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
Sammy
October 12th, 2012
9:34 am
Fans on the blogs whined all season in 2010, said Richt would be fired all seaosn, and team just kept losing mroe games.
And if Richt didn’t get fired after going 6-7 in 2010, he’s not getting fired after going 11-1 or 10-2 in 2012.
Whiners, you tried that in 2010 on the blogs, just whining and asking for Richt to be fired, how did that work out for ya?
jasper sanx
October 12th, 2012
9:34 am
The only reason GAs looked better in recent years is that FL&TN have been down! GA always gets the best athletes but cant do anything with em, they trick theirselves with cupcakes until they run into a good team!
ARdawg
October 12th, 2012
9:35 am
They couldn’t live on what they actually earned. Nobody can live that cheap.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
October 12th, 2012
9:36 am
Sammy
I like that last part “No plan for fixing mistakes= No credibility”
So whats the plan for beating a top 20 team for once in how many years
Yea your right = No credibility thats exactly what this coaching staff has NO CREDIBILITY
Inlet Dawg
October 12th, 2012
9:37 am
Only true quote that I got out of all that is we do have some really good players.
PMC
October 12th, 2012
9:37 am
I don’t want Richt to be fired, I want him to put a championship team toegther that doesn’t lose it’s mind 2 or 3 times a year.
In other words, I’d just like him to be better.
ARdawg
October 12th, 2012
9:38 am
Sammy
Live those Richt championships in your fantasyland. Thats the only place you’ll see them
Sammy
October 12th, 2012
9:38 am
Hey whiners,
Share a legit poll that says the majority of fans feel Richt should be fired, or you are are in left field.
Whiners are full of hot air.
Cap
October 12th, 2012
9:39 am
UGA – where talent goes to die.
Sammy
October 12th, 2012
9:42 am
UGA is projected as a top 10 team, right now, BY A LONG SHOT, in the BCS, by most noted experts, like ESPN’s BCS expert, and CBS’ BCS expert.
This, after losing to South Carolina 35-7 on Gameday.
http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/rankings/bcs
dawgs1
October 12th, 2012
9:42 am
We owned Gators then came he old ball coach. We owned chickens then in comes the old ball coach.
Now we expect to lose those games every year an happy if we squeak out a win. If th old ball coach takes over another team we play every year it ill be 3 losses to expect. Just saying same coaches and oe finds a way to win nd one finds several ways to lose
Layinlow
October 12th, 2012
9:43 am
Sammy, your information on Bear Bryant was kind of misleading because he won 3 national championships after only 8 years on the job at Bama. You went back and counted his early years when he coached at schools like maryland and kentucky who were not traditional football powers. Bryant dominated the SEC once he got to Bama winning 13 SEC titles and 6 national championships in 25 years. Please don’t ever make a comparison between bear bryant and mark richt. That’s like dan quayle comparing himself to john kennedy.
Sammy
October 12th, 2012
9:45 am
UGA can’t develop talent? Really. Seem to put more guys into the NFL than Saban.
http://espn.go.com/nfl/college/_/letter/g
Dwalk
October 12th, 2012
9:46 am
It’s simple, Big time players make big time plays in big time situations. One must ask, can we handle BIG time situations????? the record screams NO!!!!
dawgfan
October 12th, 2012
9:47 am
You don’t know me very well do you Sammy? I have been critical of our mediocre to bad offensive line dating back to 2008. I have been critical of Bobo’s flag football play calling dating back to around 2009. I have gone on record several times saying that we will NEVER win an SEC title with Mike Bobo as our offensive coordinator. We’re going on 6 years now and I have been absolutely right. I have been intermittently critical of Richt’s blase approach to coaching in the rough and tumble SEC dating all the way back to 2007 after one of our usual brainfarts cost us a shot at the SEC and National title. I called for his firing after the 6-7 debacle of 2010, for which there was no excuse. I was heavily critical of his soft approach leading up to the 2008 season where he cut back on physical practices because he was afraid of injuries. Yes, as was as hopeful as anyone that we had turned things around after last year’s 10 game run. Yes, I bought in to the hype a little bit. I thought maybe we had turned a corner this year and were finally ready for big boy football. Boy was I wrong. Its just the same half azzed not ready for prime time crap we’ve been seeing for the better part of half a decade now. I’m tired of it.
Please explain to me how Richt is going to win us a national title. I need a good laugh. This guy is in over his head in this league. That is painfully obvious to almost everyone except blind homers like yourself.
Thanks.
ARdawg
October 12th, 2012
9:49 am
Sammy enjoys life in his delusions. Please don’t saying anything to change his wonderful existence
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
October 12th, 2012
9:49 am
Sammy
Seem to put more guys in the NFL than Saban; Yep your right
Thanks for bringing this up
But guess what Saban has won 3 National titles kool-aid drinker
Tell me
What has Richt done; oh yea thats right; 0-10 vs the top 10; 2-14 against the top 25 since 2008
Just imagine what Saban could do with Richts talent
Tallydawg
October 12th, 2012
9:49 am
A perfect storm implies a rare event; Dawgs under Richt must be storm chasers because we seem to find one or two “perfect storms” every season. If it ain’t Bama, its Tenn or FL or Boise or LSU. This year its SC and likely FL again or BAMA in the SECCG. Richt is happy with 9 or 10 wins (keeps his paycheck coming) and so too, apparently, are the UGA powers that be (keeps butts in the seats). I’m a 50 yr UGA fan and almunus. I’ve seen em all from the sixties on and will always love my DAWGS but we will never be a consistent SEC power under the preacher man.
Sammy
October 12th, 2012
9:50 am
Bear Bryant didn’t win ANY national championships in his first 15 seasons of coaching.
And Richt’s win % is better than Bryant’s was after 11 seasons.
Richt’s had 2 top 3 finishes in hist 11 years, Bryant in his first 11 top 3 finishes? O.
Richt’s team at FSU finished in the top 5, 14x while Richt was there, 0 after richt left.
Richt’s teams have finished in the top 10, 20 out of the last 25 saesons.
The greatest run in the history of college football.
ARdawg
October 12th, 2012
9:50 am
dawgfan
AMEN
dawgfan
October 12th, 2012
9:54 am
“Whiners, you tried that in 2010 on the blogs, just whining and asking for Richt to be fired, how did that work out for ya?”
Its not working out so well. We’re 0-5 vs. ranked teams since then. We got blown out by Boise State on national television. We got blown out by LSU on national television. We got blown out by South Carolina on national television. We lost a bowl game. Several players have been kicked off the team and suspended. We’ve become the poster child for overrated hyped up phony football programs.
So how did all your lobbying for Mark Richt’s job after the 2010 season work out for you? It doesn’t look like that is going very well for you either, unless you think Outback Bowls and humiliating beatdowns to top opponents are acceptable for this program. Maybe that’s what you think. It certainly looks like it.
Hair E Dawg
October 12th, 2012
9:54 am
BS!
Mark Richt is too attached to Bobo to do what is right for the Program. Admittedly the offense has “outperformed” what it had done under Richt but tell me who they have really “REALLY” played since then! Who have we beaten when we’ve needed to?
Murray looked scared, unprepared, and like a deer in headlights out there Saturday night! Is this what the coaches are hanging their hats on? Murray chokes in clutch situations: always has, always will. (prayer to his father and his family though).
Even Paul Johnson has the balls to make a change when it really isn’t going the way it needs to.
If you are okay with 10 win seasons and having to rely on hope and a prayer to get us into the SEC Championship then Richt is your man. If you are okay with the state’s top recruits leaving for other programs then Richt is your man. If you are happy with finishing in the top 25 but not achieving a National Championship then RIcht is your man.
Spurr dog
October 12th, 2012
9:54 am
I think that Sammy is a reincarnated PATRICK with the wild Chihuahua.
Sammy
October 12th, 2012
9:55 am
Top 10 finishes in first 11 years as Head Coach:
Mark Richt, 6
Bear Bryant, 1
Chaz Henry
October 12th, 2012
9:56 am
Did you see the lost look in Choke Grantham’s eyes? I saw the same thing 2 years ago in Jax.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
October 12th, 2012
9:57 am
Sammy
Bear Bryant
You are comparing Bear Bryant to Richt
LOL
He won KY only SEC championship for them
Then he went to A&M and won a conference championship there
I dont need to say what he did at Bama
You cant put Bowdens numbers as them being Richts kool-aid drinker give me a break talk about reaching
Sammy
October 12th, 2012
9:57 am
Top 10 finishes in first 11 years as Head Coach:
Mark Richt, 6
Nick Saban, 3
Sammy
October 12th, 2012
9:59 am
How did Bobby Bowden do after Mark Richt left?
While Richt was on staff? 14 top 5 finishes
After Richt left? 0 top 5 finishes
Dawgsgone
October 12th, 2012
9:59 am
Re: Sammy, all sounds good but you have to have COACHES on the sideline and in the box to figure those things out and make the changes and we don’t have them. Second, let me get this straight: According to some we think SC loses to both UF and LSU, we beat UF and go to SECCG. Did any of you delusional morons watch the UGA/SC game? How could anyone possibly think after that disaster that UF will beat SC (maybe) and UGA could beat UF? Really??? And even if this fairy tale happened, what good would it do to go to the dome and get our a–s handed to us again?
The Voice of Reality
October 12th, 2012
9:59 am
Look Sammy, Patrick or whoever you are; WE do not care what Bear Bryant did or did not do. We also do not care what CMR did his 1st 6 years. We only know this: when Richt plays in a big game he no longer can pull it off. Is it because he is not a good coach? Maybe, but I think it is more likely he just does not care anymore. Richt do the honorable thing, resign so we can bring in the next Muschamp; Kirby Smart.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
October 12th, 2012
10:00 am
Sammy
First 10 years Bryant coached at KY and A&M
Those are not big time programs
Yet he won conference championships at both
By the way
What happened to the Saban argument
Please put down the Bong
HoneyBadger Has the Munchies
October 12th, 2012
10:00 am
AR and dawgfan….well said
Sammy
October 12th, 2012
10:01 am
How many years as Head Coach to win first conference championship?
Bear Bryant, 6
Mark Richt, 2
Gary
October 12th, 2012
10:01 am
It is funny how all summer we talked about the weaknesses on this team and how soft the schedule was. Win five in a row and suddenly everything is OK and people start believing the hype. Too thin, too many Freshman, too much drama with dismissed players, big losses to the NFL, Murray tends to give up big points on turn overs, defense should be real good, and special teams is th worst in the country. Folks that was three months ago. The only thing we got wrong was the defense being better. SC is a good team with some great players. They took advantage of every point mentioned above. If you could not see the writing on the wall during the Tennessee game you were not watching. The only other bad news is it appears Florida (who we barely beat last year) appears to be getting better each game. Most people assumed this summer we would be 10 and 2. Surprise… We will probably be 10 and 2. Why all of a sudden do we think this team is so deap, with so much talent and should be beating SC and FL and playing in the SEC. We beat two no ones, Mizzu, Vandy, & Tenn. I beleive many of you have very short memories and get way caught up in the hype. Me, I will go to the games and have fun. After all, that is all I care about. Even when we loose to Florida, that is a damn fun game to go too. The 10 wins will put a smile on my face. But plain and simple if McGarity can’t get the coach we need he needs to keep the coach he has. A lot of SEC schools will be lookingn for new coaches at the end of the season. I am not ready for a mob decision that leads us to a 6-5 team. Richt doesn’t want to do this much longer anyway. It would be nice to let Richt leave on good terms. He and McGarity can do that. It has been a pretty good run for Georgia. He may not perform to everyones expectation, but frankly most of you are pretty unrealistic with just how hard it is to go undefeated and win a national titles. Much better teams than Georgia struggle with it every year and come up short.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
October 12th, 2012
10:01 am
Sammy
How did Bobby Bowden do after his Defensive Coordinator Left???????
HoneyBadger Has the Munchies
October 12th, 2012
10:02 am
At least Richt can do a back dive off the 10 meter board lmao
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
October 12th, 2012
10:03 am
Sammy
Bryant coached at KY in his 1st 6 years bong boy
He won KY’s only SEC championship BONG BOY
The Voice of Reality
October 12th, 2012
10:03 am
Good post Gary.
old dog
October 12th, 2012
10:04 am
@Sammy,
You can disect it any way you want, but our o-line is NOT GOOD ENOUGH to compete with the upper tier of the SEC. The sad part is THAT IS NOT AN OPINION….IT IS A FACT! This is non-debatable….not a poster out there can defend our lack of talent and effort up front. I know about records, but it is simple. We can beat the bad teams, but not the good ones. S.C would whip us up front AGAIN if we played tomorrow! A blind mule could see our line can’t play with the big boys. I love all the posters out there, but ANYONE WHO POSTS ON A UGA BLOG that says our o-line is good needs to go back to rehab……….
Gman 84
October 12th, 2012
10:04 am
CMR is awash in denial. He has no idea how we could’ve overcome “atmosphere” and excited fans?? REALLY? With the talent we have? We are no match for their fan base???
OMG he is completely clueless.
Also liked is rationale that it’s only one loss. It’s not that you lost coach, it’s HOW you lost. How does he not understand this???
And technically this is 10 losses in a row against ranked teams.
Maybe he’ll understand when they finally send him packing (that’s all the fans have left to hope for)
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
October 12th, 2012
10:05 am
Sammy
still waiting on something with substance with your Saban vs Richt comparison
HoneyBadger Has the Munchies
October 12th, 2012
10:05 am
Excellent post Gary
The Voice of Reality
October 12th, 2012
10:06 am
Any time you loose linemen to the NFLand then 1 is replaced by a true freshman, it means you have 0 depth. Whoever the recruiting coordinator is needs to be fired along with Tereshinski.
LowcountryDawg
October 12th, 2012
10:07 am
People that support St. Richt at this point should not consider themselves real Dawg fans. Stop, just please stop drinking the juice and adding kerosene to the fire. People that donate and understand football know he’s run his course. Does anyone know the definition of insanity?
dawgfan
October 12th, 2012
10:07 am
CMR has proven he can win! 2 SEC Championships and has a winning record right?? To me the only person on the team that can’t win when it matters is the QB! I know its a team effort, but when your leader can’t lead what do you expect. Look at the colts last year! The colts lost Manning and the team lost every game but 1.
HoneyBadger Has the Munchies
October 12th, 2012
10:09 am
Lowcountry…the definition is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results..BOOM
LowcountryDawg
October 12th, 2012
10:10 am
One of my best friends came into the house after the game that plays DB for Carolina and said they studied our tape and we looked very predictable. He told me, “every time yall lined up we knew pretty much what y’all were going to run.” He also said on the sidelines that they didn’t think 21 point would win it and we’re worried about us coming back with our explosive offense. Especially since we started to hold their offense after the sandstorm came through. Well unfortunately we never got back up.
Gazillionaire Mitt
October 12th, 2012
10:10 am
Prediction: Coach Mark Richt will announce his retirement at the end of this season to devote full-time to family and his religious/social interests. I really appreciate and like him and his work but I don’t think his heart’s in it anymore and I think he will excel at working with people out of football.
j
October 12th, 2012
10:10 am
You havent beat a ranked team in 3 years. You have the easiest chedule in football. SC is more than 4 TD’s better than UGA. They were absolutely terrified of Clowney out there. Erin Murray is not good…at all. But he seems like a nice guy. Gators will dominate them. Just like last years easy schedule, they will lose to the only good teams on it. Not 1 player on that team would want to face Alabama. That would be laughable!
AJ
October 12th, 2012
10:11 am
Gary you make good points but you mention UF getting better each week. Every preseason concern we had, they had as well. The big difference is that they improve. You can see them play tough, overcome adversity and they are now winning big games.
Comes down to coaching and Muschamp in year 2 is getting much better results than CMR is in year 12!