With the challenge that they will get from a 6-3 Kentucky team, the outcome of the Bulldogs’ Saturday game in Lexington will also be determined by just how much Georgia has moved past their lost to Florida. “You have to,” Georgia head coach Mark Richt said about moving on from the 49-10 loss to the Gators. “The clock’s ticking. If you don’t move on, you’re in trouble. There’s really no choice.”
The Bulldogs (7-2, 4-2) travel to Kentucky with some questioning the team’s identity, specifically how Georgia has looked to pass the ball in some games, seemingly neglecting Knowshon Moreno and the running game. Moreno carried the ball nine times and 17 times in losses to Alabama and Florida respectively. Currently Georgia leads the SEC in total offense and passing offense, but is fifth in rushing offense. “I don’t know how important those stats are, but Knowshon’s certainly getting a lot of carries and getting a lot of yards per carry,” Richt said. “I think we’re running the ball well. I think we got very good balance.”
Moreno did not become the fulltime starter until the seventh game of last season and averaged over 24 carries a game for the rest of the regular season. In the one game in which he got under 20 carries, (17 against Georgia Tech) Thomas Brown rushed for 139 yards on 17 carries. While the Bulldogs had the luxury of seniors Brown and Kregg Lumpkin at times last year get viable carries, this year the freshman tandem of Caleb King and Richard Samuels has had a hard time of earning carries. But the coaches took notice of the play of Samuel in the closing minutes of the Florida game, and according to offensiver coordinator Mike Bobo, hope to get him some carries. The true freshman and the redshirt freshman King have battled for playing time this week in practice.
Georgia’s passing game should not be affected by the health of quarterback Matthew Stafford. The quarterback suffered a bruised ankle against Florida that Richt says should not be a factor. “He’s throwing the ball just fine,” Richt said. “I think he’s fine. He’ll have no limitations.”
Still, both Richt and Bobo want to see the team put more points on the board, especially in the red zone. That is more important to the Bulldogs than the revelation that the offense is ranked higher in passing than it is in running. “I’ll rather be No. 1 in scoring offense,” Richt said. “It’s not that surprising. I knew we would pass the ball well.”
The Kentucky defense that Georgia will be going up against ranks as one of the better units in the SEC. The Wildcat leads the league in forced turnovers, are second in sacks, fifth in rushing defense and fifth in scoring defense. Cornerback Trevard Lindley and free safety Marcus McClinton lead the Kentucky secondary, defensive tackle Myron Pryor is a force up front and linebackers Braxton Kelley, Micah Johnson and Johnny Williams are all capable playmakers. Taking away their 63-5 loss to Florida, only South Carolina has scored more than 20 points against the Wildcats this season. Kentucky (2-3 in the SEC) held Alabama to 17 points in a 17-14 loss earlier in the season.
As for the Georgia defense, it will face a team that plays two quarterbacks for the fifth time this season. The contrast in the Kentucky quarterbacks is perhaps as pronounced as any team the Bulldogs have played this year. Six-foot-six sophomore Mike Hartline is the typical drop-dback passer, while freshman Randall Cobb is a threat to run, having seen time at wide receiver as well.
“We know No. 18 (Cobb) is a runner and the other quarterback is a thrower (Hartline),” said Georgia linebacker Danell Ellerbe. “We’re going to have our mindset when 18’s in the game and we’re going to have a different mindset when the other quarterback’s in the game.”
Cobb has especially become a large part of the Kentucky offense with season-ending injuries to wide receiver Dicky Lyons and running back Derrick Locke. Hartline and Cobb are expected to alternate possessions.
Ellerbe, a senior, and other Bulldog veterans remember their last trip to Lexington, when they came away 24-20 losers to the Wildcats, and are warning their younger teammates about the experience. “All the older players that went there and know how it was for the fans to run on the field. We’re not trying to experience that,” Ellerbe said. “We’re just trying to ingrain it in the young guys’ heads that they don’t want to experience that.”
With the possibly of winning the SEC very slim, Richt has one goal for his team. “Win this game right here, that’s it.”
Butler can be reached at jbutler@scoreatl.com.
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