University of Georgia Athletics
These Dawgs Are Fun To Watch
September 15, 2018 | Football, The Frierson Files
By John Frierson
Staff Writer
The third-ranked Georgia Bulldogs have played three games now, following Saturday afternoon's 49-7 romp over Middle Tennessee at Sanford Stadium. They have outscored their opponents a combined 135-24, which seems pretty darned good.
What struck me Saturday was how much fun these guys are to watch, though Saturday's performance, as the coaches will no doubt remind the players when they watch the game film, was far from flawless. Still, Elijah Holyfield, Deandre Baker, Mecole Hardman, another dozen or so Bulldogs that come to mind, it's a treat watching these guys play ball. And they're clearly enjoying themselves, as well.
Hardman had himself a heck of a day, catching a 5-yard touchdown pass from Jake Fromm on Georgia's first drive and later, at long last, returning a punt for a touchdown, a 70-yarder that showed all of his speed and agility. But the junior wasn't just happy for himself after the game.
"I like to see my teammates have fun and see them do good, as well," the receiver said after finishing with four catches for 21 yards and his first career punt return for a score.
There were a lot of Bulldogs having fun Saturday, as the offense piled up 484 yards and got touchdowns from six different players and the defense mostly held the Blue Raiders in check all afternoon.
Hardman's touchdown reception was set up by Holyfield, the powerful running back. Holyfield got Georgia deep in MTSU territory with a 66-yard run through a gaping hole on the right side. The Blue Raiders' Gregory Grate had the angle and was able to drag Holyfield down at the 7-yard line.
"I was very upset I didn't score, very upset (laughs). It took me a while to get over it," Holyfield joked after the game. He finished with 100 yards on eight carries, earning Georgia's first 100-yard game of the season.
Sophomore wideout Jeremiah Holloman had his breakout game with three catches for 90 yards, highlighted by an 11-yarder in the first quarter for the first touchdown of his career — Fromm did a good job rolling out to his right and Holloman found some space behind the defense in the back of the end zone for the easy score — and later a 65-yard reception when he got a step on his man and Fromm delivered a strike.
"Super proud of him," Fromm said of Holloman, "I think it's just hard work paying off for him, as well."
Wideout Tyler Simmons, a theme may be developing here, didn't have a catch Saturday, but what the junior did have was a 65-yard run after a handoff from freshman quarterback Justin Fields for a touchdown on the first play of the second quarter. It was also the first touchdown of his career.
Fields later scored his first rushing touchdown, on a 15-yard scramble up the left side, and receiver Jayson Stanley, a senior, caught the first TD pass of his career, a 9-yarder from Fields in the third. Georgia also got a 12-yard touchdown catch from Riley Ridley, who connected with Fromm for a great completion on the left edge of the end zone to make it 35-7 in the second quarter.
Winning big is always fun for the victors, but the way the Bulldogs are playing so far this season, with so many players contributing, it's even more enjoyable.
"It's a great environment to be around because everybody's happy for each other, everybody's happy for [Holloman]," Holyfield said. "J.J. had his first big game today, and everybody knew he could do that for so long. We're happy to see everybody get their shine this year, it's really a good thing."
Defensively, linebacker Juwan Taylor led the way with six tackles and cornerback Deandre Baker also made several great plays, including a forced fumble and an interception.
In the first quarter, when the defense was looking a little flat, it got a serious talking to from coach Kirby Smart during a timeout, with MTSU facing a third-and-1 at the Georgia 27-yard line. The Blue Raiders tried a trick play on the next play, throwing back to the quarterback, and Baker was there to blow it u for an 8-yard loss. On the next play, MTSU went for it on fourth down and Baker picked off the pass and returned it 26 yards.
"That was a good moment, a most important moment," Baker said. "They run a lot of trick plays [and] I was just happy I was able to seek it out."
Saturday's win was a third straight blowout to start this season of big goals and high expectations. Two of the games came against outmatched opponents and the third, last Saturday's 41-17 victory at South Carolina, featured a 21-0 surge in the third quarter to pull away from and blow away the Gamecocks.
Now comes the next test, at Missouri next week. It should be more of a challenge than Saturday's game was, but it's also the next chance for some fun for a Bulldog squad that appears to be having a blast playing together.
John Frierson is the staff writer for the UGA Athletic Association and curator of the ITA Men's Tennis Hall of Fame. You can find his work at: Frierson Files. He's also on Twitter: @FriersonFiles and @ITAHallofFame.
