South Carolina game mars an otherwise promising first half for Bulldogs
ATHENS – Everything was rosy with Georgia football until this past weekend when it ran into a buzz saw in South Carolina operating under the name of Gamecocks. Then the nation’s No. 5-ranked team, the Bulldogs fell behind 35-0 before scoring save-face touchdown in the game’s final minutes.
Now Georgia finds itself having to pick up the pieces. All the optimism the Bulldogs had gained in by annihilating their opponents by an average of 26.3 points in the first five games was wiped away in one nationally-televised butt-kicking.
Since that game, Georgia coach Mark Richt has anybody who would listen – including his own players — not to read too much into one lopsided loss. As ever, he believes the Bulldogs are still a top-tier team that can win the rest of its games and contend for the SEC championship
“Whether you lose by a point or you lose by 28 points, it’s only one loss,” Richt said this week. “It’s not five losses. It feels like three or four losses, but it’s only one. The way the world works in the Southeastern Conference is the team with the best record at the end wins the East. There’s a lot more football to be played. Let’s see how it shakes out.”
He chalks up South Carolina’s domination to “a perfect storm” of atmosphere and performance that was reminiscent of what the Bulldogs were able to do against Auburn in their first black-out game at Sanford Stadium in 2007.
“It was kind of a perfect storm for us that day, too, with the emotions of the fans, the excitement of the fans and the emotion of the players when we kind of sprung that thing on them,” Richt said. “They were just at an emotional peak. We had something big happen early and it snowballed for us that day.”
Georgia scored 25-unanswered points to win 45-20 in 2007. But, he said, the Bulldogs weren’t 25 points better than Auburn. Neither, he said, are the Gamecocks four touchdowns better than Georgia.
“This game was a little bit like that for South Carolina,” Richt said. “Momentum got grabbed and they just kept rolling. We had opportunities that might could have made a difference. The first pass of the game, if [Bacarri] Rambo squeezes the ball a little tighter and comes down with it, that’s a big momentum play for us. Maybe we turn around and score, I don’t know. But we just never got momentum going in our direction.”
Richt’s point is less about South Carolina and more about the rest of the season. The 14th-ranked Bulldogs (5-1, 3-1 SEC) arrive at the halfway point still feeling like they’re a team that can fulfill all its goals from the outset of the season. As Georgia is off with a bye this week, here’s our assessment of what they’ve done so far:
OFFENSE
The South Carolina performance brought them down a notch, but it’s hard to deny what the Bulldogs have been able to do in the rest of their games. Georgia remains second in the SEC in scoring (41.3 ppg) and third in total offense (484 ypg)
It features an experienced quarterback in Aaron Murray, top-grade tailbacks in Todd Gurley, Keith Marshall and Ken Malcome fleet of proven wide receivers. The Gamecocks exposed Georgia’s weakness on the offensive line. But even with their failings in that game, the Bulldogs nine sacks allowed is fourth in the league.
“I think we’ll be fine,” said Murray, who “I thinknwe’re still very confident with who we have, with the play-calling and everything that’s going on. We just didn’t execute when the time came against South Carolina. There plays were there to be made; we just didn’t hit them. . . . I don’t think we’re shaken up at all.”
Assessment: Very good.
DEFENSE
This is the biggest mystery regarding the 2012 Bulldogs. They returned nine starters from a unit that finished fifth in the nation in total defense. Yet halfway through this season they’re ranked 51st in total defense, 68th against the rush and 79th in quarterback sacks. Worse, Georgia is giving up a lot of “explosive plays.” It has allowed 14 of 30 or more yards.
The easy answer is that Georgia had two starters out with suspensions the first four games and two others out for the first two contests. But Richt refuses to point to that.
“We don’t have any excuses,” he said. “We haven’t played as well. We’ve given up too many big plays. Some of it has been gap control; some of it has been communication on the back end. We’ve just got to get better.”
Third-year defensive coordinator Todd Grantham hasn’t been sharp in the area of game-planning. Ninety-four of the Georgia’s 135 points allowed – or 70 percent — have come in the first half, which suggests the Bulldogs haven’t been ready for what teams have thrown at them. However, with a 6.83 points second-half scoring average, Georgia is clearly making good halftime adjustments.
Assessment: Very average
SPECIAL TEAMS
Georgia is 91st in the nation in field goals at only .67 per game, but at the rate the Bulldogs have been scoring touchdowns (34), that isn’t necessarily been a bad thing. And when freshman Marshall Morgan has been asked to make a big kick, he has come through. Two of his four field goals (he has attempted only five) came from over 50 yards. However, Georgia has failed on three point-after attempts – two were plain missed – and have had three others bounce through off the upright.
Of course, special teams encompasses much more than placement kicks. The Bulldogs allowed a 70-yard punt return TD to South Carolina and are last in the SEC in net punting and punt return yardage allowed. But they’ve also blocked two punts and an extra point, snuffed out a fake punt and returned a kickoff for a score.
“The coaches are keeping us motivated,” said freshman Josh Harvey-Clemons, who was named the Bulldogs’ special teams captain for the Kentucky game. “We’re really emphasizing special teams a lot. We know how important it is to the game.”
Assessment: Decidedly average.
COACHING
Obviously Georgia wasn’t ready to play in the South Carolina game this past Saturday. The Bulldogs didn’t appear to have a specific plan for dealing with defensive end Jadeveon Clowney beyond letting tackle Kenarious Gates handle him and the defense was gashed with big plays early and could not contain quarterback Conner Shaw on the zone-read, option keeper.
That said, that was the second “game of the century” kind of atmosphere the Bulldogs faced this season. Missouri was eyeing its SEC opener versus Georgia as one of the most important in school history. And after last-season’s post-game run-in with Vanderbilt, this year’s game featured a highly-charged environment. The Bulldogs obviously handled those challenges with aplomb.
“Overall I think we’ve coached pretty well,” Richt said. “A lot of really good things have been happening. When you lose a game the way we did [to South Carolina] you start to evaluate everything and we have. . . . But I still think we have good coaches and good players. I think we’re still a very good team and the future is bright.”
Assessment: Decent
PROGNOSIS
The Bulldogs finish against Kentucky, Florida, Ole Miss, Auburn, Georgia Southern and Georgia Tech. They’ll likely be favored against them all except for the No. 4 Gators on Oct. 27 in Jacksonville.
As such, Georgia is still very much in the SEC picture. If South Carolina loses two SEC games – the Gamecocks are on the road at LSU and Florida the next two weeks – the Bulldogs could regain control of the Eastern Division with a win over the Gators in Jacksonville. Should South Carolina beat LSU and lose to Florida, Georgia could forge a three-way tie at the same juncture.
“We’ve got an opportunity to get back on a winning track,” Richt said. “The best thing we can do is correct our mistakes. We had to assess some things we need to get better at. That’s what you do. . . . Hopefully we can go out and have a good performance against Kentucky and get our momentum going again.”
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653 comments Add your comment
Just Saying
October 14th, 2012
4:15 pm
Actually I was not the least bit impressed with SC. They had their yardage and time of possession doubled by LSU. In addition, LSU was missing 60% of their OL including their All American…and they were playing 2 true freshmen. I thought SC sucked and LSU should have easily won by 4TDs, but had to settle for FGs. SC’s vaunted Defense was terrible. LSU ran all over them. Only the score was close, SC was terrible!!!!
Mobi.le Dawg
October 14th, 2012
4:17 pm
Beast, how can it be so painfully obvious to the entire nation that Richt is failing as a HC, yet our fan base and administration just blindly look on. It reminds me of the US Government, running roughshod over the people, yet we just keep taking it. Dawgs need a Tea Party.
BadBadDawg
October 14th, 2012
4:24 pm
sit at home then mobile dawg and be sure not to attend any more games.
Mobile Dawg
October 14th, 2012
4:35 pm
Thanks for the advice the BBD. I will spend my $$$ on other things for the time being. I invested in Kraft Foods several years ago with what I used to pay for donations and season tickets; I’m making a fortune, kool aid sales are soaring brother. I will be in a great position financially to reassume my support once Richt has moved on and the ships course has been adjusted.
BadBadDawg
October 14th, 2012
4:45 pm
Try writing a letter to the AD or to the president instead of posting under a fake name on a message board. These boards are for armchair qb’s and nothing more.
Mobile Dawg
October 14th, 2012
4:52 pm
Mobile Dawg isn’t a fake name, it identifies me as a realistic arm chair qb, and former Dawg supporter who now resides in Mobile, AL and who stopped his donations at the end of the 2009 season along with a letter explaining why specifically I did not wish to continue contribuiting to the Mark Richt slush fund.
BadBadDawg
October 14th, 2012
5:02 pm
Did they respond at the end of the 2009 season with anything?
kingdaddy
October 14th, 2012
5:15 pm
Bad
Mobile is a DGD. He has the right to be pisced as we all do. The damage the SC game did will heal, but fans react different. It wasn’t just the loss, it was the manner of the loss and then to me it seemed like CMR didn’t accept the lion’s share like he should have. The fan base was fractured but not broken. UGA fans have a right and duty to speak out as long as they don’t side with the trolls. A fan can disagree without ripping the heart out of his team like Thomas B…Don’t cross the line between constructive criticism and hatred for your team mates…
slow your roll
October 14th, 2012
5:22 pm
Willie Taggart at Western Kentucky is the next head coach at Georgia.
Shirley
October 14th, 2012
5:25 pm
To Vampire Bill
It should be: think, an, and losses. For someone who knows everything, and I’m sure is a college grad with a masters degree, you really should learn to spell and use standard English. Perhaps then people would pay attention to what you say or write. Yes, I’m just a retired educator with masters degree.
BadBadDawg
October 14th, 2012
5:27 pm
Ive had season tix for 18 yrs. I currently have 23,750 pts. or so. People come and people go all around where I sit in the stadium. When one leaves another one is there to take their place. Just like coaches. Someday there will be another coach. Until then, I will wait. Its not im my hands and I dont let it ruin the fun I have by going to the games with my family. It may be an expensive hobby, but ive had some great times at ga games.
Beast from the East
October 14th, 2012
5:34 pm
My opinion is that UGA can do better than what they’re getting from Richt. He was great the first 5 years, but since most other schools have upgraded their HC’s and he’s been relegated to second-fiddle. There are no guarantees when you hire a replacement, but like the old saying…nothing ventured, nothing gained. The powers that be at UGA have to decide if they want to compete for championships or they want to be “good”. Richt can only deliver the latter.
slow your roll
October 14th, 2012
5:35 pm
but badbaddawg, when was the last time you saw UGA beat a clearly better team at Sanford and Son stadium?
BadBadDawg
October 14th, 2012
5:46 pm
Ill have to go back at look at the schedules. The LSU one was a lot of fun several years ago. I can tell you I dont let it ruin my life like a lot of posters here. Fans are fickle and they always will be. Also, we dont have any control over what other teams records are. Maybe other teams should start winning THEIR games instead of losing them!!!!!!
Section 136
October 14th, 2012
5:55 pm
50 years from now, it wont matter anyway. GO DAWGS. Half a season left. Let’s do it!
Royal Charmer
October 14th, 2012
6:00 pm
I agree with baddawg in that the fans can be fickle. That is with every team, every sport. I wish we could win every game too, but such is life. To be healthy and loved is much more important. With 6 games left, I want 6-0 in that stretch. I want the SEC champ game too!!! will we win? Maybe. Maybe not. I will be there if we go though
Russ Rocks
October 14th, 2012
6:03 pm
Give em hell CMR!!!! Shut the naysayers pieholes up
SC layed an egg
October 14th, 2012
6:07 pm
Where’s all the gamecock fans? Probably selling their natl champ game tix on craigslist today. Suck it rooster losers……………
Gator Hater
October 14th, 2012
6:13 pm
Lots of football left DAWGS!!! Ill be in KY, FL and Auburn rooting you on! I feel bad for SC though. NOT. LMAO!!!
An Auburn Fan
October 14th, 2012
6:20 pm
I’ll trade places with GA fans right now. You dont know how good you have it as a program. We will be .500 or worse for years to come.
Gator Hater
October 14th, 2012
6:28 pm
@ auburn fan.
Yes you will.
Woofie
October 14th, 2012
6:48 pm
GA on a bad day is better than Tech on a good day
Sammy
October 14th, 2012
6:54 pm
Anyone know of 1, just a SINGLE POLL, by a reputable source,
that says Richt’s the wrong guy for UGA?
Of course not.
Just a hyperactive blogger.
Sammy
October 14th, 2012
6:59 pm
The new BCS Poll comes out at 8 p.m.
Who will be right about UGA?
Blogger on ajc site that says UGA is not a top 25 team?
Ir the BCS poll who will likely put UGA in the top 15?
My bet’s not on the AJC doom & gloom bloggers, but we’ll know in an hour if they’re right, or not.
Sammy
October 14th, 2012
7:06 pm
I think UGA will come in at #12 in the nation on the BCS, South Carolina will drop to #8, and Florida will rise to #3 or #4.
Only 3 things need to happen from here:
1- If Florida beats South Carolina, and they should, South Carolina will drop out of the top 10, and Florida will move into the #1 ranking.
2- If UGA beats #1 ranked Florida, like they did last year, then UGA moves ahead of both and wins the SEC East.
3- Beat #1 ranked Bama in the SEC Championship, and you’re in the national title game.
UGA controls 2 of 3 of those items.
Layinlow
October 14th, 2012
7:07 pm
Just saying, I think you might possibly be mentally deranged. One minute you’re ardently defending Richt and then your 4:15 pm post is testimony against him! Here is a direct quote, ” LSU was missing 60 percent of their OL including their all american…. And they were playing two true freshmen. I thought SC sucked and LSU should have won by 4 touchdowns, but had to settle for field goals”. So you think a severly undermaned LSU team should have won by 4 td’s but then make excuses for Richt after we get face stomped by SC. I don’t see how you can have it both ways pal. Your’e making inconsistent arguments and your own words were damning to the coach you and others love to defend even though it’s apparent to most that he is a failure.
Sammy
October 14th, 2012
7:12 pm
at coaches hotseat dotcom, Mark Richt ranks #87 on the hotseat, in other words, no one thins Richt’s seat is even warm.
Big Wally
October 14th, 2012
7:16 pm
paging Kirby Smart….there’s a Mr. McGarrity on line 1 for you.
Pitbull
October 14th, 2012
7:16 pm
Man, the way you guys are talking you would think that we only had two wins – and those were against Presbyterian and Virginia.
Thank goodness we arn’t that bad.
I mean someone to have to be a real loser to only win two games and it be against those two teams.
Sammy
October 14th, 2012
7:19 pm
May 9, sporting news ranked top college football coaches.
Richt beat his 4 main rivals last year, Tenn, GT, Auburn, and Florida.
Richt came in at No 14 in the nation.
UGA is very lucky to have such a nationally repected Head Coach.
Russ Rocks
October 14th, 2012
7:23 pm
I agree Sammy. It could be a lot worse. We could have some sleazebag like Joe Paterno.
Sammy
October 14th, 2012
7:31 pm
I put a lot of stock in what actual coaches think of Mark Richt and UGA,
They know what it takes to run a class program.
UGA is ranked #12, AFTER getting blown out 35-7 by South Carolina, not bad all things considered.
Big Wally
October 14th, 2012
7:33 pm
I know SC thinks we should keep Richt. They now own us.
Hendrik Lorentz
October 14th, 2012
7:34 pm
Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity includes several pages of extremely complex mathematical equations that have an infinite number of mathematically possible solutions, although the majority of those solutions have no real world physical possibilities. An elite team of physicists and mathematicians have recently completed the analysis of 1,000,000,000 sets of solutions, and they’ve made some startling discoveries.
In the sports world, one of the solutions appears to allow the Georgia Bulldogs to win the SEC and the BCS championships with Mark Richt at the helm. However, the scientists caution that the possibility of this happening is approximately 1 in 182,942,892,048. If Richt is not there, the odds increase by a factor of 1,000,000.
Since no one has yet found a flaw in Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity, it would appear that Richt must go.
Hendrik Lorentz,
Leader of ConcernedScientistsWantRichtFiredNow.com
DawgNole
October 14th, 2012
7:37 pm
Beast from the East
October 14th, 2012
11:41 am
Gotta love how much the Dawgs hate Spurrier. He’s been terrorizing UGA for over 20 years. Funny that the Dawgs are resigned to taking pleasure in someone else doing job they are incapable of.
lkmantsk
October 14th, 2012
11:51 am
@ Beast
He could NEVER beat UGA as a player (4 losses)……..so he is a failure in that portion of his life….
_______________________
Isn’t Richt 4-4 against Spurrier since he joined SC–despite the three-game losing streak? Not what I’d call overall domination by visor man. Guess it’s kinda like the Dawgs’ overall record against the gators–compared to their record the past 22 years.
Big Wally
October 14th, 2012
7:37 pm
“approximately 1 in 182,942,892,048″‘. So your saying we have a chance! Yesss
DawgNole
October 14th, 2012
7:40 pm
Just Saying
October 14th, 2012
3:30 pm
Dawgnole,
“IF” is also a good word for the Gators? IF they beat SC, If they beat UGa, if, if, if. Recently your team has worn the “if” label very well!!!,
____________________
Good gracious, I don’t believe I’ve ever been called a gator before. Heaven forbid. If you can’t figure that out from my handle, then you’ve been missing your meds.
Russ Rocks
October 14th, 2012
7:51 pm
#5 West virginia dropped approx. the same number of spots as GA after getting blown out yesterday.
Sammy
October 14th, 2012
7:52 pm
Mark Richt’s career winning eprcentage against top 25 teams is 54%.
That’s one of the best in the nation, especially of coaches with at least 10 years experience.
It’s the best of any coach who has coached 10 or more years AT THE SAME SCHOOL.
Saban’s was BELOW Richt’s 54%, at THIS POINT IN SABAN’S HEAD COACHING CARREER, halfway through his 12th season.
DawgNole
October 14th, 2012
7:56 pm
Sammy
October 14th, 2012
7:06 pm
I think UGA will come in at #12 in the nation on the BCS, South Carolina will drop to #8, and Florida will rise to #3 or #4.
Only 3 things need to happen from here:
1- If Florida beats South Carolina, and they should, South Carolina will drop out of the top 10, and Florida will move into the #1 ranking.
2- If UGA beats #1 ranked Florida, like they did last year, then UGA moves ahead of both and wins the SEC East.
3- Beat #1 ranked Bama in the SEC Championship, and you’re in the national title game.
UGA controls 2 of 3 of those items.
___________________________
There you go with all those IFs again. Yes, and IF UGA had won all of their games, they’d be undefeated.
Beast from the East
October 14th, 2012
8:01 pm
Sammy=Catherine Richt
Sammy
October 14th, 2012
8:08 pm
Here are the coach’s career record against winning teams:
1. Mark Richt 61%
2. Hugh Freeze 60%
3. Nick Saban 59%
4. Les Miles 56%
5. Steve Spurrier 54%
6. Muschamp 16%
Sammy
October 14th, 2012
8:09 pm
Beast = Paul Johnson’s wife…
Sammy
October 14th, 2012
8:23 pm
Hey gloom & doomers:
Florida is favored in Vegas by 3 1/2 to beat South Carolina and Spurrier is .250 vs, ranked teams at South Carolina.
Things are looking up for UGA.
Swampdawg
October 14th, 2012
8:33 pm
The Dawgs Front Office needs to hire a new recruiter. They keep recruiting these same ole boys who cannot block and tackle again teams other than the “Sisters of the Poor”. We can’t whup nobody cept the Sister! For years now! The boys a’int got enough strangth! Need to recruit some men on both lines. Why.. we need more like Pollack and the Stinchcombs and Sutherland and Hogue and Stanfil and… and….. Know what I mean?
Sammy
October 14th, 2012
9:36 pm
UGA came in ranked #11 in BCS national poll tonight.
Gloom & doomer on the blog here was 110% WRONG about UGA & Mark Richt.
No one, anywhere, agrees with that person
Mobile Dawg
October 14th, 2012
9:36 pm
BBD, the football team, or the administration? The Dawgs responded with a 6-7 dismal performance, the administration responded with a “thank you for your concern letter” and a Hartman Fund donation request.
Mobile Dawg
October 14th, 2012
9:39 pm
Hey Sammy, what did Herbstreet say when asked if a one loss Georgia team could be considered if they won out? Right, he didn’t even respond to the question for a lot more reasons than you can process.
j,t,
October 14th, 2012
9:40 pm
BLA BLA BLA BLA BLA . Same old crap, different song and dance.
th
October 14th, 2012
11:52 pm
to sammy
there are many true fans of uga football,who have supported richt and his program for years, hoping for improvement and relevance in the sec and nationally.to label their frustration over the lack of progress as whining reveals you as one who can’t see the other side of the argument at all. there are many who have defended this program as you are now, but see that this staff cannot take us higher than we are. the reason the o-line, and the interior d-line don’t make plays is because we’re soft at the top; and that’s just the truth.if you think georgia is in the same league as alabama,especially in the areas of line play, physicality, discipline, preparedness, you’re just not watching. the schedule for the past two years has been our biggest asset, and that wson’t continue forever.