I've given this a lot of thought

I get it. Just giving my thoughts.

I think most of this season's disappointment points to the offense and quarterback play. Maybe our QB situation really was that bad and the loss of Chubb certainly changed a lot, but the offense never really evolved around the players we have. A lot of that responsibility falls on CMR.

This much should be clear: the offense needs new guidance. In 2013, almost every skill position starter and our 4 year starting QB were injured at some point during the season and we still finished in the top 20 in almost every category. It was a testament to what a good offensive coordinator could do - have a system where you can plug in different guys and still produce. Our last two NFL coordinators haven't gotten the most out of their talent, so maybe we can find one at the college level who will.

I think the breaking point for many fans (if they hadn't already broken) on Richt was the Florida game when he went with Bauta, which backfired in the worst possible way with the division title still on the line. That move just reeked of desperation against a new Florida coach and now all of the momentum of that "rivalry" is right back on their side.

But I do have to give Richt credit. His team kept playing after that game when they easily could've folded from all of the distractions and speculation of his job.

I think we absolutely have a lot of great talent returning on this team and we may be in a better position next year in a darkhorse role. CMR's have typically played much better when the expectations are lower. But if we do decide to go in a new direction, we better have the right guy in mind and hope that we can retain the defensive coaches on the staff.

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I think most of this season's disappointment points to the offense and quarterback play. Maybe our QB situation really was that bad and the loss of Chubb certainly changed a lot, but the offense never really evolved around the players we have. A lot of that responsibility falls on CMR.

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I understand the "ultimate responsibility" argument. However, a HC that does not allow his assistants to do their jobs without TOO much interference is.....well....Les Miles. And we have seen what an offense under Miles achieves. In his first year, Richt had to give Schottenheimer freedom. We had not QB which put the load on Chubb, and when he went down it left with very little for Schottenheimer to work with. However, he really didn't change his game plans a whole lot....didn't seem to adjust like Bobo did.

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I think the breaking point for many fans (if they hadn't already broken) on Richt was the Florida game when he went with Bauta, which backfired in the worst possible way with the division title still on the line. That move just reeked of desperation against a new Florida coach and now all of the momentum of that "rivalry" is right back on their side.

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I agree...but I also remember many of the same fans on this board that was yelling for Richt's firing was screaming for Richt to give Bauta a shot against Florida. I believe I heard the words "He couldn't do worse" and "He might be a game time player and not practice well." It seems no matter what Richt did he would be roundly criticized. He is in a no win situation, and for that reason I think he should move on. There comes a time when a coach just cannot be effective, and it takes a total burn down and destroy of a program for people to realize what they had.

I would like for Richt to announce his retirement after next year and that would give UGA a chance at a smooth transition.

If Shotty is let go and a really good offensive coordinator is hired that would be all that is needed. But Shotty really, really needs to go somewhere else.

I always respect wat you say Crow and I think you are 100% correct in your assessment of the situation. Our team never gave up and that's saying a lot given the amount of young guys on our team who could have just thrown in the towel and waited for next season. But that didn't happen. I am on the fence about firing Richt, I am a younger fan and I don't really know a uga football team without Richt. But I put the program first and think we could find a damn good coach just don't think the time is now. When u have a coach that has been at a program for a number of years like Richt has it makes u wonder if that school is a good program or is it because of the tenured coach that we look at it as a great program. Virginia tech looks like a great program but how much does that have to do with Beamer and all that he has built? IMO Richt has been making the necessary steps to make UGA a championship team but the Schotty hire has set that back. We need to get a new OC and see how we can perform with the talent coming in before blowing up our current staff chasing a coach that may not give us what we really want. With all the big time schools looking for coaches I would hate for us to get in a bidding war with another university and overpay for a coach that is no where near the same caliber as Mark Richt is

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What OC worth his salt is going to come here knowing a new coach will be brought in next year

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No one has any idea this is the case and if Richt is back it will be almost assuredly for more than one year

With all due respect how do you get past the fact that the man just doesn't appear to be very smart?

I'm not trying to stir the pot. The board has had this conversation at the end of the season for several years running.

I'm not a football coach. I don't profess to be one. I was one of those skinny dudes running around the track. But, let's look at three issues.

Recruiting. I understand the over signing stance of the school. This stance masks Richt's historic failure to recruit strategically. Having a top ten class doesn't mean a lot when 2-3 conference opponents consistently have higher ranked classes. All of my life I've heard and read "the game is won in the trenches"; "defense wins championships." Richt appears to not believe either truism as the recruiting focus has always been on skill players and particularly offensive skill players..

Defense and special teams. The failure to hire a top DC for years signifies a lack of self awareness. Richt's best teams have also largely been his best defensive teams. Richt learned the game under Bowden. Anyone old enough to remember Bowden in his heyday will remember Bowden's disdain for kickers. For the life of me I simply cannot find a rational explanation for Richt's inability to excel in, or even care about, this area of the game.

Offense. I believe Richt's offense is too dependent upon one player -- a pro style QB. In an era of dual threat QB's finding a serviceable pro style QB is a recruiting nightmare. Without a serviceable QB you get what GA had this year -- a very predictable, easy to defend offense. Wouldn't a bright individual do like Saban -- bring in a young offensive mind with a different approach? If the best of the best, Saban, is willing to evolve with the game shouldn't Richt? Is he smart enough to get ahead of the curve? I don't see it. Watson, Marshall and Cam -- all GA boys and none recruited as QB's (Watson was late in the process).

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He's human just like the rest of us, puts on his draws one leg at a time just like the rest of us, and always..ALWAYS..does something stupid to frick the season up, this season included.

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That has absolutely nothing to do with him as a person

The talking heads on 680 seem to think he's staying FWIW. (Not much, I know)