I’ve received several e-mails about Joe Schad’s announcement today on Twitter regarding Martinez being gone, gone, gone. I’m not sure it’s worth buying that. As Jeff Schultz notes, CWM is on the road recruiting right now. That would be kind of awkward if he were no longer a member of the staff, wouldn’t it?
On the other hand, it sounds very much as if the Logan-Gray-to-wide-receiver rumor has legs.
The Bulldogs were not initially planning on offering a quarterback in this class. They currently have three with eligibility next season — rising junior Logan Gray and redshirted freshmen Zach Mettenberger and Aaron Murray. But Mason was told Georgia is considering moving Gray to wide receiver next year.
“That would leave them with only two quarterbacks,” Mason said. “Third string as a freshman is pretty good. You’re an injury away from being the backup.”
If you’re telling recruits that, it’s a likely move.
Get The Picture 
Confirmed. Willie Martinez is out at Georgia.
Whatever that is worth.
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Per al.com of all sources, you can add Jancek and Fabris to the hit list.
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This would be fantastic.
We wish you the best, gentlemen.
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Behold the death of Directional Kicks
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http://ugadogsblog.blogspot.com/2009/12/throw-it-out-see-what-sticks-updates-on.html
If David Hale says it, than I believe it…
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I feel…free.
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AJC and ABH reporting that an announcement is coming soon.
Willie, Jancek, and Fabris are out.
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Sucks for those guys, but I think that this is probably a time to infuse some new blood in the program. This will be a defining moment in the CMR era. I think that things over at B-M have gotten stale, which happens…this should shake things up.
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David Hale from Macon Telegraph has confirmed those 3 coaches are out.
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AJC also has it up, with a statement from Richt:
http://www.ajc.com/sports/uga/martinez-two-others-out-222811.html
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The QB offers that have been reported over the past day basically 100% confirm that Grey is moving to WR (or that one of the freshmen is done [unlikely]).
Obviously they hadnt planned initially to take a QB in this class but Grey’s lack of development obviously changed some minds.
Now lets get a DC hired.
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Maybe I’m being impatient, but … how long until the replacement rumor mill gets cranking? Dick Bumpas, anyone?
Or should we assume that it’s Garner’s job to lose?
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It only makes sense to fire CWM as DC if he plans on bringing in someone from the outside who is a known improvement (i.e. a heavy hitter from another program), imo. To try someone else from the same staff looks a little like reshuffling the deck. He’s got to hire folks anyway–get somebody proven.
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How about Lloyd Carr, since he and Richt are so similar, especially considering our loss to Auburn and the fact that we no longer dominate GT. Back to your hole Chicken Little.
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I’m still waiting on you to actually dispute a single point of mine when I made that comparison. And until you do, I’ll assume it’s because you’re kind of an idiot, and prone to overreactions.
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Actually I did retort on that same thread so obviously you are not waiting. Let me go back and find it for you…
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Found it. I must have checked back before you actually responded. And unsurprisingly, you overreacted.
As I said there, I was not suggesting that Richt ought to go. I suggested that serious changes needed to be made before the program could reach its potential. For Michigan, that involved the removal of Carr. Maybe that’s why you assumed that I was arguing for Richt’s removal. But again, that’s not what I said. I said that serious changes needed to be made. And it sounds like some serious changes were made today.
You might try just reading my words next time.
Now, did I think that Richt had it in him to make these sorts of changes? Admittedly, I had my doubts. Along with many others. And he proved me wrong today. No doubt about that.
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OVERREACTED !?!? Dude, you guaranteed we’d lose to Auburn, said we’d lost our dominance over GT based on one loss in 8 years, and said if Richt didn’t make changes before Florida you were confident he didn’t have what it takes to make them. Who overreacted?
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And another thing – don’t make long drawn out posts saying why you think our coach is like a coach who got fired and then say you don’t think he should be fired. Either suppport the team/coach or don’t. Don’t sit there and speculate whether our coach should be fired. If you think he should, fine, you are an idiot, but at least an idiot with conviction. It’s kind of like being pregnant. You can’t kind of support the program.
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It’s true: I predicted that we’d lose to Auburn. Tell me, has anyone ever been wrong about a prediction before? (And for the record, given the way this team looked going into that game, did anyone really have any good reason to be confident that we’d actually beat them? It was, at best, 50/50. Whatever advantage Vegas gave us had more to do with it being in Athens than anything else.)
And I DO think we’ve lost our dominance over Tech. And for the record, I base that on more than just last year’s loss. Over the course of the past year or so, in what sort of direction, exactly, has it seemed that our football program was headed? And in what direction has it seemed that Tech’s program has been headed? How much money did you bet on us winning this past Saturday? How confident were you that we’d win, in comparison to the year or two before? Who was favored? Who did just about everyone in the country think was going to win? And why is that? So again, I think it’d be false to say that we are, right now, THE dominant program in the state. Sure, we’ve got bragging rights until next year; but that’s different than saying we’re the dominant program.
And I’ve already admitted to having doubts that Richt had what it takes to make changes like those that were made today. And (assuming that they were 100% his decisions) I’m happy to say that I was wrong about that. But of course, (1) we’ll never really know what role, if any, Evans played in the decision; and (2) I’m certainly not the only Georgia fan who wondered whether or not Richt’s loyalty to Martinez might keep him from doing what he had to do.
“Who overreacted?”
You. I threw out a comparison of Mark Richt to Lloyd Carr … most of which, mind you, is still in-tact. You were apparently so moved by it (a random comment by a stranger on the internet, mind you), that you apparently haven’t been able to put it past you.
If you don’t like “long drawn out” comments, here’s a novel idea: Don’t read them.
And re: your “Either suppport the team/coach or don’t” comment:
As I said earlier: “I’m as big a supporter of Mark Richt as anyone else. But my support of him is neither unconditional nor blind.” If you think being a true fan means never so much as even raising an eyebrow, then you go right ahead. I’d rather form independent thoughts every now and then.
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And please tell us the name and date of that article so our fellow readers can pull it up. I was trying to find it on blackberry but took to long reading through your other Chicken Little proclamations on other posts. Otherwise I’ll just cut and paste tomorrow when I have time. I am just effing tired of all our sorry ass vocal fans bitching and moaning all season because Mark Richt wasn’t man enough to make changes and our coaches suck and our players suck and wah wah wah. Shitty years happen. Mark Richt has earned the right for his fanbase to be supportive thru rough patches. Enough with the knee jerk crap. Go Dawgs!
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How in the world is it “knee jerk crap” to suggest that serious changes needed to be made to this football program? Have you been watching Georgia’s defense for the past couple years? By firing these coaches, Richt only CONFIRMS that serious changes needed to be made. And in his press conference, he admitted that the problems had been piling up for MORE THAN A YEAR. So, after more than a year of mediocrity, it’s “knee jerk” to suggest that serious changes needed to be made? If yes, then are you suggesting that it was wrong for Richt to make these serious changes? And if no, then stfu.
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“Found it. I must have checked back before you actually responded. And unsurprisingly, you overreacted.”
So you called me an idiot for not replying, but I did, so you were wrong about that.
“As I said there, I was not suggesting that Richt ought to go. I suggested that serious changes needed to be made before the program could reach its potential. For Michigan, that involved the removal of Carr. Maybe that’s why you assumed that I was arguing for Richt’s removal. But again, that’s not what I said. I said that serious changes needed to be made. And it sounds like some serious changes were made today.”
So you were drawing parallels between Carr’s and Richt’s careers, including Carr being fired, but you weren’t insinuating that about Richt? The parallel drawing stopping there. Right.
“You might try just reading my words next time.”
You were right about this. You never actually said fire Richt. But again, what was the point of the comparison. You sound like BIll freaking Clinton.
“Now, did I think that Richt had it in him to make these sorts of changes? Admittedly, I had my doubts. Along with many others. And he proved me wrong today. No doubt about that.”
Yes, he did, so eat your crow, and in the future please refrain from making disparaging remarks about him before he even has a chance to act.
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You misinterpreted my comparison between Richt and Carr as an argument for Richt’s removal. Sounds like a reading comprehension problem to me. Clearly, “serious changes” does not equal “fire Mark Richt.” I left that open for a reason, namely, because I wasn’t sure WHAT changes needed to be made, just that something had to be done. And apparently, Richt agrees with me on that point.
And, for the record, I still stand by the whole point of the comparison, i.e., that during the past two seasons (which makes for one seriously long jerk of the knee), it has seemed as if the Georgia football program was headed in a markedly similar direction as the Michigan program in the last few years of Carr’s tenure (that being: reliably GOOD, but not GREAT until serious changes were made). And I joined in many, many, many other Georgia fans in wondering if that might have SOMETHING to do with the man in charge.
“Yes, he did, so eat your crow, and in the future please refrain from making disparaging remarks about him before he even has a chance to act.”
Oh my god, would you please stop crying about someone daring to raise a single point of criticism about Mark Richt. I think he’s a good man, a great husband, and a wonderful father. But I (along with thousands and thousands of others, including others who have posted similarly skeptical comments on this very blog) worried that his loyalty to good friends might keep him from making tough decisions like those he made yesterday. That’s not a disparaging comment. It’s an obviously legitimate question to ask about a man whose own former boss wondered if he had what it takes.
Note, also, the difference between saying, “Mark Richt doesn’t have what it takes,” and saying, “I really wonder if Mark Richt has what it takes.” (Here we go again with reading comprehension …) The latter comment strikes me as a rather innocuous bit of speculation. And if that’s all it takes to get you this bothered, then you should never, ever, ever open a newspaper, browse the internet, or watch TV. At least not until you grow some thicker skin.
Frankly, I find it kind of amazing that anyone could be so bothered by this. Or maybe I should be flattered that I’ve apparently had such an effect on you.
Now, are you done crying? Do I have your permission to keep sharing my thoughts every now and then? Or should I run them all by you from now on, just in case they don’t shed the most positive light possible on your favorite people? Gimme a f*cking break.
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I just don’t see how in a comment drawing parallels to Carr and Richt’s careers, including specifically pointing out that Carr was fired (serious changes as you like to say), and not including saying you think Richt should NOT be fired (serious changes as you would like to say), we were supposed to have drawn the conclusion you weren’t insinuating that. In fact, my reqading comprehension was actually quite good, seeing as I pulled the author’s intent without him actually having explicitly stating it (or denying it). You have questioned time and again Richt’s ability to lead this program in the direction it needed to go, based strictly on the fact that you doubted his ability to make the tough decisions. I do not have a problem with people questioning our program on certain issues. However, it is the manner in which these complaints are conveyed that bugs me. I said back then that I decided after Tennessee that there was no way Martinez could or would be back next season, but I did not come to a public forum and post multiple (potentially damaging-to-the program) comments on why the sky is falling. I kept my faith in Richt, and here we are, with him having made the decisions you were certain he could not make (and having won two games you had written off, as the faithful fan you claim to be). Let me ask you this: do you think any recruits have ever come across this blog and thought, “Wow, UGA fans have no faith in the all-time winningest coach in their program history. I might be a little wary of going to school there.”
You were also so caught up in firing our assistants that you were confident that we would lose to a team we were favored over (Auburn). Home or away, when Vegas favors a team, that means the betting public perceives them to have a better chance to win. So while you ask, “did anyone really have any good reason to be confident that we’d actually beat them?” I say yes, apparently they did. I was not one of those people who was confident, but I went to the game and supported my team instead of flooding message boards about why there was no way we could beat them.
Dude, we are all Dawg fans here, and we’re all in agreement that changes needed to be made at some point. I really don’t hold any ill will towards you. I just wanted to hopefully help people gain some perspective here on what effect their comments on the internet may ultimately have. You obviously struck a nerve because I just don’t see how your original comment was intended to be helpful or supportive of the University of Georgia and its football team.
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“I kept my faith in Richt, and here we are, with him having made the decisions you were certain he could not make (and having won two games you had written off, as the faithful fan you claim to be).”
I stopped reading right here.
Was I “certain” that he couldn’t make serious changes, or did I simply dare to wonder out loud whether or not he could? If the former, then you’re right. And I owe him an apology. But if the latter, then (as I’ve been saying) you’re overreacting. (And fyi: it’s the latter.)
And again: “faithfulness” as a fan does not mean never publicly calling anything or anyone into question. As I’ve said elsewhere, there are two things you can count on when a sports program is going through a down period: (1) fans who want to talk openly about what they think are the problems, solutions, etc.; and (2) fans who criticize the first set of fans for not being “faithful” enough. I’m a part of the first group; you’re a part of the second. If it makes you feel good to congratulate yourself for your unwavering devotion to Mark Richt, then by all means, keep it up. But I’m still going to roll my eyes at you and others like you.
So to summarize:
1. I suggested that the past couple years of Georgia football have felt like the final few years of Lloyd Carr’s tenure at Michigan. I still think I’m right about that.
2. I suggested that the solution to the problem expressed in (1) involved “serious changes” of some sort. Mark Richt apparently agrees with me.
3. I suggested that you’re overreacting. I think that’s pretty much beyond doubt at this point.
For the record, I’ll continue to question whatever the hell I want to question; and I’ll do so in whatever manner I wish. If I ever clearly step over any line, the good Senator is free to delete my comments.
I love Georgia football. And I have (and have always had) a ton of respect for Mark Richt. If you can’t handle opinionated discussion of this program, the people involved, etc., then again, either stop participating or grow some thicker skin.
I’m done with this. Feel free to have the last word. Maybe you can tell me all sorts of other ways in which you’re a better fan than I am.
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I’m sure I have complete misinterpreted this because I have no reading skills whatsoever, but…
Turd Ferguson
October 11, 2009 at 1:01 pm
…But if some sort of decisive changes are not made between now and Jacksonville, I’m afraid my days of Mark Richt apologia will be numbered.
=============
No changes were made before Florida. I think they call that incriminating evidence in the legal field. Also, if you met Mark Richt in person, you’d be kissing his ass up and down.
Also, for kicks…
Turd Ferguson
October 10, 2009 at 2:50 pm
…I’m coming dangerously close to the point at which I almost kinda hope for a loss. What else will it take for Richt to realize that drastic changes need to be made?
Sheesh. When you hope for losses, you’ve lost your mind and you’ve certainly lost your members card! Too bad you quit this thread and will never read this.
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How could I have ever been so wrong? For what this is worth, if anything:
“Georgia: In terms of the defensive coordinator position, our sources tell us head coach Mark Richt will almost certainly ask for permission to talk with Kansas State defensive coordinator Vic Koenning, Duke defensive coordinator Mike MacIntrye, and Georgia State defensive coordinator John Thompson.”
http://www.footballscoop.com/?cat=24
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I’m not sure how reliable Football Scoop is, but if Richt looks at John Thompson… Good Lord.
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Yep. We’re probably the only SEC school that hasn’t had John on its payroll yet.
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Vic Koenning makes sense because his defense at Clemson was the lone bright spot in 2008. He left Clemson after being passed over, and he supposedly had issues with Sweeney. KSU went from 114th to 38th in total defense this season. You gotta figure Richt and Koenning know each other since Jon Richt was at Clemson.
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Does anyone have an idea which positional coaches are being retained by Jimbo Fisher?
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I finally feel like the sky is the limit for the UGA football program again, I haven’t felt this way since we lost the Sugar Bowl game to West Virginia a few years ago. Kudos to Richt for doing what needed to be done, I know it was difficult for him. I hope Willie lands in a decent job somewhere, I always thought he did a pretty good job as the secondary coach, I’ve been hard on him on this blog and others for years but it has never been personal he seems like a really nice guy. I have faith in Richt making the right decisions, though I am a little nervous about this Ron Zook rumor I am hearing, but if Richt can fire the best man at his wedding I think he could fire the Zooker if needs be. Several UF fans I know didn’t think Zook was any good when he coached for their defense in the 90’s, oh well, he certainly has pep if that’s your thing. Also, congrats on the recent anniversary of your blog Senator, I forgot to say that the other day, keep up the good work. Go Dawgs! Sorry to you guys if I’ve ever made anybody on here mad about Willie or anything else, my passion gets the best of me sometimes.
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Did Zook get fired? As of yesterday the Illni were still stuck with him.
http://blogtenfootball.com/2009/12/01/ron-zook-should-be-back-in-2010/
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I just heard the rumor, its probably complete crap, but the mere thought made be nervous
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Thinking about Zook makes everybody nervous. It’s like getting a smack in the face at the frat house.
http://www.smackapparel.com/our-story/smack-hall-of-fame/2004—ron-zook-frat-house-president-florida-fans.aspx
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Can you fair catch a pass?
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+1…and can you dive into the line from the slot?
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So now UGA will be competing with FSU and ND for a defensive coordinator
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Since we’re just guessing:
How would it be to have Pollack in red & black again, coaching the DE’s?
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I’m pretty sure there was an interview with Pollack in the AJC last season in which he plainly stated that he didn’t want to go into coaching. Of course, he might have changed his mind since then…
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I have no idea who we end up with for DC.
I do like who Louisville wants to be there next HC.
Coach Charlie Strong
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=4706761
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I’m surprised nobody’s mentioned the name of Mark Snyder, who just got fired at Marshall.
Sure, he didn’t accomplish much of anything as the Herd’s head coach, but before that he was Jim Tressel’s DC at Ohio State, and his tenure included the ’02 national title. This man found a way for a Craig Krenzel-quarterbacked team to go 14-0, folks. He must know something about defense.
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Mike, we are a better job than FSU and Notre Dame right now. The only way I would be worried about them would be if they hire someone on our list quickly.
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Everett Withers. That is all.
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I think that’d be a great hire.
It’ll be interesting to see what happens at UNC with Butch Davis apparently on Notre Dame’s radar.
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Tim DeRuyter, the DC at Air Force, has improved its defense every season since taking over 3 seasons ago. The Falcons were giving up 32 points a game and were 8th in the Mountain West back in 2006. This season Air Force finished just behind TCU in the conference, giving up 15 points a game.
“DeRuyter came to the Falcons after two seasons as Nevada’s co-defensive coordinator. He worked with the Wolf Pack safeties and directed the pass defense along with assistant coach Barry Sacks.
Prior to his stint at Nevada, DeRuyter spent three years at Ohio University, serving as defensive coordinator and secondary coach. He helped produce the 25th-ranked defense in the NCAA and the No. 2 defense in the Mid-American Conference in 2004.” –from Air Force media guide,
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IF Charlie Strong goes to Louisville then we are in competition with FSU, ND and UF for a DC. Somebody is going to make some big money on this.
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