ATHENS — If Georgia’s offense ever puts two halves together, it could be pretty good.
As it is, the Bulldogs have been very much a first-half team. But that has been good enough for three relatively stress-free victories in a row.
In SEC wins over Ole Miss and Mississippi State the past two weeks, the Bulldogs have been more than twice as good on offense in the first half as the second half. They averaged 263 yards in the first two quarters of those games as opposed to 123 in the final two.
Georgia managed only 78 second-half yards against Mississippi State and extended its streak of second-half possessions without a touchdown to 13. During that span the Bulldogs punted five times, four missed field goals, made two field goals, threw an interception (that was returned for a touchdown) and turned the ball over on downs.
“I’m not sure what it is,” quarterback Aaron Murray said. “There are times where we’re trying to run the ball more. We were doing that pretty well in the Ole Miss game with six- or seven-minute drives and really knocking some time off the clock, but the majority of it is just us not making plays.”
The Bulldogs will be less likely to rest on their first-half laurels against an offensive juggernaut such as the one they’ll face in Tennessee. The Vols are averaging 447 yards and 37.8 points behind their pass-happy, Tyler Bray-led offense.
“We’re going to have to play better,” coach Mark Richt said. “We’re going to have to play offense well for 60 minutes, not just for 30 or whatever it’s been.”
O-line struggling
At least some of Georgia’s second-half woes have had to do with its offensive line. Easily forgotten is the fact that the Bulldogs are playing with a patchwork group. Starting left tackle Trinton Sturdivant was lost to a knee injury in the spring. A.J. Harmon had to transfer out in the summer, and starting guards Kenarious Gates and Chris Burnette have been sidelined at different times this season with ankle injuries.
That has left the Bulldogs to play just five players for the entirety of every game this season except Coastal Carolina.
The Bulldogs are hopeful Burnette, out the past two games with an ankle injury, will be able to play Saturday. He was the starting right guard in the first three games while Gates was out with an ankle injury. When Burnette went down the week of the Ole Miss game, Gates came back at left guard and Dallas Lee, who had filled in for Gates, switched to right guard.
Boykin will play
Richt announced in no uncertain terms Tuesday that Brandon Boykin will play Saturday. The three-way player (cornerback, receiver/running back, kick returner) had to have his bottom teeth wired after busting his mouth when upended on a kickoff return this past Saturday.
“Boykin will go no-contact this week, but he will play,” Richt said.
Richt also expressed confidence that wide receiver Marlon Brown would be “full-go.” The junior split end and one-time starter had missed two games with an ankle injury before returning for spot duty this past week.
However, flanker Rantavious Wooten (concussion) is expected to sit out a third consecutive week following his Sept. 29 car accident. Cornerback Damian Swann (groin) got scout-team work Tuesday after sitting out the past two weeks.
Etc.
Richt said replacing suspended outside linebacker Cornelius Washington likely will be “done by committee.” Expect Chase Vasser, Ray Drew and Reuben Faloughi all to take snaps against Tennessee. ... Former Georgia athletic director and football coach Vince Dooley said Tuesday he will be in Knoxville for Saturday’s game, but that he and his wife, Barbara, will watch the game at the home of their son Derek, who is Tennessee’s coach. ... Georgia’s next win will be Richt’s 100th as the Bulldogs’ head coach.
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