ATHENS, Ga. -- It's impossible for Tennessee and Georgia to be further apart on kickoff returns entering Saturday's game in Neyland Stadium.
The Volunteers lead the nation with a 37.9-yard average, with Evan Berry having recorded an 88-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against Western Carolina and a 96-yard return for a score to open last Saturday night's loss to Arkansas. Berry is the first Tennessee player with multiple kickoff returns for touchdowns in the same season since Willie Gault had three in 1980.
Georgia, meanwhile, ranks last nationally with 14.0 yards per kickoff return. Junior receiver Reggie Davis has six returns for 124 yards (20.7 yards a return), but the other 10 returns by the Bulldogs have netted 100 yards (10.0 a return).
Bulldogs coach Mark Richt said Tuesday that he is impressed by what Tennessee is accomplishing, but he is not alarmed by Georgia's low average.
"Prior to this last game, there had been a bunch of bloop kicks, and you're not going to get very many very yards on those returns," Richt said. "Sometimes you fair catch it at the 32-yard line, and sometimes you get 6 tough yards. Our average starting yard line is in much better shape than our yards per return.
"In this last game, they kicked it deep to us and we didn't have a banner day, but it's a little bit of a misleading statistic, because our field position has been better than the 25-yard line more times than not."
Another sizable gap between Tennessee and Georgia is in net punting, where the Vols lead the Southeastern Conference with a 42.6-yard average and the Bulldogs rank 13th at 32.2.
"In terms of special teams, statistically, this is by far the best team we've played," Richt said.
Neyland memories
Bulldogs fifth-year senior receiver Malcolm Mitchell has two 100-yard games in his career. The most recent one occurred last month against South Carolina, when he caught eight passes for 122 yards and a touchdown in the 52-20 win.
His first 100-yard game took place at Tennessee as a true freshman in 2011, when he caught three Aaron Murray passes for 126 yards, including a career-long 71-yard reception, in a 20-12 triumph.
"I felt like me and Aaron were definitely on the same page that entire game," Mitchell said. "It was fun, just to have that chemistry."
Mitchell pulled his hamstring that night in Knoxville and sat out the next three games. He missed Georgia's 34-31 overtime win at Knoxville two years ago due to a torn ACL he suffered in the opener at Clemson.
Suspended Mauk
Georgia will host Missouri next Saturday night.
The Tigers are starting freshman Drew Lock at quarterback following last week's suspension of redshirt junior Maty Mauk that is now indefinite. Bulldogs senior outside linebacker Jordan Jenkins said Tuesday that Mauk is the toughest running quarterback he's had to track down.
"My mind is on Tennessee, but avoiding Maty Mauk would definitely be helpful for me," Jenkins said.
Odds and ends
Georgia will wear white jerseys Saturday for the first time this season, while Tennessee will suit up in its "Smokey gray" uniforms. The Bulldogs wore red jerseys earlier this year in Nashville when Vanderbilt wore gray. Richt is 5-2 against Tennessee in both Neyland Stadium and Sanford Stadium. Davis and freshman receiver Terry Godwin will be Georgia's primary punt-return options Saturday if sophomore receiver Isaiah McKenzie is unable to go due to a hamstring injury.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.