Georgia’s Mark Richt refuses to look into future; focusing solely on Georgia Tech
By RYAN BLACK
For the AJC
Period.
Multiple times during his teleconference with the media Sunday, the Georgia coach was asked about what Saturday’s events — top-ranked Kansas State and No. 2 Oregon both losing — meant to his team. With the losses by the top pair, it is assumed that if the No. 3 Bulldogs can win out, they will clinch a spot in the BCS National Championship game on Jan. 7 in Miami.
Richt didn’t want to hear any of it.
“Right this minute, all I can think about is Georgia Tech,” he said. “Does anybody want to talk about Georgia Tech?”
Avoiding distractions this week shouldn’t be a problem, Richt said. His team is well aware of what the Tech game means for the program. Richt went on to list the various stakes riding on Saturday’s outcome, such as the Governor’s Cup, which goes to the game’s victor. Another benefit is being able to use a win for recruiting leverage over the state’s top prospects. And plain, old-fashioned bragging rights are on the line, too.
But Richt felt it was most important to win for Georgia’s seniors, who will be playing their last game between Sanford Stadium’s hedges.
“The winning team gets a trophy and I know our guys would love to have that,” he said. “I know as a head coach, I’d love to have one myself, because it has all the names of our seniors on it. It’s something we take a lot of pride in and I know Georgia Tech does as well.”
One aspect of the Yellow Jackets’ offense that has become more worrisome to Richt compared to previous years is the improvement he’s seen in their passing game. Every time Richt has watched or read about Georgia Tech this season, the uptick in its aerial proficiency seems apparent.
“I usually try to see how they did every week throughout the year and you hear that they’re throwing touchdown passes and that type of thing,” he said. “They’ve always had a tremendously high yards-per-completion coming into this game and it (seems) they’re throwing it a little bit more and better than they have the past couple of years. So that’s just one more thing to deal with.”
Georgia has an advantage of spending more time fine-tuning its game plan with school out for the Thanksgiving holiday. That means the NCAA’s 20-hour practice limit will not be in effect. The Bulldogs could practice as long as they want or stay in the film room all day.
Neither scenario is likely, of course. Richt cautioned “more isn’t always better.”
“We’ll at least not have to worry about counting every minute and if a player like (quarterback Aaron) Murray or whoever wants to spend a little more time with Coach (Mike) Bobo watching film, that’s not a problem,” he said. “That’s going to be real helpful.”
Etc.
After Tennessee fired coach Derek Dooley Sunday, Richt expressed sympathy for Dooley, given his relationship with Vince and Barbara Dooley, Derek’s parents. Though Richt said the dismissal was “part of the business,” he believed Dooley wouldn’t be out of a job for long. “He’s a highly intelligent person and a tremendous coach and I know he’s going to land on his feet and have something great happen in the future.” . . . Richt was informed the Bulldogs received one first-place vote in the USA Today Coaches Poll. He said he didn’t cast the vote. “I guess somebody thought we were No. 1, so I guess that’s good,” he said. “But right this minute, it’s not all that important.” . . . There were no major injuries reported following Saturday’s 45-14 victory over Georgia Southern. “Usually if it was something big, I’d know about it by now,” Richt said. “So I doubt there will be anything that will show up before (Saturday’s) game.”
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124 comments Add your comment
Buckeye
November 19th, 2012
9:59 am
Who is going to make sure Murray is not the Murray in big games Murray?
The SEC Rules!
November 19th, 2012
10:02 am
THE SEC RULES
Alabama #1 Georgia #2
That’s what a true poll would say since [see chart below] Notre Dame has played zero top ten teams and we’ve played a bunch.
http://thesecrules.blogspot.com/
Ben
November 19th, 2012
10:10 am
I feel there’s a very very small chance Tech could win this one, but I’ll be pulling for them with every fiber of my being. What a way to end the regular season, beating UGA and killing their championship hopes!
"S The Coach"
November 19th, 2012
10:11 am
Yea, don’t worry too much about GT. You just better bring your A game come SEC Championship night or it will get ugly in a hurry. Mice versus Men.
Roll Tide!
Joey
November 19th, 2012
10:22 am
Dang right it can happen, Ben. You see the Kansas St – Baylor game Saturday? The worst D in the country virtually shut down the best O in the Big 12.
If the Dawgs D keeps on like it has since Jax, they will make it tough on the Jackets, but PJ is wiley like a fox.
To Hater Nation
November 19th, 2012
10:23 am
Hate on haters!!!!
When we lose you hate, when we win you hate. The bottom line is no matter what you say, how much you whine, cry, carryon and complain, the Dawgs CONTROL THEIR OWN DESTINY.
Love Richt’s attitude in focusing on this weeks opponent rather than looking ahead to the bigger game – (ah-hem! K-State, take note).
So keep drinking that Hater-ade, mmmm, mmmm, it sure is good, isn’t it hater!
The funniest thing about haters, is they are so self absorbed in all their hate and misery, they don’t even realize what a complete joke they are!!
Here’s a hint: if this post strikes a nerve or hits a bit close to home, then that means I’m talking about YOU!
Go Dawgs!!!
ugab
November 19th, 2012
10:24 am
The dawgs got off the a slow start against Ga Southern. We need to score early againt GTech.
RiffRaff
November 19th, 2012
10:37 am
ugab – Not sure why it takes this offense so long to get going. Read a quote that it took awhile to get comfortable. Doubt if Tech or Bama will wait for that to occur. They need to look sharp against Tech every down. Hope the D plays with the same intensity they did against Florida the next two weeks.
Rck
November 19th, 2012
10:39 am
The ACC is just aweful. Let’s Miami is not a good team who declines and GT is the second choice..
It should be Clemson and FSU. There should be a clause that allows for that.
Ubob
November 19th, 2012
10:42 am
Can’t believe no one has seen this. Dawgs beat Tech & Bama and play ND in the Championship….just like 1980….it’s fate…..Dawgs take it all….
ugacolumbusgafan2012
November 19th, 2012
10:48 am
THAT S RIGHT, CONCENTRATE ON THE GEORGIA TECH GAME FIRST AND MOST.. VERY IMPORTANT TO STAY FOCUS AS Y ALLL HAVE BEEN DOING EACH WEEK CONCENTRATING ON EACH GAMES THIS YEAR AND I SEE THAT IMPROVEMENT AND SO SO PROUD OF YOU AND THE TEAM / STAFF………………. GO DAWGS, GO FAR AND ALLL THE WAY TO BCS BUT CONCENTRATEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE…. SMILES … … AM SORRY BOUT DOOLEY S FIRING BUT GOD HAS PLANS FOR HIM AND EVERYONE ON EARTH.. BLESS YOU ALL… HAVE A GOOD THANKSGIVING..
Ron Burgundy
November 19th, 2012
10:52 am
Has a National CHampionship team ever had a loss by 28 points?
emack06
November 19th, 2012
11:26 am
Ha!Ha! No way Georgia beat Alabama. Therefore, there is no way the puppydogs make it to the BCS. ROLL TIDE!!!!!!
Joey
November 19th, 2012
11:26 am
Has a National Championship ever been won in the Tangerine Bowl over a 3-loss team?
mike hunt
November 19th, 2012
11:29 am
Tuck Fech!!!!
Slim
November 19th, 2012
11:32 am
UGA can’t win the big one and they’ll choke again in the SEC champ game.
1776
November 19th, 2012
11:33 am
The Dawgs had best get any miscues, turnovers and sloppy play out of their system against Tech, because they can’t afford any against Bama. UGA has the (raw) talent and potential to “run the (remaining) table”, BUT it’s the (lack of) execution and play-calling that might prevent their attainment of the National Title.
UGAY " Nuff Said"
November 19th, 2012
11:38 am
Enter your comments here
Joey
November 19th, 2012
11:48 am
Damn, these Techies will have to institutionalized if UGA somehow wins out. Straightjackets all . . .
DirtyDawg
November 19th, 2012
11:56 am
Damn the irony of our losing in the SEC and ending up in the ’steakhouse bowl’ and Tech in the Orange…and don’t get too cocky, or cocky at all, about having gotten comfortable with defending the option offense, that damned Paul Johnson will take one look at the Georgia Southern game replay and do something different. Different enough that we’ll struggle. Finally, if the O-line does what it’s been doing of late against Tech – protect Murray and give Gurshall room – we’ll be just fine on offense. Since the last drive in the Florida game – after Bobo had a heart-to-heart with young Mr Murray with the resultant boost to his confidence – the kid has been lights out. Give him time with our receivers, and we can beat anybody – particularly since Coach Grantham doesn’t mean to let his defense let up on anybody. The one thing I’m truly hoping for, and looking forward to, is that damned Kevin Carter (ex-Gator and on the ESPN program that still dismisses Georgia at every turn) will have to eat his words – and I’ve got some other stuff I’d like to shove down his gullet – and sometime after we end Alabama’s snot-nose arrogance – on national TV, say that Georgia was better than the rest of the SEC…of course he won’t but it’ll still be good for us to know.
bubba4dawgs
November 19th, 2012
12:02 pm
Too bad the Techie Nerds have nothing to brag about. Perhaps they can brag if they have sense enough to find their way over to Athens, Ga. If you make it, bring plenty of toilet paper….you’ll need it! Caution: Don’t wear your yeller into any of the establishments over there! That country is red and black and does not take too lightly about any other color. GO DAWGS!!
Preston
November 19th, 2012
12:04 pm
Can’t believe the crap coming out of tech fans! They’re being gifted an appearance in their weak conference CG and all they can talk about is UGA’s possible BCS CG! You guys truly are pathetic! Almost as bad as the os-who fan on here. LMFAO! What a loser!
@eidsonb
November 19th, 2012
12:10 pm
@Bergamot you just described and gave too much credit to most SEC team’s fan base…except for those who actually attended the school. You know the type…could not find Athens Georgia on a map much less spell it….FSU beats UF, Clepmpson beats USC and hopefully GT pulls of the Triple Option
7576DAWG
November 19th, 2012
12:12 pm
For the Georgia haters you will just have to be miserable. For the Georgia Fans who are still criticizing and finding fault, what is your problem? Georgia’s future or destiny is in their own hands and if they win the Tech game and the SEC Championship game they will play for the National Title. You couldn’t ask for anything more than that. Lose to Tech or the SEC Championship game and we will still end up with a 12-2 or 11-3 record which is a great year. Who cares whether we go to the Outback , Capital One or Chic-Fil-A Bowl. Either way we will get a good Bowl and if we win will end up ranked around number 10 and if we lose we end up 11-3 and a top-13 ranking . Either way a pretty good year and an improvement on last year. But if we win the Tech game and the SEC Championship game Georgia will play for the National Title . How can any FAN of Georgia’s find fault in that. Be happy and optimistic and for once in your live see the glass as half full. Save the criticism and advice for next year if needed but this year is over. Enjoy the rest of it. Nothing negative will matter this late.
Preston
November 19th, 2012
12:12 pm
The Dawgs’ championship (SEC and national) possibilities will rest squarely on the decision making of Bobo and Murray. The defense will be fine. It’s the play calling and the execution of Murray that will seal their championship fate. They’ve both looked great the past couple of weeks, but it came against a terrible AU team and GSU. We should handle the trade schoolers Saturday easily but they need to prove that they can look good against Alabama to sell me 100% I know they can do it. It’s a matter of WILL they.
robodawg
November 19th, 2012
12:13 pm
If we lose any assistant coaches I’d hire Derek Dooley in a heartbeat. Good recruiter, and he followed Saban around for several years so he knows how to coach fundamentals. He’d make a fine special teams coordinator. But at this point he’s probably looking for a better gig than an assistant coach.
DirtRoadDawg
November 19th, 2012
12:16 pm
There goes Richt again with a lame attitude. Where is the fire!!!! Saban & boys have been looking at BCS since September!! That’s the mindset in ALA. I’m afraid Dawgs will not be fired up & ready to play come Dec 1 but Bama has been looking for this moment since April. Also, when Richt talks like this BCS voters dont show Dawgs any love. Let the world know that GA is ready for TECH, BAMA, & WHO EVER (ND, OR, FLA,)!!!!! GO DAWGS!!!
DAwg in Sewer
November 19th, 2012
12:51 pm
Bamerss beasts us byses 50. LORdsy whatess a bneatdowns. Backss toes thesed seresss.
RUFFSS Russgs
DAwg in Sewer
November 19th, 2012
12:52 pm
GRathamsss sayss weses eatss Russ ifess we Beatss Techess. I hurgreses.
tell me again
November 19th, 2012
12:52 pm
Wow. How embarrassing. A conference with a 5 loss team in the championship game. Ouch. And the spot was even given to them. How low can you go.
Fair n Balanced
November 19th, 2012
12:53 pm
GATA!!!!!!!!!!
'94 UGA Alumnus
November 19th, 2012
12:56 pm
Hey Ramblin Man,
I agree with your assessment on the game. Tech will definitely put up some points in this game and I just hope we can outscore you guys. I believe the game might be a little closer than you are predicting. I am glad we are at home and that might make the difference.
Dawgingatorville
November 19th, 2012
12:59 pm
This is the biggest trap game in the history of the UGA/Tech series. Tech is 28th in the nation in total yards, 4th in rushing, 16th in points, 7th in TDs While UGA is 23rd in yrds allowed, 53 in rushing yrds allowed, 18th in points allowed and 18th in TDs allowed..
Techs defense has not had a great season but its not aweful. UGA better be ready to score about 60 points if they want to win.. GO DAWGS!
Mike Franklin
November 19th, 2012
1:11 pm
Well now, one thing we can be sure of is that we, the fans, won’t be allowed to distract too much on the SEC Champ game or whatever may await us thereafter. The GT fan mob is already howling and hoping to ruin our holidays. I just hope that the Dawgs will stay as focused on the bugs as they are of them.
Mike Franklin
November 19th, 2012
1:12 pm
Dawgingatorville – Trap game? No freakin doubt about that!
Texas Dawg
November 19th, 2012
1:14 pm
Murry is the key…………………………………….
If we get by Tech (which we should}
then Murry must not play the way he has typically played in the past against the big boys………………………….
He had had one good qtr… 4th against fla…in the big games…we loose that game if fla doesn’t turn it over 6 or 7 times………………………….
Alabama will not turn it over and if Murry is off…which he usually is in big games we loose
Murry must step up….he scares the mess out of me!!!!!!!!!! Go Dawgs!!!!!!!!!!
Mike Franklin
November 19th, 2012
1:18 pm
Murray ain’t no Matty Ice… he starts tossing air balls and there won’t be no happy ending. But… so long as the O-line shows up and our receivers leave the KFC alone before game time, we should be fine.
AltamahaDawg
November 19th, 2012
1:24 pm
I think that’s is a good point about Dooley’s hire in the first place. So often you see a school hire the “guy next to the guy”, to replace either a legend, or clean up from a bum. Him having some success is great, but that was not the driving force behind the hiring. I think UF did the same thing with Muschamp.
Texas Dawg
November 19th, 2012
1:25 pm
@ Mike Franklin…….
Hope you are right!!!!!! I would love for him to show up “Finally” for the big games! Don’t have to throw for 350 yards…..get the 3rd downs……hit the open guys…….and please don’t fumble or throw pix six’s!!!!!!!!!!
Jville Dawg
November 19th, 2012
1:29 pm
DirtRoadDawg
November 19th, 2012
12:16 pm
There goes Richt again with a lame attitude. Where is the fire!!!! Saban & boys have been looking at BCS since September!! That’s the mindset in ALA. I’m afraid Dawgs will not be fired up & ready to play come Dec 1 but Bama has been looking for this moment since April.
————————————————————————————————————
And how well did that work out for Saban a couple of weeks ago?
GET OFF MARK RICHT’S BACK PEOPLE!!!!
Say what you want but CMR has the Dawgs in a position that 119 other schools would love to be in right now. Support the Dawgs and CMR or go find another team to root for.
Be happy for 5 freakin minutes, you might actually enjoy it. I feel so sorry for some of you, how uptight and miserable must your life be that you only find something to complain about, no matter how good things are. I’ve heard of glass half empty people, but damn, some of you act as though you don’t even have any water in the glass!
North Georgia Dawg
November 19th, 2012
1:45 pm
J’Ville, I couldn’t agree more. I am so tired of people finding something wrong with every Georgia win, if we don’t play perfectly. Not every coach is Bear Bryant or Saban and not every player is elite. I personally was beyond happy that we beat Florida when it happened and I didn’t complain about what the team did wrong in the game.
UGAJD
November 19th, 2012
1:46 pm
Never take victory for granted. If we don’t focus and Get After Tech’s Ass, Tech is perfectly capable of beating our asses. Go Dawgs!
Half Century Dawg
November 19th, 2012
1:46 pm
emack06
November 19th, 2012
11:26 am
Ha!Ha! No way Georgia beat Alabama. Therefore, there is no way the puppydogs make it to the BCS. ROLL TIDE!!!!!!
I bet you said the same thing before you played TAMU. They play the games for a reason. Go Dawgs
AltamahaDawg
November 19th, 2012
1:47 pm
Aside from the fact that of cource Richt said “we are focused on Tech”. as IF Saban is out there saying, “oh we aren’t even concerned about Auburn, and we are looking forward to playing for the National Championship after we beat Georgia” at his press conference today.
Riding Richt when he screws up is one thing, but when you have to reach that far to make up such a stupid comment to complain over nothing, that really says a lot about the poster.
North Georgia Dawg
November 19th, 2012
1:59 pm
Richt usually does a good job preparing the team for Georgia Tech. He is 10-1 against them. And he knows the triple option is something you cannot take lightly. He had them preparing hard last week for Georgia Southern’s option and it sounds now that he is smart enough to focus on their passing improvements. Though honestly, I don’t know how seriously to take the passing numbers, given they have looked better lately but have played Duke, Boston College and Maryland. We’ll see. Like I’ve said before I think they will get their yards but will cough up the football at least once and their defense will be too bad for us not to put up huge numbers on. The most important thing
AltamahaDawg
November 19th, 2012
2:00 pm
BTW, there are no “BCS voters”. Determined by a formula, not hyperbole. I don’t think we heard anybody at ND talking about the MNC game since April, and if they win, they are in it. And for all of Alabama’s “mindset”, if Oregon kicks a couple of FG, they ain’t in it.
No coach in the country is going to be taking away thier vote , because some other coach is not talking about 3 games out, and I hardly think the computers takethat into consideration.
North Georgia Dawg
November 19th, 2012
2:06 pm
The most important thing Georgia could do if the game is to start off hot and get up fast on Georgia Tech. Getting up by several scores will force them to throw more which will enable us to bring our pass rushers and hammer Washington and Lee. Getting ahead of them by several scores can ruin their game plan and luckily their defense was bad enough to give up 50 points against UNC, so I would say pound the ball with Gurley to drive down the field and eat up clock and if they load up to stop him, torch them down the field to Conley, King and Mitchell.
dances with koalas
November 19th, 2012
2:09 pm
I keep reading that Alabama’s coach, Nick Saban is favored over Mark Richt. Pish! What has Saban ever done? Richt is a WAY better coach.
Frodo
November 19th, 2012
2:09 pm
Fred Dawg: We tried that it. Rightfully so, McGarity put a stop to it. It is a waste of money and time to fly to the west coast for regular season games. There is zero brand building by doing this. Who cares if UGA flys into Eugene in October. You think we’re going to win recruits? We can win over Columbus, GA recruits b/c its too far for mama to drive for games. McGarity’s scheduling has just given us a shot at the BCS Championship.
Archie
November 19th, 2012
2:11 pm
Coach Richt (”Where’s the fire?”) is not John Madden, that’s for sure! Seems I remember another successful football coach from the “dark ages” named Tom Landry (Dallas Cowboys) who didn’t show a lot of emotion on the sidelines, either! However, that “icy-eyed stare” of Landry’s kind of made up for his lack of emotional demonstration. I wouldn’t want those “icy eyes” directed at me!