Breakdowns bedevil Georgia defense

By Andy Johnston

For the AJC

ATHENS -- Ryan Mallett’s three touchdown passes were remarkably similar in Arkansas’ 31-24 victory over Georgia on Saturday. On all three, his receivers were wide open, leaving Bulldogs defenders and coaches searching for answers to the breakdowns.

"One or two is [Mallett] making a play, two or three is us not executing the calls," Georgia defensive coordinator Todd Grantham said. "I think it ends up being a combination of both. It’s just not one recurring theme. But overall, we have to improve the way we match things and the way we read routes."

Mallett threw for 380 yards, 119 of which came on the scoring passes of 57 yards to tight end Chris Gragg, 22 to running back Ronnie Wingo Jr. and 40 on the game winner to receiver Greg Childs with 15 seconds left.

The pass to Gragg was reminiscent of Louisiana-Lafayette’s lone score, when tight end Ladarius Green caught safety Bacarri Rambo looking into the backfield and was alone on a 60-yard scoring reception in Georgia’s season-opening 55-7 victory.

"We were very undisciplined with our eyes," Georgia coach Mark Richt said. "When you watch the backfield and the action of the quarterback and that kind of thing, then you fall asleep.

"I know we had some safeties out of position at times."

Mallett had plenty of time on most of his 33 attempts and was sacked only once, by linebacker Cornelius Washington late in the fourth quarter. He had consecutive completions of 27 and 24 yards on the Razorbacks’ second touchdown drive. Mallett also hit Joe Adams on a 39-yard pass to set up a field goal and on a 34-yarder on a third-quarter scoring drive.

“Mainly, we just have to stay with our guys,” linebacker Christian Robinson said. “For the most part, we just have to execute and run the play. I feel like we did that on some plays and then we’d give up some big plays. We just have to be consistent with that.”

Mallett led the SEC with 30 touchdown passes in 2009, but he had only four in opponents’ home stadiums. He nearly matched that total with three against Georgia in Arkansas’ first road game of the season.

On Wingo’s touchdown to give the Razorbacks a 24-10 lead in the third quarter, he ran a wheel route up the sideline and sped right past Robinson and the linebackers.

There was nobody behind them, and Wingo caught the ball at the goal line.

And then on the game-winning throw, Mallett found an open Childs in stride down the sideline. He sidestepped safety Shawn Williams and sprinted into the end zone.

“You don’t point fingers,” Robinson said. “If there’s one weak link, it’s all of us. We’re one team. We just have to get better.”