Florida's offense has had trouble finding the end zone recently against Georgia in their annual meeting in Jacksonville. (Photo: Molly Kaiser/UAA Communications)
Gators Strive to Stand Up to Bulldogs Defense
Thursday, October 31, 2024 | Football
Share:
By: Noah White, FloridaGators.com Student Writer
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Dec. 6, 2015, is a date that sends shivers through the spines of SEC fans, none more than those of the University of Florida. That's when the mean kid moved in.
He's the bully on the block. He steals everyone's lunch money. He kicks the ball over the schoolyard fence and laughs. Since he arrived, he's had most of the fun.
Some kids have tried to tell him off, to little avail. Others have complained to their parents, but the school can't do anything. The bully reigns over the blacktop. When he's around, it's his way or the highway.
Every once in a while, though, a loner from the corner of the classroom will stand up and stare him down, unafraid of the dais the bully rests upon. In those moments, sometimes the bully withers.
Since Kirby Smart accepted the position of head coach of the Georgia Bulldogs, other SEC programs have won fewer. Georgia has played in six of the last seven SEC championships, winning two during its consecutive national championship campaigns. Under Smart's tenure, Athens, Ga., has gotten good at throwing parades.
Georgia's dominance comes from the efforts of a cutthroat defense, something the Florida Gators have experienced close up, often from their backs.
"This is always one of the bigger tests," Florida head coach Billy Napier said. "These guys do a good job on defense."
Since Smart's inaugural season, the Gators have gone 2-6 against Georgia. The Bulldogs have held Florida under 300 yards in five of the eight contests and fewer than three touchdowns in all but two. There's little reason to believe Smart's defense can't experience the same success this weekend.
Georgia ranks in the Top 20 in the FBS in scoring and total defense this season. The Bulldogs have only allowed more than 20 points twice, the most notable coming in an outlier loss 41-34 at Alabama, which snapped Georgia's 42-game regular-season win streak. Since the Bulldogs loss to the Tide, their defense has jumped to another level. Georgia dismantled previously top-ranked Texas in its last contest to the tune of 259 total yards allowed, only 29 of which came on the ground.
The monstrous shadow of the past makes the looming presence of the bully even more menacing. Napier aims to remove preconceived notions from the equation when facing Georgia's defense.
"The key is you hit the reset button," Napier said. "Erase the boards. You start over."
A staple of Georgia's defense is the ability to pressure the opposing quarterback. With a freshman behind center, it becomes paramount that Florida extends when DJ Lagway experiences a frequent SEC affair: getting hit by the Bulldogs.
That may be an uphill battle.
According to Pro Football Focus, Florida's offensive line ranks in the bottom half of the FBS. While the unit has performed better in the past month, the Gators' line will need to hold off a Bulldogs defensive line constantly pulling at the chain to chase the quarterback.
Georgia has 18 sacks on the season. All-SEC pass rusher Mykel Williams captains the Bulldogs' defensive line.
"He's a very good player. He plays long. He has a lot of juice off the edge," Florida center Jake Slaughter said. "He definitely makes an impact."
The scariest part: "It's not just him," Slaughter added.
The bully doesn't relent while beating up on their classmates. Georgia's defense regularly rotates its front seven in and out, allowing defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann to draw up more blitzes as their line doesn't exhaust quickly.
Napier recognizes Georgia's tendency to bring exotic pressures and believes that Florida's success will depend on Lagway and Slaughter's communication. If the two can identify pressure threats and appropriately shift, the Gators may escape the oft-chasing Dawgs. They will have to do so without receiver Eugene Wilson III, who is out with an injury, and possibly starting tailback Montrell Johnson Jr., listed as questionable for Saturday's matchup at EverBank Stadium.
"The working relationship between the center and quarterback is key ... those two gotta be on the same page," Napier said. "We have a step-by-step process we go through."
Georgia's linebackers are often involved in the Bulldogs' pass-rushing tactics, but what they do when they're not blitzing is more notable. Serving as a "defensive quarterback," the Georgia mike linebackers consistently identify and disrupt plays with their sound tackling.
"They're good in the box," Slaughter said. "They've got good linebackers ... up front, they're a good unit."
With Roquan Smith, Nakobe Dean and Jamon Dumas-Johnson dominating the SEC for nearly a decade, Georgia's linebackers present an often-unpreventable threat. Teams have tried different routes to lower their impact, but few have proven successful.
For Florida, the guess will be to focus on consistently performing offensive basics well.
"We've got to play with good fundamentals and techniques across the board," Slaughter said.
One needs to be aggressive when standing the bully up, catching him off guard. Against Georgia, Florida may be able to do just that.
With Lagway behind the helm, the Gators' offense has been more explosive. Florida has three plays of 70-plus yards, pacing the SEC, and seven of 50-plus. The Gators have consistently taken shots downfield in the passing game, with transfer receivers Elijhah Badger and Chimere Dike flourishing.
The Gators seek more end zone celebrations like the one above on Saturday against Georgia's defense. (Photo: Lorenzo Vasquez/UAA Communications)
During Smart's residence in Athens, Georgia's defense has been one of the best nationally in preventing big plays. This year presents a different story. The Bulldogs have given up 10 plays of 30-plus yards and only forced nine turnovers this season, a far cry from the production of past vaunted Georgia defenses.
Napier still recognizes the strength of Georgia's experienced secondary.
"They're sticky in coverage, and then they're variable on the back end," he said.
Napier is confident that the Gators will be able to take advantage of Georgia in the passing game if their receivers can fight off Georgia's physically imposing defensive backs.
"The ability to play long, to match the height and the length [will be critical]."
Three hundred sixty-nine days ago, Florida stumbled off the playground after the bully beat it again.
"We made too many critical mistakes," quarterback Graham Mertz said after the game.
Offensive stagnancy plagued the Gators, a byproduct of the suffocating Georgia defense. The Bulldogs let Florida think there was hope with a first-drive touchdown, only to hold the Gators out of the end zone until the fourth quarter and a 36-7 lead in their grasp.
Behind a big-play-dependent offense guided by a young signal-caller, UF will look to get back in the win column against Georgia for the first time in four years on Saturday afternoon in Jacksonville.
Rising from the back of the classroom, Florida can pose an unexpected threat to the SEC bully. When the recently dormant Gators meet Georgia eye-to-eye, they will have prepared and will be unafraid. Napier's group has one objective: To take down the bully.
