This week we have an optimistic Georgia 3-2-1 Report. A glass-half-full report coming from the folks I speak to each week.
I’m also optimistic about your chances to win tickets to the SEC Championship game. Our sponsor, Krystal, has teamed up with Dr. Pepper to set this up. Here are the details.
Three observations
3. Good luck with that. Seems all anyone can talk about is the Tennessee offense versus Georgia’s defense. Reminds me of a hot girl in Vegas trying to talk her way past a no-neck bouncer to get backstage. Something has to give.
The strumpet in this case operates at turbo speed and has 19 plays of over 25 yards. Sixteen went for touchdowns. Gulp. The Vols also run the ball well versus a balanced box since everyone is worried about the big plays in the passing game.
But here’s the rub. Tennessee and the Mays brothers come up just short on the offensive line. The Vols have given up as many sacks on the field as they have in McDonald's parking lots. So look for Georgia to continue its relentless attack against the run and enough pressure on Hendon Hooker to force some lost yardage plays.
The key will be getting lined up quickly and executing. No eye violators. Tennessee will hit some big plays but the Georgia defense is going to feast on that o-line and get off the field.
2. The other side of the story. We don’t hear as much about Georgia’s offense versus Tennessee’s defense. It is worth noting that the Vols defense is dead last in the SEC at stopping teams on third down. In fact, teams are converting third downs on them at over 48 percent. The Volunteers are also near the bottom in total defense and scoring defense. A real Achilles heel for Tennessee has been stopping the quarterback run or scramble. Matt Corral made himself a lot of money by running for over 200 yards against them. As Brent Hubbs of our Tennessee site pointed out, the Vols are extremely vulnerable over the middle of the field as their safeties have truly redefined the meaning of that word.
Georgia will attack the edges of that big front and hit a lot of play action passes on those linebackers and safeties. This will be a great opportunity for Stetson Bennett and JT Daniels to show off all the weapons the Dawgs now have. Jermaine Burton back? Check. Kearis Jackson looking like his old self? Check. Darnell Washington back? Check. Brock Bowers on the bus? Check. Add in a few passes to the tailbacks...
While everyone is focused on Hooker, there should be a lot of explosive plays by Georgia as well.
1. Coaching pride. Want to piss off Kirby Smart and Dan Lanning? Just talk about challenging their defense. Florida torched the Dawgs in 2020. Smart and company have razed that program to the ground, taken its top recruits and salted the earth. Now folks are questioning if the UGA defense can hold up. Georgia will be ready. Look for Travon Walker and Jalen Carter to pound the Volunteer offensive line. Nakobe Dean, Channing Tindall and Quay Walker (who is still waiting for his tossed UT hat to land) are going to be flying around the field.
After UGA beat Missouri last week 43-6, Quay Walker addressed the team in the locker room before Kirby Smart had the chance for his normal postgame remarks. Walker pointed out Georgia hadn’t quite played up to its standard and that they needed to come out focused from now on. That wasn’t coach-speak. That was an impromptu address given by a leader.
Two Questions
2. How will the Dawgs replace Adam Anderson? We don’t know when or if Anderson will be back. So where does UGA go from here? Part of Smart’s philosophy on defense is using the specific skillsets of his players in packages that get the most out of them. Got a fast guy? Put him here. Strong guy? Let’s call this. Losing Anderson is huge because there just aren’t that many guys who can play the run, then rush the passer and then go play star. At his size? He’s rarer than a polka dotted unicorn.
Look for a combination of Robert Beal and MJ Sherman to fill in, plus a few defensive packages that put in all three of Georgia’s inside linebackers. Smart did that at Alabama some and again in 2017. UGA wil plug and play according to the down and distance, utilizing each guy’s specific skillset. Lanning and Dan Schumann will be busy.
What will help is that all the pressure from the other talented players on the field will support what any of these guys may lack one on one.
1. Can Georgia continue to dominate? If you thought I was going to skip special teams then you don’t read these columns enough. Missouri had the first real kick return and punt return UGA has seen all season. And Tennessee has a weapon in Velus Jones Jr. He leads the SEC in kick returns. The Dawgs need to corral him and make Hooker go the length of the field.
I wouldn't worry overall though. Watch the interviews we have with the Georgia players and you can see the pride they have in blocking kicks, extra points, and field goals. Those used to be automatic as Dash ordering a Corona. “Sir, this is a Wendy’s.”
Also, watch Kearis Jackson on punt returns. He is so close to housing one. Kenny McIntosh is healthy now too and that could lead to the Dawgs taking a kick return all the way back. Aside from the bad news on Arian Smith, Georgia’s skill players are getting healthy at the perfect time.
One Prediction
Georgia feels really good about this game. The defense has been conditioning for the high tempo for three weeks. The offense is getting back some real playmakers. Of course, there were two big games I really thought UGA was going to take someone to the woodshed, based on what I heard from inside the program. They lost to LSU and Auburn. Sometimes confidence is rewarded with a lesson in humility.
But I just can’t convince even my evil, little Munson-like heart, that everything will go wrong in Knoxville. I mean, hell, it could. The turf up there has derailed many a Georgia season. Georgia has lost some key players but what other team could overcome such losses? Few, if any.
I predicted earlier that the Dawgs would finish the regular season undefeated.
I am sticking with that prediction.
Pinky swear.
I’m also optimistic about your chances to win tickets to the SEC Championship game. Our sponsor, Krystal, has teamed up with Dr. Pepper to set this up. Here are the details.
Three observations
3. Good luck with that. Seems all anyone can talk about is the Tennessee offense versus Georgia’s defense. Reminds me of a hot girl in Vegas trying to talk her way past a no-neck bouncer to get backstage. Something has to give.
The strumpet in this case operates at turbo speed and has 19 plays of over 25 yards. Sixteen went for touchdowns. Gulp. The Vols also run the ball well versus a balanced box since everyone is worried about the big plays in the passing game.
But here’s the rub. Tennessee and the Mays brothers come up just short on the offensive line. The Vols have given up as many sacks on the field as they have in McDonald's parking lots. So look for Georgia to continue its relentless attack against the run and enough pressure on Hendon Hooker to force some lost yardage plays.
The key will be getting lined up quickly and executing. No eye violators. Tennessee will hit some big plays but the Georgia defense is going to feast on that o-line and get off the field.
2. The other side of the story. We don’t hear as much about Georgia’s offense versus Tennessee’s defense. It is worth noting that the Vols defense is dead last in the SEC at stopping teams on third down. In fact, teams are converting third downs on them at over 48 percent. The Volunteers are also near the bottom in total defense and scoring defense. A real Achilles heel for Tennessee has been stopping the quarterback run or scramble. Matt Corral made himself a lot of money by running for over 200 yards against them. As Brent Hubbs of our Tennessee site pointed out, the Vols are extremely vulnerable over the middle of the field as their safeties have truly redefined the meaning of that word.
Georgia will attack the edges of that big front and hit a lot of play action passes on those linebackers and safeties. This will be a great opportunity for Stetson Bennett and JT Daniels to show off all the weapons the Dawgs now have. Jermaine Burton back? Check. Kearis Jackson looking like his old self? Check. Darnell Washington back? Check. Brock Bowers on the bus? Check. Add in a few passes to the tailbacks...
While everyone is focused on Hooker, there should be a lot of explosive plays by Georgia as well.
1. Coaching pride. Want to piss off Kirby Smart and Dan Lanning? Just talk about challenging their defense. Florida torched the Dawgs in 2020. Smart and company have razed that program to the ground, taken its top recruits and salted the earth. Now folks are questioning if the UGA defense can hold up. Georgia will be ready. Look for Travon Walker and Jalen Carter to pound the Volunteer offensive line. Nakobe Dean, Channing Tindall and Quay Walker (who is still waiting for his tossed UT hat to land) are going to be flying around the field.
After UGA beat Missouri last week 43-6, Quay Walker addressed the team in the locker room before Kirby Smart had the chance for his normal postgame remarks. Walker pointed out Georgia hadn’t quite played up to its standard and that they needed to come out focused from now on. That wasn’t coach-speak. That was an impromptu address given by a leader.
Two Questions
2. How will the Dawgs replace Adam Anderson? We don’t know when or if Anderson will be back. So where does UGA go from here? Part of Smart’s philosophy on defense is using the specific skillsets of his players in packages that get the most out of them. Got a fast guy? Put him here. Strong guy? Let’s call this. Losing Anderson is huge because there just aren’t that many guys who can play the run, then rush the passer and then go play star. At his size? He’s rarer than a polka dotted unicorn.
Look for a combination of Robert Beal and MJ Sherman to fill in, plus a few defensive packages that put in all three of Georgia’s inside linebackers. Smart did that at Alabama some and again in 2017. UGA wil plug and play according to the down and distance, utilizing each guy’s specific skillset. Lanning and Dan Schumann will be busy.
What will help is that all the pressure from the other talented players on the field will support what any of these guys may lack one on one.
1. Can Georgia continue to dominate? If you thought I was going to skip special teams then you don’t read these columns enough. Missouri had the first real kick return and punt return UGA has seen all season. And Tennessee has a weapon in Velus Jones Jr. He leads the SEC in kick returns. The Dawgs need to corral him and make Hooker go the length of the field.
I wouldn't worry overall though. Watch the interviews we have with the Georgia players and you can see the pride they have in blocking kicks, extra points, and field goals. Those used to be automatic as Dash ordering a Corona. “Sir, this is a Wendy’s.”
Also, watch Kearis Jackson on punt returns. He is so close to housing one. Kenny McIntosh is healthy now too and that could lead to the Dawgs taking a kick return all the way back. Aside from the bad news on Arian Smith, Georgia’s skill players are getting healthy at the perfect time.
One Prediction
Georgia feels really good about this game. The defense has been conditioning for the high tempo for three weeks. The offense is getting back some real playmakers. Of course, there were two big games I really thought UGA was going to take someone to the woodshed, based on what I heard from inside the program. They lost to LSU and Auburn. Sometimes confidence is rewarded with a lesson in humility.
But I just can’t convince even my evil, little Munson-like heart, that everything will go wrong in Knoxville. I mean, hell, it could. The turf up there has derailed many a Georgia season. Georgia has lost some key players but what other team could overcome such losses? Few, if any.
I predicted earlier that the Dawgs would finish the regular season undefeated.
I am sticking with that prediction.
Pinky swear.
