Keys to a Georgia Victory over LSU

This year's SEC Championship game is a classic David vs. Goliath matchup.  This is arguably the Dawgs' biggest game since the ill fated "Blackout Game" against Alabama in 2008.  The overrated Georgia football team was brought down to earth with a resounding thud by Nick Saban's renewed Crimson Tide, and the UGA program has struggled to find an identity since.  Furthermore, the SEC West began a reign of dominance that the SEC East has yet to eclipse.

The 2011 Georgia Bulldogs have an opportunity to turn the page on a painful 3 years on Saturday and begin to regain some of their swagger.  They are arguably the hottest team in college football, aside from the Bayou Bengal Tigers. 

So, how does Georgia shed the monkey off their back and bring home their first conference championship title since 2005?  With some sound coaching and a little bit of luck, UGA can remain competitive and steal a victory against a heavily favored LSU team.

Get Healthy, and Quickly

The Dawgs have done a great job of utilizing each player on the roster while dealing with the attrition of suspensions and injuries. 

Isaiah Crowell has been banged up all season.  There is no doubt that the Bulldogs are a different team with him in the lineup.  If Crowell can't go, it should be a very long day for the Dawgs. 

However, he is just the tip of the iceberg. 

Richard Samuel has been out since the Florida game, and his depth will be crucial on Saturday.  Samuel is a more physical runner, and his size and violence running the football will be key against a big and dominant LSU defense. 

DeAngelo Tyson was lost on the second play against Georgia Tech.  Any injuries on defense are crucial not just from a talent standpoint but depth as well.  Tyson has been a rock in the middle of Georgia's defense, and with LSU able to rotate running backs Spencer Ware, Michael Ford, and Alfred Blue, Georgia must be able to rotate in fresh and healthy linemen.  Kwame Geathers and John Jenkins assumed more reps and performed admirably against Georgia Tech, but the Dawgs need Tyson's senior leadership against a seasoned Tigers offensive line.

In short, the Dawgs have battled injuries all season, and have managed to win 10 games while shuffling through different lineups and running backs.  However, when playing a team like the 2011 LSU Tigers, the Dawgs will need all hands ready to go to compete.

Special Teams Must Finally Show Up

Assuming that Georgia's defense comes to play, field position and big plays on special teams will be critical.  Georgia has given up big plays on punt and kickoff returns all season long, and preseason award winners Blair Walsh and Drew Butler have had pedestrian seasons at best.  Tiger kicker Drew Alleman and punter Brad Wing have handled the spotlight well to date, and there is no reason to believe that Georgia can win this battle.

Georgia, however, has playmakers in these positions, and they simply need these players to live up to their expectations. 

Senior kicker Blair Walsh has suffered through a nightmarish season so far.  The preseason All-SEC kicker had a chance to eclipse the conference's all time scoring mark before the 2011 campaign.  He is 18 of 29 on field goals this season, and has a confidence problem.  Brandon Bogotay has begun alternating kicks in light of his struggles. 

Georgia needs Walsh to find his groove in a bad way against LSU.  Missed field goals may be critical for field position if this game comes down to defense.  The Bulldogs cannot afford to give the Tigers a short field to work with on offense, and they will need every point they can muster against a stingy and opportunistic LSU defense.

Senior punter Drew Butler has been a Playboy preseason All American for two consecutive seasons.  The Bulldogs will definitely be punting against the stout LSU defense, and will need to match, if not win, the advantage in field position that LSU's Brad Wing brings to the table.  Plenty of punts inside the 20 will be just what the doctor ordered against playmakers like Tyrann Mathieu of LSU.

Finally, Georgia simply cannot give up big plays on punts and kickoffs.  In a game where (hopefully) points are at a premium, a big return by LSU could destroy Georgia's chances.  On the flip side, Branden Smith and Brandon Boykin are capable of breaking a big return at any time.  A big special teams play for Georgia could ignite the Bulldogs and swing momentum, something Georgia will definitely need on Saturday.

 Let's hope that the Dawg's special teams have saved their best for last.

Win the Turnover Battle

Both Georgia and LSU have thrived off turnover margin this season.  Through 12 games, LSU ranks #1 in turnover margin while Georgia comes in at #15.  Georgia simply MUST protect the football against LSU to have a chance in this game.

LSU's defense boasts ball-hawks such as Tyrann Mathieu who would rather strip the ball first and wrap up the ball-carrier second.  Georgia's running backs must guard the football at all costs and avoid costly turnovers.  Georgia running backs Brandon Harton and Ken Malcome have suffered fumble-itis through stretches of the 2011 season, and having a healthy Isaiah Crowell and Richard Samuel will alleviate some of this burden. 

On the other side of the field, LSU's running backs have protected the ball well this season.  In order to force turnovers, Georgia's defense must harass and rush quarterback Jordan Jefferson's decision making.  Speed pass rusher Jarvis Jones coming off the edge will be key for the Bulldogs, as will having big bodies such as DeAngelo Tyson, John Jenkins, and Kwame Geathers shoring up the middle of the line at nose tackle.  Don't expect to see Jarrett Lee and his pick-sixes in this game, Bulldog fans.  Jefferson has won the starting quarterback job outright at LSU, and the only way he enters this game is if Jefferson gets hurt or Georgia is getting blown out in the fourth quarter.

Consequently, Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray must avoid the key turnovers that seem to plague him when the game is on the line (paging Jadeveon Clowney?).  Murray cannot force the issue against the opportunistic LSU defense.  He must throw the ball away at times, take a sack if needed, and take what the defense gives him.  This will require a degree of trust in the Georgia defense to get the job done.  I have watched every single LSU football game this season from here in Baton Rouge, and their offense is only average when they are required to drive the length of the field.  Murray would be best served to let the defense do their job.

Keep Up with the Coaches

The much maligned Georgia coaching staff has shined in recent weeks, and perhaps enjoyed their best game together against in-state rival Georgia Tech.  The Dawg coaching staff will need to build on that momentum this weekend.

Perhaps no coach will be under a bigger microscope on Saturday than Georgia offensive coordinator Mike Bobo.  For the past few seasons, the Georgia fans' call that "Bobo must go-go" have amplified with each week.  Predictability has plagued the former Georgia quarterback turned coach, and to be fair, much of it is deserved.  Bobo has dialed his playcalling up a notch this season, and must be commended for what he has done with the instability at running back and the loss of playmaker A.J Green to the Cincinnati Bengals.  Bobo will need to call his best game to match wits with legendary defensive coordinator John Chavis of the Tigers.

Balance on offense will be the key for Georgia.  This is difficult to achieve against a Chavis coached defense.  Chavis is a master of figuring out what you are trying to do, and then taking that away from you.  Georgia cannot be one-dimensional on offense and win.  Aaron Murray is not capable of winning this game by himself.  Georgia will need to establish some sort of running game early, ideally starting fast just like Arkansas did, and then adjust to what Chavis tries to take away. 

Defensively, LSU is dominant, but if there is a weakness that the Bulldogs can exploit, it is at tight end.  Georgia's Orson Charles enjoyed his best game against Georgia Tech, and Aaron Murray will need to rely on him as a safety valve in the face of the blitzing LSU Tigers.  Bobo's running backs should largely be used as extra blockers on passing plays, and Charles is more than capable of matching up against any linebacker in the country.  If Murray can establish Charles as a legitimate threat early in the game, it will force LSU into different matchups and schemes, which should open up different avenues for attack for the Bulldogs.  Don't expect freshman wideout Malcolm Mitchell to be a big factor in this game, as LSU standout defensive back Morris Claiborne is a projected top ten pick in next year's NFL Draft. Georgia wideouts Michael Bennett, Marlon Brown, or Tavarres King need to step up and have a big game against Tyrann Mathieu.  If Tiger safety Eric Reid remains out for the game, Mathieu will move to safety and Georgia recievers can matchup well against the Tigers backups. Even if Mathieu stays at cornerback, he has proven (paging Dre Kirkpatrick?) that if he can't beat you, he'll cheapshot you to get you out of the game. 

Todd Grantham will have his boys ready to go.  He proved that he can slow down the option attack against triple-option Georgia Tech by introducing bigger and more physical cornerbacks into his 3-4 scheme.  LSU has become more of a speed option team since the Alabama game. 

The two most troubling matchups for Georgia's defense are the emergence of physical running back Kenny Hilliard and Tiger wideout Rueben Randle.  When LSU can establishes a running game with their quartet (Ware, Blue, Hilliard, and Ford), the Dawgs will be forced to match up one-on-one with physical, 6'4 junior wideout Rueben Randle.  This could also open up one-on-one matchups with speedy wideouts Russell Shepard and Odell Beckham.  Georgia's speed pash rush with Jarvis Jones must get to Jefferson before he can set his feet to throw, and force him into an early decision with the football.

The head coaching battle should be interesting to say the least.  Two years ago, the Tiger faithful were ready to run Les Miles out of Baton Rouge.  Now, he is being hailed by some as LSU's best coach ever.  Georgia's Mark Richt has a long way to go with the Bulldog faithful to eclipse Vince Dooley as the school's greatest coach.  However, Richt and his Dawgs have come a long way since an 0-2 start to the season.  There is even talk of a contract extension for Richt at the season's end.  Richt has long been criticized for being too conservative, while Miles falls at the other end of the spectrum. 

Suffice it to say, Coach Richt may have to summon his inner "Mad Hatter" for the Bulldogs to pull off the upset.

The Crowd Must Finish

The Georgia crowd must stay behind this team from start to finish.  Period.

Earlier in the season, I wrote an article about my disappointment in the Georgia crowd after the South Carolina loss.  I am happy to say that the football team proved me right, and hopefully all of that dissent in our ranks is now a distant memory.

The Georgia Dome should be a home away from home for the Dawgs.  LSU famously travels well, arguably better than any team in the country.  However, Athens is about 70 miles from the Dome, and it shouldn't take much for the fan base to be hungry for this game. 

Georgia hasn't won an SEC championship since 2005.  Six long years have seemed longer with a #1 preseason ranking sandwiched between 2005 and last season's disappointing 6-7 record.  The Dawgs have made great strides this season and have been rewarded with an SEC East championship and a berth in Atlanta.

Georgia fans, make no mistake about the fact that this LSU team and its fans do not respect you.  I live here in Baton Rouge, and I can tell you with no reservations that LSU's fan base is taking the Dawgs lightly.

I say, let them.

We should be comfortable playing the underdog (UnderDawg?).  We have fought through adversity all season, and there are many in our ranks that wrote this team off after the South Carolina game.  This football team stayed the course, and should be commended for a job well done.

There is no excuse for our fans to sit on their hands here.  Our team will need all the help they can get.  This should be a virtual home game for our team, so rally around them, and bring the noise!

Let's Finish the Drill

It wasn't too long ago, on a Saturday afternoon in Knoxville in 2001, that Mark Richt and Georgia showed the mighty Tennessee Volunteers and the rest of the SEC that the Bulldogs were back.  Famously, UGA radio commentator and legend Larry Munson proclaimed, "We just stepped on their face with a hobnail boot and broke their nose!  We just crushed their face!"

After the game, Mark Richt brought his players together in the locker room and wouldn't let them celebrate.  He put them through a series of pregame warmups, and at its completion, proclaimed, "Now you've finished the drill!" 

In seasons since, Richt's teams haven't finished the drill.  They have underachieved, much to the dismay of the Bulldog faithful.

It has been a rough stretch for us.

Our mascot died.

We had a losing season.

We lost our voice in Hall-of-Fame announcer Larry Munson.

Let's heed his words.  Just before he proclaimed to "Look at the Sugar falling from the sky!", he implored our Bulldogs to "Hunker Down!" 

Let's pull together and send him out the right way, with an improbable SEC Championship.

Thanks for the read, and Go Dawgs!