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Thursday, September 15, 2005
No offense, but Richt should fire Richt
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Mark Bradley
Mark Richt is among the 10 best head coaches in college football, and he has a chance to be the absolute best. For that to happen, something radical must happen. Mark Richt must fire Mark Richt.
Although line coach Neil Callaway is listed as Georgia’s offensive coordinator, Richt essentially does the job himself. As strange as it sounds, Richt has become the weakest member of Richt’s staff. His offense moves in fits and starts and tends to break down against better opponents. Because the defense, under Brian VanGorder and now Willie Martinez, has been uniformly superb, the Bulldogs often get away with their offensive flailing.
But sometimes they don’t. Sometimes they lose.
The astute Athens radio man Jeff Dantzler notes the common thread in the 10 losses under Richt — an offensive malfunction. Not once in those 10 losses has Georgia scored more than 17 points. The average Bulldog yield in those 10 games is 12.1 points.
Richt still hews to his Florida State method, which worked handsomely in the ACC before Miami and Virginia Tech arrived. FSU stopped trying to out-execute anybody long ago. FSU no longer cares about establishing the run or controlling the line. FSU simply tries to hit three big plays a half, which it can do because it almost always has better playmakers. But there’s a difference between conferences, and there’s a reason the Tallahassee formula can go flat on the Bulldogs.
The best SEC teams — Florida, LSU, Tennessee and Auburn — can approximate Georgia’s personnel. (Indeed, eight of Richt’s 10 losses have been to those four schools.) And any opponent that can run with the Bulldogs has a chance to beat them because Georgia remains a sloppy team. The Bulldogs have had more penalties than the opposition in each of Richt’s four seasons, and they did again against South Carolina. Penalties hurt them Saturday, and another installment of Richt’s disjointed play calling nearly got them beat.
Richt has always seen the run as a counterpoint, not as Job 1. Like many offensive minds, he gets caught up in trying to outscheme the other guy. The inevitable result is an offense founded on finesse, and there’s no reason Georgia’s offense, with its ample supply of massive linemen and powerful backs, should ever be a dainty dancing master. Not until the third quarter did Richt start running the ball straight at South Carolina — until then, the run of choice had been Richt’s staple sprint draw, which is a fake pass — and the chance to grind down an opponent was lost yet again.
A team doesn’t have to run the ball every down to establish a physical superiority. A team doesn’t even have to run it early. (At Auburn, Chan Gailey had Georgia Tech pass to take the lead and then let P.J. Daniels hammer away to protect it.) But at some point in every game a great offense must take control of a defense, and Georgia does it too seldom. It’s no coincidence that the Bulldogs’ best work under Richt — their drive to the 2002 SEC title — came when Musa Smith got the ball more and more.
Richt’s offense can stack up yards, yes, but a disproportionate number come against the Kentuckys and the Vanderbilts and the Boise States. In Richt’s last year at FSU, the Seminoles led the nation in total offense. In his four seasons in Athens, the numbers have gotten rather worse — Georgia was 21st nationally in total offense in 2001, 39th in 2002, 58th in 2003 and 31st last year. In rushing offense, Georgia hasn’t finished above ninth among SEC teams the last three seasons.
The Bulldogs have the players to do much better. They simply lack the mind-set. A smart head coach, which Richt demonstrably is, would see that his insistence on doing double duty isn’t in the best interest of his program. He needs to find someone to call plays. He needs to find someone who believes in the power of power football.
Permalink | Comments (120) | Categories: Mark Bradley, UGA / SEC
Fulmer vs. Meyer? That’s a hoot
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Jeff Schultz
Before we get to this week’s Phil Fulmer jokes, an important document has been obtained by the Web site, “The Smoking Gun.�
According to an employee handbook entered into evidence in a recent federal lawsuit, it seems all potential “Hooters� girls must sign a statement that reads, in part, sort of, “Nobody cares what color your eyes are.�
Quoting from the actual document: “I hereby acknowledge and affirm that … the Hooters concept is based on female sex appeal and the work environment is one in which joking and innuendo based on female sex appeal is commonplace. I also expressly acknowledge and affirm I do not find my job duties, uniform requirements or work environment to be offensive, intimidating, hostile or unwelcome.â€?
I bring this up for two reasons: 1) I’m a guy; 2) I’m always impressed when somebody basically says, “This is who we are. I can’t lie. Accidentally spill this water pitcher on your shirt.�
OK. Transition.
Florida coach Urban Meyer, like Hooters, really needs to just come clean. He has tried to say the right things this week regarding Phil Fulmer. But on the Monday preceding the Florida-Tennessee game, he should’ve just distributed a statement that read: “I’ve get a better chance of being outcoached by a kumquat.�
This is an actual quote from Meyer on the Volunteers: “They’re not a team that will wow you with scheme. They’re a team that wows you with personnel.�
Break that down any way you want. Here’s my translation: “Gameplan? I’ve never seen a coach do so little with so much. I’m sorry. Was I supposed to talk about the color of his eyes?� (I just got a vision of Fulmer in shiny orange shorts. I think I’m going to be sick.)
So this week, it’s the Gators and Vols. Fulmer already has changed starting quarterbacks. After one game. Against UAB.
The line says Florida by six.
Look into my eyes: Gators cover.
New Low Carb Menu (add a salad and 10 shares of Delta stock for 99 cents):
Louisiana-Monroe at Trembling Chihuahuas
Yeah, they’re not psyched out by Steve Spurrier. OK, whatever. Georgia didn’t score 18 let alone cover 18 against South Carolina. Wait until the Dogs find out ULM coach Charlie Weatherbie is Spurrier’s third cousin. (So I hear. Pass it on.) Georgia wins but take 38 and the other guys.
Connecticut at Tech
UConn prepped for this game by beating up on Buffalo and Liberty. Unfortunately, this week’s scheduled opponent, the Montessori School, backed out of the game because it conflicted with a trip to the dinosaur museum. The Jackets — in the rare air of 2-0 and 15-point favorites — cover.
FSU at Boston College
B.C. coach Tom O’Brien responded to cracks that his plodders can’t keep up with faster ACC athletes by joking: “It’s going to be us Clydesdales vs. them thoroughbreds, I guess.” Fortunately, the Seminoles mostly run in claiming races these days. Noles squeak by; give up the point.
Arkansas at the Real USC
The Razorbacks’ defense just made a Vanderbilt quarterback look like Matt Leinert. So what are they going to make Matt Leinert look like? Duck. Troy covers 31.
Alabama at South Carolina
Bammy quarterback said this week of Spurrier, “All he can do is coach.” Question: Where does that leave Mike Shula? Take the gift two — and Carolina in a straight upset.
Miami at Clemson
The Canes have had two weeks to think about throwing away a game in Tallahassee. The last time they started a season 0-2, Lou Saban was fired and the program went in a new direction with Howard Schnellenberger and a briefcase full of unmarked bills, safely laundered in Bolivia. Miami covers the seven.
Dept of Hindsight: Straight up: 5-1 last week, 10-3 overall. Spreadables: 2-4 last week, 6-7 overall. Rock-paper-scissors: 12-6-2. Weekend Predictions Bookclub: Purchase any three selections and win a copy of Jerry Glanville’s new book, “Aloha Means I Still Coach Like Crap.”
Permalink | Comments (89) | Categories: Jeff Schultz, Tech / ACC, UGA / SEC
Wrong about Andruw
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Mark Bradley
I was right about the Falcons beating the Eagles. I was right about Georgia Tech winning at Auburn. I was wrong about Andruw Jones.
He’s not what he always was. He’s way better. He’s your NL MVP by some distance. He has carried the Braves as surely as Chipper Jones carried them in 1999, has carried them for a longer time than C. Jones did in his MVP year.
I admit it. I didn’t see this coming, not even after Andruw Jones was the scourge of the Grapefruit League. I saw that as a blip, a false clue. And when he started so slowly in the games that counted, I said, “See? Told you so.”
I admit it. I was wrong. Chipper Jones got hurt and Andruw Jones got great. He has 50 home runs at a time when 50 homers are again a benchmark. He has hit them at the right time, so let’s have no more of that Andruw-doesn’t-produce-in-the-clutch debate. He does. He has.
He’s doing what a lot of people thought he’d do nine years ago but not so many figured he’d do at this later date. I was one of those doubters. I doubt no longer. I’m a believer.
Permalink | Comments (36) | Categories: Mark Bradley, Quick Hit
