ATHENS -- Entering this season, there were a lot of concerns about Georgia’s wide receiver corps. Specifically, critics pointed out that while George Pickens is very good – maybe even great – the Bulldogs didn’t have much to offer as an alternative.
To this, Kearis Jackson raises a hand and says, “Hey, remember me?”
Not literally, but with his play on the field.
If anybody had forgotten about Jackson, the sophomore from Fort Valley has been more than happy to re-introduce himself during these first two games. Jackson was the Bulldogs' leading receiver in both, hauling in 15 passes for 209 yards so far and recording career highs for catches and receiving yards with nine and 149 in the win over then-No. 7 Auburn on Saturday night at Sanford Stadium.
Heading into Saturday’s showdown between No. 3 Georgia and 14th-ranked Tennessee (3:30 p.m., CBS), you can bet Jackson is now on the top line of the Volunteers' scouting report.
“Kearis is one of our leaders,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said. “He’s one of our toughest players. He’s one of the most demanding guys of other people. He’s a great academic student. He does what he’s supposed to do when he’s supposed to do it. He deserved that game probably more than anybody. He made great plays and did a great job.”
Probably more impressive than the number of catches has been when many of them have come. Three receptions against the Tigers resulted in third-down conversions, including a 22-yarder on third-and-21. Two of them could have resulted in long touchdowns had the throws been delivered on time with a little more accuracy,
As it was, four of Jackson’s catches went down in Georgia’s scorebook as “explosives.” That’s any pass completion of 16 yards or more, according to the parameters as set forth by first-year offensive coordinator Todd Monken. Jackson has had six on the season so far. Four of his catches have resulted third-down conversions.
It’s early yet, but one might say there’s some chemistry building between Jackson and quarterback Stetson Bennett.
“That was just the way coach Monken called it,” Bennett said of the throws directed at No. 10. “He knew exactly when we needed to run the ball, and he knew whenever we needed to take a shot downfield. Kearis was just open a lot and played one heck of a game.”
Jackson concurred.
“My job is just to get open," the 6-foot, 200-pound slotback said. "It doesn’t matter what quarterback’s back there, I just have to get open. I was able to do that (against Auburn). But I’m still not satisfied. I’ve got to get into the end zone.”
Indeed, a touchdown is the only thing missing from Jackson’s resume so far. He has been unable to find pay dirt this season and was unable to get into the end zone in 11 games last season. In addition to the two deep balls he caught Saturday, Jackson was targeted another time in the end zone by Bennett, but Jackson was unable to haul in the off-target shot.
Bennett was kicking himself for not delivering the ball sooner on Jackson’s 49-yard gain against Auburn. Jackson was wide open down the middle of the field but had to slow up for Bennett’s high-arcing pass.
“I should have pulled the trigger a little earlier,” Bennett said. “But, I mean, (the offensive line) gave me so much time I was just back there hanging out.”
The way Georgia’s receiving corps is developing, there should be plenty of opportunities going forward. Right now, Jackson is benefiting from all the attention are defenses are giving Pickens at split end. A freshman All-American last season, the 6-3, 190-pound Pickens has only six catches for 73 yards so far. But he does have the only two touchdowns scored by the wideouts, including a 21-yarder against Auburn.
As Jackson continues to command attention in the slot, that should open more opportunities for Pickens. Likewise, the Bulldogs are looking for more production out of the flanker position.
Junior Matt Landers has been getting the majority of snaps there, but has only two catches so far. Georgia also has been playing freshmen Jermaine Burton and Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint a lot. and they, too, have a pair of receptions each. But they’ve struggled on pass routes, which often are dictated by coverage in Monken’s system.
If all the wideouts can get on the same page with Bennett, Georgia’s offense could become considerably more explosive.
“We don’t think that we’re in the best midseason form, so we’re rolling guys,” Smart said of the receiver rotation. “But at the end of the day, it’s about playing the players that give your team the best opportunity to win. We’re comfortable with the guys we’ve got, and we’re developing the ones that are younger. We’re going to continue to do that.”
Smart pointed out that LSU rarely played more than three or four wideouts last season. So, while the Bulldogs would like to get more receivers into the mix, they just need to be able to depend on a few.
They know for certain they can count Jackson in that number.
“We’ve hit a couple of a shot plays, a couple of explosives, but we’re still not where we need to be,” Jackson said. There’s still room for improvement, so we have to continue to get better. You win games Monday-Friday of each week, so we have to come out each week and attack."
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