Troy vs. Georgia: Game Grades, Analysis for the Bulldogs

The Georgia Bulldogs got back on track with a resounding 66-0 victory over the Troy Trojans on Saturday.  Thanks to an early lead, the Dawgs were able to play a lot of young players and try a few things out.

Georgia ran the ball well and threw it efficiently on offense.  Defensively, secondary struggles remained a factor, but a few forced turnovers kept Troy off the scoreboard.  Notably, the special teams units rebounded nicely from last week's nightmare against South Carolina.

Here are position group game grades and analysis for both halves. 

Position Unit	First-Half Grade	Second-Half Grade
Passing Offense	B	B
Rushing Offense	A+	A+
Pass Defense	C-	C+
Run Defense	A	A
Special Teams	A+	A
Coaching	B+	A-

Georgia Bulldogs Grade Analysis

Passing Offense

Hutson Mason threw the ball well, but the most encouraging sign of the day in the passing game was the performance by his backup, Brice Ramsey, and several young receivers.  The future of this Georgia passing attack is very bright.  Young receivers Kenneth Towns, Shakenneth Williams and tight end Jeb Blazevich all made impressive receptions.  Even Faton Bauta, the third-team quarterback, was impressive late in the game.

Rushing Offense

Georgia ran the ball at will in the first half.  Todd Gurley was lightly used but still racked up over 70 yards on just six carries, and Sony Michel turned seven carries into three touchdowns and 138 first-half yards.  The ground attack was equally potent in the second half when Isaiah McKenzie and Brendan Douglas got involved.  Surpassing the 350-yard mark as a team is a solid accomplishment, regardless of the opponent.

Pass Defense

Yet again, Georgia's pass defense left much to be desired—especially early.  In the first half, four different Troy receivers hauled in passes in excess of 18 yards.  Any time Georgia failed to disrupt the passer, long completions were a possibility.  

The performance against the pass improved slightly in the last half of the game, but Troy still had a number of big plays through the air.  Several young Bulldogs, most notably Rico Johnson and Tramel Terry, looked strong in the secondary.

Run Defense

Goergia's run defense was stellar throughout the day. Troy committed to establishing the run early but failed to do so.  As a result, the Trojan offense became either one-dimensional or ineffective. 

Special Teams

Kicker Marshall Morgan got back on track in the first half with a field goal, and return specialist Isaiah McKenzie ran a punt back for a score.  Later in the game, Reggie Davis put together a highlight of his own on a punt return, though he did not score.  Fantastic showing by the special teams units.

Coaching

The best coaching done by this Georgia staff came in substitutions.  The Bulldog coaches did a nice job of getting young guys playing time early and often and keeping stars like Todd Gurley away from unnecessary wear and tear.  Any criticisms of the coaching after a 66-0 victory are misplaced.

Unless otherwise noted, all stats courtesy of NCAA.com.