Bulldogs Defensive Depth Will be Tested

Georgia's defense has been touted all offseason as one of the deepest and most talented units in the country, and that's being put to the test.

Depth. It was the topic of discussion all offseason with the Georgia Bulldogs defensive unit. Many heralded this Georgia team as the deepest and most talent-laden team in the country, and for good reason. 

Now, heading toward what is essentially a divisional title game with a trip to the SEC Championship on the line against the Florida Gators Saturday, that depth will be put to the ultimate test. 

Starting safety Richard LeCounte is expected to miss several weeks after being involved in a severe motorcycle accident Saturday night in which he said he was "lucky to be alive." In addition, there are reports from Rusty Mansell of Dawgs247 that defensive tackle Julian Rochester is out for the season with a torn ACL and defensive tackle Jordan Davis is out at least three weeks with an elbow injury. 

LeCounte's absence will be a major blow to Georgia's defense. Not only is he a preseason All-America, but he's also the leader on that side of the ball. His absence cannot be overstated. 

However, the loss of Davis for the next several weeks is borderline devastating for the unit. Davis is the key to Georgia's dominant run defense. The 6-foot-6, 340-pound nose tackle is the primary reason for the freedom Georgia's linebackers have possessed over the last three seasons. The last 14 iterations of the Worlds Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party have been won by the team with the most rushing yards, and missing a massive run stopper will be difficult to deal with. 

LeCounte, Davis, and Rochester aren't the only defensive players that left the Kentucky game with injuries. Others are:

• LB Monty Rice: Foot
• LB Quay Walker: Left game 
• S Lewis Cine: Left game
• DB Tyrique Stevenson: Left game
• CB DJ Daniel: DNP (Ankle)

It's also worth noting that Georgia historically has a bye week prior to the annual matchup with Florida. However, because of an outbreak of COVID-19 positives on several teams in the conference, Georgia's bye week was moved up to the week before the Kentucky matchup.

There is also the reality that Florida is averaging a staggering 42.0 points per game through its first four games of the season. 

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