The absence of starters Warren Brinson and Mykel Williams early in the season is proof that the Bulldogs have suffered from defensive line injuries. Georgia may end himself in a similar predicament in the future if Miller suffers a catastrophic injury.
Due to an unusual performance, Georgia’s defense allowed Massachusetts 226 yards of rushing, but the Bulldogs pulled away in the second half to win 59-21 at Sanford Stadium.
During Georgia’s 38-point rout over Massachusetts, Kirby Smart points out a problematic spot.
The Georgia football team’s 59–21 beating of Massachusetts on Saturday didn’t feel overwhelming in every way. Head coach Kirby Smart was forthright in his assessment of one important issue.
Despite giving up fewer points than Tennessee, the Minutemen scored more points in Georgia’s 21-17 victory on Saturday. Smart, who had a reputation for being defensive, was honest about defensive issues he observed.
I don’t know if that was just tackling. Benjamin Wolk of Dawgs247Sports reports that Smart began the post-game discussion by stating, “We didn’t tackle well, but it was more than just tackling.”
In addition to the tackling mistakes, Smart saw the level of passion on both sides.
“I hate to say it, but I don’t think our guys were as prepared and motivated to play as their guys were,” Smart said. I don’t sit up here and say that their soldiers wanted it more than we did very often. They were playing tougher, pushing us, and playing more physically, for instance.
As coach, Smart had to handle with the aggressive play-calling of the Minutemen. He did, however, discuss “the biggest thing” that made him wary.
Although their RPOs and play ideas were strong, they weren’t the primary focus. I really, really want to. Smart said, “That’s the most important thing,”
Does Kirby Smart continue to struggle against Georgia’s defense?
Massachusetts instantly pushed Georgia to the test. The following move for the Minutemen was bully ball.
In their first ten plays, the Minutemen scored nine runs. Ahmad Haston broke through the middle of the Bulldogs’ defense with a 38-yard gallop. The first drive ended with a goal by CJ Hester from one yard out. The massive underdog Minutemen dominated Georgia right away, winning 7-0.
Georgia then progressively adjusted. UMass drove for ten plays, but the Bulldogs’ defense forced a punt. Raylen Wilson recovered the fumble after jumping on a loose football during Georgia’s next defensive possession. However, Massachusetts put together a 75-yard, 14-play drive in the second quarter that chewed up 7:01. The Minutemen once again used the ground-and-pound tactic because ten of those plays were planned runs. Jalen John scored from three yards out to trim the advantage to 21–14.
The Bulldogs finally stopped the game. Smart helped Georgia outscore the visitors 38–7 for the rest of the day. Smart went on to discuss the mental errors. 226 of the 351 yards his defense allowed came from handoffs, averaging 5.7 yards per carry.
Tennessee just so happened to have its way in the running game against Georgia. The Volunteers gained 152 yards on the ground and scored both points off the running approach. Two weeks prior, Ole Miss had a 28-10 victory over Georgia, amassing 134 running yards.
However, despite Smart’s run defense, UMass, a mid-major program, gained nearly 200 yards. Given that the Bulldogs are still in the running for the SEC title, the seasoned head coach was worried about it.
