Georgia’s Mark Richt breaks down his special teams philosophies
ATHENS – Obviously the most critical area for Georgia to shore up for this final stretch of the regular season is its special teams. I outlined the Bulldogs’ poor statistical standing in most facets of special teams earlier in the week.
Yesterday, coach Mark Richt provided some details as far as how much they work on special teams on a daily basis and how the responsibilities are divided among the assistants.
Here’s a quick look at what assistants are handing what units and some tidbits about practice and meeting time spent on it. Then you can hear from Richt as far as his philosophies on special teams.
- PAT/FG — OL coach Will Friend
- PAT/FG Block — DL coach Rodney Garner
- Punt team — TEs coach John Lilly
- Punt return — RB coach Bryan McClendon
- Kickoff team — LBs coach Kirk Olivadotti
- Kickoff return — WRs coach Tony Ball
Only defensive backs coach Scott Lakatos doesn’t have an assignment.
According to Richt, Georgia meets and practices specials team every day. Of course the specialists themselves — punters, kicker, snappers, holders — are practicing all day every day in practice. But as units, this is who much time is devoted to them:
Day——-Meetings———Practice
Mon.—–40 mins———-25 mins
Tues.——- 20————-35
Wed.——–20————-25
Thur.——-15————–30
Fri.———60————-n/a
Richt’s comments:
- On time devoted: “I guess it’s roughly 30 percent of our time, not quite a third of a our time.”
- Has he considered a full-time special teams coach? “I looked at it. But what happens is, if you have a guy that does only special teams, all of the sudden you’re robbing a position from the offense or defense. . . . You’d be shorthanded on one or the other. So I decided to continue on with what we’ve done since I’ve been here, splitting up the roles.”
- Should the NCAA allow staff expansion to allow for a full-time special teams coach: “I’d be all for it, but I doubt that will happen anytime soon.”
- Why he settled on this model: “It’s kind of what I was used to [from Florida State and Bobby Bowden].”
- Is this the preferred method in college football: “I think more people probably do it the way we do, but I’m not sure of that. The NFL doesn’t have a limit so they don’t have to do that.”
Note: According to the 2011 SEC Football media guide, 10 of the 11 league schools have a “special teams coordinator.” Only Mississippi State does not and, i that case, head coach Dan Mullen handles specials team, a la Urban Meyer.
In practice this week, it looks like Georgia has been working in on special teams a lot more of the front-line offensive and defensive. Can’t be sure who will be doing what until Saturday’s game against New Mexico State and maybe not then. Meanwhile, this is what Richt said regarding special teams play at his weekly news conference on Tuesday:
“Early in the year we were doing some things fundamentally extremely well. Then it got especially sloppy in this last ballgame. Guys were just not avoiding blocks in the right direction. If everybody avoids blocks properly, then you’ve got all your gaps taken care of. You have guys just kind of ad-libbing, then you get these creases. So that’s part of it, but also personnel. We are challenging a lot of the guys who play more scrimmage downs to get involved in more than just the opening kickoff. I think everybody can understand how crucial that that play is, so there will be other guys involved personnel-wise. We have to kick the ball in such a way that there is enough hang time to get everybody down there, too.
“We have some true freshmen on there. It’s the same bunch of guys that really did a fantastic job earlier in the year. A lot of it became fundamental. Are you running as hard as you should be? The main thing was are you avoiding blocks properly. The number one fundamental of that team is the number one thing we work on. For whatever reason, a few guys decided they would avoid any way they felt like. We’ll get that straight.”
Thoughts?
– Chip Towers
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307 comments Add your comment
stafford Infection
November 3rd, 2011
5:37 pm
Good idea. Orson is one of our most talented players and Lilly is one of our most talented recruiters!
DrSpecTeams
November 3rd, 2011
5:38 pm
Charles didn’t have a catch against South Carolina. Had a great game against Boise, then dissapeared for the rest of the games and has been a non-factor in SEC East rvialry games. Lynch is a better blocker– he should be n there. Charles should be converted to a WR.
DrSpecTeams
November 3rd, 2011
5:40 pm
Check the numbers, TE’s under Lily don’t produce like Lutz at Auburn. So fire Lily, hire a Special Terams Coach. UGA offense isn’t set up to go to TE’s in pass, don’t need 5 star talent because won’t use it, just get some good blocking TE’s on High School teams that ran well.
stafford Infection
November 3rd, 2011
5:41 pm
And you should be converted from whatever you do into a football coach because you obviously know better than these men who have been succesful at it. Without Lilly we don’t get Jay Rome, Ray Drew, Malcolm Mitchell, and a few other special talents from the dream team. The special teams will be fixed. No need to get rid of one of our best recruiters, since everyone but DRSPECTEAMS knows that that is what wins college football games.
Dawg N Tampa
November 3rd, 2011
5:43 pm
Just kick the ball through the endzone , so there is NO chance of a return !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DrSpecTeams
November 3rd, 2011
5:46 pm
Recruiting is overrated, UGA always recruits well, it’s a talent ridden state. Recruited well before Lily.
I got just the guy for the job:
Warren Belin.
Pay him whatever he wants to come back and fix the Special Teams.
HedgesHaven
November 3rd, 2011
5:47 pm
Hardy Dog…..I believe that would be a blocked PAT against Vandy
DrSpecTeams
November 3rd, 2011
5:48 pm
Move Tony Ball over to WR + TE’s. Maybe the TE’s will stop dropping passes then, and learn how to passblock under Tony Ball.
Lily might be a decent recruiter, but he’s a bad position coach.
ca dawg
November 3rd, 2011
5:52 pm
drspecteams: can’t agree. lilly is maybe the best recruiter on our staff, he’s our point man in florida, and your way of measuring “productivity” is about as weird as it gets. OC has more catches than lutz and averages more yards per catch (26/12.7ypc vs. 17/9.3ypc), and he only has one less touchdown (4/5). if our offense were better in the red zone, OC would have more TD’s; if auburn had anyone else to throw to down there, lutz would have fewer. thanks for playing, though.
Barry
November 3rd, 2011
5:52 pm
From the preceeding comments above, it seems to me the only real MORON is whoever uses the name, “Fire Mark Richt” on this blog. Sounds like a – never accomplished a thing, weeny type – to me. Big mouth, nothing else.
Lowcountry Bulldawg
November 3rd, 2011
5:53 pm
Notice how Fart Tar went to ranting about Unions. Heck forget the unions go but a pair of shoes,pants,shirts and see if they are made in the USA. Keep your angling and your moronic posts coming. Obviously you have been outclasses in the debate and you are trying to control the spin. Have fun debating by yourself loser.
Joey
November 3rd, 2011
5:54 pm
Let’s see: UGA -
9 wins in 10 games.
Toughest penalties in NCAA for drug tests.
vs Ga Tech -
1 win in 10 games.
No suspension for failing drug test.
Oh, and don’t forget 2 NCAA Probations in half-dozen years.
DrSpecTeams
November 3rd, 2011
5:54 pm
lily is the worst recuiter on staff and worst position coach. after lily left FSU in 2008, the finally started winnign again. lutz had 5 td’s/15 catches, 1:3 catch to td ratio. Blows anything lily will ever do away. plus, as i said, lily’s main te guy, charles, drop @40% of passes, which is terrible.
DrSpecTeams
November 3rd, 2011
5:57 pm
Olivadotti is 2nd on chopping block. His ko team has given up too many yards/td’s. Grantham could coach ALL LB’s, get rid of Olivadotti, get a Special Teams Coach.
HedgesHaven
November 3rd, 2011
5:58 pm
Breaking News…DrSpecTeams has just fired himself as coach of UGA on NCAA Football 2012
Joey
November 3rd, 2011
6:04 pm
Dang, kickoff return, and punt return teams are our (and the nation’s) worst.
And guess which coaches got huge raises this season?
Ball and McClendon.
Money well spent . . .
John
November 3rd, 2011
6:04 pm
Richt you are right you don’t need a special teams coach You need to put your best players on the special team and take your walk on off. Alabama plays their All American LB on special teams. It is football don’t use the excuse they might get hurt
stafford Infection
November 3rd, 2011
6:06 pm
this drspecteams guy certainly is special. he comes to the negotiating table with no leverage. you obviously know nothing about our recruiting efforts or how football is coached in college. cadawg laid the stats out before you. it seems as though you are just a tiger/eagle in dawg clothing. are you lutzindorking agent or something?
Joey
November 3rd, 2011
6:06 pm
“Grantham could coach ALL LB’s, get rid of Olivadotti, get a Special Teams Coach.”
******************************
Hows about Richt part ways with, oh, $200K for a special teams coach. He’ll still collect $3.3M this season.
Bogey
November 3rd, 2011
6:07 pm
Dawginlex, I like your depth chart for Auburn and if he starts fast leave him in there.
jack bull
November 3rd, 2011
6:10 pm
It’s funny how it always seems to be the coaches fault. I guess if we had a special teams coach, then B Walsh would be making all of those FG’s. And I bet Butler wouldn’t have averaged 28 yds a punt Saturday. And I bet Walsh would kick it out of the end zone every time! RIGHT! Get a clue people.
Now, with that said, I will say this, we do have another FG kicker there ON SCHOLARSHIP. As a coach, there comes a time when the current guy isn’t getting it done, ala 55%, you have to send the other guy out there to see if he’s any better. That’s a tough call, I know, but I’m thinking Bogotay needs a shot at it…
stafford Infection
November 3rd, 2011
6:13 pm
jack bull,
I agree with you, but i think they are redshirting bogotay this season in case marshall morgan cannot cut it next year as a freshman. atleast that is the rumor.
jack bull
November 3rd, 2011
6:14 pm
And it looks like some of the folks on here didn’t read the article, nor do they understand that in college, there’s only so many slots for coaches on your staff. It’s not like Richt can just say, “oh, take this 200k back from me so that I can go hire another coach”…
One more thing on Chips little *note…The other schools that show they have a special teams coach, well, those coaches coach other positions as well. It would be like saying in the ‘media guide’, that the RB’s coach was Coach McClendon, and on down the list, it would show-Special Teams Coach-McClendon….duh!
SuperB
November 3rd, 2011
6:22 pm
Georgia has the worst special teams in it’s history. Only a moron would not put his best players on kickoff and punt return teams. Georgia has had a few games that should have been won with ease, but CMR’s lack of attention to the obvious has kept the games close. As for the loss to South Carolina– that speaks for itself.
Freddo
November 3rd, 2011
6:30 pm
Now that we know that Richt lied about the drug tests, it’s just about impoosible to believe him on anything.
Snoop Dawg
November 3rd, 2011
6:33 pm
I think the active words in the title of this blog are breaks down. That is what the coachless special teams do under Preacha Man Marjoe Richt.
How long must this incompetence continue?
Wake up, Bulldogs!
Tina
November 3rd, 2011
6:36 pm
Richt came to Athens from the lawless, win-at-any-cost environment of FSU. Why did anyone think he would suddenly act ethically just because he crossed the state line?
Lying is just a part of him, he’s been doing it for so long that it comes naturally.
Beast from the East
November 3rd, 2011
6:41 pm
No politics on the sports blogs! Don’t we come here for the mindless debate of sports? Leave the polictics and religion out!
kral
November 3rd, 2011
6:49 pm
tina ..tina ..bo bina go tina are your eyes brown…dang I did not know their were so many qualified people to UGA football…hey I bet they would work as community coaches…..intelligent and free
kral
November 3rd, 2011
6:50 pm
to run
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
November 3rd, 2011
6:53 pm
Low Country Moron
Like I said before this country did just fine concerning the economy without the legalization of dope you dope
You want to change the economy tell the leaches on welfare to get to work.
tell the overpaid unions to take a pay cut
tell people to stop stealing from work
teach people you dont borrow your way out of debt
teach people you dont buy everything you want right then by racking up credit card debt
Teach people you cant afford a $500,000 home on $20 hour
Stop government overspending. Have the 50% who dont pay taxes start paying up
Start drilling our own oil that we have plenty of
Start prosecuting fraud in government and the healthcare industry
Cut taxes on corporations who dont send jobs overseas
Its idiots like you who have fried your brain so much that you have no thinking skills
reality DAWG
November 3rd, 2011
6:59 pm
How bout we let a water jug or tackling or blocking dummy coach Special Teams?
Better results I’m sure.
Not ONE part is doing good. Even Butler lost his leg. Walsh is getting worried about PAT’s even.
We only stop teams when they hold or block in the back. Maybe that’s a strategy.
Intentionally get blocked in back?
We need a special teams coach bad.
Either Ball, McClendon or Lilly seem replaceable with a new coach with ST control and then that position.
kral
November 3rd, 2011
6:59 pm
I apologize tina for making assumptions about you…that’s stooping to your level….limbo anyone
Bama Rolling to Another Title
November 3rd, 2011
7:00 pm
Boy
No wonder UGA is called the cesspool of the south
Im sitting here reading UGA fans wanting to legalize dope
LOL
No wonder your sorry Football Program will always be a joke in this conference
Legalize Dope WOW,
UGA fans have really shown that not only are their players low class on and off the field
but their fans really show just how trashy your program is and why YOU WONT WIN A TITLE EVER AGAIN
Flat Tire
Why do you even try to even reason with these bumpkins.
Much less why are you a fan now of such a low class program
TheUknownFan
November 3rd, 2011
7:02 pm
I see the AJC is sweeping UGA’s drug problem right under the table way to go guy’s !
kral
November 3rd, 2011
7:11 pm
I love an ALLLerbammer fan …yes you may win another beauty contest system…an your program has always shown the height of integrity…we bow to your omnipotence
Bama Rolling to Another Title
November 3rd, 2011
7:16 pm
kral
I’ll take another title instead of your Mark Richt won 100 games garbage
No one cares but you pothead UGA fans
Its about winning championships you bumpkin UGA fans. Thats what happens to potheads they have no brains
UGA+Pothead lovers = Cesspool of the south
LOL
Roll Tide!!!!!!!!!!!
wins-by-a-link
November 3rd, 2011
7:17 pm
Special teams is a glaring problem, Coach Richt says that we’ve always done it this way, Well guess what Coach its not working and a change needs to be made, Coach Richt seems to be very inflexable when it comes to change, The game has changed over the years and successful coaches change with the game.
Red N. Black
November 3rd, 2011
7:19 pm
No way we can afford to bench Walsh on kickoffs. If you have noticed lately that even though he doesn’t usually make the tackle, he’s still the only guy we got even getting close to the returner
Bama Rolling to Another Title
November 3rd, 2011
7:19 pm
Oh
And you UGA fans slamming Thomas Brown
The Alabama Fanbase is loaded with Thomas Brown fans; thats why we are champions and UGA is a low class program on and off the field
kral
November 3rd, 2011
7:23 pm
dang I’m a 56 yr. pothead…. love a cesspool….gosh I need help….saw the ” Bear ” lose 21-0 in the cesspool…..I bow-wow
TheUknownFan
November 3rd, 2011
7:28 pm
56 year old pot head. Wow I am glad you set such lofty goals in your life. Your kids must be proud of you !
TheUknownFan
November 3rd, 2011
7:32 pm
Wow I bet all the UGA fans go to the games and say look son there is our pot head running back. Oh look over there that player was in a hit and run last year. Oh and look over there, he sold his jersey to raise money for ? well I cant remember son but he sold his jersey for something and over there … . Family day out at a UGA game.
Bama Rolling to Another Title
November 3rd, 2011
7:32 pm
kral
and you saw Bear beat you many more times
Bryants record vs UGA was 9-3
You typical pothead UGA fan brings up 1 game LOL against a coach that had
6 National Championships
13 SEC Championships
12 Coaches of the year
Give me a call when Mark Richt does 1/4 of that you UGA loser
kral
November 3rd, 2011
7:34 pm
to the unbeknowest fan…that was funny..I laughed ….how do you insinuate sarcasm..is it dots…italics I hope some people are capable of reading between the lines…no cigar
kral
November 3rd, 2011
7:36 pm
Great program great history…why don’t you show the same class..instead of being an assssssssssss… charmin unrolling
TheUknownFan
November 3rd, 2011
7:40 pm
DONKASHEA
Joe Namath is slimmy @ Bama
November 3rd, 2011
7:41 pm
What was bama’s record vs UGA during the Dooley regime..??
Bama Rolling to Another Title
November 3rd, 2011
7:42 pm
Here is the typical UGA Fan at a game at Sanford and Son Stadium
He wears
Red panties
Red pants
Wife beater tank top that is soiled from working on his home with 4 wheels
He is able to afford a ticket to the game when he sells enough dope all week in the trailer park
He wears a 10 win season championship camo hat
and he is so stoned from booze and bong puffing that he thinks barely beating Vandy is a big time win
LOL
What a joke of a program
Bama Rolling to Another Title
November 3rd, 2011
7:44 pm
4-2 vs Dooly
looser