University of Georgia Athletics
Bulldog Defense Up For LSU Challenge
December 06, 2019 | Football, The Frierson Files
By John Frierson
Staff Writer
ATLANTA — The best any defense has done against LSU's offense this season has been holding it to 23 points. And the undefeated and No. 2-ranked Tigers, No, 4 Georgia's opponent in Saturday's SEC Championship Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, still beat Auburn that October day, 23-20.
It was the only game in which the Tigers (12-0) scored in the 20s. Only one other time, a 36-13 victory at Mississippi State in mid-October, LSU failed to score at least 42 points. The Tigers have two games under 42 and two games with more than 60.
"It's a great opportunity," Georgia coach Kirby Smart said during his news conference Friday afternoon. "You watch tape on them and you have nothing but respect for what they've been able to do because I know the caliber of defenses they're doing it against. Those are good defenses and they're putting up 40, 50, 60 points on them. They've done a tremendous job."
Statistically, LSU's hyper-drive offense has been beyond exceptional: 48.7 points, 560.5 yards per game and 7.9 yards per play — all first in the SEC and second in the FBS. The Tigers have scored 74 offensive touchdowns, and 57 of those, according to LSU's game notes, have come on drives that lasted less than three minutes.Â
"They just have playmakers all over the field on that side of the ball," Georgia redshirt freshman linebacker Azeez Ojulari said this week. "They just have playmakers left and right. They can make big plays happen no matter what it is. They can make a bad play turn into a big play. So they've got playmakers all over."
Georgia has seen a lot of explosive and challenging offenses in recent seasons, from Oklahoma's in the Rose Bowl to Alabama's and Auburn's. This LSU squad is different, both in its talent at the skill positions and in its simple-but-effective approach to offense. Fifth-year senior safety J.R. Reed said the Tigers' attack is "not the same" as others Georgia has faced, or the one Georgia saw last season. And facing it, he said with the confidence of a competitor, is "not daunting at all."
"It's just another challenge that we've got to face. It's one of the things, when you play in this league, play in the SEC, you play in college football now, all the teams are just so good, able to put up points," said Reed, a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy. "They have great weapons out there. They have great quarterbacks. So it's just one of the things you've got to deal with each year. "
These Tigers are led by Heisman Trophy frontrunner Joe Burrow, the Ohio State transfer who really started to come alive for the Tigers in their win over Georgia last season. This season, under new passing game coordinator Joe Brady, Burrow has been the most accurate passer in the FBS, connecting on 78.3 percent of his throws. Of his 314 completions, 44 have gone for touchdowns — and only six of his 401 attempts have been intercepted. He's averaging 363.8 passing yards a game, second in the FBS, and has thrown for an SEC-record 4,366 yards.
He's the first player in SEC history to throw for 40 touchdowns and 4,000 yards in the same season. As great as he is throwing, part of why Burrow is so dangerous and the Tigers' attack is so explosive is his running ability. The statistics don't show it — 2.9 yards per attempt for the season, because college football rushing stats also include sacks — but Burrow is very effective at tucking and running if that's the best option available.
"Joe is an incredible athlete. He's got extreme toughness. You've seen him take shot after shot and stand in the pocket and make throws. He's everything you want in a quarterback," Smart said earlier this week.
"And you talk about athleticism, decision-making, awareness. He doesn't make many mistakes. There are times he's taken sacks, but they're good decisions. He doesn't make bad decisions with the ball. He very rarely turns the ball over, and he's got just a stable of resources around him to distribute the ball to."
About those resources: in the backfield with Burrow is Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who has rushed for 1,233 yards and 16 touchdowns, on 6.8 yards per carry, while also catching 43 passes. LSU's extremely talented receiver corps is led by Ja'Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson. Chase has 70 catches for 1,457 yards and 17 touchdowns, while Jefferson has 81 grabs for 1,092 yards and 13 scores.
"They got a lot of guys they can throw it to. … They have so many weapons, and if you just so happen to cover them all, Joe Burrow is one heck of an athlete and he can hurt you with his feet," Smart said Friday, a wry grin on his face that seemed to acknowledge that slowing down the Tigers will be the Bulldogs' biggest test of the season.
Statistically, Georgia's defense has been outstanding this season, one of the best in the country. The Bulldogs have held teams to 10.4 points (second-fewest in the country), 257.0 yards per game (fourth in the FBS) and 4.12 yards per play (third). All those had up to the very definition of elite.
"The thing when you watch the Georgia Bulldogs, ever since I've been watching football, they get 11 helmets to the football," LSU coach Ed Orgeron said this week. "They fly to the football. They tackle well in space. They're very physical."
An explosive offense versus a tough and stingy defense, who could ask for more with the SEC championship and spots in the College Football Playoff on the line?
"We've worked very hard this year," Reed said. "It shows. It's paid off. We've done some amazing things as a defense in this regular season. We've got our work cut out for us this game, and it's going to be a great challenge. "
A great challenge, a great opportunity.
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.
