3 Things That Worry Me About Tennessee

Here is what I’m NOT worried about as we face the Creamsicles:

1) Josh Huepel looks like a hobbit. Hamwise Candybar has really let himself go since his glory days under center for the Oklahoma Sooners. The Lord of the Ring Dings should be paying more visits to the team nutritionist if he wants to stick around campus and not the hospital cardio unit.

2) Somehow, someway, the Georgia Bulldog offense is averaging 328 passing yards per contest. Let that sink in for a minute. And it’s not like one game is skewing the results: take away the 439 yards in the Oregon opener, and the 208 yard clunky performance against Auburn, and your average is 329. Like it or not, this Monken scheme is generating over 3 bills each Saturday.

Defense travels, and I welcome the UT pass defense. They are allowing opponents to throw for 300 a game, over 62% completion rate, and are essentially one of the worst 10 passing defenses in all of FBS. So if these Orange show up with their typical game, I will hug their neck, take their coat, press a fresh drink in their hand, and seat them beside the fire.

3) If UGA can have a methodical, typical Georgia offensive possession, then our chances improve greatly. Take 9-11 plays, march down the field with a balanced attack, converting short 3^rd downs with the occasional 10+ yard play. Then the defense gets a 3 and out from UT, then another typical offensive possession with a score. That is a recipe for success against the Orange and could burn most of a quarter. They are explosive and will get theirs, but not necessarily every play or every time they have the ball. Yes they are the fastest team in the nation, which also means they are in the bottom 10% for Time of Possession. If we can sandwich a bad UT possession with two good UGA ones, it could make a difference and keep the momentum with the Red and Black. Georgia currently has the 2^nd most first downs in the nation. We may not be explosive, but we can keep the ball, keep our defense off the field, and shorten the game.

And it’s not necessarily farfetched. Tennessee has only punted 17 times this season, yet 10 of those 17 punts came as a result of a 3-and-out by this vaunted UT offense. I will grant you they didn’t against LSU, Florida, or Alabama. But they did it twice against Ball State, and twice last week versus Kentucky. So I’m saying there’s a chance.

Now forgive me, as I was weaned at the nipple of Larry Munson’s scratch. So here’s what does worry me about the way-too emotionally invested in their livestock visitors from Knoxville:

1) How does Jalin Hyatt get so freakin’ wide open? And he will again Saturday. If not, his compatriot Cedric Tillman will. Or Bru McCoy. Or Ramel Keyton. These guys are loaded at the position, and all of them are tall, rangy frisbee-catchers (all at least 6’3”). It reminds me of going to Oxford in 2016 and watching those Rebel receivers abuse us mercilessly. And based on the UGA secondary performance Saturday in Duval, this is cause for concern. So what’s a defense to do? Get to the quarterback.

Except Georgia isn’t especially good in that category, at least in official sacks. But pressure and QB hurries can sometimes be just as effective. So we will rely on our team leader in both QB hurries and tackles for loss, Nolan Smith. Except he has a pectoral injury and won’t play. Oops - okay what’s our next option?

2) Since everyone has given the Heisman to Hendon Hooker, I started wondering how UGA has fared against such esteemed opponents. The last 15 years, Georgia has faced the eventual Heisman trophy winner in that season 8 times. We beat Tebow in 2007, lost to Cam Newton in 2010 and Derrick Henry in 2015, then beat Baker Mayfield in the Rose Bowl following the 2017 season. Then we ran into a buzzsaw in Joe Burrow at the 2019 SEC Championship, and Devonta Smith in the COVID season. Last year was a mixed bag – we lost to Bryce Young when he had a full complement of his two best receivers Georgia came out flat, then promptly dismantled him a month later in the natty.

So what’s going to happen this year? We have a 1 game winning streak in this admittedly odd category, but technically are 1-4 the last 5 tries. And are 3-5 the last 8 attempts. Even more, a lot of those losses were ugly, and probably helped cement the trophy.

3) With all the attention on Hooker, Hyatt, Tillman et al., don’t forget about the ground game. The Vols are averaging right at 200 rush yards per game. And remember they ran for 227 when Florida visited, 263 in Death Valley, and 182 against Alabama. They run the ball over 40 times a game, with Jabari Small and Jaylen Wright getting the majority of those carries. It is hard to pinpoint just how good the run game is in a vacuum, because it is set up so well by the air attack and the constant threat of deep vertical balls.

We’re down our leader in the front seven, and thinner in the secondary for run support. Not to mention those guys will have their hands full with the coverage assignments. Throw in the fact that Tennessee runs up tempo, and Muschamp/Schumann will have little to no chance for subbing in situational players. Whoever is out there for 1^st and 10 will likely be out there for the rest of that drive.

Call me crazy, just don’t call me late for dinner. Sound off in the comments below what worries you about the Bulldogs of Georgia versus the Volunteers of Tennessee. And as always…

GO ‘DAWGS!!!