Mark Richt, Bo Pelini discuss Georgia-Nebraska matchup in Capital One Bowl
Georgia coach Mark Richt and Nebraska coach Bo Pelini were each flown to Orlando on Thursday by the Capital One Bowl for a news conference to preview their teams’ matchup in the Jan. 1 Bowl. Following are some of their comments from that session:
NEBRASKA COACH BO PELINI
On being selected for the Capital One Bowl:
“We’re excited. I know I can speak for everyone and say that we’re excited to be coming back to Orlando. We’re coming to a first-class bowl game, great hospitality, great city of Orlando, and the opportunity to play a tremendous football team, one of the top five, top couple football teams in the United States. So we’re looking forward to the challenge, a great football game and a great trip for our team and our fans.”
On a return trip to the Capital One Bowl:
“Having some familiarity with the surroundings, the hotel, everything. One thing I can say from my appearance last year is that the folks at the Capital One Bowl do such a great job. They’re so organized. They made it easy on us. It’s first class all the way. We’re looking forward to it.”
On the possible distractions of playing in Orlando:
“I don’t think it’s a distraction. There’s time for work and then there’s time for play. Going to a bowl game is a reward, a reward for a lot of hard work that’s gone into it, a lot of sacrifice. I think we do a good job of balancing that.”
On playing Georgia:
“I know Coach Richt from my time in the SEC, watched him on film a lot. I have a lot of respect for their program. I know they’re a tremendous football team, very talented football team and they’ll be a great challenge for us.”
On rebounding from the Big Ten Championship Game loss:
“It’s not the first time we’ve gotten hit in the mouth. Everybody who plays the sport of football, or plays athletics, goes through a tough time. The way you’re defined isn’t by what happens to you, but the way you react to it. Our guys are looking forward to the next opportunity to go out there and play. The opportunity to play against Georgia is great.”
On stopping Georgia’s running game:
“There not the first team we’ve played and they’re not going to be the last that has a good running football team. We’ve played enough of them this year, physical running backs, physical groups up front. We’ll be ready for it. We won 10 games for a reason. It’s not easy winning ten. We’ve got a tremendous challenge ahead of us to try to get 11.”
GEORGIA COACH MARK RICHT
Opening statement:
“It’s good to be here in Orlando. We’re very thankful to have the opportunity to play in the Capital One Bowl. I think going into the SEC Championship game I know I wasn’t thinking about plan B, but if your plan B lands you in Orlando and lands you at the Capital One Bowl then it’s a great thing for your program. We’ve been here before. It’s as good, if not the very best, bowl experience we’ve had as a team. Our fans love the opportunity to come to Orlando. I think our players will enjoy everything. I know our players enjoyed it back in 2008 after that season. I know the coaches’ wives and children enjoy it as well. We’re glad to be here. We know we have a tremendous challenge in playing the University of Nebraska headed up by coach Bo Pelini and his staff. They have some very dynamic players. Martinez is a great quarterback and they have a couple I-backs that are rushing for more than 200 yards a game and we’ve had some trouble with the rushing game lately so we need to make sure we can handle that.”
On the Bulldogs’ season goals:
“I don’t look at the bowl as a plan B, but plan A was to win (the SEC Championship) and play in the national championship. I think our guys like football. I think they like to play the game. I think they enjoy winning and I think they enjoy practicing. We have a lot of veterans on this team that came back for a special and to some degree it is a special year. We didn’t quite get to the mountain top like we wanted to, but these guys still have a lot of pride and they want to go out here and leave our program on a high note and in a first-class manner.”
On Nebraska coach Bo Pelini:
“He always has great defensive football teams. He was a defensive coordinator obviously. Just tough, hard-nosed football. That’s what it’s all about.”
On his Nebraska ties:
“I grew up a Nebraska fan. My mom and dad were born in Omaha, born in the same neighborhood, and grew up together as kids. They started dating and got married in their teens. Most all of their family still lives in Nebraska. Even when we moved to Colorado we were still big-time Nebraska fans. It’s very meaningful to play the University of Nebraska to me on a personal note. Because I’m at Georgia a lot of my cousins are Georgia fans as well and they call themselves ‘Corn-Dawgs.’”
On recruiting in Florida:
“Hopefully there are some young players in the area that watch the game and maybe get to come to the game in person to see us play and like what they see and get excited about Georgia.”
On the bowl time activities:
“I like for our players to enjoy the bowl experience. I want to win and we’re going to have our meetings and our practices set up to where we’re going to get the work done that we need to get done. We try to get it done early enough in the day that they have the majority of the day to go enjoy the events. I don’t mind them going out and having fun; I don’t even look at it as a distraction. I look at it as a reward.”
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249 comments Add your comment
kral
December 7th, 2012
5:02 pm
bobbie does not care what you say about tech…he lives to blog-rip the dawgs…easing into the weekend sponge bob
GTBob
December 7th, 2012
5:13 pm
Just curious Bob, what did you major in at Tech?
Computer Science
GTBob
December 7th, 2012
5:16 pm
Good byefor awhile, and enjoy the tears as we sign all these 5 star players in the next month.
Im not really all that concerned about you signing 40-50 more 5 star players. It isnt going to change much.
GTBob
December 7th, 2012
5:18 pm
Every pitch every game. Its the same thing throw the ball catch the ball swing the bat hit the ball run around the bases. end of discussion
Using your logic, football is nothing but throw ball, run ball, kick ball.
GTBob
December 7th, 2012
5:20 pm
bobbie does not care what you say about tech…he lives to blog-rip the dawgs…easing into the weekend sponge bob
Yeah, you would think eventually people will learn that I don’t really care how bad they think Tech is.
Jim
December 7th, 2012
5:25 pm
GT Bob you my friend are dumber than Alabama dirt! I guess you think that because Georgia Tech is playing ESPN’s crowned pre-season national champion, USC, that you can be the national champions by beating them. So funny!!!
Georgia and Nebraska should be a well matched game that could go either way.
GTBob
December 7th, 2012
5:30 pm
Georgia and Nebraska should be a well matched game that could go either way.
You must think highly of your team if you think UGA will struggle against a team that just got 70 dropped on them.
Honey Badger Has the Munchies
December 7th, 2012
5:36 pm
UGA is an “academic” college if I recall correctly? GT does have a wonderful engineering program and Masters Programs as well. I guess my Bachelors Degree from UGA is not “academic.”
GTBob
December 7th, 2012
5:38 pm
I guess my Bachelors Degree from UGA is not “academic.”
Yeah, we all make mistakes. Hopefully you rebounded and made something of your life.
Honey Badger Has the Munchies
December 7th, 2012
5:40 pm
Thanks GT Bob, doing wonderful. I rebounded so much that I see you on here quite often instigating folks.
Andy in AL
December 7th, 2012
5:41 pm
Wonder if GTBob has heard of Stanford, Notre Dame, Vanderbilt? All recognized academic schools that love football. And last I looked, UGA was a recognized academic school that has several nationally recognized leading departments–just not engineering.
Bill O'Donnell
December 7th, 2012
6:02 pm
Having lived in Nebraska since 1983, I’ve become a Husker fan, but I’ll always be a UGA DAWG. Besides, my wife (native Nebraskan) has become a UGA fan. Having watched the Huskers make half a dozen or so come from behind victories using a quick strike offense, the Dawgs better not let up ’cause Nebraska can hurt you quick. I’m just hoping it’s a good, well-played game with Georgia winning. You’ll see something from Nebraska players and fans that is sometimes unusual in the SEC – sportsmanship of the highest quality. How many SEC stadiums give opponents a standing ovation as they leave the field after the game?
Columbus
December 7th, 2012
6:19 pm
GTBob…..Gt would snap Richt up in a minute and you know it. WE UGA fans BELEIVE in Richt to get the job done. He is so much better than Johnson where there is ZERO hope. Took Bear Bryant and Dooley 17-18 years to win a NC. Took Saban 11 years! Richt was just ONE play away in his 12th. Richt IS one of the top 5 coaches IN THE NATION. FACT.
AND HE IS ONLY GETTING BETTER!
ITS GOING TO BE GREAT TIME TO BE A UGA FAN THE NEXT 10 YEARS!
GO RICHT! GO DAWGS!
Columbus
December 7th, 2012
6:20 pm
THEY GET A STANDING OVATION IF THEY DESERVE IT
Columbus
December 7th, 2012
6:27 pm
GtBob proved today that he is an idiot. If Mark Richt came to coach at Tech, tech would have immediate credibility and its recruiting would suddenly improve exponentially. There would be no more triple option garbage, you would have a balanced offense and get better Qb’s and receiverw IMMEDIATELY than the leftovers. Richt coaches circles around Johnson and have done so basically EVERY YEAR RICHT HAS BEEN AT UGA.
GTBOB JUST PROVED HE DONT KNOW MUCH ABOUT COLLEGE FOOTBALL IN TE STATE OF GA AND CERTAINLY HIS OWN PATHETIC UGA HATING BUT LOSING TO THEM EVERY DAMN YEAR YELLOW JACKETS. RICHT IS ONE OF THE TOP 5 COACHES IN THE NATION YOU LOSER AND HE WOULD WIN WHEREVER HE WENT. INCLUDING TECH. THE WRAMBLIGN WRECK IT RIGHT. ITS A TRAIN WRECK OVER AT TECH AND WILL BE AS LONG AS MARK RICHT IS COACH AT UGA.
I UNDERSTAND WHY YOU HATE RICHT SO MUCH GTBOB. YOU HAVE ZERO CHANCE TO BEAT THE HATED UGA AS LONG AS HE IS THE MAN AT UGA…..NO CHANCE. YOU KNOW IT.
SO YOU BASH THE ONLY REASON YOUR LIFE SUCKS FOR 12 YEARS NOW…..MARK RICHT!
Grim Reaper
December 7th, 2012
7:03 pm
Hey UGA Rubes… What’s in your wallet?? BWAHAHAHAHA!!
Roll Damn Tide!!
kral
December 7th, 2012
7:34 pm
did not mean you did not like your team..just do not need to to show it to DAWG bloggers..do not need to show a weakness hey bobbie..just ease on in to the weekend…seek out gratification where you can find it ..I guess..wish you the best to you and yours..catch you later…keep it easy …
Columbia SC Dawg
December 7th, 2012
7:38 pm
GTBob … been to a fish fry lately? CMR has an ocean of insecticide for your bees … life for you will suck for many years. Now go apply for your same-sex license.
kingdaddy
December 7th, 2012
7:41 pm
Karma is a King-sized biotch…That’s why GT & GT BOBBERT were meant for each other. I’m not sure what GT did to deserve GT Bob though, lol…
kingdaddy
December 7th, 2012
7:43 pm
It must have been really bad though…
Strat Cat Dawg
December 7th, 2012
7:45 pm
Wow, I must hand it to GTBob- he dominated the blog and the UGA fans were so busy chastising him, they almost forgot the subject is the Cap One Bowl… speaking of which, Nebraska seems to have had a perfect storm loss to Wisconsin, somewhat similar to UGA-SC. I don’t expect the Cornhuskers (and what kind of a name for a team is that, btw?) or the Dawgs to play their worst, so we’d better be ready for their best. Taylor Martinez is talented: he had an amazing scramble for a TD to put Nebraska back in the game early before things really fell apart. Anyone else care to comment on the upcoming bowl game?
PS People who bet on Georgia against Bama won, since they covered the spread. What’s in your wallet, Bama bettors?
kingdaddy
December 7th, 2012
7:45 pm
Coach Pelini seems like my kinda Coach. Defensive minded, tough as nails…I miss Erk…
kral
December 7th, 2012
8:00 pm
he always dominates strat cat ..ask him..he graduated from tech..most blogs topics get lost..then the pizzin match begins
kingdaddy
December 7th, 2012
8:03 pm
Strat Cat…
I really believe CMR understands the fans impatience. By that I mean, our wanting more and better wins. Forget the trolls, they’d make a stink over anything Coach Richt did, unless he retired. Then, they would be happy. This will be an exciting game and we will be prepared. I doubt we can stop them, but I also doubt they can contain Murray & Company. Am looking forward to bringing in 2013 with a Capitol One Bowl Trophy…2012 —11-2…2013, New Years Day —12-2…
2013 will be good to UGA, DON’T LISTEN TO THE TROLLS…
Sharkman
December 7th, 2012
8:04 pm
GT Bob, my uncle went to Tech, but my Dad went to UGA. Do the math.
However, in college all my friends went to Tech, & I’ve probably been
To as many Tech games as you have. In my 41 years I’ve NEVER
Known a Tech fan like you. Thanks for making us all laugh today
After our disappointing loss to Bama!!! Thanks Dawg Nation for
Reminding our insect brother of the facts. And thanks Bill O’ Donnell
Up in Nebraska for being a faithful CornDawg, & converting your
Wife! GO DAWGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
kingdaddy
December 7th, 2012
8:06 pm
karl
He says things that are obvious BS, just so we will address him. This is as close as he gets to attention…
DawgNole
December 7th, 2012
8:17 pm
kingdaddy
December 7th, 2012
8:03 pm
Forget the trolls, they’d make a stink over anything Coach Richt did, unless he retired. Then, they would be happy.
________________
Nah, they wouldn’t be happy. Is Thomas Brown ever happy? Nah.
larry30
December 7th, 2012
8:31 pm
GTBob doesn’t have a clue. I’m a GT fan and have been for about 45 years. Paul Johnson and his offense will never and I mean never win a national championship. You could send Johnson to Alabama with this offense and that team wouldn’t win a national championship. It is a bush league offense. Richt is a superior coach. I’m surprised the players go as hard for Johnson as they do the way he gets in their faces when things go wrong. Johnson is an egomaniac.
Strat Cat Dawg
December 7th, 2012
8:31 pm
Right you are, DawgNole- they don’t care who’s coaching, they just like to see what happens when they jerk a Dawg’s chain. If no one replied to them, they’d get tired of talking to themselves. But it won’t happen, because a lot of out people don’t understand that trolling is a game unto itself and the unsuspecting will always be sucked into a squirt-gun match haha
Mike Slive
December 7th, 2012
8:34 pm
Dear Ga fans:
Please stop using our conference’s name in an attempt to better your school’s image. It’s been 32 years now since Ga gave the SEC a nat’l title. There’s no place for a fanbase who’s majority wasn’t alive during it’s team last contribution. Do you know who the last SEC champ not to win the nat’l title was? That’s right, your silly little dogs. Our current run of success (Thank you LSU, Florida, Alabama, and Auburn) began in a collective effort of 11 other programs to repair the black eye that Ga gave us by not carrying their weight and representing the greatest conference in the universe as it should be represented.
In another note, please stop barking at human beings. It’s very obnoxious and immediately lowers your IQ in the public’s opinion. Represent your university (the small portion of you who actually attended Georgia University, or any accredited university, for that matter) with pride, even if you have to fake it from being the second best university in your state.
I sincerely apologize that this message needs to be sent. It just kills me to see an institution in my conference who resides in a top 5 recruiting hotbed who can’t seem to field a team worthy of an SEC logo on their chests.
Thank you for understanding!
Take Care!
Strat Cat Dawg
December 7th, 2012
8:37 pm
@larry20, GTBob is just having fun at our expense and we’re playing along. Plenty of Tech supporters, probably most, are reasonable people like you. The kids who play for Tech may not have as much talent, but they are competitors who want to win. Being in the ACC, Tech is capable of some pretty good seasons if they can get their defensive act together.
Strat Cat Dawg
December 7th, 2012
8:39 pm
Did I mention it’s best to ignore trolls? One such type recently tried insulting my mother when I wouldn’t reply to his foolish antics. How impressive is that?
DawgNole
December 7th, 2012
8:57 pm
Strat Cat Dawg
December 7th, 2012
8:39 pm
Did I mention it’s best to ignore trolls? One such type recently tried insulting my mother when I wouldn’t reply to his foolish antics. How impressive is that?
____________________
The ultimate troll is Thomas Brown, who’s apparently been banned on all AJC blogs except Schultz’s. Your mentioning the insults directed toward your mom reminded me of him. He spent several weeks this season repeatedly bringing up the fact that Richt’s wife was diagnosed with cancer (and the date of the diagnosis). As kingdaddy told him at the time, “Thomas, you have a black heart.”
kral
December 7th, 2012
9:35 pm
i give attention at times kingdaddy..do not want anyone’s life going incomplete
The
December 7th, 2012
9:38 pm
Enter your comments here
DGMom1
December 7th, 2012
9:40 pm
Pelini thinks Georgia is “one of the top five, top couple football teams in the United States”. And yet he voted Georgia 6th in the final pre-bowl USA Today Coaches Poll. Really coach?
BAD DAWG
December 7th, 2012
10:56 pm
GTBob YOU ARE AN IDIOT STUPID NERD.
Rozeman13
December 7th, 2012
11:24 pm
GTBob you out there
Sun Devil Dave
December 7th, 2012
11:42 pm
Please please please CMR, spike the ball if you’re under 20 seconds!!
T-Dawg
December 7th, 2012
11:51 pm
Garbage Bowl. We are becoming the Cubs of Coolege Football.
Ramon
December 8th, 2012
12:14 am
great tickets available…also there are great flights and hotel options at realfanstravel.com
DwightTheNight
December 8th, 2012
1:14 am
Got shafted in BCS..but Have a stout opponent ahead of us!
gtBobJr
December 8th, 2012
1:19 am
Dad: Gramma has twinkies in the basement! Dont try to negate the fact that TECK SUCKS….and stop touching my cutie Double E!
Dumpster fire
December 8th, 2012
4:55 am
I sure love how those tech games are over by halftime these days. more time to do other things around the house.
Sunbury Dawg
December 8th, 2012
4:56 am
Hey guys, if Kirby smart is the best coach out there why does he get passed up so much?
Answer….. Because that is Nick Saben running that defense……
c u later
December 8th, 2012
6:42 am
I have been a UGA season ticket holder for >25 years and have always been optimistic about their opportunity to win. However, I do not like the tone of CMR’s comments…Plan B, hopes for a NC, think the guys will play to win, let them have some fun. On the other side Coach Pellini says his team is looking for redemption from a terrible game they had with Wisconsin. IF those attitudes carry over to the field, I look for UGA to be the one that gets popped in the mouth and go home embarrased. Dawgs better get ready to GATA, and it better start soon if they hope to win. Forget the SEC game, its history. Win this one for pride, a high end of the year ranking, and a solid start for next year. Go Dawgs!
Yukon Gold
December 8th, 2012
7:09 am
Nebraska 45, Georgia 13
Long trip to Orlando for nothing.
Dress her in white and gold
December 8th, 2012
7:12 am
Well, let’s see how Tech has done against the dwags in the Big 3 men’s sports in the last year…
Football: Georgia 2, Tech 0
Basketball: Tech 2, Georgia 0
Baseball: Tech 2, Georgia 1
____________________________
TOTALS (by games)
Georgia Tech 4
Georgia 3
TOTALS (by sports)
Georgia Tech 2
Georgia 1
____________________________
In other words…
GEORGIA TECH RUNS THIS STATE!!!
GEORGIA TECH RUNS THIS STATE!!!
GEORGIA TECH RUNS THIS STATE!!!
GEORGIA TECH RUNS THIS STATE!!!
GEORGIA TECH RUNS THIS STATE!!!
GEORGIA TECH RUNS THIS STATE!!!
GEORGIA TECH RUNS THIS STATE!!!
GEORGIA TECH RUNS THIS STATE!!!
GEORGIA TECH RUNS THIS STATE!!!
GEORGIA TECH RUNS THIS STATE!!!
GEORGIA TECH RUNS THIS STATE!!!
GEORGIA TECH RUNS THIS STATE!!!
GEORGIA TECH RUNS THIS STATE!!!
GEORGIA TECH RUNS THIS STATE!!!
GEORGIA TECH RUNS THIS STATE!!!
GEORGIA TECH RUNS THIS STATE!!!
Buckeye
December 8th, 2012
7:52 am
Morning dogs
Buckeye
December 8th, 2012
7:53 am
Win With:
Let them eat cake