Report Card: Georgia's Offense Gets it Going on the Ground
Noon games haven't been overly kind to No. 1 Georgia (12-0, 8-0) this season. The Bulldogs trudged to another win, this time over Georgia Tech.
Take a look at the offensive report card from their 37-14 win.
Quarterbacks - C
Couple of things here. One, Stetson Bennett did not have to be great to win this game. Georgia Tech was looking to take away the explosive passing game, and that opened up the ground game for Georgia. Two, this Georgia team has been extremely sluggish in noon games this year and Saturday was no different. With that said, Georgia’s quarterbacks were not sharp against Tech. Stetson Bennett had just 28 yards at halftime and completed just 10 passes all day. 83 of Bennett’s 140 yards came on a wheel route to Kenny McIntosh. Even the layups were clunky, with Bennett very nearly underthrowing a wide open Brock Bowers in the end zone. Carson Beck came in for mop-up duty and promptly gave away a fumble for Georgia’s only turnover of the day.
Running Backs - A
Saturday was a throwback to Georgia-Georgia Tech games of the past. Tech being feisty, and Georgia bludgeoning them with great backs. Georgia’s running backs, led by Kenny McIntosh, tallied 225 yards and 2 touchdowns on 30 carries, averaging 7.5 yards per carry. McIntosh was the focal point of the offense, adding 96 yards receiving. Daijun Edwards looks like he is getting back to the form we saw him in during the middle of the season, picking up 57 yards on just 8 carries. Kendall Milton once again put the finishing touches on an opponent, this time busting a 44-yard touchdown to put Tech away for good.
Offensive Line - A-
The only knock you can give this Georgia line continues to be short-yardage situations, Smart has referred to this as a matter of execution in the redzone though it's a relatively small sample size. Stetson Bennett and Carson Beck were not sacked, and the Bulldogs rushed for 264 yards. The offensive line continues to be the most solid unit on the team.
Wide Receiver - D
Once again, Georgia did not have to throw the ball a lot to win this game, but this was a particularly lethargic performance from the receiver room. Georgia receivers totaled just 3 receptions. Ladd McConkey’s only touch came in the run game. This is back-to-back games where Kenny McIntosh has had to bail out the Georgia offense, in large part because the Bulldogs just don’t have anyone that can win on the outside consistently. Say what you will about Stetson Bennett’s play, but nobody is getting open right now. Adonai Mitchell made a brief appearance but didn’t register a stat. Georgia’s aerial attack desperately needs him back.
Tight Ends - B
Brock Bowers showed off his incredible hands once again for a touchdown, but he and his partner, Darnell Washington, made their biggest impact in the run game. Georgia has an inherent advantage when Bowers and Washington are both in the game, and they allow Todd Monken to get creative with his run calls. Those guys were a big part of the 264 yards on the ground for Georgia.
You May Also Like:
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- Stetson Bennett Closing in on Georgia History
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