Mark Richt’s tone and the choice of two words may have given away the situation Georgia’s head football coach finds himself in right now.
For most of this season, Richt has been fairly even-keeled in public comments and reluctant to talk about next year. On Sunday, 24 hours after a loss to Florida that heightened the questions about his future, Richt was asked if he felt his team had the ingredients to turn things around.
His tone was upbeat and he also went further than just this year.
“I think we’ve got what it takes to turn this thing around,” he said. “I don’t have any doubt in my mind, for the season and going beyond that as well. I think we do have the right ingredients.”
The use of the words “beyond that” was noteworthy. Perhaps it was because Georgia’s hopes of an SEC championship are officially gone.
“A lot of it is just attitude,” Richt said. “A lot of it just a mindset and I think we’ll have that right mindset.”
Georgia (5-3, 3-3 SEC) opened as a 17-point favorite over Kentucky on Saturday. That’s without knowing who the Bulldogs will start at quarterback and Richt didn’t shed any knowledge on the subject Sunday. He chuckled when it became the first question of the Sunday teleconference: Is Brice Ramsey (the only quarterback not to start yet this season) a candidate?
“We’re not ready to get to the quarterbacks yet,” Richt said. “But we’ll be discussing all possibilities though, I’ll say that.”
Faton Bauta threw four interceptions in his college starting debut on Saturday and only rushed three times for four yards. But he had some moments, finishing the day 15-for-33 for 154 yards. Greyson Lambert, who started Georgia’s first seven games, did not play. Ramsey was third-team, but did throw a pass on a fake punt while taking over as the team’s starting punter.
Georgia’s offense continues to be the focal point of the worries and Richt hinted changes may be becoming in the offensive line after the Bulldogs failed to score a touchdown in a second straight game. Richt, who called Georgia’s plays the first six-plus years of his tenure, was asked if he might take a more active role with the offense. His answer was very similar to when he’s been asked that in the past, saying that he’s present for “just about every meeting” of the offense, discussing personnel and situational planning.
“I mean not everyone wants to hear how close we were on a lot of plays,” Richt said, chuckling. “But we really were.”
He cited a couple dropped passes as difference-makers. Bauta’s third interception, when he was hit throwing the ball, could have ended up a big play if the pass had gotten off, Richt said. A receiver had gotten open downfield he said.
“So when those things don’t happen, part of it is the fact that we’re just not quite executing to perfection,” Richt said. “But you can see how close we are. But close doesn’t do much for you unless you’re playing horseshoes. We all understand that. Close doesn’t count. But when you know how close you are, it encourages you that we’re not far off from being able to move the ball better and get the ball in the end zone.”
He disclosed running back Sony Michel broke a bone in his right hand on either the first or second play of the game – Richt couldn’t remember for sure – and played through it the rest of the way. He only carried it 13 times and finished with 45 yards, the least rushing yards for Georgia’s top runner since the 2012 loss at South Carolina.
Richt said Michel should be fine to play against Kentucky.
