Georgia Bulldogs

Richt talks failed onside kick used against Missouri

Published Oct. 20, 2015 5:04 p.m. ET

foxsports

When a coach makes a bold move and it pays off, he's called a genius. When the move fails, he's ridiculed for the decision. Considering Georgia failed with its gamble of an onside kick against Missouri, head coach Mark Richt was left with some explaining to do.

The decision was not an impulsive move, it was calculated based on the week's preparation leading up to the Mizzou game.

“We really liked what we saw on film,” Richt said. “I’m watching (Saturday) and they did exactly what we hoped they would do. Then I realized the kick came up short. There’s no question it was there. We knew it was there. We wanted to be aggressive in that way.”

Georgia had planned the move after its first score of the game. The failed attempt did not come back to bite the Dawgs, but because both teams played so poorly on offense, the battle for field position worked against them for the remainder of the first half.

Despite the bad outcome, Richt did not second-guess his decision.

“It’s a calculated risk.” Richt said. “I talked to the defense about it. I said after the first score we’re going to bunt it, so just get ready. If we get it we still have possession, if we don’t we’ll bow our neck and play defense. We had decided that a couple of days ago.”