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Georgia defense faces a different challenge against Western Kentucky

Western Kentucky does not come to Athens with an offense that should scare Georgia, but Saturday should tell the Bulldogs more about their defense than the 63-3 opener against Tennessee State did.

The Hilltoppers were beaten 49-14 at Nevada, yet they still produced 367 yards of offense and showed one thing Georgia will have to take seriously: they can run the football. Ajay Allen, the well-traveled transfer who has previously been at Nebraska, Miami and Tulsa, carried 21 times for 102 yards and both Western Kentucky touchdowns. WKU finished with 164 rushing yards, despite spending much of the night playing from behind.

That makes the first job for Georgia fairly obvious. The Bulldogs need to make Western Kentucky one-dimensional.

Georgia was one of the best run defenses in the country last season, allowing only 81.5 yards per game, and the opener did nothing to suggest that standard has changed. Tennessee State managed only 109 total yards while Georgia finished with seven tackles for loss and three sacks. The Bulldogs controlled the line of scrimmage so completely that there was never much chance to learn how the defense would respond to sustained pressure.

Western Kentucky should at least provide a better test of Georgia’s discipline up front. Allen is experienced, productive and good enough to punish bad fits. If Georgia’s defensive front handles him without requiring extra help, the rest of the matchup tilts heavily toward the Bulldogs.

Quarterback Rodney Tisdale Jr. completed 24 of 40 passes for 203 yards against Nevada, but he did not throw a touchdown and averaged only 5.1 yards per attempt. Eight Hilltoppers caught passes, so Georgia cannot simply identify one receiver and build the coverage plan around him. Cameron Flowers had seven catches for 60 yards, while freshman Jonathan Stafford Jr. added five for 48.

The more important number for Georgia may be what Western Kentucky did not produce. The Hilltoppers had only two pass plays of at least 15 yards against Nevada and only one of 25 or more. If Georgia wins first down, keeps Allen from creating manageable third downs and forces Tisdale to consistently push the ball downfield, this should become a long afternoon for the WKU offense.

That is really what Saturday is about for the Bulldogs. Georgia does not need a complicated defensive plan. It needs clean run fits, pressure without reckless blitzing and another afternoon without giving away explosive plays.

Tennessee State showed that Georgia can overwhelm an overmatched offense. Western Kentucky should give the Bulldogs a slightly better opportunity to show that the defense is not just talented, but dependable.

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