With Georgia mired in a 4-4 season, the media, the message boards and the fan base have erupted in debate. Should Bulldog coaches be held responsible? Is it the players’ fault? What should be done?
There’s no clear answer.

Here’s our two-sided look at why Georgia coaches should and should not be on the hot seat.

HEAD COACH MARK RICHT

JUST CAN’T LEAVE

The argument: Dude’s won two SEC championships in nine years. Three Eastern Division championships. Ten wins a season. Everyone has a bad one.

 Richt was 82-22 coming into the season, and has brought Georgia football back to the national spotlight.

 102 players have graduated since 2005, a problem that needed to be rectified (Richt-ified?).

 If you run off a genuinely good guy like Richt for one bad season, who the hell would want to take this job?

JUST GOTTA GO

The argument: Richt is 10-7 in his last 17 games. He has no edge, and the gimmicks are getting old. It’s just time for a change.

 If you’re on this side of the argument, his loyalty to the two coaches below could cost Richt his position. The “Nice Guy” argument also applies.

 Richt is 2-7 against Florida.

 Complacency, complacency, complacency. Richt has been successful with his ways while at Georgia, and maybe Florida, Alabama, LSU and Tennessee have passed him by keeping an edge.

DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR WILLIE MARTINEZ

JUST CAN’T LEAVE

The argument: Past success (and future potential) overrides current struggles.

 2007: Eighth nationally in sacks, 14th in total defense

 2006: Eighth nationally in total defense, fifth nationally in pass defense

 2005: Eighth nationally in scoring defense, allowing just 16.4 points per game

 There’s a lot of young talent on the 2009 defense (particularly in the secondary) that has the potential to turn things around

JUST GOTTA GO

The argument: Martinez’s defenses have allowed at least 37 points in nine of Georgia’s last 17 contests. The area he coaches (the secondary) is arguably the most beleaguered part of the defense.

 Georgia rushing defense = 60th in the country, behind teams like Duke, Troy and Kent State.

 Bulldog passing defense = 73rd in the country, with only five interceptions.

 Total defense = 68th in the country. Right behind Akron, Buffalo and Louisiana-Monroe.

OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR MIKE BOBO

JUST CAN’T LEAVE

The argument: Without Knowshon Moreno and Matthew Stafford, Bobo is still assembling an offensive identity – with the benefit of only three seniors.

 His development of David Greene, D.J. Shockley and Stafford makes him a premier groomer of signal callers. Young quarterbacks Aaron Murray and Zach Mettenberger came here for his tutelage, proving his recruiting worth.

 All except for one year of his coaching career has been spent under Richt. The two know each other inside and out.

 He’s open to new ideas, calling the last two games from the sideline.

JUST GOTTA GO

The argument: Under Bobo this season, Georgia’s total offense is 97th in the country and playcalling has been perplexing at times.

 Georgia rushing offense = No. 99 in the country. Averaging just 109 yards per game, wth only six rushing touchdowns total.

 The passing offense is 61st in the nation. Georgia quarterbacks have thrown for 13 interceptions and 15 touchdowns.

 Bobo doesn’t seem very open to changing the offense to suit personnel (read: Logan Gray).