fan right here!
SEC Fan
October 17th, 2011
10:10 am
@DawginLex
Florida > Vandy
‘Nuff Said
Dap01
October 17th, 2011
10:10 am
Vandy is kinda like GA Tech. They are wanna bees. They have 35,000 fans each week and they want to be legit so bad.
The only difference between Vandy’s team and Tech is Vandy’s parking lots are safer.
True Dawg Fan
October 17th, 2011
10:11 am
SEC Fan
October 17th, 2011
10:09 am
None of this will matter after Georgia loses to Florida and Auburn. Maybe UGA can beat the lowly YellaJackets and save Coach Richt’s job one more time.
Just Wait ‘Till Next Year!
So you are probably the same person who was here last week that said those same teams plus Vandy would beat us.
Get over it retard. We arent going away and will pound your little nerds into the ground in November.
SEC Fan
October 17th, 2011
10:11 am
And the only difference between Vandy and Georgia is that Vandy has class.
SEC Fan
October 17th, 2011
10:12 am
I never said that Vandy would beat anyone. Coastal Carolina would have a 4 game winning streak if they had just played Georgia’s schedule.
True Dawg Fan
October 17th, 2011
10:13 am
SEC Fan
October 17th, 2011
10:10 am
@DawginLex
Florida > Vandy
‘Nuff Said
Hope it didnt take you all morning to come up with that conclusion hahahaha.
Might do you well to remember we didnt have our best receiver and our best RB only was abke to take 10 carries due to injury. But ur one of the retard nerds so I dont expect you to understand.
SEC Fan
October 17th, 2011
10:13 am
The truth is gonna hurt. You’d better get ready – it’s coming.
True Dawg Fan
October 17th, 2011
10:14 am
SEC Fan
October 17th, 2011
10:11 am
And the only difference between Vandy and Georgia is that Vandy has class.
Check your facts, VANDY’S Coach came after OUR player, THEN OUR Coach defended that player. Your an idiot
SEC Fan
October 17th, 2011
10:14 am
Vandy had to play their backup QB.
You have no excuses.
True Dawg Fan
October 17th, 2011
10:14 am
SEC Fan
October 17th, 2011
10:12 am
I never said that Vandy would beat anyone. Coastal Carolina would have a 4 game winning streak if they had just played Georgia’s schedule.
Yea not under this handle but one of your many you lonely little nerd.
True Dawg Fan
October 17th, 2011
10:16 am
SEC Fan
October 17th, 2011
10:14 am
Vandy had to play their backup QB.
You have no excuses.
You have to be kidding right??? Who started the game for them????? He got benched becauses Rodgers is better you moron. hahahahhahahahahahahahhaha Check your facts so u dont get embarrassed so easily.
SEC Fan
October 17th, 2011
10:19 am
Tech fans are not your problem. They have their own problems to deal with.
People outside of the state of Georgia don’t consider either of your major CFB programs relevant. Deny that at your own peril – you’ve been doing it for several years now anyway.
UGA Insider
October 17th, 2011
10:31 am
CMR never seems to have his coaches/players back. Unless it’s his friends and or incompetent coaches such as Mike Bobo, Willie Martinez, and Coach V.
DawginLex
October 17th, 2011
10:35 am
Facts are that Vandy found their QB Saturday night.
He also happens to have very good blood lines since he is Aaron Rodgers’ brother.
We won the game
the florida game is a toss up at this point
They have the edge mentally because of what has happened.
Richt needs to change that
i’m through arguing with the pig
True Dawg Fan
October 17th, 2011
10:35 am
UGA Insider
October 17th, 2011
10:31 am
CMR never seems to have his coaches/players back. Unless it’s his friends and or incompetent coaches such as Mike Bobo, Willie Martinez, and Coach V.
How dumb would he have sounded if he came out and said nope my players told me what happened and its all on Vandy????
UGA Insider?? More like UGA fringe fan
UGA Insider
October 17th, 2011
10:36 am
I was on the field and it was like an Allstate commercial. Mahem! Coach Grantham was NOT in the wrong and CMR should have said that at the presser. I am at a serious crossroads with CMR and I hope McGarity is as well. The offense was again, for the 7th straight week. Ill- prepared to play an SEC game. The problem was Vandy played tough and wore our D down in the second half. UGA should have and deserved to lose the game. I just wonder would CTG be the interim coach right now. CMR better kiss Butler’s butt.
True Dawg Fan
October 17th, 2011
10:38 am
SEC Fan
October 17th, 2011
10:19 am
Tech fans are not your problem. They have their own problems to deal with.
People outside of the state of Georgia don’t consider either of your major CFB programs relevant. Deny that at your own peril – you’ve been doing it for several years now anyway.
Hahahahahahahahhahahahahahahaha. No one considers Tech relevant not even us. Last year year not relevant. But this year we are hence why we are tied for 1st in SEC East.
Go ahead and keep bashing UGA when your probably some nerd who cheers for tech or some idiot from the swamp still crying over a 3rd consecutive loss. Either way UGA must be relevant since your here wondering about us!!
UGA Insider
October 17th, 2011
10:39 am
True Dawg,
It’s his damn job to find out what happened immediately after the game before you go to the presser!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If the TV saw something why doesn’t he go look at it???? He is a pacifist just like you. We had cheap-shots on us all night!!!!!! Stop being a pacifist like CMR and Obama.
True Dawg Fan
October 17th, 2011
10:43 am
UGA Insider
October 17th, 2011
10:36 am
I was on the field and it was like an Allstate commercial. Mahem! Coach Grantham was NOT in the wrong and CMR should have said that at the presser. I am at a serious crossroads with CMR and I hope McGarity is as well. The offense was again, for the 7th straight week. Ill- prepared to play an SEC game. The problem was Vandy played tough and wore our D down in the second half. UGA should have and deserved to lose the game. I just wonder would CTG be the interim coach right now. CMR better kiss Butler’s butt.
CMR is fine where he is and if he ends up getting canned it will be due to people like you that cant understand that Vandy plays us tough every year. EVERY YEAR. Just like SC even before spurrier came in and turned the program around, always a close game period.
Thank goodness Richt is the coach and we dont have ppl like you making the decisions.
Ill Prepared?? How about we didnt have crowell for most of the game and we didnt have mitchell at all. Our best 2 weapons, we all knew the offense would suffer without them.
WAKE UP KID!
UGA Insider
October 17th, 2011
10:45 am
Dawgin Lex,
You are a smart UGA fan and I like reading what you have to say. Do you think UGA will be favored or underdogs in the game? UF has looked terrible but this is make or break for Muschamp and his back is really against a wall. However CMR has a ton of pressure on him as well. The way we played Saturday night I have NO confidence in Bobo. We simply cannot score in the red zone and I hear IC is having major problems off the field. Coach Brown is really earning his money trying to make this kid do right. However IC has had to overcome much in his young life and Athens will swallow you up if you allow it to. I’m really worried about IC at the moment. He did not want to play Sat night and you could tell.
True Dawg Fan
October 17th, 2011
10:48 am
UGA Insider
October 17th, 2011
10:39 am
True Dawg,
It’s his damn job to find out what happened immediately after the game before you go to the presser!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If the TV saw something why doesn’t he go look at it???? He is a pacifist just like you. We had cheap-shots on us all night!!!!!! Stop being a pacifist like CMR and Obama.
No its not his job to immediately run to the locker room and watch the tape. Thats one of the dumbest statements I have ever heard. He is the head coach and it is his job to stay compossed. You want someone like Spurrier out there throwing his hat and head phones like a little baby??? I am by no means a pcifist, I am actually more of a rabid dawg fan. I love what CTG did,, and I love how CMR handled it. He let CTG do the emotional part, and he came in and cleaned it up.
CMR isnt some retard that is going to go out to the press and scream at Vandy for it. We all know they put some cheap shots on us, but its Richt’s job to keep everyone focused and composed. Hence why he said that he had heard both sides.
1eyedJack
October 17th, 2011
10:53 am
SEC Fan, Vandy didn’t “HAVE” to play their backup QB. He played because their starter was ineffective throwing two interceptions. From the looks of it he should have been playing all along.
True Dawg Fan
October 17th, 2011
10:53 am
UGA Insider
October 17th, 2011
10:45 am
Dawgin Lex,
You are a smart UGA fan and I like reading what you have to say. Do you think UGA will be favored or underdogs in the game? UF has looked terrible but this is make or break for Muschamp and his back is really against a wall. However CMR has a ton of pressure on him as well. The way we played Saturday night I have NO confidence in Bobo. We simply cannot score in the red zone and I hear IC is having major problems off the field. Coach Brown is really earning his money trying to make this kid do right. However IC has had to overcome much in his young life and Athens will swallow you up if you allow it to. I’m really worried about IC at the moment. He did not want to play Sat night and you could tell.
Didnt want to play????? He was itching to get in the game. Wow you really dont watch the games do you??? He got hurt on that same injured wrist right before half. They kept him out to get him healthy for Florida.
HE IS NOT HAVING ANY OFF THE FIELD ISSUES. You most likely got the info from a blog similiar to this one, where nerds also lurk. The nerds tried to spread rumors that he was suspended for not paying parking tickets before BSU game. If it doesnt come out of CMR’s mouth, DONT LISTEN TO IT.
DJ Dawg
October 17th, 2011
11:15 am
We have to figure out why we cant score when we are in the redzone!!!! Field goals are not going to win many games!!! Hell it almost cost us this game!!!! Thanks KB !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Abnerish
October 17th, 2011
11:17 am
Drew Butler saved that game, our season, and for now, Coach Richt’s job!! Butler’s game saving tackle could be the play of the year. I shudder to think what these blogs would look like had he not made that tackle. “Lucky” doesn’t even begin to describe what Georgia is.
What’s up with our inability to put teams away?!?
old dawg
October 17th, 2011
11:25 am
chop blocks are illegal. they were outlawed to reduce the terrible knee injuries to the players. the attitude shown by the refs via the no calls just to show the georgia coaches who is in charge is inexcusable. the league should hammer the officiating crew for their behavior. they allowed it to go on. and where is the outrage at the vandy coaches for coaching their players to do this?
CTG is right in his outrage.
CMR needs to load up the video of examples and send it to the SEC office and make an issue out of this. NO APOLOGY TOUR!
Finally some hard nosed outrage.
now go take it out on fl.
Abnerish
October 17th, 2011
11:45 am
Geathers had every right to punch that gutless Vandy player that hit him on his knee from behind after the play was over. The vandy player may not have a future in football, but that’s no excuse for trying to end Geathers season/career.
That kind of stuff happened the entire game. It was almost as if they were instructed to do this to either show us that they weren’t going to back down, or that they were trying to get us off our game (which definitely worked).
William Barid, MD
October 17th, 2011
12:37 pm
This is why UGA is considered a little regional school. They let sports take over the univeristy. For the vast majority of Americans- they see a state employee acting as if he is in third grade.
Our firm does not hire from UGA for a reason.
Barry Wilson
October 17th, 2011
1:05 pm
Skirmish?? That used to be a term reserved small battles in real wars. Come on – - coaches yelling at each other should hardly qualify as anything more than ………”coaches yelling at each other.” Big deal! No punches were thrown; no one was shot; no one was hurt. Why do we try to make so much out of nothing?
True Dawg Fan
October 17th, 2011
1:06 pm
William Barid, MD
October 17th, 2011
12:37 pm
This is why UGA is considered a little regional school. They let sports take over the univeristy. For the vast majority of Americans- they see a state employee acting as if he is in third grade.
Our firm does not hire from UGA for a reason.
hahahahaha. No one considers us a LITTLE regional school. hahahhaha nice try nerd.
Universities that dont care about sports are usually the ones that arent good at them.
And if you really do not hire UGA ppl then ur openly telling everyone that run a disriminatory practice. Which last time I checked was illegal. So maybe u arent a nerd becuase ur obviously not very bright!
True Dawg Fan
October 17th, 2011
1:07 pm
Barry Wilson
October 17th, 2011
1:05 pm
Skirmish?? That used to be a term reserved small battles in real wars. Come on – – coaches yelling at each other should hardly qualify as anything more than ………”coaches yelling at each other.” Big deal! No punches were thrown; no one was shot; no one was hurt. Why do we try to make so much out of nothing?
What else would the media do if they didnt blow up dumb little things??
Dawglover
October 17th, 2011
1:20 pm
William Barid, MD–your logic is totally idiotic. Prove to me to me that The university fo Georgia is ‘little regional school”. Share with us your amazing logic.
I'm a man, I'm 40!
October 17th, 2011
2:02 pm
Yeah, after watching the post game press conference by Franklin, ….diquehed! He’s trying to make a name for himself and will end up getting his arse kicked, or in trouble.
Chip Towers
October 17th, 2011
2:03 pm
Pitbull: Vanderbilt was penalized 7 times for 50 yards. That included one personal foul, if I’m not mistaken. What’s your point?
PT
October 17th, 2011
4:46 pm
A passionate defensive coach is great thing to have on any football team; however they sometimes are an issue that needs attention. It may be the best thing that could happen to Georgia football depending on how it handled.
chuck
October 17th, 2011
5:16 pm
HEY, i WAS WATCHING A PROGRAM OF COMMERCIALS THE OTHER NIGHT, AND A FOOTBALL GAME BROKE OUT , MUCH TO MY SURPRISE, AND THE T.V. HAD THREE PEOPLE ANNOUNCING THE GAME, AND NEITHER ONE WOULD STOP TALKING.
uga girl
October 18th, 2011
1:11 am
Wow!!!! It’s amazing how people from Tennessee are calling people from Georgia stupid rednecks. Like one state makes a difference. Tennessee has nothing but inbred uneducated folks living in the good ol smokies. Hillbilly jackasses
stendek
October 18th, 2011
3:36 am
If our head coach wants to turn the other cheek after getting the first one spit on he is in the wrong profession Chip. That said. See comments were closed on another site. Can only surmise the Bulldog Nation came to the defense of Todd Grantham over the baldheaded liar from Tennessee and a gutless head coach who threw one of his coaches under the bus then proceeded to drive over him. Twice! Since traitorous coward Saint Mark Wretch is in such an apologetic mood perhaps he should start with the long suffering UGA football fans. The brainless coach should apologize to fans for allowing a punt to be blocked in the final 15 seconds, allowing another successful fake punt, allowing a kickoff return for a TD, continuing to attempt FGs which are missed instead of going for TDs, failing to take up for his players, failing to take up for his coaches except Mike Dodo, assuming his own coach to be at fault without even hearing his side of the story and for allowing the football program to drop into the lower region of SEC. How about it Saint? No apology will be forthcoming. Why? Because Wretch is not only the poorest head coach in the SEC but a hypocrite to boot. If Grantham walked tonight I would not blame him. Wish I could fire that POS Wretch myself! Apology my you know what.
bubba4dawgs
October 18th, 2011
6:40 am
Perhaps this was needed to take a character pulse reading of the team and coaches. Hopefully, we learned from it! We dodged a bullet and there are more to come from Florida, Auburn and GT. They won’t be gimmees. And think, win these and you win the scary honor of playing either LSU or Ala. Ain’t that exciting!!!!! Pull yourselves together and GO DAWGS!!!!
Preston Thompson
October 18th, 2011
6:49 am
I have to agree with the previous post. Coach Richt is letting his sweet kind personality get in the way of coaching football. Just watching Georgia play ball shows how undisiplined they are. They are not a well coached team. Example: watch Alabama play. They look like a machine with all parts knowing what the other parts are doing any for sure each player knows what he’s supposed to be doing.
And I do also agree, if Grantham walked today I could not blame him after the spinless way Richt acted. And I do mean spinless. I guess Richt would be crying if he saw all the hateful things said on here.
Bobo has used up his all his ‘get out of jail free’ cards. His play calling has been on the side of idiocy. Changes are a coming.
And lastly, most of you on here are very lucky you said what you’ve said on here and not in Grantham’s face. You folks most probably be smiling with toothless gums till you get to the dentist. Much like the folks from Tenn do.:-)
papadawg
October 18th, 2011
7:41 am
More upsetting to me than the “fracus” over shadowed the fact that Crowell showed once again he’s NOT a SEC running back.
Silverdogg
October 18th, 2011
8:17 am
Fire Richt now, he doesn’t support his players and now just stabs his coaches in the back. he is through. He just takes the word of a person from the other side, who teaches his kids to chop block at the knees of players all game long.