Players to Watch: Georgia's Defensive Line Needs to Bounce Back

A major key to a Georgia win is getting back to its dominating ways in the trenches defensively. How will the Georgia defensive line respond?

Truth be told in the public's eye, much the blame for Georgia's only loss to the season lays on the shoulders of two men, Stetson Bennett and Kirby Smart. As a result, much of the outage following Alabama's 29th SEC Championship was directed towards the two, especially Bennett.

Smart shouldered the blame for being "unable to evaluate and develop the quarterback position." While Bennett was the man stuck in the firing line, he does not control who starts at his position after all; that power lies at the doorstep of Kirby Smart and Todd Monken. Many believed that Bennett was not the right guy for Georgia at quarterback. Many may still think that, but the vocal part of the fanbase was silenced after Friday night's performance by the Senior QB from Blackshear, Georgia.

Bennett is one step closer to achieving the ultimate redemption of beating Alabama, a thorn in not only his side as Georgia's starting quarterback, but to the Georgia program as a whole. Alabama's seven straight victories over the Bulldogs looms over the program. If the Tide were to extend the streak to eight, it would be the second time it has happened in the title game.

For Georgia to prevent that from happening, the defensive line needs to step up to the plate once more this season and deliver as it had for all 12 of the regular-season games. A week after Alabama let up seven sacks to Auburn in the quadruple overtime Iron Bowl win, the expectation was set that Georgia's defensive line would feast on a vulnerable Crimson Tide offensive line and pressure Bryce Young. 

Instead, it was the opposite. Alabama's offensive line held Georgia to zero sacks, much of which could be credited to the dual-threat ability of Bryce Young who's elusiveness evaded Georgia’s rushers all throughout the night. Young even escaped the grasps of Travon Walker before pitching it to Brian Robinson, who picked up a positive gain. 

Georgia tried everything against Alabama in their first matchup this year, whether it was bringing pressure up the middle with blitzing linebackers and containing on the edges or switching up and bringing pressure off the edge. Alabama found an answer for all of it. 

Thankfully, Georgia got back to its relentless, physical, suffocating self in the trenches last Friday against Michigan. Georgia's defense which ranks among College Football's best for stopping the run held the Wolverines' Top-10 rushing attack to a season-low 88-yards while also sacking the quarterback four times. 

The best way of hiding a young secondary is by pressuring the quarterback and not allowing the offense to develop plays after the ball is snapped. Whether Georgia can stick to its dominating play in the trenches defensively will be a telling factor in the rematch.

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