ATHENS — Georgia held full-contact practices in full pads Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday this week, highly unusual for any game week, but especially rare in Week 12 of a 13-week regular season.
The reason for all the extra contact is Saturday’s opponent, Georgia Tech — or, more specifically, Tech’s offense.
The 13th-ranked Bulldogs (9-2) are bound and determined to get a handle on the No. 23 Yellow Jackets’ spread option, which has given them fits the past three seasons. The only way to do that, Georgia reasoned, is to be as physical in preparing for it Monday through Thursday as it will be when facing it Saturday.
“There are two things you’ve got to get ready for,” Georgia coach Mark Richt explained. “One is the scheme of it. The thought process for a defense is so much different than it is everybody else we play. But there’s also a physical aspect of it you’ve got to try to defend, and that’s the cut block.
“So we’ve had to spend time doing that, and you can’t practice that with anything but pads on going full speed and letting your scout team get after them. Hopefully they’ve gotten after them good enough for us to get better at it.”
The Bulldogs haven’t been very good at it so far. Though 2-1 against Tech since coach Paul Johnson arrived with his spread option, Georgia has yet to break the code of Tech’s run-first offense.
The Jackets have rolled up 1,025 yards rushing in their past three games against the Bulldogs, an average of 341 yards per game. Even when Georgia won 42-34 last season, it gave up 411 yards on the ground.
Indications are that Georgia should be better at stopping the run. The Bulldogs enter Saturday’s game ranked No. 2 in the nation against the run (81.27 ypg), No. 2 in third-down defense (28.3 percent) and No. 4 in total defense (263.5). That would seem the perfect converse to Tech’s offense, which is No. 2 nationally in rushing (323.6 ypg) and No. 2 in third-down conversions (56.1 percent).
Not necessarily so, however.
“I don’t think it matters what you are ranked against the rush when it comes to playing Georgia Tech’s offense,” Richt said. “If you played Georgia Tech, Navy and Georgia Southern, you aren’t going to lead the nation in rush defense. That’s what they do, and they do it so well.
“The teams that we’ve been playing are a little bit more conventional in what they’re doing. The type of running game we are about to see is not the same, and the percentage of run-pass is very different.”
Georgia’s success against the run this season is more of a mental advantage than anything, defensive coordinator Todd Grantham said.
“It provides confidence,” he said. “Our players are confident in their abilities. Obviously it’s a challenge [to face Tech’s offense] because it’s unique. But we’ve had challenges before, and we look forward to playing them.”
It helps that the Bulldogs have seen it before. Nine of Georgia’s 11 defensive starters went against it last year. The other two — nose guard John Jenkins and outside linebacker Jarvis Jones — represent athletic upgrades at their respective positions.
Meanwhile, Grantham figures to have a better scheme for it in Year 2 of his 3-4 defense.
“Anytime you’ve done something, the continuity of doing it allows you to play faster and a little better,” Grantham said. “I think our personnel is equipped well. The guys that we’ve got understand football. It’s just a matter of watching tape and understanding where you need to fit and play hard.”
Regardless, it’s called an option for a reason. Take away the inside, and the Jackets go off tackle. Take away that, and they’re headed outside. Meanwhile, quarterback Tevin Washington effectively makes them a quadruple-option team with his ability to throw the football.
“[Washington] is a lot better this year,” Grantham said. “He’s been impressive throwing the ball as well as running it.”
Meanwhile, there are certain realities of the Tech offense that no amount of scheming can prevent. It’s going to be physical. There is going to be cut-blocking and heavy contact on every down, especially for players that play on the perimeter.
“I’ve got to be ready to put on all my pads because I know they’re coming at me,” cornerback Branden Smith said. “It means a lot more contact, but I’m ready. Everybody’s ready.”
Last year defensive ends Abry Jones and DeAngelo Tyson recorded 16 tackles apiece while fighting to keep Tech linemen away from their knees and ankles.
“There are quite a few fundamentals of football you have to just forget about and get your mind set for the whole thing,” Jones said. “You’re playing the cut block a lot more and trying to protect yourself, but still trying to make plays and get to the ball. For a defensive lineman it’s very draining.”
So is conducting full-contact practices all week. But if you’re the Bulldogs, you do what you have to do.
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