Georgia’s winning formula resembles old Alabama way
Smart following method of his former boss Saban, who could be on sideline
Georgia’s defense throttles opposing running backs, boasting a deep and formidable front, playmaking linebackers and star defensive backs. The offense has a solid running game and a quarterback who seldom makes big mistakes.
The third-ranked Bulldogs, in fact, look more like vintage Alabama than Alabama these days.
The second-ranked Crimson Tide enter Saturday night’s Southeastern Conference game with a soaring passing game and a defense that is much more generous than in the “old” days, circa 2013. Georgia is more old-school.
“I would agree they’re a little more like the old Alabama way, a little more grind it out,” said Mississippi coach Lane Kiffin, who helped transform the Tide into a more explosive, pass-happy offense starting in 2014. “Not as explosive. Then play phenomenal defense.”
The similarities are no coincidence, of course. Georgia coach Kirby Smart was defensive coordinator for four Alabama national championship teams and some of the most dominant defenses in recent memory.
But Saban, who tested negative in a follow-up test for COVID -19 on Thursday and could be on the sideline Saturday if tests on Friday and Saturday come back negative, has pivoted from his old ways and built championshipcaliber teams employing a much different formula emphasizing tempo and downfield passing more while the defense suffers partly as a result.
The talent and the results haven’t changed much.
Alabama is fresh from a 63-48 win over Kiffin’s Rebels, a score that would have been unheard of for a Tide team a
few years ago.
’Bama also leads the nation in scoring offense at 51 points per game. Georgia, by contrast, has the nation’s top run defense and yield’s the secondfewest points per game at 12.3. That’s about a quarter’s work for Alabama so far.
“There’s some similarities” to those Tide defenses, Saban said on his radio show Thursday evening. “I think they’ve progressed and they do some things that are a little more unique than what we did back in that time, because it’s been about five years ago.
“But we had those kind of players on defense. And we did a lot of the same basic things. I think they’ve added some things, especially on third down, that have been very effective for them.”
Then came Kiffin and quarterbacks like Hurts and Tagovailoa, the Miami Dolphins No. 1 draft pick this year.
A steady stream of star wideouts have also been around. The current group is led by potential first-rounders Jaylen Waddle and Devonta Smith after Henry Ruggs III and Jerry Jeudy followed Tagovailoa in the latest opening round.
But Georgia safety Richard LeCounte says the Bulldogs still maintain their goal of holding the opponent to 13 points or fewer. The strategy is making offenses earn it, not giving up the long ball or run that Alabama has often produced this season.
Notes: Kansas coach Les Miles has been cleared to return to the Jayhawks after his positive test for COVID-19, but out of caution is skipping the team’s trip to West Virginia for Saturday’s game. ... Defensive end Samdup Miller, safety Travis Whillock, quarterback Aidan Smith and tight end Jason Whittaker have opted out of Northwestern’s pandemicshortened season, the school announced Friday. With Miller and Whillock deciding not to play, the defense is down to two returning starters. ... UCLA will still be outfitted by Under Armour this season even though the university is suing the apparel company for breach of contract. Athletic director Martin Jarmond has said there isn’t enough time to get a deal in place with a new outfitter. Under Armour announced in June that it is ending its contract with the school. The two sides were four years into a 15-year deal worth $280 million, which remains the highest in college athletics. UCLA filed a lawsuit against Under Amour in August in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles for breach of contract, seeking damages in excess of $200 million.