Georgia plays great defense. That will be forever true as long as Kirby Smart is the head football coach at the University of Georgia. Yes, early on, they let up a little against their first SEC opponent, South Carolina, allowing them to score two different times in the first half, but they made up for it in the second half shutting them out and forcing two turnovers – both in the form of an interception.
It seems like the whole team was shaken awake leaving halftime and entering the second half down 14-3. The defensive line dialed things up, especially Mykel Williams. Like mentioned earlier, the secondary held it down and did what they needed to do in terms of getting the ball back to the offense (especially with those interceptions). But once the Georgia offense was in possession of the ball, it felt like not much else really ever happened.
The offensive trend these past three games has been start slow, finish fast – kind of. There has yet to be a moment where Bobo and company have left me thinking wow, these guys can do anything when the ball is in their hands. This offense lacks a certain umph to it, and it’s because it doesn’t seem to make any big downfield plays and Carson Beck doesn’t create them.
That’s the kicker: the QB’s ability to make plays. Yes, there are guys that left last year and new guys playing in the system this year, but the biggest difference from the 2022 and 2023 teams is that in 2022 Georgia had a quarterback that could create plays. In 2023 Carson Beck has yet to show off that kind of ability.
If a play broke down, Stetson Bennett could create with either his arm or his legs. More famously his legs, but we all know that man could sling it. And it was that ability to create that made whatever offense he was in special. You can’t game plan for it, it just happens.
Now credit to Beck, there has been a few times this season where Beck has been able to make it happen with his feet, but it’s not often. Maybe it’s just because the Dawgs haven’t played competition that’s gotten him uncomfortable enough to be forced into playing more instinctively.
Georgia did score three touchdowns in the second half compared to none in the first, so that was a big difference. But you would expect these guys to get into the end zone regardless. There’s a lot of soul searching that needs to happen with these guys.
Fans are quick to blame Coach Bobo and Beck, but Coach Smart was satisfied with Saturday’s outcome. Beck was 27 for 35 passing, and the Dawgs tailbacks rushed for 189 yards, and gained 29 first downs, which Smart quipped “good grief” when talking with the media postgame.
The offense is in a weird place right now.
Yes, they answered the call when they needed to. But if this is the No. 1 ranked team in the country, they shouldn’t have to be responding like they did yesterday to an unranked South Carolina. This team shouldn’t look this slow on offense. They shouldn’t only pull their pants up and play once they need to. At this point, fans expect these guys to just come out and impose their will on any team that walks through the door, but that’s just not the case. We’ll just have to see how this offense comes together as the season unfolds.