Image: Georgiadogs.com
Richt announced tonight that Mike Bobo, the quarterbacks coach, called all the plays during the Georgia Tech game. Richt said he didn't overrule any calls, but made a "couple of suggestions between series." He also said that Bobo will call the plays during the bowl game. He'll examine how to handle the 2007 season's play calling after the bowl game.
What does this mean?
- 1. I think it means Richt is much more willing to change than I or many others thought. There is a perception among many fans that he's too hard headed and stubborn to change certain fundamental things. His strength of conviction is one of his greatest assets. But it's also something that can drive you crazy. Richt addressed some of this topic saying that he had been praying about giving up the play calling duties (DawgPost.com):
"I get up and I pray every morning and I try to listen to what God has to say to me, and it just kind of hit me in my heart that it was something that I needed to do and something I should do,” he said. “I didn’t want to argue with Him."2. Dawgnoxious had told me previously that Richt could never hand off the play calling duties unless he did it from a position of strength. After the AU win, it made sense. Richt admitted as much in the press release saying:
"I had thought about it at times before the season and mentioned it to Mike around mid-season that I was considering it at some point," said Richt. "But with things not going so well at that time, I didn't want to put Mike in that position. But the thought kept coming back and I finally decided to do it this past week. I told Mike on Thursday he'd be calling the plays."3. FINALLY someone will be in the booth calling the plays. You can see the entire field from the booth, and you have the chance to see why something isn't working faster.
4. OJT - More On the Job Training. Ideally, we would be the ones going after a guy like Dirk Koetter, a seasoned college football offensive mind who doesn't need training wheels. Bobo isn't a Borges or Friedgen coming into the job with 10-20 years of experience as a play caller. HOWEVER, Richt isn't Tuberville or O'Leary. He isn't a career defensive guy in need of a more veteran offensive guy. Hopefully, he can mentor Bobo the way that Saban mentored Muschamp.
5. More Time - As Richt discussed in the DawgPost article, this gives him more time to focus on other things -- like the defense, officiating, player management, etc.
6. The GT Game - We only scored one offensive TD in the game. That said, the final seven minutes were a thing of beauty.
PWD
PS -- Who says God isn't a Bulldog. ;-)
