Richt: Important Dogs ‘focus on daily process’ now that they lead East

Here’s a somewhat raw transcription of Sunday night’s media teleconference call with Georgia coach Mark Richt:

How does it feel to control your own destiny and how excited is the team?

“Well I haven’t talked to the players yet. This is their day off. I didn’t really get a lot of text messages or anything like that from the guys. But I know they understand what’s at stake and the fact that we are in a better position now. We do control our own destiny. We’ve been fighting like mad for that ever since the moment South Carolina beat us. But the thing that’s gotten us this far on a weekly basis is just trying to take care of business. Again, that’s got to be our focus, for every man to do their job, starting tomorrow and not waiting until Saturday. Everybody’s got a job to do, scout teamers and special teamers and coaches. So we’ve got to focus on that and just focus on the process and we feel like good things will happen if we do.”

Where he watched the game and what was the scene when Arkansas won:

“My wife and I were just kind of sitting side-by-side on the couch. It was just us. I think we both were kind of tired. We were awake and we were interested and we were excited, no doubt. But we didn’t jump up and dance or anything like that. But we were happy no doubt

Watch any of Alabama-LSU?

“When there was a commercial break I was checking it out. Then when the [Arkansas-South Carolina] game was over, I finished up watching that game.”

What happens with the return of tailbacks Isaiah Crowell, Ken Malcome and Carlton Thomas?

“I think they’ll be very thankful to play. All last week — and y’all saw just a taste of it — they did a lot of extra work. They did some extra work early in the morning, they did a lot of extra work during practice and they were pulling the sleds and sprinting and lifting more weights this past week. Maybe in some sense they’ll be in better condition and be even more ready to play because they missed an opportunity. I don’t think they’ll take anything for granted. I think they’ll be hungry to prove to everybody — well, maybe not prove anything — but maybe try to make up for what they’ve done by trying to play hard this week. I hope that will be the case.

Will Crowell return to starter?

“We haven’t thought about it. If Richard [Samuel] was not injured it certainly would have been a good competition. Right now I would have to say everything’s a little competitive, but I’d say the first snap we take Isaiah would be the No. 1 tailback. In practice I’m saying.”

More playing time for Harton?

“We liked what he did. There’s no doubt about that. We would definitely, with Richard out, I’m not going to say with certainty he would be at worst the No. 3 back but he’ll certainly be battling for that spot if not a No. 2 guy. We’re just going to have to play it out this week in practice real hard and see who we think is best suited to play. We also used our Brandons and they both had big plays, which was great. I’m sure we’ll have a way to get the ball to those guys again, too.”

Auburn-Georgia not only an old rivalry but a fierce one. Any concerns of spill-over from last year’s game?

“A lot of people have been asking me about that and I guess I just have a short memory. I don’t think about those things much. I’m just so focused on this season and what’s important right now, I haven’t even thought about last year and what might have happened. I think one thing that may have helped us a lot this year is we’ve had very few issues with personal fouls. We just haven’t had much extracurricular stuff after snaps or kicks. The Vanderbilt game certainly was an exception to that, but other than that we’ve had very, very few personal foul penalties. As I watched our guys recently, this game and the Florida game, in particular, we had none of that. That was a point of emphasis. We wanted to be very disciplined in that way. We want to play as physical as we can during the snap but, when it’s over, get off the field or get back to the huddle. That’s what we want to continue to do. We don’t want anything to take our focus off the game or do anything that could hurt us as far as penalties or worse like an ejection or something like that. We don’t want anything like that.”

What’s up with WR Israel Troupe?

“I think the lack of playing time and balls coming to him has been a combination of injuries and the competition level. I think the young guys have come in and really competed well. I think that Israel’s injuries here and there, whether it’s missing practice time or not being 100 percent for games and stuff like that, has certainly hurt him. I just hope he’ll continue to practice hard and, if he’s called upon, he’ll make something big happen. He certainly helped us in a game or two. Last time we were at home against Auburn, A.J. got hurt and he made a big play. So he’s had his moments and hopefully he’ll have another one or two before it’s over.”

Do you think Malcolm Mitchell will be able to play against Auburn?

“We do, we do. [Monday] is a very light practice. I think he’ll be practicing at the tempo we go with tomorrow. We don’t really go break-neck speed. Tuesday will be more of competition day. We’ll have our two-on-two drill where he pulled a muscle last time and we’ll have one-on-one routes and 11-on-11 stuff. We may or may not let him go in those. We probably on Tuesday, I’m just guessing, have him just do the scout-team work, which is competitive but not nearly as full speed as one on one. The tempo will be just a little less and it will be safer for him. Wednesday we’ll see how he’s doing and we may let him go full speed by then and let him compete in some 11-on-11 and some one-on-ones.

Championships always seem to go through Auburn or Georgia

“There’s no doubt it’s because of where it’s placed on the schedule. Usually you have to win in November to get into a championship game or to win a championship. I know, historically, listening to people who know a lot about the series, how many times Georgia didn’t make it because of Auburn and how many times Auburn didn’t make it because of Georgia. So there’s a spoiler element to this series over the years.”

Impressions of Auburn RB Michael Dyer:

“You know what, I’m very impressed with him. I really am. He’s very strong, his lower body strength is different than most guys. A lot of guys you hit them low and he’s going down. He breaks tackles just out of sheer power of the legs that he’s got. He’s more elusive than I think some people want to give him credit for and he’s got more speed than most want to give him credit for. He’s one of the best backs if not the best back in the league right now. I think a year ago as a freshman a lot of people thought he was benefiting from having Cam [Newton] back there in the backfield because that’s where the focal point was. But he’s been the focal point this year and he’s been producing in a big way. I’ve been very impressed with him.”

How’s offensive line playing?

“It really was a clean day in the pocket for [Murray against New Mexico State]. Our line created a lot of space for Aaron. There were no issues with the protection. There was one time where we had a quick-game protection and our back kind of got knocked into his lap a little bit. He certainly had to feel that, but it certainly didn’t affect his throw. . . . The line did a really good job, the number one line. I tell you what, the second-team lime in the second half did a very good job. I think we had one sack in the second half.”

What was the strategy on special teams.

“We were trying to mentally erase anything that had happened, especially anything negative. We wanted to go back to fundamentals and being aggressive with what we want to do. For me personally, I think it was about just allowing our teams to just go play ball, whether it was kicking it deep or whatever we do on our punt return or whatever. I didn’t want to to call the game any different because of anything we’d done this year. I wanted to call the game as if it was the first game of the year and see what we’ve got and try to build momentum for the future. Because we knew we had to improve. I think we took a step in the right direction both fundamentally and I think we changed some things around a bit that’s going to help us, too.”

On Missouri joining the conference:

“I think it’s great. I think it’s great because I have an awful lot of faith in our leadership in this league to make the best decisions for our league. So I’m all for it.

Will it be strange having Missouri in East?

“I think it makes the most since because we’ve already got 12 teams and 6 traditional rivalry games. If you start taking one from the West to the East or the from the 12, then all of the sudden everything gets blown up. so it probably made the most sense for scheduling and for traditional rivalries not to get messed with. I thin it makes good sense. Nowadays the travel is not going to be that big of a deal.

“Up until about a year ago, we’d bus to Atlanta and fly out of Atlanta. Nowadays  we can probably get to Missouri quicker than we could get to Nashville going through Atlanta and through security and all that stuff. Travels pretty quick and it won’t be that big of a burden at all.”

– Chip Towers

275 comments Add your comment

bitter dope smoking running backs

November 6th, 2011
11:55 pm

pan–nah–mall “red”——colum–bee-a–gold—-and home grown—-the three turds

———————-made for T,V,

Mobile Dawg

November 6th, 2011
11:58 pm

I hope you’re right Jimmy. I hope I don’t come across as always being negative. I try and call the good things as well as the things that trouble me. Maybe three years going in the wrong direction is a normal part of the cycle as a lot would say. I just seems that an awful lot of things that are directly under Richts control have led us in that direction.

You are right on some counts Altamaha, a lot of Richt supporters “such as you” acknowledge that there are problems. You’all sleep well.

AltamahaDawg

November 6th, 2011
11:59 pm

and yes, they all give me grief about my typing skills

Jimmy

November 7th, 2011
12:02 am

It’s the internet age we live in Altamaha. Anyone can be a computer “tough guy.”

Of course talking about “that guy” probably is the reason he does it anyway.

Jimmy

November 7th, 2011
12:03 am

Night Mobile,

There will always be down cycles. Look at Saban when he was at Michigan State. Or Dooley for a few years here at UGA. I think someone already posted earlier, that if the internet and blogs were around back in his day he would have been gone a lot earlier.

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Jimmy

November 7th, 2011
12:16 am

Altamaha,

Keep “Thomas BuLL” on ice for me. I’ll have to play some other day. I’m heading to bed.

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athdog

November 7th, 2011
12:30 am

Brewmaster, take it easy on BlabbyDawg….he’s only going to say that Hutson ‘I have a decision to make at the end of the season’ Mason would’ve looked great with the first team playing around him.
Hutson is a kid, I realize that, and I’m glad he’s a Dawg. But if he’s not happy, and wants to start, let him transfer. He’s obviously not beating out Murray.
On another note, maybe we haven’t beaten a good team yet, folks, but we’re first in the East and it feels good.
Finally, Missou? Really? In the SOUTH EASTERN Conference? And in the EASTERN division? Double Really? I hoped we’d add Free Shoes or the college up on Lake Hartwell…Clemons, I think it is. Money drives it all, and sense takes a holiday.

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angela

November 7th, 2011
2:58 am

do not get tricked by the record and forget that we almost lost the fla game due to poor coaching
do not forget that bosie beat the dogs with far less talent
only the coach can be responsible if there is more talent and losing big
remember ga has the biggest off line in football
are these guys just not good players or is there some problem with how they perform because of coaching

Fair and Balanced

November 7th, 2011
5:05 am

Not happy to welcome Mo into SEC. I’d rather invite Tech back in and. a FL school. Then tha Tech v Ga game means more to the conference and maybe even the nation. MO is not in the SE of the USA. Don’t want ‘em!

Fair and Balanced

November 7th, 2011
5:08 am

Why dent the SEC invite Southern Cal or San Diego St? At least they are in the South. Mo is not. Don’t want ‘em! Doesn’t make sense.

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Black Mountain NC Bulldog

November 7th, 2011
6:25 am

The Georgia D will win the game against Auburn.
The Physical play from our D is going, to be intense.

Thomas Brown

November 7th, 2011
6:58 am

Black Mountain NC Bulldog,

Yes, SIR, Georgia will win this game vs Auburn, as they have no passing offense, no special teams and no defense. They are currently ranked # 25 in the Coaches’ Poll and # 24 in the AP Poll. Therefore, they clearly are not going to end up a ranked team this season. IT isn’t a good football team we play Saturday at 3:30; IT is a team who isn’t going to finish a ranked team, like the other 7 we beat in a row. They did beat South Carolina; but we should have too. In fact, South Carolina probably does not end up a ranked team. Had we beat South Carolina, instead of backing into The SEC East Championship at HOME watching the game on TV 7 hours after cupcake # 7, we would not have backed into it. But, we did lose to a South Carolina team who we should’ve beat. It is what we do. Funny stuff about posters wanting to discuss the issues, and before it can even post, seeing the Richt0philes say, let’s delete all of Thomas Brown’s posts. Make him leave; ban him. So, they can hear only their opinion. Phat Fil is now the example that a person cannot look and see that we are not even top 25 in won/lost after 2005 season through today, with all the bad press daily the Richt0philes do not want to hear about all 11 years. In this blog we have poster after poster tell you. Not me telling you. Poster after poster. In fact, you admit yourself, we have beat no one. Our opponents we beat this season are 28-35. Impressed ? Glad to hear you are. I hope that you know fully that I 100% support your right to post that you are 100% satisfied, and use as your measure a football coach who LOST IT, had zero discipline, gained the term Fulmer Cup (which we have since a # 2 overall ranking after the 2005 season, which is the timeframe the Fulmer Cup has been awarded.) On the field, Phat Fil couldn’t do anything. But, of course, we are to compare ourselves not to beat no ranked team, but to Ray Goff. As for Jim Donnan, he lost 19 games his 5 seasons here and Mark Richt lost 21 his last 5 seasons here. So, we haven’t done better than Jim Donnan the last 5 years. The 1st 5 years of the Mark Richt era, we benefited 2002 by there being only 1 other team finish in the Coaches’ Poll Top 25, a 4-loss Auburn; and in 2005 the only other SEC Championship, we ended up not # 1 but # 3 of SEC teams in EVERY poll.

I have not listed 25 other teams who have in fact done better than us, on the field after 2005 ? Sure I have. You just ignored it. Repost it and you ignore it again. Why is that ? Because you HAVE NO COME-BACK. So, I am to leave. I am not a Bulldogs’ football fan. Ban my posts. Hear only that which you yourself say, which pardon me, is not SIR that you discuss the issues. We do all this while daily nothing but BAD PRESS for 11 years.

We beat the teams who end up not ranked (Well, we have lost 17 times in 11 years to such teams.) but, these are the teams we sometimes beat. We do not beat the teams that end up in the top 10, not at 3-10. Why do you NEVER discuss these and say I have nothing to hang my hat on, while we lead the nation in BAD PRESS off the field and on it.

Find the areas and times when we did play football when I was jumping up and down. AGAIN, REPEATEDLY you have had poster after poster all day Friday and all this blog too, who have told you I once was a RICHT0PHILE MYSELF. That time has come and gone. And, there you sit living in the past, trying to tell me that Phat Fil was great. He was NOT SIR. I told them not to hire Lame Kitten. I also told them I like Derek Dooley. But, what Will at Florida and what Derek with the vols had in their cupboard, is not in the same ballpark as what Jim Donnan left Mark Richt by Mark Richt’s own admissions as to why he came here on December 20, 2000.

We play sloppy. We are no match for any of the 3 top teams in The SEC West and if Missouri ends up in the East 2012, there will be a quick assertion that they belong in the SEC West with Texas A&M, just 2 teams who cannot beat the good teams and who also lose to the bad teams. While we get instead Auburn and Alabama. The racketing up of The SEC after 2005 season is quite obvious to all. We are anything but a part of that. Yet, we are # 11 all-time in !-A wins; forget this daily bad press and outside the top 25 in 1-A wins after the 2005 season. The 2005 season was SEVEN (7) seasons ago. This cycle BS discussion is your excuse for 7 seasons ago ? Oh, I see we are playing any 1 of the SEC West teams as SEC East Champ and you think I will NOT say that the SEC East is DOWN, WAY DOWN, was WAY down last year, is way down this year.

No. You know I will say that.

That is why you don’t want my posts.

Because you have NO REPLY to such.

Paddy

November 7th, 2011
7:26 am

tide roll……I see you are back with more O-Line info that means nothing to anyone.. You little fella, have the mind of a small grape!

BobDawg

November 7th, 2011
7:31 am

@Vegas… check out how many Points the Barners have given up this season… I believe the most in the SEC on D. Now you know why the spread is so much…. Plus, we are peaking just at the right time as in past Chmpshp seasons

Destin Dawg

November 7th, 2011
7:32 am

Richt has won more SEC. games than Saban… he’s 2 out of 3 against Nick in the SEC… and we get to play ‘em next year too … Go dawgs !!!!

Destin Dawg

November 7th, 2011
7:35 am

Go Dawgs.. beat Auburn !!! focus after last year should not be a problem… Run Harton… he reminds me of Jeff Demps… this is a non smoking bus…

Destin Dawg

November 7th, 2011
7:37 am

Thomas Brown… we can beat Ala… what if we beat LSU ???

Prediction

November 7th, 2011
8:09 am

Mizzou will become the first team in the history of the SEC to win their Division Championship in their very first year of competing in conference play.

Weak Side--the East

November 7th, 2011
8:11 am

Destin Dawg– beat Alabama– how about Auburn first–

Realist

November 7th, 2011
8:14 am

Thomas Brown: One thing you have to remember: The truth always hurts. Especially for UGA fans who think Richt has done something this year. All he has done is to beat the seven dwarfs, Yes, he’ll probably back into the SEC Championship Game and McGarity will be all gaga like a sixteen yr old girl and want to give him an extension, which he will later regret. But, after all is said and done, there awaits LSU, a real football team. Richt won’t be in the game after the first quarter. McGarity, you might better wait on that extension until after Miles and LSU get through with Richt. You might just save the Hartman Fund donors a lot of money.

Prediction

November 7th, 2011
8:18 am

South Carolina backs into the SECCG again this year. Georgia ain’t man enough to take on Auburn. Don’t matter what color unis they wear.

JB

November 7th, 2011
8:23 am

Dawgs ahead of Carolina in the polls……Just like we all thought. Spurrier always has trouble with the back nine.

Prediction

November 7th, 2011
8:25 am

Don’t know much about the Evil Genius’ golf game, but I do know that there’s not a team in the East who can beat Arkansas. Maybe next year?

Big Dawg

November 7th, 2011
8:31 am

Fello Dawgs,

We will see this coming Saturday if Coach Richt and his staff have in deed turned another corner in bringing this program back to respectability. New Mexico State was no test but what was needed after an emotional and big hurdle in beating the Gators. With Crowel, Malcome and Thomas back hopefully Coach Richt stays with running the football and throwing it occasionally to keep Auburn off balance. We will see if we continue to improve and get more consistent and the players are believing in themselves that they can beat anyone.

Go Dawgs

CHDawg

November 7th, 2011
8:32 am

42 points in one qtr was great. Against anybody. The Dawgs did something I don’t remember them doing in a while–capitalize on the other team’s mistakes. We have been moving it, but getting stopped and missing FGs. This is a strong positive. Conley looked great, along with Charles, and all did well. The TB situation might have helped by forcing us out of our predictable patterns. No matter the talent, if the other DC knows what is coming, it is hard to move the ball. The team is clearly maturing and improving–a sign, btw, of good coaching. Saturday is critical to that process–we will see. Auburn is good this year, very talented, ranked, and well coached; it will be a challenge. This makes or breaks the season, along with Tech–they are must wins. UK is too, obviously. Go Dawgs. The haters are consistent–nothing the Dawgs do pleases them–not even 42 pts in one qtr! I think that reveals other agendas.

Thomas Brown

November 7th, 2011
8:55 am

Yeah, that really matters 42 points vs the # 116 team in football. I am so gaga over that, you know ? Which is why we left early. Did you ? Auburn is # 24 in the Coaches’ and # 25 in the AP Poll and they are never going to end up a ranked team. They have no passing, no defense and no special teams. They are a horrible football team, who will end up NOT RANKED. Auburn is the test. Keep telling yourself that. Missouri well could win The SEC East 2012, so could Texas A&M. It will mean nothing, just as it meant nothing that South Carolina with 5 Losses got blown out by SEC West last year and just as it means NOTHING this year either, with us being blown out by any of 3 SEC West teams.

I do think Alabama is the better team. But, like us, they cannot hit a field goal. Sorry. I forgot only we can dream up excuses. I didn’t mean to say that.

Alabama would beat us by 50 points.

Wait for it…

What if we beat LSU ?

DISNEYdawgs.com and you KNOW IT.

Buzz 2011

November 7th, 2011
8:59 am

Playing two top 10 ranked teams in less than two weeks…GT…………………………………That’s all right UGA plays their share of ranked teams, right?

BobDawg

November 7th, 2011
9:00 am

This past week was about shoring up the special teams which we did and the D played very vanilla all game with I think J. Jones blitzing one time off the edge… Auburn won’t be able to run on our linebacking corp and we will slowly strangle them like a Boa Constrictor… Nice analogy even if I think so! Now I have to find more Makers for the game as everyone was drinking from my flasks like H2O this past weekend!

Buzz 2011

November 7th, 2011
9:02 am

Well said Thomas Brown….You left out that GT would beat you by 30 points..

BobDawg

November 7th, 2011
9:02 am

@ Buzz 2011….. YAWN… We are a steamroller just fine tuning the engine’s right now… Watch and learn this weekend….

BobDawg

November 7th, 2011
9:03 am

Buzz, you better win out so our game finally means something this year… Hopefully there will be some fans at Grant Field to block the wind… My Makers only goes so far……

DawginLex

November 7th, 2011
9:09 am

SEC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME VIEWING PARTY

DEC 3, 2011

NICK SABAN’S HOUSE

ALL FORMER STAFF INVITED INCLUDING MUSCHAMP AND DOOLEY

Servers:

Kirby Smart
Jim McElwain

RSVP to: Eli Gold at http://www.weaintgonnawinsquat.com

Dreamland BBQ will be served

BobDawg

November 7th, 2011
9:11 am

Hey Buzz Lightyear… speaking of ranked… How is your ranking looking so far this year??? Yeah, that’s what I thought… woulda, coulda, shoulda… It’s not how you start my friend… It’s how you end the year… Maybe we can give you an award for September games????

BobDawg

November 7th, 2011
9:13 am

Dawg in Lex… there you are! Hey, what is the restaurant in downtown Lexington that serves the sweet Makers Cornbread as a loaf??? Right across from Rupp Arena… Man, great steaks there also…

BobDawg

November 7th, 2011
9:15 am

speaking of Saban, he is wound tighter than a “snare drum on Christmas”!!! I’m becoming a huge Les Miles fan as he just seems pretty cool and doesn’t take himself too seriously… and what about that Aussie punter nailing a 72 yarder from the endzone… Geez.

BILLY JACK

November 7th, 2011
9:16 am

ALL THESE TECH NERDS POSTING AS SOMEONE ELSE-WE HAVE HEARD THIS ALL YEAR FROM THESE IDIOTS-UGA WAS SUPPOSE TO LOSE TO TENN-FLA BLA BLA BLA WHEN WE BEAT AUB TECHIES WILL SAY AUB IS DOWN-WHEN WE DESTROY TECH THEY WILL SAY THE SUN WAS IN THIER EYES.THANKSGIVING BEATDOWN RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER-UGA STYLE.

DawginLex

November 7th, 2011
9:22 am

Bob

Desha’s

Might not have spelled it right………

loel

November 7th, 2011
9:24 am

Don’t know who you are JB but you have got problems. Even Buford by you standards would have not Played ANYBODY,,, but they have Calhoun ahead of them. Go eat with you pagans, and get a job, take care of your family> Oh have you got one?

gdawginkalamazoo

November 7th, 2011
9:26 am

Really, what say did we have in who we played in the SEC this year? It is just the way the schedule fell. We got beat by a very experienced Boise State team that had a much better QB than us. SC scrapped by us on a bunch big offensive & special teams mistakes. All these kids have done since is beat the teams in front of them. Is it their fault that the other team just isn’t that good or hasn’t beaten anybody? No, all they can do is win the next game. Auburn as some play makers in Dyer and McCaleb. This game will determine IF our program is heading in the right direction. Take care of business then take care of Kentucky and wrap the season up exterminating some bees.

BobDawg

November 7th, 2011
9:29 am

that’s it… You just won me some Makers for the weekend… Had a bet with a friend that I could come up with the name by 9am before he could…. I owe u!!!

Spaceman Spiff

November 7th, 2011
9:30 am

I see that Thomas Brown the fool is back with his usual crap of a post…you know, he never did answer the questions about his man crush on the real TB that he has to use his name as his handle…Funny though, I didn’t think technerd fans adored UGA players…

Chris Snow

November 7th, 2011
9:33 am

First thing in order: Beat Auburn. Worry about the Kentucky and Tech game AFTER.

DawginLex

November 7th, 2011
9:34 am

I love how losers like Thomas Brown discuss games we are going to lose before they are even played.

You sir, need to mail in your diploma.

You are a disgrace.

What exactly do you want?

A debate? Forget it, you won’t answer anyone’s questions.

Richt fired? It’s McGarity’s call, not yours or mine.

UGA to lose all the rest of its games so Richt will get fired and you get your wish?

OR

Do you just want to sit behind a computer and type all of your nonsense?

We all would LOVE to know what your deal is.

HawkNose

November 7th, 2011
9:43 am

I thought Murray had his best quarter yet in 2nd quarter. Why? Conmpetition. He knew Hutson Mason was coming in the 3rd quater. Like to see more of that.