ATHENS — Down three points at the end of Saturday’s game against South Carolina, Georgia had some options. But coach Mark Richt said he’s sure the decision to attempt an onside kick at the end of the game was the right one.
“Strategically I feel real comfortable with that,” he said.
Richt said the decision was actually made for him. He and defensive coordinator Todd Grantham were debating what to do when trainer Ron Courson told them that inside linebacker and defensive captain Christian Robinson would be unable to return to the game. That clinched it for him.
“We felt like we already had too much immaturity in there at that point, so that’s what kind of pushed me over,” Richt said. “Plus [Brandon] Bogotay really does do a good job of popping the all over and I thought we had a reasonable shot. Also we had a chance to still get a three-and-out and get the ball back with at least a minute or more left and needing just a field goal.”
The bigger question now is Robinson. The Bulldogs’ leading tackler — he led UGA again Saturday with eight stops — had ice wrapped around his left foot after the game. Richt was not sure afterward if Robinson would have to miss more time.
Herrera’s first start
Amarlo Herrera became the second freshman to start for the Bulldogs this season when he got the call at inside linebacker. Wide receiver Malcolm Mitchell started the season opener.
Sophomore guard Dallas Lee and sophomore outside linebacker Chase Vasser also got the first career starts.
Herrera, a 6-foot-1, 230-pound graduate of North Clayton High, won the competition this week to fill in for injured linebacker Alec Ogletree. Ogletree broke a bone in his right foot in the first half of last week’s opener against Boise State. Ogletree had surgery Monday and is expected to be out about six weeks.
Rambo, Commings, Geathers start
As expected, Bacarri Rambo returned to the starting lineup at free safety. The junior sat out the season opener because of a one-game suspension for team rules violations.
Rambo made his presence known quickly. He intercepted a pass in the first quarter, which set up a Georgia field goal for an early 6-0 lead. Rambo also successfully recovered an onside kick in the second quarter, but was called offside on the play to nullify the play.
With Rambo back, Sanders Commings, who started at free safety last week, shifted back to cornerback and got the start there.
Also starting Saturday was sophomore nose guard Kwame Geathers. Geathers was unable to practice most of the week because of a shoulder/neck injury suffered in the opener. However, he still got the nod over junior John Jenkins. Both players played and were alternated liberally throughout.
He said it
“I guess I just wanted to show people I could get mad. I threw them pretty far, too.” — Richt on throwing his head phones and play cards after Melvin Ingram’s 68-yard touchdown run on a fake punt.
Etc.
The 87 points was the most ever scored in a game between Georgia and South Carolina ... South Carolina’s fake punt in the second quarter — which resulted in a 68-yard touchdown run by defensive end Ingram — was the first successfully executed against the Bulldogs since Vanderbilt’s Brett Upson ran a 7-yard rush to get a first down in 2009. ... After Saturday’s game, Blair Walsh now has 315 career points, which moved him past Herschel Walker into third on Georgia’s all-time scoring list.
