Blame? When it comes to the offense, there’s plenty of that to go around.

This is a pretty honest assessment:

On his radio show Monday night, Richt was asked about the state of the offense, and started out by pointing all the different things that have gone wrong. Then he said the ultimate responsibility lies with the coaches.

Here was Richt’s full response:

“There’s a lot of things that go into it. Some of it is just the fact that we turned the ball over at some inopportune times, that has kept us from scoring. There have been some times where we maybe didn’t pass protect as well as we could have. There’s been times where we maybe didn’t pass protect as well as we could have. There’s been times when quarterbacks haven’t hit their targets. There have been times guys have dropped the ball. The execution overall just hasn’t been consistent. There’s been moments of time where we’ve done everything the way it oughta be done. But there’s been too many guys taking turns not quite getting it done, whether it’s a dropped ball or a ball not thrown just right, or missing protection here and there.

“But that’s coaching. That’s us. The players certainly have some accountability in that. But it’s everybody doing their job, staying focused and down after down after down on a consistent basis executing. We just have not executed well enough. And to me that always go back to us as coaches, just not getting them to the point where they can perform on a consistent basis.”

Of course, that just begs the question… what are you gonna do about it?

108 Comments

Filed under Georgia Football

108 responses to “Blame? When it comes to the offense, there’s plenty of that to go around.

  1. Biggus Rickus

    Retire?

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  2. Chadwick

    Refocus on details. Those small things you have to do every play matter.
    Build enough depth where you don’t play those that can’t focus on details.
    Become involved in the everyday coaching of the offense again in all phases of their play.
    Work your ass harder than ever recruiting. Every moment be recruiting.

    All those things were either taken for granted or let slide since the last SEC title. Either fix them or go away. You shouldn’t need an assistant to come in to show you what’s required to win this league. Richt obviously did.

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    • Or just not hire a guy from the NFL with no ability to teach kids out of high school.

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      • Athens Townie

        Bad hiring is a Richt tradeMark though.

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        • adam

          For ever Martinez promotion or Brian Schottenheimer, there has been a Pruitt and a Van Gorder.

          Sometimes it’s just a bad fit and a bad match. I think Richt needs to move on and get a good OC, but I do think he can.

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          • Athens Townie

            Don’t forget about Grantham. Bobo and Van Gorder were good. I’m not sure Richt will hang on to Pruitt long enough for that hire to fully realize its potential.

            Coordinator hires are about as important as it gets for head coach decision making.

            If you think Richt is good at hiring coordinators …well, that’s up to you.

            I think his track record on coordinators is spotty at best at this point.

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            • adam

              Grantham did a good job with the defense in 2011 and 2012. He wasn’t great, but he had some good years as well.

              I think Richt wants to keep Pruitt, and if he doesn’t he’s totally insane.

              And I’m just saying that he has had some good hires and some bad hires. I’m sure there are coaches who have been more successful in hiring coaches, but no one gets it right every time.

              Fire Schotty, hire someone good, keep Pruitt and we’re OK.

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            • Napoleon BonerFart

              I would say his overall record isn’t bad on the hires. Bobo, VanGorder, and Pruitt are/were elite coordinators.

              Grantham is/was mediocre. Not necessarily a bust, but not worth a million a year.

              Martinez was the only true bust of his coordinators. Several years of downward trending defensive stats.

              Schotty looks bad so far. Maybe he can turn things around in year 2. Though I confess I wouldn’t mind seeing another man in his chair.

              So, half of Richt’s hires have been elite, and only one (maybe 2) have been busts.

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              • I think Bobo hit his stride, but let’s not pretend like UGA fans thought he was Mike Martz for his whole tenure. If Grantham is remembered as “mediocre” I think it’s fair to at least downgrade Bobo from “elite.” And Pruitt has done nothing to suggest he’s elite yet. He’s been good to very good.

                Elite: Van Gorder
                Good: Bobo, Pruitt
                Mediocre: Grantham
                Shit: Martinez

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                • I think its fair to say that Bobo learned on the job and moved up to elite. I haven’t seen a lot of folks on this site point out that people can get better at their job. Some coaches are what they are, and others get better with experience.

                  Sadly, when I look at Richt, I see times where I think he turned a corner, then suddenly a pooch kick, a reluctance to release a downward trending D coordinator, and a questionable O coordinator hire proves me wrong. But hey, I hope Schotty can get better on the job, because I have never seen anything from Richt to imply that he would fire a coach after one year of poor performance.

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                • JonDawg

                  Hey.. even shit has a purpose.. and if able, would probably recruit DB’s taller than 5’8″..

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                • Napoleon BonerFart

                  I don’t argue that Bobo was elite the entire time. But he was definitely elite for a good bit of his tenure. He was a good hire.

                  And I think it’s fair to classify Pruitt as elite. His defense lost 2 of the top 5 tacklers in the SEC last year, he’s starting freshman, and it’s a top 10 defense.

                  Elite: VanGorder, Bobo, Pruitt
                  Mediocre: Grantham (hopefully Schotty one day soon)
                  Bust: Martinez (Schotty in year 1)

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              • There won’t be a “Year 2” for BS. He is a failed experiment. His schemes are ineffective, his coaching skills are poor, and he has proven he has no idea how to develop a quarterback. The offense has turned out to be completely predictable and totally impotent, with even teams who defend the pass poorly stacking the box. Our offensive production has fallen precipitously. He’s gone after the bowl game, and he should be. I say, fire Richt or allow him to retire, keep Pruitt at all costs, and offer Mike Bobo the HC job. With his offensive game planning skills and abiltity to develop QB talent, not to mention his phenomenal recruiting prowess, he could take our program to the top.

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                • Napoleon BonerFart

                  That sounds like a great plan, as long as B-M completely abandons the Georgia Way and raids the reserve fund. Richt, Schotty, and Bobo will all require significant buyouts. I haven’t heard any rumblings of an LSU-style coup where money is no object to have Richt gone.

                  However, I’m just throwing this out there with no conclusion. Colorado State isn’t as good this year, under Bobo, as it was last year, under McElwain. Their record and offensive stats are worse. So, while Bobo was certainly elite as an OC, he may not be elite as a HC.

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      • Flukebucket

        I understand that he was not worth a damn in the NFL either. Is that true?

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  3. charlottedawg

    Poor execution is the fault of the players not of the coaches. Derek told me so because, well, FACTS!, and LOGIC!!! To disagree would mean one is a screaming chimp hurling feces. Which would mean Richt is a chimp hurling feces? Wait, hold now I’m confused

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    • Brandon

      What do you expect him to say? Throw his players under the bus? NOW THATS LEADERSHIP

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      • Irwin R. Fletcher

        I know there is sarcasm here…but pretty sure that’s what The Genius has been doing all season.

        Criticize Richt or whoever for a lot of things, but integrity isn’t one of them. I give him and even Pruitt last season after the losses of taking the blame when something goes wrong. (Contrast the way UGA players have handled losses with those at tOSU…lI don’t think the fact that these guys continue to grind out wins for this staff is a coincidence)

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      • charlottedawg

        I don’t have a problem with anything Richt said. My comment was directed at Derek who has for weeks 1)argued that poor performance is completely the fault of the players and coaches should be absolved of all blame (but strangely should get credit when performance is good) and 2)asserting that anyone with a differing opinion is alunatic and idiot even when the person is actually backing up his or her point with facts and data. Meanwhile Derek also name calls at the drop and basically asserts that something is factual simply because he said it.

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    • Derek

      It isn’t the disagreeing that reminds one of the sounds of screaming chimps throwing feces. Its the substance (or lack thereof) of the disagreeing. I’m happy for someone to address the “chicken and egg” conundrum presented yesterday with regard to Lambert’s both terrific and God-awful performances. Biggus’ suggestion that USC and and Southern are just that bad has some merit, but UK, GSU and Auburn are not great defenses either. I noted that no one else really even attempted to make sense of it. Here’s another chance: Was Schotty a great OC in September and forgot or was Lambert able to overcome his coaching, but just for a while? My theory is that opposing OCs figured out that Lambert can’t function if he’s under pressure. Challenge that conclusion without a conclusion but with actual “football worthy” commentary. Please. We could all use a different and valuable perspective.

      And I’m not surprised that CMR takes the blame publicly. He isn’t like SOS who will pull a guy so that its clear where HE thinks the blame is and shifts the focus away from himself. I also think CMR’s right to expect, because its absolutely necessary, that everyone else to play better. Because Lambert is playing so bad, you can’t afford drops and TO’s and penalties. It just makes things that much harder. The thing that they’ve done since the doldrums hit is really focus on the team aspect of things and to reduce the burden on Lambert. I personally think that CMR is doing one of his better coaching jobs just keeping everybody focused and giving effort. A lot of teams would have laid down and they keep fighting which is a very good sign IMHO.

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      • Rick

        Good comment, but I do not think you will win many converts arguing that Richt is honorable.

        Richt is a very good coach. Steve Spurrier is better, in fact one of the greatest if all time, and even he got run off this year.

        All that matters is wins and losses, and I am glad that Richt is lucky enough to get 9 or 10 wins from a team worse than the 6 win 2010 team.

        Eason better be money, though. There is no such thing as patience in 2015. If he isn’t, Richt will be hitting the old dusty trail.

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        • Derek

          SOS is one of the best SEC coaches ever. I’d put him second to the Bear, but I’m sure there are many that would put Saban in that slot. Not me. However, I also won’t say that he isn’t a sorry no good sumbitch. A funny, sorry no good sumbitch that can coach ball, but still very much a sumbitch especially to qbs which is why he couldn’t recruit any to Columbia. If he could have done that, he’d really have done something in Columbia.

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          • Rick

            Can’t disagree too much – but who has ever recruited QBs to Columbia? As in, put together two or three solid QBs in successive years? USCe doesn’t appear to know it, but they are about to regress back to their mean, and their mean ain’t pretty.

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            • Mayor

              ^^This. More than SOS I think the most important person behind the 3 consecutive 11-2 seasons for South Carolina was Connor Shaw. When has South Carolina won more than 10 games without Connor Shaw being the QB there? Never, that’s when. Now that he’s gone look at what they have become.

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      • Al

        A lot of people feared what having a new OC would mean for the team in the off season. The inconsistent play would be one of the major worries. Combine that with Lambert’s panick mode and you got problems. When the run game isn’t working, we got nothing to go to. I would argue Shottenheimer is not as bad as he looks right now. But the crowd who doesn’t have their expectations met and who want someone fired lacks the rational thought process to give him more time.

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      • JonDawg

        Your comment made me think of Auburn folding on their National Championship-winning head coach, a few years back. I swear if you ask AU fans, they give Gus credit for that over Chiz.. I, personally, would credit the free agent acquisition of $cam (Chiz gets credit..?) for their recent natty.

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  4. Rick

    So much handwringing, it is kind of funny. This is what happens when you have a QB that can only make the easy, wide open throws. You need only look around the league to see the 2 finest offensive minds in the SEC, Spurrier and Malzahn, suffering the same fate.

    There is likely nothing that can be done. This is the worst team, or at least the worst offense , of Richt’s tenure because of that position. Chubb could mask it, and Sony is doing his best, but there is only so much you can do against a stacked box.

    College football fans, being the whiny little toddlers they are, want to see heads roll. The fact that they are actually getting their wish with Miles and Spurrier is hilarious.

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    • Biggus Rickus

      Ah yes, whiny toddlers. If only we could all be as mature and stoic as you.

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      • Rick

        Yeah, it would be nice 🙂

        If it helps, my observation has been that the behavior I am referring to does not correlate to intelligence, or even that strongly to maturity. It seems like sports is an outlet for all sorts of people to indulge their baser, emotional selves.

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  5. Dawg Stephen

    I know that a lot of folks were begging for an Offensive playcaller when CMR was doing it. He won 3 east titles in 5 yrs doing it and we werent happy… 2005 was his last year calling plays.. can someone else tell me what ELSE happened last in 2005??? when that dawned on me, it hit me hard.

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    • Biggus Rickus

      I never much cared whether or not he got a play caller. As it turned out, Bobo was good at it. Martinez, unfortunately, was not as good at his job as his predecessor.

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      • Russ

        Exactly. What happened was the offense went on to set record after record, and the defense missed time after time. Now the shoe’s on the other foot.

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    • If this is another weak ass attempt at blaming Bobo, I’m pretty sure the defensive stats post-2005 will vindicate him in the matter.

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  6. Timphd

    The whole “execution” excuse drives me crazy. If the players don’t “execute” then the play fails, I get that. But I also have come to believe that well coached teams execute consistently. When I watch the teams I consider well coached, like Bama, Michigan St, Stanford to name a few, those players can certainly make mistakes but the game to game, play to play execution is far superior to those teams that struggle like the Dawgs. I have to agree with Richt that it is on the coaches to “coach them up” and get them to execute, which is mostly mental preparation. So go do it dammit.

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  7. Russ

    Admitting you have a problem is the first step to getting better.

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  8. ApalachDawg

    Coach Goff translations = “we jus got to get buttah…”

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  9. JT (the other one)

    “keep grinding” the 2015 edition of “get buttah”

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  10. Derek’s entire two month long argument destroyed by the man he constructed it for to defend.

    Irony.

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    • dudemankind

      No doubt, and I think it is funny as hell.

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    • Brandon

      Please tell me what would you expect CMR to say here? “Yeah, our players suck, that’s whats been driving the offense down all year”. Great way instill confidence in your 18-22 year old team.

      There is blame to go around everywhere. A good coach and leader accepts all of it. You can dissect it all you want to further your agenda but it is nothing more than typical Richt Coachspeak who would throw himself under any bus before any of his players.

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      • Except he didn’t thrown himself under the bus. He said “we coaches.” He certainly didn’t single himself out.

        So now you guys only want us to take Richt at his word when it suits your purposes?

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        • Irwin R. Fletcher

          You clearly don’t think Richt has earned another year as coach…feel free to continue to beat that drum as it is certainly a debate worth having….

          However, I’m 100% sure he’s earned our respect. We need to be careful not to mix our view of his job performance with who he is as a person. (I hear all of the sportstalk people tell me that all the time…Richt being a good person doesn’t mean he can coach…well, vice versa) Tell me another coach who is as honest, forthcoming, and quick to accept blame as Richt? Tell me another one who talks about caring for his players and then backs it up like he does with time and money? I’m sure there are some, but it’s a small group. So I bristle at this whole ‘why should we take him at his word’ business.

          I’m not trying to jump down your throat here so don’t take it as that type of tone. It’s just something I think we all should think about.

          As soon as the Tech game is finished, there is going to be a LOT of discussion about Richt’s job. Let’s keep it to that because frankly, he’s a DGD and a great human being.

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          • Fletch, I didn’t mean it that way. I’ve called Richt many things but a liar is not one of them. I was seriously questioning the challenge that Richt didn’t mean what he said in his comments.

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            • Irwin R. Fletcher

              That’s fair…and truly tried to word the comment less about an accusation and more about reminder to us all. (including myself for that matter)

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            • Brandon

              “There is blame to go around everywhere”. I’m not even going to bother debating with you if your interpretation of this is a challenge that Richt didn’t mean what he said. You constantly twist everything in a seemingly desperate attempt to further your agenda. You hate Richt. We get it. What I’m saying is that the world is not so Black and White.

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        • Gaskilldawg

          Gosh, that is picking nits.

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        • lakedawg

          When someone’s hatred is that bad they can not think logically so just make something up to throw out there. Nerds

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    • D as in Dawg

      It certainly must be frustrating to hear this from the man he has defended so vigorously. We all know the buck stops with the coaches, even if some of us try to deny it to fit a narrative. I’m sure DeRicht just sees the naysayers as people that blame everything from their leaky roof to their hemorrhoids on CMR and feels the need to adamantly defend the man from the other extreme.

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  11. Executing consistently takes a lot of practice. Constantly shuffling the offensive line and rotating QBs with the #1s makes it impossible to practice consistently.
    I think the biggest failure of the Offensive staff was not realizing that there wasn’t a magic bullet, but that consistency may breed some improvement over time.

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  12. so…does this mean Schittenhammer is fired or not?

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  13. W Cobb Dawg

    Is this supposed to be self reflection? Experience shows us CMR rarely backs up these regrets with positive changes, or any action at all. He’ll shrug his shoulders and lament the squandered opportunities – then walk away leaving the impression he’s unable to effect change.

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    • Irwin R. Fletcher

      That’s right…he hasn’t changed one thing since Day 1 on the job. I mean…the offense has looked the exact same, the S&C has been the same, the defense has been the same…same recruiting tactics…same hair cut…

      Here’s what reality tells us. You don’t win 70% of your games without the ability to make positive changes. You don’t fall out of a boat and win at that percentage.

      Hyperbole season has officially begun, I see. Season’s greetings, everyone!

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      • W Cobb Dawg

        Hell, even the abominable Donnan won over 67%. Of course we’re gonna have a great winning percentage over schools like ULM, vandy, ky, etc. How are we doing against ranked teams? Are we challenging for division titles? or conference titles?

        We’ve improved? Then why is CMR publicly remorseful about the coaching?

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        • Napoleon BonerFart

          So, do we have the easiest schedule of any team in the country? Because very few of them can match Richt’s winning percentage.

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    • Dog in Fla

      You always take a chance being there with CMR as the gardner

      “There will be growth in the spring…”

      https://twitter.com/billmon1/status/668646286111961089

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  14. MGW

    I think a graceful transition back to the NFL would do Schottenheimer a world of good.

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  15. Turd Ferguson

    Richt’s lying. It’s Lambert’s fault. Schotty deserves a raise. Eason 4 Heisman.

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  16. Mayor

    “….but then again, too few to mention.”

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  17. A little off topic, but has anyone seen that billboard on 75 north that says “Don’t Fire Coach Richt” ? I only caught a glimpse of it and didn’t see who was sponsoring it…

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  18. lakedawg

    Derek and I are. Gotta have a some real Dawg fans.

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