ATHENS — Georgia and Tennessee coaches spent much of this week breaking down film of each other and compiling a gameplan for today’s rivalry reunion at Sanford Stadium.
Bulldogs coach Mark Richt likely cringed while watching ferocious Tennessee safety Eric Berry unload on defenseless receivers across the middle. Vols coach Phil Fulmer likely shook his head watching Knowshon Moreno sky over top of defenseless tacklers sliding under his body.
As frightening as those players were to plan for, no tape causes larger concerns for either coach as watching film of their own team.
The Bulldogs enter the game in search of answers to a myriad of questions realized during a blowout loss against Alabama two weeks ago. Tennessee is in search of answers to questions
realized every week its unproductive offense takes the field.
Regardless, both coaches know the keys to victory today in Athens don’t only lie in solving the opponent — rather in solving themselves.
And that their
season goals hang in the balance based on that ability.
“I believe that we have a bright future ahead of us,” Richt said. “This game is huge in how our season is going to be remembered.”
Right now it is being remembered for one 30-minute period against Alabama that staggered the momentum UGA carried over from last season.
Many fingers point toward the offensive line that still adjusted to players filling new positions and couldn’t score a point in the first half of the game. They will be tested again this week by the Volunteers defense that leads the Southeastern Conference in fewest yards allowed per play at 3.4.
Tennessee (2-3 overall, 0-2 in SEC) is yet to allow a 100-yard rusher on the season and are allowing only 244.5 yards of offense a game, fifth nationally. They also haven’t allowed a rushing TD in 16 quarters.
Still, the Bulldogs will stay confident if their recently restructured offensive line can give QB Matt Stafford time and Moreno a crease, then they can retaliate for the 51 points Tennessee hung on them at Sanford Stadium in 2006 — the most by any team during the Richt era.
“I think we have settled in to our positions pretty good,” Richt said of the offensive line. “I do believe we have the right guys in the right spot and we are subbing properly. There is no question we will get better.”
Defensively, Georgia (4-1, 1-1) hopes to take advantage of the Tennessee offense that has failed in nearly every aspect this year. Running back Arian Foster could have been an NFL Draft pick after last season, but opted to return. He has yet to rush for a touchdown and is averaging 67.2 yards a game. Yet, Foster has been a Bulldog killer: In his last two games against Georgia, he has run for 161 yards and six touchdowns.
“He’s probably really
excited about the opportunity,” Richt said.
The same can be said for Tennessee sophomore QB Nick Stephens. Fulmer decided to drop starter Jonathon Crompton after a loss to Alabama and went to Stephens last week against Northern Illinois of the
Mid-American Conference. Stephens connected on 10-of-17 passes for 156 yards, but the Vols only managed one touchdown in sneaking by the Huskies, 13-9.
Again, Stephens believes the team’s problems today will be encapsulated in its own huddle.
“I feel like if we don’t stop ourselves and keep moving the ball we are going to be able to put a lot of points on the board,” said Stephens, from the same Dallas Metroplex area as Stafford.
Georgia’s defense was overwhelmed by a powerful Alabama running game and hopes to get well against the Vols ailing offense.
The Bulldogs will be looking for more pressure on the quarterback from the front four and it was hinted this week we could see more blitzes from coordinator Willie Martinez. The team cannot afford to give Stephens time to sit in the pocket as they did Alabama’s John Parker Wilson, who completed 13-of-16 passes and was sacked once on a Rennie Curran blitz.
“We have shown spurts of being a good defense, we just have to be more consistent,” cornerback Asher Allen said. “I think consistency is something we have to stress.”
That all starts from within and despite a wide disparity in wins and losses this season, Richt believes execution will be the difference.
“I don’t think there is a whole lot of difference between the two of our teams in terms of our personnel and ability to win the game,” he said. “It’s up to us.”
