University of Georgia Athletics
Notes: Bulldogs Face Wildcats in Kentucky
October 31, 2016 | Football
Oct. 31, 2016
Georgia and Kentucky enter Saturday's game posting vastly different results recently. The Bulldogs (4-4, 2-4 SEC) opened up with a neutral game victory over #22 North Carolina en route to a 3-0 start. But Georgia has gone 1-4 since then, including their recent 24-10 loss to #14 Florida in Jacksonville, Fla. Meanwhile, the Wildcats (5-3, 4-2 SEC) opened the year going 0-2. However, Kentucky has bounced back to win five out of its last six, including its last three.
Most recently, the Wildcats left Missouri behind with a 35-21 win in Columbia, Mo. Kentucky racked up an SEC-high 582 total yards against the Tigers. This output came after recording 554 yards in the win over Mississippi State. Kentucky's 4-2 record in the SEC marks the first time the team has had that conference record since 1993. Three of those wins have come against Eastern Division opponents, and that is the first time the Wildcats have had that many victories versus teams in their division since the league split into divisions in 1992. Kentucky enters the game on a three-game SEC win streak, which is the longest for the Wildcats since 1999.
In the all-time series history with Kentucky, Georgia leads 55-12-2, including 26-7 in Lexington, Ky. Georgia has a six-game winning streak in the series with Kentucky's last victory coming in 2009 in Athens (34-27).
Georgia has won its last nine games following the annual clash in Jacksonville, Fla., with Florida, including three of those against Kentucky. Last year, the Bulldogs topped the Wildcats 27-3 after falling to that same score to the Gators a week before.
The Bulldogs are tied for first in the SEC with a +6 Turnover Margin while Kentucky is 14th at -11. Georgia has gone two straight games without a turnover and actually the stretch has spanned nine quarters without a turnover dating back to the South Carolina game. Both teams stand near the bottom of the SEC standings in Scoring Offense. The Wildcats are scoring 27.8 points per game to rank 11th while the Bulldogs are tallying 23.2 points a contest through eight games and are ranked 12th. Kentucky has bolstered its scoring over the last two games, putting up 40 and 35 against Mississippi State and Missouri, respectively, in back-to-back wins. Georgia ranks eighth in the league in Scoring Defense at 26.1 and Kentucky stands 12th after giving up 30.9 points a game during its first eight games.
The Bulldogs whipped Kentucky 27-3 last year in Athens for Georgia's sixth straight victory in the series. On Georgia's second drive, WR Terry Godwin lined up for a direct snap and fumbled the ball. However, he scooped up the loose ball and ran in 28 yards to put the Bulldogs up 7-0. In addition to two field goals from Marshall Morgan, TB Sony Michel had a 1-yard scoring run in the third quarter and TB Keith Marshall caught a 10-yard touchdown pass from QB Greyson Lambert to pace Georgia's scoring. Michel ended up with a career-high 165 yards on the ground. The Bulldogs finished with a season-high 300 yards rushing. That was the most for UGA since it tallied 305 versus the Wildcats in 2014.
Defensively, Georgia held Kentucky to just 180 total yards and the field goal. In fact, the Wildcats only points came after they started on the Bulldog 20 yard line and only got five yards on the next four plays. Individually, S Dominick Sanders intercepted a pair of Patrick Towles' passes and finished those picks up with 61 return yards. Kentucky's three points were the fewest for the Wildcats against the Bulldogs since Georgia topped UK 12-3 in Athens in 1995 in a game that featured all field goals. Two years ago, Georgia defeated Kentucky 63-31 in Lexington, thanks in part to QB Hutson M
ason connecting for a career-high four touchdowns passes. The Bulldogs built a 21-0 first quarter lead and held a 35-24 edge going into the half. Isaiah McKenzie ignited the scoring by taking the opening kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown. McKenzie tied an NCAA record by adding a 59-yard punt return.
Georgia has a 56-55-8 edge on Auburn in one of the nation's oldest rivalries, dating back to 1892. The Bulldogs have won three out of the last four and the last four in Athens
Head Coach Kirby Smart
When Georgia looked for a new head football coach after the 2015 season, the arrows all pointed to Kirby Smart, longtime University of Alabama defensive coordinator and former Bulldog player and assistant coach.
On Dec. 6, 2015, Smart officially came home to Georgia. But he had unfinished business at Alabama, which was still chasing a national title. He juggled two jobs for a month until January 11, 2016, when the Crimson Tide won its fourth national championship in a 7-year span. Twelve hours later, he was in Athens ready to go to work.
When Smart was named head coach he said "It's an honor and privilege to return home to the University of Georgia and my home state. I'm deeply appreciative of the faith President Morehead, Greg McGarity, and the Athletic Board Executive Committee have demonstrated in asking me to lead one of the truly great college football programs in the country. I also want to thank Coach Saban. I have been fortunate to spend 11 seasons with him as my mentor and have learned a tremendous amount from him as a coach and teacher. I'm honored and excited for the opportunity at Georgia and promise high energy, effort every day, and hard work every minute on the part of all our coaches, staff and student-athletes."
Smart has served on the Alabama staff the past nine years, the past seven as defensive coordinator. During his tenure at Alabama, the Crimson Tide won three BCS National Championships, one College Football Playoff national title, three Southeastern Conference crowns, six SEC western division titles, and was ranked in the nation's final top ten rankings the last eight years in a row.
A former standout defensive back and scholar-athlete at Georgia, Smart was one of the nation's most respected defensive coordinators. During his time at Alabama, he coached players at three different positions, in addition to his coordinating duties. He was recognized as the 2012 AFCA Assistant Coach of the Year and the 2009 Broyles Award winner as college football's top assistant coach. He was also a finalist for the 2015 Broyles Award.
A four-time member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll, Smart received his BBA degree in Finance from UGA in 1998 and his M.S. in Physical Education from Kentucky State in 2003. The Bainbridge, Ga., native is married to the former Mary Beth Lycett of McDonough, Ga., a 4-year letterwinner, and 2-year starter, on the Georgia women's basketball team from 2000-2003. The couple met long after their undergraduate days at UGA, when Lycett -- then working in the UGAAA business office -- helped arrange Smart's trip to interview for the Bulldogs' running backs coaching job in 2005. They are now the proud parents of twins Weston and Julia (Feb. 8, 2008) and son Andrew (May 25, 2012).
Did You Know?
Kirby Smart is one of nine head coaches at schools from Power 5 conferences that are coaching at their alma maters.
The complete list:
Paul Chryst (Wisconsin)
Barry Odom (Missouri)
Pat Fitzgerald (Northwestern)
Mark Richt (Miami)
Mike Gundy (Oklahoma State)
David Shaw (Stanford)
Jim Harbaugh (Michigan)
Kirby Smart (GEORGIA)
Cliff Kingsbury (Texas Tech)
Quick Facts
DOG TRACKS
True freshman QB Jacob Eason is now 3-4 as a starter with road wins over Missouri, South Carolina and a home victory versus Nicholls. In his latest action, he finished 15-for-33 for 143 yards and one TD in a loss to #14 Florida in Jacksonville as the Gators limited Georgia to just 21 rushing yards. Eason showed playmaking ability against the Gators as he led Georgia to an early 10-7 lead. His favorite target that afternoon was sophomore Terry Godwin who finished with five catches for 57 yards. He ranks second on the team with 21 catches for 272 yards.
Eason threw for a career-high 346 yards (27-of-40) and a touchdown in a loss to Vanderbilt. Fellow freshmen TE Isaac Nauta and receiver Riley Ridley were his top targets against the Commodores with a combined 10 catches for 141 yards and a touchdown. Against #11 Tennessee, Eason finished 17-for-28 for 211 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. He fired a 47-yard touchdown to Ridley to give the Bulldogs a 31-28 lead with 10 seconds to play. It capped a four-play, 81-yard drive in 57 seconds. However, UT converted a 43-yard Hail Mary touchdown for a 34-31 road win. Eason's other TD pass of the game was a 50-yard bomb to Nauta.
In a 45-14 road loss to #23 Ole Miss, he went 16-for-36 for 137 yards and one INT. He led the Bulldogs on a fourth quarter comeback in the 28-27 road win at Missouri in just his second career start. He finished 29-for-55 for 308 yards and three touchdowns (were all career highs). This was the most attempts for a Bulldog since sophomore Cory Phillips went 36-for-62 against Georgia Tech in 2000. In the win over Mizzou, Eason and the Bulldogs converted a 4th-and-10 with 1:29 left that resulted in a 20-yard scoring strike to McKenzie. This game-winning TD capped an 80-yard drive in 10 plays that took just 2:03.
Eason became only the sixth Bulldog freshman QB to start a game and the first since Matthew Stafford (No. 1 NFL Draft pick in 2009 to Detroit Lions) in 2006 when he lined up behind center in the win over Nicholls.
Greyson Lambert returns for his final year of eligibility. After transferring to UGA from Virginia to start graduate school during the 2015 summer, the Jesup, Ga., native has started a total of 13 games, going 11-2 in those contests. He was Georgia's starter in the season-opening win over #22 North Carolina.
The centerpieces of the Bulldog backfield are juniors Nick Chubb and Sony Michel. Georgia is ranked eighth in the SEC in Rushing Offense (173.8) after Florida's defense limited the Bulldogs to just 21 yards and Chubb had 20 of them on nine attempts.
On the flipside, Chubb and Michel combined for 254 yards and two touchdowns on 37 carries in the win over the Gamecocks in Columbia. It marked the first time since 2014 that a pair of Bulldogs went over the 100-yard mark in the same game (current L.A. Ram Todd Gurley, Chubb).
Freshman Brian Herrien has seen action when one of the veterans need a break. At South Carolina, Herrien finished with a career-high 82 yards on just nine carries. He was the leading rusher at #11 Ole Miss with 78 yards and two touchdowns. Chubb and Michel are the first Bulldog teammates to each have 1,000-yard rushing seasons in their career. Michel returned this season after he became the 10th Georgia player in history to rush for more than 1,000 yards while starting six games in 2015 He became a starter last year after Chubb, who became the ninth running back with 1,000+ yards in 2014, went down with the knee injury against UT. Chubb is now just 100 yards away from being one of five TBs in Georgia history with at least 3,000 yards.
Chubb returned to the lineup in dramatic fashion in the 2016 season opener against #22 UNC, earning Maxwell Award/ SEC Player of the Week honors for his efforts. After sustaining a season-ending knee injury at UT (Oct. 10, 2015), he underwent surgery and extensive rehab. Against UNC, he tallied a Chick- Fil-A Kickoff Game record 222 yards on 32 carries. This marked his third career 200-yard game with only legendary running back Herschel Walker having more with nine. Due to an ankle injury, Chubb missed the second half of the game at #23 Ole Miss and finished with 57 yards on 12 carries. He only played one snap and took a single carry in the loss to #11 Tennessee while recovering from his ankle injury.
Junior fullback Christian Payne, a former walk-on from Athens and product of Prince Avenue School, was also a key to Georgia's 289 yards rushing in the win over #22 UNC. He showcased his receiving skills in the road win at Missouri, registering a career-high five catches for 41 yards, including his first career touchdown.
Junior WR/PR Isaiah McKenzie leads the Bulldogs with 647 all-purpose yards (74 rush, 415 receiving, 158 return) and has scored six touchdowns.
McKenzie has a team-best 30 catches, which includes a teamhigh five scores. His total receiving output this season far eclipses his total from his first two years (16 rec., 190 yds., 0 TDs). In the wins over Missouri and #22 North Carolina, McKenzie had a career-high 122 yards in each contest. Against Nicholls, he added another explosive play, registering a 66-yard TD reception, the longest by the Bulldogs since 2013 (Aaron Murray to Todd Gurley for 83 yards vs. Florida).
Three of the five starters on the 2016 offensive line return from last year. Seniors Greg Pyke (OG/OT) and Brandon Kublanow (C/OG) and junior Isaiah Wynn (OT) have combined for 86 career starts. This year's unit also has graduate transfer Tyler Catalina and redshirt sophomore Lamont Gaillard. Junior guard Dyshon Sims, who has played in 23 games and started one, is also in the rotation.
With a youthful defense, Georgia is 4-4 on the year. Field position was not in Georgia's favor against #14 Florida. The touchdown drives by the Gators only covered 39, 44 and 56 yards in falling 24-10. Georgia held the Gators to 231 yards on 73 plays.
The win over South Carolina on Oct. 9 marked the only game this year that the Bulldogs had not trailed. The Bulldogs jumped out to a 14-0 halftime lead over the Gamecocks. This was also the first time since the 2014 Missouri game that Georgia blanked an SEC opponent through the first two quarters. The Bulldogs had a strong start versus #11 Tennessee securing a 17-7 halftime lead. However, the Vols came back with 27 points in the second half (seven scored by their defense) to leave with a 34-31 win. Vanderbilt had one sustained drive in its win over Georgia - a 75 yarder. Vanderbilt's other two scoring drives started at the UGA 2 and 27.
In the 28-27 road win over Missouri, the defense limited the Tigers to seven points in the second half as they gained just 128 yards on 35 plays. In the first half, Missouri gaining 343 yards.
Georgia's defense opened the season against a high-powered UNC offense. The Bulldogs held the #22 Tar Heels to 24 points and 315 total yards on offense. Most importantly when the Bulldogs fell behind 24-14 with 6:34 left in the third period, the Georgia defense blanked North Carolina the rest of the game as the Bulldogs rallied back for a 33-24 victory.
Georgia looks to improve its Red Zone Defense with only two stops in 26 trips, which is 14th in the SEC. Opponents have scored 19 touchdowns and five field goals. The first stop came on an interception by senior Quincy Mauger when it trailed Missouri 27- 21 in the fourth quarter. He has had a pair of games in his career with two interceptions, both against the Tigers. The latest stop came versus #14 Florida when it missed a 33-yard field goal.
One of the leaders in the secondary is senior STAR Maurice Smith. Prior to the South Carolina game, head coach Kirby Smart said Smith was the unit's mature leader who sets an example for his younger teammates. Smith posted three tackles in the win at South Carolina, including a stop on 4th-and-2 in the fourth quarter with the Gamecocks trailing 21-7 and in Bulldog territory. He was one of the three game captains against #11 Tennessee and had his best game statistically. He tallied a career-high seven tackles, intercepted his first ball as a Bulldog (he played for his first three years at Alabama) and forced a fumble that he recovered. Smith ranks sixth on the squad with 30 tackles this season. He notched his first sack of the year at #14 Florida.
Smith joined the team late in the summer after graduating from Alabama. He played in all 15 games for the 14-1 national champions in 2015 and finished with 15 stops. Smith played in 41 career games (starting two) at UA and made 38 tackles, 1.5 sacks, five pass break-ups, one forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
All-SEC junior performer Dominick Sanders notched his 11th career interception in last Saturday's game versus #14 Florida. It led to a 3-0 lead and the first points any team had scored against the Gators in the first quarter this year. Sanders had an SEC-leading six picks in 2015 and finished last year with a UGA single season record of 205 INT Ret. yards, which ranked fifth in SEC history. He stands in third place for Bulldog Career Interception Yardage, just 16 yards of establishing a record.
Georgia sophomore DB Deandre Baker continues to develop into a solid contributor with a career-high 10 tackles and a sack versus #14 Florida. He started for the first time versus #11 Tennessee and responded with three tackles. His highlight was drilling Tennessee's Jalen Hurd at the goal line and forcing a fumble that Aaron Davis recovered for a touchback. Baker started his second game at South Carolina and tallied a career high seven tackles and recovered a fumble in the road win. Against #22 UNC, junior CB Malkom Parrish had a team-high seven tackles while Davis had five stops and Smith also registered five tackles plus two pass break-ups.
Sophomore ILBs Natrez Patrick and Roquan Smith rank 1-2 in tackles this season with 49 and 48 respectively. Smith posted a career-high and game-high 11 stops in the road win at South Carolina. He also added a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in the 28-14 victory over the Gamecocks. In his most recent action coming against #14 Florida in Jacksonville, Smith tallied nine tackles. Patrick's steady play this year has him leading the team in tackles including a career-high 10 stops versus #11 Tennessee. Also, he ranks among the team leaders with 4.5 tackles for loss and one sack. A fellow sophomore, DL Trenton Thompson, leads the interior linemen and is third on the squad with 35 stops and a teamleading five TFLs and two sacks. His downfield diving tackle of Gator receiver Antonio Callaway after a 21-yard gain was a highlight hustle play for the young Bulldog. The defense has scored one touchdown on the year. Junior OLB Lorenzo Carter scooped up a fumble in the Nicholls game and ran 24 yards for a score during the Bulldogs' second victory of the year. Carter doubled his 2016 sack total with a pair versus Vanderbilt. Georgia's other starting OLB, junior Davin Bellamy, led the team with eight tackles against the Commodores, including one tackle for loss.
Junior Isaiah McKenzie has already made his mark in the SEC record book with his returns. Currently, his four punt returns for touchdowns rank fifth best in SEC history while his five total returns for scores (four PR, one KOR) is tied for third best in the league record books. This year, McKenzie has 16 returns for 134 yards for an 8.4 average, which is third in the SEC. Senior Reggie Davis is averaging 23.5 yards on 13 kickoff returns, which ranks second in the league. He had a team-leading 17 kick returns for 394 yards (23.2 avg.) in 2015 to go with eight punt returns for 110 yards (one for a TD at Tennessee last year that covered 70 yards).
*started the game
Redshirt freshman Rodrigo Blankenship has handled the PK duties as well as most of the kickoffs over the last five games. Blankenship is 5-for-6 on the year including hitting his last four attempts. He made a 25-yarder to give Georgia an early 3-0 lead versus #14 Florida in Jacksonville. He went 3-for-3 against Vanderbilt, including a careerlong 45 yarder. Blankenship had three kickoffs against the Gators with one touchback. He is 12-for-12 in PATs. Redshirt sophomore William Ham is 3-for-7 on FGs this season and 10-for-10 in PATs.
True freshman Marshall Long was handling the punting duties until the Florida game. While Long started against the #14 Gators, junior Brice Ramsey saw action on three punts too.
Long has punted 44 times for an average of 38.4 yards. He had a career long 59 yarder versus the Gamecocks. Ramsey is averaging 32.0 yards on three punts with a long of 36 versus #14 Florida. Ramsey took over primary punting chores last year starting with the Florida game, and he finished the 2015 season with a 41.9 average on 25 punts.
The Bulldogs are 14th in the SEC in Net Punting at 34.8. This week's opponent, Kentucky, 13th in Net Punting at 35.7. In the punt return game, UK ranks fourth at 12.2 yards while the Bulldogs are seventh at 8.4.
The snapping responsibility for the Bulldogs has been shared by juniors Glenn Welch and Trent Frix. Frix is the younger brother of former snapper Ty Frix (2009-12) and the son of former snapper Mitch Frix (1981-82).
The Georgia Bulldogs vs. The Kentucky Wildcats
Game & Broadcast Info
- Game 9: Georgia Bulldogs vs. Kentucky Wildcats
- Kickoff: Saturday, November 5 - 7:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Memorial Coliseum (61,000) - Lexington, Ky.
- Records: Georgia 4-4 (2-4 SEC), Kentucky 5-3 (4-2 SEC)
- Rankings: Georgia NR, Kentucky NR
- TV: SECN -
- Video Stream: SEC Network +
- Radio: WSB AM 750 - Bulldog Network | Affiliates
Scott Howard (PxP), Eric Zeier (Color), Chuck Dowdle (sideline) - Audio Stream: georgiadogs.com | Mobile
- Satellite: Sirius 83, XM 190
- Web Stats: Live Stats
- Twitter: #UGAvsUK
- ReBroadcast: SEC Network: 11/7 10AM, 11/8 1AM
Series History
Georgia and Kentucky enter Saturday's game posting vastly different results recently. The Bulldogs (4-4, 2-4 SEC) opened up with a neutral game victory over #22 North Carolina en route to a 3-0 start. But Georgia has gone 1-4 since then, including their recent 24-10 loss to #14 Florida in Jacksonville, Fla. Meanwhile, the Wildcats (5-3, 4-2 SEC) opened the year going 0-2. However, Kentucky has bounced back to win five out of its last six, including its last three.
Most recently, the Wildcats left Missouri behind with a 35-21 win in Columbia, Mo. Kentucky racked up an SEC-high 582 total yards against the Tigers. This output came after recording 554 yards in the win over Mississippi State. Kentucky's 4-2 record in the SEC marks the first time the team has had that conference record since 1993. Three of those wins have come against Eastern Division opponents, and that is the first time the Wildcats have had that many victories versus teams in their division since the league split into divisions in 1992. Kentucky enters the game on a three-game SEC win streak, which is the longest for the Wildcats since 1999.
In the all-time series history with Kentucky, Georgia leads 55-12-2, including 26-7 in Lexington, Ky. Georgia has a six-game winning streak in the series with Kentucky's last victory coming in 2009 in Athens (34-27).
Responding With 'Ws' After Jacksonville
Georgia has won its last nine games following the annual clash in Jacksonville, Fla., with Florida, including three of those against Kentucky. Last year, the Bulldogs topped the Wildcats 27-3 after falling to that same score to the Gators a week before.
Inside The Numbers
The Bulldogs are tied for first in the SEC with a +6 Turnover Margin while Kentucky is 14th at -11. Georgia has gone two straight games without a turnover and actually the stretch has spanned nine quarters without a turnover dating back to the South Carolina game. Both teams stand near the bottom of the SEC standings in Scoring Offense. The Wildcats are scoring 27.8 points per game to rank 11th while the Bulldogs are tallying 23.2 points a contest through eight games and are ranked 12th. Kentucky has bolstered its scoring over the last two games, putting up 40 and 35 against Mississippi State and Missouri, respectively, in back-to-back wins. Georgia ranks eighth in the league in Scoring Defense at 26.1 and Kentucky stands 12th after giving up 30.9 points a game during its first eight games.
2015 Flashback: Bulldogs Blitz Wildcats 27-3
The Bulldogs whipped Kentucky 27-3 last year in Athens for Georgia's sixth straight victory in the series. On Georgia's second drive, WR Terry Godwin lined up for a direct snap and fumbled the ball. However, he scooped up the loose ball and ran in 28 yards to put the Bulldogs up 7-0. In addition to two field goals from Marshall Morgan, TB Sony Michel had a 1-yard scoring run in the third quarter and TB Keith Marshall caught a 10-yard touchdown pass from QB Greyson Lambert to pace Georgia's scoring. Michel ended up with a career-high 165 yards on the ground. The Bulldogs finished with a season-high 300 yards rushing. That was the most for UGA since it tallied 305 versus the Wildcats in 2014.
Defensively, Georgia held Kentucky to just 180 total yards and the field goal. In fact, the Wildcats only points came after they started on the Bulldog 20 yard line and only got five yards on the next four plays. Individually, S Dominick Sanders intercepted a pair of Patrick Towles' passes and finished those picks up with 61 return yards. Kentucky's three points were the fewest for the Wildcats against the Bulldogs since Georgia topped UK 12-3 in Athens in 1995 in a game that featured all field goals. Two years ago, Georgia defeated Kentucky 63-31 in Lexington, thanks in part to QB Hutson M
ason connecting for a career-high four touchdowns passes. The Bulldogs built a 21-0 first quarter lead and held a 35-24 edge going into the half. Isaiah McKenzie ignited the scoring by taking the opening kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown. McKenzie tied an NCAA record by adding a 59-yard punt return.
On Deck: vs. #11 Auburn Nov. 12, TBA
Georgia has a 56-55-8 edge on Auburn in one of the nation's oldest rivalries, dating back to 1892. The Bulldogs have won three out of the last four and the last four in Athens
Inside The Numbers This Season
| Georgia | 2016 Averages | Kentucky |
| 23.2 | Scoring Offense | 27.8 |
| 26.1 | Scoring Defense | 30.9 |
| +6 | Turnover Margin | -11 |
| 373.0 | Total Offense | 400.6 |
| 173.8 | Rushing Offense | 219.5 |
| 199.2 | Passing Offense | 181.7 |
| 8.4 | Punt Returns | 12.2 |
| 21.9 | Kickoff Returns | 24.4 |
Head Coach Kirby Smart
| Personal Full Name: Kirby Paul Smart Birthdate: December 23, 1975 Birthplace: Montgomery, Alabama Family: Wife: Mary Beth; Children: twins Weston and Julia (Feb. 8, 2008), and Andrew (May 25, 2012) High School: Bainbridge (Ga.) College: BBA Georgia '98; MS Kentucky State '03 Coaching Experience 1999 Georgia Admin. Asst. 2000 Valdosta State Defensive Backs 2001 Valdosta State Def. Coord. 2002-03 Kentucky State Grad. Assistant 2004 LSU Defensive Backs 2005 Georgia Running Backs 2006 Miami Dolphins Safeties 2007 Alabama Asst. HC/DBs 2008-13, '15 Alabama Def. Coord./ILBs 2014 Alabama Asst. HC/Safeties 2016-current Georgia Head Coach Playing Experience Georgia (1995-98): Four-year letterman as defensive back. First team All-SEC in '98; 13 career interceptions; four-time member of SEC Academic Honor Roll. Bainbridge H.S. (1991-93): Three-year letterman in football, basketball, and baseball; first team Class AAAA All-State as a senior; 16 career interceptions. High School Coach: Sonny Smart (father) |
On Dec. 6, 2015, Smart officially came home to Georgia. But he had unfinished business at Alabama, which was still chasing a national title. He juggled two jobs for a month until January 11, 2016, when the Crimson Tide won its fourth national championship in a 7-year span. Twelve hours later, he was in Athens ready to go to work.
When Smart was named head coach he said "It's an honor and privilege to return home to the University of Georgia and my home state. I'm deeply appreciative of the faith President Morehead, Greg McGarity, and the Athletic Board Executive Committee have demonstrated in asking me to lead one of the truly great college football programs in the country. I also want to thank Coach Saban. I have been fortunate to spend 11 seasons with him as my mentor and have learned a tremendous amount from him as a coach and teacher. I'm honored and excited for the opportunity at Georgia and promise high energy, effort every day, and hard work every minute on the part of all our coaches, staff and student-athletes."
Smart has served on the Alabama staff the past nine years, the past seven as defensive coordinator. During his tenure at Alabama, the Crimson Tide won three BCS National Championships, one College Football Playoff national title, three Southeastern Conference crowns, six SEC western division titles, and was ranked in the nation's final top ten rankings the last eight years in a row.
A former standout defensive back and scholar-athlete at Georgia, Smart was one of the nation's most respected defensive coordinators. During his time at Alabama, he coached players at three different positions, in addition to his coordinating duties. He was recognized as the 2012 AFCA Assistant Coach of the Year and the 2009 Broyles Award winner as college football's top assistant coach. He was also a finalist for the 2015 Broyles Award.
A four-time member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll, Smart received his BBA degree in Finance from UGA in 1998 and his M.S. in Physical Education from Kentucky State in 2003. The Bainbridge, Ga., native is married to the former Mary Beth Lycett of McDonough, Ga., a 4-year letterwinner, and 2-year starter, on the Georgia women's basketball team from 2000-2003. The couple met long after their undergraduate days at UGA, when Lycett -- then working in the UGAAA business office -- helped arrange Smart's trip to interview for the Bulldogs' running backs coaching job in 2005. They are now the proud parents of twins Weston and Julia (Feb. 8, 2008) and son Andrew (May 25, 2012).
Did You Know?
Kirby Smart is one of nine head coaches at schools from Power 5 conferences that are coaching at their alma maters.
The complete list:
Paul Chryst (Wisconsin)
Barry Odom (Missouri)
Pat Fitzgerald (Northwestern)
Mark Richt (Miami)
Mike Gundy (Oklahoma State)
David Shaw (Stanford)
Jim Harbaugh (Michigan)
Kirby Smart (GEORGIA)
Cliff Kingsbury (Texas Tech)
| The Kirby Smart Record | ||||
| Year | W | L | Pct. | SEC |
| 2016 | 4 | 4 | .500 | 2-4 |
Quick Facts
- Led UGA to its first win over a ranked team in a season opener away from Sanford Stadium in school history, posting a 33-24 win over #22 UNC during the Chick-Fil-A Kickoff Classic
- In head coaching debut, Bulldogs overcame a 10-point deficit in the second half and scored the final 19 points of the game in a win over the #22 Tar Heels in the Georgia Dome
- Became first UGA football coach since Joel Hunt in 1938 to start his career 3-0 after winning his first SEC game on the road with a 28-27 victory over Missouri
DOG TRACKS
Eason Gaining SEC Experience
True freshman QB Jacob Eason is now 3-4 as a starter with road wins over Missouri, South Carolina and a home victory versus Nicholls. In his latest action, he finished 15-for-33 for 143 yards and one TD in a loss to #14 Florida in Jacksonville as the Gators limited Georgia to just 21 rushing yards. Eason showed playmaking ability against the Gators as he led Georgia to an early 10-7 lead. His favorite target that afternoon was sophomore Terry Godwin who finished with five catches for 57 yards. He ranks second on the team with 21 catches for 272 yards.
Eason threw for a career-high 346 yards (27-of-40) and a touchdown in a loss to Vanderbilt. Fellow freshmen TE Isaac Nauta and receiver Riley Ridley were his top targets against the Commodores with a combined 10 catches for 141 yards and a touchdown. Against #11 Tennessee, Eason finished 17-for-28 for 211 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. He fired a 47-yard touchdown to Ridley to give the Bulldogs a 31-28 lead with 10 seconds to play. It capped a four-play, 81-yard drive in 57 seconds. However, UT converted a 43-yard Hail Mary touchdown for a 34-31 road win. Eason's other TD pass of the game was a 50-yard bomb to Nauta.
In a 45-14 road loss to #23 Ole Miss, he went 16-for-36 for 137 yards and one INT. He led the Bulldogs on a fourth quarter comeback in the 28-27 road win at Missouri in just his second career start. He finished 29-for-55 for 308 yards and three touchdowns (were all career highs). This was the most attempts for a Bulldog since sophomore Cory Phillips went 36-for-62 against Georgia Tech in 2000. In the win over Mizzou, Eason and the Bulldogs converted a 4th-and-10 with 1:29 left that resulted in a 20-yard scoring strike to McKenzie. This game-winning TD capped an 80-yard drive in 10 plays that took just 2:03.
Eason became only the sixth Bulldog freshman QB to start a game and the first since Matthew Stafford (No. 1 NFL Draft pick in 2009 to Detroit Lions) in 2006 when he lined up behind center in the win over Nicholls.
Greyson Lambert returns for his final year of eligibility. After transferring to UGA from Virginia to start graduate school during the 2015 summer, the Jesup, Ga., native has started a total of 13 games, going 11-2 in those contests. He was Georgia's starter in the season-opening win over #22 North Carolina.
| Jacob Eason | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | G/GS | Cmp. | Att. | Pct. | Yds. | INT | TD | Eff. | LG | |
| 2016 | 8/7 | 128 | 241 | 53.1 | 1,509 | 5 | 10 | 115.25 | 66TD NICH | |
| Greyson Lambert (2013-14 UVA; 2015-16 UGA) | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | G/GS | Cmp. | Att. | Pct. | Yds. | INT | TD | Eff. | LG | |
| 2013 | 7/0 | 33 | 75 | .440 | 340 | 2 | 1 | 81.1 | 23 UNC | |
| 2014 | 9/9 | 154 | 261 | .590 | 1,632 | 11 | 10 | 115.7 | 54 VT | |
| 2015 | 12/12 | 162 | 256 | .633 | 1,959 | 2 | 12 | 141.5 | 48 ULM, UT | |
| 2016 | 2/1 | 7 | 11 | .636 | 56 | 0 | 0 | 106.4 | 25 UNC | |
| Total | 30/22 | 356 | 603 | .590 | 3,987 | 15 | 23 | 122.2 | 54 VT | |
Running Game Starts With Chubb, Michel
The centerpieces of the Bulldog backfield are juniors Nick Chubb and Sony Michel. Georgia is ranked eighth in the SEC in Rushing Offense (173.8) after Florida's defense limited the Bulldogs to just 21 yards and Chubb had 20 of them on nine attempts.
On the flipside, Chubb and Michel combined for 254 yards and two touchdowns on 37 carries in the win over the Gamecocks in Columbia. It marked the first time since 2014 that a pair of Bulldogs went over the 100-yard mark in the same game (current L.A. Ram Todd Gurley, Chubb).
Freshman Brian Herrien has seen action when one of the veterans need a break. At South Carolina, Herrien finished with a career-high 82 yards on just nine carries. He was the leading rusher at #11 Ole Miss with 78 yards and two touchdowns. Chubb and Michel are the first Bulldog teammates to each have 1,000-yard rushing seasons in their career. Michel returned this season after he became the 10th Georgia player in history to rush for more than 1,000 yards while starting six games in 2015 He became a starter last year after Chubb, who became the ninth running back with 1,000+ yards in 2014, went down with the knee injury against UT. Chubb is now just 100 yards away from being one of five TBs in Georgia history with at least 3,000 yards.
Chubb returned to the lineup in dramatic fashion in the 2016 season opener against #22 UNC, earning Maxwell Award/ SEC Player of the Week honors for his efforts. After sustaining a season-ending knee injury at UT (Oct. 10, 2015), he underwent surgery and extensive rehab. Against UNC, he tallied a Chick- Fil-A Kickoff Game record 222 yards on 32 carries. This marked his third career 200-yard game with only legendary running back Herschel Walker having more with nine. Due to an ankle injury, Chubb missed the second half of the game at #23 Ole Miss and finished with 57 yards on 12 carries. He only played one snap and took a single carry in the loss to #11 Tennessee while recovering from his ankle injury.
Junior fullback Christian Payne, a former walk-on from Athens and product of Prince Avenue School, was also a key to Georgia's 289 yards rushing in the win over #22 UNC. He showcased his receiving skills in the road win at Missouri, registering a career-high five catches for 41 yards, including his first career touchdown.
| Nick Chubb | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G/GS | Att. | Yds | TD | LG | Rec | Yds | TD | LG | |
| 2014 | 13/8 | 219 | 1,547 | 14 | 83 | 18 | 213 | 2 | 27 |
| 2015 | 6/6 | 92 | 747 | 7 | 83 | 4 | 32 | 1 | 24 |
| 2016 | 8/6 | 125 | 606 | 5 | 55 | 3 | 34 | 0 | 13 |
| Total | 26/19 | 436 | 2,900 | 26 | 83 | 25 | 292 | 3 | 27 |
| Sony Michel | |||||||||
| G/GS | Att. | Yds | TD | LG | Rec | Yds | TD | LG | |
| 2014 | 8/1 | 64 | 410 | 5 | 75 | 7 | 106 | 1 | 33 |
| 2015 | 13/6 | 219 | 1,161 | 8 | 66 | 26 | 270 | 3 | 48 |
| 2016 | 7/2 | 76 | 360 | 1 | 22 | 12 | 65 | 0 | 29 |
| Total | 28/9 | 359 | 1,932 | 14 | 75 | 45 | 442 | 4 | 48 |
McKenzie Bulldogs' All-Purpose Leader
Junior WR/PR Isaiah McKenzie leads the Bulldogs with 647 all-purpose yards (74 rush, 415 receiving, 158 return) and has scored six touchdowns.
McKenzie has a team-best 30 catches, which includes a teamhigh five scores. His total receiving output this season far eclipses his total from his first two years (16 rec., 190 yds., 0 TDs). In the wins over Missouri and #22 North Carolina, McKenzie had a career-high 122 yards in each contest. Against Nicholls, he added another explosive play, registering a 66-yard TD reception, the longest by the Bulldogs since 2013 (Aaron Murray to Todd Gurley for 83 yards vs. Florida).
A Look At The Line
Three of the five starters on the 2016 offensive line return from last year. Seniors Greg Pyke (OG/OT) and Brandon Kublanow (C/OG) and junior Isaiah Wynn (OT) have combined for 86 career starts. This year's unit also has graduate transfer Tyler Catalina and redshirt sophomore Lamont Gaillard. Junior guard Dyshon Sims, who has played in 23 games and started one, is also in the rotation.
| Rush | Pass | Total Off. | Points | Sacks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| vs. #22 UNC | 289 | 185 | 474 | 33 | 4 |
| NICH | 167 | 206 | 373 | 26 | 1 |
| MU | 101 | 308 | 409 | 28 | 4 |
| @ #23 OM | 230 | 166 | 396 | 14 | 3 |
| #11 UT | 181 | 211 | 392 | 31 | 3 |
| @ SC | 326 | 29 | 355 | 28 | 1 |
| VU | 75 | 346 | 421 | 16 | 1 |
| vs. #14 UF | 21 | 143 | 164 | 10 | 2 |
Young Defense Improving
With a youthful defense, Georgia is 4-4 on the year. Field position was not in Georgia's favor against #14 Florida. The touchdown drives by the Gators only covered 39, 44 and 56 yards in falling 24-10. Georgia held the Gators to 231 yards on 73 plays.
The win over South Carolina on Oct. 9 marked the only game this year that the Bulldogs had not trailed. The Bulldogs jumped out to a 14-0 halftime lead over the Gamecocks. This was also the first time since the 2014 Missouri game that Georgia blanked an SEC opponent through the first two quarters. The Bulldogs had a strong start versus #11 Tennessee securing a 17-7 halftime lead. However, the Vols came back with 27 points in the second half (seven scored by their defense) to leave with a 34-31 win. Vanderbilt had one sustained drive in its win over Georgia - a 75 yarder. Vanderbilt's other two scoring drives started at the UGA 2 and 27.
In the 28-27 road win over Missouri, the defense limited the Tigers to seven points in the second half as they gained just 128 yards on 35 plays. In the first half, Missouri gaining 343 yards.
Georgia's defense opened the season against a high-powered UNC offense. The Bulldogs held the #22 Tar Heels to 24 points and 315 total yards on offense. Most importantly when the Bulldogs fell behind 24-14 with 6:34 left in the third period, the Georgia defense blanked North Carolina the rest of the game as the Bulldogs rallied back for a 33-24 victory.
Georgia looks to improve its Red Zone Defense with only two stops in 26 trips, which is 14th in the SEC. Opponents have scored 19 touchdowns and five field goals. The first stop came on an interception by senior Quincy Mauger when it trailed Missouri 27- 21 in the fourth quarter. He has had a pair of games in his career with two interceptions, both against the Tigers. The latest stop came versus #14 Florida when it missed a 33-yard field goal.
Smith A Senior STAR
One of the leaders in the secondary is senior STAR Maurice Smith. Prior to the South Carolina game, head coach Kirby Smart said Smith was the unit's mature leader who sets an example for his younger teammates. Smith posted three tackles in the win at South Carolina, including a stop on 4th-and-2 in the fourth quarter with the Gamecocks trailing 21-7 and in Bulldog territory. He was one of the three game captains against #11 Tennessee and had his best game statistically. He tallied a career-high seven tackles, intercepted his first ball as a Bulldog (he played for his first three years at Alabama) and forced a fumble that he recovered. Smith ranks sixth on the squad with 30 tackles this season. He notched his first sack of the year at #14 Florida.
Smith joined the team late in the summer after graduating from Alabama. He played in all 15 games for the 14-1 national champions in 2015 and finished with 15 stops. Smith played in 41 career games (starting two) at UA and made 38 tackles, 1.5 sacks, five pass break-ups, one forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
Sanders Closing In On School Record
All-SEC junior performer Dominick Sanders notched his 11th career interception in last Saturday's game versus #14 Florida. It led to a 3-0 lead and the first points any team had scored against the Gators in the first quarter this year. Sanders had an SEC-leading six picks in 2015 and finished last year with a UGA single season record of 205 INT Ret. yards, which ranked fifth in SEC history. He stands in third place for Bulldog Career Interception Yardage, just 16 yards of establishing a record.
| UGA RECORD BOOKS - INT RETURN YARDS (CAREER): | ||
|---|---|---|
| Rank | Int Yards | Player |
| 1. | 315 | Jake Scott (16), 1967-68 {fifth in SEC history} |
| 2. | 303 | Scott Woerner (13), 1977-80 |
| 3. | 300 | Dominick Sanders (11), 2014- |
Big Game For Baker
Georgia sophomore DB Deandre Baker continues to develop into a solid contributor with a career-high 10 tackles and a sack versus #14 Florida. He started for the first time versus #11 Tennessee and responded with three tackles. His highlight was drilling Tennessee's Jalen Hurd at the goal line and forcing a fumble that Aaron Davis recovered for a touchback. Baker started his second game at South Carolina and tallied a career high seven tackles and recovered a fumble in the road win. Against #22 UNC, junior CB Malkom Parrish had a team-high seven tackles while Davis had five stops and Smith also registered five tackles plus two pass break-ups.
Sophomore ILBs Leading The Way In Tackles
Sophomore ILBs Natrez Patrick and Roquan Smith rank 1-2 in tackles this season with 49 and 48 respectively. Smith posted a career-high and game-high 11 stops in the road win at South Carolina. He also added a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in the 28-14 victory over the Gamecocks. In his most recent action coming against #14 Florida in Jacksonville, Smith tallied nine tackles. Patrick's steady play this year has him leading the team in tackles including a career-high 10 stops versus #11 Tennessee. Also, he ranks among the team leaders with 4.5 tackles for loss and one sack. A fellow sophomore, DL Trenton Thompson, leads the interior linemen and is third on the squad with 35 stops and a teamleading five TFLs and two sacks. His downfield diving tackle of Gator receiver Antonio Callaway after a 21-yard gain was a highlight hustle play for the young Bulldog. The defense has scored one touchdown on the year. Junior OLB Lorenzo Carter scooped up a fumble in the Nicholls game and ran 24 yards for a score during the Bulldogs' second victory of the year. Carter doubled his 2016 sack total with a pair versus Vanderbilt. Georgia's other starting OLB, junior Davin Bellamy, led the team with eight tackles against the Commodores, including one tackle for loss.
Taking It To The House
Junior Isaiah McKenzie has already made his mark in the SEC record book with his returns. Currently, his four punt returns for touchdowns rank fifth best in SEC history while his five total returns for scores (four PR, one KOR) is tied for third best in the league record books. This year, McKenzie has 16 returns for 134 yards for an 8.4 average, which is third in the SEC. Senior Reggie Davis is averaging 23.5 yards on 13 kickoff returns, which ranks second in the league. He had a team-leading 17 kick returns for 394 yards (23.2 avg.) in 2015 to go with eight punt returns for 110 yards (one for a TD at Tennessee last year that covered 70 yards).
| McKenzie's Career Touchdown Returns | ||
|---|---|---|
| Date | Game | Length |
| Sept. 20, 2014 | Troy | 52-yd PR |
| Nov. 8, 2014 | @ Kentucky | *90-yd KOR |
| Nov. 8, 2014 | @ Kentucky | 59-yd PR |
| Sept. 12, 2015 | @ Kentucky | 77-yd PR |
| Nov. 14, 2015 | @ Auburn | 53-yd PR |
Blankenship Continues Development At PK
Redshirt freshman Rodrigo Blankenship has handled the PK duties as well as most of the kickoffs over the last five games. Blankenship is 5-for-6 on the year including hitting his last four attempts. He made a 25-yarder to give Georgia an early 3-0 lead versus #14 Florida in Jacksonville. He went 3-for-3 against Vanderbilt, including a careerlong 45 yarder. Blankenship had three kickoffs against the Gators with one touchback. He is 12-for-12 in PATs. Redshirt sophomore William Ham is 3-for-7 on FGs this season and 10-for-10 in PATs.
A Long Look At The Punters
True freshman Marshall Long was handling the punting duties until the Florida game. While Long started against the #14 Gators, junior Brice Ramsey saw action on three punts too.
Long has punted 44 times for an average of 38.4 yards. He had a career long 59 yarder versus the Gamecocks. Ramsey is averaging 32.0 yards on three punts with a long of 36 versus #14 Florida. Ramsey took over primary punting chores last year starting with the Florida game, and he finished the 2015 season with a 41.9 average on 25 punts.
The Bulldogs are 14th in the SEC in Net Punting at 34.8. This week's opponent, Kentucky, 13th in Net Punting at 35.7. In the punt return game, UK ranks fourth at 12.2 yards while the Bulldogs are seventh at 8.4.
The snapping responsibility for the Bulldogs has been shared by juniors Glenn Welch and Trent Frix. Frix is the younger brother of former snapper Ty Frix (2009-12) and the son of former snapper Mitch Frix (1981-82).
Players Mentioned
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