ATHENS, Ga. – The Georgia Bulldogs enter this weekend’s Southeastern Conference championship game against Alabama ranked second in the country in touchbacks and second to last nationally in kickoff coverage.
Obviously that’s a disconnect Georgia third-year football coach Kirby Smart would like to remedy in a hurry.
Redshirt junior kicker Rodrigo Blankenship has booted 74 kickoffs for touchbacks this season, but the 10 kickoff returns allowed by the Bulldogs have averaged 31.3 yards. Georgia led Georgia Tech 45-7 less than five minutes into the third quarter this past Saturday inside Sanford Stadium, with the lone touchdown by the Yellow Jackets at that point occurring via a 100-yard kickoff return by Jaunyeh Thomas.
“We have to do a better job,” Smart said Monday. “At the end of the day we’ve got a coverage unit that’s probably falling asleep because of a guy who kicks at a high rate of touchbacks. We tried to even cover some against UMass intentionally to get some coverages, because we haven’t done a good job with them.
“Our hang times by Rod have been tremendous. He’s done a great job with the placement of the ball. We’ve just got to do a better job covering it, and if we can kick it out, kick it out. That’s the key.”
Alabama ranks 24th nationally in kickoff returns with a 23.5-yard average, with Josh Jacobs producing a 77-yard touchdown in the opening rout of Louisville.
Saturday’s showdown inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium would showcase two of the nation’s top 10 punt returners if Georgia’s Mecole Hardman and Alabama’s Jaylen Waddle had enough returns to qualify. Hardman would lead the nation with his 21.8-yard average, which was boosted by his 70-yard touchdown against Middle Tennessee, while Waddle has a 13.6-yard average that includes a 63-yard score against Louisiana.
“Their special teams are really strong,” Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban said Monday during his weekly news conference. “Hardman is a really, really good returner and has made some explosive returns this year. We’ll have to do a great job of covering and we also have to protect, especially after last week.”
Mike Bernier had a punt blocked by Auburn on Saturday, which set up a short touchdown drive that allowed the Tigers to pull within 17-14 before halftime of Alabama’s eventual 52-21 drubbing.
Mayden sidelined
Alabama junior defensive back Jared Mayden will not play during the first half of Saturday’s game after being ejected for targeting in the second half of the Iron Bowl. Saban was asked Monday how Mayden’s absence would affect the Crimson Tide’s dime package and how often he expected that package to be employed against the Bulldogs.
“I don’t know, but as soon as I get out of here, I’ll call Kirby and tell him exactly what we’re going to do,” Saban said. “I’ll call him, and then you can call him and ask him, and then he can tell you.”
Mayden played in 10 of Alabama’s 12 regular-season games, collecting 13 tackles, including an 8-yard sack.
Surprised by switch
Georgia senior defensive end Jonathan Ledbetter admitted Monday that the Bulldogs were caught by surprise in January when Alabama made the quarterback switch from Jalen Hurts to Tua Tagovailoa. The Bulldogs led 13-0 at halftime, but Tagovailoa rallied the Crimson Tide to a 26-23 overtime triumph.
“It was just kind of a throw-it-in-your-face type thing – just throw somebody out there, because our number one guy isn’t getting it done right now,” Ledbetter said. “We kind of game-planned for Jalen Hurts the whole time. We saw what kind of player he was and what kind of plays he made, and we really didn’t have anything to go off watching Tua.
“We didn’t know he was that elusive or had an arm like that.”
Not delving in
Several SEC coaches have been asked in recent days about what to expect Saturday, but Tennessee’s Jeremy Pruitt wasn’t into providing much detail. The first-year coach of the Volunteers lost to the Tide and Bulldogs by a combined 96-33.
“We played them early in the year, and I’m sure both teams have changed since the year has went,” Pruitt said. “That’s what good teams do. I don’t know the injury situation on either team. It’s hard to predict something when you haven’t seen neither one of them play in the last five to seven weeks.”
Odds and ends
Alabama offensive coordinator Mike Locksley is among the five finalists for the Broyles Award, joining Army defensive coordinator Jay Bateman, Clemson offensive coordinator Jeff Scott, Mississippi State defensive coordinator Bob Shoop and Notre Dame offensive coordinator Chip Long. The Crimson Tide have won four straight meetings against the Bulldogs and lead the series 39-25-4. Saban when asked how this Georgia team is different from last year’s Bulldogs: “I hate comparison questions. They haven’t dramatically changed.”
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.