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Recapping Georgia’s Three Keys To A Win

Mostly good...but about that start to the game...

NCAA Football: Georgia at Tennessee
Richard LeCounte was starting slow and finishing strong in a nutshell on Saturday night
Bryan Lynn-USA TODAY Sports

Force QB mistakes

Jeremy Pruitt has hinted that all three UT quarterbacks could play Saturday. Is a move to try an advantage possible? Sure. But regardless, Georgia needs to apply plenty of front-seven pressure and force turnovers.

For a half, this one made a lot of collective heads hurt and raised blood pressures of Georgia fans. For whatever reason, Georgia didn’t generate much pressure in the first half, making it very easy pickings for a quarterback making his first start. That welcoming hospitality ended as the second half went on with Tennessee’s offensive line getting worn down - the big play was obviously Eric Stokes on the corner blitz and Tae Crowder’s scoop and score.

Anonymous on the O-Line

This needs to be a day where few list Georgia’s offensive linemen by name as a result of them controlling the game. If few, if any sacks happen, it means good things are happening up front...as would the line having a TCB day and paving the road for Georgia’s ground game.

Pass-blocking wise, Georgia did all it needed to - and Jake Fromm sliced and diced Tennessee’s defense apart. The thing that is obviously glaring here is the failed fourth and short in the second half.

The short-yardage issue isn’t new - and given that it’s still a problem, it’s more of a Kirby Smart problem and not on the shoulders of Jim Chaney or James Coley.

The issue could be one of expectations. With all the top-rated linemen Georgia signs, expectations get higher and higher that any time Georgia needs a few yards that it will never fall short. Until this offense consistently gets yards it needs anytime it needs it, the short-yardage question will linger.

Start Strong

Few things give an underdog hope than a favored team playing flat and allowing the game to stay close. Georgia needs to send a firm early message and also score style points.

Finishing isn’t a problem for this team. Starting well - that’s another story.

Georgia did the last thing that one should do on the road as a heavy favorite - give that underdog and its fans the belief that it has a fighting chance.

Georgia was able to fix its early issues in Knoxville, but it may not have that luxury if it has slow starts against Florida and Auburn.

Ironically, Georgia’s two losses to Alabama included starting strong and not finishing.

Go Dawgs!