There are a lot of scruffy faces on the Georgia football team these days, and there’s a good reason for that.
Head coach Mark Richt has a rule every week: If the Bulldogs win the turnover margin in the previous game, the players don’t have to shave. If the margin is even, but the Bulldogs are plus for the season, they still don’t have to shave.
The Bulldogs are plus-four this year, so the hair is a-growing.
Richt was asked Tuesday how long the rule has been in place.
“We actually started last year,” the coach answered wryly, and the room started laughing.
Obviously no one noticed last year, when they ranked 118 out of 120 FBS schools in turnover margin.
“They were clean-shaven,” Richt said. “This year they’re getting a little furrier.”
Fred Munzenmaier is one of the fastest-growing beard-growers, according to Richt and some players.
“It must be his Italian roots,” receiver Kris Durham said.
Tight end Arthur Lynch also got a few votes.
“A couple manly-men guys on the team,” freshman quarterback Aaron Murray said. “I grow it in patches. I’m obviously not fully-developed yet.”
The rule is enforced every Friday, before players get their travel gear. Joe Tereshisnki will pull players off the bus if they get on with impermissible facial hair.
“You won’t even make it to the bus,” said linebacker Akeem Dent, who was sporting a slightly scruffy chin. “He inspects that.”
Dent said Richt’s rule is meant for the player’s good.
“Later on in life, when you get a job and things like that, you have to be clean-shaven,” Dent said. “Coach Richt’s just trying to prepare us to be men, learn about responsibility.”
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
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14 comments:
Good performances deserve some rewards, albeit small ones. Just as poor performances result in disciplining.
Good stuff.
Seth, can you eventually get an article out addressing the S&C program? I know there's a lot less complaining going around now that we've won the past two games, but I still think it's an issue, especially after haven talked to a walk-on player. Thanks!
An amusing example for football coaches do not truly understand the "real" world. In real life, you have to be clean-shaven?
I did not know that this was a rule either written or unwritten. I am clean shaven by choice but work for a large beverage company where I see many a person with some serious facial hair.
Does not seem to hurt us or them.
CSA, I'll see if I can get to it eventually. To be honest it's not the easier thing to quantify, since we're not in the locker room watching them work out. Current players aren't likely to rip into the coaches, if there's anything to rip, and former players aren't too likely to go on the record either, if they have any problems with it.
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CSA I know you are constantly thinking there is something wrong with our s&c program but I don't think there is. Watching us on the field there is not a problem of speed or strength in my opinion. I could be wrong but it seems to be an exacution problem.
Ga players typically grade out in combine situations as some of the best. Last year we had the strongest player in the combine with Jeff owens. I know that's just one player but as a whole ga has some great athletes. If you are to believe the numbers ga released from the spring we have some freakish athletes on this team.
I watch many college games in person and when I see ga play I see some of the biggest strongest and fastest players in the NCAA. It's easy to point out something as simple as s&c but I just don't see it.
Last year our offensive line was amazing in pass protection. It takes great s&c to do that. Same line this year and same s&c. It would seem to me to be an execution problem.
It just seems to me to be an easy thing to point at and say that's why this or that is happening. With everyone talking about it I'm sure richt will make a change in s&c next year as I'm sure that he will make a change in the oc position. The oc change will make much more of a difference that the s&c change.
I think ga problem the last few years has been our off and def coordinators. I don't understand richts reasoning behind hiring Martinez and definately bobo. You can already see the difference with grantham. We had the talent just terrible coaching. Same with off we have the talent just not the right coordinator. Bobo might be one of the best qb coaches around but he's obviously not currently Got what it takes to be an off coordinator at a team like uga.
Once richt finds out he doesn't need to hire his friends to be his coordinators I think you will see a major change at ga. He shows too much loyalty to bad coaches because there his friends and when he does diced to get rid of them it's a little too late. With richt not totally certain of having his job next year you will see less of that now.
We put together an off staff like we did a def staff last year and ga will be scary.
Whose blog is this Willb? :)
"Watching us on the field there is not a problem of speed or strength in my opinion."
So what jersey number are you, Willb? I mean, since you are on the field.
I thought I had noticed some scruffy chins around campus. In fact, Arthur Lynch looks a lot like Tebow circa 2009.
Go you hairy dawgs!
Seth, thanks for the response. Keep up the blogging and I'll keep visiting the site every day, regardless of whether you write about the team or that show on AMC... the one with the gorgeous red-headed actress with a particularly appealing female form.
Willb, you're right, and you probably know football better than I do. I agree with your points. The only reason I harp on S&C is because we've heard players and coaches from rival schools call our guys weak lately. I've also spoken to a walk-on player who powerlifts as well as plays for the scout team as a defensive lineman. He told me about some of the techniques DVH uses, and has said it's all garbage. Take that for what it's worth.
I think some of our guys have hired trainers in the off-season to help them out. I think Rennie Curran did strength training with a coach outside of the Georgia staff.
Regardless, I agree with your statements about Richt's coordinators. Richt is a great coach, but perhaps not the best evaluator of coaching talent. The defensive hires have shown their worth as they've done a 180 in some of those statistical categories.
Again, I'm amazed at the talent of the bloggers we have here...they are much more perceptive than CMR in analyzing coaching personnel, S&C ptograms (of course, it helps to have inside info from a walk-on on the scout team!!), and I'm sure they have a world of experience to draw from..mainly sitting in front of a t.v.!! Gee, I think McGarrity should put up a suggestion box at B-M and reap the knowledge of these "experts". Watch out, Seth..they may take over your job. Go Dawgs, GATA!!
OldDawg55, I don't particularly enjoy watching us lose four games in row at the beginning of the season before we finally get things together and play with passion. Nor do I take delight in watching a talented offense with the likes of Moreno, Stafford, Massaquoi, etc on the field lose games due to an inept defense and clueless defensive coordinator.
I am not nearly as knowledgeable as the staff members that have come and gone through Butts-Mehre. I am smart enough to recognize when there are issues with the program. Top-ten recruiting classes in a state with a pool of great players and a wealth of resources from one of the most profitable athletic programs in the country should result in more than a mediocre team.
The problem with the S&C might be what the players are doing from spring ball until camp reopens. The mat drills look really good and I bet that gets them in great shape, but that is done in February.
Florida fans used to talk about their S&C was the best in the country, but now they think it is the root of the problem.
Maybe, it's just poor play calling and execution at both schools.
btw, I'm sorry if this makes absolutely no sense or is completely wrong. I'm not a professional blogger.
@Anon 1:53
Yes and I'm sure the very lucrative position you have at a large beverage company is exactly the kind of job that CMR wants his players to have.
It's more likely that he wants his players to have above average, high paying jobs in a professional environment. That's the real world, a world that you obviously do not live in. But I suppose it's not your fault you didn't reach for the stars.
You think CMR doesn't know that any bozo can get a job packing trucks at the Coca-Cola factory and still have a beard? Think again, chief.
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