Georgia’s story right now? Coaches coming…
Georgia’s new strength boss is already on the scene with the Bulldogs.
Hired less than a week ago from Alabama as UGA’s new director of strength and conditioning, Mark Hocke was already on the job Friday as the Bulldogs continued their preparations for the Belk Bowl at Country Day School. Also on the scene Friday was the man Hocke was hired to replace, Joe Tereshinski Jr., and his assistants Sherman Armstrong, Gus Felder and John Thomas.
“He’s a very energetic guy,” head coach Mark Richt said. “He’s going to have a very good plan, I know that. He’s excited about getting started. But right now it’s just kind of a time to let him be around the players and the players to be around him just to get a little bit of familiarity. He’s not trying to change anything right now. Just finishing out our season with the way we handle our strength and conditioning. Then he’ll hit the ground running in early January.”
There is a bit more stability with the offensive line, thanks to Friend’s continued presence. Senior center David Andrews, who was the only lineman made available to the media on Friday, said his unit wouldn’t tune out Friend just because he’s on his way out.
“We’re real close. So we’re not gonna do that to each other,” Andrews said. “We know coach Friend wants what’s best for us. And wants us to win this football game. So he’s still out there coaching us, and we’re still out there being players and learning, and keep getting better.”
And the aftermath of coaches gone.
The Bulldogs have begun life after Mike Bobo this week at their bowl practices. Their former offensive coordinator took the Colorado State job on Monday, and days later the team is practicing with Bobo’s gameplan – but not Bobo.
“It’s definitely weird,” quarterback Hutson Mason said, adding with a smile: “Maybe a tad bit more quiet.”
With all that swirling around, it’s fair to say Richt’s got a lot on his plate to handle.
Otherwise, head coach Mark Richt is trying to downplay the coaching talk and focus on the matchup with Louisville. Still, Richt had to admit that the search for a new offensive coordinator wasn’t far from his mind.
“There’s a little bit of that going through my brain right now,” he said after Friday’s practice. “But if I get too involved in that and not involved with what’s happening here, I don’t think it’s wise. But you can’t help but have, you know, messages come to you, and thoughts will go through my mind as I’ve got my head on the pillow, whether it’s going to bed or waking up. But then you’ve gotta get on track and make sure we’re doing what we need to do for this ballgame.”
Bobo’s work is being split. Lilly will call the plays and Richt will help coach the quarterbacks. The good thing is that most of the game plan has already been installed.
Richt said roughly 90 percent of Georgia’s game plan had already been installed in Athens with Bobo authoring it as usual.
“All these coaches have been here and have faced Grantham and his defense,” Mason said. “It’s going to be the same offense. Some different stuff here and there, but for the most part it will be the same. I think you’ll find a lot of guys are enjoy playing for Lilly. They love him. This is a great opportunity for him and for us, and I think guys are going to go play their butts off for him.”
Is this an audition for Lilly to succeed Bobo? Not that McGarity would likely object, but I doubt it. Nevertheless, between the coaching transition and facing off against Todd Grantham, this bowl game is shaping up to be a good deal more interesting than the last two.
Why not an audition for Lilly?
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In a bowl game running Bobo’s game plan against a DC they’re familiar with, what’s Richt gonna learn about Lilly that he doesn’t already know?
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Good point, but it is better than nothing. I’m sure Richt will be watching him. Wonder if Lilly will be in the box or on the field.
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That McGarity could hire him on the cheap
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Previously, I was anti-hiring from within but I may be indifferent now. Lilly and especially McClendon could both be really good and we certainly don’t want to lose either. Not that I think either should be offered the job simply to keep from losing them.
All that said…I feel confident that there is no coach or program that will draw more interest than ours. Who wouldn’t want to coach here? The obvious question is what will McFrugal be willing to pay?
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I agree, I don’t want it to be our default position, but if nothing else you want to show prospective hires that they can move up in our organization if warranted.
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He may not have a job soon.
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What is going to leave me shaking my head is if we bring someone in from the outside pay him +750k and our offense takes a step back next year.
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Get ready for some head shaking.
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Using his words it sounds like he’s laying his head down and waking up hoping it has fixed itself. Friend called Pruitt, not Richt, correct?
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What words are you referring to?
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“There’s a little bit of that going through my brain right now,” he said after Friday’s practice. “But if I get too involved in that and not involved with what’s happening here, I don’t think it’s wise. But you can’t help but have, you know, messages come to you, and thoughts will go through my mind as I’ve got my head on the pillow, whether it’s going to bed or waking up. But then you’ve gotta get on track and make sure we’re doing what we need to do for this ballgame.”
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He’s just trying to get through the bowl game, dude. That’s all that means.
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?
Friend: Hold on a minute Jeremy…Mark just walked into my office.
“Hey Mark! Can you step over here for a minute. I got Pruitt on the line. You heard of him. Did a great job at Bammer and now at FSU. I want you to talk to him about that DC position we got opening up. K? ”
Richt: Sure coach.
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This is a crossroads unlike Richt has ever encountered. Finding a DC to improve the defense was much easier than replacing Bobo will be. Playcalling is the easiest part of that job in reality and when you throw in Bobo’s recruiting prowess it becomes a real crapshoot.
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“Finding a DC to improve the defense was much easier than replacing Bobo will be.”
CWM and CTG disagree.
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So what was the story behind Joe T? Was he pressured to resign after the tech game?
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I’ve heard two contradictory stories about his departure, but neither involved Joe T being pressured.
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Care to enlighten us?
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Yeah, what’s the story?
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They’re opposite stories and I don’t know which is true, so I’d rather not.
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Well, then there is a third version floating around out there. 😉
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Joe T has been walking with a limp and is 62. That has to be a factor in a young man’s profession even if he was pressured.
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So what happens if we’re down 35-0 in the 4th quarter, then Lilly throws out CMB’s game plan and improvises an incredible come-from-behind win?
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He will be awarded the red & black badge of courage and a parade will be held in his honor. After that, he will be told to go back and work with the tight ends and help recruit.
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I wish they coulda got Friend to leave early and have Bobo stay through the JCPenny bowl. What I wouldn’t give for some consistent O-line play….
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