GAINESVILLE, Fla. — In the postgame press conference after his No. 1-ranked team's come-from-behind 26-22 win at Missouri a week ago, Georgia coach
Kirby Smart shot straight.
When a reporter asked if he could point the finger at what took the Bulldogs so long to get their running game going against the Tigers — Missouri led 19-12 entering the fourth quarter — Smart aimed toward the culprit.
"Gettin' yo ass whipped up front. That's what the finger was," Smart said. "When you put on pads and you've got to strike another man, and he's across from you, and he weighs 300, and you weigh 300, somebody wins and somebody loses. So, the finger is we're gettin' our butts whooped, OK."
Missouri's defensive front set the tone for most of the game, playing a physical brand of defense for which Georgia is more known than the Tigers. Missouri had nine tackles for loss and two sacks, but the Bulldogs eventually found the keys to their rushing attack, finishing with 169 yards on the ground.
With the largest Tigers doing the dirty work up front, Smart mentioned linebacker
Ty'Ron Hopper as one of the playmakers who gave the Bulldogs trouble. Hopper finished with seven tackles, a TFL, a forced fumble and a quarterback hurry.
As the Gators (3-2, 0-2 in Southeastern Conference) prepare to face Missouri (2-3, 0-2) on Saturday at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, they need no introduction to Hopper.
He was one of them when these schools last played.
The 6-foot-4, 221-pound Hopper transferred to Missouri in January after playing in 13 games a season ago — starting four — and finishing with 65 tackles, 10 TFL and 3.5 sacks. He opted to transfer to Missouri to join his brother, Tigers graduate transfer defensive lineman
Tyrone Hopper, who transferred from North Carolina.
First-year Gators coach
Billy Napier had nothing but praise for Hopper when asked about him this week.
"I really thought he was a good player," Napier said. "The time that I had with him, I thought he was a really good person as well. We certainly would have loved to have him on our team."
Napier sees in Hopper what Gators fans did a season ago: a talented player ready to break out. Hopper returns to Florida Field on Saturday, leading Missouri with 7.5 TFL to go along with his 32 tackles, two sacks and interceptions.
He starred for the Gators in last season's 24-23 loss at Missouri, registering 12 tackles, including two for loss.
Gators linebacker
Ventrell Miller said he remains in contact with Hopper. They are friends and talk often. Miller is pumped for the matchup against his former teammate's new team.
"It just brings more fuel to the fire. I hated to see him go,'' Miller said. "That's my boy. Like I say, even though he's at Missouri, I still have a good relationship with him. Talked to him this week. Told him to donate to my foundation. He told me he was. I got to wait to see if he did."
Hopper downplayed his return to Florida earlier this week, telling reporters it was just another SEC game.
Of course, nobody believed it. Not even his coach.
"He really trusts his teammates and the defensive line in front of him is playing really well, and he's able to play downhill,'' Tigers coach Eli Drinkwitz said. "He's not going to treat it like another game. I definitely have to talk to him about keeping his composure. Those are his former teammates.
"I know he's got mutual respect. I think it'll be fun to compete against them and make sure we keep our emotions in check."
