Moreno opens up against ’Dores

ATHENS, Ga. — Georgia sophomore tailback Knowshon Moreno entered Saturday’s game against Vanderbilt averaging less than 4 yards a carry against Southeastern Conference opposition.

That stat can be tossed.

Moreno rushed 23 times for 172 yards and a touchdown in Georgia’s 24-14 victory, averaging 7.5 yards a carry. His rushing output was the largest of the season, eclipsing the 168 he amassed Sept. 6 against Central Michigan, and ranks only behind his Troy (196) and Florida (188) performances last season.

“I think the guys offensively just did a good job of blocking downfield — both the wide receivers and the guys up front,” Moreno said. “They made it a lot easier on us backs. I think it was a pretty good day on the ground and the air.”

Moreno’s 10th career 100-yard game was a good bet after a first half in which he rushed 11 times for 88 yards. His first carry in the third quarter was a 19-yard toss sweep around right end to put him over the plateau.

Later that drive, Moreno had an 11-yard touchdown run on a toss sweep to the left side after having an 11-yard score called back the previous play because his knee touched the ground.

“If we tackled better, we could have gotten to Moreno,” Commodores coach Bobby Johnson said. “But you have to give him credit. He has a great spin move to avoid our tacklers.”

Vanderbilt becomes the first team to allow Moreno two 100-yard games. He had 28 carries for 157 yards in Georgia’s 20-17 win last season in Nashville.

Fewer penalties

Georgia may not be leading the nation in penalties per game much longer after committing five Saturday for 47 yards, season lows in both. Bulldogs coach Mark Richt said five or fewer penalties per game will not result in extra conditioning during Monday’s practice.

“That was the biggest celebration in our locker room,” Richt said.

The offense wasn’t flagged until Clint Boling was called for illegal procedure with seconds remaining in the third quarter. Boling played primarily at left tackle but was moved to right guard when he jumped.

“I was over there for one snap and ended up jumping offsides,” he said. “I didn’t even end up running a play over there.”

Commodore clips

Vanderbilt junior cornerback D.J. Moore continued to display his versatility, rushing twice for 14 yards and collecting six tackles and an interception. ... Senior quarterback Chris Nickson, who lost the starting job this past week to junior Mackenzi Adams, entered on a third-and-2 near midfield with 10 minutes left in the third quarter only to fumble the snap for a 5-yard loss. ... Jamie Graham became Vandy’s first freshman receiver with multiple touchdown catches in a game since Earl Bennett in 2005.

Back in six weeks

The Bulldogs do not play at home again until the regular-season finale against Georgia Tech on Nov. 29. They play at LSU, against Florida in Jacksonville, at Kentucky and at Auburn during the next four weekends and have an open date Nov. 22.

“They’re some more business trips,” Moreno said. “It’s not going to be easy, because those are some tough environments.”

Only two other times in the last 40 years, 1990 and 2004, has Georgia gone 41 days between home games.

Odds and ends

Georgia now leads the Vandy series 49-18-2 and is now 68-17-2 at homecoming. ... Middle linebacker Darryl Gamble got the wind knocked out of him and landed on his side after deflecting a pass but said afterward that he felt fine. ... Aaron Murray, a quarterback at Tampa’s Plant High School and arguably the top commitment for Georgia’s 2009 signing class, suffered a fractured left fibula Thursday night and is out for the season. Murray is the nation’s No. 3 pro-style quarterback, according to Rivals.com.