Georgia will host Missouri for their ninth game of the season this Saturday, and the defense will have the challenge of keeping 6-foot-5 and 255 lbs tight end Albert Okwuegbunam in check. The redshirt junior has hauled in 18 receptions for 250 yards and 6 touchdowns for Missouri in 8 games this season so far. Bulldogs’ junior safety Richard LeCounte said he was looking forward to the challenge of facing Albert O. during a Monday interview.

“There are a lot of really athletic tight ends in this world. Every week is a new challenge and I think I am ready for it this week. Missouri has a great guy in Albert Okwuegbunam,” said LeCounte. “He is extremely big and physical and I played against him last year. I am looking forward to the challenge.” 

Head coach Kirby Smart also shared his thoughts on Albert O. during UGA football’s Monday noon-time press conference.

“…He’s a good player. I think back to last year, he was probably the toughest match-up I thought we had. Last year seems like he stuck out more in that game plan. He’s a good player,” said Kirby. “They convinced him to stay. He’s done a good job this year being more of a complementary football player than being just a receiving tight end. He’s done more than that this year. They are doing a good job using him, and he is a match-up problem. He is a big, athletic guy, different than Pitts. I mean, he’s big.”

In last year’s game, Albert had 9 catches for 81 yards on the Dawgs’ D, and as a freshman, he only has 2 for 22 yards but one was a touchdown. The Georgia defense has had to face a couple of similar big, athletic, and dangerous tight ends this season already. Notre Dame’s Cole Kmet was able to reel in 9 catches for 108 yards and a touchdown back on September 21st and Florida’s Kyle Pitts had 4 for 78 yards. But despite the success those tight ends had, Georgia won each of the games.