Despite the snarky comment, I do appreciate the amount of blood, sweat and tears that Mark Richt and his coaching staff have applied to the University of Georgia's football program since his hiring in 2001.
But whatever Richt is doing is not enough.
This is not a knee-jerk reaction to Georgia's loss to Boise State on Saturday in the Georgia Dome -- I wondered aloud in this very spot about Richt's viability as Bulldogs head man following UGA's losses to Central Florida last January and Florida in 2009.
And nothing since has convinced me I was wrong to wonder.
The Bulldogs have bobbed listlessly as a program since the start of the 2006 season, making one serious push as a group since (2007's No. 2 finish in the Associated Press poll).
There is plenty of talent in Athens. The problem seems to be that the parts rarely coalesce to form much of a (successful) whole.
Perhaps the Bulldogs (and yours truly) should not worry too much about a loss to a Boise State team destined to present problems to BCS voters throughout the season -- a Broncos team led by a savvy and impressive quarterback in Kellen Moore that will surely go undefeated.
Despite the final score, however, Georgia did not seriously challenge a team previously considered inferior to Southeastern Conference standards (at least by SEC fans), and the question now becomes whether the Bulldogs are capable of regaining those heights -- or whether the Richt regime is beyond SEC title capability and must therefore step aside due to fan demands. (Realistic fan demands are another column, but the Bulldogs' resources and placement should keep them among the elite each year.)
Of course things could change rapidly next week should Georgia find a way to knock off suddenly-dominant South Carolina, but what happens if the Bulldogs find themselves 0-2 and wondering where to go next?
It seems the answer would be to veer way off the current course.
In prior campaigns that wouldn't mean panic time, but -- based on recent performances -- there is little to reassure Georgia fans that Richt will find the antidote to what once seemed anathema in Athens: mediocrity (or worse).
Mark Richt
http://accesswdun.com/article/2011/9/241627