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Georgia’s offensive line gets its first real stress test

Georgia spent Saturday afternoon in Fayetteville doing something it has wanted to do more consistently for the past couple of seasons: lining up and running the football even when the opponent knew it was coming.

The real measure of whether Georgia’s performance in Fayetteville was genuine progress or simply a good day against Arkansas will come when Oklahoma visits Athens.

Oklahoma’s defensive front is one of the better groups Georgia will face this season, and it should provide a clear test of any progress made in the run game. The Sooners have already collected 12 sacks in three games, with six against New Mexico, and their pressure doesn’t come from just one source. Brent Venables has a rotation that includes David Stone, Jayden Jackson, Taylor Wein, and Adepoju Adebawore, all of whom can create issues from different spots along the line.

So, the attention shifts to Georgia’s interior protection, which becomes the central question heading into this matchup.

Center Drew Bobo and guards Dontrell Glover and Zykie Helton will have to handle a front that does more than just try to overpower blockers. Oklahoma’s defense is built on movement, twists, and the threat of pressure, all designed to create favorable matchups. David Stone, in particular, has shown he can be disruptive inside. Against New Mexico, he finished with eight tackles, two tackles for loss, and made the fourth-down stop that sealed the game.

Helton is Georgia’s interesting piece because the Sooners present a considerable jump in complexity and defensive-line talent. Starting a true freshman at guard hasn’t hurt the Bulldogs through three games, but communication between Helton, Bobo and Juan Gaston on the right side will matter as much as winning individual blocks.

One thing Georgia brings that Oklahoma has not seen much of is an offense that can punish an assertive front with Gunner Stockton’s running ability. Arkansas found that out last Saturday. Stockton’s skill at pulling the ball or escaping when a defense loses gap integrity can change the math for a defensive front and make a lineman pay for getting too far upfield.

Still, Georgia cannot live behind the chains. The Bulldogs ran for 254 yards against Arkansas, but Stockton was also sacked three times. Against a Venables defense that thrives on creating obvious passing situations, second-and-12 can quickly become third-and-17.

Earnest Greene, Bobo, and the rest of Georgia’s line do not need to dominate Oklahoma for four quarters. The real task is to keep the Sooners from blowing up drives and to make sure the takeaway is clear: Georgia’s line just needs to hold up well enough to keep the offense on schedule.

If Georgia can consistently pick up four or five yards on early-down runs and keep Stockton out of obvious passing situations, the Bulldogs should be able to control the flow of the game. On the other hand, if Oklahoma starts getting penetration and forces Mike Bobo to move away from the run, things could get uncomfortable quickly.

Saturday should reveal more about Georgia’s offensive line than the first three games combined. The question is whether this group can hold up well enough to keep the offense on schedule against a stronger front.

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