ATHENS — After a 4-4 start and another disastrous loss to Florida, many of Georgia’s fans may be ready to start thinking about 2010. Mark Richt isn’t one of them.
Richt underscored his plans to focus on winning the final four regular-season games of this season Monday by announcing that Joe Cox would remain the team’s starting quarterback despite throwing three interceptions in Saturday’s 41-17 loss to the Gators.
“It was unanimous among our staff that Joe gives us the best chance to win, and that’s where our focus needs to be,” Richt said in a statement released by Georgia’s athletics department. “There’s still a lot of football left this season. We tell our players to finish the drill, and we are committed to doing that this week and each week the remainder of the season. We have faith in Joe that he gives us the best opportunity to do that.”
Richt said backup Logan Gray would get time at quarterback this week against Tennessee Tech, but that’s a far cry from the plan many fans had hoped they might see.
With Georgia struggling and Cox set to graduate at season’s end, Georgia’s future at quarterback remains a mystery. And while Cox has thrown at least one interception in every game – 12 in all – this season, even the present looks pretty bleak.
But while a vocal contingent of Georgia followers are ready to turn the page, the vast majority of the players are in agreement with Richt’s win-now approach.
“Right now I think all our focus has to be on Tennessee Tech, and I think that’s something that will be echoed across the team,” tight end Aron White said. “We can’t overlook the rest of our season or think that it’s down the drain or anything like that. We have four games left in this season, and hopefully a bowl after that. We have to keep our heads in the right place and focus on the season.”
Georgia needs two wins to become bowl eligible, and the Bulldogs will widely be expected to pick up one of those victories against Tennessee Tech this week. But the remainder of the slate won’t be easy, with dates against SEC East rival Kentucky, resurgent Auburn and ACC-leading Georgia Tech. With four losses already, the Bulldogs are just one defeat away from ensuring Richt finishes with the worst record of his career in 2009.
That’s all the motivation the team needs, Cox said. While the future may be on the minds of some players, even they understand that finishing this season strong can be a springboard for better days ahead.
“The young guys don’t want us leaving on a bad note, and they don’t want to get caught in a hole where they’ll have to come back from a horrible season next year,” Cox said. “It’s not a question of young guys getting ready for next year. I think everybody wants to finish up strong.”
While Cox will remain the starting quarterback, Richt didn’t rule out personnel changes at other positions. He said every job is being reviewed this week, but he was quick to add that changes would be made only if the coaching staff felt it would help Georgia win immediately.
E-Mail
Print
@Nyx.CommentBody@