USC’s Spurrier Has No Problem Putting The Pressure On UGA’s Richt

December 3rd, 2012 09:31 AM║ Posted By: John Pennington ║ Permalink ║ Schools: Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina
Tags: Alabama, Georgia, SEC

At the end of the SEC Championship Game against Alabama on Saturday, Georgia should have spiked the football, stopped the clock, and tried to get a couple of plays out of the final 12-14 seconds (depending on when the officials would actually blow the whistle on the spike). Everyone watching the game probably yelled that very thing at their televisions.

Well, Bama fans were still probably screaming about the “tipped” pass that even allowed Georgia a few last-second plays to begin with.

But Richt — whose team went 11-2 on the year, won the East, and fought back time and again against #2 Alabama — is getting some heat for his decision not to spike the football. And South Carolina’s Steve Spurrier has no problem stoking the fire. Yesterday, the Gamecocks’ coach said:

“We all know that’s what he should have done. Yeah, we all know that. They would have had two plays. But I don’t know. If they had hit a touchdown right there, it wouldn’t have mattered. But we all know you should do that (spike the ball).”

Richt must love the fact that Spurrier talks as much about Georgia’s program — their SEC schedule, their usual wave of preseason suspensions, their in-game coaching decisions — as he does his own.

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15 comments

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NatanElias

I don't think there's another coach as cocky as Spurrier. It gets tiring.

frogpelt

Spurrier just likes stirring up trouble. Earlier this season it was him saying Alabama could beat some NFL teams. You know Saban hated that. And that's why Steve did it. Of course Alabama lost two games later so that was that.

NatanElias

@frogpelt What were the 2 losses?

frogpelt

@NatanElias @frogpelt

Actually I meant: two games later, they lost.

NikkiFree

@sportsandra He's been an ass since he left UF in the 60s.

GeoffDawg

That’s Spurrier for you. He’s always held a special hatred for Georgia ever since Bill Stanfill treated him like a potted plant back in his playing days. He’s probably the highest paid troll in CFB history. That being said, obviously in hind sight, they should’ve spiked the ball but that doesn’t mean the logic behind the hurry up was unsound. They were trying to create a mismatch by not allowing Bama to substitute and given that in all likelihood, they would’ve gotten either a TD or an incomplete out of it, you can’t beat on Richt and Bobo too hard after the fact. Even if they had spiked the ball, there’s no guarantee they would’ve gotten more than two plays off anyway.

I4Bama

Google the last time someone questioned Spurrier about something and see how he reacted. Just saying.

stonejonathan

Maybe he was lead by the media to say something but what a lack of class. I get why he didn't spike it and in the waning seconds I was already playing the Monday morning QB but it was only wrong because it didn't work. I am proud to be a UGA fan and have a coach that has as much class as CMR. Spurrier should spend more time talking about why his team wasn't there in the first place to get to make that decision.

Silver Creek Dawg

Watching the game live, I felt the same way- spike the football. After listening to Richt's explanation in the post-game press conference, I can respect his thought process. He knew Bama's D was gassed and he had a matchup advantage he liked. I don't have as big a problem as I did with it before I heard his explanation.

If CJ Mosely doesn't make a great athletic play, we may not be having this discussion. Mitchell had a step on the Bama DB going to the back corner for the fade pass.

ismitty11

To be fair, Spurrier was asked if he would have spiked the ball in the same situation. He didn't just make the statement out of the blue to make fun of UGA.

John at MrSEC moderator

1 Like

@ismitty11

Yes, but I haven't seen any other SEC coaches comment on this yet.

Thanks for reading the site,

John

83toATL

Come on John...do you really want Spurrier to be like all the other SEC coaches (carefully scripted, monotone, boring)? You can't have it both ways!

Spurrier constantly criticizes himself for coaching mistakes, play-calling, etc - stop being a hater! Leave that to chumps like Ron Morris

bvkv09

@John at MrSEC @83toATL c'mon John,

you can't let facts get in the way of preconceived notions. i thought you were spot on. Good work as always.

John at MrSEC moderator

@83toATL

Don't lump me in with others that way.

Do I prefer an entertaining coach? Yes. Do I think a coach who throws barbs at other coaches is entertaining? No.

But above, did I say anything other than these two facts:

1. Spurrier had no problem talking about Georgia's issue

2. Spurrier talks about Georgia's issues from August through December

I didn't say he was the devil or that this remark was an out-and-out attack. I stated facts and people are taking it as a horrible shot at Spurrier.

Apparently coaches throwing barbs at other coaches is funny. But media guys who point it out when coaches do it are "haters." Funny how that works.

Thanks for reading the site,

John

one90

Spurrier had similar situation in last year's Auburn game.

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