Preview: Vanderbilt @ Georgia - October 18th
By #1 Sports
Â
Vanderbilt (5-1, 3-1 SEC) took their first loss of the season last week, 14-17 at Mississippi State, in which they scuffled badly on offense with just 107 totals yards, prompting Coach Bobby Johnson to make a change at the trigger. Out is 6’1” 212 senior QB Chris Nickson (36 of 70 for 311 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT) who’s rushing skills (73 for 317 yards and 6 TD) have earned him all 6 starts this season. In is 6’3” 215 junior QB Mackenzi Adams (21 of 37 for 231 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT) who’s superior arm earned 6 starts in 2007 (101 of 182 for 1043 yards and 9 TD) and has sparked the Commodores offense off the bench repeatedly this season. He sure can’t hurt a Vanderbilt passing game that is averaging a measly 90.3 yards per game on just 5.0 yards per attempt. This is good news for receivers Sean Walker (15 for 198 and TD), Jaime Graham (6 for 40) and Justin Wheeler (11 for 105 and TD) plus tight end Brandon Braden (10 for 93 and 2 TD). Each of these kids is a quality player and have been underutilized with Nickson under center. Coordinator Ted Cain needed to draw up running plays for Walker (10 for 108 yards and TD) and Graham (6 for 49 and TD) just to get the ball into the hands of his best athletes. Still, the ground game that has averaged 159.8 yards per game at 4.1 yards per attempt will be the centerpiece of Vandy’s attack. The line of 6’5” 275 sophomore LT Reilly Lauer, 6’3” 295 junior LG Ryan Custer, 6’3” 292 junior C Bradley Vierling, 6’2” 290 junior Nick Forte, and 6’7” 305 junior RT Thomas Welch make up the best group this team has fielded in years, paving the way for 5’10” 202 junior RB Jared Hawkins (79 for 333 yards and 3 TD rushing, 4 for 22 yards and TD receiving) to lead a squad that has banked 12 rushing scores in 2008. Against Georgia’s brutal rush defense, this unit must get off first.
Defensive Coordinator Bruce Fowler loves to send them and the results through 6 games have been big plays aplenty. The pressure that has racked up the SEC’s best 19 sacks has also been key to generating a whopping 11 interceptions and 4 fumble recoveries. 6’5” 272 junior LDE Steve Stone (14 T, 4 TFL, 3 S), 6’4” 290 junior LDT Greg Billinger (14 T, 3 ½ TFL, 2 S, BLK), 6’4” 285 sophomore RDT Adam Smotherman (7 T, 2 S), and 6’5” 230 Broderick Stewart (9 T, 4 TFL, 2 S, FF) plus backup end 6’3” 278 freshman TJ Greenstone (12 T, 4 ½ TFL) all have chased down quarterbacks this season as have each member of the speedy linebacking corps of 6’0” 220 junior WLB Patrick Benoist (44 T, 5 ½ TFL, 2 S), 6’0” 225 freshman MLB Chris Marve (33 T, 2 TFL, S, FF), and 6’5” 228 sophomore SLB John Stokes (8 T, 1 ½ S) plus backup 6’3” 218 junior LB Brent Trice (8 T, 2 S, FF, FR). No less than 12 different Commodores have recorded sacks this season and this front 7 is here to tell you that Vanderbilt isn’t the laugher on your schedule that it used to be. Maybe the best player Coach Johnson has to work with is 5’10” 182 senior RCB DJ Moore. Not only has Moore averaged 19.7 yards per punt return and 22.5 yards per kick return but he has been all over the ball on defense. 17 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, and a sack, a forced fumble, a recovered fumble, and 2 picks fill up the stat sheet even though opponents rarely choose to test Moore. 6’3” 202 junior LCB Myron Lewis (31 ½ T, 4 TFL, 3 S, 2 INT) has been more than up to the task he takes on with a physical style. Fielding the middle are 6’2” 212 senior SS Reshard Langford (31 T, 2 INT) and 6’2” 210 FS Ryan Hamilton (33 T, 2 TFL, S, 3 INT, 2 FR, FF). Each of these kids brings major pop and dynamite ball skills to the table. By the numbers, Vanderbilt’s defense has allowed 16.3 points on 318.7 yards per game and the way they turn the ball over, they have the ability to shock any team in the nation on any given Saturday.
Georgia (5-1, 2-1 SEC) uncharacteristically turned the ball over twice in the Red Zone but still managed a 26-14 win over Tennessee in Athens last week – just the fifth and sixth turnovers of the year and just the second and third time Mark Richt’s (77-20 in 8th season) crew has come up empty in the Red Zone for the entire season. With 9 returning starters, the Bulldog defense was expected to be strong and they have not disappointed – especially against the run. 6’5” 275 senior LDE Jarius Wynn (4 T), 6’4” 292 senior LDT Corvey Irvin (15 T, 4 TFL, 2 S), 6’1” 287 junior RDT Geno Atkins (19 T, 3 ½ TFL), and 6’4” 246 senior RDE Jeremy Lomax (5 T, TFL, FR) get the starts but Defensive Coordinator Willie Martinez actually rotates personnel liberally with sophomore Demarcus Dobbs (11 T, 1 ½ S, INT, FF), sophomore Brandon Wood (10 T), and freshman Justin Houston (8 T, 2 ½ TFL, S) getting plenty of snaps and keeping the attack fresh. Just 52.2 rush yards per game at 2.1 yards per carry have been allowed by this unit and just 20 rushing first downs have been surrendered all season plus they get help this week. The physical 6’1” 243 senior MLB Dannell Ellerbe (12 T, TFL, INT) has missed time with an ankle injury but returns to pair with his explosive young mate 5’11” 228 sophomore WLB Rennie Curran (47 T, 7 TFL, 3 S, 2 FF) who has simply been a sideline to sideline machine this season. 6’2” 247 sophomore MLB Darryl Gamble (25 T, S) has been very solid in place of Ellerbe and we expect both to get plenty of snaps with the extra beef a plus against Vanderbilt’s rush game. The play of Georgia’s secondary hasn’t been nearly impressive and was flat-out exposed by the 41 points Alabama shredded them for. 5’10” 190 junior RCB Asher Allen (22 T, 2 ½ TFL, FR) is a fine player but 5’8” 196 junior LCB Prince Miller (21 T, S) just doesn’t bring the height to compete for balls in the air. 6’2” 198 senior SS CJ Byrd (19 T, FR) and 6’2” 212 sophomore Reshad Jones (23 T, TFL, INT) certainly have the size but lack the break to generate turnovers. Through 6 games, this squad has forced just 3 interceptions and 3 lost fumbles. With just 273.8 yards allowed per game, Georgia should be allowing less than 18.3 points and the lack of turnovers is the key.
6’3” 228 junior QB Matthew Stafford (111 of 80 for 1503 yards, 8 TD, 3 INT) is about as dependable as they come with 25 consecutive starts under his belt and is a serious NFL prospect, consistently demonstrating good decision making – at least up until his misadventures last week in the Red Zone. TE Trip Chandler will likely miss again this week with 6’4” 225 freshman Aron White taking his place with 6’0” 240 FB Brannan Southerland also getting snaps at a position that is almost exclusively used in blocking under Offensive Coordinator Mike Bobo. Bobo has a trio of big receivers to make the catches and they have been piling up the stats in bunches so far. 6’2” 204 senior Mohamed Massaquoi (23 for 331 yards and 3 TD) was to be the star this season along with 6’2” 200 junior Michael Moore (13 for 196 and TD) but it has been 6’4” 200 freshman AJ Green (29 for 441 and 3 TD) that has ripped up defenses all season at better than 15 yards per catch. By the numbers, the Bulldogs score 33.0 points on 430.3 yards per game and the rushing attack of 159.2 rush yards per game at 4.7 yards per carry with 13 scores is at least an equal emphasis. 5’11” 208 sophomore RB Knowshon Moreno (105 for 590 yards) has crossed the goal line 10 times already this year in addition to 10 catches for 124 yards while 5’11” 212 freshman Caleb King (42 for 193 and TD) has proven equally tough to stop when given the shot. This is one dangerous offensive team but we don’t see them as elite for just one reason…offensive line. LT Vince Vance was loss last week with a season-ending knee injury, making an already makeshift line even more of a question mark. This week Georgia will go with 3 freshman and 2 sophomores with 6’5” 286 LT Clint Boling, 6’4” LG Chris Davis, 6’3” 304 C Ben Jones, 6’5” 331 RG Cordy Glenn, and 6’5” 338 RT Justin Anderson. Georgia fans know these kids are blue chips in the making but they also know none has played at the same position all year and only Davis has started in all 6 games.
FREE SELECTION: So how can you have a Homecoming Game following a home date? Anyway, the Commodores spoiled the Bulldogs’ Homecoming in 2006 on a last-second field goal by K Brian Hahnfelt (7 of 8 and long of 48 yards this season) and have a shot this season. Their sack attack and ability to turn the ball over could mean trouble for Georgia’s very young offensive line. 64 penalties for Georgia compared to just 26 for Vanderbilt could also be key. Take Vanderbilt + 14 ½ between the hedges.