Kirby Smart Believes Stopping the Run is Key to Containing Mizzou Passing Attack

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Kirby Smart Believes Stopping the Run is Key to Containing Mizzou Passing Attack

Kirby Smart can sling it.
Kirby Smart can sling it.

 
 
Kirby Smart understands the tough challenge that his defense will face in stopping Drew Lock and Missouri’s potent passing attack, but he believes stopping their run is the top priority.

 
Mizzou’s Lock is second in the SEC in passing yards with 1,470, and the Tigers’ have the ability to spread the ball out to multiple talented receivers. This could be Georgia’s biggest challenge in terms of defending their passing attack. However, Smart believes that the Tigers passing attack begins with their run and they have to stop that aspect of their offense first.
 
 

“Well, of those 30 passes a game, about 10 to 15 of those are runs that are passes. So your preparation is to play the run,” said Smart. “And you’ve got to defend the pass on top of it, so it’s really hard because they run the ball and throw the ball the same play, which is tough.”

 
 
If the Bulldogs are able to stop the run, they will still have their hands full with Lock and his weapons, which consist of J’Mon Moore and Emanuel Hall. Moore has given the Bulldogs trouble in the past and will be a huge focal point for the defense in their upcoming matchup. Smart understands the challenge that these two will present and went into great detail of how explosive these two players are for Missouri.
 
 

“You’ve got two, and they’ve got multiple guys that are really good wideouts, and a group of tight ends that are really big,” said Smart. “Here’s one of the best wideouts we faced all of last year, J’Mon Moore, but the other kid was there and he’s lighting it up this year.”

 
 
Georgia clearly has a tough test in front of them and hopefully, just like the last several weeks, the Dogs will not take this 1-4 Tiger team lightly. But if UGA’s defense can continue to perform at a high level, I expect them to go into their Bye week undefeated.
 
 

 
 
 
 


 
 

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Michael Pope is a Journalism student in the Grady School of Journalism at the University of Georgia, with an emphasis in sports. He enjoys covering all sports, especially basketball, football, and baseball.