Georgia head coach Mark RichtATHENS, Ga. – No regrets whatsoever.
Georgia football coach Mark Richt believes that running a play without spiking the ball with 15 seconds left in the 32-28 loss to Alabama in the Southeastern Conference championship game was the right call. Quarterback Aaron Murray did not get the snap until 10 seconds remained, and his back-shoulder fade route intended for Malcolm Mitchell was tipped by Crimson Tide linebacker C.J. Mosley.
Bulldogs receiver Chris Conley caught the pass and was tackled immediately at Alabama’s 5-yard line, and time ran out.
“When you no-huddle, you go with tempo,” Richt said Wednesday. “That’s what we’ve been doing all year long, and part of going no-huddle is that when you have a defense on the run, you snap the ball again. You’re not looking to stop play. Play was stopped because we got a first down, and with 15 seconds, you can call a play to where if it’s incomplete, you’ve got time for two more plays.
“If you clock the ball, you’re probably only going to get two shots, but if we had clocked the ball, we would have called the same play. The problem was the ball got tipped and landed in play.”