Dogs’ defense comes through again to clinch SEC East
Losing Isaiah Crowell made life difficult for Mike Bobo Saturday. (Brant Sanderlin / AJC)
You can make a pretty convincing case that Georgia won the 2011 SEC East Championship in large part because of the terrific turnaround in its defense this season.
Certainly, on a day when the Dogs’ offense was again missing its top two running backs, its offensive line regressed and its quarterback at times looked like he was throwing with his eyes closed, the defense was definitely the difference in clinching the division title against Kentucky.
Time after time Saturday against Big Blue Georgia’s sputtering offense put the ball game in the defense’s hands, and that proved to be the difference, as Todd Grantham’s troops held the Wildcats to just 165 yards of offense, almost completely shutting them down in the scoreless third quarter. The Cats didn’t get a second-half first down until late in the fourth quarter.
Georgia may not have gotten many style points, at least offensively, in a game where most of their scoring came on field goals, but at the end of the day it was enough, and the Dogs are on their way to the conference championship game for the fourth time in the Mark Richt era.
Now, admittedly, Mike Bobo was dealt a pretty lousy hand when Isaiah Crowell went out for the game with a banged up ankle. With chief backup Carlton Thomas also unavailable, third-stringer Brandon Harton (with an assist from fourth-stringer Ken Malcome) had to step into the fray, and he discovered quickly that even a mediocre SEC defense like Kentucky’s is a whole lot more challenging than New Mexico State. Both Harton and Malcome coughed up the ball to derail Georgia drives.
Unfortunately, it didn’t help matters that when Crowell went to the locker room in the first half Bobo’s playbook also appeared to have gone missing, resulting in one of the more predictable (and least successful) halves the UGA offensive coordinator has had in a while. The low point came at the end of the first quarter and start of the second when three straight runs by Harton were stuffed thanks to the OL letting themselves be dominated.
But the defense persevered (in spite of at least one ridiculously blown call by the officials), and eventually, Bobo started getting a little more creative in getting Harton to the outside (hello, toss sweep!) and the tiny back finally got his 100-yard game as a Bulldog.
And Aaron Murray, who was wildly off-target at times and had a middling day overall throwing the ball, did make a really nice play when he stepped up into the pocket before finding Marlon Brown open in the back of the end zone to open the fourth quarter with Georgia’s lone touchdown.
Still, it was the shutting down of the Kentucky offense in the second half and the turnovers forced by Dog defenders that won the day for Georgia.
They’re not all going to be pretty in a nine-game winning streak, but when a team that started out 0-2 earns its way to the Dec. 3 game at the Georgia Dome, that doesn’t matter a whole lot.
This has turned into a surprisingly good season for the Dogs. They have three games left in which they have the chance to make it a great season that might be talked about for the ages.
One step at a time, though. The SEC can wait a week. First, Georgia needs to focus on the Jackets.
Feel free to share your views on Georgia’s win over Kentucky for the SEC East title.
Go Dogs!
Got a question for the Junkyard Blawg? Send it to junkyardblawg@gmail.com.
Find me on Facebook.
Follow me on Twitter.
— Bill King, Junkyard Blawg
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
440 comments Add your comment
Bob
November 20th, 2011
4:05 pm
I’m thinking “Frostproof” has outlived his usefullness with the Dawgs. Three suspensions this year translates into transferring to Jax State for 2012. And, I hope we have three RBs coming in next year…IC1 doesn’t look too durable. I hope we can teach LSU (or Alabama) the meaning of respect.
LakeDawg
November 20th, 2011
4:10 pm
athdog
Agreed. I think we have to tie our wagon to Malcombe at this point. Maybe Samuels can make it back for the SECCG. I’m not counting on Crowell at all. This is his first “true” injury and considering the time he has missed with the normal bumps and bruises associated with playing football, I don’t expect him to give us anything the rest of the way. Hope I’m wrong.
Dawg48
November 20th, 2011
4:13 pm
Bobo is the man!
Bob
November 20th, 2011
4:16 pm
Bobo is the man…most likely to be coaching at the high school level soon. We can do much better.
Still@theKool-aidBAR
November 20th, 2011
4:18 pm
Flat Tire I love you. You are a Smart Azz too. I would say 90% of UGA fans and students know who Foxworthy and Cable Guy are, but maybe 19% of Tech fans and students know the people you mentioned.
Happy Warrior
November 20th, 2011
4:21 pm
We are not getting any respect in the polls
Dawg48
November 20th, 2011
4:23 pm
Still
Is it safe to say you like it on the Georgia blog more than the tech blog?
Scrod
November 20th, 2011
4:26 pm
@ Kool Aid – You’re right. That’s because the majority of Tech fans are actually college graduates, where 90% of Dog fans never got past their GED.
Bob
November 20th, 2011
4:32 pm
Now Scrod, you know that’s an incorrect statement. Perhaps the majority of Tech grads are nerds would be more appropriate. And, most of them are working for UGA geads.
Bob
November 20th, 2011
4:32 pm
Should be “grads”…I bought my spellcheck from a Techie.
Still@theKool-aidBAR
November 20th, 2011
4:40 pm
48 you know I am ALL over the TECH blogs too.
Glad we made some FUNNIES last night.
has CUZ posted about Baylie’s operation yet?
I hope She did well and Cuz has some happiness for thanksGiving.
Dawg48
November 20th, 2011
4:42 pm
Have not seen him yet.
Would love to hear an update!
Dawg48
November 20th, 2011
4:44 pm
@ still
I can’t get anyone to buy loto numbers from me!
LOL
OkieDawg
November 20th, 2011
4:48 pm
Jeff Foxworthy is a GT grad….he knows rednecks.
Still@theKool-aidBAR
November 20th, 2011
4:54 pm
D48 that is because you guys always start with 14-0-5-3…………………14 wins……..0 loses……….5 yr extensions………….for 3 coaches. LOL
Dawg48
November 20th, 2011
4:57 pm
I was giving out 1-9-8-0-3-4
Dawg48
November 20th, 2011
4:58 pm
Hope you got that one
Still@theKool-aidBAR
November 20th, 2011
5:00 pm
Jeff Foxworty is not a College GRAD at all. UGA fans think Kim Bassinger is a UGA GRAD not true. here is what happened to JEFF from his own Biography. You UGA fans are STUPID. i had this same argument over Bert Reynolds on Thur. or Fri…………………..Foxworthy planned to follow in his father’s footsteps by majoring in computer technology at Georgia Tech and working at IBM. Yet he discovered that he gained more enjoyment from making co-workers laugh than working with computers. He eventually quit his job to devote his life to being a comedian. With the support of his wife, Pamela Gregg Grethe, a former actress he had met during one of his shows, he went on the road, laying the groundwork for his later success.
JEFF was like MOST Tech freshmen. they never make it because they don’t deserve a TECH Diploma. UGA fans and Students have no concept of that.
Still@theKool-aidBAR
November 20th, 2011
5:03 pm
SORRY SORRY SORRY…………………my limited understanding was that he NEVER graduated but that is wrong.
Foxworthy graduated from Hapeville High School. He attended Georgia Tech in Atlanta and graduated in 1979[3]
OkieDawg
November 20th, 2011
5:08 pm
Thanks for admitting your ignorance as to famous alumni of GT.
yarddawg69
November 20th, 2011
6:13 pm
Im very proud of the Georgia Football team. They could have thrown in the towel and felt sorry for themselves after the two loses to begin the season. Sorry we cant win every game by 30 points and the offense has a off day and most people on here want to throw murray and bobo to the lions. But last week everyone was praising and saying all kinds of good stuf because we actually play our best game is all phases. That really goes to how much of a true fan you may be. Every football is different for what ever reason and there are plenty of them. Guys keep working hard at it never quit on a play good luck in your next to games. I for one are very proud of this team win or lose the next two. well only thing i have left to say is LOVE IT UP HERE AT COLLEGE MOMA, SEND US SOME DAMN MONEY
bitter dontavouis cesar H. WALKER
November 20th, 2011
6:19 pm
last time we were at the dome—power rangers out-fits —well—-enough said
===========murry has the strange ability to win a game—-and loose a game
=============which MURRY—will show????
—-on a lighter note——–what is the alabamma state flower??A SATTIILITE DISH—-hahahahahah
Bill
November 20th, 2011
6:24 pm
Flat Tire really needs to get a hobby. Oh, this IS her hobby…. Got it.
bitter dontavouis cesar H. WALKER
November 20th, 2011
6:27 pm
WILL THE REAL murry PLEASE SHOW UP!!!!—-POWER rangers 2–coming up
—————name the alabamma state flower????A SATTILITE DISH—–hahahahahahahah
———————what makes up #1 LSU team meal——dish water—craw-dads—–or gumbo—-hahahah
bitter dontavouis cesar H. WALKER
November 20th, 2011
6:31 pm
the OFFENCE has had lots of good and bad this year
————on the other hand the “D” has been seady improving all year——2 different teams
Preston
November 20th, 2011
7:16 pm
The defense better be ready to keep us in the game in two weeks because our offense absolutely sucks. The defense is why we’re in the SECCG. Sic em’! WOOF!
athdog
November 20th, 2011
7:28 pm
I am laughing harder at the bloggers arguing over famous alumni than I ever have at Foxworthy’s limited repertoire. Famous alums? Really? Are you so disappointed in your own existence that you live associate a fellow alums’ success with your own?
Oh, UGA is the only school to have the Fulbright, Truman and Rhodes scholars in the same year…therefore I must be a genius myself! Yowsaaa !!
athdog
November 20th, 2011
7:32 pm
again, a Techie sold me ‘grammar check’. Last sentence, first paragraph…make of it what you will.
Me? I’m excited that we’re in the Dome in a few weeks. I would extend a hearty invitation to the local Tech fans, hoping that both of them would come and enjoy the SEC Championship game but it’s a sellout, which is something that Tech fans don’t know much about.
athdog
November 20th, 2011
7:33 pm
Preston,
Ask Gene Chizik how much our offense sucks. I’m guessing he’ll say ‘not much’.
Reality
November 20th, 2011
7:52 pm
The midget throws 3 INT’s…1 for a pick 6. GT runs for 350 and passes for 200. GT 48- uga 31.
Bronco Hillbilly
November 20th, 2011
8:17 pm
I was there. Mike Bobo’s play-calling was pathetic. Where was Carlton Thomas ?
Preston
November 20th, 2011
8:23 pm
Reality, are you really going to predict UGA giving up 48 points to tech? Put the bong and the booze away dude! LMAO! Our offense might be suspect but the D is stout!
Preston
November 20th, 2011
8:24 pm
Bronco, he was suspended…….again. Nobody knows why but I suspect he failed another drug test. Who knows why he’s a habitual knucklehead.
UGA
November 20th, 2011
8:37 pm
lol how the heck did Tech get back into the BCS rankings by beating a horrible Duke team who hadn’t scored more than 30 pts since Oct 1
w/e, Georgia can get another win over a BCS ranked team this way, helps in the long run I guess
OoltewahDawg
November 20th, 2011
8:46 pm
To all you clowns who think Murray needs to be rep;aced because he was off his game yesterday, I remember in 2004, the Dawgs drubbed LSU, and the following went up to Knoxville, and Greene was as flat as a pancake. He could not hit his receivers, and Tech won the game, which by the way was the tiebreaker for the Division Championship that year. I heard no one calling for his head then, so why are all of you wanting Murray out now? At least he kept working and finally found Brown open in the end zone to ice the game. Brown said later that he ran the wrong route on the play, and had to get back to the right spot in order for Aaron to find him and make the catch. . Good teams find a way to win when things aren’t going just right.
OoltewahDawg
November 20th, 2011
8:48 pm
guys, I need to proofread before I submit my comments. Should read, “and the following week went up to Knoxville”, and “Tennessee won the game.”
Dawg48
November 20th, 2011
8:52 pm
Am I the only one who hates the BCS?
ARdawg
November 20th, 2011
9:25 pm
Dawg48
You and I perhaps. It’s a racket that should be outlawed
LawDawg
November 21st, 2011
9:58 am
Murray did not look good, but that was largely because UK plays a bas-nickel D, we had no run game, so they were barely putting 6 in the box in the first half, and the OL regressed significantly after playing BY FAR their best game of the year against AUB.
LawDawg
November 21st, 2011
10:01 am
“Am I the only one who hates the BCS?”
Huh? That is like asking “Am I the only one who hates getting stabbed in the stomach with a rusty knife? It seems like everyone around me whole-heartedly supports getting stabbed with a rusty knife. Is anyone opposed to the obviously majority pro-stabbing position other than me?