...and this is another headline to file under "not surprising." The surprise for me is not that we came out flat or even that we lost, but rather that the failing was on offense instead of defense. I actually said in my podcast with Drew Collins at ChuckOliver.net last week that the thing I hoped to see most was an impressive performance by the defense in which we held them to single digits. I missed that "best case scenario" by merely one point. Neither Drew nor myself envisioned a stuggle by Georgia's offense, but rather feared a sort-of "who scores last" in a shootout.
The Liberty Bowl
Toward the end of the season, Georgia's offense was clicking and easily putting up 30 points per game. It was the defense that was struggling with holding opponents to low scores. So, now the opposite happens in a bowl game against a Conference USA opponent. Baffling. My old dutch-boy with his finger in a dam metaphor rings truer now. When we get one thing right that has been wrong, another problem breaks loose or reappears elsewhere.
Gloves or no gloves, Murray struggled. This came after I have spent the last two months singing his praises and criticizing those who have failed to honor him. For the first time this season, he looked like a freshman for an entire game (the other time being the first half versus Florida, though he came out swinging in the second half). It did not help that his receivers did not appear to be playing extremely hard (a few drops and lack of hustle on getting to thrown balls, even from AJ Green, who appeared to be trying too hard to show off "laissez faire" NFL "effortlessness") or that the offensive line, again, struggled with the defensive push. We knew the rush game wouldn't be there, and the running backs didn't fail to disappoint in that regard. But I was surprised at the lack of originality or urgency by the passing game.
Playcalling was typical - we simply were calling plays not to lose the game, which is baffling given it is a bowl game against and inferior opponent. If there was ever a time to go "all in" and try to put up lots of points, it was in this game. Yet the FG decision on 4th and 1 from the three yard line was predicably frustrating. I was mumbling, "don't kick it, don't kick it," after we got stuffed on 3rd down, only to hear myself cursing at the TV when I saw Richt mouthed "field goal." That pretty much set the tone on offense.
I saw Murray tweet before the game that he had butterflies, which isn't exactly what you want to hear (though it is unreasonable not to expect it at some level before every game). But a few minutes later I saw a tweet-pic from a teammate of Murray napping in a chair in the hotel lobby a few hours before the game. Again, I'm not necessarily criticizing this, but it sorts fits with the realized fear many of us had that we'd come out flat and/or unprepared for this game. It looked like everyone, from the coaches on down to the players, were sleep-walking through this game.
I commend the defense for putting together a solid effort and obviously using the month-long lay off beneficially. But 6 points against a Conference USA opponent? Really? Five or six years ago we'd have been bitching after a loss in a BSC game or Cap One bowl against the likes of Penn State, Ohio State or Michigan if we'd only managed to put up 6 points. Given the expectations of the program then, how baffled or outraged would we be if we were told, then, that in just a few short years we'd only manage 6 points on Central Florida in the seventh-tiered Liberty Bowl? What would we think, then, if we were told that we'd have identical success in the recruiting each season for the next several years, but we'd finish 8-5 and 6-7 in 2009 and 2010?
State of the Program
As our dominance or success has slowly eroded after the finish to the 2007 season, so has our outlook or expectations as fans. Sure, there are a number who are outraged and have been for a couple of years. But I still keep hearing "we were only a play or two away from beating South Carolina and Arkansas earlier this season..." or "we finished the season 5-2 and headed in 'the right direction'"... But we still lost those games to South Carolina and Arkansas, to nobody's surprise. Those are games we would have been appalled to lose earlier in the Richt tenure. Not to mention, you can't hide the fact that Mississippi State pretty much dominated us, and we lost to a horrible Colorado WITH AJ!...OUR KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMOR! AJ wasn't suspended on Friday. Our new defense wasn't the cause of the problem on that day either. And all this talk of moving in the right direction was completely undermined by that showing. Even the most fervent Richt loyalist can't spin this loss. I imagine they'll blame it on Murray.
But coming up with ways to spin losses to Arkansas, South Carolina, Mississippi State, and Colorado is a sign that we've fallen a good bit in our expectations and outlook.
I also criticized the program and fanbase for sort-of dismissing the Florida loss this season by saying, "we were a play away from winning that one and it was - after all - Florida, who has been a national title contender for years. We've got a lot more to look forward next year than Florida does." But Florida finished 7-5 in the worst season since the pre-Spurrier days. Not only that, but in the post-season they've made sweeping changes to the program. It appears as if even the great Urban Meyer would rather step down that expose the program to the possibility that they would slide, after only one year in such a slide. Now they've got the most sought after "young and energetic" assistant in the country for the past several years at the helm with one of the greatest offensive minds in pro or college football coming to lead their offense (Weis).
We at Georgia aren't so lucky. Richt appears hell-bent on manning the ship, while calmly promising abstract "changes" in the way "we do things." What, exactly, are those changes? The only actual change I've heard about is reaching back into the 1960's for our strength and conditioning program.
It took two years for us to make a much needed change in defensive leadership, and we are just now starting to climb out from the transition period. In the SEC, the change has to be quick and decisive and results have to come immediately. There's no time for third chances or long transitions. Otherwise, you lose ground in recruiting or schematic advantage while you wait for the transition to finish and the results to appear. So, at this point, I think that Richt has one thing correct - personnel or staff changes that won't guarantee immediate results are too late. At this point, the only thing UGA has time for is a regime change from the top. But, as McGarity and UGA missed out on the first round of the coaching carousel and contract extensions, it's probably too late for that as well, especially in light of the Boise State scheduling and McGarity's quotes regarding Richt.
So, What Now?
So, if it is too late for regime and staff changes, what - then - do I propose, other than bitching about it? I don't know. Part of me wishes we'd just go ahead and clean house, let the chips fall where they may. Sure, we'd suffer in recruiting, but we does a team NOT suffer in recruiting for a season when making a change? And if Florida, Alabama, Tennessee and Auburn is any indication, the "newness" of a regime change can result in a boost in recruiting in the few years after the change is made. But who could we go after this late? Mullen signed an extension, and, typically, bolting in the weeks after signing such an extension and make big statements about committing to a program is only reserved for the likes of Petrino. Harbaugh is likely waiting for Michigan and/or the NFL. So that leaves everyone's favorite duo of Peterson and Patterson. But their perceived commitment to their programs, and how satisfied they are there and how well they fit there (not the mention the success they have there even at the national level), has been enough to make big-time ADs fear they will simply get rejected. So, who does that leave? Leach?
So here's where we are: McGarity sticking with Richt for one more season with Richt warned that there has to be far better results. The loss to UCF has only heightened the urgency that nothing short of an appearance in the SEC championship will save Richt. I will be pleasantly surprised if Richt can implement "changes" that will change the direction in which the program is headed. But I anticipate next season will be the last for Richt. I just can't see, with AJ and Houston leaving, where we will be better next season. Maybe, as some of you say, a JUCO DT will make all the difference in the world. But how much of a difference would he have made Friday? I just think there are too many things for the program to overcome, and too little areas in which we can expect drastic improvement, for next season to be significantly better.
So, I expect we will be slightly better next year, but not where we should be. I expect that we will struggle against Boise and Mississippi State and Florida and that we will, again, be frustrated. We will have some ups, but we will also be disappointed. In sum, I expect next season to be Richt's last. I hope I am wrong.
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