(5-4) Georgia hosts (7-2) Auburn on Saturday for a 3:30 pm kickoff which will mark the 120th time these two Southeastern Conference rivals have faced one another. If Georgia is to pull off the upset over the 9th ranked Tigers, here are some Bulldogs to watch and keep and eye on that will be key in that task.
DEANDRE BAKER (CB, #18)
Baker, a 5-11, 180-pound sophomore, has moved into a starting cornerback spot for the Bulldogs and has performed most admirably.
In the loss to Florida in Jacksonville, the Miami native had a team-best, career-high 10 total tackles and in the earlier game against Tennessee, Baker forced a TD-saving fumble. Also, in Georgia’s win at South Carolina he had seven solo tackles, a fumble recovery and a pass breakup. Clearly, Baker is rapidly becoming a big-play guy in Georgia’s secondary and will be counted on heavily moving forward … starting with the big test this Saturday against Auburn’s prolific offense.
LAMONT GAILLARD (OG, #53)
This 6-2, 301-pound sophomore from Fayetteville, N.C. has manned the right guard position for most of the season on the Bulldogs’ offensive front. Gaillard also is Georgia’s backup center behind senior starter Brandon Kublanow. Like the rest of the offensive linemen, he has gone through an up-and-down 2016 campaign in providing running space for the Bulldogs’ backs and thus Saturday’s battle against Auburn’s formidable defensive front will be a game in which Gaillard and his fellow O-linemen will have to up their game considerably.
QUINCY MAUGER (S, #20)
Despite being in and out of the starting lineup as a senior this season Mauger, a 6-0, 206-pound safety from Marietta, still remains a leader in the Bulldogs’ secondary. He had two interceptions in Georgia’s thrilling 28-27 victory at Missouri and Mauger and the rest of the Bulldogs’ defensive backs will have to be strong in run support when facing Auburn’s ground-gobbling offense Saturday between the hedges … as well as being alert to the passing of Tiger quarterback Sean White.
GLENN SCHUMANN (INSIDE LINEBACKERS COACH)
Schumann was named inside linebackers coach at Georgia on Dec. 12, 2015, after serving two years as Director of Player Development and Associate Director of Personnel at the University of Alabama.
Schumann spent eight years with the Crimson Tide, first as an undergraduate analyst and then as a graduate assistant. He was named Director of Player Development and Associate Director of Player Personnel in February, 2014. Following Kirby Smart to Georgia, Schumann is overseeing the rapid development of Bulldog sophomore inside linebackers Natrez Patrick and Roquan Smith — the team’s two leading tacklers —with the Georgia defense having made steady improvement throughout this season but about to face a huge test against Auburn’s bruising run game.