BFarmer1980

I love the Dawgs, but they needed to take their lumps in that game to show them that not only are they not there yet in terms of finally breaking this championship drought, they're really not any different under Kirby Smart than they ever were under Mark Richt. One hasn't achieved anything that the other hasn't. And yes, we can talk about starters skipping the game or whatnot, but that's simply evidence of Georgia's persistent lack of depth. This is a problem that we never see Alabama having. It's always next man up, and they don't show any sign of slowing down when that next man comes in. Georgia isn't even remotely close to being at that level, and last night made that painfully obvious. In a few years time, if they can keep this recruiting up, maybe they'll get there. Otherwise, they have to keep everyone healthy, beg all the major pieces to stay through their senior years, and hope that they can finally finish one against the Tide when it counts.

*Insert Richt defenders argument here* In favor of whom?

This guy is legend. Not only are his rants epic, they're right on the nose.

Here's the thing about Georgia: Since 2002, they are at least a two-loss team. Usually, it consists of one embarrassment (or occasional heartbreaker) against a good opponent, and one case of playing down to the level of an inferior opponent. It's just reality, and we've no reason to believe that's going to change, especially now that it's crystal clear that the Dawgs have no quarterback. The only question is who the next loss comes to, and whether they'll be more.

Yes, it took other coaches 17 years or more to win championships, but that was in yesteryear, when the reality of the college game was much, *much* different. Since 2000, with the lone exception of Mack Brown in 2005, every coach who's won a National Championship has done it within the first 5 years of their tenure with the team. Those who haven't gotten it done by then simply haven't gotten it done. The "it takes time" argument really doesn't hold much water, if any, anymore. That's not meant to be an attack against Richt. I love the guy, personally. I'm just highly doubtful that he can win Georgia a National Championship. And, the reason so many are so voraciously hungry for it is because unless you're a Georgia fan over 35, you haven't witnessed a championship in your lifetime. Once I've gotten to experience one, I'll be perfectly content with 9-10 win seasons. But, until then, I'm unsatisfied. Still love the Dawgs, but unsatisfied nonetheless.

Are we positive this article isn't a rerun? It sure seems like I read this same stuff about the Dawgs at the end is every season...

I stuck it out through the Goff and Donnan years, thank you very much. Have been a die-hard Dawgs fan my entire life. I think I made perfectly clear that I love Richt, he's definitely better than Goff or Donnan were, but it's clear that he's peaked. He's taken the program as far as he can, which is short of a national championship. It would hurt to let him go; it would stink to let him go; but, if you're serious about trying to move upward and win a championship, I honestly believe you've got to let him go.

I can't speak for everyone else, but I've been saying what I said in my post for a few years now.

It takes most coaches double digit years to win a NC! Not anymore. Maybe it did once, but that was then, and this is now. Look at Tennessee when they fired Fulmer! Look at how they are years since he was let go. The two aren't connected. Fulmer was on the decline, and it was obvious. The fact that their AD has whiffed on hiring head coaches doesn't mean firing Fulmer was the wrong move. In any event, though, Fulmer had a national championship, at least.

If five years of mediocrity gets me one championship, I'll pull that trigger. Once I've experienced one, I'll be content with "good but not great" until doomsday.

That's a trap question, though. No one looked at Jimbo Fisher 5 or 6 years ago and said, "Hey, he's better than Bobby Bowden! He's a coach who can win a national championship!" Yet, here we are. It's not always about who's "better." Richt is a very good coach, yes, but he's clearly come as far as he can.

Look, not everyone who is a proponent of firing Coach Richt hates the guy's guts. I, for one, love and respect him. You'd have to be crazy to deny that he's done remarkable things for the program. His commitment to his faith is admirable. But, the fact is that he peaked years ago. He consistently mismanages the clock, consistently fails to win the important games, consistently (at least once a year) brings a team that lays an egg against a very beatable opponent, and doesn't seem to have made any progress in these areas. Yes, he's won the East. Yes, he's won the SEC. But, he hasn't won a national championship, and there's no reason (beyond blind, optimistic hope) to believe he's got what it takes to get it done. Any Georgia fan 34 or under has never seen their team win a championship, and with the talented squads that Richt has had, there's really no excuse for that. All I'm asking for is one, and as Richt hasn't progressed in such a way as to get one, as much as it'd hurt, it's time to let him go so the program can take the next step. Until then, I'm afraid we'll be stuck at the current level.