Tepid? Yeah, I think this qualifies as tepid:
First, Richt was asked his level of satisfaction with his defensive staff.
“Well, here’s what I say: I say we’re a team here at Georgia, and we’re going to keep coaching and keep trying to make improvements and corrections on everything we do in all phases of the game,” Richt said.
He left it at that.
Then the defensive stats were pointed out to him: On track to give up the most points in program history, and the most yards-per-game since 1994. Given that, Richt was asked, did he expect it to be this rough given the youth, or was he disappointed in how the defense has played?
“Bottom line is at Georgia we’re a team, and we win together, and we lose together, and we’re always watching film after every game to make sure we make corrections on offense, defense and special teams,” Richt said.
I’m skeptical Grantham’s going to be asked to leave after this season – although if Kentucky puts a 40-spot on the scoreboard, I reserve the right to change my mind – if only because I don’t think McGarity is willing to pay a buyout and spring for the dough it would take to bring in a qualified replacement. But if there’s not a shocking improvement in 2014, there won’t likely be a season after that one.
Get The Picture 
“I’m skeptical Grantham’s going to be asked to leave after this season.”
Yeah, but they you use your oft-quoted line of: do you know what you call a UGA coach who has a crappy defensive coordinator? An ex-UGA coach.
In that vain, you’re saying that McGarity won’t boot Grantham for his incompetence, but he will boot Richt eventually because of Grantham’s incompetence? Ridiculous, especially because Richt’s buyout will be substantially. Given the choice, it’s Grantham’s head that will roll.
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It really doesn’t matter what Richt wants. McGarity writes the checks. And I very much doubt that McGarity is willing to part with $900k (out of the reserve fund) to get rid of Grantham a year early.
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Hey guys, I don’t think there is a big time D-1 school in the country who will ever let a buyout get in the way if they really want a guy gone. UGA included.
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I think that’s true. But I’m not sure MR and GM are at that point. Yet.
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I agree.
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Just a hunch….but I think Grantham jumps back to the NFL this off season and Chris Wilson steps in as DC
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A guy who was demoted from the DC spot at Mississippi State isn’t going to be the next DC at Georgia.
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Agreed. I also agree that if there is no improvement on D in 2014 there likely won’t be a season after that one–for CMR. We are at the Willie stage boys and girls. If the same D shows up next season as this season Grantham won’t be the only guy to go. Better get rid of him now. If not he’ll drag the whole crew down with him.
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If Willie Martinez proved anything, it was that sometimes a good position coach does not make a good coordinator.
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That William Evelyn Martinez was our DC under Richt for a greater than a one or two year span proves you very wrong here.
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Good point
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A fair point – Richt is slow to pull the trigger. That said, I don’t think the analogy is valid, as Martinez was Richt’s friend from before his UGA days. Richt has no such loyalty to Grantham.
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Willy was in Richt’s wedding. Grantham was not. That may matter a bit.
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Who said anything about Richt getting the boot soon?
If he and GM agree not to renew TG’s contract, what makes you think Richt will pay a price for that?
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I wouldn’t be surprised if CMR walked away on his own. He has to be weary of all this, he is financially set, and feels a higher calling. He sure wouldn’t be accused of leaving the cupboard bare.
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See, when I see Richt fall to the ground after the Immaculate Deflection, I see someone who still cares so much that he wants to stay regardless of this nutpunch of a season. Football IS his higher calling; it’s the way he ministers to young men.
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+1000
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I don’t think he would leave because he has lost his competitive fire, or because he doesn’t think he can he reaches a lot of young men at a critical time in his life. Richt has always had more fire than many UGA fans give him credit for.
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“Who said anything about Richt getting the boot soon?”
You did, that is in the case that he doesn’t get a good DC. It’s your quote. “What do you call a UGA coach that doesn’t fix his DC issues? An ex-UGA coach.”
So you’re saying that if the defensive issues aren’t solved, then it won’t be long before Richt’s head is on a platter. Ergo, it is logical that CTG will be jettisoned before it comes to that.
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Let me try this again: If Grantham’s contract isn’t renewed after next season, pursuant to what MR and GM have agreed to, why would Richt’s job be in jeopardy?
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So you believe Richt would can CTG if it was fully up to him but that McGarity won’t assent to it because he’s a tightwad and, instead, they’ll have a deal to live with this disaster for another year?
If so, then shame on McGarity for his commitment to mediocrity.
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No. I’m saying that if MR and GM see eye to eye on how to handle the remainder of TG’s contract, MR won’t be in any trouble, regardless of how things turn out.
Right now, I would be shocked if the two weren’t on the same page. That could change, of course.
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Exactly how many 500+ yard games and 40+ point games does it take for 2 guys supposedly committed to winning to get to the point of capitulation? Jeez what a joke.
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Could be one more. Could be six. I have no clue.
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Soooo, lemme get this straight. McGarity doesn’t want to fire Grantham because McGarity is too cheap to pay Grantham’s buyout and CMR doesn’t want to fire Grantham because he wants to give Grantham another chance. So they have a secret “compact” to keep the guy around until the end of Grantham’s contract, each for his own reasons. In 2014 the D not only doesn’t improve but actually gets worse. Also, while the O is competent it is not as good as it was in ’13 because Murray, the best QB in UGA history, is gone–so Georgia loses 7-8 games. You’re telling us that McGarity won’t fire CMR even if the alums all squeal for it and the rest of the Administration wants that too because he and CMR had a secret deal to keep Grantham, even if that could mean McGarity possibly losing his own job also? HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA !!!!!!!!!!
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I going to assume this is pure sarcasm, Mayor, because otherwise, your reading comprehension skills need an overhaul.
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It’s a timing issue. McGarity will be glad glad to show Grantham the door after next year, because, while one could do otherwise, well, there’s a cost for that.
Richt isn’t going anywhere for quite some time. While perhaps not quite back to his “all-but-completely-bulletproof-because-there’s-no-such-thing-as-all-the-way-bulletproof” heyday of the mid-2000’s, he’s solid enough to ride out another rough patch, especially when everyone will feel better for a while when the Grantham band aid finally is ripped off.
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Why would Richt walk away?
He probably is making close to 4 million with endorsements and has a fan base willing to buy into every excuse known to man. He hasn’t out coached a team in years and relied on better talent to win games, not against better teams though). By doing this, he has been given raise after raise. You know what they say, “if you see a sucka, you just have to keep lickin'” So Mark Richt will keep on lickin’ Keep the moral victories coming and keep the blue hairs between the 30 yard lines happy by talking religion and being a good man.
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Well said. Richt may have found the only fan base in America that would accept his brand of “success” 12 years later.
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I’m fairly certain that any fan base in college football would take his success for the last 12 years. Heck, if Bama and Saban hadn’t turned out to be a match made in hell, even Bama would take him.
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MGarity is a cruel joke just look at UGA’s sports programs. Come on fans time to wake up and smell the coffee.
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Yeah I highly doubt Grantham will be gone after this year. People on the “fire Grantham” train most likely do not understand how complicated that process is. From a money standpoint, you have the buyout. Then it’s a question of, do you get rid of the entire staff? Wilson was a quality hire IMO. Then it’s, who do you get and what time frame do you get him? And can we please squash the Kirby talk. He ain’t coming back. If I had a dollar for every time someone said “Pay Kirby whatever he wants!!!” That ship has sailed, folks. Get over it.
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Again, I award +1000
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CMR is one more stubborn coach, he refuses to see the failures of his DC! With attitudes like this, the 5 star recruits may start to go someplace else than UGA?
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Given that Richt is stuck with Grantham for one more year, do you think it would help Grantham coach better for Richt to advertise his lack of confidence in Grantham? I don’t. Besides, Richt isn’t Spurrier.
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I agree. He doesn’t have endorse him but calling him out publicly isn’t going to solve anything.
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Interesting. Did you read that line from him and assume he is backing Grantham? Because that is not what I read. That was far from a ringing endorsement.
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I agree, he went out of his to keep his distance while not throwing CTG under the bus. He clearly sees his problem but I doubt he has McFrugals support. Ginny is right, there is more to it than just the 900K, which should not be an issue. UGA has a goid shot at Top 4 next year if we get the defense fixed. Sounds like a good investment to me but I am not optimistic.
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If Muschamp is a free agent, I’ll throw up if we don’t make that happen.
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You must not want to win the Georgia-Florida game ever again.
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If Boom could’ve kept his mouth shut, that might have made a lot of sense. Although I’ll be shocked if we ever get anyone from the recent Saban tree until S&C is totally revamped.
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Muschamp is 3-1 as a DC against Florida…so I’ll assume you’re being clever.
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Will Muschamp is 0-7 as a participant in the WLOCP. The dude is clearly cursed in that game.
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Playing under Ray Goof was a curse to all involved. That was not Boom’s fault. The fact that he’s a crappy head coach is his fault but would not be relevant to him as a DC.
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I thought the deal with Agent Muschamp was when the FU Administration and alumni realized he was a double agent and removed him (either by firing or kneecapping) Muschamp was to assume the role of DC at UGA. We should not go back on our word. Besides, as was pointed out above he is already 3-0 for Georgia against FU and he’s not even our DC yet.
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If Mark Richt says he want to replace Grantham and McGarity says he won’t spend the necessary money, I think Richt needs to do battle with McGarity because his job is on the line.
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True, and if it got out, McGarity would be the one in line for a buyout. You could pass the hat this Saturday and get part way to CTG’s payoff. Besides, CTG has the best agent in the world and is a first class bluff artist who probably interviews great (sound like Tarzan, coach like Jane) . He will get another job soon and in most contracts, that would offset the buyout. The best option is for him to get back to the NFL, the sooner the better.
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CTG: All hat and no cattle!
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That will not be happening. Mark has already lost control of himself once, got flagged for it and it won’t happen again. But he may be able to stare Greg down
http://thebiglead.com/2012/12/01/mark-richts-stare-is-mesmerizing-gif/
unless Greg is smart enough to look away, which he probably is because nobody had better lizard stare and points than Jeremy Foley and Irwin
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I have been as disappointed and upset with Grantham and this D as any Dawg fan this season. My final straw was the Mizzou game. I fully expected the defense to step up and carry the battered and depleted offense in that game. Yet Grantham failed to have his squad organized and fundamentally sound yet again. This squad is simply not improving as the season progresses. Poor tackling, alignment issues, secondary collapses, calls coming in late…simply a lack of origination and execution. I had held out hope that Richt would have ensured a simplified defensive scheme at some point, yet I have not seen that. Has Richt had a heart to heart with CTG? I can only hope so. Will Richt fire him? I seriously doubt it. There are just too many ingrained flaws on this team (O-line, ST’s malaise, and Defense) there is just not one quick fix.
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Terrific! If CTG remains we’ll another season toiling in obscurity. Hope you’re mistaken, but unfortunately, I think you’re right.
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Keeping an underperforming coach that we can afford to fire just because it would be expensive to do would be the most UGA thing ever.
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Ain’t that the truth.
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Also see Friend, Will, among others. Or perhaps we just come off that reserve fund a bit, and bring in several coaches for off the field staff to help in S&C, review film, tendencies, weaknesses, special teams, etc. We’ve got bigger problems than simple coaching changes can address.
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You’ve touched on an interesting subject, that of an analytical/diagnostic staff, who are not coaches per se, but assist in spotting trends both on our team and those of our opponents and pass that analysis onto position coaches/coordinators. Doesn’t Bama do something similar and what has that done for them? There are enough old/unemployed football coaches out there who can make valid contributions if Richt is willing to listen. Consultants work on varying pay scales and we do have the money, ifMcGarrity is willing to let some go. We go over the country to pick various coaches/staffs brains for innovative ideas (Bobo to Harbaugh) so why not have your own staff of expert consultants, NCAA approving?
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“if only because I don’t think McGarity is willing to pay a buyout and spring for the dough it would take to bring in a qualified replacement” If that is true UGA’s commitment to mediocrity is astounding. Not getting rid of a sub par coach because of money with $70M+ in the bank makes me feel like I am backing a loser program from the top down (not the players).
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IS MCGARITY CRAZY? IT”S NOT ROCKET SCIENCE! JUST SPEND THE MONEY DAMMIT????
How did we end up with CTG? 6 week search—–>
1.”Grantham’s hire capped an arduous process in which Richt was rejected by three highly respected defensive coordinators: Virginia Tech’s Bud Foster, LSU’s John Chavis and Smart. Richt said Grantham, whom he did not know when the search began, was recommended highly by many other coaches during the protracted process. ”
Large salaries does not equal success. Ask uT.
2.That salary will make Grantham the third highest-paid defensive coordinator in college football, behind only USC’s Monte Kiffin ($1.2 million plus a $300,000 bonus last season at Tennessee..;-)) and Texas’ Will Muschamp ($900,000). Georgia’s highest-paid assistants in 2009, Martinez and offensive coordinator Mike Bobo, made $325,000 each, plus bonuses.
Where are we today?
3. “It’s really not anything magical,” Georgia defensive coordinator Todd Grantham explained. There are reasons why the defense has struggled, but it all comes down to execution and a lack of adequate DC salary. ”
CMR on CTG hire: ““I really feel like we hit the jackpot,” he added.”
To date Richt has not be able to redeem all those jackpot tokens.
sigh…Auburn game and Murray was Hines Ward and Virginia in the bowl all over. Even the TD Murray ran in was gritty like Wards.
sigh…
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Thanks a lot I was there and it was another game that ST’s cost us. The more thing change the more they remain the same.
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Bad STplay has been costing UGA ever since VD retired as HC.
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+1,000,000. McGarity’s commitment to mediocrity is astounding.
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Can we afford that, Senator? If grantham is still the dc, I’m not sure I’m getting season tix. It’s that hard to watch in person, and it’s a lot of money on what is predictably disappointing. We won’t stop people with this guy. We’ve got a honey of a schedule next year and a loaded roster. The rest of the sec loses a ton. I think richt sees that, and I think there was some fire to the smoke from a few weeks ago. I don’t think richt is that stubborn, and I don’t think mcgarity is that cheap. If it’s the right move it’s the right move.
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I really doubt that Grantham gets the ax after this season. I think that the inexperience cuts him some slack. However, next season would be make or break time.
This is going to be a crazy coaching off season though if the Texas and USC jobs are open. There are going to be a lot of moving trucks this off season.
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Will we hold Kentucky below 30? Probably. Below 20? Doubtful. Is that acceptable? It shouldn’t be.
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The question is… If the defense allows 17 and the offense gives up a TD on a turnover and the special teams allows another TD on a blocked punt…
Then do you blame Grantham for giving up 31?
I have been disappointed with the defense this year, but I really think that if we got an upgrade at DB coach (notice how quickly the DL improved with a good hire) then the defense will look a lot better next year. Especially with so much youth playing this year.
I also think that we could use a new OL more than anything. Again, a good position coach goes a long way.
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Look the only position coach to be handed a bunch of raw recruits was the DB coach. The LB’s had depth and the DL was deep. The DB coach is head and shoulders above Willie. He at least teaches the guys to cover. He does not design the scheme that screws with their head.
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Florida, FSU, and Bama all run the same coverage scheme. College kids can totally run it. There are only like 2 or 3 different schools of thought on coverage. The scheme is not the issue at all and Grantham doesn’t coach the secondary. He coaches the OLBs. Just like Bobo doesn’t coach the OL. I don’t see people calling for his head because the OL is bad (and has been for years). Grantham doesn’t coach DBs.
I have noticed that the best defenses are run by guys with DB experience who run pattern-matching schemes. Muschamp is a DB guy with a good DB coach and runs the same scheme we do. Saban is a DB guy and so is Smart. They run the same scheme we do. Pruitt at FSU is another Saban DB guy running the same scheme.
Florida’s DB coach was hired a year later than Lakatos. They have 1 freshman starter and their secondary is much better than ours. Our recruiting has not been up to snuff and we have issues in the defensive backfield.
And the ILBs definitely do not have depth. 51 and 52 have played pretty much every snap this year.
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Why we hired a guy from UCONN with absolutely no recruiting ties to the area to coach our DB’s in the first place is a real mystery.
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That was Todd’s idea. UCONN skippered by Captain Randy Edsall and Lakatos had just kicked the everloving out of Spurrier in a bowl game in B’ham
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He knew Grantham and Grantham wanted to work with him.
Same reason we let Bobo pick Friend as the OL coach.
Lakatos could be a mediocre hire. Really he had a good group last year and he lost a few good DBs a few years ago and Tray Matthews has been hurt a lot this year and starting CB Reggie Wilkerson tore his ACL before the season even started.
I would want to see what the defense looks like next year before I said whether or not Grantham had to go. Lakatos may be ok and just had too much youth and random injuries and suspensions hurt there too. I would still take Travaris Robinson over him every day of the week, though.
The defense may actually be really good next year. Their numbers would look a lot better this year without the offense turning the ball over in bad spots, the weird stretches of offensive futility, and the special teams blunders. If we could at least flip the field when the offense is struggling, I think that would help a lot. But the defense has definitely been a disappointment. If they’re bad again next year and so is Florida, maybe we can get a new DC and raid some of UF’s defensive staff (Robinson included obviously). I’m not sure who we would get. The best defenses are Florida, FSU, Bama, and Michigan State. It would be hard to replicate those in Athens. Pruitt won’t leave FSU for Georgia. Why would he? Smart is likely out after last time. Muschamp is likely out after all that dumb shit he said about Georgia during his tenure as HC at Florida. And I can’t see any way we could take MSU’s defensive staff either. And they would probably struggle to recruit down here with no ties to HS coaches in Georgia and Florida.
The offense is streaky as hell. When they’re healthy and not and they’re unstoppable. When they’re struggling they’re pathetic. Mistakes, fumbles, weird INTs, horrible, dangerous sacks, etc. It’s crazy. I think a good OL coach makes a big difference there.
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Friend was recommended to Richt by Callaway.
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Sure. Why not take advice from Richt’s first bad OL coach?
Anyway, a lot of people were reporting that Bobo pretty much was in charge of the decision.
For example, you said about the hire, “It sounds like Mike Bobo was driving the bus.”
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Adam, where were you the past few days? Could it be that you are really Todd Grantham or someone in his immediate family? How else to explain your devotion to CTG. Regardless, as the biggest Grantham apologist, you went AWOL. I didn’t think you would reappear until Thursday at the earliest.
So now you are waiting until how the defense performs next season before you decide whether Grantham needs to go, huh? That’s a riot. I think you are about the only one left who hasn’t accepted the fact that our D will continue to suck as long as Grantham remains.
Anyway, I think Grantham will be gone so you won’t get a chance to wait and see. 900k is a drop in the bucket really. Look at how much every other SEC program has spent on buyouts the past decade for HC’s and their assistants. We’ve escaped that with our stable coaching staff. Surely we can cough up 900k just one time.
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Not sure exactly how I earned that reputation.
I do think that expecting a bunch of inexperienced guys to play well right out of the gate against a brutal slate of opposing offenses is absurd. They improved at things as the season went on. The 2011 defense was actually quite good and the 2012 defense was top 20 – though it took them a while to come together.
Let me set the record straight:
1) I was really disappointed that we didn’t get Kirby Smart
2) I wasn’t excited about Grantham
3) I don’t know why we made Grantham keep Garner, but Chris Wilson has been a great hire.
4) I think position coaches are a big part of how good a coordinator looks.
5) Our ILB and DB recruiting has not been good enough.
6) Tackling issues are a problem. I don’t think we tackle enough in practice.
7) I think Grantham is a decent DC, but if has to list my top 5 potential DCs for UGA, he would not make the list. And Van Gorder wouldn’t either. Chavis would and he turned us down. Smart would and he turned us down. Muschamp might, but he’s the HC at Florida and has burned a lot of bridges in Athens. The Michigan State defensive staff would likely not leave MSU and they would struggle to recruit down here.
8) I think that, especially with a young defense, the offense’s cold streaks really hurt. And that bad field position and special teams mistakes have also really hurt the defense this year. If the offense and special teams never gave the other teams any points and rarely (or never) put the defense in a bad position with turnovers, dropped punts, etc. then I think our defensive numbers would look a lot better.
9) I think the last play at Auburn was unfortunate but a freshman and a sophomore did what they were coached to do and tried to make a play on the ball. You see guys in the pros all the time who try to bat a ball down and end up tipping it up and the same thing happens. It sucked, but people are saying that single play means Grantham should be fired. That seems ridiculous to me.
10) I think that all these young guys will be a lot better next year.
11) Grantham recruits and coaches OLBs and they have been very good. Leonard Floyd has improved a lot over the course of the season. Jenkins would be unstoppable if it weren’t legal to hold him.
12) I think Olivadotti is a good ILB but not a great recruiter. I wonder if he hasn’t had the time/heart to devote to recruiting because of his daughter’s battle with cancer. She’s totally clear now. Hopefully that improves. Getting Foster last year and McMillan this would would’ve been huge but we likely get neither.
13) I think Lakatos is a bad recruiter.
14) Will Friend isn’t very good at anything.
15) The defense ends up reeling sometimes. Young teams get caught up in momentum.
16) We are much better with Tray Matthews on the field and he has missed a ton of time.
17) Mauger isn’t ready and he hurt us badly in a few games.
18) Langley isn’t ready and he hurt us badly in a few games. It’s a shame Shaq was banged up in camp and it took him a while to get into the swing of things.
19) There’s nothing wrong with the scheme, but our defensive coaching is not on par with Bama, Florida, and FSU. But they also out-recruit us. We recruit well at DL and OLB and ok at DB with a lot of misses. That sucks.
20) I think that the defense was ok last year, but not elite. Still one of the bet in conference. Probably only behind Bama and Florida. In 2011 it was only behind Bama and LSU. Those 3 schools recruit better than we do and have better defensive staffs.
21) I think there’s a decent chance that the defense is pretty good next year with the current staff. I think a better recruiter and coach at ILB and DB would be good, though Olivadotti is a good position coach.
22) I wouldn’t be crushed if Grantham left this year but I would be very concerned about who we hired to replace him.
23) The defense this year was basically all potential and played like a bunch of freshman.
24) I have watched enough football to know that if a defense gets a few stops and the offense goes 3 and our over and over, eventually the dam breaks. This is 1000x more true of young defenses.
25) I’m not worried about Grantham’s buyout but we should realize that our AD thinks Richt is annoying for wanting an indoor practice facility. Hard to imagine him shelling out 1.5 mil for the world’s best DC. I haven’t really dug in to see who I would like as DC, but I have no problem admitting that there are much better defensive staffs out there. Recruiting is a big part of that as well.
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Florida, they of the “ranked in the 100s” offense, is still the only SEC team that hasn’t scored at least 30 on us this season.
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The defense can’t be that much better next year if we fire him. I would certainly hate to piss away another year of a pretty good offense. I think CTG should have next year to shape up or ship out.
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the defense won’t be very good next year if we retain him. How do I know that? 1)because a unit full of NFL draft picks was pretty bad last year and 2) the defense has failed to meaningful improvement this year. Talent has never been the issue at Georgia, coaching them up into a cohesive unit has been.
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1) That same unit was pretty damn good the year before until depth issues outside of Grantham’s control and a couple of fat boys trying to count their incoming NFL checks ruined it.
2) We’ve also had injuries and changes sap any consistency in a unit full of newcomers, going against offenses harder than we’ve ever seen, with rule changes from targeting to a refusal to call holds making defense harder than ever before.
If Grantham is back next year, this defense improves significantly. If Grantham isn’t back next year, this defense improves significantly.
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What you say is true. They’re going to be better, no matter what. I believe a new DC can make them drastically better. Coaching, especially top-shelf coordinators, makes a difference. We’ve seen it happen time and time again. My fear is it won’t improve enough WITH him to attain our max potential.
I like Hutson a lot. I think he’s going to be a fine QB for a season. Kind of reminds me of McCarron. And our team can mirror that model next year, but we can’t with the way we play D. Except for the North Texas and App State games, Murray has had the ball in his hands with less than 5 minutes needing a drive/score to seal the game because we’re up by less than a TD or a drive/score to win or tie the game or get us into a position to onside kick down by 1 score.
Successes: Clemson – onside kick failed, South Carolina – TD JSW to seal game (plus ensuing clock eating drive), LSU – TD to JSW, Tennessee – TD to Woot, Florida – Clock eating drive, Auburn – Rush TD
Failures: Mizzou – INT, Vandy – Douglas Fumble
The bottom line is we still lost 2 of the ‘successes.’ Do you see how much pressure we’ve put on Murray? He’s been unbelievable. That’s my concern. We can’t count on Hutson winning 9 games in the last 4-5 minutes next year. I have no doubt we’ll need a clock-eating drive to seal the Tech game because we can’t stop them.
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1) i thought at the end of 2011 the D was pretty good since we were #5 in total defense (yards allowed). In hindsight, we beat up on crappy offenses, every good offense carved us up, Boise, USC, and LSU very much imposed their will on our offense. Depth was not an issue towards the end of the year last year and again we played horribly against good offenses. If you can’t get future NFL players to play well for you how do you expect to get their less talented back ups to play better?
2) defense hasn’t been where the injuries have hit the hardest, in fact other than Tray Matthews the starters on defense have largely been in intact. Inexperience is a very poor excuse. Recruiting is part of coaching and that means having players developing in the pipe line ready to step up when you KNOW a bunch of your starters are leaving in one year. Yes defense is getting harder but routinely giving up 40+ points this late in the year means the guys aren’t improving, period.
Grantham has never in his four years here stopped a good offense.
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Not once.
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FSU lost almost as many players this past offseason to the NFL as we did AND brought in new defensive coaches. Somehow that’s working out for them.
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Pruitt was a really good hire.
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That … and BC, Terps, NC St., Wake Forest, Syracuse, Nevada & Pitt.
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51-14 over Clemson…
Their offense is better than ours too.
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Not sure I agree with that. Van Gorder and Martinez produced strong defenses in their first year. Even Grantham’s maiden voyage was pretty solid considering how broken the defense was in 2009.
The thing about having a new defensive coordinator is that opposing offensive coordinators have a hard time game-planning for you in that first year. It’s sort of like in baseball where you’ll see a pitcher come up from the minor leagues and dominate for a while before the hitters get scouting reports on him and figure out his tendencies.
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I am with Ginny. See my other post about Wilson. Young D and they have played some teams and QBs this year. Consistency, schedule, young / inexperienced D, and injuries have added up to 6-4. If this team can finish strong against UK and GT would be good re bowls. Dawgs are a team most current top 10 teams would dread playing right now.
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How many would like to a frosh corner or safety in the SEC? Hellva ride your first year. Your position coach and DC are going to catch hell. And how do you call plays with the most lazy, inconsistent O line in the conference. Marry the first half at AU and last at Vandy. That is a freaking nightmare!!!
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So, in other words, we can look forward to more 3rd and 4th and Granthams next year? Just damn.
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Yes. For contract purposes, there is a global 1 year choke sign moratorium on Todd. He is only completing something in the whereabouts of the 4th year of his 1st 5 Year Plan so he needs moar time. Therefore 3rd and Grantham and the rare but more deadly 4th and Todd (which no one can deny helps our Moral Victory body count) shall continue to be waged during the next campaign.
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Not only do I think Grantham stays after this season, but I think there’s a very good chance he stays even longer, given the probability that having this much young talent return for the second year of his system could make a big leap (much like the D did in the 2011 season). I think this is the point Grantham defenders (not too many of those these days) try to argue.
Even if we do have a great year next year, this brings up a host of other questions. Does UGA want a defensive coordinator whose system is so difficult it takes two full years to adapt to it? Won’t we be setting ourselves up for this cycle on a repeated basis? How appropriate is Grantham’s system for the college game?
If our D is somehow able to have another season like we did in 2011, we should easily be contenders for the national title next year. Would that mean having a year like this is part of the price to pay under Grantham to get to that point? I’m not really sure where I stand on this.
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The 2011 defensive statistics were a mirage. We gave up big points against every respectable team we played and skewed our statistics against the easiest SEC schedule UGA has ever had.
We gave up an average of 38.8 points per game against ranked teams in 2011, which was good for 11th place out of 12 teams in the SEC: http://www.cfbstats.com/2011/leader/911/team/defense/split13/category09/sort01.html
Grantham has never put a good defense on the field for UGA. Ever.
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I thought preseason HappyTalk could not begin until after the Bowl Season! National Title talk! NATIONAL Title! I’ll content myself with half of the SEC first.
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If an inexperienced D is the primary reason for UGA’s woes then retain TG. The problem with that reasoning is our 2012 D that had both talent AND experience was pretty bad. What was TG’s excuse in 2012? I am normally not quick to want coaches fired but TG has shown me nothing in preparation, motivation, schemes, and ability to make adjustments. I support getting rid of him and looking elsewhere. There must be better D Coordinators who would love to make UGA their home.
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SO…we should win it all so CTG gets a HC offer? I like this plan. It’s a win-win.
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Cedar Shoals is looking for a new HC…
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I’m ready for Grantham to go but until we quit playing “thud” in spring and summer practice we will never get better on defense or OLine. You play like you practice and obviously we don’t get after it practice. Can’t block, can’t tackle.
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I don’t think CMR will need to fire or threaten to fire CTG. I would expect him to take a position position (ha ha!) in the NFL after this season.
And contrary to what perceptions are, I think McGarity will have played a larger role in this than is understood. McGarity & CMR were both extremely erked (get it?) by CTG flirting with the NFL this past off season.
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Are you sure? Cause I thought McGarity was just doing his job. 😉
per contract extension.
“It is lower than it was,” McGarity said. “In Todd’s situation, it just gives us protection from a lateral move. The NFL is a different story; that’s a different world. And the aspiration of any college coach is to be a head coach and we wouldn’t have a penalty for that. We want to help him become a head coach. That’s our job.”
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Here are another couple of variables to throw into the mix. When you have an assistant who gets multi-year contracts, and then suddenly he gets to the last year and is not renewed…you have problems. EVERY defensive recruit gets the “are you sure you will be playing for Grantham?” letter.
Secondly, I would hope that we have written a contract well enough so that our financial responsibility is offset by anything he earns next year. If not, more shame on McGarity.
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EVERY defensive recruit gets the “are you sure you will be playing for Grantham?” letter.
From who? Florida that may be about to fire the head coach? How about Tennessee, to which we can respond, did you see how well Jancek and Martinez did the last time they coached SEC players? Or perhaps Bama, because Kirby Smart isn’t a strong head coaching candidate able to leave very soon? Maybe Auburn, with a DC nearing retirement? Or SC with a coach in similar condition?
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I am on the Muschamp bandwagon. If he is fired from FL (likely) and we don’t make a serious seven figure run at him for DC then that will be my last straw with McGarity. Muschamp and Robinson for DB’s would be a no brainer. We can keep the rest of the staff.
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Muschamps D squad was a pretty undisciplined group at the WLOCP.
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Travaris Robinson would be a steal.
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Desperately want him in Athens. Best recruiter in the country and a great DB coach.
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I don’t see how CMR can bring Grantham back after this season. Frustration is written all over CMR’s face. Not saying money isn’t a factor, but I don’t believe its as big a factor as the blogoshere seems to think. I say the Dawgs quietly get a replacement, then announce CTG (and probably Lakatos and Olivadotti) aren’t returning. And I also doubt the replacement would be another saban disciple, so forget about muschamp and smart.
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Can someone please explain the strategy behind having your NG perform the Ickey Shuffle in the middle of the field versus utilizing him to provide any kind of pressure up the middle? Surely an inside rush to prevent the QB from stepping into the pocket to heave the ball down the middle of the field would be more effective.
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His job was to “spy” the QB and keep hmi from picking up the first down on his feet.
The two-man rush was step two of the trifecta of FAIL, after the timeout call to get Auburn off the ropes, and before the selfish fight to grab interception glory.
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And it happened litterally one play after a four man rush resulted in a sack, keeping the ball from getting in the air at all.
I could have sworn Grantham was brought in to be more aggressive than Willie Two-Thumbs brand of bend-but-try-not-to-break (but usually break anyway) defense.
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Having the QB run for the first down would have been better outcome than what happened. Anyone seriously think that the NG was going to catch Nick Marshall if he decided to tuck and run? I guess CTG did and that’s why he gets paid the big bucks.
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You don’t see schools like Bama, Mizzou, Tenn, USCe, burn, telling their coaches “You don’t need that expensive D.C. or that Special Teams coach”, UGA’s problem is that the A.D. GM is a cheap bastard, not when he worked for the OBC @ uf. This is just my opinion, who knows ? “GO DAWGS”
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I don’t understand how so many on this site can say that CTG should be
fired,but uga should keep saint Richt. Remember CTC in only in charge
of the defense,while CMR is over the whole program. Wake up dog
nation the defense is only one problem….there are more like…..
ST,OL, not ready to play in the big games, playing with lack of emotion.
Remember these games…B state,Vandy, Col, the beat down buy bama a
couple years ago….I could go on….maybe some will get the point.
The problem is Coach Richt…..All programs have the same amount
of time to get the job done…..How can CGM take a loser and become a
winner in one year….its called coaching……how can uga go from last year to this year…..don’t say injuries all teams have them………HERE IS YOUR
ANSWER>>>>UGA was helped last year be a soft sch….and was
not as good as everyone thought they were…….UGA is up and down
from year to year it’s always wait till next year..THAT IS FROM COACHING….NEWS FLASH
NEXT YEAR IS NOT COMMING UNDER MARK RICHT>
McG needs to clean house at the end of year.
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Why do I think you in person is probably just like reading what you write [sic] here?
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Guy is pathetic, new name posting here but he is representative of a certain portion of the UGA fan base…the ones who would be F Bomb regular callers if he had a UGA radio show.
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How are we screwed, let me count the ways. We have 4 & 5 star recruits that didn’t know that Auburn had guys who could bring it. WOW. We have a bunch of prima donna’s that are only worried about how their stats will get them to the next level. Even Dan Patrick commented on the way the Georgia Db’s went for the ball to intercept it in spite of it being 4th down. He said that is what Sports Center has created.
You guys and gals can blame the D for it all but the game has changed unless you have semi-pros that are trained like combat troops (see Alabama) then the O is going to get points. Even UA give it up for Johnny Football. If the D can’t or doesn’t create turnovers there is no stopping the good O’s.
My biggest concern continues to be the Oline. They are too inconsistent to produce a championship. Sure they can get all worked up for 10 minutes and perform but they are not self-starters. They look like they are hung over in the first half of most games with good teams. I know that is not the case but damn Theus makes it hard to explain, oh wait no he actually did explain it. They don’t watch any tape of their opponent apparently or surely they would notice the guy that is going to blow your door off is pretty good.
This year was it for me. I’m too old to make the 7 hour drive from Florida to watch this stuff. I can forgive their youth but Mark is getting into Ray territory regarding luck. The man has seriously lost his Mojo. Injuries while celebrating, and tipped td pass, rival the Ray Goff years.
In the end we are Georgia and we have always accepted mediocrity. Dooley without Hershel and Erk was just an average coach. Thank God for Herschel Walker and the one Championship during my lifetime. I’m not going to live long enough for lighting to strike again.
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If our AD doesn’t have the stones to stop the abuse from the SEC office, he certainly doesn’t have the stones to commit to the buyouts necessary to clean house.
Next year will be a replay of 1995 and “significant improvement” all over again. We’ll drag our feet and land on a third choice low budget head coach. Again.
It is how we roll.
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It is a shame, because we are one of the few programs that has the money to do what is necessary for success.
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If McG does not get rid of saint Richt the the A.A. needs to get rid of them both.A lot of people on the A.A. and a lot of money people are tired of
the same old crap.
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How does one go about forcing out an AD without involving red panties though?
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In my opinion, the UGA administration is not “all in” on the Dawgs being in the upper echelon of college football anymore (or were they ever?). Hell, I’m not even sure all of the coaches are. Oh, I think they (and we) all want to be in the discussion with Alabama, Oregon, the Ohio State University, “Current team of the season,” etc. but they aren’t willing to walk the walk. I realize that, like most things, programs go through cyclical periods of good and bad, but I believe that committed programs try to stack the odds in favor of themselves. I don’t claim to know what the answer is but I do believe, like many others here before me have stated, it is a number of things and they all can’t be fixed at once. My bosses usually understand the predicament that my work team is in but they still expect me and the rest of the team to get some of the problems resolved. With that said, to the UGA administration … either shit or get off the pot. Please do something to make the students, fans, donors, etc. feel like you’re in this commitment with us! Otherwise, this “commitment to mediocrity” is going to continue and the laurels that you are resting on will one day dissolve (and so will your coveted reserve fund).
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Someone may have said this already, but…if you were the HC, How would you respond to those questions? I don’t think my answers would be any better.
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We’ve learned that there’s usually a year of growing pains when a new DC comes in and transitions a defense from a 4-3 to a 3-4. The same would seem to be true in reverse. If we replace CTG, all other things being equal, let’s find a DC who will keep the 3-4 and save us the year of growing pains.
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Sorry to interject but all this talk is just a waste of time. Grantham is not a good DC, face it. Nothing can convince me otherwise. I don’t see anything out of his defenses that gets even close to what good defenses look like. Players out of position, poor tackling, ridiculous substitution policy that makes no sense…..on an on. His football knowledge I am sure is extensive. It does not translate to on the field. What is the measure of performance, there is no accountability. But at the end of the day this is Richt. He hires bad coordinators and he doesn’t demand excellence, plain and simple. Its all on him. Just listen to him after poorly played games where Georgia plays FAR below its potential and he simply says “well, we got a win and that is all that matters”. Nothing along the lines of “this is unacceptable, this is not what we expect from these players and coaches and we will do everything possible to make sure we execute….” Nothing. Nada. It’s a joke honestly. No coach, a win is NOT all that matters. What matters is preparing these kids to play at the highest level possible and not play simply to the level of your competition. The reason we have so many close games is because we don’t execute and play to the highest level regardless of the competition. TN is a joke. Auburn won 0 SEC games last year. Vandy gave up how many points to Missouri? You saw how we should play in the second half. Auburn sucks, their defense is poor but we laid an egg for a half. We could’ve hung 50 on them but Georgia never plays a complete game because the coach doesn’t expect and demand it and doesn’t hold the players and coaches accountable. The pathetic special teams is just a microcosm of that fact. You play the way you practice. You practice and execute or there are consequences. I don’t see the results. I really like Mark Richt and want him to succeed but Georgia should expect more. Stafford, AJ, Knowshon, Murray and probably Gurley get through Athens and no titles. That is a joke. That is not expecting the unreasonable, especially when Florida and TN are the worst in 30 years. Net year it will be more excuses and certainly the OL will play into that since we haven’t recruited the talent level expected for a big time program. That is why you have a soph get beat at key times in multiple games so instead we have to play a kid who hasn’t played a game in 3 years and is overmatched. Sorry for the rant but it’s time the coaching staff expected and delivered more.
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It is what it is. Look at the record. Uga should compete for SEC every year. Mark is a GODLY man, but a terrible coach and does a bad job of hiring of coaches. Check the record, as Bill Parsell says, you are what your record is. All this could be solved if we fire Mark and hire a qualified coach to lead us tIo the promise land. If not you will get what we have gotten thelast 12 years. I love Athens and UGA.
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Enter Jeremy Pruitt
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