Mark Richt has enjoyed a successful tenure as the University of Georgia head football coach. With that said, however, the once smooth ride has been more tumultuous as of late, with Richt-coached teams failing to live up to the lofty standards set in his first few years at the helm.Though never known as a strict disciplinarian, the Georgia program has been plagued with off the field issues, with even more than usual incidents over the course of the past two seasons. This can’t be entirely due to Richt’s coaching philosophy, however, as Athletic Director Damon Evans was arrested and charged with a DUI in his own right, indicated the need for a culture change on a larger scale than just the football players.What matters most to fans can be summarized in terms of wins, losses and championships. Taking over for Jim Donnan in 2001, Richt quickly took the Dawgs to the top of the Southeastern Conference, winning the title in 2002, then claiming a second set of conference hardware just three short years later in 2005. An 11 win 2007 was capped with a Sugar Bowl victory, though as an at-large BCS qualifier, not SEC king, still a successful season.Over the past 3 years, however, the program seems to have taken a step back. Though Richt’s ability to recruit top talent is undisputed, that same talent has underperformed in the win column. Consider the 2008 squad, returning future first round picks Matt Stafford and Knowshown Moreno, the Dawgs ended the year in the Capitol One Bowl against Michigan State, hardly the celebration expected from the preseason’s 1 squad.Trending downward still, from Capitol One, Georgia stumbled to the Independence Bowl, now the Liberty Bowl. The trend is alarming, especially considering the top billed recruiting classes that continue to choose red & black each and every signing day, as perhaps coaches throughout the conference have figured out Richt’s trusted tacticsShould Richt be fired at this juncture? No, even including recent struggles, he ranks as one of the most decorated coaches in school history, but another subpar season or two and he might very well find out exactly how short a leash the Top Dawg has to roam.