Similarities between Richt and Kelly

[Dawg to the Bone]

Now that it is ND VS UGA week, I was thinking about Notre Dames' past season and the similarities between Richt and Kelly. Bottom line up front, neither has forgotten how to coach.

Richt only had one down year the first 12 years when he finished 6-7. 9 times he finished with more than a 10 win season. Even the last two seasons when he was let go he was 9-3 and 10-3.

Richt had a few things that kept him from reaching the playoffs/natty and elite status. We usually failed to recruit enough elite Offensive lineman and occasionally defensive lineman. We had skill players all over the place (remember Stafford, Mareno and A.J. Green), but not enough big uglies to keep the heat off. This usually did not show its head too much until we played a team (like Bama, sometimes UF) that has monsters on the LOS.

The second thing was that he hired the wrong coordinators at times. It was defensive coordinator shuffling at first and then offensive coordinator after Bobo left. We had Van Gorder, then Martinez, then Grantham, then Pruitt. When Bobo left, he hired Shottenheimer. That turned out to be a mistake. Honestly, we would have been better if he had just taken back over play calling like he did when he first got here.

For Richt the timing got him. The East was finally down. No Spurrier. No Fulmer. This was our chance to control the East and we couldn't do it because of the coordinator coaching changes. To add insult to injury (for the fanbase), we had to watch newcomer Missouri win the East.

The thing is, IMO, Richt hasn't forgotten how to coach. He is a great coach. He made a few mistakes in judgement that kept us from reaching that highest level. Hopefully he gets it right at Miami.

I think that Kelly may be in the same boat.

 

[Nocalirish]

Both underachievers.

 

[IRISHJD98]

The second thing was that he hired the wrong coordinators at times. . . . . We had Van Gorder, . . .

I wish you still had him.

 

[57Patrick]

Richt is a class act guy. I believe he is one of the best coaches in the country. A lot of people hired Van Gorder. For whatever reason, he just doesn't seem to work out and that is being diplomatic. I expect Richt will have many good seasons at Miami.

 

[tbonesays]

Richt was pretty strict on suspending players who had problems. I wondered if he really stood out in the SEC.

 

[Dawg to the Bone]

Both underachievers.

So far.

 

[twalsh]

Richt was pretty strict on suspending players who had problems. I wondered if he really stood out in the SEC.

Georgia is stricter than the rest of the SEC, in general, in dealing with player malfeasance. And a lot of their fans don't like that at all. Sound familiar?

 

[Dawg to the Bone]

Georgia is stricter than the rest of the SEC, in general, in dealing with player malfeasance. And a lot of their fans don't like that at all. Sound familiar?

And sadly it has probably cost us a few SEC Championships. We gutted ourselves with Gurly and A.J. Green suspensions (not that they helped) and untold other key players for minor infractions. I guess we can fly that honor banner high.

 

[NDSMC78]

And sadly it has probably cost us a few SEC Championships. We gutted ourselves with Gurly and A.J. Green suspensions (not that they helped) and untold other key players for minor infractions. I guess we can fly that honor banner high.

I dunno. Some of us think that honor and integrity are more important than victories on the gridiron.

 

[twalsh]

And sadly it has probably cost us a few SEC Championships. We gutted ourselves with Gurly and A.J. Green suspensions (not that they helped) and untold other key players for minor infractions. I guess we can fly that honor banner high.

Michael Adams wanted UGA to be respected nationally as a top-notch state institution, not just another SEC school that played serious football. To accomplish that he couldn't just go along with the SEC group think. I think most alums are appreciative of what he did for UGA as an institution, the non-alum fans not so much. They just want to win games.

 

[twalsh]

Michael Adams wanted UGA to be respected nationally as a top-notch state institution, not just another SEC school that played serious football. To accomplish that he couldn't just go along with the SEC group think. I think most alums are appreciative of what he did for UGA as an institution, the non-alum fans not so much. They just want to win games.

I might add, he also had to get rid of any stench left over from the Jan Kemp era, which was not easy. But he really benefited from there being no internet and social media during that time, aiding in the effort to put it in the rear view mirror.

 

[Dawg to the Bone]

I dunno. Some of us think that honor and integrity are more important than victories on the gridiron.

I don't really have a problem with it, but it does frustrate me to play by one set of rules and watch others (looking at you Auburn) play by another and get away with it.

 

[NDSMC78]

I don't really have a problem with it, but it does frustrate me to play by one set of rules and watch others (looking at you Auburn) play by another and get away with it.

I hear you. A lot of ND fans think ND plays by one set of rules while most other schools play by another.

 

[twalsh]

I hear you. A lot of ND fans think ND plays by one set of rules while most other schools play by another.

Richt brought up the possibility of standardizing the SEC rules with regards to how certain sins are dealt with, most notably weed, several times in his tenure. That got no traction with the rest of the conference. The conference has established standards on domestic violence issues, most notably that you can't accept a transfer that was booted from another school because of domestic violence issues. You kind of think that would just be assumed, but some schools, like two in Alabama that come to mind, need things to be codified.

 

[Dawg to the Bone]

I hear you. A lot of ND fans think ND plays by one set of rules while most other schools play by another.

You do. It's an honor and a hindrance at the same time.

 

[KCDawg34]

Both underachievers.

Richt also had to deal with one of the cheapest administrations in the SEC. UGA ranked in the top of the SEC for profitability for years, yet spent money at lower levels than many other schools (think we averaged 7th in spending). We couldn't even be bothered to build an indoor practice field, which necessitated bussing our players to practice numerous times over the years. Heck, Richt even paid some of his coaches bonuses out of his own pockets (and got whacked by the NCAA for doing so) when the admin cancelled them one year. I can't speak for Kelly, but I would say that Richt delivered exactly what our admin paid for the last 8 years at UGA - middle of the pack.

All that said, the PTB seem to have opened the money spigots a bit more for Kirby. Construction started on the indoor facility almost immediately after he was hired and is now finished and working great. He got money to add more staff which has paid off in S&C and recruiting, and which we hope pays off on the field very soon. The administration is still awful, but we are hopeful it's not the hindrance it once was.

 

[tbonesays]

I don't really have a problem with it, but it does frustrate me to play by one set of rules and watch others (looking at you Auburn) play by another and get away with it.

You also scheduled Boise St at their peak Not many other schools in your conference were, actually I cannot think of any.

 

[KCDawg34]

You also scheduled Boise St at their peak Not many other schools in your conference were, actually I cannot think of any.

Hah! Yeah, I think Michigan broke Florida's 27 year opener win streak. It just happened to be both the first in 30 years outside of Gainesville or against a ranked opponent. They haven't played an true out of conference road game since Syracuse in 1991 (they lost).

Meanwhile, in Richt's tenure alone UGA played Georgia Tech (yearly) and home & home versus Colorado, Oklahoma State, Arizona State and played Boise at home and in the Georgia Dome. Kirby Smart's first game was against a ranked North Carolina squad at a neutral field followed the next year with a road game against you guys.

Alabama usually plays one OOC game a year against a ranked opponent, but most of them are at a neutral site versus on the road. Tennessee andAuburn have also played some good OOC games, but nothing liked what UGA has scheduled over the years.

 

[NDSMC78]

Hah! Yeah, I think Michigan broke Florida's 27 year opener win streak. It just happened to be both the first in 30 years outside of Gainesville or against a ranked opponent. They haven't played an true out of conference road game since Syracuse in 1991 (they lost).

Meanwhile, in Richt's tenure alone UGA played Georgia Tech (yearly) and home & home versus Colorado, Oklahoma State, Arizona State and played Boise at home and in the Georgia Dome. Kirby Smart's first game was against a ranked North Carolina squad at a neutral field followed the next year with a road game against you guys.

Alabama usually plays one OOC game a year against a ranked opponent, but most of them are at a neutral site versus on the road. Tennessee andAuburn have also played some good OOC games, but nothing liked what UGA has scheduled over the years.

IMO, AD's who schedule only cupcakes for non-conference opponents and who never schedule quality road games are doing their fans and their programs a disservice. Games like ND/UGA are the games fans want to see. No one is clamoring to see their team play Furman or North Texas.

 

[twalsh]

IMO, AD's who schedule only cupcakes for non-conference opponents and who never schedule quality road games are doing their fans and their programs a disservice. Games like ND/UGA are the games fans want to see. No one is clamoring to see their team play Furman or North Texas.

It was actually AD Damon Evans at UGA who set up Ariz, State, Ok State, Colorado and Clemson. And the UGA fans loved those series, especially the intersectional games. I believe they also had Oregon scheduled, but that got cancelled when McGarrity took over. Given McGarrity's tendencies as a Jeremy Foley disciple, it's really a miracle that this home and home was ever scheduled.

 

[KCDawg34]

It was actually AD Damon Evans at UGA who set up Ariz, State, Ok State, Colorado and Clemson. And the UGA fans loved those series, especially the intersectional games. I believe they also had Oregon scheduled, but that got cancelled when McGarrity took over. Given McGarrity's tendencies as a Jeremy Foley disciple, it's really a miracle that this home and home was ever scheduled.

How could I forget about Clemson?

McGarrity sucks. He is perhaps the most horrid administrator in all of college sports.

 

[tbonesays]

Hah! Yeah, I think Michigan broke Florida's 27 year opener win streak. It just happened to be both the first in 30 years outside of Gainesville or against a ranked opponent. They haven't played an true out of conference road game since Syracuse in 1991 (they lost).
.

Michigan is U.Florida-north when it comes to never leaving the region. As recently as their sugar bowl season they played their entire 12 game slate in three states. So it was fitting that ESPN matched them up for a nearly inconsequential neutral site opener.