Georgia struggles to explain defensive letdowns

Athens — There is no explanation.

That’s Georgia’s answer when asked why it suffers a 30-minute meltdown at least once a year.

Alabama was just the latest. The Crimson Tide came into Sanford Stadium two weeks ago and bolted to a 31-0 lead by the 1:25 mark of the second quarter. In less than a half-hour, the Blackout was a Blowout.

“We probably played the best half of football we’ve ever played,” said Alabama coach Nick Saban, almost apologetic for the early rout. Certainly there were special circumstances that contributed to the ambush. Penalties and turnovers committed by Georgia — it had six and two, respectively, in the first half — created a “perfect storm” that washed away the Bulldogs.

But a closer look reveals such onslaughts against Georgia are a trend, and not an exception. In the last four seasons, eight times the Bulldogs have fallen behind by or allowed three or more unanswered scores in a single half.

Two of those blitzkriegs came against Saturday’s opponent, Tennessee. In the last half of the 2006 game and the first half of the 2007 game, the Vols outscored Georgia 65-9. Not coincidentally, the Bulldogs lost both games, 35-14 last year, and 51-33 in 2006.

“The second half in ‘06 was kind of freaky the way went in at halftime up by a lot,” said linebacker Dannell Ellerbe, referring to Georgia’s 24-7 lead with 50 seconds remaining in the first half. The Vols made it 24-14 at halftime before steamrolling the Dogs with a 37-9 second half. “I guess we just relaxed. Last year it was like we never started. We look back on those two years and we don’t want to have the same outcome.”

The Bulldogs found themselves staring up at a 28-0 deficit at halftime last year at UT’s Neyland Stadium.

Georgia also has found itself giving up lots of unanswered points in previous seasons: It gave up 21 to Florida (five turnovers in first half) and Virginia Tech in 2006 (offensive issues in first half). It fell behind West Virginia 28-0 in the Sugar Bowl in 2005 (inability to stop the spread in the first half).

“That’s probably true of everybody across the country,” said Georgia head coach Mark Richt, who pointed out Oregon State’s 21-0 first-half lead over USC earlier this season. “And they’re [the Trojans] supposed to have five or six NFL first-rounders on their defense.”

Perhaps. But keeping opponents out of the end zone falls to Willie Martinez, Georgia’s defensive coordinator the last four seasons. He also has a hard time finding a common denominator.

“They’re all different. You can’t look at them all the same,” said Martinez, who succeed Brian VanGorder following the 2004 season.

On Alabama’s first series, Georgia forced a fumble on a screen pass to Glen Coffee and recovered at the 16. But the play was overturned because Akeem Dent — in the game because Dannell Ellerbe had to leave with an injury — was flagged for roughing the passer. Alabama scored a touchdown a few plays later to go ahead 7-0.

“We weren’t able to stop them on that first series and I think that was a big key to the game,” Martinez said. “We just never could grab the momentum back… . We’re not making excuses by any means. We’ve just got to keep working.”

That means perfecting the defensive philosophy, Martinez said. Changing schemes or people, he said, aren’t the answer.

“If we cut down our mistakes and are more consistent about penalties and mental errors, I think that we’re going to be fine,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Vols aren’t nearly the offensive juggernaut they have been in the past. They’re breaking in a new quarterback in sophomore Nick Stephens. They’re ranked 106th in the nation in scoring (18.0 ppg) and 97th in total offense (317.6 ypg).

But those aren’t the numbers Georgia players will be thinking about. It’s those mega-halves of the last two seasons.

“I don’t think you have to say anything,” cornerback Asher Allen said. “We were there. We know what it felt like.”