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Richt Reflects On 2009 Season
ATHENS, Ga. --- The Georgia football team won eight games for the 13th straight season culminating with the 44-20 win over Texas A&M in the Independence Bowl on Monday. Head coach Mark Richt looked back on the 2009 season and the Independence Bowl victory in his annual year-end conference call with the media on Thursday.
"Finishing with the big victory against Georgia Tech who was and is a top-10 football team, that was a very big day for our program, and certainly to finish the way we did Monday was big too," Richt said. "You always want to finish on a positive note, and when you have a group of guys who will not quit and will not surrender to adverse times, I think it's a sign that your program is strong. I‚ve never had any doubt about that. We certainly don't want to say that 8-5 is a great season for Georgia football, but I like the way we finished and the way guys battled to the end." Richt noted that special teams were a big factor in the win over the Aggies, Georgia's fourth straight bowl win and seventh overall under Richt. He also mentioned the effort of the Bulldog defense, which played without three full-time coaches. "Without question our defensive players did a wonderful job," Richt said. "Coach (Rodney) Garner, Mitch Doolittle, Todd Hartley and even our student assistants who kind of became graduate assistants did well for sure. I think we put a good plan together. Our players were stellar in their attitudes toward rallying around our coaches. I probably didn't brag enough about the special teams. All six phases, I thought, did a beautiful job. Of course the second half offensively we got it rolling too, so it was a great victory by the team." Richt was asked about his search for a defensive coordinator and said he doesn't have a specific timetable on hiring a coach. "The only comment I'll make on that is when I do have that decision made and it's ready for public consumption, I'll let everybody know," Richt said. "My goal is to get the right man for the job." Richt said he will talk with juniors Rennie Curran and Reshad Jones about their status of either returning to Georgia or turning professional. The deadline to declare for the National Football League draft is Jan. 15. "I've talked to them about having a chance to sit down together," Richt said. "They are certainly debating about what they are going to do." One area of focus for the Bulldogs in spring practice and heading into the 2010 season will be finding a replacement for senior quarterback Joe Cox. "I am looking for a guy who can hit his target, a guy who can make great decisions and a guy who can handle the pressure of the job," Richt said. "Whoever wins that job has to have a very good respect for the football. I think it's going to be a very difficult thing for these young men because in one sense they want to do something great to win the job, but they also understand they need to respect the football and not be careless. That is a big part of the job description and it might be the biggest thing they have to understand." Richt provided an update on injured offensive linemen Josh Davis and Trinton Sturdivant. Davis missed the Independence Bowl with a foot injury and Sturdivant suffered a season-ending knee injury in the opener against Oklahoma State. "I am glad it's nothing serious with Josh and that he'll be back and won't have to deal with any offseason surgery," Richt said. "I don't think we expect Trinton to participate in any live contact in the spring, although we think he'll be far enough along to do some walkthroughs." Georgia concluded the 2009 season with an 8-5 record. The Bulldogs lead the country with 13 consecutive seasons with eight or more wins. |
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