Georgia Football: Defensive Front Key to Bulldogs Surviving Tough Stretch Ahead

Though it wasn’t always pretty, the Georgia Bulldogs defensive front made just enough plays to secure victory against the Tennessee Volunteers on Saturday.  And for a team desperately in need of an identity outside of running back Todd Gurley, such performances will be crucial as the Dawgs continue conference play.

While the box score once again was highlighted by a stellar effort from Gurley, who racked up over 200 yards rushing and two touchdowns, it was big plays by Georgia’s front seven that saved the Bulldogs from a near-upset.

In what has quickly become a pattern for the Bulldogs defense, Georgia coordinator Jeremy Pruitt dialed up pressure early and often and was successful in blowing up plays in the Volunteer backfield.  And while pressure usually disrupts opposing offenses, the Bulldogs defense seems to succeed only when its front seven applying as much heat as possible. 

Put bluntly, when Georgia’s defensive front gets a push, the unit is as impressive as any in the conference.  When it doesn’t, the results are disastrous.  There is no middle ground.

That's because the Georgia secondary continues to struggle mightily when opposing quarterbacks get time to throw the ball.  To be sure, it is difficult to cover when passers are not getting rushed, but even shorter routes across the middle of the field are consistently available to opposing signal-callers.  When the pocket breaks down, however, everyone benefits.  Even linebackers downfield in coverage can defend much more proficiently when the quarterback has to hurry his throws.

And the conflicting identities of this unit are not confined to defending the pass.  At times, Georgia seems perfectly content to give up chunks of yardage on the ground.  A few weeks ago, South Carolina’s Brandon Wilds buried Georgia’s comeback attempt with a host of clock-eating, chain-moving runs.  On Saturday, Tennessee’s Jalen Hurd had similar success at times.

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As the Bulldogs move further into a brutal stretch of seven consecutive games against SEC opposition, Pruitt must find a way to keep the defensive front’s switch toggled to the on position.  The unit can ill afford to merely show flashes.  And in theory, Georgia has the personnel to be consistently dominant up front. 

Inside linebackers Amarlo Herrera and Ramik Wilson are well-established, sure tacklers in the middle of the field.  Their backups, Reggie Carter and Tim Kimbrough have acquitted themselves tremendously well both against the run and the pass.

Outside 'backers Jordan Jenkins and Leonard Floyd are disruptive pass-rushers and true freshman linebacker Lorenzo Carter is already proving to be the stud that so many hoped for when he committed to Georgia on signing day in February. 

Additionally, Ray Drew and Josh Dawson showed on Saturday that they can foil the best laid plans of quarterbacks and sound ground attacks.

But all of these elements need to gel so that consistency replaces the occasional big plays as this defense’s calling card.  After all, as good as this front seven can be, it also has a tendency to lose its way at costly times.

Tennessee drove 83 yards for a touchdown in under 60 seconds as the first half came to a close.  Hurd broke two long runs and Justin Worley completed two long passes as the Georgia defensive line and linebackers played conservatively.  Some of that was likely schematic, but some of it was surely a reflection of effort and diligence—or lack thereof. 

And, frustratingly, that drive was not an anomaly.

Georgia opened the season with a brutal two-game stretch, and for all the Bulldogs’ struggles, the team is fortunate in some ways to be 3-1.  But the next six games against conference foes could break the Bulldogs if the defensive front doesn’t continue to step up.

To be clear, games like Saturday’s certainly give cause for optimism.  Georgia caused havoc in the Tennessee backfield. And that made the difference. 

If that happens more often, it could make the Dawgs contenders in the SEC and beyond.

Unless otherwise noted, all quotes obtained firsthand.