University of Georgia Athletics
Notes: UGA-AU Renew Deep South's Oldest Rivalry
November 07, 2016 | Football
Nov. 7, 2016
With Georgia's 20-13 win over Auburn on the Plains last year, the Bulldogs claimed the series edge for the first time since 1986. Georgia now leads the Deep South's oldest rivalry 56-55-8. In fact, Georgia has won eight of the last 10 meetings with Auburn, and the only two Tiger wins in that stretch came in seasons when they played for the national championship (2010 & 2013). The road team has a better record in the series as Georgia is 16-11-2 on the Plains while Auburn is 18-13 in Athens. The Tigers are up to No. 8 in the polls this week and are on a six-game winning streak.
Saturday will mark the 120th meeting between Georgia and Auburn, making it the fourth most played active series in the NCAA FBS (also tied with Oregon-Oregon State). The Bulldogs and Tigers first squared off in 1892 in Atlanta's Piedmont Park. The only event that interrupted the series was a World War as the teams did not play in 1917, 1918 and 1943.
Also of note in the series, the all-time point total differential is 106 with Georgia leading 1,940 to 1,834. The 2012-13 seasons saw the Bulldogs head to Auburn for consecutive years, marking the first time the game had been played at the same site for two years in a row since 1958. The game was played in Columbus during a stretch from 1930-58. The first 10 games were played in Atlanta starting in 1892.
The last top 10 ranked team to visit Sanford Stadium was then No. 9 Auburn in 2014 and then No. 16 Georgia posted a 34-7 win.
Currently, Georgia ranks third in the SEC with a +5 Turnover Margin after collecting a pair but giving up three versus Kentucky last Saturday. Auburn is eighth in the league in Turnover Margin at +2. The Tigers are fourth in the SEC in Scoring Offense at 34.8 points per game while Georgia stands 12th in that category at 23.7 points per contest. The Tigers are fourth in Scoring Defense (16.0) and have held eight of their last 10 opponents to less than 20 points. Georgia ranks eighth in Scoring Defense at 25.9.The Tigers are leading the SEC and rank third nationally in Rushing Offense (299.8 yards a game). The Bulldogs are third in the league in Rushing Defense, holding opponents to 118.2. Led by juniors Nick Chubb and Sony Michel, Georgia is averaging 178.3 yards on the ground, good for eighth in the SEC, while Auburn stands fifth in Rushing Defense (125.9).
Falling behind 7-0 in the opening period, the Bulldogs bounced back to tie the game at 10-all late in the third quarter and then took a lead they would never relinquish at the 9:28 mark in the fourth quarter. WR/PR Isaiah McKenzie evened the game at 10-10 on a 4-yard carry with 1:20 left in the third period. Next, McKenzie gave Georgia its first lead with a 53-yard punt return for a touchdown in the final quarter. PK Marshall Morgan also drilled to field goals of 40 and 38 yards to help Georgia win its seventh game in 2015. Defensively, CB Aaron Davis helped clinch the victory with a pair of fourth quarter fumble recoveries, one that came at the UGA 5 yard line. ILB Jake Ganus led both teams with 11 tackles while OLBs Jordan Jenkins and Lorenzo Carter each forced a fumble. In addition, Malkom Parrish also recorded a second quarter interception for Georgia.
The last time the teams met in Athens, the #16 Bulldogs blistered the #9 Tigers 34-7 behind 144 yards rushing and two touchdowns from TB Nick Chubb and 138 yards and a score for TB Todd Gurley.
For the second time in as many years, junior DB Aaron Davis has been named to the Co- SIDA Academic All-District 4 Football Team. A 6-1, 189-pound native of Locust Grove, Ga., Davis has a 3.50 GPA in Finance. He is a member of the UGA Athletic Association's Leadership Academy (LEAD) and has been on the SEC honor roll twice. Davis is third on the team with 38 tackles this season, including a sack, from his defensive back position. He has one of the Bulldogs' 10 interceptions this season and has forced a pair of fumbles and recovered one. Davis is a former walk-on who worked his way into the starting lineup and is now on scholarship.
The Bulldogs have played the Ragin' Cajuns once and topped them 55-7 in Athens during the 2010 season.
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 Auburn 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 has started the last eight games for the Bulldogs, including the latest 27-24 victory at Kentucky. Versus the Wildcats, he completed 17-of-31 passes for 245 yards and a touchdown and no interceptions. Eason directed the game-winning drive in the fourth quarter that started at the UGA 25 with 2:47 left. He was 4-for-4 for 42 yards and junior TB Sony Michel ran another 22 yards to help set up redshirt freshman PK Rodrigo Blankenship's 25-yard field goal as time expired.
Connecting with seven different receivers versus Kentucky, Eason found a favorite target in junior WR Javon Wims who finished with career highs in catches (five) and yards (90).
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.
He led the Bulldogs on a fourth quarter comeback in the 28-27 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 gamewinning TD capped an 80-yard drive in 10 plays that took 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. Most recently, Michel went for 127 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries (6.7 avg.) to anchor the offensive attack during the win at Kentucky. This gave him 2,058 yards in his career. He and Chubb (2,985) are now only the fifth active tandem nationwide to each have at least 2,000 yards.
Georgia is ranked eighth in the SEC in Rushing Offense (178.3) coming into its matchup with #8 Auburn, who ranks fifth in the league in Rushing Defense (125.9). The Tigers are leading the SEC in rushing with an average of 299.8/game while the Bulldogs stand third on the conference in allowing only 118.2/game.
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 the 2014 win over Auburn that a pair of Bulldogs went over the 100-yard mark in the same game (current L.A. Ram Todd Gurley, Chubb).
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 15 yards away from being only the fifth tailback 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 WR/PR Isaiah McKenzie is second on the Bulldogs with 699 all-purpose yards (74 rush, 459 receiving, 166 return) and has scored seven touchdowns, including his 38-yard touchdown catch at Kentucky last weekend.
McKenzie has a team-best 32 catches, which includes a teamhigh six 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 89 career starts. This year's unit also has graduate transfer Tyler Catalina (LT) and redshirt sophomore Lamont Gaillard (RG). Junior guard Dyshon Sims, who has played in 24 games and started one, is also in the rotation.
The youthful Bulldog defense held Kentucky to just 308 total yards on 61 plays in Lexington. This came after the Wildcats had racked up 582 yards and 554 yards in wins over Missouri and Miss. State, respectively, in the two preceding weeks. Georgia gave up three touchdowns to Kentucky, including one after just a 38-yard drive following a Bulldog fumble on a punt return. The other UK scoring drives covered 56 and 67 yards. Field position was also not in Georgia's favor against #14 Florida. The touchdown drives by the Gators only covered 39, 44 and 56 yards during the loss. 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. Georgia 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. 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.
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 28 trips, which is 14th in the SEC. Opponents have scored 22 touchdowns and six 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. During the road win over Kentucky, he registered a forced fumble and fumble recovery to go along with five tackles. Smith 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 is tied for fifth on the squad with 35 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 the 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 followed up his performance against the Gators with his first career interception in the most recent win over Kentucky. Baker 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.
Sophomore ILBs Natrez Patrick and Roquan Smith are tied for the team lead in tackles at 55 apiece.
In Smith's last two games, he has 16 tackles. 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 the game 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 among a host of Bulldogs with 35 stops and a team-leading five TFLs and has 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. Freshman DT Julian Rochester had a breakout performance against Kentucky with a team-leading eight tackles, a sack and a forced fumble.
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 19 returns for 142 yards for an 7.5 average, which is third in the SEC.
Senior Reggie Davis is averaging 23.3 yards on 15 kickoff returns, which is one of the league's leader. 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 PK Rodrigo Blankenship set career highs by going 4-for-4 on field goals (25, 42, career long 49, 25) and tallying 13 total points in the win at Kentucky, including a game-winner from 25 yards out as time expired. He is now 9-for-10 on the year and has connected on his last eight in a row.
He became the first Bulldog to hit a game-winning field goal since Marshall Morgan's 34-yarder with 1:44 left against Missouri last year in a 9-6 victory in Athens. The last Bulldog to do it to at the end of regulation was Blair Walsh against Arizona State in 2009, a 37-yarder for a 20-17 win. Blankenship's four field goals was the most by a Bulldog since Morgan against Nebraska in the 2014 TaxSlayer Bowl.
True freshman Marshall Long was handling all the punting duties until the Florida game. While Long started against the #14 Gators, junior Brice Ramsey saw action on three punts too. Long took care of all five punts in the road win over Kentucky, averaging 41.2 yards per punt.
Long has punted 49 times for an average of 38.7 yards. He had a career long 59 yarder versus the Gamecocks.
The snapping responsibility for the Bulldogs has been shared by juniors Glenn Welch and Trent Frix. Welch is handling the snapping for punts while Frix is snapping on field goals and extra points. Frix is the younger brother of former snapper Ty Frix (2009-12) and the son of former snapper Mitch Frix (1981-82).
Junior tight end Jeb Blazevich has been named one of 11 semifinalists for the 2016 Wuerffel Trophy, which is given to a college football player with an exceptional history of community service.
Blazevich, a native of Charlotte, N.C., is one of three players from the SEC included as a semifinalist for this year's award. He was also recently named to the 2016 AFCA Allstate Good Works Team.
The Georgia Bulldogs vs. The Auburn Tigers
Game & Broadcast Info
- Game 10: Georgia Bulldogs vs. Auburn Tigers
- Kickoff: Saturday, November 12 - 3:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Sanford Stadium (92,746) - Athens, Ga.
- Records: Georgia 5-4 (3-4 SEC), Auburn 7-2 (5-1 SEC)
- Rankings: Georgia NR, Auburn No. 8
- TV: CBS - Verne Lundquist (playby-play), Gary Danielson (color analyst), Allie LaForce (sideline)
- Video Stream: CBSSports.com
- 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: GameTracker
- Twitter: #AUBvsUGA
- ReBroadcast: SEC Network: 11/14-1PM, 11/16-12PM, 11/17-2:30AM
Series History
With Georgia's 20-13 win over Auburn on the Plains last year, the Bulldogs claimed the series edge for the first time since 1986. Georgia now leads the Deep South's oldest rivalry 56-55-8. In fact, Georgia has won eight of the last 10 meetings with Auburn, and the only two Tiger wins in that stretch came in seasons when they played for the national championship (2010 & 2013). The road team has a better record in the series as Georgia is 16-11-2 on the Plains while Auburn is 18-13 in Athens. The Tigers are up to No. 8 in the polls this week and are on a six-game winning streak.
Saturday will mark the 120th meeting between Georgia and Auburn, making it the fourth most played active series in the NCAA FBS (also tied with Oregon-Oregon State). The Bulldogs and Tigers first squared off in 1892 in Atlanta's Piedmont Park. The only event that interrupted the series was a World War as the teams did not play in 1917, 1918 and 1943.
Also of note in the series, the all-time point total differential is 106 with Georgia leading 1,940 to 1,834. The 2012-13 seasons saw the Bulldogs head to Auburn for consecutive years, marking the first time the game had been played at the same site for two years in a row since 1958. The game was played in Columbus during a stretch from 1930-58. The first 10 games were played in Atlanta starting in 1892.
Inside The Numbers
The last top 10 ranked team to visit Sanford Stadium was then No. 9 Auburn in 2014 and then No. 16 Georgia posted a 34-7 win.
Currently, Georgia ranks third in the SEC with a +5 Turnover Margin after collecting a pair but giving up three versus Kentucky last Saturday. Auburn is eighth in the league in Turnover Margin at +2. The Tigers are fourth in the SEC in Scoring Offense at 34.8 points per game while Georgia stands 12th in that category at 23.7 points per contest. The Tigers are fourth in Scoring Defense (16.0) and have held eight of their last 10 opponents to less than 20 points. Georgia ranks eighth in Scoring Defense at 25.9.The Tigers are leading the SEC and rank third nationally in Rushing Offense (299.8 yards a game). The Bulldogs are third in the league in Rushing Defense, holding opponents to 118.2. Led by juniors Nick Chubb and Sony Michel, Georgia is averaging 178.3 yards on the ground, good for eighth in the SEC, while Auburn stands fifth in Rushing Defense (125.9).
2015 Flashback: Georgia Picks Up 20-13 Win At Auburn
Falling behind 7-0 in the opening period, the Bulldogs bounced back to tie the game at 10-all late in the third quarter and then took a lead they would never relinquish at the 9:28 mark in the fourth quarter. WR/PR Isaiah McKenzie evened the game at 10-10 on a 4-yard carry with 1:20 left in the third period. Next, McKenzie gave Georgia its first lead with a 53-yard punt return for a touchdown in the final quarter. PK Marshall Morgan also drilled to field goals of 40 and 38 yards to help Georgia win its seventh game in 2015. Defensively, CB Aaron Davis helped clinch the victory with a pair of fourth quarter fumble recoveries, one that came at the UGA 5 yard line. ILB Jake Ganus led both teams with 11 tackles while OLBs Jordan Jenkins and Lorenzo Carter each forced a fumble. In addition, Malkom Parrish also recorded a second quarter interception for Georgia.
The last time the teams met in Athens, the #16 Bulldogs blistered the #9 Tigers 34-7 behind 144 yards rushing and two touchdowns from TB Nick Chubb and 138 yards and a score for TB Todd Gurley.
Dog Makes Second Straight Appearance On CoSIDA Academic Team
For the second time in as many years, junior DB Aaron Davis has been named to the Co- SIDA Academic All-District 4 Football Team. A 6-1, 189-pound native of Locust Grove, Ga., Davis has a 3.50 GPA in Finance. He is a member of the UGA Athletic Association's Leadership Academy (LEAD) and has been on the SEC honor roll twice. Davis is third on the team with 38 tackles this season, including a sack, from his defensive back position. He has one of the Bulldogs' 10 interceptions this season and has forced a pair of fumbles and recovered one. Davis is a former walk-on who worked his way into the starting lineup and is now on scholarship.
On Deck: vs. UL Lafayette Nov. 19, TBA
The Bulldogs have played the Ragin' Cajuns once and topped them 55-7 in Athens during the 2010 season.
Inside The Numbers This Season
| Georgia | 2016 Averages | Auburn |
| 23.7 | Scoring Offense | 34.8 |
| 25.9 | Scoring Defense | 16.0 |
| +5 | Turnover Margin | +2 |
| 382.7 | Total Offense | 494.1 |
| 178.3 | Rushing Offense | 299.8 |
| 204.3 | Passing Offense | 194.3 |
| 7.5 | Punt Returns | 7.4 |
| 21.9 | Kickoff Returns | 20.1 |
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 Auburn State '03 Coaching Experience 1999 Georgia Admin. Asst. 2000 Valdosta State Defensive Backs 2001 Valdosta State Def. Coord. 2002-03 Auburn 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 Auburn 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 | 5 | 4 | .556 | 3-4 |
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 Leads Dogs To SEC Road Victory
True freshman QB Jacob Eason has started the last eight games for the Bulldogs, including the latest 27-24 victory at Kentucky. Versus the Wildcats, he completed 17-of-31 passes for 245 yards and a touchdown and no interceptions. Eason directed the game-winning drive in the fourth quarter that started at the UGA 25 with 2:47 left. He was 4-for-4 for 42 yards and junior TB Sony Michel ran another 22 yards to help set up redshirt freshman PK Rodrigo Blankenship's 25-yard field goal as time expired.
Connecting with seven different receivers versus Kentucky, Eason found a favorite target in junior WR Javon Wims who finished with career highs in catches (five) and yards (90).
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.
He led the Bulldogs on a fourth quarter comeback in the 28-27 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 gamewinning TD capped an 80-yard drive in 10 plays that took 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 | 9/8 | 145 | 272 | 53.3 | 1,754 | 5 | 11 | 117.2 | 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. Most recently, Michel went for 127 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries (6.7 avg.) to anchor the offensive attack during the win at Kentucky. This gave him 2,058 yards in his career. He and Chubb (2,985) are now only the fifth active tandem nationwide to each have at least 2,000 yards.
Georgia is ranked eighth in the SEC in Rushing Offense (178.3) coming into its matchup with #8 Auburn, who ranks fifth in the league in Rushing Defense (125.9). The Tigers are leading the SEC in rushing with an average of 299.8/game while the Bulldogs stand third on the conference in allowing only 118.2/game.
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 the 2014 win over Auburn that a pair of Bulldogs went over the 100-yard mark in the same game (current L.A. Ram Todd Gurley, Chubb).
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 15 yards away from being only the fifth tailback 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.
| 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 | 9/7 | 146 | 691 | 5 | 55 | 3 | 34 | 0 | 13 |
| Total | 28/21 | 457 | 2,985 | 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 | 8/2 | 95 | 487 | 2 | 26 | 14 | 76 | 0 | 29 |
| Total | 29/9 | 378 | 2,058 | 15 | 75 | 47 | 452 | 4 | 48 |
McKenzie Bulldogs' All-Purpose Leader
Junior WR/PR Isaiah McKenzie is second on the Bulldogs with 699 all-purpose yards (74 rush, 459 receiving, 166 return) and has scored seven touchdowns, including his 38-yard touchdown catch at Kentucky last weekend.
McKenzie has a team-best 32 catches, which includes a teamhigh six 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 89 career starts. This year's unit also has graduate transfer Tyler Catalina (LT) and redshirt sophomore Lamont Gaillard (RG). Junior guard Dyshon Sims, who has played in 24 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 |
| @ UK | 215 | 245 | 460 | 27 | 0 |
Young Defense Improving
The youthful Bulldog defense held Kentucky to just 308 total yards on 61 plays in Lexington. This came after the Wildcats had racked up 582 yards and 554 yards in wins over Missouri and Miss. State, respectively, in the two preceding weeks. Georgia gave up three touchdowns to Kentucky, including one after just a 38-yard drive following a Bulldog fumble on a punt return. The other UK scoring drives covered 56 and 67 yards. Field position was also not in Georgia's favor against #14 Florida. The touchdown drives by the Gators only covered 39, 44 and 56 yards during the loss. 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. Georgia 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. 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.
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 28 trips, which is 14th in the SEC. Opponents have scored 22 touchdowns and six 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. During the road win over Kentucky, he registered a forced fumble and fumble recovery to go along with five tackles. Smith 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 is tied for fifth on the squad with 35 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 the 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 followed up his performance against the Gators with his first career interception in the most recent win over Kentucky. Baker 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.
Sophomore ILBs Leading The Way In Tackles
Sophomore ILBs Natrez Patrick and Roquan Smith are tied for the team lead in tackles at 55 apiece.
In Smith's last two games, he has 16 tackles. 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 the game 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 among a host of Bulldogs with 35 stops and a team-leading five TFLs and has 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. Freshman DT Julian Rochester had a breakout performance against Kentucky with a team-leading eight tackles, a sack and a forced fumble.
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 19 returns for 142 yards for an 7.5 average, which is third in the SEC.
Senior Reggie Davis is averaging 23.3 yards on 15 kickoff returns, which is one of the league's leader. 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 | @ Auburn | *90-yd KOR |
| Nov. 8, 2014 | @ Auburn | 59-yd PR |
| Sept. 12, 2015 | @ Auburn | 77-yd PR |
| Nov. 14, 2015 | @ Auburn | 53-yd PR |
Blankenship Continues Development At PK
Redshirt freshman PK Rodrigo Blankenship set career highs by going 4-for-4 on field goals (25, 42, career long 49, 25) and tallying 13 total points in the win at Kentucky, including a game-winner from 25 yards out as time expired. He is now 9-for-10 on the year and has connected on his last eight in a row.
He became the first Bulldog to hit a game-winning field goal since Marshall Morgan's 34-yarder with 1:44 left against Missouri last year in a 9-6 victory in Athens. The last Bulldog to do it to at the end of regulation was Blair Walsh against Arizona State in 2009, a 37-yarder for a 20-17 win. Blankenship's four field goals was the most by a Bulldog since Morgan against Nebraska in the 2014 TaxSlayer Bowl.
A Long Look At The Punters
True freshman Marshall Long was handling all the punting duties until the Florida game. While Long started against the #14 Gators, junior Brice Ramsey saw action on three punts too. Long took care of all five punts in the road win over Kentucky, averaging 41.2 yards per punt.
Long has punted 49 times for an average of 38.7 yards. He had a career long 59 yarder versus the Gamecocks.
The snapping responsibility for the Bulldogs has been shared by juniors Glenn Welch and Trent Frix. Welch is handling the snapping for punts while Frix is snapping on field goals and extra points. Frix is the younger brother of former snapper Ty Frix (2009-12) and the son of former snapper Mitch Frix (1981-82).
Blazevich Named A Wuerffel Trophy Semifinalist
Junior tight end Jeb Blazevich has been named one of 11 semifinalists for the 2016 Wuerffel Trophy, which is given to a college football player with an exceptional history of community service.
Blazevich, a native of Charlotte, N.C., is one of three players from the SEC included as a semifinalist for this year's award. He was also recently named to the 2016 AFCA Allstate Good Works Team.
Players Mentioned
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