No. 1 Georgia’s defense expects ‘huffing-and-puffing’ vs. Vols

“I’m not sure I’ve ever had a game we’ve had the ball that little of time,” Tennessee coach Josh Heupel said. “It’s just an anomaly how that game unfolded.”

Not really. Tennessee is last in the SEC in time of possession. But if you look at its SEC games only, it is first in the league in the offensive plays of 30 or more yards (20), 40 or more (9), 50 or more (6), 60 or more (5), 70 or more (5) and 80 or more (1).

Yes, the Vols are explosive.

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

“I think it’s the most in the country,” said Kirby Smart, Georgia’s defensive-minded coach. “When you look at it and talk to people -- because everybody talks across the country and tries to defend it -- it’s so fast you can’t really simulate it in your practices. … It’s so different, it’s hard to prepare for.”

But try Georgia shall.

That’s what had Cine filled with dread Monday as he talked to reporters at UGA’s media day. Getting ready for the Vols’ 100 miles-an-hour offense meant the Bulldogs would be going 120 in practice all week.

“That’s something Kirby preaches and we stand by 100 percent,” said Cine, a junior from Texas by way of Boston. “Our practices are definitely 10 times harder than the games. Once we’re in the game, we kind of know what to expect. It’s not as hard because we’ve kind of seen everything.”

The challenge with Tennessee’s offense is not just covering several fleet-footed and skilled receivers, such as Velus Jones (36 receptions, 553 yards, 5 TDs), Cedric Tillman (36-525-5) and JaVonta Payton (14-365-6). It’s the ridiculously fast pace at which the Vols run their plays.

Their primary weapon is to get back to the line of scrimmage and run another play without substitution. That means the defense can’t substitute either, unless it thinks can be done before the next snap of the ball, which is typically well within 10 seconds.

Tennessee leads the nation in plays per minute at 2.92.

Credit: AP Photo/Vasha Hunt

Credit: AP Photo/Vasha Hunt

Meanwhile, a winded defense is scrambling to get back into position, recognize what formation the offense is in, make calls accordingly, then react to what transpires.

“As great as Georgia is -- and that’s the best defense in the country -- they haven’t played an offense as fast as ours,” Tennessee’s Payton told reporters in Knoxville Monday. “If we go out there and execute, I think we can turn some eyes.”

They certainly have Cine’s attention. And he plans to have the attention of his defensive backfield mates on Saturday. too.

Cine hilariously illustrated what his day is going to be like Saturday, and really all week in Athens.

“I will be looking like a crazy person out there,” said Cine, flailing his arms and pointing in different directions to simulate what his pre-snap demeanor will be. “I’ll be looking crazy and moving, but everybody’s got to be on the same page so we don’t give up explosives. It may look silly, but I’m going to have to do it.”

Further complicating the task of defending the Vols is the rapidly-improving play of their quarterback, Hendon Hooker. The senior transfer from Virginia Tech, once in a competition for playing, now has a headlock on the position and seems to be getting better with each passing week. In the 45-42 win over Kentucky, Hooker accounted for 357 yards of total offense as Tennessee averaged 11.52 yards per play.

To add to the difficulty factor, Hendon likes to run with the football. He’s the team’s second-leading rusher with 50.9 yards per game and, excluding sacks, runs for about 5.2 yards a carry on average.

Quarterback run has proven to be the Achilles heel for a Georgia defense that otherwise has been impenetrable. Missouri quarterback Tyler Macon had 36 yards against the Bulldogs in the first quarter alone last Saturday. Macon finished with 42 but combined with fellow quarterback Brady Cook with 74 rushing yards overall.

“Hendon Hooker is a tremendous athlete. He’s hard to tackle,” Smart said. “He’s big, physical, has a strong arm. Saturday’s miscus (against Missouri) had a lot to do with execution. Tackling. We missed tackles, did not tackle well. Probably our poorest game in terms of tackling, assignment, doing your gap football. We didn’t do that.”

Said Cine: “Not only can they throw, but they can run it too. So, it’s really important that everybody stays in their lanes and does their job.

Rest assured, that will be rehearsed, ad nauseum, in the Bulldogs’ practices this week.

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

For Georgia’s defense, it really comes down to pride more than anything else. At this point, their reputation precedes them. They’re allowing just 6.6 points per game, which is best in the nation by the length of a football field.

The Bulldogs have allowed only five touchdowns all season. That’s why their lopsided victories often have ended with dramatic goal-line stands. Four times this season games have concluded with starters passionately cheering on their teammates from the sidelines in the final seconds of games. Thirty-three of the 59 points Georgia has allowed all season have come against backups late in the fourth quarter.

Conversely, the Vols pride themselves on being able to score on anybody any time -- and quickly. Therein lay the competition tension on Saturday in a game that otherwise will have no bearing on division or conference championships.

Slowing down Tennessee’s fast-ball attack is the Bulldogs’ baseline motivation That’s why players were anticipating an exhausting three days of practice in preparation.

“You have to buy-in if you’re going to going to go as fast as Tennessee goes,” Cine said. “You’re going to be huffing-and-puffing and some of the time you’re going to be discombobulated because that’s how fast we’re going to be going in practice.

“Am I looking forward to it? No, of course not. But am I going to have to do it? Yeah, so I might as well enjoy it while I’m at it.”