Georgia Bulldogs Football: Report Cards for Mississippi State Win

Georgia came out firing against Mississippi State, holding the opposing Bulldog offense to just 213 yards.

Things are looking up for Mark Richt and the Dawgs as they head into Knoxville tied for first in the SEC East.

Let's take a look at the report cards for each position in the Dawgs big win against Mississippi State.

Quarterback

13-25, 160 yards, 2 TD, 3 INT

Aaron Murray had his worst game to date, yet the Dawgs found a way to knock off Mississippi State.

He, like the rest of the Georgia offense, came out strong in the first half, but barely came out of the locker room after halftime.

GRADE: D

Tailbacks

Isaiah Crowell: 22 carries, 104 yards

Carlton Thomas: 8 carries, 35 yards, TD

Richard Samuel IV: 9 carries, 28 yards

Georgia's tailbacks had another great day against Mississippi State, rushing for a combined 167 yards on 39 carries (4.28 yards/carry).

Crowell continues to impress in his first collegiate season, and Carlton Thomas has stepped up his game to serve as a viable backup to the talented freshman.

GRADE: A-

Wide Receivers (and Tight Ends)

Malcolm Mitchell: 5 catches, 61 yards, TD
Orson Charles: 3 catches, 46 yards, TD
Tavarres King: 2 catches, 21 yards
Michael Bennett: 1 catch, 11 yards
Chris Conley: 1 catch, 8 yards

Georgia's receivers had a solid game against Mississippi State, despite their quarterback having a rough afternoon. 

Malcolm Mitchell continues to impress as the true freshman leads Georgia in catches and yards.

Yesterday also marked the first career catch for Chris Conley, a young receiver who showed promise during spring practice.

GRADE: B+

Offensive Line

While Georgia only allowed two sacks, Aaron Murray was knocked around a lot during the course of the afternoon.

The O-line did open up quite a few holes for the running game, but failed to execute at critical short yardage situations.

GRADE: B-

Defensive Line

John Jenkins: 3 tackles (two for loss), sack
Abry Jones: 4 tackles
DeAngelo Tyson: 3 tackles
Kwame Geathers: 2 tackles

Big John Jenkins led the charge for the Bulldog defensive line, posting three tackles, including a sack and a body slam that got 90,000-plus on their feet in Sanford Stadium.

Georgia's defensive line looks to be getting stronger each game and they're consistently getting more pressure on opposing quarterbacks.

GRADE: A-

Linebackers

Mike Gilliard: 9 tackles
Amarlo Herrera: 6 tackles
Jarvis Jones: 5 tackles, 2 sacks
Cornelius Washington: 4 tackles, 2 sacks
Christian Robinson: 1 tackle
Reuben Faloughi: 1 tackle
Chase Vasser: 1 tackle

What a day for Georgia's linebackers.  Very few missed tackles, and four quarterback sacks, led by a pair from Jarvis Jones and Cornelius Washington.

Mike Gilliard has also stepped up for the Dawgs, and Christian Robinson appeared to be on the mend following his leg injury.

GRADE: A

Defensive Backs

Brandon Boykin: 6 tackles (1 for loss)
Bacarri Rambo: 6 tackles
Shawn Williams: 5 tackles, INT
Sanders Commings: 3 tackles, INT
Connor Norman: 3 tackles
Branden Smith: 1 tackle

Georgia's defensive backs had a very solid game, picking off one pass, and having three or four slip through their fingers.

They held Relf and Mississippi State to just 157 yards through the air, no touchdowns and two interceptions.

GRADE: A-

Special Teams

Blair Walsh: Made 28 yard-field goal, missed 47-yard field goal
Drew Butler: 4 punts, 42.8 yard average
Brandon Boykin: 3 punt returns, 45 yards; 2 kickoff returns, 43 yards
Branden Smith: 1 punt return, 11 yards

It was another off-day for Blair Walsh, whose 2011 struggles have puzzled Georgia fans.  His kickoffs were excellent (three touchbacks) but he missed a 47-yard field goal by a quarter mile.  To add to his troubles, a bad snap lost him an opportunity to hammer home a chip shot.

Drew Butler was his usual self punting for the Dawgs, and Brandon Boykin failed to disappoint.

GRADE: C+ (for the lack of execution on field goals)

Overall

Overall, Georgia played well for their third straight win, but the second half malaise could be cause for some concern.

Either way, Georgia has firmly placed itself in the heat of the SEC East race, and done all it has needed to do since falling to the Gamecocks.

OVERALL GRADE: A-.  A two-touchdown SEC win is always something to be happy about.