Richt question: “How do you still have your job after 2 SEC Titles, a 7-2 bowl record, and 90 wins? Is it a miracle that you’re employed?”
— Spencer Hall’s Twitter feed
I’m not sure why Jeff Schultz thinks Mark Richt signed up for the level of responsibility Schultz assigns to him in this post, but Hall’s sarcasm strikes me as the proper rebuttal to that.
But here’s the real point –
It’s going to be tough to beat Richt who is simply flat-out likeable. If Georgia ever does run him off — and I’m not saying the school will — Richt would be employed somewhere else in a heartbeat.
If Adams decided to can Mark Richt, how long do you think it would take another major program to grab him? Does that strike you as an attribute for somebody whose reputation has been irretrievably tarnished by the events of the past few months?
Get The Picture 
Richt’s our coach as long as he wants to be. The national media and ten to fifteen angry and delusional Dawgventers just need to deal with it.
LikeLike
The bigger danger is that another school that is an attractive opportunity will open up the bank vault to get him away from UGA.
LikeLike
Fortunately for us, I believe that greed isn’t a motivator for Richt. I think things would have to be uncomfortable for him (and his family) in Athens for him to make a switch.
LikeLike
Has anyone published an arrest ratio per coach to see where we really stand nationally? Total number of player bookings divided by years of tenure? Fulmer Cup standings aside, is our number of total player arrests in the off season under Richt high? Really high? Really, really f***ing high?
If you spend a lot of time reading college football news, there are always kids getting arrested. If they are 3rd stringers on Conf USA team, it’s probably not a sign of the end of days like the AJC likes to say for UGA.
LikeLike
Any arrest ratio would have to factor in the severity of the crime. Not giving your middle name or “emerging from an alley” on a scooter shouldn’t get the same weight as beating up an off-duty police officer.
LikeLike
“how long do you think it would take another major program to grab him?”
Quicker than a cat can lick its ass?
LikeLike
If Richt was an incompetent coach, but still a nice guy, do you think these media types would be yelling for his head? Part of it is the fact that he’s a successful coach running a quality program and he’s a threat to the other 11 schools’ success, so he’s a natural target.
I just have to say that I wouldn’t want another coach in the country running my program, nobody! I love what he stands for, how he handles his players, deals with the media, etc. He is truly a breath of fresh air in an era when it’s sometimes hard to breathe because of all the smoke being blown by other coaches across the country.
LikeLike
I agree 100%. I get frustrated w/o seeing the Dawgs win 10 games a year, beat UF routinely, and play for titles. At this point, though, who out there is a better leader or representative of our program?
Sure it’d be nice to have a few crystal footballs in the Heritage Hall right now, but at the expense of having Urban Meyer or the incessant fear that Saban might leave any minute? I truly, honestly, not sure.
Winning titles takes luck and beating everyone consistently. No one has been beating UF consistently lately, but they’ve also had one of the top players in CFB history on their team the last four years.
I think (and hope) the field is about to level again. I think (and hope) we’ll be all right in the years to come. If Richt starts pumping out 10 wins/yr, beating UF on the regular (a few in a row wouldn’t hurt), and we pull in an SEC title in the next two yrs, this talk will ALL cool down (obviously) and things will be right in our world.
LikeLike
The field will not be level between UF and UGA until something is done about playing the Gators as an away game every year. The problem isn’t just that the Gators get homefield every year. The other problem is when UGA has to play five SEC games away and only three SEC games at home because of the WLOCP. Has anyone stopped to figure out that if the Dawgs had beaten the Gators 17 0ut of the last 20 instead of the other way around that UGA would have won a lot of those SEC Championships and BCSNCs instead of the Gators? This one game is what is costing us. If you have to have a game at a neutral site, move it to the Georgia Dome. That’s as neutral as Jacksonville.
LikeLike
5 years ago the only reason to read the AJC was sports. Now that they’ve screwed that up, it’s only worth is starting campfires. Unreadable garbage.
I know people here have made this same argument, but if Richt leaves, who would we get that’s better? There is some other guy who will win 10 games a year in the SEC and be a class act at the same time? Good luck with that hunt.
LikeLike
I canceled my subscription years ago. A kid came by last month and offered to give it to me almost for free (a bunch of free issues and the rest discounted) if I signed up again and I told him (nicely) to get lost.
LikeLike
You might be a “Mark Richt”.
1.If you tell everybody about winning 10 games while averaging three conference losses you might be a “Mark Richt”.
2.If you redshirt Knowshon Moreno you might be a “Mark Richt”.
3.If you tell everybody how experienced your offensive line is and the same players have underperformed for two straight years against the SEC opponents…you might be a “Mark Richt”.
4.If you have the same record as Jim Donnan for the last four years and not get fired… you might be a “Mark Richt”.
5.If you pocket $15 million over five years without winning a championship….you might be a “Mark Richt”.
6.If you tell the Dawg Nation words to the effect “talk to God, the face don’t want to here it”…you might be a “Mark Richt”.
7.If you recruit excellent football players(for the last four years) and then don’t do anything with them…you might be a “Mark Richt”.
8.If your team is preseason #1 and you get beat by Alabama 31-0 at halftime in front of a home crowd…you might be a “Mark Richt”.
9.If you think black helmets and white jerseys are a way to motivate your team…you might be a “Mark Richt”.
10.If you have watched season ticket prices drop from $10,000 down to $1550….you might be a “Mark Richt”.
11.If you spend an additional $500,000 a year for new coaching staff to address the problem and still don’t solve the problem you might be a “Mark Richt”.
I say Mark Richt can leave and don’t let the door hit you in the rear!
LikeLike
I’d say that Mr. Georgia Football can leave and let the door hit him on the rear instead.
LikeLike
You’re a fool.
#3 – Not the same players when the injuries start racking up. CSS has done more with less than any other line coach in the country. And btw they are highly ranked again this year.
#4 – Jim Donnan didn’t have Mark Richt-type success with Tech.
#5 – SEC championships are they only things you can control…we got those
#10 – preseason #1 hype artificially inflated the CUTOFFS to $10k. I imagine the hype lured in a lot of the fair weather fans that season. Real fans had tix before and have held them since.
There are others, but I’ll start with that.
LikeLike
You, sir, are too stupid to live. Please change your team affiliation so I don’t have to share even the slightest association with you.
LikeLike
How exactly did Mark Richt make us preseason #1 that year?
Rankings (preseason, at that) are total fabrications of sportswriters and other media blowhards, pundits, and knowitalls.
You bring this line, as well as many tired others, every time you make your flaccid arguments, and quite frankly, I’d love to talk ‘ball with you in a bar sometime so that I could completely annihilate your ass.
Tell us who we’d be able to hire that would be better than Coach Richt. Tell us who would be able to stand the pressure of taking over for a coach who was fired for winning SEC titles and averaging 10 wins a season for nearly a DECADE.
A numbered list will suffice.
LikeLike
12. If you have jackholes writing idiot lists, you might be a Mark Richt
LikeLike
+1
LikeLike
Hassan and others
Wake up people, it’s the 21st Century! Nobody seems to get it! It’s a high stakes poker game called “Championships Plural”(The National Championship and The SEC Championship) It started at the beginning of the 21st Century. Mark Richt and Georgia were playing at the table with two SEC Championships! Over the past four years “Middle of the Pack Mark” has posted no Championships and is no longer at the table with LSU, Florida and Alabama.
It’s not about 10 wins (or averaging 10 wins), It’s about winning championships!
Let me see if I have it straight? 1. Mettenberger was dismissed. 2. A. Murray was given the number one spot after a dismal G-Day performance. 3. Logan Gray is all but “alienated”. 4. Three star recruit Hutson “I’m a Dawg Baby” Mason is the backup QB behind injury prone Murray. WOW! Another great situation to be in courtesy of “Middle of the Pack” Mark Richt.
LikeLike
Yes, having a 5-star Elite 11 MVP as your starter as a redshirt freshman… oh noes… what a situation…
Seriously. Crawl back under the rock you call your home.
Btw, you don’t think LSU would trade Les Miles for Mark Richt in a tenth of a heartbeat?
LikeLike
If this is the standard by which you judge a coaching staff, good Lord.
LikeLike
Well, now we know what has happened to “Anon” from David Hale’s blog.
LikeLike
While you comment on numerous Dawg-related blogs under many names, it is so easy to identify you: cherry-picking facts to match your agenda; the perfectionist standard that dismisses excellence as “Middle of the Pack”; the expectation of total puppet control of players when influence, monitoring, clearly-communicated consequences and consistent follow through are all a head coach (and parents by the way) really has in his discipline tool belt; the bitterness and hatred that drips from your words. God help your family and friends (and you) if they must live up to your merciless standards of perfection at all times.
Your credibility is completely erroded by turning your opinions into a personal crusade. You may have started out with an interest in what’s best for UGA, but now it’s about winning the debate at all costs. Sad for you and I recommend for your personal health that you find other interests.
You’ve been encouraged MANY times to start your own blog. Have you? I’d be curious to see your following. I PROMISE to read your blog at least once if that helps.
LikeLike
I’d hate to be at LSU’s table right now.
Are you seriously arguing that Les Miles is preferable to Mark Richt?
LikeLike
This O-line has had the same players for two years, they are experienced, yet have underperformed with mediocre running stats and results for two years. The Dawg Nation wants “Championships Plural” like Alabama, LSU and Florida. This requires an offensive line and running backs that are posting rushing stats at the top of the SEC. This Offensive line has rushed poorly against SEC opponents 4ypc.
LikeLike
I am tired of all the “bogus hype” and don’t stand for it anymore….season after season of bogus hype and underperformance you yourself have noted. Could Will Muschamp or Kirby Smart do any worse!
LikeLike
I really don’t think those guys could do any better. You don’t want to believe hype, but two big names with no HC experience is all just hype at this point.
It’s tough as nails to get to the title game and only 2 teams get to do it every year. It’s a combination of skill and luck.
I can’t fault CMR for having a one loss regular season and NOT getting a shot. Meanwhile, a one loss UF and a two loss LSU get their shots. Mark May and ESPN constantly lobby against us at all costs. I can see the day when we go undefeated and still don’t get our turn. But guess what…that’s college football.
CMR’s record speaks for itself and one “down” year does not sum up his career.
LikeLike
It’s correct to say that the Dawg Nation has it’s collective eyes on the prize, but to make a list of mostly irrelevant points like a “You know you’re a redneck” list is a weak attempt to get your point across…which at the end of the day is simply that you’re not a Mark Richt fan. Fine. But, I have to say that you are in the minority.
I have many times questioned things with the program, but at the end to the day we are all on the outside looking in. I do not have one person in mind that I would rather have as a coach over Coach Richt. As offered by another…please present a list of coaches you’d rather have. I for one would love to see it.
Even when the staff was in question over the past two years, for me, if their Coach Richt’s men then their my men and I’m going to back them as long as they are Bulldog’s. Bottom line…I have faith in the man.
It’s fine to say that you’re sick of the hype, but it’s the nature of the beast…deal with it. Our boys will put it together on the field. HAVE FAITH MAN!!! Get with the program or get off the tracks because the train’s comin and it ain’t slowin’ down for nothin’!!
Who’s that comin’ down the tack? A mean machine in Red & Black!! Go Dawgs!!!! Two weeks till those pads start poppin’!!! Let’s get it on!!!
LikeLike
It is strange that everyone wants to talk about Murray’s lack of experience. I seem to remember someone named McElroy doing pretty well with the same experience in HS and at the college level. I think the dogs will be fine.
LikeLike
Mr. Georgia Football “aka” Bill Shanks
LikeLike
Delbert D.
May 27th, 2010
7:16 pm
Jim Dornan’s SEC record, last 4 years:
6-2
6-2
5-3
5-3
22-10
Mark Richt’s SEC record, last 4 years:
4-4
6-2
6-2
4-4
20-12
Jim Donnan lost 13 games his last 4 years here
and we fired him for it.
Coach Richt has lost 14 games his last 4 years here
Jim Donnan lost 13 games his last 4 years here
and we fired him for it.
Coach Richt has lost 14 games his last 4 years here
LikeLike
Depends on the loss. Losing to Ok State is tough…losing to Tech is unacceptable.
LikeLike
The Okie State loss is on Damon Evans, IMO. Bad scheduling to open a season on the road dedicating the other team’s new stadium. The homer refs were never going to let UGA win that game. We would have had to beat them by 3 TDs so the refs couldn’t steal it. A preordained loss.
LikeLike
For Donnan’s last year, he lost to Auburn, UF, & Tech. In fact, overall his record against the rivals was nothing to write home about. That’ll get you fired every time at any school.
Don’t get me wrong, I like Donnan. But I like Richt too.
LikeLike
Are you going to give Jim Donnan any credit for recruiting the Greene/Pollack championship team?
LikeLike
Pollack signed in 2001. How much credit should Donnan get?
LikeLike
Wait a minute, Senator. The guts of the 2002 team was signed by Donnan and you know it. Plus Donnan gets props for not wasting David Greene’s first season on a scant few games when QC was throwing all those ints and some of our nuttier fans were calling for a new QB. Don’t get me wrong , I am as big a Richt supporter as there is, but just because this “poster” is an idiot and can’t get his facts right doesn’t mean that we should ignore the fact that Donnan is the guy who actually turned the program around from the Goff years.
LikeLike
Great, Senator. The “Anonymous” spacesuck over at Hale’s blog is now here? I was really hoping he’d follow Hale to the Phillies. Please, guys, stop feeding the troll.
LikeLike
Amen
LikeLike
our President fired our last coach when it was apparent that our program had plateaued, we had lost to all of our biggest rivals, and the AD could not guarantee that the overall and record against are rivals would improve the next year.
Richt is just 9-7 to our four biggest annual rivals (UT, UF, AU, Ga Tech) over the last four years. Our overall record the last four years is strong but we certainly have had a share of frustration too.
While I have been on record that I do not think that Richt is on the hot seat, I also believe that given Adams proclivities for meddling in athletics that it is not beyond him to step in to make a change if he thinks CMR has peaked and we struggle against our traditional rivals. I think we UGA fans would be deluded to think that Adams believes that he is that powerful.
The problem, as I have stated before (here and other places) is not that we UGA fans believe it. The problem is that coverage and commentary are rapidly moving beyond “is he or is he not” to he is on the hot seat. It’s now a “fact” because so many people are writing about it.
LikeLike
“we UGA fans”
I fart in your general direction.
LikeLike
“It’s now a “fact” because so many people are writing about it.”
Let’s try this out for fun…
Hey (insert person’s name here)! Did you hear that the world is going to end in 2012? Everyone is writing about it so it must be fact!
LikeLike
http://www.macon.com/2010/07/23/1204495/job-security-still-a-question.html
LikeLike
You Spin Monkeys are making this way to easy!
….just a bunch of pseudo-intellectuals.
LikeLike
Georgia would be hard pressed to find another coach better than Richt. He is a fine man and a fine coach.
That said, it has been awhile since UGA won the SEC East Title and Richt still has not found the answer to Florida. He needs to do one *or* the other this year, or the rumblings will get louder from the likes of most the of sport reporters
LikeLike
Mr. Moron. You can’t run a program firing one of the winningest coaches in football. His winning percentage is historical. And his consistentcy is historical. And only an idiot thinks in 10 years you never have an 8 win season. Only an idiot judges the numbers without watching the games and remembering the injuries suffered 2 yrs ago. Only a dip expects the same results after losing the best QB and RB combo in decades. We don’t need to pull a Nebraska. Just stop. We all know your a gator.
LikeLike
12-2 Coach Richt will go this season, playing 1 ranked team # 5 Florida.
If Florida can lose 2 games as many expect, UGA could lose to Alabama in The SEC Championship Game.
THAT would be a great season.
Anything LESS would not.
11-2 for example would mean no SEC Championship Game yet again for the 5th year in a row.
10-3 would be down right miserable.
Now, after this season, Coach Richt loses 15 seniors and 4-5 juniors, all Starters.
Make Hay Coach Richt.
THIS is YOUR YEAR.
If he does NOT go 11-2 or better, then the hot seat talk will be begin all over again, after this year. 10-3 for example will do NOTHING when we play 14-game seasons every season of Coach Richt Era but 2. 10-win seasons are # 19 over the last 4 years.
I don’t want to be # 19.
I especially do not want to be 10-3 and # 19 again for the 5th year in a row for the # 11 All-Time College Football Program in 1-A wins.
If Coach Richt is # 19 this season, since he loses 15 seniors 4-5 juniors after the season, you can absolutely bet that Coach Richt will look back as to why he lost his cushy job here at UGA.
Coach Richt’s Coaching Staff the entire 9-Year Coach Richt Era, has SUCKED. And, if he doesn’t go 11-2 or better this season, playing only 1 ranked team all season, then you can bet everyone will say it was not Coach Richt but Coach Richt hires and keeps on his Coaching Staff that cost him being great.
# 19 won / loss record at 38-14 over the last 4 years is not great.
Neither is # 3 Fulmer Cup Standings over the same period.
LikeLike
The Georgia Bulldogs are not ugly.
We are great.
We are an Elite kind of football program around here the last 4 years, will be this year and will be even better next year.
LikeLike
Thomas, I think it’s about time for you to pick a handle and stick to it.
LikeLike
WOW! What happened in here? I leave for awhile and y’all throw a party. Seems like over 90% of the posters in here favor keeping CMR with the remaining few(two?) in favor of releasing Coach and climbing on that coaching merry-go-round that has become Tennessee football. I don’t know why it continues to surprise me when people are so passionate in their ability to point out problems and yet so uninspired with their solutions. Sometimes I wish the Senator would implement a little “institutional control” other times I’m glad he doesn’t. Just sayin’.
Add me to the pro CMR side.
Go Dawgs!
LikeLike
+1
Count me in with the Richt Camp. I hope he decides to stay with us until he is ready to walk away. I see a person who’s completely absorbed the lessons of his mentor, Bobby Bowden, and I foresee similar success with our program as Bobby’s Fl State. Georgia may not always win the Natl’ Championship but we can always count on our coach as being a winner.
LikeLike
You guys are right on the money! Look at Richt’s conference record during the same time frame:
2006 4-4
2007 6-2
2008 6-2
2009 4-4
Well Mark, “How would you like your job today?” Can we get you more assistant coaches and a “Powerchair” to ride around the sports complex like Bowden? You just name it and we will do it. Hey don’t worry if you average 9 or 10 wins and don’t win any championships like LSU, Florida and Alabama, it’s all good! Can we bend over and pucker up? You could ride around on the Powerchair, speak “God” and talk “Jesus” and pocket the money like Bowden. No wait a minute, that would be more like Jim and Tammie Bakker and the PTL Club, Jerry Fallwell and Jimmy Swaggert wouldn’t it? Ok, well how would like your job today?
LikeLike
You know I might be off base here …making a personal comment to someone I don’t know. Is there something bothering you that you might need to get off your chest? Your getting over the top and outside the boundaries of friendly blog speak here. I feel uncomfortable reading some of your comments. Don’t understand why all the vitriol. Good luck with it.
just sayin’
LikeLike
Guys it seems this nutjob is either really old and was a Bama fan at one time or maybe their dad was.
I found this old letter to the editor in 1971 sports section of the Tuscaloosa NewsTimes prior to football season, it’s crazy how it’s so similar!
Between 1961 to 1966, Alabama went 60-5-1, which included three national championships, four Southeastern Conference Championships, two undefeated seasons, and six bowl berths.
Since then we are 28-15-2 middle of the pack!
We are average the rest of the league has passed us by.
Most of this time coach Bryant time has had the wrong coaches coaching the wrong positions! For example Mal Moore was coaching defense when he was a lousy 2nd string qb for crying out loud!
The game has passed him, we played Texas AM in a crappy bowl and got beat!
By one of his former players coaching against us even! Could Gene Stallings do any worse?
We have lost or tied a bowl game the last 4 years! We aren’t on our way down we are already there!
Our record the past few years.
8-2-1
8-3
6-5
6-5 -1
6 wins is a joke people! Heck 8 wins is, we play 12 game seasons now!
Our record in the sec
5-1
4-2
2-4
3-4
Are you idiots satified with that? It’s about what have you done for me lately people! Championships Plural! He was great at first but his time has passed!
4 SEC losses a year people that’s almost as bad as Whitworth!
Also what about The NATIONAL SCANDAL with the Saturday Eve Post and the Chick Graning incident!
Yeah, everything is fine with the program!
Bear? More like Cub, he has to go!!!!
LikeLike
That was a good post. Pretty sharp finding the article.
LikeLike
I knew Bear Bryant. I watch him coach for twenty years. Mark Richt, you are no Bear Bryant!
LikeLike
Bear was a great one-from another era. But apples and oranges here my friend. First ten years for both coaches are similar in wins and losses and bowl games. Back in the day there was an easier route to winning the NC. (IMHO)
Alabama claiming the 1973 Coaches’ Poll national championship despite losing to Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl comes to mind.
just sayin’
LikeLike
Pearl Harbor, JFK assassinated, Elvis dies, 9/11 – days everyone remembers where they were and what they were doing when these occurred. I can now add to the list the first time you commented on a blog with a single sentence instead of 10k work diatribe! It’s a day that will live in infamy!
I didn’t say Richt was as good a coach as the Bear. The funny thing is though many people consider the Bear the greatest coach of all time and according to you Richt is no Bear. So if Richt isn’t the coach that the Bear was then why do you hold him to a higher standard than the Bear? Richt’s ‘bad’ seasons are nowhere near as bad as the bad ones for Bryant. Heck, if the Bear in a less competitive SEC can have worse years than Richt and Bear’s such a better coach maybe Richt deserves a little credit for doing less with more huh?
I posted the whole Bryant thing above using FACTS JUST LIKE YOU and used the same arguments that you have used against Richt in numerous posts here and elsewhere. The point was the man who’s considered the greatest coach of all time wouldn’t be good enough for UGA today according to you. You keep posting FACTS but you are unwilling or unable to put them into context.
You keep telling us what his record is over and over the past few years. I really appreciate that because neither myself nor anyone else here realized that we’ve slipped as a program. I personally thought we won 3 BCS championships just last year alone while going 117-0. I had no idea what our record was against the SEC east. Where do you find this information? Do I need some sort of clearance to be able to access it? Stever Spurrier even made comments about our SEC East record after SC won in 2007. But since there was no media coverage or internet nobody knew! It took you to enlighten us what the record was! So again thank you!
LikeLike
Athens I was replying to Mr. GA Football not you, my bad.
LikeLike
no worries!
LikeLike
Well here maybe this will cheer you up!
There is rumor that the UGA program could receive NCAA penalties for violating the talent abuse rule….Section 12.A.22 “If any Division 1 football team has a tremendous amount of talent and fails to play for a national title within a 10 year period, and settles for a medicre SEC title every once in awhile, then this team is subject to penalties by the NCAA.”
You might be a “Mark Richt”.
1.If you tell everybody about winning 10 games while averaging three conference losses(over the last four years) you might be a “Mark Richt”.
2.If you redshirt Knowshon Moreno you might be a “Mark Richt”.
3.If you tell everybody how experienced your offensive line is and the same players have underperformed for two straight years against the SEC opponents…you might be a “Mark Richt”.
4.If you have the same record as Jim Donnan for the last four years and not get fired… you might be a “Mark Richt”.
5.If you pocket $15 million over five years without winning a championship….you might be a “Mark Richt”.
6.If you tell the Dawg Nation words to the effect “talk to God, the face don’t want to here it”…you might be a “Mark Richt”.
7.If you recruit excellent football players(for the last four years) and then don’t do anything with them…you might be a “Mark Richt”.
8.If your team is preseason #1 and you get beat by Alabama 31-0 at halftime in front of a home crowd…you might be a “Mark Richt”.
9.If you think black helmets and white jerseys are a way to motivate your team…you might be a “Mark Richt”.
10.If you have watched season ticket prices drop from $10,000 down to $1550….you might be a “Mark Richt”.
11.If you spend an additional $500,000 a year for new coaching staff to address the problem and still don’t solve the problem you might be a “Mark Richt”.
LikeLike
Given that Grantham has coached no games yet, how can you claim he hasn’t solved the defensive problems? Are you seriously claiming that he’s no better than Martinez? Are you seriously claiming anything at all?
LikeLike