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UGA notes: Richt might coach kickers; Tech, Georgia Southern return unsold tickets

6:16 pm October 23, 2012, by Tim Tucker

ATHENS – Georgia coach Mark Richt suggested Tuesday that he might take on an added duty next season: direct responsibility for coaching the Bulldogs’ kicker and punter.

“One thing that I can do as head coach is at least spend time learning the kicking and punting fundamentals well enough to be their coach,” Richt said. “Right this minute I wouldn’t say I have enough expertise to do that, but I think this off-season it would be wise for me to do something like that because I am freed up enough to do that.

“And if that’s my contribution to special teams in the future, I think it’d be valuable.”

Richt’s comments came as Georgia continues to struggle on special teams and prepares to face a Florida team that excels in that area.

Georgia’s special-teams problems this season have included extra points (four misses, tied for most in the SEC), net punting (last in the SEC) and punt returns (eighth in the SEC). Florida leads the nation in punting and also ranks near the top of the SEC in several other special-teams categories.

Georgia’s coaching staff doesn’t have a designated special-teams coordinator, instead dividing the duties among various assistants. Florida has a special-teams coordinator, D.J. Durkin, who also coaches linebackers. Durkin has seven years of experience as a special-teams coordinator.

Richt didn’t indicate any plans to establish such a position, noting college staffs are limited to nine on-field assistants.

“You can assign somebody within your staff to do it, or if you don’t (and) there’s no attrition, you’re going to fire somebody to hire a special-teams coordinator,” Richt said. “So I don’t know if I’m interested in doing that.”

Richt said that across the country some teams have success with a special-teams coordinator and others have success without one. He also noted that some teams with a special-teams coordinator nevertheless divide the actual coaching duties over the various special-teams units among several assistants.

“We’ve had some pretty good punters and kickers over the years since I’ve been here,” Richt said. “We’re not doing anything any differently than we’ve done before, really. But they (Florida) have done a very good job on their special teams, there’s no doubt about that.”

Georgia has a freshman punter, Collin Barber, and a freshman kicker, Marshall Morgan.

Tech, Ga. Southern return tickets

Georgia Southern and Georgia Tech did not sell out their ticket allotments for their  games Nov. 17 and Nov. 24, respectively, against Georgia in Athens. Both schools returned the unsold tickets to UGA.

Tech and Georgia Southern had original allotments of 8,000 tickets apiece for their games at Georgia, according to UGA assistant athletic director of ticket operations Tim Cearley. He said Tech returned approximately 1,900 unsold tickets and Georgia Southern returned approximately 1,400.

UGA plans to put the returned tickets for both games on sale to the general public at 9 a.m. Wednesday. Prices are $45 for the Georgia Southern game and $75 for the Tech game.

Etc.

Georgia’s offense is ranked No. 4 in the nation and Florida’s defense No. 4, according to the weekly UPS Team Performance Index for all 120 major-college teams. The index ranks Georgia’s defense 50th and Florida’s offense 80th. … Richt remained optimistic about linebacker Jarvis Jones’ status for Saturday’s game: “We think he will be able to play.” Jones sat out last week’s game at Kentucky with a sprained ankle.

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76 comments Add your comment

hornblowermg

October 24th, 2012
9:02 am

poor ole typical tech whiney-butts. i can’t tell you the number of times that i have attended the game in Atlanta and was hit, spit at, etc. by the boys in mustard. i still bought the tickets and went to watch the dogs beat the other boys in mustard. i only saw us lose once, and i got beat up by two techs on the way back to my car. i fought back and got my licks in, but the techs have never exhibited hospitality, only lack of character.
on the other subject; why doesn’t any of the uga coaching staff see any of the glaring failures in the football program? every uga fan that i know sees them; why not the coaches? they don’t care.

Dawg Tired

October 24th, 2012
9:18 am

I understand people wanting to hire a special teams coach, but I would rather hire a head coach first – then let him hire a special teams coach.

Tallydawg

October 24th, 2012
9:28 am

If Richt has so much time on his hands, maybe he should “teach himself up” on the fundamentals of freaking football and try “coaching up” some freaking football players.

SimpleDawg

October 24th, 2012
9:45 am

Richt is going to learn how to coach kickers/punters????

Really???

Is it really that simple? Take a couple of seminars? Tell the boys how to swing their leg, etc……

That seems like a stupid assumption the coach made there. I would rather have someone who actually was a kicker/punter and has some experience in the nuances of the skill.

Nodawginfight

October 24th, 2012
9:56 am

I live in south Georgia (born and raised). With all the comments being made about bad experiences on “both sides of the aisle”. Maybe UGA and GT should not play each other anymore. I’m becoming less of a UGA fan, day to day. Evidently, there is a disconnect between the decision makers and a large UGA fan base…the natives aren’t happy, especially here in south Georgia.

Bazooka Joe

October 24th, 2012
10:27 am

Doctor Phil – that sounds like the way i am treated by tech fans every time I go to the game in Atl. ! Pot meet kettle….

Red Pants

October 24th, 2012
10:34 am

Bingo! I’ve been to LSU, Tenn, Columbia, Jacksonville, Auburn, Oxford, Tuscaloosa, etc. and the 2 places I was treated the worst were Tech and Columbia. Tech fans hate and venom towards Georgia know no bounds, so pipe down hypocrites.

BuzzKill

October 24th, 2012
10:36 am

Waaaaa! People are mean to me! Waaaaaa! What a bunch of babies. Try going to away games at Bama, LSU, Auburn, etc if you really think UGA is bad. If the nerds didnt get on here and say nasty things all year they wouldnt get nasty things said IN PERSON. We dont hide behind computers.

RxDawg

October 24th, 2012
10:58 am

“He said Tech returned approximately 1,900 unsold tickets and Georgia Southern returned approximately 1,400.”

I absolutely love that GSU sold more tickets then Tech.

aw

October 24th, 2012
1:50 pm

re: “Why would we want to visit that dump in Athens?”

I’m not a Tech fan, but have been to Sanford stadium as a visiting fan. Even though my team won both times, I swore never to return.

Rudest buncha drunks in the SEC. Idiots.

dmr

October 24th, 2012
2:30 pm

Blair Walsh had a terrible senior year at Georgia by all accounts; even his own. Minnesota drafted Walsh. Walsh was the 5th pick of the 6th round (175). Minnesota knew of Walsh’s struggles his last year at Georgia. What did they say? They said that when watching film of Walsh they could see his approach was a little off and he was rushing his kicks. All could be fixed with coaching. Walsh in his first year in the NFL? 15 of 15 on XP’s. 16 of 17 on FG’s. 7 made from 20 – 29 yards, 3 made from 30 – 39, 4 made from 40 – 49, and 3 from 50+ with a long of 55 yards. COACHING MATTERS.

Shep

October 24th, 2012
2:49 pm

Brice Ramsey is a kicker so it makes more sense when u consider this

McDawg

October 24th, 2012
3:02 pm

Blair Walsh is going to be an All-Pro, if we had someone on staff to help him make what was a simple adjustment to his kicking last year we would have won our bowl game

just don’t get the WTF approach to special teams

McDawg

October 24th, 2012
3:04 pm

the nastiest fans i ever encountered are Tech fans by far

BjohnDawg

October 24th, 2012
3:29 pm

I am sure if I study hard this off season I can become a head football coach.I am freed up enough to do that.
I mean how hard can it be?
When you win they throw Ford commericals at you.
When you lose you just the first dumb thing that comes out your mouth.

BjohnDawg

October 24th, 2012
3:33 pm

I am now 90% sure Richt does not know what he is doing. And 100% sure he does not care.

BjohnDawg

October 24th, 2012
3:38 pm

MCDAWG…you said it right. They have a WTF approach to Special teams. It did not use to be that way. For some reason Richt and his staff have decided to turn coaching at UGA into a lifestyle job.
Do just enough to keep your employment at the school.
Bowden warned people he might not have the heart and determination to be a successful head coach.

Now he just shows up and says whatever lame comment he things will answer the media’s question.

Dunwoody Tailgater

October 24th, 2012
4:52 pm

“One thing that I can do as head coach is at least spend time learning the kicking and punting fundamentals well enough to be their coach,” Richt said.
- – -

Hey Richt, while you’re at it, how about learning the fundamentals for the offense and defense well enough to be their coach, too? You know, like offensive line blocking and defensive tackling? You may also want to learn what personal fouls are and other penalties, while you’re at it.

Remember folks, Richt gets $3 million a year for what he does each year, which apparently includes a complete neglect and lack of understanding for special teams and kicking. If you’re a long term financial backer of UGA’s program like I have been, ask yourself if you’re getting your money’s worth…especially after Saturday’s game. I for one am DONE supporting Richt.

Dunwoody Tailgater

October 24th, 2012
4:55 pm

dmr,

Well said. Walsh just needed some coaching that was not available at UGA. Period.

Jackie

October 24th, 2012
10:32 pm

At Zino Dawg: not only are you correct about Blair Walsh, the NFL goal posts are closer together.

Big Al

October 24th, 2012
11:04 pm

I can minimize all this with two words….. Roll Tide…now please keep Richt :)

GA Girl

October 24th, 2012
11:11 pm

I have always been treated nicely at BDS in ATL. But then again, i didn’t get in anyone’s face either.
CMR must be some kinda coach to be able to teach himself to do special teams in addition to all his time jumping off the high dive, getting or keeping that gorgeous tan he has, and doing those wondrful Ford truck commercials and oh yeah i almost forgot-singing the latest songs to recruits. No wonder UGA was soft against Kentucky!

DIT

October 25th, 2012
10:44 am

A serious question for the tech fans that visit our blogs. If tech was 6-1 right now, would those ticket have been returned?

Been there

October 25th, 2012
10:56 am

UGA man here. No fun when you go to a game and fear bodily harm or car damage. been there.

For my worst, it was in Sanford in the midst of Auburn trash. In 1968, the Athens cops had to haul off some auburn guys and one went to St. Mary’s hospital in an ambulance.

I escaped any damage to myself but mu 6′4″ 245 lb. Cousin inflicted major damage to three frat guys from auburn. He was defending himself and those men looked pretty rough, after receiving his blows.

Go dogs.

UGA class of 71&73

what of it?

October 25th, 2012
1:54 pm

maybe he could put Joe Tereshinski on as the special teams coach. he’s about as qualified for that as he was the strength and conditioning coach

th

October 26th, 2012
7:48 am

These comments by the ball coach are amazing. Special TEAMS are more than punting and extra points. The hc may take a seminar on punting and kicking mechanics, but really will he know more than those he would be ‘coaching’. ST play includes: kickoff coverage (which i think has improved), kickoff returns, punt coverage and returns, lane resposibilites, etc. Think back over the past 10 years and try to think of games we have lost over kick coverages, lapses on punt return teams, etc. Now try to remember the game we won due to ST. This is just another manifestation of a bigger problem. Selah

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