Will Friend didn’t necessarily want to do it, but he had no choice.
He gathered Georgia’s offensive linemen in their first-floor meeting room earlier this month to watch the video breakdown of their performance against Clemson last year.
It was as bad as he remembered.
“We had to watch it because all those guys are back and the defensive coordinator is back,” said Friend, referring to the Tigers’ defensive front and their defensive coordinator Brent Venables.
While the Bulldogs’ offense wasn’t exactly stymied by Clemson during last year’s 38-35 loss at Memorial Stadium — Georgia rolled up 545 yards — the Tigers clearly won the battle in the trenches. And Clemson’s front seven returns mostly intact for Saturday’s season opener against Georgia at Sanford Stadium.
“We didn’t handle it well,” Friend said of last year’s game. “We didn’t play as well against them as we would like, and they had a lot to do with that. They’re all back, so that means it’s a challenge.”
Georgia held its own on the majority of downs against the Tigers, but it had colossal breakdowns at inopportune times. Quarterback Aaron Murray was sacked four times for a total loss of 26 yards. The Bulldogs fumbled three times, though they lost it only once. A zone blitz in which Clemson dropped a defensive end into coverage resulted in an interception. Georgia’s offense was flagged for penalties seven times, including three holding calls, two illegal blocks and a false start.
It wasn’t like the Tigers were over there confusing Georgia with guile and deception. They just simply won the most important downs.
“They’re just like, ‘here we are,’” Georgia center David Andrews said. “They’re downhill players, and you’ve just got to go in there toe-to-toe and match them.”
Only one of that Clemson group will be missing. Defensive end Corey Crawford, a 6-foot-5, 275-pound senior from Columbus who recorded the aforementioned interception last season, is among four Tigers suspended for the Georgia game for an undisclosed violation of team rules. Every down lineman but one in the Tigers’ two-deep has started, and all played against Georgia last year.
Most of them made plays, too. All-American defensive end Vic Beasley (Adairsville High) had two sacks, nose guard Grady Jarrett had six tackles and a half-sack and defensive end Tavaris Barnes was credited with a sack. Outside linebacker Stephone Anthony, who will be a big part of the Tigers’ pass-rushing package, had seven tackles and a sack as well.
“Vic Beasley is where you should start,” Georgia coach Mark Richt said. “He is a guy who got two or three sacks against us last year. He had 13 sacks and 23 tackles for loss last year, 44 tackles, six pass break-ups, 12 quarterback hurries, four forced fumbles. The guy is one of the best players in America, and he is definitely a guy we are going to have to deal with.”
Both the good news and the bad news for Georgia is it will face the challenge with a revamped offensive line. The Bulldogs are breaking in two new full-time starters and have reshuffled assignments everywhere except center.
The most notable move was John Theus from right to left tackle, where he’s expected to be head up over Beasley much of the day. Kolton Houston started at right tackle against Clemson last year and did not play well. New sophomore starters man both guard positions, with Brandon Kublanow on the left and Greg Pyke on the right.
“The offensive line didn’t have a good game at all against them last year,” Theus said. “We put up some decent points and all, but as an offensive line, we didn’t do well at all. … We definitely have a challenge this year, and we’re going to come out ready to go because we know how good of a front they have.”
Despite last season’s letdowns, Georgia’s linemen insist they’re entering Saturday’s game with confidence.
“We need to prove ourselves as an offensive line against Clemson,” said the 6-6, 326-pound Pyke. “We didn’t play as well against them last year. We want to prove to the nation that no one needs to second guess the offensive line here at Georgia. I think we’re very good and we just need to open up those holes and block well for Hutson (Mason) and then those four running backs back there, which are amazing. They’re definitely going to score a lot of touchdowns.”
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