Georgia’s foes feeling impact of Jalen Carter’s return

A 6-foot-3, 310-pound junior defensive tackle, Carter was a full participant in a full game for the first time all season. The Volunteers – and quarterback Hendon Hooker, in particular – felt the full effects of that Saturday at Sanford Stadium. And the plan is for Mississippi State (6-3, 3-3 SEC) to be similarly aware of Carter’s presence when they meet the Bulldogs (9-0, 6-0) this weekend in Starkville, Miss.

“We all love that Jalen’s back,” fellow defensive lineman Nazir Stackhouse said. “He brings a lot of energy to the group, a lot of toughness. For him to go out there and impact the game like he did was something that we were all expecting. I mean, it’s Jalen Carter, future first-rounder, right?”

He certainly looked like it against the Vols’ vaunted offensive line. Carter’s stats were impressive by their own right – four tackles, two tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, one sack – but even those don’t give full measure to the effect he had on the Bulldogs’ overall defensive effort.

If you were wondering how Georgia was able to record six sacks in one game after coming in with 10 in the previous eight contests, the attention Tennessee’s offensive line was having to pay to No. 88 in the middle of the line of scrimmage will go a long way toward explaining it. Keeping Carter at bay was a nightmare for the Vols’ interior line and center Cooper Mays, in particular. Whether it was bull-rushes, twists or using his quickness to knife through Tennessee’s infamous wide splits, Carter not only was creating interior movement but, often, actual penetration.

While Carter got a sack himself – more on that later – it mostly was others who benefited. In addition to Bullard, inside linebackers Jamon Dumas-Johnson and Trezmen Marshall also recorded sacks, as well as fellow defensive lineman Warren Brinson. Others were free to yank down running backs, as well, and Hooker was having to unleash his throws much quicker than intended.

“That was something special, and something we’ve all been waiting on,” said Stackhouse, a 6-3, 320-pound junior. “In the same way, ‘Z-Lo’ (Zion Logue) was great. Both of them are really good players, so when Z-Lo came out there, he was able to impact the game. When I was out there, I impacted the game. But when Jalen was out there, he impacted the game like no other.”

That’s because there’s really nobody else like Carter, not just on Georgia’s team but in college football. Travon Walker, Jordan Davis and Devonte Wyatt told us as much before this year’s NFL draft. All starters ahead of Carter last season, they were all taken in the first round and are starting for their respective teams.

“He was overshadowed by the other two, maturity-wise,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said earlier this season, referring to fellow interior linemen Davis and Wyatt. “He wasn’t overshadowed talent-wise, by any means. He’s as talented or more talented athletically than those two.”

The problem this year has been allowing Carter to show it. He injured his left ankle on the Bulldogs’ first defensive play from scrimmage against Oregon in the season opener Sept. 3. He played the entire game, but the injury worsened on the other side of it.

Carter finally came back against Missouri in Game 5 and played four snaps before he was the victim of an illegal chop block on the same leg. This time it resulted in a Grade 2 sprain of the medial collateral ligament. Carter was sidelined for four weeks before returning to play third downs-only against Florida on Oct. 29.

Georgia benefited in that game, but nothing like it did against Tennessee. Thanks to the Vols’ quick-tempo style, Carter was forced to stay on the field for longer stretches. That perceived advantage for Tennessee was rendered a disadvantage.

Carter played 48 snaps, more than any other Georgia lineman. He logged only 65 all season heading into the Florida game.

“He needs to get in better shape to be able to play more snaps, but he has taken ownership in working on that,” Smart said. “That was the big thing for him coming into the season is, ‘How good of shape can you be in to play a larger volume of snaps?’”

Pretty good, apparently.

Ask Tennessee, which felt the full weight of Carter’s power to disrupt late in the first quarter. On a third-and-6 at their own 5, the Vols had the gall to attempt a pass out of their end zone. Carter split a double team at right guard, carrying Mays and guard Javontez Spraggins into the backfield with him. Feeling the pressure, Hooker tried to get rid of the ball. But Carter sprang free from his adversaries and grabbed Hooker’s arm in one swift motion. The ball fell to the ground.

Spraggins briefly scooped it up, but Stackhouse was there to yank the guard back down to the turf. The ball came loose again but not until after one of Spraggins’ knees landed on the turf. Or so it looked.

Video review upheld the referees’ real-time determination that the ball had gotten past the goal line and was recovered in the field of play by the offense. So, Tennessee would punt rather than be charged with a safety. But the Bulldogs would follow with a one-play possession for a touchdown, so the point was left somewhat moot.

Said Stackhouse: “For me to go out there and play with him in a moment like that was something special and something I’ve been waiting on.”

Asked what the coaching staff’s video review revealed about the ruling, Smart snapped tersely.

“Does it matter?” he growled. “I’m worried about Mississippi State, to be honest.”

To be honest, Mississippi State is worried about blocking Carter. At least it should be, if not.

The Bulldogs already had made a case that their defense was going to be great again while Carter was out. Now that he’s back, they’re no longer getting any arguments – and certainly not from Tennessee.

Meanwhile, with Carter sidelined, Stackhouse, Logue, Brinson, Bear Alexander, Bill Norton and company have gotten valuable experience and a chance to develop and gain confidence.

“We’ve had this great fortune of getting a lot of dudes ready around (Carter),” Smart said. “So, it’s like a luxury to have him back and have him playing well. He still has a few things he’s got to work on in terms of playing the right way within the plan. But he played really well the other day, and we need him to continue that.”