Home > Mark Bradley > Archives > 2008 > November > 29 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USGeorgia’s loss falls on coaching
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Athens — From No. 1 in these United States to No. 2 in this state: That’s how complete Georgia’s failure was. Yeah, these Bulldogs won nine games, but who among us will recall those? Instead we’ll remember:
The first-half no-show against Alabama. The second-half swoon in Jacksonville. And now a third-quarter collapse against the school they’d owned since Mark Richt moved north from Tallahassee.
When the going got tough, the 2008 Bulldogs didn’t just flinch — they fainted dead away. On Saturday they turned a 16-point halftime lead into a seven-point deficit is less time than it takes to say, “Willie Martinez, your realtor is on Line 1.”
Afterward Martinez, the defensive coordinator, would point with pride to the three-and-outs his unit managed in the first half — the total was two, plus one four-and-out — but the trouble after halftime wasn’t so much keeping Tech off the field as barring it from the end zone. Twice the Jackets scored on one-play “drives,” and suddenly the favored team was so addled Richt had to gather his players on the sideline to remind them there was still football to be played.
But there really wasn’t. Tech had hit its domineering big brother between the eyes, and Georgia reeled the way it had reeled twice already this underachieving autumn. Forget the final score: All you need to know is that the Bulldogs, playing between their hallowed hedges, never had the ball and the chance to nose ahead over the final 16 minutes.
“We missed tackles,” said Martinez, against whose defense opponents managed 40-plus points three times (and 38 points in two other games). “There were guys there to make the plays.”
Said Rennie Curran, the linebacker: “We were well-coached.”
Said Josh Nesbitt, the Tech quarterback: “They had no idea what we were going to do.”
Georgia yielded 45 points — OK, so there was a defensive touchdown thrown in — and 428 yards against a Tech team that completed one pass. The Bulldogs weren’t disciplined enough to defend the option for more than two quarters, and why at this late date should a lack of discipline surprise us?
Working after a full season of practice, Georgia finished as it had begun — by being flagged for seven penalties. Twice its placekicker couldn’t keep the ball in bounds, and setting up a trailing team at its 40 coming off halftime is just asking for that team to do what the Jackets did to Georgia.
A squandered season? “Definitely not,” said both Curran and Knowshon Moreno, but how else can we characterize it? Back in August, was anybody saying, “My dream is to be champion of the Capital One Bowl”?
Said cornerback Asher Allen: “I don’t think we met our expectations.”
Said Richt: “You can’t control if you play for the national championship, but you can control if you win your division and conference … This was not a season where we reached our specific goals.”
This was the first abject failure in eight seasons under Richt — even his 2006 team won its final three games — and this looked to be his most talented squad. Speaking of Martinez, Richt said: “When things don’t go exactly the way you want, people try to find someone to blame. And I’m not going to do that.”
But Georgia was rarely (and then only briefly) the Georgia we expected to see this season. Perhaps it has gotten too easy to play for Richt. Perhaps it has become too easy to work under him. For the Bulldogs to close the gap on Tech — after seven seasons, saying such a thing sounds strange — this winter, it would behoove them to get tougher.
This team didn’t fail because it lacked talent. It failed because it never developed an edge. And that’s a failure of coaching.
Permalink | Comments (675) | Post your comment | Categories: Tech/ACC, UGA/SEC
Comments
By Herschel Talker
November 29, 2008 6:30 PM | Link to this
Damn right, Mark! Well put! This is all on the coaching. Specifically Martinez. Where else did the guys not learn to tackle
By T
November 29, 2008 6:32 PM | Link to this
Georgia was overrated from the beginning.. they are a team with little heart and will lose again in the bowl game… Tech overachieved, had no business winning 9 games.. no business beating Georgia.. Georgia will be hard pressed to beat Tech over the next couple of years.
By muttley
November 29, 2008 6:33 PM | Link to this
sounds about right….
By CW
November 29, 2008 6:33 PM | Link to this
Tech beats Georgia in Athens. Clemson whips South Carolina. Maybe now Dog fans will agree that the ACC is a pretty good conference and the SEC is two great teams and not much other than that.
By Renee
November 29, 2008 6:36 PM | Link to this
UGA needs some coaching changes at Defensive Coordinator and Special Teams coach. Congrats to the Jackets. They “Finished the drill”. They played the whole 60 minutes and made adjustments at half-time to what we were doing.
By Gordon
November 29, 2008 6:38 PM | Link to this
I am a Tech fan and the last thing I am going to do is talk trash to a team that has beat us 14 out of the last 18. And though I have my opinions like everyone else, I’m not going to pretend I know enough about football to know when it is the coach’s fault or the player’s fault. But it seems to me the real story was the excellent job that Paul Johnson and his staff did this year, not the failures of the UGA staff. I wish Mark had written about that. To take a team as young as Tech, with all the injuries (though not as many as UGA), with an offense that didn’t resemble the one run the year before, and do what this team has done is just remarkable. That is the story, not Mark Richt or Willie Martinez.
By Mark
November 29, 2008 6:38 PM | Link to this
Great game today where the stars on both teams showed up & delivered. The rivalry was energized prior to the game because UGA fans realized GT had a top coach whose players had “bought in”. GT winning with character (down 16 in Athens!) will make next year’s game even more intense. UGA’s defense had 2 weeks to prepare and Tech still ran wild. Could be a turning point for both teams-time will tell. One thing is for certain-Tech has more heart than UGA and all those 4 & 5 star recruits.
By spike
November 29, 2008 6:39 PM | Link to this
The defense and special teams suck. Period. Pretty much all season long. This a season squandered. Reminds me of the Goff and Donnan era.
By D-Man
November 29, 2008 6:39 PM | Link to this
You are exactly right Mark..this was a sorry excuse for a game from the Ga coaches…my gosh, they had two weeks to gameplan…what would have happened if Tech had two weeks to expose Ga? I think the first half was won by Ga on talent alone..yes there were some plays the Ga players won on merit, but most were won due to the sheer difference in talent…but in the second half Johnson and staff made some changes and Ga obviously did nothing at the half to exploit further anything that Tech was showing them as weaknesses. Yep, it truely looked like Tech wanted it more…they changed some things and made td after td on us. Made our defense look silly…heck, after trailing by 16, they made our offense look like fools too. I would definitely say the second half collapse was due to coaching…BoBo and Martinez had nothing to give after Johnson and crew adapted. It’s a shame when your QB throws for 5 TDs and your team doesn’t win. Heck, we had two weeks rest, we were at home and our QB had a career day…what the heck??? I guess Stafford and Mareno will declare for the draft and then we will look like fools next year for not making it happen this year…while we had the chance!
By Cal Thomas
November 29, 2008 6:40 PM | Link to this
There’s a new sheriff in town. And his name is Paul Johnson. Get used to losing to Tech, Dawgs.
By Rascal
November 29, 2008 6:41 PM | Link to this
Tech overachieved? Tech played hard and with heart, which I guess is how people and teams achieve - PERIOD! No more crap about Tech overachieving. They just had more heart and whipped UGA. Bottom line is that these kids are all so very close in talent, some come to play, others make excuses.
By brewdawg
November 29, 2008 6:42 PM | Link to this
Think about what you said Mark. This was Richt’s first “abject failure.” A season where UGA might win 10 games is now deemed a failure. And already you’re talking about how UGA has to close the gap on Tech? Really? How quickly everyone has forgotten that 10 wins was once a benchmark for this program.
Look, there is no doubt that this year was not CMR’s finest moment, and you were spot on about UGA needing to get tougher and more disciplined this off-season. However, I grew up in the Goff/Donnan era, when we had a total of TWO 10 win years. And like I pointed out in the beginning, this “failure” of a year may still wind up as good as those two years.
UGA fans, realize what we have. The CMR era has produced arguably the best stretch in UGA history. So let’s not what has admittedly been a disappointing season lead to typical UGA fan unrest. We are in good hands. If you think we need someone else to take us to the next level, remember that Nebraska fired a guy in Frank Solich that had a .750 winning percentage and had taken them to a NT game. Now they may never sniff .600 again, much less a NT.
To Tech fans, congrats, and I will humbly take your hell for the rest of the year. That’s what rivalry games are all about. Have a good rest of the holiday season everyone, and go dawgs- no matter what.
By Mark Bradley
November 29, 2008 6:43 PM | Link to this
Usually there’s a game, even in a disappointing season, that a team can hang its hat on. I’m not sure Georgia even has that. LSU wound up 7-5. South Carolina wound up 7-5. Arizona State was terrible. Auburn and Tennessee were terrible. For a team that won nine games against a schedule that was supposed to be fearsome, who really did Georgia beat?
By mark
November 29, 2008 6:44 PM | Link to this
Well said Gordon….it is OK to also say TO HELL WITH GA!!!!
By T
November 29, 2008 6:44 PM | Link to this
Tech had two back with more yards than Moreno.. can the Moreno hype stop now???
Tech had two back with more yards than Moreno.. can the Moreno hype stop now???
Tech had two back with more yards than Moreno.. can the Moreno hype stop now???
Tech had two back with more yards than Moreno.. can the Moreno hype stop now???
Tech had two back with more yards than Moreno.. can the Moreno hype stop now???
Tech had two back with more yards than Moreno.. can the Moreno hype stop now???
Tech had two back with more yards than Moreno.. can the Moreno hype stop now???
By chad
November 29, 2008 6:45 PM | Link to this
Get used to it boys and girls. This is just the beginning. UGAY is not getting any better, but the yellow jackets are another stroy..wooofff ahhahahah bit$hs
By singndablues
November 29, 2008 6:48 PM | Link to this
It is a shame that Richt fails to see what is so obvious to thousands on the outside. Poor coaching. It’s more than x’s & o’s. This team lacks discipline, basic technique and most importantly, heart. For the talent level, the defense is inexcusably bad.
Championship success will come only if he is willing to make the coaching changes needed to elevate the performance of this team to the talent level on hand.
By brewdawg
November 29, 2008 6:49 PM | Link to this
Mark,
Maybe that “hang your hat” game will come against Ohio State, which has improved dramatically since the USC game. (Yes, I’m assuming that will be the Capitol One matchup)
By sarfdawg
November 29, 2008 6:49 PM | Link to this
That’s the kind of hard-hitting journalism we’ve come to expect of you, Mark.
By Mediocre
November 29, 2008 6:50 PM | Link to this
I find it ironic that thUGA hit the pinnacle of mediocrity on this day….. The same day they dedicated a statue to the master of mediocrity, Vince Dooley.
Those of you that are old enough to remember recall the real Dooley. Not the one built up to be some kind of savior, but the “real” Dooley.
The one that won but 1 National Championship with Herschell? 3 yards and a cloud of dust Dooley? The guy thUGA fans were ready to ride out of town on a rail in the 70’s because of the most boring and unimaginative offense in the SEC? The guy that hired Goff and Donnan?
You guys kill me. You rail about your ‘destiny’ to win SEC and National Championships but you’re only an also ran program in the grand scheme of the SEC.
And just remember, when you did win the SEC Championship it was with Fulmer on the downward spiral, Zook at UF, and a Bama program in a state of turmoil.
By Yari
November 29, 2008 6:51 PM | Link to this
I am a huge dawg fan, but the lack of pride and toughness from this team this year has been embarrassing. Not once, even against LSU , ASU, or TN, the supposed “impressive victories” did this team ever look like a real number 1! Certainly, never looked dominant. I mean really, we coulda kept Jim Donnan for this effort!
By MyView
November 29, 2008 6:56 PM | Link to this
That 9-4 team from Staffords Frosh year and no Moreno would beat the 08 team. How is that possible?
By Disheartened Dawg
November 29, 2008 6:56 PM | Link to this
I’m sure Mark Richt is a nice enough fellow, but so were Ray Goff and Jim Donnan. And certainly one loss to Tech doesn’t mean he should be looking for another job. But I think his “niceness” has taken the edge off this team, as you said Mark. I remember Steve Spurrier saying, after “running up the score” on a hapless opponent, “It’s my job to score points and it’s their job to stop me.” Until Mark Richt takes this kind of attitude on both sides of the ball - both coaching-wise and personnel - this team will always seem to be a disappointment. We need someone to come in and fire up this team. Dooley was a fairly cool-headed guy, but Erk got the players riled up and going. Martinez’s calisthenics obviously aren’t doing the job. Before this game, I would have said that we were a top-15 team coming into next season…but I now realize that Ohio State is going to squeeze us like a bowl of Citrus in the coming game which will make us look pitiful heading into next season. I don’t blame Stafford and Moreno at all for wanting to get out of this mess…although an extra season would do them both well.
By spotts
November 29, 2008 6:58 PM | Link to this
Honestly I don’t get college coaching. Fulmer went like, 180-50, won a national championship and got booted this year. This time last year Richt was being hailed as a genius and the man that would lead Georgia to the promised lands.
But I agree…you can’t blame all these penalties on the players. It ultimately points back to coaching. And good Lord…38 points with only ONE pass completion? 400 yards of rushing?? Richt needs more fire. Willy Martinez just needs to be fired.
By FLA DAWG
November 29, 2008 7:01 PM | Link to this
Mark,
Your comments are on point. I believe we are at the point where UT was at the end of last season (well, perhaps not quite THAT BAD) and they gave Fulmer another year - it was a wasted year.
My guess is Stafford and Moreno bolt for the NFL. And who could blame them.
I think most Dawg Fans would like Richt to stay forever. But he must unload Martinez.
Congratulations to GT. They deserved the win.
If The Dawgs are offered the postseason game against Ohio State I pray to God Richt has the sense to graciously decline. The Dawgs will be drilled by 60 points.
By jack
November 29, 2008 7:01 PM | Link to this
This years team has been consistant in one area of the game. They have consistantly lacked the killer instinct. It seems we get up by 7 or 10 or like today, 16 and we expect the opponent to lay down and die. When they don’t we don’t know how to respond. Way too many comebacks, way too many penalties, way too many predictable plays and way too many quarters where the team chose not go give it’s all. I still believe this “could” have been a great team. Could have been one of the best GA teams ever. But it never lived up to it’s potential. And I share the blame,,, Coaches and Players. If I see one me Shoulder Tackle I am gonna scream. How does a defensive coach at this level allow such childlike play? I could be wrong, but it almost seemed like Stafford realized that once the National and SEC Championships were gone, he really had nothing left to play for, and was just doing what he needed to to build up his NFL stock. What could have been,,,,,, but the pain of the reality hurts. You just hate to see good talent wasted.
By Joe Hicks Jr.
November 29, 2008 7:02 PM | Link to this
This game was a total #$%&@#$ failure starting from the top with Mark “Im really overrated” Richt to Willie” i still haven’t taught my players how to tackle” Martinez. this was an embarrasment to the school and all the fans of the state of Georgia!! Mark Richt, Willie Martinez and Mike Bobo all need to resign or be fired. Point, blank.
By Joe Hicks Jr.
November 29, 2008 7:03 PM | Link to this
This game was a total #$%&@#$ failure starting from the top with Mark “Im really overrated” Richt to Willie” i still haven’t taught my players how to tackle” Martinez. this was an embarrasment to the school and all the fans of the state of Georgia!! Mark Richt, Willie Martinez and Mike Bobo all need to resign or be fired. Point, blank.
By ben
November 29, 2008 7:03 PM | Link to this
mark, your comments about the lack of a signature win is interesting. aside from bama and uf who are obviously head and shoulders above the rest of the sec, the top 8 or 9 teams in the acc could tango w/anyone in the sec… and they’re all young. i hope we’ve heard the last of the “the acc is weak” crap.
i’m elated over the victory, but i refuse to talk trash. we beat a good uga team and the credit goes to pj. i was very impressed by the offensive performance by the guys in red and black, and i seriously hope the moreno and stafford will jump ship for the nfl.
By lawton
November 29, 2008 7:04 PM | Link to this
why do everybody keep giving mark richt a pass? i like richt, but everybody keeps sidestepping the real issue. saban, meyer, spurrier, those are big time coaches who if the defensive coordinator is really holding them back, they are gone quick. richt coaches soft and doesnt trust his own talent, which the other coaches and players pick up on and they play and coach the same way. richt is the bobby cremins of football, great recruiter and talent evaluator, but coaching on game day lacks. they never make adjustments either.
By Mark Bradley
November 29, 2008 7:04 PM | Link to this
Oh, and I would be remiss if I didn’t say this — my column was slated to be from a Georgia angle, win or lose — but Tech has had a brilliant season and played a terrific game. I don’t believe Georgia wouldn’t have come back from 16 points down, but Tech did and made it look easy.
By jabster
November 29, 2008 7:05 PM | Link to this
Props to the Dogs for some great offensive play today that almost beat us, but c’mon—quit whining about 9-win seasons already…just fix your D coaching and you’ll be fine…you might have been able to beat Bama this year with a proper D but Florida’s going all the way and nobody’s gonna stop them. No shame there, as much as it sucks for y’all.
Brewdawg—you’re right on and we’ll see you on the Flats in a year.
By Joe Hicks Jr.
November 29, 2008 7:05 PM | Link to this
Fire all of those overrated non-coaching coaches. Richt, Martinez and Bobo!!
By rb
November 29, 2008 7:06 PM | Link to this
Dawgs d has shat the bed!
By JC
November 29, 2008 7:08 PM | Link to this
Up here near the Va border, we know the best “Tech” team in the ACC will be playing next week and the weaker one will be staying home in Atlanta.
By me
November 29, 2008 7:11 PM | Link to this
even the sun shines on a bee’s @ss every once in awhile. We are fine, just need to be tougher and put some of these lesser teams away early.
By deanwallace
November 29, 2008 7:13 PM | Link to this
Mark,
How is your failure to predict the performance of the team a reflection of the coaching?
The fact that you think this is the most talented UGA squad in the last 8 years just proves that your ability to judge talent is highly suspect.
The fact that you bought into the preseason number one ranking just proves that you follow the opinions of others.
So in response to your own shortcomings in judgement, you decide that UGA coaching is at fault. Good job, hack.
By GoDawgs
November 29, 2008 7:14 PM | Link to this
I agree to some extent, but do you think Willie Martinez coached the guys for the last two weeks saying “don’t tackle well, just miss them.”
It’s always easy to blame coaches, but at some point the buck stops with the players. If Stafford doesn’t throw a pick 6, if we only have 50 missed tackles instead of 60 Bradley’s column is about how great Georgia was coached over the past two weeks.
By He Hate Gator
November 29, 2008 7:15 PM | Link to this
UGA coaches don’t last long when you give up 40+ points to Tech between the hedges and after blowing a big halftime lead….just ask Donnan. I would say Richt needs to be on the hot seat next year….can not have a repeat of this squandered season. His first task, sell Moreno and Matt on returning another season, 2nd, get a new defensive coordinator and special teams coach…
By La Jolla Dawg
November 29, 2008 7:20 PM | Link to this
Mark, you have done a very good job of summing up the season.
What amazes me is the fact that so many of the problems were repeated over and over again, game after game. From excessive penalties, to problems on special teams, to poor tackling—we saw it all, over and over again. Why weren’t the problems corrected over time? As was stated in this column, there is a lack of toughness on the part of the head skipper. I think there is also a lack of awareness on his part. I’d feel a lot better if he or Martinez would take responsibility for the poor result. I don’t like reading quotes from Mark Richt that indicate he is not going to assign blame. If you won’t assign blame, take responsibility.
I do give Tech credit though, they played well and wanted it more.
Go Beavers, keep USC out of the Rose Bowl!!
By richtfan
November 29, 2008 7:21 PM | Link to this
Mark, no way on some of that bro.
One game does not make uga catching up to Tech. They didn’t even win their division in a mediocre conference where every single team had at least 3 losses. Every once in a while a blind squirrel finds a nut. UGA will regroup, lick its wounds and take it to tech next season after whipping yet another big 11 opponent in Florida. Losing hurts, but we have whipped the geeks so many times we’ve lost count.
By St. Bernard
November 29, 2008 7:23 PM | Link to this
five games giving up 38+.
Kicking the ball out of bounds not once, but twice in the last game of the season?!
enough said.
By Paul
November 29, 2008 7:25 PM | Link to this
No doubt this is the most disappointing and underachieving team of the Mark Richt era. While the preseason number one ranking may have been undeserved, Georgia certainly does not lack for talent. What they lack is a team. Both the defense and the unspecial teams got progressively worse as the season wore on. When a talented team fails to improve as they gain experience, that’s rarely just the fault of the players on the field. It may well be that the best thing that could happen to Georgia is for Stafford and Moreno to move on.
By Mark
November 29, 2008 7:27 PM | Link to this
Willie Martinez must go. It seems he cannot adjust during the game. If Ga is going to be a national contender, the coordinators must improve. No one in the country is pursuing our coordinators. This is a bad sign. The ALA and GT game loses are due an obvious unprepared defense. I wonder if Martinez scouts the opponent or he just do the scheme every game. You can get away with that against inferior teams. It just seems he had no idea against GT and Ala. I never saw eight in the box against GT in the second half. CMR do what is needed. Fire Martinez.
By MAYORBOB
November 29, 2008 7:29 PM | Link to this
TALKED WITH A MEMBER OF THE UGA ATHLETIC STAFF LAST NIGHT…HE SAID..KNOWSHON HAS NOT GONE TO CLASS IN 2 MONTHS….HE’S GONE..
TAKE ALL THE T SHIRTS THAT SAY..FINISH THE DRILL AND GIVE EM TO GOODWILL..ALONG WITH THE BLACK JERSEYS…RICHT NOBODY IS BUYING YOUR HYPE ANY MORE…YOU LOOK AND ACT SO OUT OF TOUCH IN EVERY GAME..BIG OR SMALL…I AM NOT BUYING THAT YOUR RECRUITS ARE TOP 10 CALIBER…WAIT TILL PAUL JOHNSON WEEDS OUT THE CHAN RECRUITS AND BRINGS IN HIS OWN HORSES,,,TECH WILL OWN YOU…DOG FANS THIS COULD BE THE BEGINNING OF A LONG WINNING STREAK FOR THE BEES…
I SPEND $20,000 A YEAR TO SUPPORT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM…NO MORE..ECONOMY OF GOOD SENSE HAS MADE ME DECIDE TO GIVE THIS $$$ TO A WORTH WHILE CHARITY..
STAFFORD IS GONE..NEW NFL RULE IN 2010 WOULD COST HIM MILLIONS IF HE STAYS…
GO OLE MISS !
By JS
November 29, 2008 7:31 PM | Link to this
AMEN! I wish people would get off the koolaid and understand these teams are soft under Richt.
Let’s see, Paul Johnson’s team goes 3 days in pads, UGA goes 1. HMMMM, wow.
Does anyone get it now?
By GermanJacket
November 29, 2008 7:32 PM | Link to this
Geez. Boo F’n Hoo, Mark.
I’d say that CMR has had a pretty good run as coach. You guys are jumping off the wagon and making excuses as fast as you can. Sure, throw him under the bus while you’re at it and good luck finding someone better.
By GTsteve
November 29, 2008 7:35 PM | Link to this
I don’t quite agree, sometimes it is just destiny. I went to a High School that ran the option and we consistently beat teams that had bigger and better players. I thought that CPJ was a great hire for GT, but I never expected this early success. Most UGA fans think that CMR is the best coach in the world and they are probably correct. The only thing that I truly know about UGA, is that they will not accept losing to GA Tech and Tech now has a Coach that makes beating UGA his number 1 priority. The great thing for us Tech fans is that he has the ability to do it.. CMR might be the best coach ever, but he better not make a habit of losing 3 games in the same season, with the 4-5 star recruits, or he will not be around to prove it.
By walleybutts
November 29, 2008 7:36 PM | Link to this
One simple question: If Tech is running a double wing, they have four backs in the backfield. Therefore, they can have only two eligible wide outs. Tech ran most of the game with one wideout split to the left and two to the right. Georgia spent all day covering a split out that was not eligible. The inside man on the right was not eligible. We had our strong safety covering a man that cannot go out for a pass. This is basic youth football. Most coaches in a nine year old league coach their players to recognize this.
By JH in Gainesville
November 29, 2008 7:38 PM | Link to this
What does it take? What does it take for Coach Mark Richt to realize there’s a problem with the defensive coordinator?
Five teams scored over 200 total points. How can you expect to win when the other team scores an average of 40 points.
If CMR let’s loyalty rule over the good of the program, he’s making a HUGE mistake.
I don’t want another year like this one. Willie has got to go … if CMR don’t pull the trigger and make the change, the Bulldog Nation won’t take another year without a major uprising toward him and the program.
To lose isn’t the worst thing … it’s being beaten and out coached that hurts the most. Poor coaching produces poor performances and we’ve had some of the worst performances ever with this year’s defense. Got to be the coaching … don’t make excuses … it’s the truth.
Special team coach needs to go as soon as possible. The longer this waits … the greater the cost and the more difficult it will be.
The media needs to put more pressure on CMR to make the change or take the blame.
More of the same old same old and CMR laughing it off and making excuses just don’t cut it anymore.
CHANGE MUST TAKE PLACE NOW …
By JH in Gainesville
November 29, 2008 7:39 PM | Link to this
What does it take? What does it take for Coach Mark Richt to realize there’s a problem with the defensive coordinator?
Five teams scored over 200 total points. How can you expect to win when the other team scores an average of 40 points.
If CMR let’s loyalty rule over the good of the program, he’s making a HUGE mistake.
I don’t want another year like this one. Willie has got to go … if CMR don’t pull the trigger and make the change, the Bulldog Nation won’t take another year without a major uprising toward him and the program.
To lose isn’t the worst thing … it’s being beaten and out coached that hurts the most. Poor coaching produces poor performances and we’ve had some of the worst performances ever with this year’s defense. Got to be the coaching … don’t make excuses … it’s the truth.
Special team coach needs to go as soon as possible. The longer this waits … the greater the cost and the more difficult it will be.
The media needs to put more pressure on CMR to make the change or take the blame.
More of the same old same old and CMR laughing it off and making excuses just don’t cut it anymore.
CHANGE MUST TAKE PLACE NOW …
By DarienJacket
November 29, 2008 7:40 PM | Link to this
Thank you Paul Johnson!! This is a rivalry again. Ga. fans, congratulations on having a great coach like Mark Richt. I have been to every game since 81’ and as a Tech alum, we have won 8 times. When I hear/read these idiots who make even an off-handed remark that UGA should even think about anything other than a team under Mark Richt I laugh because they obviously never attended a class in Athens.
That being said, a new day has dawned. As long as Paul Johnson is on the sidelines for the Jackets, you have a problem. My best friend was a sports editor for the paper in Stateboro and has interviewed Coach Johnson many times. This man hates to lose. Really hates to lose. He finally has his hands on a program that can attract premier athletes and fulfill his vision of a TEAM that can beat anyone, anywhere.
I have a lot of friends that went to UGA and they are good people. Two suggestions:
1) Get rid of fair-weather Bubba who lives in Warner-Robins and can’t spell Athens much less attend a class there
2) Get ready for an annual WAR that this state has needed since the mid-70’s. The next 10 years between Richt and Johnson will be epic. GO Jackets and to Hell with Ga.!!!!!!!
By Frankly Speaking
November 29, 2008 8:00 PM | Link to this
Not trying to rub things in, but, quite frankly Georgia was overrated at the beginning of the season and now that they lost their 3rd game we’ve got UGA fans clamoring for Richt’s head, gnashing their teeth, and prepared to commit hari-kari. Got news for you, no matter how sophisticated you think you are, if you’re calling for Richt to be fired, then sipped the intoxicating brew and bit into the hype or the ratings freaks, too. Prior to the season, every pundit in the country was touting the talent of Moreno, Stafford, MoMass, but in the same breath were talking about a young, inexperienced line and a suspect Defense!!!
Those of you who feel like you’re head coaching material, step up to the plate. But, I think you’ll find that with the Defensive talent as it was this year 10-2 or 9-3 was a more realistic expectation.
Richt is the victim of the same hype that Tommy Bowden was at Clemson. High rankings give ignorant fans unreasonable expectations.
By MrGreggo
November 29, 2008 8:17 PM | Link to this
OK folks Tebow gained more yards then the whole UGAg team today. UGAg will play a nobody in the wait till next year or the who cares bowl. Take your mascots lead and go lick your wounds…..
Oh wait my granny just ran for 5 yards…..
By BoBo
November 29, 2008 8:24 PM | Link to this
HaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHa
HaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHa
HaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHa
By Jon
November 29, 2008 8:25 PM | Link to this
Mark, you have let your state and paper down. Your a biased man on a agenda, to discredit UGA’s accomplishments and their fans. Georgia’s defence was horrific, yes. but i promise the season wont be remembered for the losses , 3 OF THEM BTW (NOT 4), or for poor coaching. It was a good season, better than 100 other teams who don’t have their own paper wiping the floor with them. please AJC, don’t let mark write for your paper anymore, he honestly has no clue what he is talking about or anything of sports for that matter.
By heeldawg
November 29, 2008 8:29 PM | Link to this
For once, I have to agree with everyone…the best-prepared team won today. Georgia was done in by turnovers, penalties, poor special teams play and a lack of consistency on defense. Sound familiar? It should. It’s been the refrain we’ve heard all season.
NO Georgia team should score 40+ points and lose a game at home. EVER.
Congrats to Tech on a great game and a great season. No hard feelings—they’ve earned it.
And if Mark Richt remains blind to the fact that his coaching staff needs a shakeup, this game could be the beginning of the end for him, as well. Coach Richt’s a class act, but a head coach needs to be like a CEO. If there is an underperforming employee, that employee needs to go.
I don’t think there will be a whole lot of conjecture about what Georgia employees have underperformed this season.
Time for CMR to make the hard choices he needs to make to right this ship and put a true Bulldog defense back on the field. Before it’s too late.
By Daniel
November 29, 2008 8:30 PM | Link to this
I agree with the one gentleman who mentioned this article should have, or at least additionally, mentioned the job Paul Johnson did coaching the jackets. I am a proud member of the Bulldog nation, born and bred to cheer my Dawgs, but in service of my country I did attend the Naval Academy…having watched my alma mater’s resurgence in recent years, I’m not at all surprised. At USNA, the offense was never the issue. We might put 35-40 on a Tech or Georgia, we just might give up 40-45. Why wouldn’t PJ do more with a little more at with a greater athlete at GT? Should CM go? I don’t know. This defense has lacked the heart/edge of other teams at UGA. I don’t get it. But in the meanwhile, acknowledge we just out-coached by a great coach today. I told my friends in GA to watch out as soon as GT hired PJ (even while the ever condescending Tech alums/fans couldn’t believe they would hire him). Bet they’re pretty happy about now.
Anyway, always faithful: Go Dawgs! Go Navy! Beat Army!
By Steve
November 29, 2008 8:31 PM | Link to this
As always from the AJC. If Georgia wins it’s a great game. Great play and coaching. Should Tech win, It’s because of poor coaching on Georgia’s part or poor officiating. How about some credit where it is deserved. This game showed great coaching by the Tech staff and excellent execution by the tech offense. Bark Madley should stop wining like the homer he is. Bark, Go work in Athens for the PR department.
By HBTD1966
November 29, 2008 8:33 PM | Link to this
Yes, it was a great win for Tech. I just wish the players wouldn’t stomp on the G and then vanalize the hedges. Have fun dancing in front of your fans after the game, but leave the hedges there when you go.
By G Roberts
November 29, 2008 8:38 PM | Link to this
Totally disgusting. We had better players, but they won with mainly freshmen and sophomores on offense. It was clear after Ky that we had trouble with an option attack. Why didn’t we adjust? MR is probably too close to MM to make a change, but he should.
By G Roberts
November 29, 2008 8:39 PM | Link to this
Totally disgusting. We had better players, but they won with mainly freshmen and sophomores on offense. It was clear after Ky that we had trouble with an option attack. Why didn’t we adjust? MR is probably too close to WM to make a change, but he should.
By ColaDawg
November 29, 2008 8:41 PM | Link to this
GO WILLIE GO AND TAKE BRYAN EVANS WITH YOU
By alan
November 29, 2008 8:41 PM | Link to this
I looked all through these comments, and could not find Huh?, the UGAy fan who’s been talking trash on Tech forever. Like I said in a post to one of Bradley’s columns earlier this week, Huh? actually is actually an acronym for Head up his a$$ (HUHA), and this game shows that there is nothing truer than that - Huh?’s head was obviously there if he thought UGAy had a better team than Tech.
And, by the way, Know Jon yet, Knowshon???? If you don’t know now, you’ve obviously got HUHA disease. And I think you know Roddy now too!!!!!
And all y’all UGAy fans and players can……..BITE ME!!!!!!!!!!
By Keith Strawn
November 29, 2008 8:43 PM | Link to this
These embarrassing defensive meltdowns have become a little too common. I don’t see how you justify bringing back the defensive coordinator next year.
By brian
November 29, 2008 8:46 PM | Link to this
Coming into the season, I thought “with this schedule, we can’t go undefeated. We will probably lose one, if not two games.” Funny, in retrospect, the games that we won that I thought would be tough..SC, LSU, Aub, ASU, UT….turns out to be wins against some pretty bad teams. The teams that turned out to be pretty good in retrospect, thrashed us (Bama and UF)…and we lost to a decent, if not gimmickly team in Tech.
Probably the most disappointing year since the Goff era in my humble opion. This team needs more toughness, more discipline, and more intensity and talent on the defensive side of the ball. Any way we can get Van Gorder back????
By baker
November 29, 2008 8:47 PM | Link to this
richt should forfeit his salary this season
By bishopbulldawg
November 29, 2008 8:48 PM | Link to this
As always, Mr bradley, you have hit the proverbial nail on the head. Tech beat UGA by out-coaching, out-playing and out-scoring my beloved dawgs. But that has pretty much been the story of the year. Most times, however, we were able to pull out a win on talent and desire alone. Unfortunately, not today. So Tech wins again for the 8th time in the last 30 years. Perhaps what you now need to write about, Mr Bradley, is what we saw today was the different directions of these two programs. Tech would appear to be a program on the rise; UGA would appear to be a program in demise! I feel sick all over!
By LawDawg
November 29, 2008 8:48 PM | Link to this
Any Nerd that gets on this blog and says UGA will have a hard time beating Tech over the next several years and that Tech is going to be a better program than Georgia is VERY delusional. Georgia beat themselves in the game today. Georgia had won 7 in a row. My goodness, you can’t win every year. Enjoy it while you can techmites, cause it won’t last. Also, “tech showed class”? What a dumb statement. Their coach is a slob who constantly yells, spits and moans on the sideline and their players talk trash and rip up the hedges after they win. If that is class, I don’t ever want my kids to be in that school.
By hook or by crook
November 29, 2008 8:53 PM | Link to this
CMR will have three more seasons to produce a champion, and then he will be gone. Either UGA gets better next season (i.e. doesn’t drop its brain and get behind by four touchdowns in one quarter) or the team will shrivel and go 7-5, then 6-6. At that point, CMR is toast. Dogs are on the razor’s edge.
By jakesdad
November 29, 2008 8:58 PM | Link to this
interesting to me that nobody’s mentioned georgia wasting 2 of its 3 timeouts in the 2nd half - had they not flushed either of the 1st two they get the ball back at the end w/at least 30-35 sec only down 3. you can debate how much (non)tackling to blame on the DC/assistants but there’s absolutely ZERO excuse for bad clock management and that buck starts & stops at the top.
I know it’s a tough pill to swallow but at some point dawg fans have to face reality: they were just way overrated going into this year. being pre-season #1 means less than FINISHING 25th because the later, while still subjective, is at least based on ACTUAL PLAY versus pure hype, conference homerism, etc. don’t give me woulda/coulda/shoulda or try to tell me about Stafford/Moreno/etc - georgia got EMBARRASSED, not once - TWICE, and while they won’t admit in public, behind closed doors in their “we’re in the SEC - WOOF! WOOF! WOOF!” dream world this one’s the worst of all…
By redcoats95
November 29, 2008 9:10 PM | Link to this
CMR’s undying loyalty to his coach’s is admirable. Who wouldn’t want to work for someone in their own career who would defend them when things went wrong - especially when it happens because of things beyond your control? The flaw that I see is that CMR is losing his objectivity. Martinez had 2 WEEKS to get his unit ready for this game - 2 WEEKS! There is no excuse for not being prepared. What we saw today was not just a one time fluke - this was characteristic of the whole year. Martinez has been playing with Van-Gorder’s boys and each year, as one class graduates, they have gotten worse and worse. If CMR doesn’t open his eyes he is going to end up just like Ray Goff - a beloved coach, a really nice guy, a man full of integrity and love for his players, and FIRED.
BRING BACK VAN GORDER and demote Martinez.
Does anyone else see a lack of fire in CMR? Last year he was so full of energy and firing up his players, has anyone seen that this year?
By Steve
November 29, 2008 9:21 PM | Link to this
Mark, you’re a sorry excuse for a reporter. So much for unbiased reporting. I guess when GA wins 11 or 12 next year you’ll be back on the bandwagon…what a piece!
By Eagle Fan GS
November 29, 2008 9:25 PM | Link to this
THanks Coach Johnson for proving the option can work in Div 1A. Thanks for showing the State what good coaching can do, I mean uga fielded their best team in 30 years and still didn’t win the national champ, the SEC, the SEC East or the State championship.
Go Eagles!!
By ESKE
November 29, 2008 9:27 PM | Link to this
Virginia Polytech is going to choke next week and then they’ll choke in the bowl game.
By Navigator
November 29, 2008 9:31 PM | Link to this
Bradley you was a hack in Lexington and you’re a hack here. It wasn’t the dawgs fault the pollster made them number one (were you one of them). They had an offensive front line with very little experience, and that doesn’t bode well for playing the competition they had to play. Neither Alabama nor GT was suppose to be this good this year, and Florida is the best team in the country. Let’s see how well they do next year having gone through the tough competition they faced this year. I wouldn’t be surprised if they went 11-1 next year.
By warhorse
November 29, 2008 9:34 PM | Link to this
This column demonstrates why Bradley is a poor excuse for a writer. First, he crowns UGA as national champion, without any justification other that press releases out of Athens.
Now, he blames the failure of the Dawgs on the coaching staff. How about this: the pups were overrated and guys like Bradley are part of the problem because their lofty predictions had no basis in reality.
By MCTGT1
November 29, 2008 9:36 PM | Link to this
1st year coach gets it done!!!! how sour does that taste dawgnation??? i guess you are all too busy scrapin the bumper stickers off your cars and takin down you flags cuz most of you are the biggest bandwagon riders of all time 45-42…. sorry to crash you vince drooley party! or your larry munson’ ed tribute… eat it!!!!!
By MCTGT1
November 29, 2008 9:37 PM | Link to this
1st year coach gets it done!!!! how sour does that taste dawgnation??? i guess you are all too busy scrapin the bumper stickers off your cars and takin down you flags cuz most of you are the biggest bandwagon riders of all time 45-42…. sorry to crash you vince drooley party! or your larry munson’ ed tribute… eat it!!!!!
By MCTGT1
November 29, 2008 9:39 PM | Link to this
1st year coach gets it done!!!! how sour does that taste dawgnation??? i guess you are all too busy scrapin the bumper stickers off your cars and takin down you flags cuz most of you are the biggest bandwagon riders of all time 45-42…. sorry to crash you vince drooley party! or your larry munson’ ed tribute… eat it!!!!!
By Algonquin J. Calhoun
November 29, 2008 9:42 PM | Link to this
keep those recriminations coming, I love it! The better team won period.
By alan
November 29, 2008 9:54 PM | Link to this
To JC:
Let me see if I understand this correctly: The best “Tech” team (the one in Virginia) is the one that had to win today to get to five wins in the conference, while the weaker “Tech” team already had five wins in the conference and could have scored 0 points today and still have gone to the conference championship game if Virginia had won???
That doesn’t fly although your win over us (17-14 @ VT - early in the season) does support your contention to a degree. In any event, GT’s overall record (9-3) is still better than VT’s (8-4).
Now let’s look at common opponents:
GT d. BC @ BC, BC d. VT @ BC; +1 for GT NC d. GT @ NC, VT d. NC @ NC; -1 for GT GT d. Duke @ GT, VT d. Duke @ VT; push GT d. FSU @ GT, FSU d. VT @ FSU; +1 for GT GT d. MIA @ GT, MIA d. VT @ MIA; +2 for GT VA d. GT @ GT, VT d. VA @ VT; +1 for GT
So GT has one more win than VT against common opponents. If you consider the head to head game to be against common opponents, then we’re even.
So, by my math, VT is no more than even with GT, and by no rational consideration of the facts can they be considered better than GT. In your twisted mind, GT is weaker than VT by virtue of the fact you beat us by 3 points at VT, early in the season, before we knew who we were??? I don’t think you’d want to face us now!
Now, let’s look at the rankkings - GT #22 in the BCS rankings, #18 in the AP poll, #23 in the USA Today poll, #18 in the ESPN U poll. Virginia Tech is nowhere to be found in any of the rankings, although they did get two votes in the USA Today poll.
This doesn’t take into consideration where GT will be after the polls are released tomorrow, nor the fact that GT will more than likely be in a New Years Day bowl game, while VT will be where?
You can take your “weak” argument and BITE ME!!!!
By hop
November 29, 2008 9:56 PM | Link to this
mark richt has been very successful since being at georgia,but i am afraid he is in total denial;just like the post game call-in show with eric zier. who lost his cool on the air when georgia people were discussing the awful performance of the georgia defense.
it is time foe someone to face the problem with some objectiveity. this is the first time the dawgs under richt have been faced with a major disconnect with the program.
it is all up to coach mark richt to fix the problem or we will see many more saturday’s like this one.
By Vince
November 29, 2008 9:57 PM | Link to this
Georgia has that lack of killer instinct because they are afraid to pull the trigger. CWM has to go NOW. Florida is so far ahead of Ga not because of Urban Meyer but Florida dumped Ron Zook when it was apparent he could take them where they wanted to go. CWM cannot lead a defense that will win a championship and that is going to split the Ga nation. Remember Ray Goff stayed 7 years too long and Ga paid a terrible price for it.
By Music City Bowl Committee Member
November 29, 2008 9:57 PM | Link to this
Jawja, you aint good enough for our bowl. You just got whupped by one of those 3 loss ACC teams.
Tech, there’s obviously a new sheriff in town. Congratulations, ya’ll are way beyond my committee at this point.
By Mark Bradley
November 29, 2008 9:58 PM | Link to this
Ask yourself this: Which side had better players?
Now ask this: Which side won?
If you answered “Georgia Tech” to both questions, then I guess you can say coaching didn’t matter in this game. But I wouldn’t have answered “Tech” to the first question, so in my mind coaching absolutely did.
By Dunwoody Dawg
November 29, 2008 10:00 PM | Link to this
I agree with La Jolla Dawg. Today’s game was a repeat of everything we’ve seen all season long, jus