Photo by: Conor Dillon/UGAAA
Tight Ends Shined In Victory Over Vols
November 18, 2024 | Football
By Kyle Tatelbaum
Georgia Sports Communications
ATHENS, Ga. — In the absence of star running back Trevor Etienne and receiver Dillon Bell due to injuries, Georgia's tight ends stepped up and helped lead the offensive attack Saturday night against Tennessee, combining for two touchdowns and 130 yards on 10 receptions.
Georgia's tight ends in 2024 have struggled to contribute at the same level as they have in seasons past following Brock Bowers's departure — quite understandably so given that Bowers was one of the greatest collegiate tight ends ever and is now, as a rookie in Las Vegas, second in the NFL among all receivers with 70 catches. Before tonight's game, the tight ends averaged 45 yards on 3.11 receptions per game, accounting for just 15.78 percent of the offense.
Against the then-No. 7-ranked Volunteers, the tight ends put together their strongest game in 407 days, finding the end zone twice and surpassing 100 yards for the first time since Bowers and Oscar Delp combined for 142 yards and two touchdowns in a 51-13 win over Kentucky last season.
Head coach Kirby Smart expressed his satisfaction postgame, saying "I'm proud of those tight ends. They haven't had the year they wanted to have, but they had a really big night."
Stanford graduate transfer Ben Yurosek played his best game in the red and black, leading the offense with five receptions, surpassing his season total by one. Yurosek was pivotal in Georgia's fourth-quarter touchdown drive, initiating the 92-yard trip with a 21-yard reception to push the Bulldogs out from deep within their red zone. Yurosek nearly finished what he started, hauling in a play-action pass from Carson Beck at the 19-yard line and carrying it down to the 2, setting the stage for freshman Nate Frazier to run it in to give Georgia a two-score lead.
Delp, Georgia's second-leading receiver Saturday behind Yurosek, had his strongest outing of the season with four receptions for 56 yards and two second-quarter touchdowns. All were season highs.
"Our tight ends really stepped up; all of those guys were able to make some plays," quarterback Carson Back said. "Oscar was able to get into the end zone; he made a great play on the first touchdown pass. I was super proud of him and the way he was able to step up in this game."
Sophomore tight end Lawson Luckie only had one catch against Tennessee but it was a big one, a 23-yarder that moved the Bulldogs into Vols territory on Georgia's second touchdown drive of the second quarter. That drive ended like the one before it, with Beck finding Delp in the back of the end zone.
Luckie leads Georgia's tight ends with 16 receptions this season for 236 yards and three touchdowns. Delp is second with 13 for 175 and two TDs, while Yurosek is third with nine receptions for 126 yards. Eight of Yurosek's catches have come in the past three games.
Georgia Sports Communications
ATHENS, Ga. — In the absence of star running back Trevor Etienne and receiver Dillon Bell due to injuries, Georgia's tight ends stepped up and helped lead the offensive attack Saturday night against Tennessee, combining for two touchdowns and 130 yards on 10 receptions.
Georgia's tight ends in 2024 have struggled to contribute at the same level as they have in seasons past following Brock Bowers's departure — quite understandably so given that Bowers was one of the greatest collegiate tight ends ever and is now, as a rookie in Las Vegas, second in the NFL among all receivers with 70 catches. Before tonight's game, the tight ends averaged 45 yards on 3.11 receptions per game, accounting for just 15.78 percent of the offense.
Against the then-No. 7-ranked Volunteers, the tight ends put together their strongest game in 407 days, finding the end zone twice and surpassing 100 yards for the first time since Bowers and Oscar Delp combined for 142 yards and two touchdowns in a 51-13 win over Kentucky last season.
Head coach Kirby Smart expressed his satisfaction postgame, saying "I'm proud of those tight ends. They haven't had the year they wanted to have, but they had a really big night."
Stanford graduate transfer Ben Yurosek played his best game in the red and black, leading the offense with five receptions, surpassing his season total by one. Yurosek was pivotal in Georgia's fourth-quarter touchdown drive, initiating the 92-yard trip with a 21-yard reception to push the Bulldogs out from deep within their red zone. Yurosek nearly finished what he started, hauling in a play-action pass from Carson Beck at the 19-yard line and carrying it down to the 2, setting the stage for freshman Nate Frazier to run it in to give Georgia a two-score lead.
Delp, Georgia's second-leading receiver Saturday behind Yurosek, had his strongest outing of the season with four receptions for 56 yards and two second-quarter touchdowns. All were season highs.
"Our tight ends really stepped up; all of those guys were able to make some plays," quarterback Carson Back said. "Oscar was able to get into the end zone; he made a great play on the first touchdown pass. I was super proud of him and the way he was able to step up in this game."
Sophomore tight end Lawson Luckie only had one catch against Tennessee but it was a big one, a 23-yarder that moved the Bulldogs into Vols territory on Georgia's second touchdown drive of the second quarter. That drive ended like the one before it, with Beck finding Delp in the back of the end zone.
Luckie leads Georgia's tight ends with 16 receptions this season for 236 yards and three touchdowns. Delp is second with 13 for 175 and two TDs, while Yurosek is third with nine receptions for 126 yards. Eight of Yurosek's catches have come in the past three games.
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