Three observations
3. Get ahold of yourself. Just don’t hold the other guy. I wonder how the referees will call this game. Mainly in terms of pass coverage. They’ve already blown a few pass interference calls so far this season. Georgia has to avoid its usual costly defensive holding and pass interference issues. The Dawgs can’t afford to gift the Vols an easy first down and 15 yards. UGA had two pass interference calls last year (Kelee Ringo and Chris Smith), one of which extended a drive that led to a Vols TD.
Some of us, like the fat guy in my mirror, need to get a grip as well.
It’s become popular to compare this Tennessee team to LSU’s juggernaut of 2019. But let’s slow it down a bit.
Hendon Hooker is not the No. 1 Draft pick like Joe Burrow.
Tennessee’s offensive line has one legit pro in Darnell Walker, but not three draft picks as LSU had up front.
The Vols have some great receivers like Jalin Hyatt, Bru McCoy, and Ramel Keyton, but they are not Jamar Chase, Jordan Jefferson, and Thaddeus Moss.
They also have a good running back in Jabari Small, but he’s not first-round pick Clyde Edwards-Helaire.
The point is, this Tennessee team is good, but not the best thing since Tawny Kitaen rolled across the hood of a Jaguar.
2. Different but effective. Tennessee and Georgia are both in the top six in scoring offenses. They just do it differently. The biggest difference is the deep ball. The Vols use it, Georgia does not.
The number of Georgia deep passes has retreated faster than the French in 1940.
The loss of AD Mitchell has curtailed even the attempts to throw deep to wide receivers. The Bulldogs have decent wideouts, but in the last 27 quarters, the Dawgs have only one pass to a wideout that went over 30 yards.
Georgia looked like a big play team against Oregon with Mitchell in the game. He has now missed seven games out of eight. The Dawgs looked explosive again versus South Carolina, but that’s like bragging about beating your grandma in Call of Duty. Neither knows what the hell is going on.
The tight ends have picked up the slack, but the lack of big plays from the wide receivers is a major issue other teams can scheme around. Maybe Arian Smith can hit the Vols for a couple of deep shots.
Still, Georgia leads the SEC in passing plays of 10 yards or more. The Dawgs have 111 of those while Tennessee has 83. But then the Vols have 19 plays that have gone for 40 or more yards. Georgia has had two. So both teams can move the ball, but just in different ways.
1. Not their first rodeo. Georgia’s players have been in this position before. Granted, some of these guys were backups or in limited roles, but they aren’t going into this game squinting at the bright lights.
Georgia’s offensive line is better than any group the Vols have faced. Alabama and Florida both threw for over 400 yards versus Tennessee. Georgia is better than both of those squads. And the Dawgs know it.
Tennessee is hitting on all cylinders but this is still the same team that went to overtime versus Pittsburgh. Pitt would later lose to Georgia Tech, a sign that you need to shutter your program.
To be fair, Georgia struggled against Missouri, but turnovers had a lot to do with that.
The point is, the Georgia players aren’t intimidated. They are focused. Playing at home means the world to them. The Bulldogs will come out and feed off of the crowd energy like your wife does your fries. You may be scared. The Dawgs ain’t.
Two Questions
2. Will Monken cut Bennett loose? Georgia has to score on the majority of its drives in this game. Last year, Bennett hurt the Vols with his legs almost as much as he did through the air, with eight carries for 58 yards and one touchdown. We haven’t seen a lot of that this season. Rolling him out has also worked great but even that tactic disappears for stretches at a time. Last year Hooker had 58 yards rushing too, but gave 51 yards back on the five sacks picked up by UGA.
Georgia’s power run game, with counters and misdirection, will be huge this week. (Yes Virginia, Georgia runs counters.) The success of the run game will open up the play action that UGA used to devastating effect against the Gators. Even today, Florida still has inside linebackers crashing the line of scrimmage. Play action will result in huge chunks of yardage plus will keep the Tennessee offense on the sideline.
Will Todd Monken stick with it? Will he use Bennett’s legs to make stopping the run that much harder? Who knows. He’s about as hard to figure out as a noon game on the SEC/ESPN Plus app.
1. What are they hiding? In other words, what does Kirby Smart have up his sleeve to at least slow the explosive, yet balanced, Tennessee offense? Smart is a defensive mastermind. He has Glenn Schumann and Will Muschamp with him. So what is their plan?
Anyone who has followed Smart for more than five minutes knows he has a Crash Davis-level of belief in man coverage and pressuring the quarterback. But the first goal in any Smart defense is always to stop the run. But that will be hard to do against this team. The Vols take what the defense gives them and use it.
I expect Georgia’s defense to move around a lot in order to disguise its intent. Schumann is going to release the reins on Jalen Carter and let him bring vertical heat. This could be the game that moves him higher up the draft boards than he already is. The Georgia safeties will be invaluable in helping out the corners and tackling in space.
Speaking of, the Bulldogs have to make those open-field tackles to stop the big chunk yardage Tennessee lives on. The linebackers will need to play vertically too, covering areas over the middle that Tennessee exploits with those breaking routes. The linebackers will be stressed having to help with the run and getting back for coverage – at the same time making sure everyone is lined up so as not to give away the easy plays that have plagued other teams.
One Prediction
I fully expect UGA to have one busted game every year. Why? It is the nature of college football and this team is no exception.
SEC Championship game last year.
Florida the year before.
South Carolina the year before that.
LSU the year before that.
Maybe that game already happened at Missouri. But maybe not.
This UGA defense is still rebuilding and not close to what it was last year. And don't quote me defensive stats. UGA hasn't faced anybody really good except for an Oregon team that was playing its first game with a new head coach.
Tennessee leads the SEC in turnovers gained. UGA is dead even with nine takeaways and nine giveaways.
No Nolan Smith? Brutal. Xavier Truss and Amarisu Mims banged up and limited? Not good. No AD Mitchell? See above.
In years past, we know this would be the scenario:
But not this year. I think the Dawgs get after Tennessee and pull out a win.
Don’t forget to join us for the Watch Along Show on Saturday.
Here’s the link: UGASports Watch Along Show with Jim Donnan: Georgia vs. Tennessee
3. Get ahold of yourself. Just don’t hold the other guy. I wonder how the referees will call this game. Mainly in terms of pass coverage. They’ve already blown a few pass interference calls so far this season. Georgia has to avoid its usual costly defensive holding and pass interference issues. The Dawgs can’t afford to gift the Vols an easy first down and 15 yards. UGA had two pass interference calls last year (Kelee Ringo and Chris Smith), one of which extended a drive that led to a Vols TD.
Some of us, like the fat guy in my mirror, need to get a grip as well.
It’s become popular to compare this Tennessee team to LSU’s juggernaut of 2019. But let’s slow it down a bit.
Hendon Hooker is not the No. 1 Draft pick like Joe Burrow.
Tennessee’s offensive line has one legit pro in Darnell Walker, but not three draft picks as LSU had up front.
The Vols have some great receivers like Jalin Hyatt, Bru McCoy, and Ramel Keyton, but they are not Jamar Chase, Jordan Jefferson, and Thaddeus Moss.
They also have a good running back in Jabari Small, but he’s not first-round pick Clyde Edwards-Helaire.
The point is, this Tennessee team is good, but not the best thing since Tawny Kitaen rolled across the hood of a Jaguar.
2. Different but effective. Tennessee and Georgia are both in the top six in scoring offenses. They just do it differently. The biggest difference is the deep ball. The Vols use it, Georgia does not.
The number of Georgia deep passes has retreated faster than the French in 1940.
The loss of AD Mitchell has curtailed even the attempts to throw deep to wide receivers. The Bulldogs have decent wideouts, but in the last 27 quarters, the Dawgs have only one pass to a wideout that went over 30 yards.
Georgia looked like a big play team against Oregon with Mitchell in the game. He has now missed seven games out of eight. The Dawgs looked explosive again versus South Carolina, but that’s like bragging about beating your grandma in Call of Duty. Neither knows what the hell is going on.
The tight ends have picked up the slack, but the lack of big plays from the wide receivers is a major issue other teams can scheme around. Maybe Arian Smith can hit the Vols for a couple of deep shots.
Still, Georgia leads the SEC in passing plays of 10 yards or more. The Dawgs have 111 of those while Tennessee has 83. But then the Vols have 19 plays that have gone for 40 or more yards. Georgia has had two. So both teams can move the ball, but just in different ways.
1. Not their first rodeo. Georgia’s players have been in this position before. Granted, some of these guys were backups or in limited roles, but they aren’t going into this game squinting at the bright lights.
Georgia’s offensive line is better than any group the Vols have faced. Alabama and Florida both threw for over 400 yards versus Tennessee. Georgia is better than both of those squads. And the Dawgs know it.
Tennessee is hitting on all cylinders but this is still the same team that went to overtime versus Pittsburgh. Pitt would later lose to Georgia Tech, a sign that you need to shutter your program.
To be fair, Georgia struggled against Missouri, but turnovers had a lot to do with that.
The point is, the Georgia players aren’t intimidated. They are focused. Playing at home means the world to them. The Bulldogs will come out and feed off of the crowd energy like your wife does your fries. You may be scared. The Dawgs ain’t.
Two Questions
2. Will Monken cut Bennett loose? Georgia has to score on the majority of its drives in this game. Last year, Bennett hurt the Vols with his legs almost as much as he did through the air, with eight carries for 58 yards and one touchdown. We haven’t seen a lot of that this season. Rolling him out has also worked great but even that tactic disappears for stretches at a time. Last year Hooker had 58 yards rushing too, but gave 51 yards back on the five sacks picked up by UGA.
Georgia’s power run game, with counters and misdirection, will be huge this week. (Yes Virginia, Georgia runs counters.) The success of the run game will open up the play action that UGA used to devastating effect against the Gators. Even today, Florida still has inside linebackers crashing the line of scrimmage. Play action will result in huge chunks of yardage plus will keep the Tennessee offense on the sideline.
Will Todd Monken stick with it? Will he use Bennett’s legs to make stopping the run that much harder? Who knows. He’s about as hard to figure out as a noon game on the SEC/ESPN Plus app.
1. What are they hiding? In other words, what does Kirby Smart have up his sleeve to at least slow the explosive, yet balanced, Tennessee offense? Smart is a defensive mastermind. He has Glenn Schumann and Will Muschamp with him. So what is their plan?
Anyone who has followed Smart for more than five minutes knows he has a Crash Davis-level of belief in man coverage and pressuring the quarterback. But the first goal in any Smart defense is always to stop the run. But that will be hard to do against this team. The Vols take what the defense gives them and use it.
I expect Georgia’s defense to move around a lot in order to disguise its intent. Schumann is going to release the reins on Jalen Carter and let him bring vertical heat. This could be the game that moves him higher up the draft boards than he already is. The Georgia safeties will be invaluable in helping out the corners and tackling in space.
Speaking of, the Bulldogs have to make those open-field tackles to stop the big chunk yardage Tennessee lives on. The linebackers will need to play vertically too, covering areas over the middle that Tennessee exploits with those breaking routes. The linebackers will be stressed having to help with the run and getting back for coverage – at the same time making sure everyone is lined up so as not to give away the easy plays that have plagued other teams.
One Prediction
I fully expect UGA to have one busted game every year. Why? It is the nature of college football and this team is no exception.
SEC Championship game last year.
Florida the year before.
South Carolina the year before that.
LSU the year before that.
Maybe that game already happened at Missouri. But maybe not.
This UGA defense is still rebuilding and not close to what it was last year. And don't quote me defensive stats. UGA hasn't faced anybody really good except for an Oregon team that was playing its first game with a new head coach.
Tennessee leads the SEC in turnovers gained. UGA is dead even with nine takeaways and nine giveaways.
No Nolan Smith? Brutal. Xavier Truss and Amarisu Mims banged up and limited? Not good. No AD Mitchell? See above.
In years past, we know this would be the scenario:
- Georgia loses.
- Everyone blames Stetson Bennett for a costly mistake or two.
- The DawgVent splits into its previous warring factions about Kirby's quarterback assessments despite the defense giving up 45 points.
- Challenges to meet at the Wachovia are issued.
- And accepted.
But not this year. I think the Dawgs get after Tennessee and pull out a win.
Don’t forget to join us for the Watch Along Show on Saturday.
Here’s the link: UGASports Watch Along Show with Jim Donnan: Georgia vs. Tennessee
