I hope

AllDawgs5, reading your first paragraph, think you are pretty much in line with some of the above thoughts.

Here is part of what thriller said . . .

I'm not making excuses - better coaching and having those two guys could have gotten it even closer, and maybe even INTERESTING . . . but I just don't believe two players alone would have turned that game completely in our favor.

Totally agree on the talents of different players. Ogletree #9 is a very special player, probably have him one more year and who knows . . . AJ and his talents are beyond what most young players can do on the football field. He is proving that this year in the pros. Would also add to that, personally, think we are a better "overall" team spreading the ball around. Our record would seem to suggest that point.

Coaching has and will always have something to do with the outcome of football games. Think many of us could point to play calling as being less than acceptable in some instances.

Also know that Rambo has picked up a lot of awards this year, good for him. Wonder what Coach Grantham's team defense had to do with that. Personally, don't like the way he has tackled since the injury against Auburn a while back. What a great hit that was, and said so at the time. Not the same player since then that I see when looking at tapes of games since. If I were selecting for a pro team at draft time, Rambo would not go high on my list. #9, #29, entirely different story.

Buc, agree totally. That game in general was a tough one to take on. We were a very inexperienced football team. It was CWF's first game with a fairly inexperienced O line. There were no WR's that had stepped up, and there were no proven RB's. That's a tough coaching job for even the best. We needed AM to play perfect, which is an awful lot to ask of QB especially when the O line is having problems. We had some drops and other missed plays in that game. That is part of being a young football team. Believe any great coach would say there is no substitute for experience. It showed. I don't think we came out flat. I thought both sides of the ball were playing hard. Guys almost seemed to be a little to excited. Mistakes happen when you can't control that emotion. Hence, the offside penalties. Some times teams can get a little too hyped.

We lost to 3 teams that are all ranked in the top 10. BSU, I believe we were prepared. Didn't make some plays, had some injuries, and played a team that was much more experienced than our boys. Shouldn't have lost, but we did. USC, never should have lost. LSU, played as good as a half on defense as we possibly could have. Offense had a chance to put some serious points on the board. Perfect play calling was not executed. Snowballed in the 2nd half but a lot to learn from it.

I will ask this, how many coaches out there do you think could have started 0-2, been all over the media as going to be the first HC of big time school to be fired in 2011. All the negative publicity, and come back to win 10 games and play in the conference championship. Would that not take an elite coach to do?

GO DAWGS

AllDawgs5, Richt is the type of personality that is very hard to understand. Especially when thousands of us each year look for a season with no losses. Have mentioned a time or two on here that Richt took on the coaching philosophy of Bobby Bowden. Some of that was good, some not so good.

Example of Coach Bowden. He began to slip (record wise) after having some great years. At that point it was not accepted by fans and media. Quite frankly one of the first problems that Bowden encountered was recruiting folks that were a bit wild and loose. After that his Athletic Director and long time friend turned on Bowden and the end was clearly in sight. Rather than make the necessary changes, Coach Bowden turned to family and hired his son on. Truthfully his son did not stand a chance at that point, Coach Bowden had let the program get away.

To me the above could be said about Richt, certain parts. Probably in the above paragraph Richt's name could be substituted for Bowden's.

The difference in the two became apparent when McGarity came on board and he and Richt had a discussion. Next thing we know this team begins to turn around. It was clear that 6-7 was not going to keep Richt in a job that pays millions. Not at UGA anyway. Changes were needed and changes were made. When I watch Richt now during his press conferences, not the same coach that I watched a short time back. I see confidence now, and confidence comes when you know that someone has your back and will go to the wall with and for you.

I mention Coach Grantham a lot on this board and feel justified in doing so. He has his system in place, young men that understand his system, and above all, the young folks respect Coach Grantham. Respect for coaches at UGA was at a low until McGarity and Coach Grantham covered Richt's back. I believe that. I believe that Richt has learned a lot from Grantham, that speaks volumes for anyone that is not an air head or know-it-all.

Answering your question AllDawgs5, tried to do that by saying what I said above. Richt is the head coach and he should get the glory, he however has done two things that I admire him for this season. Richt has said many times, McGarity and Grantham are special to what he and the team are trying to accomplish.

#29 says simply about the NFL and no doubt in my mind that he would go first round or early second the next NFL draft, not going, have too much to learn from Coach Grantham. A STAR IS BORN.

One little tid bit. Understand that there were a couple of "fights" during practice. Practice being run a bit differently than the previous bowl year. A case of Coach JTII and his tactics rubbing off on this group. Been missing from UGA football far too long.

I am with you Buc, and agree for the most part. I will never argue that CMR became to comfortable in his position. He did, and he paid the price for it. But he also decided, to get rid of willie. I think he started to see the light. Last year, it took some rebuilding and meshing. That happens when you have a complete staff change on one side of the ball. I hope CMR learns from Bowden's mistakes because I agree with what you are saying. I was not happy about bobo's year last year. He was pathetic. I would have probably let him go. However, I will say, I think he has grown as a coach. Overall, I think he has earned the right to come back next year. Yearly performance reviews should happen.

I think they all deserve a little glory this year. Mac, and Grantham a little more than others. I agree with that. Very pleased with what we have in Athens right now. Said it many times, play calling can be ripped at any school and usually is. I am sure lsu fans were ripping their OC in the first half against us. Probably pretty harshly. Does it mean he was doing a poor job, or maybe did it mean our defense was just outperforming lsu? I am going with the second choice. Talent is every where in this conference, and usually the talent is a little heavier on the D side.

Here is one thing that has crossed my mind lately. I ripped Bobo as bad as any, but when I go back and look at what he did, it was just as good as any OC in the league. Really look at the numbers. Also, wonder if Bobo would have more success in leagues like the Big 12, or the Pac 10. My bet would be he would. Our league is a whole different beast. Sorry, just thinking aloud.

As far as JJ, you are spot on. I also agreed with your analysis on Rambo. Personally, I don't think he was even the best safety on the field this year. Did he happen to catch some balls thrown right at him, sure. Is he a good player? sure. However, I would take 36 in a heart beat. Besides his actions in the Vandy game, I am very proud of the player he is becoming.

GO DAWGS

AllDawgs5, really believe prior to McGarity and Grantham, Richt did not have solid coaching and front office experience that he could either fall back on or know just how to get there with the incumbents or maybe himself (can't rule that out). Not only were there problems with the Athletic Director, we were mired down with player off field problems. Just reflecting back when Martinez said he would not participate in the game being played in Shreveport. Think I am on the right track there.

Bobo will be back, if that was not the case, by now the cat would be out of the bag. Some information just cannot be kept "inside" the lines. I think you would agree that with the upcoming schedule (2012) this offense should be rocking and rolling.

You and I both know that Friend did one hell of a job with the task he was asked to do. He might be my UGA coach of the year with the way he handled his area of expertise. Meaning what he accomplished with the talent he had. Offensive line had a lot of us on this board scratching our heads, I could name several on this board that often said that the O line was their major worry. Don't get the number of wins we had this season if the O line is not doing something productive. Hoping that Friend can build on this season, in much the same manner that Grantham did in his second year at UGA.

Richt stepped in more than once this past season, offensively, and I applaud him for that. Maybe what McGarity did . . . taking a load off of Richt's back and say straight on, coach football, has set Richt free from, and I say this not looking for a fight, being the head coach that many believe he is/was capable of being when he first put his foot on the ground in Athens. Richt did not come to Athens with any head coaching experience. Maybe now after years of being the leader, he understands things from a different perspective. That would be my bet. Maybe I should say that would be my hope.

This is what I see. Richt has a defensive staff that appears to be rock solid. That is no longer a problem for him, however had to be when WM was trying to pathetically teach a cover two that he did not have a clue as to how the cover two system works.

AllDawgs5, you and I are definitely on the same page when you mention Shawn Williams. He will play on Sundays, has that "streak" that the NFL looks for, and of course his talent level is very good. 6'1" stick of dynamite in my opinion. One more year in Grantham's defense and Coach Grantham will be talking to a "few" of his "friends" in the NFL about #36. Another good reason for some of the recruits to play for UGA, Grantham has "connections".

Good talking with you again, you and the family have a great 2012.

Thought about the post above that I made concerning Rambo. I sincerely don't mean to be ugly, just feel that when we are discussing players and what each of us think their capabilities are, don't need to sugar coat how we as individuals feel.

Strange how things work, board a bit quiet and looked around for different things, not really looking for a Rambo article. The article below popped up and think that it goes along with what has been said here, in this thread.

I appreciate the fact that Rambo wears the colors, just could not get a grip on the All-American thingy. Lots of interceptions, but in my mind interceptions are not the only facet of the game that qualifies a player for All-American status. He is not the biggest hitter nor is Rambo the best cover guy back there by a long shot. My guess is that he will be back in Athens, maybe his Senior year will propel Rambo up a notch or two. When I think All-American, my thoughts turn to #29.

www.ledger-enquirer.com/2011/12/29/18739...s-feedback-from.html