T he Georgia Bulldogs want to be bigger, stronger and more physical than every opponent on their 2018 football schedule.
They also aspire to be faster, with junior receiver Mecole Hardman having led that charge through two games.
Hardman, a 5-foot-11, 183-pound speedster from Bowman, Georgia, already has four gains this season of 30 yards or longer. During last Saturday’s 41-17 dismantling of South Carolina, he had a 30-yard run on Georgia’s first offensive possession and added 34- and 42-yard receptions in the third quarter, with the 34-yarder going for a touchdown.
“People definitely have to game-plan for our receivers,” Hardman said afterward, “and they have to account for the running game as well. I think we’re doing a better job of throwing, so you’ve got to account for both.
“It’s going to be hard for teams to stop both aspects.”
Middle Tennessee State is next up with that challenge, as the Blue Raiders are set to visit the No. 3 Bulldogs this Saturday night (7:15 on ESPN2).
Hardman notched his first career 100-yard receiving game against the Gamecocks, racking up six catches for 103 yards. In the 45-0 opening rout of Austin Peay, the former five-star signee split the cornerback and safety for a dazzling 59-yard scoring reception late in the second quarter.
Through two games, Hardman has nine touches for 196 yards, an average of 21.8 yards, on an offense guided by third-year coordinator Jim Chaney. His 30-yard rush at South Carolina was off a quick lateral to the sideline from Jake Fromm, and his 59-yard score against the Governors began as a reception over the middle.
“He’s as much of an inside threat as he is a perimeter threat, because most of his threats have come on the inside,” Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart said after the win in Columbia. “Mecole’s long run was the result of a heck of a block by (junior receiver) Tyler Simmons. That’s the one thing our guys on the perimeter take pride in.
“They are physical. You can ask these other teams. Our guys will hit you.”
Although the sample size is just two games, Georgia appears to be moving on quite nicely from the terrific tailback tandem of Nick Chubb and Sony Michel. The Bulldogs racked up 508 yards and averaged 8.5 yards per play against Austin Peay, a contest that was shortened to 55 minutes, and they amassed 473 yards and averaged 6.7 yards at South Carolina, which was picked to finish second behind Georgia in this year’s Southeastern Conference Eastern Division race.
The Bulldogs undoubtedly have been physical so far this season, and they’ve undoubtedly been fast, too.
“It’s a lot of fun,” Hardman said, “and we appreciate the trust that Coach Chaney has in us out on the perimeter, both with our blocking and our receiving. He trusts Jake to make the throws that he needs to make.
“We still have three hosses back there who can run the ball, so I think we’re a good overall balanced team.”
A lack of sacks
Georgia has just one sack through two games, getting to Jake Bentley last Saturday for a 3-yard loss. A lack of sacks can be the result of the opposition, but Smart said during his Monday news conference that his Bulldogs may not be built to rack up big numbers in that category.
“We’re always looking to improve our pass rush, because you’re never where you need to be,” Smart said. “We’re a run-stop team first, and that’s what we pride ourselves on. That probably takes a little bit from our pass rush, to be honest with you.
“We’ve been insufficient in pass rush since we’ve been here, but you don’t get the best of both worlds.”
Smart added that MTSU quarterback Brent Stockstill is a great decision-maker and that the Blue Raiders have an effective screen game.
“You have to be careful about how many times you overdo the rush,” Smart said.
Area Blue Raiders
MTSU has three Chattanooga-area players on its roster – redshirt freshman receiver Zeke Cobb (Dalton), freshman quarterback Luke Shiflett (Northwest Whitfield) and freshman defensive end Jorden Starling (McCallie). Shiflett is the only one of the three to have played in MTSU’s first two games, with his action actually coming at receiver.
The Blue Raiders opened with a 35-7 loss at Vanderbilt but bounced back with a 61-37 win over visiting UT-Martin.
Odds and ends
Junior left tackle Andrew Thomas (ankle) did not practice Monday, but Smart is hopeful of having him Saturday. Georgia’s game next week at Missouri will be a noon kickoff on ESPN. Smart on whether he wants freshman quarterback Justin Fields to play when games are in the balance: “The important thing for Justin is that he continues to improve. I would love to get him an opportunity to get in these games.”
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.