Boy, Groo really nails a feeling I had watching the first quarter unfold on Saturday.
In 2011, with the weight of Florida’s dominance in Jacksonville still weighing on the program, the Dawgs scored two touchdowns on difficult and risky fourth down passes. Back then it was Mark Richt supposedly coaching for his job, and it showed in the decisions that were made. “I know it was just a ballgame, but it seemed like a lot more than that,” Richt explained. On Saturday the Dawgs faced 4th and at most 3 yards to go on three occasions in the first quarter with field position near midfield or better. They punted twice and attempted a field goal into the wind. And why should they risk it? The last thing you want to do against a struggling offense is to help them out with good field position. If this was the Florida offense and Georgia defense of several weeks ago, it makes sense to take no chances with the offense and wait for the Florida offense to shoot itself in the foot. Florida made the bold and desperate moves this year – at the macro level by changing quarterbacks and the offense as well as the micro level with the fake field goal call. When Florida stepped it up after the fake field goal, Georgia couldn’t muster much of a response either on the field or on the sideline.
You just knew as Richt left so much on the table with his conservative decision making in the first quarter that it was going to come back and bite him in the ass. And it did.
The thing is, doubting Florida’s offensive ability cut both ways. Sure, helping the Gators out with field position is a decision not without risk. But if you’re skeptical they can move the ball anyway, isn’t that also a reason to chance it? This year’s team has responded well to aggressive coaching in several games – a lesson I hope Richt takes to heart as he preps his guys for a pivotal game in Lexington this week.
Get The Picture 
Richt needs to dial up some of those narcistic high functioning sociopath tendencies he, from time to time, lets show under the heavy polished patina of a reasonable spiritual man – and set out to lay it on ’em and lay it on ’em some more.
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the problem is we game planned to win a close game. The bigger problem is why cmr chose to give florida the wind in the 4th quarter… especially after all 21 points in the first half were with the wind behind.
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I believe almost every Georgia fan in the country knew we were going to get our ass handed to us after the 1st quarter. It was just one of those games that had that kind of feel to it.
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Yeah, with all respect to the idea that aggressive decision may have helped (it may have), I don’t thing it would have made any difference.
~~~
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You must not be savvy to the huge role that “uncle Mo” plays in this game between 18-22 year old kids. After we missed that FG attempt and they came down the field and scored on that trickeration play… Uncle Mo was on their side with a hell of an attitude and a giant sledgehammer. I think it would have made all the difference in the world had we put em down 14-0 in the 1st
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Oh, I think I understand momentum an all the facets of it.
You may be right, though, we’ll never know. I was hoping for 14-0 for pretty much the same reason. No question it played a significant role at that point in the game.
But you don’t suffer a physical beating of that magnitude if you’re prepared for a fight. The fake FG TD gave Florida momentum, but it was the first quarter.
There was plenty of time to fight back. There was nothing unusual about it, we’ve been in that situation many times before, and successfully fought to overcome it, as other teams have. Happens all the time.
~~~
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just like in 2007, Florida had the rest of the game to get revenge for charging the field. However, UGA had the momentum that UF couldn’t overcome on that day.
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Yeah, maybe not identical situations. But certainly similar, in the sense that in that game, Florida wasn’t ready for what we were bringing.
That celebration created a lot of juice and some momentum, but that wasn’t near enough, in itself, to beat Florida that day. That, we brought with us from Athens.
~~~
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Yup.
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And it’s pretty much our only shot vs. Auburn, barring them topping Pitt’s record for fumbles in a 1st quarter.
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Stat question that I haven’t seen asked but has been bugging me for over a year. What is Georgia’s record under Richt when a FG is missed v. record when a FG is not missed?
Or better but more complicated, what is the F+ differential between games where Georgia does or does not miss a FG.
Maybe it’s just in my head, but it seems like almost all of our losses include one or more missed FGs.
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Not certain where to get the data but I believe Richt has lost every game but 1 where his team missed two or more field goals. The win was against a cupcake and the miss was one of those so what if you make.
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After the result it didn’t seem to matter, but this article brings up trying a field goal into the wind. I wasn’t in J-ville – were we really into the wind? We had the opportunity to let the quarter end and kick the FG on the other end, but we didn’t do it. Just seems odd and this article reminded me of it. Anyone else notice this?
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I was there. Wasn’t specifically “into” the wind. It was a crosswind so it wouldn’t have made a difference from the other side either. But a crosswind at 30+ MPH that is extremely difficult to kick a 40 yd FG into. If you noticed His kick was true and started at the right upright… then was pushed by the wind all they way across and “missed” left
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Oh yeah I know it was a crosswind as it blew that far left. It just seemed like it was slightly into the wind as well. Just seemed like it might have been a good idea to let the quarter end and let everyone regroup and then kick the FG if you were going to. Or go for it if we thought it was too windy. Seems like we rushed everyone for no reason. Very MMQB I know.
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We actually had this argument in real time as we lined up to punt on 4th and 1 at midfield.
Me: “I guess Richt doesn’t think their offense can move the ball.”
Tipsy trial lawyer next to me: “THEN WHAT’S THE HARM OF GIVING IT TO THEM AT MIDFIELD???”
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The field goal was good. We were sitting in that end zone. I was worried when our center went down. I saw face masks and holding being ignored which was camping up the gators.
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It was clear to you? On TV, one angle looked good, the other iffy and inconclusive.
~~~
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If you look at pics of fans at the game the Georgia fans were happy and the Florida fans were not. I wish we had challenged. It went in.
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My understanding is that since the ball went above the goal posts it could not be challenged.
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Correct
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Georgia under Donnan won a bowl game under eerily similar circumstances. The kick attempt was for Purdue to win, as I recall, and while the TV folks all said it went through the uprights, the refs waived it “no good.” We got into OT and won the game. This missed FG maybe was Karma.
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I don’t usually stand up for the refs, but in this case, I defer to them. As for one signaling good and the other no good, that was a mistake, but each ref is only looking at their upright. Typically, you see both refs look at each other before giving the signal. However, as to whether or not it was a good field goal, the ref directly underneath the upright has the best angle, so I’ll defer to him.
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Pingback: What I Was Thinking | The Grit Tree
This is why I’m having such a hard time ‘grasping’ this loss with the same white-hot anger everyone else is. We were moving the ball on them the first 3 drives. They were doing absolutely nothing. I thought the smart thing was to play conservative and wait for the T.O. barrage from the Gators. They had shown nothing during the season or in the game that said they were going to ram it down our throats for 3 quarters.
We did come ready to play. We scored first, held them on early drives and got multiple first downs on the first three drives. I was feeling good, but it just got crazy. Crazy turn in a game. Crazy crazy turn.
It happens. Florida had a day and I can’t figure out what UGA fans just can’t accept it. Tech had a day back in ’08, and it felt kind of the same. That’s worked out well for us.
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” I thought the smart thing was to play conservative and wait for the T.O. barrage from the Gators.”
We were up 7-0. Where else but the Georgia sidelines does anyone play conservative with a one score lead in the 2nd quarter?
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I agree 100%. I almost hate to see us get up on anybody by 10 points because you know it will be three and out until they get 7 or go ahead. I could not help but laugh when Florida scored on that long, last touchdown run. To hell with playing like we played in the 2nd half against Arkansas. To hell with the victory formation. Play the damn game until the game is over.
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This, this, this.
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You mean like Chubb and Gurley’s TD’s over Clemson? Or Chubb’s TD run vs. Vandy? Or Chubb’s TD run vs. Mizzou? Gracious. Have some perspective.
The most overrated thing most fans don’t get is that the coaches really don’t care about winning by a lot. Muschamp was trying to run out the clock and the dude broke it.
Oh, and if Mike Smith used a victory formation in London the Falcons beat the Lions. 10-0 over that bunch, with the way their season had gone, might have nailed it shut. Give them a short field? No.
Look, Richt and co. thought what we all thought. If we don’t turn it over a bunch, there’s no way this bunch beats us. They can’t throw, they can’t score, their starting a freshman QB, and we’ll get our points. Just don’t do anything stupid. If I’d have told you on Thursday that Chubb goes for 150 and we’re even on T.O. margin and the Gators go 3 for 6 passing, you’d have taken that all day.
If I tell you they rush for 430, you’d have told me to get off the drug I was on. They manned up and blocked us, and our size and physicality (or lack thereof) at corner caught up with us. And Mason couldn’t get us out the hole, but he’s the best we got, so I’m hoping he gets it figured out.
Onward and upward. Beat Kentucky.
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I agree. They had their backs against the wall. Muschamp called for the fake FG and it went their way. Mo put on the blue and that was the game. My wife was like it is still early. I said honey, until that snap over the head they had run at will. Then Mo joined them and it was Katy bar the door.
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Good post, Sugar. Puts things in perspective. This team can still have a special season. We all need to get behind our team, myself included.
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Yeah, but we can’t make adjustments the night before – nobody’s asking the coaches to be psychic, and playing “not to win by a lot” seems a terrific way to get SC v TN result.
I will never understand an offense abandoning the pass if it is working. More points equals security. Being conservative is often the riskiest thing you can do.
I will never understand a D going “prevent” if staying tight and causing chaos on the line has served them well earlier in the game
A ton of research has shown coaches should
go for it on 4th much, much more than they do. It seems insane CMR did not think the WLOCP was gonna be a dogfight and pull out all the stops.
CMB had least creative gameplan I have seen him draw up – especially missing weapons like Gurley and Murray – in years.
Total headscratcher.
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+1000
It’s a rivalry game. It happens. All this drama and angst just baffles me.
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I understand the “white hot anger” during the contest when we are caught up in emotions and lack perspective. That is natural, what concerns me the lingering anger and destructive comments is it comes at a time when we should rally behind the team and see what they can accomplish the remainder of the year if we all pull together. Unfortunately. some are more about tearing down just to make the point of their little clique, to which they have been committed to for years. You see it after every loss.
UGA clearly showed up to play, and dominated early. We lost the momentum, never made the adjustments, and failed to regain the upper hand. Many times the best team doesn’t win, happens every Saturday, just hurts more when it is your team. Did some of our players come in unfocused? Obviously at least one did, and that is not unusual on any team in America in 95% of the games played. You would think so in a big rivalry game like this, but they are 18-22 years of age, and a lot was swirling around this team during the past two weeks. Get over it, hope we bring it back together before this Saturday. Better chance if all the cheap shots would stop flying in Dawg Nation, we cannot stop the pundits who are trying to sell papers, clicks, and advertising on TV, but we can support our team, which is comprised of players and coaches.
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Richt apparently felt comfortable heading into this game. His actions, and those of this coaching staff, screamed to the world that they were of the belief that Florida posed zero threat to the Dawgs. This mindset obviously trickled down to the players. This is beyond mind boggling to me. At this point I firmly believe that an improved Kentucky team will be beat the Dawgs this weekend. Just as Mizzou beat the Dawgs twice last year (Vandy the following weekend), the Gators will do the same this year.
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Not sure about zero threat, Skep, but point taken. I agree.
~~~
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Mehe…Cantucky ain’t beating the Dawgs. Goodness whats wrong with you Skeptic? Frankly neither is Auburn. We finish 10-2 with a decent bowl trip and daydream about what might have been.
You keep talkin’ smackie mouth like that and Cojones is gonna get on your azz and Im gonna help. He’s been particularly spry this week. It’s refreshing.
By the way… don’t you owe Bobo some cash and didn’t you say you would not doubt CMR anymore? Hmmmm. Where are you from anyway?
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The reality is last time that UK had a good coach (Rich Brooks) Kentucky beat Georgia 2 out of 4 meetings (2006-2009). There is a better team in Lexington now because the ‘Cats have a better coach. Be wary. The Georgia coaches and team need to take them seriously.
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His actions, and those of this coaching staff, screamed to the world that they were of the belief that Florida posed zero threat to the Dawgs.
And exactly what actions were those again?
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I agree with the title Senator. Coach like it is your last game EVERY game, because it could be…
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And the players should play like every game could be their last too.
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And the fans should drink like it’s our last game too 🙂
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Now that it looks safe to discuss strategy rationally, I’m really amazed and concerned about what happened in the UGA locker room at the half. The 1st Q really went according to plan, and other than missing(?) a FG and Florida executing a trick play, everything was OK, right?
No…the last two gators drives were right down our throat. They would have scored without the trick play if not for the bad snap. Did our coaches sense a problem with the D yet? Why did the offense come out flat (dropped passes, poor blocking, fumbles, etc.)? If the realization that all was going to shit didn’t hit until it was 24 – 7 in the 3rd, then yeah…I’ve got a problem with that. Bobo evidently couldn’t find a solution/weakness to exploit in the gator D…we thought that would be a problem. Andrews being injured sure made the situation far worse.
But the D…C’MON MAN!? Pruitt HAD to see what was happening. He HAD to try something different. Call TO and huddle the troops. Light’em up on the sidelines. Something…anything. That was a real fail. I think he had options, but it was his troops that did not get the momentum changed back.
And another example of Richt probably not interfering with his D coordinator. It’s not his area of expertise. The D either executes, or he works with Bobo and ST play to try to outscore the other side. That formula is not built for long-term success. He needs to be more engaged with the D strategy, or we’re going to have to wait (and hope) for Pruitt to be “the guy” and get his own troops in place.
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I’ll agree with this. I really expected the D to make changes and stop the run, but they didn’t (or weren’t able to).
Offensively, not sure what else we could’ve done. Florida’s D has been tough all year, and when their offense (finally) held up it’s end of the bargain, they played even more inspired.
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What often happens, when a team is not ready for a fight, is that once that becomes apparent, it’s too late.
In this case, it was apparent well before halftime. You always hope that you can regroup, make some adjustments, and prepare to respond, at halftime. Sometimes you can, but not often in a real dogfight. And I’m sure we tried. I was hoping for it.
But by then, as I feared, it was already too late. I’d be absolutely shocked if some of our coaches weren’t quietly thinking that in the second quarter, and hoping that wasn’t going to be the case.
I’m sure they did what they could at halftime, but like SC 2012, it was just too late by then. When Florida took the opening kick of the 2nd half, and mauled us all the way down the field to a touchdown, I knew for sure it was over.
Another game, I so hate to say, that was lost before we ever left Athens.
~~~
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I’m hardly a schematic strategist, but about the only moves I saw Pruitt try were subbing out Wilson from ILB early in the 3rd quarter and inserting Corey Moore at Safety (for whom I am not sure) later in the 3rd Qtr.
There never seemed to be any shifting forward of a Safety to prevent those guard-pulling power runs from bouncing outside. Very troubling.
In a way the defense looked resigned to a death by a thousand cuts without changing it up. Plus when you re-watch that Duval Co. dumpster fire the number of flubbed DB tackles is startling, which frankly should not be all that surprising. But the outward vanilla acceptance of the flogging was disturbing in its completeness.
(And Harris threw 2 passes from the 11:00 mark in the 2nd quarter) ….
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What we needed to do was to put 8 or even 9 in the box and force their kid QB to throw it. I’m sayin’ right now he couldn’t do it. Even as late as the 4th quarter the Dawgs could have won if they did that and got some INTs, IMHO.
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Yep. Anything. Ridiculous and embarrassing
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Great post, great question.
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Senator, Bill Connelly said the following which I thought you would find interesting:
Teams given at least a 90 percent chance of winning by the F/+ win probabilities are now 106-6 for the season, a win percentage of 94.6 percent.
Georgia was given a 95.2 percent chance, basically 19-in-20, of beating Florida on Saturday in Jacksonville.
Georgia did not beat Florida on Saturday in Jacksonville.
Losing a game like this, when the numbers are this sure you’re going to win, is rare. Losing badly (the Gators were up 31-7 early in the fourth quarter and eventually won, 38-20) and doing so while allowing 418 rushing yards to a team that had 414 rushing yards in its last three games? Well, at least you get some creativity points, Dawgs.
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Talking with a buddy today about watching the LSU/Bama game and we agreed that, no matter what, LSU will play hard and play for 60 minutes. Every year, whatever talent level they have, you know what you’re going to get with the the Tigers.
When was the last time we said that about Georgia?
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2005 before the bowl game.
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