Rumors were rampant that Willie Martinez would resign as defensive coordinator after the Georgia Tech game. That hasn’t happened yet, and Mark Richt and UGA are very quiet at the moment.
Giving credit where credit is due, Willie Martinez and the Georgia defense performed admirably against Georgia Tech and contained, if not stuffed, their vaunted triple-option offense.
There have been other great performances under Martinez’s tenure, but there have been plenty of defensive lapses also. At Tennessee in 2007 and 2009, Florida in 2008 and 2009, Georgia Tech in 2008, at Arkansas in 2009, South Carolina in 2009, Alabama in 2008 and so on.
Richt canceled his Sunday night media teleconference, and no statements have been issued by UGA. It would seem that some coaching changes are imminent, especially on the defense. The Dawgs have been out-coached and out-schemed too many times in recent memory.
So what is the delay? Is Richt second-guessing a previously made decision? Or is he waiting for the right time to announce changes? Maybe he wants more time to bask in the glow of the victory at Georgia Tech this weekend. There’s certainly nothing wrong with that.
What do you think will happen, and when will it happen?
View Comments (16)
I have a sneaking suspicion that no one will be fired. Richt is loyal and, i think, is willing to throw his future in with Willie. I also think the defense will be much better next year and capable of running a different scheme than the bend and don't break scheme they have run the last 2-3 years. We didn't run that scheme when Pollack and the boys were getting pressure up front and when we had corners that could actually cover someone man-to-man. Boykin and Smith will do that next year and the DEs will continue to improve. I don't think Willie gets fired. I think he MAY step down or take a job where he might be appreciated, but i don't think he'll be fired.
Bobo was working with a first year starting QB, a low talent level in the backfield (until King got healthy and Ealey improved his blocking), an immature and injured offensive line and young inexperienced (yes, talented) receiving corps. so, you play the young guys and you get some exciting plays which shows their ability, but you also get the boneheaded plays (b/c they are young) which is simply b/c of youth. But, we spoiled fans expect perfection EVERY time and don't understand that. Bobo SHOULD be back and WILL NOT be fired. He also MAY leave for somewhere that will appreciate him.
If they both leave, i expect us to be worse next year trying to make the transition to two new coaches at the coordinator positions. Oh, yeah, if those two leave, expect Rodney Garner to bolt too and then there goes our best recruiter. I don't think folks realize what firing coaches does to morale and to both the players' and other coaches' trust of the HC. In the end, Richt has to decide whose trust is more important to the team, the folks he sees every day and has to continue to lead, or the folks writing on these message boards. Hopefully, he makes the right decision. . and it isn't us. My two cents. thanks for the forum.
Martinez is a great position coach. When has only the secondary or other position he is a shut down coach. UGA's sec has struggled the past three seasons. Do not let the play of the D against Tech overshadow their play the last two years. Also the D line has not been as strong as it should...so Gardner should not get a pass. What evaluations Evans, Richt, and the A Board go through and what decisions they make will be tough.
But look ahead not to UGAs' offense, but at the offenses UGA's defense faces the next two seasons. Miss State and its spread, SC with more production from the Ball Coach, UT and Kiffin, UF & the spread, AU with the spread, Tech with its spread.
The D staff at UGA has had a lot of trouble with the spread. Let's see how Steele at Clemson handles Tech. Bumpas at TCU, a former SEC player from Arkansas, and Paul Rhoads who was at Auburn. UGA needs a DC and staff that can stop the spread and produce some All Americans...big task.
Some things to think about post Tech and the 09 season. The next two years are very important for Coach Richt from a personal coaching career stand point. Coach Richt is the Clint Eastwood of the coaching ranks. Coach Richt is very saavy and passionate about his success and any program he coaches. Do not forget that and do not get caught up in the box with loyalty...he left Bowden.
As I have repeatedly said on other forums, no decision or announcement should be made until after signing day. We've already had a big recruit waiver his committment because of the rumors about Martinez. The coaches had to go to his school and assure him that CWM was going nowhere.
I don't know what will happen, but I am hoping for an early Christmas present in the form of Willie Martinez no longer being the DC.
If anything was supposed to happen today, it may have been delayed by the fact that Claude Felton (the SID) is taking today as a furlough day. Any press releases, press conferences, etc., would be handled by him.
S.E. Dawg - I could not disagree more. If we intentionally held onto a coach until signing day in order to mislead a recruit into thinking that said coach would be here when he got to campus, we would be KILLED by other schools via negative recruiting as dishonest, and rightfully so. Not to mention the fact that we would now have players on the team who has been lied to for three months and therefore have NO trust in the coaching staff.
If we're going to make a move, the sooner the better...we need to get to work on finding the next guy (who is likely to be gone by signing day anyway), so that the new DC can get to work on firming up commitments.
Relax, this is the week for firing HC's not coordinators. Most OC's or DC's are let go AFTER the bowl game if their school made one. I have a feeling that Richt will not announce Willie's resignation until we already have someone to replace him. THAT would be a smart move and easy transition for any recruits. They will already know who the new DC is and won't have time to 'wonder'(ie other schools call and harass) about the unknown.
Don't be suprised if coach rodney GARNER (how long has he been here? gheesh people) is the new DC, although I would rather have new blood and a new perspective on the staff.
If Richt was not going to fire Martinez he would have come out by now and say nothing was gonna happen. He will wait until after the bowl game and then the decision will be made. I would not be surprised to see Martinez step back down to secondary coach. I would see nothing wrong with this. His defense has not worked but he has produced some good safeties a few examples are, Greg Blue, Tim Jennings, and Asher Allen.
Get a real defensive minded coach and get rid of the uncompetitive defensive scheme that is way to predictable and teams like UFA and UT feast on!! We need a real defensive coordinator!! Richt and Bobo are great coaches but Martinez has to go. Dont tell me we dont have the talent on defense because we do!!
FIRE WILLIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
FIRE WILLIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
FIRE WILLIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
CWM will step down before the week is over and resume coaching the secondary. The new DC will come out of the Pittsburgh Steeler organization. The new DC is a former DC in the Southeastern Conference with The University of Florida under the Old Ball Coach. Count on it. It's going to happen this week.
i hate it for him but martinez needs to go. the secondary has not been a good coverage team since he has been there. the early success richt had was due to players like pollack and odell thurman. odell was a hard hitter and caused alot of recievers to think about that when they went up to catch the ball. the defense worked because of the preasure the front was able to put on the quarter backs. no preasure?? willie hasnt a clue what to do. he makes no adjustments til halftime. (ala. 08) and if that doesnt work, the dawgs are screwed.