ATHENS, Ga. - Though Georgia defenders often came up short in trying to tackle South Carolina freshman tailback Marcus Lattimore last Saturday, they did disrupt the Gamecocks occasionally in passing situations.
The Bulldogs sacked Stephen Garcia four times, with junior outside linebacker Justin Houston responsible for two of them. Houston almost had a third sack, but he forced a fumble that rolled for positive yardage.
"I would have been more happy if we had won," Houston said. "I've got to turn it up a little. If I had done better last game, then maybe it would have had a different outcome."
The 6-foot-3, 260-pounder from Statesboro, Ga., entered this season as the Southeastern Conference's top returning sack specialist and has three through two games. He could get chances to add to that total Saturday against No. 12 Arkansas, which is led by Ryan Mallett, the SEC's premier pro-style quarterback.
Houston did not sack Mallett last season in Fayetteville, but the Bulldogs did get to him twice in their 52-41 victory.
"If you can get pressure on Mallett and get him moving, then that would be a big difference in the game," Houston said. "If you just sit there and let him throw, he'll eat you apart. We're going to try and put pressure on him and make him move his feet a little bit more than normal, and hopefully that will make a difference."
A defensive end last season in the 4-3 scheme under former coordinator Willie Martinez, Houston was moved this past spring by new coordinator Todd Grantham to outside linebacker in his 3-4 system. So far, Houston has split time evenly rushing from a standing position and with his hand on the turf.
It's been the same for opposite outside linebacker Cornelius Washington, who is ahead of Darryl Gamble when the Bulldogs employ a nickel package.
"Last ball game, quite frankly, they played defensive end most of the game," Bulldogs head coach Mark Richt said. "When we were in nickel, they mostly had their hand on the ground doing what they did their whole careers. We actually didn't get into the 3-4 a whole lot because of the personnel group that South Carolina stayed in the majority of the game.
"I think Houston has been more versatile as a rush guy and outside linebacker, and I think it is a little bit more of a transition for Cornelius, although he is getting it."
Grantham said the plan for Houston, who had 10 overall tackles against the Gamecocks, is to mix it up with him and try to utilize his assets.
Green hearing Friday
Georgia will have its appeal regarding A.J. Green's four-game suspension heard Friday by the NCAA, but there is no guarantee the NCAA will announce its decision that same day.
"It's not as big of an issue this week, because we've prepared as if he wasn't going to be in the game," Richt said after Wednesday's practice. "With the last two weeks, we were hopeful, but we weren't really sure what was going to happen."
Green has practiced with the team all along.
Cornerback Branden Smith suffered concussion-like symptoms in Tuesday's practice and is questionable for this weekend, while backup nose Justin Anderson has turf toe and is doubtful. Should Smith be out, Sanders Commings would play more at corner and Carlton Thomas would handle punt returns.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or (423) 757-6524.