Notes: Bulldogs Open SEC Play Against Missouri
September 12, 2016 | Football
Sept. 12, 2016
In the all-time series history with Missouri, Georgia leads 4-1. Before the Tigers joined the Southeastern Conference in 2012, they had faced Georgia just once. The Bulldogs posted a 14-0 shutout in the 1960 Orange Bowl. Then, Georgia registered a 41-20 victory in Missouri's SEC debut in Columbia in 2012 and the Tigers came to Athens and collected a 41-26 decision in 2013.
During the 2014 matchup in Columbia, the Bulldogs blanked Missouri 34-0. Last year, the teams combined for five field goals and no touchdowns as Georgia edged the Tigers 9-6. Bulldog PK Marshall Morgan went 3-for-4 on FGs with one fourth quarter miss. However, he drilled a 34 yarder with 1:44 left in the game to clinch the victory.
Since 1992, Georgia has opened its SEC schedule against South Carolina in every season but two. In 2012, UGA traveled to Columbia, Mo., rather than Columbia, S.C., to start its SEC play. UGA beat Missouri 41-20 in the Tigers' first ever SEC game. Last season, Georgia traveled to Nashville, Tenn., and topped Vanderbilt 31-14 on the way to a 10-3 season.
This season, the Bulldogs play their first SEC game versus Missouri again and the matchup will be held in the Tigers' home stadium. This will also be the first SEC game for Missouri in 2016. The Tigers dropped their opener at West Virginia 26-11 before blasting Eastern Michigan 61-21 last weekend in Columbia.
Mizzou played 11 first-time starters (seven on offense, four on defense) in a 26-11 loss to West Virginia to open the season on Sept. 3. The Tigers tallied 462 yards of total offense on a national-best 100 plays in 25:47 under new coordinator Josh Heupel. Sophomore Drew Lock was 23-for-51 for 280 yards, all career-highs, however, the Tigers scored only twice in five Red Zone opportunities. Currently Lock leads the SEC in Total Offense at 380.0 yards/game. Tiger wideouts Chris Black (Alabama transfer) and J'Mon Moore each had 100+ receiving yards, the first time the Tigers have had a pair do that since 2013. Spotted in the Tiger backfield, 355-pound senior DT Josh Augusta in short yardage situations as well as Oklahoma transfer Alex Ross, who was also an All- American kick returner for the Sooners. Mizzou ran 78 plays in its 61-21 win over Eastern Michigan last Saturday.
The Tiger defense is giving up 23.5 points/game. Senior LB Michael Scherer is the leading tackler with 16 stops. The Tigers also welcome back redshirt DE Charles Harris, who is projected as a premium pick in this year's NFL draft. He earned second team All-SEC honors last year with an SEC-best 18.5 tackles for a loss plus had seven sacks in 12 starts. Missouri has already tallied four interceptions on the year.
The Southeastern Conference has created a patch to recognize student-athletes who have already earned their undergraduate degrees - and the Bulldogs have four who fit the bill. OT Tyler Catalina, QB Greyson Lambert, DB Maurice Smith and receiver Kenneth Towns are seniors athletically and are all pursuing graduate degrees. Catalina (Rhode Island), Lambert (Virginia) and Smith (Alabama) join Towns, who is in his fifth year with the Bulldogs. Towns was a former walk-on from Albany, Ga., who earned a scholarship before the 2016 season.
The Bulldogs hold a 32-12-1 record all-time versus the Rebels, including winning the last 10 since 1997. Georgia's last trip to Oxford resulted in a 27-13 win in 2011.
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 Florida 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 started his first career game in a win against Nicholls and completed 11 of 20 passes for 204 yards to go with one touchdown and one interception on a tipped ball. He started the game 2-for-2 and led the Bulldogs to a six-play, 67-yard scoring drive in 2:06, which was highlighted by a 36-yard strike to sophomore receiver Terry Godwin to the Colonels' 6 yard line. Eason became only the sixth Bulldog freshman QB to start a game and the first since Matthew Stafford in 2006.
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. Lambert was under center during Georgia's last two possessions versus Nicholls in helping the Bulldogs run out the clock. Eason saw his first action in the win over UNC and completed 8-of-12 for 131 yards and a score (McKenzie). When the Bulldogs trailed 24-14 in the third quarter, Eason was at the controls and directed a five-play, 75-yard TD drive in 1:43. During the scoring drive that brought Georgia within three points, the Bulldogs converted a 3rd-and-5, 3rd-and-7 and 3rd-and-8.
Junior Nick Chubb returned to the lineup in dramatic fashion in the season opener against #22 North Carolina, earning Maxwell Award/SEC Player of the Week honors for his efforts. After sustaining a season-ending knee injury in the sixth game last year at Tennessee (Oct. 10, 2015), he underwent surgery and extensive rehab. Against the Tar Heels, he tallied a Chick- Fil-A Kickoff Game record 222 yards rushing on 32 carries. This marked his third career 200-yard game with only legendary running back Herschel Walker having more in his Bulldog days (nine). Junior fullback Christian Payne, a former walk-on from Athens and product of Prince Avenue School, was the player of the game against the #22 Tar Heels, according to Bulldog coach Kirby Smart during his weekly press conference. Payne's physical play was a key to Georgia's 289 yards rushing.
The centerpieces of the Bulldog backfield are Chubb and Sony Michel. They are the first Bulldog teammates to each have 1,000-yard rushing seasons in their career. Michel returns after he became the 10th Georgia player in history to rush for more than 1,000 yards while starting just six games last year. He became a starter after Chubb, who became the ninth running back with 1,000+ yards in 2014, went down with the aforementioned knee injury. Michel sustained a broken left forearm in early July 2016, and was limited during preseason camp. He did not play versus UNC and then saw action against Nicholls.
Senior Brendan Douglas has played in 38 games at tailback over the last four years. Also with Michel unavailable in game one, freshman Brian Herrien took advantage of some playing time and recorded 59 yards on seven carries, including a 19-yard touchdown on his first career carry.
Georgia returns five of its top six receivers from last year's campaign. Junior Isaiah McKenzie, sophomore Terry Godwin, junior TE Jeb Blazevich, senior Reggie Davis are the veterans among the pass-catchers. In the seasonopening win over #22 North Carolina, six different Bulldogs caught a pass, highlighted by the performances of McKenzie and sophomore Michael Chigbu.
McKenzie posted career highs in catches (six) and receiving yards (122) and hauled in his first career touchdown catch in the season opener. Through two games, McKenzie leads the team with eight catches for 183 yards and 2 TDs. 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). Godwin had three catches for 47 yards against the Colonels.
Godwin's career highlights include becoming the first Bulldog in school history to catch and throw a touchdown during a bowl game when he earned MVP honors in Georgia's win over Penn State at the 2016 TaxSlayer Bowl. The Hogansville, Ga., native started nine games as a true freshman last year and was second on the team with 35 catches for 379 yards and two touchdowns.
This season, three of the five starters on the offensive line return from 2015. Seniors Greg Pyke (OG/OT) and Brandon Kublanow (C/OG) and junior Isaiah Wynn (OT) have combined for 68 career starts. The Bulldogs also benefit from getting graduate transfer Tyler Catalina and the emergence of redshirt sophomore Lamont Gaillard as they joined the aforementioned trio in the starting lineup for the first two games this year. Junior guard Dyshon Sims, who has played in 18 games and started one, is in the rotation as well.
The line of scrimmage helped pave the way for 289 rushing yards and 474 yards of total offense against the #22 Tar Heels. However, the Bulldogs did surrender four sacks versus UNC. The Nicholls front proved to be stout, limiting Georgia's rushing attack to 167 yards on 39 attempts. Georgia ran 62 plays and gained 373 yards.
Georgia's defense opened the season against a high-powered UNC offense as the #22 Tar Heels returned most of the pieces from the 2015 club that averaged a school record 40.7 points per game. The Bulldogs held the 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.
Against Nicholls, the defense responded again in a tight contest. While the Colonels scored 24 points, 17 of those came after Bulldog turnovers. They had one sustained TD drive (11 plays for 75 yards) while the other two covered just nine and 30 yards. Also, a Nicholls field goal drive was minus one yard after a 91-yard interception return gave them first-and-goal at the Bulldog 8 midway through the fourth quarter.
Against #22 UNC, junior CB Malkom Parrish had a teamhigh seven tackles while junior CB Aaron Davis had five stops and graduate transfer STAR Maurice Smith also had five tackles plus two pass break-ups. Smith joined the team late in the summer after graduating and completing his undergraduate career at Alabama. Smith played in all 15 games for the 14-1 national champions in 2015 and finished with 15 stops. He played in 41 career games (starting two) and made 38 tackles, 1.5 sacks, five pass break-ups, one forced fumble and a fumble recovery for Alabama.
All-SEC performer Dominick Sanders notched his 10th career interception in the win over Nicholls. He recorded a league-leading six picks in 2015 and complemented those turnovers with 48 tackles from his safety spot. Sanders finished last year with a UGA single season record of 205 interception return yards, which ranked fifth in SEC history. He already is fourth in the UGA record books with 269 yards in his two years.
Georgia's success in the season opener versus #22 UNC was due in part to winning the battle on the line of scrimmage. Along with veterans DaQuan Hawkins-Muckle, Trenton Thompson and John Atkins, a host of underclassmen contributed. True freshman David Marshall finished with four tackles, including the team's only sack, off the bench. Fellow true freshmen Julian Rochester, Tyler Clark and Michail Carter also got snaps on the frontline. Thompson had a breakout performance against Nicholls, tallying a career-high 11 stops, three TFLs and one sack.
Georgia started the 2016 season with no returning starters at the four linebacker spots. Sophomores Roquan Smith and Natrez Patrick plus junior Reggie Carter are getting an opportunity to make more plays this year. Carter, who tied a career high with seven tackles against Nicholls, has returned after missing the 2015 season with shoulder surgery. Against #22 UNC, Smith was second on the team with six tackles, including two tackles for loss and one of the TFLs resulted in a safety as Georgia rallied back from a 10-point deficit. Patrick added five stops against the Tar Heels. At OLB, juniors Davin Bellamy and Lorenzo Carter are geared for breakout seasons. Lorenzo returned a fumble 24 yards for a touchdown in the win over Nicholls. He also had five stops against the Tar Heels while Bellamy had three. Sophomore D'Andre Walker can help too. Smart mentioned that Walker is a weapon on special teams after fighting through blockers to tally two stops versus #22 UNC on kickoffs. Senior ILB Ryne Rankin also returns after being voted the Special Teams Captain after the 2015 season and was one of the team's captains last week.
Competition continues at kicker headed into game three. Redshirt sophomore William Ham is 3-for-5 in field goals this year. He made his debut in the season opener and notched his first field goal (a 29-yarder with 5:27 left in the fourth quarter to put Georgia up 26-24) and went 4-for-4 on PATs. He missed his first career attempt in that game, a 42-yarder, in the third quarter. Ham and redshirt freshman Rodrigo Blankenship have shared the kickoff duties. At punter, true freshman Marshall Long is averaging 42.4 yards on seven punts.
Marshall Morgan completed his kicking career at Georgia in 2015 as the third-leading scorer in SEC and UGA history with 407 points. Colin Barber punted 164 times from 2012-15. The snapping responsibility has been taken care of 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). Welch handled the duties versus Nicholls.
The answers to who will be the Bulldogs' punt/kick returners are a bit easier to figure out. Junior Isaiah McKenzie is the leading candidate after already making his mark in the alltime 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 punt returns, one kickoff return) is tied for third best in the league record books. This year, McKenzie has five returns for 46 yards (9.2 avg.)
Senior Reggie Davis 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). This year, Davis is averaging 19.3 yards on kickoff returns while McKenzie is at 12.0.
*started the game
The Bulldogs had six first-time starters in the 2016 season opener on offense and defense. In game two against Nicholls, Georgia had two more new starters. #22 UNC: Michael Chigbu (WR), Tyler Catalina (LT), Lamont Gaillard (RG) Charlie Woerner (TE), Roquan Smith (WLB) and Maurice Smith (STAR). Additionally, all three kicking specialists made their Bulldog debut in William Ham (PK, PAT, KO), Marshall Long (P) and Rodrigo Blankenship (KO). NICHOLLS: Jacob Eason (QB), Jayson Stanley (WR)
In the 2016 season opener, 12 true freshmen made their debut plus two redshirt freshmen.
In 2015, a total of 22 true freshmen, which led the nation, played for the Bulldogs, including 19 in the season opener and that also led the country. Thirty-three Bulldogs earned a snap for the first time in their careers last season.
Before the ULM game to start last year, the most true freshmen to play in a season opener since 2001 was 13 coming back in 2012.
The Georgia Bulldogs vs. The Missouri Tigers
Game & Broadcast Info
- Game 3: Georgia Bulldogs vs. Missouri Tigers
- Kickoff: Saturday, September 17 - 7:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Faurot Field (71,168), Columbia, Mo.
- Records: Georgia 2-0 (0-0 SEC), Missouri 1-1 (0-0 SEC)
- Rankings: Georgia 16/13, Missouri NR
- TV: SECN - Brent Musburger (play-by-play); Jesse Palmer (color analyst); Kaylee Hartung (sideline reporter)
- Video Stream: SECN+
- Radio: WSB AM 750 - Bulldog Network | Affiliates
Scott Howard (PxP), Eric Zeier (Color), Chuck Dowdle (sideline) - Audio Stream: georgiadogs.com | Mobile
- Satellite: Sirius 145 / XM 192
- Live Stats: GameTracker
- Twitter: #UGAvsMIZ
- ReBroadcast: SEC Network : 9/18-Midnight, 9/22-Midnight
History Versus The Tigers
In the all-time series history with Missouri, Georgia leads 4-1. Before the Tigers joined the Southeastern Conference in 2012, they had faced Georgia just once. The Bulldogs posted a 14-0 shutout in the 1960 Orange Bowl. Then, Georgia registered a 41-20 victory in Missouri's SEC debut in Columbia in 2012 and the Tigers came to Athens and collected a 41-26 decision in 2013.
During the 2014 matchup in Columbia, the Bulldogs blanked Missouri 34-0. Last year, the teams combined for five field goals and no touchdowns as Georgia edged the Tigers 9-6. Bulldog PK Marshall Morgan went 3-for-4 on FGs with one fourth quarter miss. However, he drilled a 34 yarder with 1:44 left in the game to clinch the victory.
First Up In The SEC
Since 1992, Georgia has opened its SEC schedule against South Carolina in every season but two. In 2012, UGA traveled to Columbia, Mo., rather than Columbia, S.C., to start its SEC play. UGA beat Missouri 41-20 in the Tigers' first ever SEC game. Last season, Georgia traveled to Nashville, Tenn., and topped Vanderbilt 31-14 on the way to a 10-3 season.
This season, the Bulldogs play their first SEC game versus Missouri again and the matchup will be held in the Tigers' home stadium. This will also be the first SEC game for Missouri in 2016. The Tigers dropped their opener at West Virginia 26-11 before blasting Eastern Michigan 61-21 last weekend in Columbia.
Scouting The Tigers
Mizzou played 11 first-time starters (seven on offense, four on defense) in a 26-11 loss to West Virginia to open the season on Sept. 3. The Tigers tallied 462 yards of total offense on a national-best 100 plays in 25:47 under new coordinator Josh Heupel. Sophomore Drew Lock was 23-for-51 for 280 yards, all career-highs, however, the Tigers scored only twice in five Red Zone opportunities. Currently Lock leads the SEC in Total Offense at 380.0 yards/game. Tiger wideouts Chris Black (Alabama transfer) and J'Mon Moore each had 100+ receiving yards, the first time the Tigers have had a pair do that since 2013. Spotted in the Tiger backfield, 355-pound senior DT Josh Augusta in short yardage situations as well as Oklahoma transfer Alex Ross, who was also an All- American kick returner for the Sooners. Mizzou ran 78 plays in its 61-21 win over Eastern Michigan last Saturday.
The Tiger defense is giving up 23.5 points/game. Senior LB Michael Scherer is the leading tackler with 16 stops. The Tigers also welcome back redshirt DE Charles Harris, who is projected as a premium pick in this year's NFL draft. He earned second team All-SEC honors last year with an SEC-best 18.5 tackles for a loss plus had seven sacks in 12 starts. Missouri has already tallied four interceptions on the year.
Four Graduates Included On Georgia's Roster
The Southeastern Conference has created a patch to recognize student-athletes who have already earned their undergraduate degrees - and the Bulldogs have four who fit the bill. OT Tyler Catalina, QB Greyson Lambert, DB Maurice Smith and receiver Kenneth Towns are seniors athletically and are all pursuing graduate degrees. Catalina (Rhode Island), Lambert (Virginia) and Smith (Alabama) join Towns, who is in his fifth year with the Bulldogs. Towns was a former walk-on from Albany, Ga., who earned a scholarship before the 2016 season.
On Deck: @ Ole miss Sept. 24, Noon (ESPN)
The Bulldogs hold a 32-12-1 record all-time versus the Rebels, including winning the last 10 since 1997. Georgia's last trip to Oxford resulted in a 27-13 win in 2011.
Inside The Numbers This Season
| Georgia | 2016 Averages | Missouri |
| 423.5 | Total Offense | 554.5 |
| 228.0 | Rushing Offense | 175.0 |
| 195.5 | Passing Offense | 379.5 |
| 29.5 | Scoring Offense | 36.0 |
| 24.0 | Scoring Defense | 23.5 |
| -1 | Turnover Margin | +2 |
| 9.2 | Punt Returns | 18.8 |
| 16.4 | Kickoff Returns | 20.5 |
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 Florida State '03 Coaching Experience 1999 Georgia Admin. Asst. 2000 Valdosta State Defensive Backs 2001 Valdosta State Def. Coord. 2002-03 Florida 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 Florida 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 | 2 | 0 | 1.000 | 0-0 |
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
DOG TRACKS
2016 STATISTICAL LEADERS
| RUSHING |
| 27 Nick Chubb, TB: 302 yards on 52 att., 5.8 avg., 3 TDs, 55 long |
| 35 Brian Herrien, TB: 106 yards on 15 att., 7.1 avg., 1 TD, 23 long |
| PASSING |
| 11 Greyson Lambert, QB: 7x11, 56 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT, 106.40 eff. |
| 10 Jacob Eason, QB: 19x32, 335 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT, 161.69 eff. |
| RECEIVING |
| 16 Isaiah McKenzie 8 rec., 183 yards, 2 TD, 66 long |
| 82 Michael Chigbu 5 rec., 47 yards, 0 TD, 14 long |
| ALL-PURPOSE YARDS |
| 27 Nick Chubb 314 yards (302 rush, 12 rec) |
| 16 Isaiah McKenzie 290 yards (37 rush, 183 rec, 70 ret) |
| TACKLES |
| 78 Trenton Thompson: 12 total tackles (5 solo, 7 asts.), 3.5 TFL, 1 SACK7 total tackles (5 solo, 2 asts.) |
| 6 Natrez Patrick: 11 (5, 6), 0.5 TFL |
Competition Continues At QB
True freshman QB Jacob Eason started his first career game in a win against Nicholls and completed 11 of 20 passes for 204 yards to go with one touchdown and one interception on a tipped ball. He started the game 2-for-2 and led the Bulldogs to a six-play, 67-yard scoring drive in 2:06, which was highlighted by a 36-yard strike to sophomore receiver Terry Godwin to the Colonels' 6 yard line. Eason became only the sixth Bulldog freshman QB to start a game and the first since Matthew Stafford in 2006.
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. Lambert was under center during Georgia's last two possessions versus Nicholls in helping the Bulldogs run out the clock. Eason saw his first action in the win over UNC and completed 8-of-12 for 131 yards and a score (McKenzie). When the Bulldogs trailed 24-14 in the third quarter, Eason was at the controls and directed a five-play, 75-yard TD drive in 1:43. During the scoring drive that brought Georgia within three points, the Bulldogs converted a 3rd-and-5, 3rd-and-7 and 3rd-and-8.
| Jacob Eason | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | G/GS | Cmp. | Att. | Pct. | Yds. | INT | TD | Eff. | LG | |
| 2016 | 2/1 | 19 | 32 | 59.4 | 335 | 1 | 2 | 161.7 | 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 | 1/1 | 5 | 8 | .625 | 54 | 0 | 0 | 119.2 | 25 UNC | |
| Total | 29/22 | 354 | 600 | .590 | 3,985 | 15 | 23 | 122.4 | 54 VT | |
Triumphant Return For Chubb
Junior Nick Chubb returned to the lineup in dramatic fashion in the season opener against #22 North Carolina, earning Maxwell Award/SEC Player of the Week honors for his efforts. After sustaining a season-ending knee injury in the sixth game last year at Tennessee (Oct. 10, 2015), he underwent surgery and extensive rehab. Against the Tar Heels, he tallied a Chick- Fil-A Kickoff Game record 222 yards rushing on 32 carries. This marked his third career 200-yard game with only legendary running back Herschel Walker having more in his Bulldog days (nine). Junior fullback Christian Payne, a former walk-on from Athens and product of Prince Avenue School, was the player of the game against the #22 Tar Heels, according to Bulldog coach Kirby Smart during his weekly press conference. Payne's physical play was a key to Georgia's 289 yards rushing.
The centerpieces of the Bulldog backfield are Chubb and Sony Michel. They are the first Bulldog teammates to each have 1,000-yard rushing seasons in their career. Michel returns after he became the 10th Georgia player in history to rush for more than 1,000 yards while starting just six games last year. He became a starter after Chubb, who became the ninth running back with 1,000+ yards in 2014, went down with the aforementioned knee injury. Michel sustained a broken left forearm in early July 2016, and was limited during preseason camp. He did not play versus UNC and then saw action against Nicholls.
Senior Brendan Douglas has played in 38 games at tailback over the last four years. Also with Michel unavailable in game one, freshman Brian Herrien took advantage of some playing time and recorded 59 yards on seven carries, including a 19-yard touchdown on his first career carry.
| 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 | 2/2 | 52 | 302 | 3 | 55 | 1 | 12 | 0 | 12 |
| Total | 21/16 | 363 | 2,596 | 24 | 83 | 23 | 257 | 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 | 1/0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 12 |
| Total | 22/8 | 286 | 1,574 | 13 | 75 | 35 | 381 | 4 | 48 |
McKenzie One Of The Contributors At Receiver
Georgia returns five of its top six receivers from last year's campaign. Junior Isaiah McKenzie, sophomore Terry Godwin, junior TE Jeb Blazevich, senior Reggie Davis are the veterans among the pass-catchers. In the seasonopening win over #22 North Carolina, six different Bulldogs caught a pass, highlighted by the performances of McKenzie and sophomore Michael Chigbu.
McKenzie posted career highs in catches (six) and receiving yards (122) and hauled in his first career touchdown catch in the season opener. Through two games, McKenzie leads the team with eight catches for 183 yards and 2 TDs. 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). Godwin had three catches for 47 yards against the Colonels.
Godwin's career highlights include becoming the first Bulldog in school history to catch and throw a touchdown during a bowl game when he earned MVP honors in Georgia's win over Penn State at the 2016 TaxSlayer Bowl. The Hogansville, Ga., native started nine games as a true freshman last year and was second on the team with 35 catches for 379 yards and two touchdowns.
Three Veteran Linemen Anchor OL
This season, three of the five starters on the offensive line return from 2015. Seniors Greg Pyke (OG/OT) and Brandon Kublanow (C/OG) and junior Isaiah Wynn (OT) have combined for 68 career starts. The Bulldogs also benefit from getting graduate transfer Tyler Catalina and the emergence of redshirt sophomore Lamont Gaillard as they joined the aforementioned trio in the starting lineup for the first two games this year. Junior guard Dyshon Sims, who has played in 18 games and started one, is in the rotation as well.
The line of scrimmage helped pave the way for 289 rushing yards and 474 yards of total offense against the #22 Tar Heels. However, the Bulldogs did surrender four sacks versus UNC. The Nicholls front proved to be stout, limiting Georgia's rushing attack to 167 yards on 39 attempts. Georgia ran 62 plays and gained 373 yards.
Bulldog Defense Growing Up
Georgia's defense opened the season against a high-powered UNC offense as the #22 Tar Heels returned most of the pieces from the 2015 club that averaged a school record 40.7 points per game. The Bulldogs held the 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.
Against Nicholls, the defense responded again in a tight contest. While the Colonels scored 24 points, 17 of those came after Bulldog turnovers. They had one sustained TD drive (11 plays for 75 yards) while the other two covered just nine and 30 yards. Also, a Nicholls field goal drive was minus one yard after a 91-yard interception return gave them first-and-goal at the Bulldog 8 midway through the fourth quarter.
Veteran Secondary Collecting Tackles
Against #22 UNC, junior CB Malkom Parrish had a teamhigh seven tackles while junior CB Aaron Davis had five stops and graduate transfer STAR Maurice Smith also had five tackles plus two pass break-ups. Smith joined the team late in the summer after graduating and completing his undergraduate career at Alabama. Smith played in all 15 games for the 14-1 national champions in 2015 and finished with 15 stops. He played in 41 career games (starting two) and made 38 tackles, 1.5 sacks, five pass break-ups, one forced fumble and a fumble recovery for Alabama.
All-SEC performer Dominick Sanders notched his 10th career interception in the win over Nicholls. He recorded a league-leading six picks in 2015 and complemented those turnovers with 48 tackles from his safety spot. Sanders finished last year with a UGA single season record of 205 interception return yards, which ranked fifth in SEC history. He already is fourth in the UGA record books with 269 yards in his two years.
| 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. | 293 | Bacarri Rambo (16), 2009-12 |
| 4. | 269 | Dominick Sanders (10), 2014- |
Winning The Battle In The Trenches
Georgia's success in the season opener versus #22 UNC was due in part to winning the battle on the line of scrimmage. Along with veterans DaQuan Hawkins-Muckle, Trenton Thompson and John Atkins, a host of underclassmen contributed. True freshman David Marshall finished with four tackles, including the team's only sack, off the bench. Fellow true freshmen Julian Rochester, Tyler Clark and Michail Carter also got snaps on the frontline. Thompson had a breakout performance against Nicholls, tallying a career-high 11 stops, three TFLs and one sack.
Georgia started the 2016 season with no returning starters at the four linebacker spots. Sophomores Roquan Smith and Natrez Patrick plus junior Reggie Carter are getting an opportunity to make more plays this year. Carter, who tied a career high with seven tackles against Nicholls, has returned after missing the 2015 season with shoulder surgery. Against #22 UNC, Smith was second on the team with six tackles, including two tackles for loss and one of the TFLs resulted in a safety as Georgia rallied back from a 10-point deficit. Patrick added five stops against the Tar Heels. At OLB, juniors Davin Bellamy and Lorenzo Carter are geared for breakout seasons. Lorenzo returned a fumble 24 yards for a touchdown in the win over Nicholls. He also had five stops against the Tar Heels while Bellamy had three. Sophomore D'Andre Walker can help too. Smart mentioned that Walker is a weapon on special teams after fighting through blockers to tally two stops versus #22 UNC on kickoffs. Senior ILB Ryne Rankin also returns after being voted the Special Teams Captain after the 2015 season and was one of the team's captains last week.
Big Shoes To Fill For Specialists
Competition continues at kicker headed into game three. Redshirt sophomore William Ham is 3-for-5 in field goals this year. He made his debut in the season opener and notched his first field goal (a 29-yarder with 5:27 left in the fourth quarter to put Georgia up 26-24) and went 4-for-4 on PATs. He missed his first career attempt in that game, a 42-yarder, in the third quarter. Ham and redshirt freshman Rodrigo Blankenship have shared the kickoff duties. At punter, true freshman Marshall Long is averaging 42.4 yards on seven punts.
Marshall Morgan completed his kicking career at Georgia in 2015 as the third-leading scorer in SEC and UGA history with 407 points. Colin Barber punted 164 times from 2012-15. The snapping responsibility has been taken care of 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). Welch handled the duties versus Nicholls.
Taking It To The House
The answers to who will be the Bulldogs' punt/kick returners are a bit easier to figure out. Junior Isaiah McKenzie is the leading candidate after already making his mark in the alltime 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 punt returns, one kickoff return) is tied for third best in the league record books. This year, McKenzie has five returns for 46 yards (9.2 avg.)
Senior Reggie Davis 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). This year, Davis is averaging 19.3 yards on kickoff returns while McKenzie is at 12.0.
| 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 | @ Vanderbilt | 77-yd PR |
| Nov. 14, 2015 | @ Auburn | 53-yd PR |
First-Time Starters In 2016
The Bulldogs had six first-time starters in the 2016 season opener on offense and defense. In game two against Nicholls, Georgia had two more new starters. #22 UNC: Michael Chigbu (WR), Tyler Catalina (LT), Lamont Gaillard (RG) Charlie Woerner (TE), Roquan Smith (WLB) and Maurice Smith (STAR). Additionally, all three kicking specialists made their Bulldog debut in William Ham (PK, PAT, KO), Marshall Long (P) and Rodrigo Blankenship (KO). NICHOLLS: Jacob Eason (QB), Jayson Stanley (WR)
The True Freshman Experience
In the 2016 season opener, 12 true freshmen made their debut plus two redshirt freshmen.
In 2015, a total of 22 true freshmen, which led the nation, played for the Bulldogs, including 19 in the season opener and that also led the country. Thirty-three Bulldogs earned a snap for the first time in their careers last season.
Before the ULM game to start last year, the most true freshmen to play in a season opener since 2001 was 13 coming back in 2012.
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