UGA blog finds new home
Morning all. As I’ve said a couple of times this week, we’re converting this blog over to a WordPress platform and it will be a permanent move the first of next week.
Those of you who are regulars probably know that I’m not what you’d call techno-wizard when it comes to these things. But from what I understand the technology offered in this new format should make the blogging and commenting experience better for all. Of course, I’ll be learning as we go along, too. But I’m hoping to provide more pictures and video and things like that which should bring the blog more to life.
Of course, this blog is nothing without all you guys so I want to heartily invite (read: beg) you to come over to the new site by CLICKING HERE ON THE NEW ADDRESS and save it in your browsers. As of Monday, Feb. 23rd, this will be the permanent home of the UGA blog you so love or, in the case of some of you, love to loathe. If you’d prefer to copy and paste or just memorize, the new address is: http://blogs.ajc.com/uga-sports-blog/.
See at the new place!
AJC > Sports > UGA > Blog > Archives > 2009 > January > 06
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Richt: ‘Maybe one of our better coaching jobs’
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Lost in all the discussion yesterday about Rodney Garner’s remaining at Georgia was the fact that coach Mark Richt had his season-ending session with the media.
Of course, Garner’s decision to rebuff Tennessee’s considerable advances still dominated the discussion with Richt, who fielded questions on an afternoon teleconference call. But there were a lot topics addressed as well. I can’t fit it all here but I’ll try to hit on of most of them.
(1) Is he actively courting Knowshon Moreno and Matthew Stafford to come back or was he just waiting around like the rest of us?
CMR: “Well there’s been a little bit of contact. But, again, I don’t want to put undue pressure on them. Number one, I do really want what’s best for them. They’ve got to figure that out for themselves. All I can say is if they do stay I want their whole heart. I want them to do it because the same reason you want coaches to stay, because he loves the place and because he believes in what’s going on, loves the people and wants to do great things and be part of a great team and a great program. I don’t want a guy who’s only half-hearted.
(2) What they’re doing to address the defensive shortcomings of the past season.
CMR: “We’ve already had a little bit of time to reflect and one of the things I know for a fact had something to do with how we played on defense was how we prepared. I know that we practiced different this year. It was directed toward the number of injuries we had in camp. And so we already began to address that issue during bowl practices. We probably tackled more in our bowl practices than we did all season long and I think our defense improved. I think our defense had a better edge, I thought we tackled bette, I thought we had a little more of a swagger going into the game… . We’re going to address personnel. We’re going to make sure we’ve got guys in the right spots. We’re going to make sure we’re asking guys to do things they’re able to do. We’re going to be honest with ourselves about how we’re going to create pressure, if it’s just going to come from individuals or is it going to come more from scheme. We’ve got to look at all of those things.”
(3) In retrospect, was Georgia overrated, underperformed or unlucky with regard to the expectations coming into the season?
CMR: “As I reflect on the season, I’ve got to look at it, I’m trying to decide, but we might have done one of our better coaching jobs. We might have, considering all the guys that went down and how we were trying to play ball. You watched Alabama play Utah and they lost a left tackle that all year long was just stoning people and they never had to worry one bit about the left side. Then all of the sudden in the bowl game they had all kinds of problems. That’s just one guy. So injuries do make a difference. I’m not using that as an excuse but that’s the reality of what happened. It certainly was a factor in how our season went… . So hopefully we’ll have a healthier year, continue to get after it and maximize the players and the staff and have a great season”
(4) How much of a distraction was that No. 1 preseason and ranking and how might Georgia handle it differently?
CMR: “I think everybody would maybe understand it a little better and know that it doesn’t mean a thing [laughs] in regard to what’s going to happen. What really matters is the focus and the work and staying healthy and all those kinds of things. That’s what gives you the best chance to win, not necessarily where you are ranked in the preseason. It probably causes more distraction than anything else.”
(5) On the notion Willie Martinez or any of the other coaches don’t know what they’re doing.
CMR: People in the business know. My gosh, we’ve won an awful lot of games since we’ve been here, even as of late. We won 11 last year and 10 this year. That’s not too shabby. We finished No. 2 last year and I don’t know where we’ll finish this year but probably somewhere close to the Top 10. We’ve won at least 10 games six of the last seven seasons and that’s not easy to do. Not a lot of colleges are doing that across the country. For the most part it’s the same men. So we’ve done well… . At the same time we’re hungry. We’re hungry for a championship. We’re like the rest of our fans. We want to win; we want to win the East; we want to win the SEC. And we’re going to fight like heck to do it.”
Some links:
Thought you might want to see how Tennessee folks are reacting to Garner staying. The story here is fine but check out the comments to get a real feel… .
Not sure if you saw that Cameron Newton, a sophomore quarterback at Florida before allegedly stealing a computer, is heading to a junior college… .
that Alabama’s John Parker Wilson and his former head coach Mike Shula will be reunited in the Senior Bowl… .
In case you haven’t noticed, Alabama defensive assistant Kevin Steele has left to become Clemson’s new defensive coordinator and longtime Tennessee defensive coordinator John Chavis is taking over as defensive coordinator at LSU.
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