Paul Johnson (Georgia Tech 45, Georgia 42)

[SupaDave]

Back on topic.

I think it is way too early to declare Paul Johnson a better coach than David Cutcliffe. Why don't we wait and see how they match up in five years or so?

As mentioned, Coach Cutcliffe had the guts to take on one of the toughest coaching jobs in America. Paul Johnson had the chance and took an easier route. I want the tough guy.

The tough guy got four wins (and almost six or seven) from a program that had only won four games in the previous four years.

The tough guy made Duke competitive with at least ten of our opponents.

The tough guy inspires loyalty (just look at the assistants, and just about anyone who knows him).

You want Paul Johnson? Pull for Georgia Tech! I believe Duke has the man it has needed for years.

I don't want to diminish what Paul Johnson has done at GT, but I think that David Cutcliffe's first year at Duke is every bit as impressive.

Different coaches. Different situations. Both are rebuilding programs. The ACC is fortunate to have both of them.

[AtlDuke72]

Beating Georgia is not that impressive. Rich (UGA coach) is terrible when the game actually matters. Georgia was 2-3 against ranked competition and was blown out against Florida and Alabama. They were the preseason number 1.

Cutcliffe would have gone undefeated at Ga. Tech.

Wow - undefeated!!! Seriously, losing to Alabama and Florida is not grounds for labelling Richt as terrible. Last time I checked they were ranked number 1 and 4 and Florida is probably going to win it all. Also hard to say the ACC is better when the SEC has those two teams. From there down the ACC may be better. Of course, the SEC is probably better in basketball if you throw out the Heels and the Devils.

[ugadevil]

Wow - undefeated!!! Seriously, losing to Alabama and Florida is not grounds for labelling Richt as terrible. Last time I checked they were ranked number 1 and 4 and Florida is probably going to win it all.

The previous poster didn't actually label Mark RICHT as terrible, instead calling Coach Rich terrible. If someone is going to rip a program and coach (with a winning percentage that is excellent & shows a level of character that is unquestionable), get your facts straight.

[calltheobvious]

The previous poster didn't actually label Mark RICHT as terrible, instead calling Coach Rich terrible. If someone is going to rip a program and coach (with a winning percentage that is excellent & shows a level of character that is unquestionable), get your facts straight.

What you said.

Beyond being the classiest major-program coach in the country (in a conference that tends to chew up and spit out nice guys), Richt faced not only devastating injuries to key players, but also one of the toughest schedules anyone's ever seen. Nobody on the Georgia team has ANYTHING to be ashamed of this season. Georgia lost three games. Nobody in the country could have played their schedule and lost fewer than two, and I'm frankly not sure anyone would have bested the Bulldogs' performance.

[ugadevil]

What you said.

Beyond being the classiest major-program coach in the country (in a conference that tends to chew up and spit out nice guys), Richt faced not only devastating injuries to key players, but also one of the toughest schedules anyone's ever seen. Nobody on the Georgia team has ANYTHING to be ashamed of this season. Georgia lost three games. Nobody in the country could have played their schedule and lost fewer than two, and I'm frankly not sure anyone would have bested the Bulldogs' performance.

After reading that post about Coach Rich, I decided to look up the history on Mark Richt's tenure at UGA. I won't list the results because it's not worth my time but the man has brought the Georgia program to a point where they are consistently strong. His winning percentage is excellent, his record against ranked teams is solid, and his record in away games is unbelievable. And as I said before, UGA and the Athens community could not have a better representative.

[calltheobvious]

After reading that post about Coach Rich, I decided to look up the history on Mark Richt's tenure at UGA. I won't list the results because it's not worth my time but the man has brought the Georgia program to a point where they are consistently strong. His winning percentage is excellent, his record against ranked teams is solid, and his record in away games is unbelievable. And as I said before, UGA and the Athens community could not have a better representative.

Honestly, we've both already spent too much time responding to that tripe. Anybody with any doubts about Richt as a football coach or a man has more dollars than sense.

[dkbaseball]

Honestly, we've both already spent too much time responding to that tripe. Anybody with any doubts about Richt as a football coach or a man has more dollars than sense.

Just to add a talking point re Richt's bona fides as a coach: consider the fate of Bobby Bowden's Fla. St. teams. With Richt on the staff they averaged about one and a half losses per season, in the eight seasons since he left it's gone up to four and a half.